also to the rest of the reformed Churches they also earnestly requyred this thyng that consideration of them might be had in like manner Forsomuch as they could do nothing of thēselues without theyr cōsent And thus they parted The day followyng Mons l'Noe beyng beset with sixtene horsemen hauyng encountered and charged a greater troupe and was pursuyng the chase was so neare hys death that if a Captayne had not put hymselfe betweene the enemie and l'Noe he had bene slayne But the Captayne thereby purchased hys deaths wounde The deputies of Rochel beyng returned into the citie tolde the whole matter vnto the Senate The Senate called before them the Pastors of the Church to haue theyr iudgement concernyng these matters The Pastors answeared That for so much as they were demaunded of those thyngs whiche specially belonged to conscience and to Gods prerogatiue it was a matter of great wayghte and therefore that they ought not to make answere to the same before they had craued wisdome of god Affirmyng that peace was to be wished but not such a peace as should be more perillous and mortall than warre as might playnly inough appeare by those former and late examples That it was not likely that the kyng commyng vpon them with his whole power proclaiming open warre would make conuenient and profitable conditions of peace notwithstandyng that they ought to endeuour themselues to forslow nothyng that might be for the peace of the Churches seing they sought not warre but their needefull and necessarie defence Notwithstāding that those conferences parleys did not seeme to be safe and without peril wherfore they thought it better to deale by wryting whereby they might also haue a more conuenient meane to deliberate Furthermore that they ought to haue a consideration of the common vtilitie of all Churches and that therfore they ought to do nothyng for their owne priuate cause except the vse of the same peace shoulde be extended to other Churches The next day the people were called togither that a finall determination might be made concernyng this matter And the people lyked of that iudgement of the Pastors wherof we haue spoken euen now This assembly was scarse dismiste when as the kyngs Armie was approched the gate of the citie whiche ran forceably togither on a heape to breake open the same Wherevpon they of the towne brake foorth and repulsed the kyngs power by little and little and ayde commyng still on bothe partes there was a sore skyrmishe at that place bothe sides valiantly quittyng themselues This skyrmishe continued verye whot the space of sire houres Monsieur l'Noe was in great perill of his lyfe his brest plate beyng broken with diuers violent strokes and his horse slayne vnder him The speedy commyng of the night ended this battayle Of the townesmen twelue were wantyng and seuen and twentie were wounded But of the kyngs parte there are sayde to be a hundred and fiftie slayne Wonderfull was the boldenesse and courage of the women in the middest of the fight comming almost into the daunger of the conflict bringyng to suche as were wounded wine and other comfortable things The nexte day whiche was the last of Februarie the thundryng Cannon shot beganne to batter the walles and gate of Cogne Wherby the cōsultations of the disagreyng townsmen were disturbed and constrayned they were by necessitie to defende themselues The same day the townsmen gaue an assault hauing mons l'Noe and Norman theyr Captaynes at the whiche assaulte many on bothe partes were slayne Mons l'Noe contrary to the agreed and concluded determination brought to passe that the sayd determination being reuoked in the publique assembly of the Senate and people it was agreed that the kings Deputies should be heard againe that the matter might be rather ended by peace than by warre Wherevpon Monsieur Strozzi and Mandreuille were sent into Rochel for hostages And Monsieur l'Noe and Iames Henrie Mayre came vnto the Duke of Anjou as it was agreed by the senate and people Neuerthelesse the batterie proceeded agaynst Cogne forte whose fortification within fewe dayes were beaten downe When the Duke of Anjou had hearde the Deputies of Rochel answered in the Kings name that the kyng woulde adde nothyng vnto those former conditions rehearsed vnto them already by Gadagne That if they were wise they woulde imbrace them betymes whyle the kyngs grace and goodnesse was offered vnto them and not to presume vppon vayne confidence to haue helpe and ayde out of Englande With this answeare they of Rochel returned to make reporte and then came agayne to the Kyngs campe requyryng that bothe the Citie and also the territorie of Rochel mighte haue one and the selfe same vse of the Religion and also that the same benefite mighte belong to the reste of the Churches dispersed throughout the Realme To the which Countie de Adretz made answer that the kings pleasure was to haue the Citie onely partaker of that benefite as for the other Churches that he woulde prouide for them at his owne pleasure and accordyng to hys wysedome willyng thē of Rochel to receyue the benefite offered the which the kyng would afterward graunt vnto theyr fellowes This answere was not liked The which being brought to the Citizens they al agreed that al wayes of defence lawful were to be sought that rather than they should runne into present peril they ought rather to prefer iust warre than to imbrace reprochful and suspected peace for God would defende theyr cause Whyle these things were in communication the greate gunnes shooke and battered the walles of the towne The townsmen also hauyng theyr peeces and shot well defenced with bulwarkes and rampyers discharged lustyly from the Citie in somuch that many on the kyngs parte were at diuers tymes hurt and slayne Among the reste from that forte which we sayde is called l'Euangele there was discharged a Canon shot whiche runnyng through hardell trenche not sufficiently fortified with earth slewe Duke d'Aumall as he stoode priuily behynde the same beyng vncle by the fathers side to the Duke of Guise And so the funerall exequies of thys noble peere was ioyned with the dayly slaughters of noble men and common souldiers Alwayes the thunderyng shot went off agaynst the townsmen laboryng to repayre the breaches of theyr walles notwithstandyng to the smal hurte of the townsmen busily occupied there aboutes Neuerthelesse a truce was taken for one day for a parley duryng whiche tyme the dischargyng of shot was forbidden on eyther parte Monsieur l'Noe and Meniuuille went foorth to the parley in the name of the townesmen The day followyng the thundryng shot wente off afreshe and the townsmen makyng an assault to Tadon made a light skirmishe in the whiche they had good successe and in the dead tyme of the night the townsmen clothyng themselues with whyte shyrtes wente foorth and had taken the trenche of defence when they were repulsed by the kyngs souldiers and many beyng slayne and
grounde belonging to the fame was remoued out of his place and houses that were strongly builte and trees also that were greate and talle were ouerthrowne Also the Suburbes of Lyons called Aguilot was almost quyte ouerthrowen with this vyolence of waters and the greateste parte also of the stonewoorke of the Brydge vppon the Riuer of Rosne An armie was prepared to goe to Burdeaux and to the famous hauens of Broages the charge whereof was committed to Mons Strozzi and to Baron d'Guarde The rumor concerning the warre to come encreased more and more euen as fame is woont to preuent things to come But it was giuen out that thys warre should bee in the lowe countrey Therefore the Spanish Ambassadors made often complaints vnto the King as though by his maiesties commaundement warre should haue bene taken in hande against the Kyng of Spaine his soueraigne But the Kyng excused him selfe with wonderfull dissimulation insomuche that they of the Religion by so doubtfull an aunswere deemed that the Kyngs mynde was fully perswaded concerning the warre of the low countrey About the same tyme also Lodowic Nassau brother to the Prince of Orange came to the Courte accompanying the Queene of Nauar and entred into league with the Kyng in his brothers name the same being subscribed and sealed At such tyme as the Nauie was preparing in the Occean Sea appointed with six thousand footmen and a great number of peeces there went a common ieste abroade that the Nauie went into the Isle of Florida to fetch golde but in very deed the simpler sorte of the commen people sayde that this preparation was not only by the Kings sufferance but also by his expresse commaundement for the lowe countrey This preparation pleased the moste parte of the people very well and all men of both partes were ready to ioyne together in the same warre with so good will as if they had neuer felte the calamities of warre On the other parte a great number of Catholiques and of those of the Religion accordyng as they were ioyned together by affinitie and acquaintance went to another warre namely into Italy against the Turke against whom he seeking to winne the Isle of Malta they bended their whole force power Therefore men went thither with a great trayne of noble men of France among which Marques d'Menie brother to the Duke of Guise was one Notwithstanding the greater parte went to the warre of the lowe countrey Captaynes being sent into all parts of the Realme to gather such Soldiers as would serue in that war of their owne accorde and their wages was payde them out of the Kings treasurie THE delay of this mariage seemed to be very long to all men but especially to thē which looked for desired the same the cause whereof was made the Popes prohibition notwithstāding the kings letters oftentimes sent for licence and his request to the Cardinal Alexandrin for the same purpose THE fyrst day of May in thys present yeare Pope Pius the fyfth dyed the which offered hope to the King as he sayd to obtayn of the new Pope licence to ende the mariage Yet notwithstanding the Queene of Nauar plainly shewed hir selfe not to regarde any suche lycence for the which cause were made so many delayes and shee complayned hereof oftentimes vnto the King. SHORTLY after the Popes death being noysed the King commaunded the Cardinall of Loraine to goe to Rome to be present as it was reported at the Popes election The King sayd that hee had giuen him in charge to procure the Popes dispensatiō that once at the last that mariage might bee finished The Cardinall promising faithfully to accomplishe the Kings commaundement concerning the Pope altogether renouncing the Courte seemed in the iudgement of the wyser sorte besyde common reportes to prouide for his owne safetie least he him selfe should bee in daunger in so great fauour of them of the Religion or in the proclayming of a new war. All which things were so handeled by the craftie dealing of the Queene mother the King also framing both his countenance and also his speach accordingly that euen the moste fine wittes in the courte thought that there was nothing but truth ment IN the moneth of May there was a Synode at a noble Citie in Languedoc called Nismes of the reformed Churches To thys Synode by the benefite of the Kyngs letters came the Ministers and chosen men of the reformed Churches from all partes of the Realme The question was moued concernyng ecclesiasticall doctrine At this Synode were present Theodore de Beza Anthonius Chandoeus Nicolaus Gelazius and dyuers other learned and famous men Gelazius was chosen to bee the moderator of this Synode THERE was at this tyme a great famyne in Languedoc and about the Sea coast being of it selfe a very fruitefull soyle and it continued so sore that dead bodyes starued with hunger laye in the streetes For thys cause the Synode brake vp theyr sittyng at Nismes and appoynted a vacation bothe for that victualles wanted to serue so great a multitude and also to prouide for the poorer sort least they should be at charge for lawe matters THE peace which men nowe more largely enioyed had almost losed the reynes of al libertie in so much that he which now professed the Religion seemed to differ nothing at all neyther in speache nor in manners from the Catholike And now there beganne to be a great famine of the word of God mens myndes being annoyed with tedious curiositie and in many also of luke warme zeale in suche wise that a great number of those of the Religion could nowe scarsely abyde to heare a Sermon of ordinarie doctrine as not eloquent and courtly inough Thus by peace and ease things commonly waxe worse and worse Is it then any maruell if the Church be oftentimes afflicted and ouerwhelmed with troubles and calamities when it abuseth peace and the happy successe of things THERE is vpon the sea coast of Flaunders a citie called Vlishing standing verie conueniently for trafike and entercourse to Andwerpe The townesmen of this citie being wearie of the crueltie of the Spaniards slue the Lieftenant which was set by the Duke of Alba to kepe the towne and certaine of his garrizon and tooke the citie And when the Duke of Alba sent a newe supply to recouer the towne they valiantly repulsed them and set them selues at libertie By their example many cities of the lowe countrey were incouraged and the noble townes of Zeland and Holland were sayde to fauour the Prince of Aurenge and to desire libertie THE Queene of Nauar being poysoned to death with a payre of perfumed gloues as is sayde in the tenth booke the King Queene and the whole court seemed to take hir death very grieuously The King to put away all suspition of poyson commaunded that the dead body should be ript vp by phisitions and so the causes of hir death found out The phisitions taking a viewe of the
as the kings vndoubted commaundement As for the other commaundement sayth he it seemeth so cruell and barbarous that he would not obey the king if he were present to commaunde the same Notwithstanding this Countie d'Tende fought stoutly in the former warre against those of the Religion He which brought these letters and this bloudy commaundement to Countie d'Tende was called mons d'Mole a gentleman borne in Arles who within one yere after was beheaded at Paris by the kings commaundement Countie d'Tende within few dayes after being at Auinion was by some of the kings appoyntmēt poysoned to death Coūtie de Retz being appointed to succeed him Mons. Santherā gouernour of Auuergne answered to the same cōmandement that he wold not obey contrary cōmaundements being coloured and cloaked vnder the kings name affirming therfore that he wold satisfie the first of the two for that it agreed with the kings dignitie with his Edicts that he was no hangman but the kings lieftenāt to gouern the kings subiects with equitie peace The ninth day of Septēber the king being troubled with a sodaine feare cōmaunded his armour to be brought and the captaines of his guard to come vnto him he sweareth that he hath determined to destroy those that remained of thē of the religion willing thē to go euery man to his charge for he would first beginne with the prince of Conde Then the Queene his wife intreated him that he woulde not rashly take in hande a matter of so great waight The king being persuaded by the earnest beseeching of his wife laide aside his armour and dispatcht his guard The day folowing he called before him the Prince of Conde and offered vnto him three things of the which he willed him to chose one that is to say Masse Death or perpetuall imprysonment To this choyce the Prince of Conde answered that by the ayde and assystance of God he would neuer chose the firste and that he left the other two to the Kings will and pleasure But at the last he was by the meanes of one Rozarius a Minister sometime of the reformed Church of Orleans drawne to that abiuration the copy wherof is set down in the tenth booke of Cōmentaries By the subtile persuasions I say of this man he did fall away from the truth and openly renounced the Religion and went to the Masse and to other rytes of the Romishe Church Thus by the example of the Prince of Conde and the king of Nauar many whiche were accounted of the Religion fell from the same And the King of Nauar and the Prince of Conde solemnly set forth their defection by the Kings commaundement For when they had renounced the Religion at Paris they sent letters vnto the Pope in the which they declare that to their great sorowe and griefe they haue bene drawne away from the felowship of the Church by that false doctrine euen from their childhoode the blame whereof they layde not vpon their parentes but vpon those wicked men whiche had seduced them Notwithstanding they sayde it was come to passe in good time through the goodnesse of God that they shuld acknowledge their errour and seriously detest the same in mynd Therfore they humbly beseeched the Pope as a father to forgiue them their former offences and to receiue them againe into the bosome of the Church and they would shewe euer after all such obedience as became reuerent children to shewe and that it woulde please him to certifie them by his letters whereby their consciences might be assured of pardon graunted Therefore the Pope sent his pardon to the Prince of Conde and to the King of Nauar that they might not onely fight vnder his banner but also might be at continuall warre with the reformed religion such was the calamitie of those times After this the King of Nauar made an Edicte concerning them of Bearne concerning the abolishing of the reformed Religion By the commaundement of the Queene of Nauarre his mother when she was aliue the states of Bearne assembled themselues togither to take order cōcerning religion and by the free consent of the states the Masse was abrogated throughout all the dominion of Bearne Thither the king of Nauarre sent Mons Grammont wyth authoritie to preferre the Edict by whiche he forbade all that were within his dominion to vse the reformed religion notwithstanding he gaue leaue vnto them of the Religion to sell away their lande and to prouide for themselues in the space of one yeare and then to go whither soeuer they would THE Pope hearing of these murthers went himself with his whole Colledge of Cardinals first of all to the Church of S. Marke and gaue verie large thankes vnto god Then the next day after he celebrated a solemne Masse and commaunded a Iubile Thankes were giuen to God for the destruction of the enimies of the truth and of the Churche in the realme of Fraunce for the victorie gotten against the Turks and also prayer was made for the kingdome of Polonia that the king might proue suche a one as woulde seriously defende and mainteine the Catholike religion of Rome In the Euening there was a tryumphāt peale of Gunnes in the Castell of Santangell and the French men which were in the Citie made dyuerse ioyfull bankets in many places of the same as though nowe after so long contentions a full conquest were made and the euerlasting peace and tranquilitie of the Church of Rome gotten The French men had also a generall procession aboute the Citie in the which the Pope was present with his whole Colledge of Cardinals and a great number of dishes according to the custome were caryed in the same A Cardinal also sang Masse in the Churche of S. Lodowic where were a greate multitude of people assembled togither THERE were also about this time diuerse things written both in French and in Latine to commend the handling of that murther Antonius Muretus made an oration at Rome in commendation of the king and when he had done caused the same to be published commending the king for his haughtie and constant minde and also for his excellent wisedome Pibrachus set forth an Epistle in the which he maketh a very subtile discourse of al this hystorie to make the Admiral guilty of treason and the cause of the Religious hatefull Notwithstanding he pretended the loue of religion the whiche in tyme past he both knewe and had professed and had afterwarde abiured the same There was also an other Epistle spredde abroade of Peter Carpenter of Tholose a lawier who being a counterfeyt professor of the religion spake euill of the Admiral of the whole cause The which Epistle was answered by one Franciscus Portus a godly man and expert in the Greeke tongue Therfore amidst the tragical mournings of them of the Religion these were the triumphes of the Catholikes THE king also celebrated the order of S. Michael which was a feast dedicated to those noble men whiche were of the
tyme. They of Sanserre beyng styrred vp with the newes of that horrible slaughter of Paris and beyng assaulted wyth continuall lyings in wayte of the bordering enimie kept theyr citie wyth diligent watch and warde thyther those of the Religion whyche were escaped the murthers fled from the places there about from Burges for Sanserre is in the territorie of Berry from La Charite from Orleans from Gijon and from other places Notwythstanding commaundement was gyuen out of hande to them of Sanserre in the Kings name by mons Castres gouernour of that part to admit and obey the Kyngs decree by which he forbad the seruice of the Relygion and accordyng to the fourme thereof to abstayne from holy Sermons and to receyue a garryzon to keepe the city The same forme of commaundemēt also had the same answere of the men of Sanserre whiche they of Rochel Nismes had gyuē as we haue sayd namely that they neyther could nor ought to receyue the armed enimie agaynst them selues And that therfore they must wayte for that tyme in the which they myght safely commit them selues to the externall and foreine souldier also they affyrmed that they were by theyr auncient pryuiledge exempted from that burthen Wherefore they fortify them selues all that they may and repayre the breaches of theyr wastes whych were sore battered in the former warre They sende a messenger to the Court commendyng theyr cause to monsieur Fontenei one of theyr corporation and libertie that he would make intercession to the Kyng for them and would excuse them Notwythstanding all things were prepared for mortall warre and what happened thervpon we wyll shew when we come to the time and place belongyng vnto the same IN Daulphine they of the relygion had not one town in theyr possession no not so much as a village All the cityzens were taken by the Kyngs garryzons the greatest part of them of the relygion beyng desirous to saue theyr lyfe eyther fayned an abiuration of the relygion or else fled into the next cities of Viuaretz and into forreyne countreys To tell it is incredible howe many defections and Apostacies there were in a very shorte tyme euen in the greatest cities where the congregations were most peopled At the first very many wythout constraynt euen by the very reporte of the murther at Paris at Lions fel away and came by heapes to the catholikes some beyng scarsly threatned became weakelyngs and turne-coates So that a man myght see great heapes of hypocrites and dissemblers of the Relygion which frequented the temples and vsed all the rytes of the Catholiques euen as it were with stryuing who should be most forwarde Many of the nobilitie also whych had folowed the relygion and had valiantly behaued them selues in the tymes of the former warres abiured now the relygion others were dumbe at home wyth great astonyshment of continuall feare leaste they shoulde be intercepted and taken by monsieur d' Gordes Lieftenant who notwithstanding went about to persuade them of theyr secure and safe estate and to seduce them from the relygion by louing letters MONS Mombrune one of the most noble men in Daulphine came not to the assembly of the funeral mariage For the prouidēce of God reserued him to do him great seruice as we wil declare whē we come to the time of the same But he hauing by his seruice in the former warres diuers sundry ways emploied gotten great fame among thē of the religion mons d'Gordes at the kings cōmandemēt only labored to intercept him fearing that he wold be another occasiō of new troubles Mombrune kept his house therefore mons d' Gordes sent verie louyng letters vnto hym seekyng thereby to persuade him of the singular good wyll and beneuolence towarde him Only keeping him selfe quiet he should be in rest and securitie and in the Kings high fauour Thus Mombrune seemed to many to haue giuen ouer the care for religion to be quyte discoraged with the vnhappinesse of the time notwithstanding he at the last cast aside al negligēce as we wil declare hereafter THE kings Edict is published to reduce thē home again which were fled away eyther into forreine nations or else into those cities which they of the religion held That by the prescript of the kings Edict pardon shuld be graūted for al things past to such as would returne home againe with prouiso for the safety of their life and conscience so that they woulde lyue peaceably at home And in the same Edict the king threatned those that would not obey his commandement to make their goods confiscate as if they were rebels And he testified that he did not punish the Admiral and his adherentes to this end and purpose that he might shewe seueritie for euer vpon his subiectes of the newe opinion for so he called the Religion but rather to prouide a necessary remedy for the disordred kyngdome though the same in outward shewe seemed to be sharpe Also whereas many of his people through feare were fled eyther into those cities which the rebels held or else into forrein nations that he earnestly lamented their case euē as it becōmeth a good master of a house for that they receiued so much hindrance losse by being banished frō their houses Therfore he willeth and straightly commaundeth them to repayre with al speede vnto their houses being assured that they should haue peaceable cōming so that they came within twentie days the religious leauing the cities which they held seditiously to giue their names vnto the lieftenant of the Prouince and to promyse faythfully that they woulde be heereafter the trustie subiectes of the king But if so be they would obstinatly absent them selues and carelesly contemne his clemencie then to be assured that he would be seuere in punishing them according to their desertes Also excepte they appeared at the daye appoynted that hee woulde confyscate theyr goodes to the end they myght knowe what it is to abuse the clemencie of their prince That he did offer and proclayme thys in time least any man should sustayne the punishment afterwarde for his presumptuouse boldnesse and rashnesse Thys was published the .xix. of Nouember But howsoeuer the kyng by those words of the Edict would seeme to prouide for the consciences of the Religious it cannot be of any wayght or credit in the iudgement of wise men For a little before many of the kings letters patents were sente abroade thorough out the Realme by which most vniustly he constrained those which had not once set theyr foote out of the Realme and whose condition for that cause ought to haue bin much better to renounce the Religion and to imbrace Papistrie Many there imagined and coniectured that the great masse of money gathered out of the proscription of the Religious woulde bee sufficiente to mayntayne warre and so they of the Religion should be wounded with their owne swordes Therefore the goodes of the Religious were dayly
vewed and put in inuentorie the whiche is alwayes the beginning of Confiscation so that the goodes of the Religious beyng absent were almost put in an Inuentorie but yet were not confiscate the cause whereof was the contrary successe whyche the Kyng looked not for If the Kyng had had such successe in his warre at Rochel as hee desyred it seemed that confiscations shoulde haue flowed wyth murders beyonde all measure thoroughout the whole Realme vppon them of the Religion to theyr vtter destruction Vnder the collour and pretēce of that Edict the king sought to bryng to passe by hys Legate mons Belleure with the Switzers which professed the Religion that those Frenchmen of the Religion whych were fled into theyr countrey myght be constrayned to forsake the same for many were fled especially to Bern and to Basile Notwithstandyng the Ambassadour lost hys labour for they extended still that same humanitie that they dyd before towards those fugitiues Almost about thys tyme a daughter was borne to the king Wherevpon he intreated Elizabeth the Queene of Englande that she would promise for his yong daughter in the holy Sacrament of Baptisme whiche we call the office of a Godmother To this request the Queenes Maiestie graūted and sent the Earle of Worceter into France to the king to be hir deputie for the same There was no man but he saw well ynough that the kyng at that doubtful time wēt about to coorry fauour with the Queene of Englande least she shoulde help the poore Inhabitants of Rochel and to this end the league was made We said before that they of Rochel answeared mons Biron that they woulde not receyue him into the Citie before suche time as the kyng hadde prouided for theyr securitie by assured pledges not minding to come to composition with bare words But the Kyng purposed to make those at his commaundemēt by dint of sworde and open force whome he could not wynne with wordes and deceyt Therefore hee deliuereth letters to mons Biron by whych hee banisheth them from his protection and fauour except they obey this his last commaundement as Rebelles traytors and the troublers of the common peace protesting that he woulde persecute them with mortall warre accordingly he commaundeth all hys gouernours and officers to persecute them with warre and by al other meanes euē as if they were giltie of high treason and pronoūceth that whatsoeuer they do herein against them shal be allowed and maynteyned At the same time mons Noe a noble man and in the former warres one amongst the rest most valiant came out of the lowe Countrey of Flaunders called Belgic and was reconciled to the Kyng and in token of his recouered fauour the king gaue vnto him the goodes of Teligni whose Sister mons Noe had maried whyche otherwise had bin confiscate as the goodes of others that were slayne were in the slaughter of Paris The king gaue hym in charge to perswade with them of Rochel that hee mighte bring them if it were possible to take those conditions of peace which he offered vnto them They of Rochel wondering at his comming after thys sorte sente vnto hym their letters of safeconduct that he might come to the village called Tadon the fyfth day of Nouember and to do vnto them that message which he had brought vnto thē from the king Thither came mons l' Noe and the Burgeses of Rochell Lāguilleir Rechenart Villers and Merelle Mons l' Noe declared vnto them that he had receyued commaundemente from the King Queene to tel thē that it appertayned greatly to their profite to yeeld vp the Citie into the kings hand and power that they mighte thereby deliuer themselues from that destruction presently like to ensue by the siege at hand and might also obtayne great peace for other Churches that he propounded thys condition in the kings name whome if they woulde admit to be their Gouernour according to the kings appoyntment they had free libertie to vse and enioy the Religion Notwithstanding mons l' Noe hauing declared hys good wyll and loue whiche he bare to Religion priuately perswaded them of Rochel to admit none in the kings name into the Citie before such time as they were sufficiently assured of their securitie and safetie The Burgeses of Rochel had onely authoritie and leaue to heare but no licence at all to determine any thing Wherefore they returning certifyed the Senate of the condition offered by mons l' Noe and mons l' Noe being come into the Citie receyued this answer That Rochel would not admit mons Biron beseeching the king that hee woulde poynt some other whiche loued the refourmed Religion to be their ouerseer or els to suffer them to lyue peaceably vnder the obedience of hys lawes In the meane time mons l' Noe being solicited both by the Senate it selfe of Rochel and also required by certayne other Ministers of the Church to imbrace the Religion sayeth that he was no lesse feruent towards the Religion than he had bin afore time and that he determined in him selfe to returne vnto them so soone as he hadde done his ambassage vnto the king The whiche hee perfourmed within few dayes after and was louingly enterteyned of them of Rochel After this they of Rochel cōsulted how they might get the Isle of Rhe the whyche was both neere and also commodious for them The charge to atchieue thys enterprise was cōmitted to mons Essarz He beeyng furnished wyth certayne Shyppes loosed from Rochel hauen about the dead tyme of the nyghte that he myghte deceyue the enimie ryding at anker not farre from hym Nowe there were come nere to the Citie two Shyppes of the Kyngs nauy vnder a colour to bryng letters to them of Rochel in the name of mons d' Guarde but in very deede they were sounding or plumming for the depth of the water for the whych cause they had one wyth them very expert in the same Whyles they were thus occupyed they were boorded by the Shyppes of Rochel the whych hauing slayne one of theyr chiefe Cpptaynes tooke one of the Shyppes and sente all theyr tackeling and cariage into the Citie the other Shyp being afeard escaped away Then they of Rochel returned into the Citie agayne Thys was a foretoken that they shuld haue good successe in the warre whiche was prepared against them THE fourth day of December mons Biron came to the citie wyth seuen cornets of horsemen and eyghteene ensignes of footemen hauyng also wyth hym two great brasse peeces to begin the seege In the meane tyme dyuers came dyuersly to this warre frō al parts of the Realme of those also not a fewe which aforetime had serued the Prince of Conde in the war and had nowe forsaken the Religion shewyng them selues to be more mortall enimies to the same than the Catholiques them selues They of Rochel held those villages that bordered vpō theyr Citie as Maraim Mose Nouaille whych were vnder the charge
of Captayne Norman and Andiui and the Isle of Rhe vnder the charge of Captayne Virolet. They determined not to abyde the force of so great an army but to make hast vnto the Citie notwithstandyng Captayne Norman purposed first to assay the enimie Therefore he marched foorth with his bands of footemen hauing accōpanying him only fyftie horsemen and so approched nere the enimie but being to weake he had the repulse and was constrayned to flie into a Countrey place belonging to a noble man the whiche notwithstanding was of sufficient strength and was called Grimelde whither also Captaine Virolet sought to come Then Mon. Biron beset the house and battered the same with his fielde peeces insomuch that there seemed to be no way for them to escape destruction had not captain Norman taken this last shift For he leauing his horses went forth with his men on foote in the dead tyme of the night and breaking throughe the scoute watches got to the citie with his men in safety But captain Virolet seeking too carefully to saue his horses was taken himselfe notwithstanding he turned by and by to the Catholiks side hoping that if he woulde seene in that war he should haue great rewards but the ende falling out otherwise than he was promised he got him home into Brittain where within a while after he was slaine being recompenced with that rewarde of the new warres Then there came dayly new bands of souldiers M. Strozzi being general of the french footmē tooke Pilleborean M. d'Goast with six ensignes of footemen tooke Ronsel and M. Biron tooke Santandre which were the suburbs of Rochel These they fortified with ditches and bulwarkes against the sodaine eruptions of those within the Citie The townesmen from al quarters villages and farmes nere vnto them caried into the Citie so much as they could all maner of vittaile notwithstanding the kings side founde great plentie in those places for the cariage whereof they of Rochel had not prouided in due tyme. Bicause the king perceiued that those noble men which were come out of other parts of the realme to Rochel would much profit them of Rochel and would indammage much his intended siege he assayed those noble men by his letters promising vnto them that if they would come forth of the Citie they should be in safe securitie and shoulde also receyue a large recompence Notwithstanding this perswasion tooke not effect For not one of them at that tyme fell vnto the king There was a generall fast appoynted at Rochel according to the vsuall maner of the French Churches Mons Biron went about to breake the chanels and conduyt pipes which conueyed water to the fountain or conduit which serued the citie therby to take away from the citizens the vse of water But although they had brokē the conduit pipes in many places yet notwithstāding they lost their labor by reason of the great plenty of diuers springs which came from sundrie places By this occasion there was a great skirmish betwene both partes in the which the Lieutenant of Captaine Normans bande was slaine and of mons Birons part his Standardbearer called Saintgenez and diuers other on both sides A ship of Rochel being remoued to the entrie or mouth of the hauē was assayled by the kings ships but so that they gayned nothing at al therby They also ouerthrew .iiii. milles which ioyned to the city and caried from them great plentie of corne which they of Rochel had by negligence left in them BVt before we come to the forceable besieging of Rochel and to enter into a newe yeare the order of the hystorie begun requyreth that we note by the way what was done in other places by the Religious About the end of Nouember d'Anuil being come into Languedoc at the kings commaundement and hauing receyued great charge and cōmission to warre against those remnants which remayned of the Religion marched forth with his prepared armies minding as it shoulde seeme to besiege Nismes Notwithstāding this occasion disappointed him of that purpose There is a little towne nere vnto Montpellier called Sommiron the which though it be but smal yet notwithstanding it is of sufficient force strength both for the apt situation therof and also bicause it hath a wel defenced castel in the same In this towne mon. Ioyeuse had left certain great bard horses with a garison of certain soldiers suspecting no force to be offered by them of the Religion which seemed to be almost dead but beholde vnlooked for a notable captain called mon. Saintgremian tooke the city the castle and the horses of mon. Ioyeuse Therfore d'Anuil hauing giuen a vain assault to Vzes the which is an ancient city of Languedoc in the territory of Cursol hauing gone throughout the whole territory of Vzes hauing taken the castel of Sangene by surrender and woon a little town called Cauuis seeming now to come to assaile Nismes with a great armie he first of al purposed to assault Sommiron with his whole force least he should haue Montpellier a neare enimy vnto him or least he might be stayed from the pray and bootie any longer which lay open to the sight of his armie D'Anuil therfore besiegeth Sommiron omitting nothing by which he might giue a strōg assault to the same notwithstanding the vnhappy succes of that siege as it diminished the strēgth of the Catholiks in that coūtry so also it greatly enlarged the power of thē of the Religion which thenceforth began to haue better successe and the feare of those first attempts being set apart they of the Religion behaued themselues in their affayres much more constantly than they did before in the former ciuil wars hauing takē a large plentiful coūtry not so much by the forces of great armies as by diligēt painfulnes Sommirō was thus besiged by d'Anuil four moneths a great masse of mony being wasted by the Catholiks in vitailing so populous an army insomuch that they were wery of war beside the losse both of cōmon soldiers also of those noble mē which were mortal enimies to the Religion being brought thither euē as it were against their wils that they might be slain To be short they of the religiō in Lāguedoc had an opē way made for thē to bring notable things to passe frō thenceforth as we wil shew hereafter Of Sanserre we haue spoken before To intercept and take the which the same subtil practises were vsed that were practised in the Cities mentionrd before They of Sanserre had intreated monsieur Fontene a certaine noble man as we haue sayde to speake vnto the king on their behalfe and not to suffer their name to be dishonested by slaunderous reports Mons Fontene tooke this for an occasion to begin greater familiaritie He sendeth vnto them M. Candaillet a certain old courtier to assure thē of his good wil but that he himselfe was onely earnestly busied in working their safetie that
a violent charge at the first enforced the Rochellians to gyue backe but yet they persisted so valiantly in fight that they slew Mons Goaz and diuers other chiefe captaines and souldiers and caused the rest to retyre Then came the thyrde bande who gaue the thirde assault with like successe as the other had done During these assaultes the women tooke suche great paynes in castyng downe fire woorkes in such abundant manner that they deserue a great parte of the prayse of that victorie And by the miste of a certaine smoke which the townsmen made of purpose they fought with smal losse of mē the number being fortie onely But of the Catholikes there were aboue foure hundred slaine most of the which were captaynes and souldiers of great skill which fought in the forefront At Tadon also the townesmen had as happie successe in their fight agaynst the Catholikes at the time as they had before going nowe aboute to winne the Citie by scaling the walles at that part The walles of the towne were shyning bryght with the flame of the burning fyrebrandes which lay in the ditches The next day the townesmen to scorne the enimie armed their scullyons and slaues and brought them forth at Cogne gate with naked swordes in triumphant wise in their hands The Catholikes armed themselues and they streight way retyre into the Citie the townesmen in the meane time calling the Switzers to battaile in dirision The Catholikes put into the ditches certain gunnes to shake downe the Casemates but in vaine By the commaundement of the Maior threescore men and women and children of the rascal sort of people were brought out of the Citie The Rochellians were solicited to peace a Harault being sent vnto them with letters of certaine of their familiar friendes which were in the kings campe In fine the kings singular good wil to be at peace with them was declared they were also exhorted not to depriue them and theyrs of so good an occasion of peace The townesmen went forth to displace the fortes which were made ouer agaynst the gate of Sannicolas wherevpon ensued a great tempest of shot as thicke as hayle to the annoyance of both partes The day following whiche was the first of Iune foure townesmen making those afearde which lay in the next trenches and thought no doubt that there had bene a greater number and putting them to flight no man making resistance ouerthrew their baskets and bulwarkes There entered into the Citie two Souldiers with letters from Mongomerie in the which he gaue them to vnderstande that he was constrayned to returne into Englande to bring a greater power with the which he woulde shortly come vnto them Incouraging them to goe forwarde in the same constancie in the whiche they had by the goodnesse of God continued vntill that day The Catholikes fortifyed the trench which was at the bulwarke l'Euangile and that part allo whiche was somewhat nearer to Sannicolas A certaine Souldier crauing leaue of the Maior to go forth of the Citie vnder pretence to assayle the enimie fled into the kings campe The Casemates were dayly assaulted but in vaine BVT the townesmen were not onely vrged with external enimies but also with domestical and inwarde extremities Many were wearie of the war and many feared the famine by whiche the townesmen feared greate destruction Diuerse men diuerslye communed togither mislyking all that they coulde of those extremities there were manye of the rycher sorte whiche were greeued for the wasting and losse of theyr goodes insomuche that by all maner of meanes they desyred peace Therefore they withstoode the whole assembly And certaine also had determined to take the gate and to goe oute of the same For this cause certaine of the wellbyer sorte by the decree of the Senate were put in prison As yet the penurie of corne did not grieue the townesmen and yet notwithstanding their store was greatly diminished which they feared dayly more and more But the Rochellians had store of Saltfishe and wine And it is wonderful which certaine honest and credible persons do report which were at that siege how that a certaine kinde of fishe came into the hauen in such plentifull maner contrary to their woonted custome that the poorer sorte vsed to eate them in steade of breade and that the same plentie went away almost the same day when the kings army departed vpon the conclusion of peace On the contrary part no lesse extremities vrged the king as the scarcitie of money and the impaciencie of the nobles whiche were wearie of the warre coulde by no meanes be restrayned And the king was vnable to hemme in or inclose the towne of Rochel the same being so large and populous and the sea coast being so neare vnto the same Therefore both partes were fully determined to conclude a peace And to further this matter the Duke of Anjou had ioyful and acceptable newes concerning the kingdome of Polonia For the Duke of Anjou by the meanes of the nobles of Polonia was made king of Polonia in the place of Sigismond the former king of the same MONLVCE Bishop of Valence had solicited the matter to the noble men of Polonia with great diligence and with golden sermons the whiche also he caused to be put in print thereby seeking to win vnto his maister a kingdome A great scruple and doubt was obiected about the murders of Paris the causes whereof by open rumors were layde vppon the Duke of Anjou Notwithstanding Monluce so ordered the matter that in the name of the Duke of Anjou hee perswaded the states of Polonia Concerning the successe of the which election we will speake in another place This therefore was a special occasion to rayse the siege All this while the Catholikes came oftentymes to Cogne gate to intreate for a peace Amidst these communications of peace the Citie was very neare intercepted through the great securitie of the townsmen For a hundred Catholikes with Ladders clymed vp to the toppe of the walles and tooke a viewe of theyr Fortes the which being discouered the townesmen cryed Alarme and with speedie dispatch they were repulsed and put to flight but fiftene of them were slaine by falling from the walles into the Citie For ioy of the newes of Polonia there were triumphant shouts and thundring peale of great gunnes both in the kings campe and also in the nauie There fell downe twentie cubites of the walles at this peale To the ruyne and breache whereof the townesmen ranne out of hande suspecting that the enimie was come and stoode armed in a readinesse for certaine houres After long contentions it was at the last agreed betweene the kings armie and the Rochellians that the sayd Rochellians should go and submit themselues to the Duke of Anjou and desire peace of him Wherevpon the Rochellians receyued in the name of the Duke of Anjou assurance of truce and were cleared of the name of Rebels with the which afore time they
feared both for that the same was addicted to the Romish Religion and also an enimie to the house of Nauar. The King said that he would not haue the manner of royall mariages altered which were wont to be celebrated there and the rather bicause the same did greatly make for the assured signe of peace when the same should be seene to be openly celebrated in the Metropolitane citie of the realme as it were in the face of the whole worlde And now although both partes were perswaded that this maryage might bee made very profitably yet notwithstandyng there was great doubt concernyng the manner of celebratyng the mariage The Queene of Nauar beyng zelously addicted to the reformed religion would in no wyse consent that the maryage should bee celebrated after the Romish fashion neyther the Queene mother would condiscend that they should bee maryed after the order of the reformed Religion Thus there was greate dissention betweene the two women whereas they were agreed of the principall matter The King at the fyrst intreated the Queene of Nauar to graunt vnto him and to his sister this libertie for that it appertayned to his dignitie that the forme of the auncient Religion which he had receyued from his auncetors might bee vsed in the mariage of his sister When the Queene of Nauar had constantly excused hir selfe and that the King perceiued he preuayled nothing at all it is reported that vsing his accustomed othes he sayd that he would set his sister at libertie from the lawes of Rome and also from the rytes of the Religion and that hee him selfe would celebrate the mariage than the which there could not be a more pompous celebration The which rumor was spred abroad among the Courtiers and this new imagination pleased many very well for whatsoeuer the King saith or doth that doth the Frenchman lyke insomuche that they frame both their speach and their apparell according to the Kings guise To remooue this doubte respite was taken on eyther parte The Kyng sente letters vnto Pope Pius the fyfth to obtayne lycence for hys Syster to marry with Henry Borbon hys Coosyne leaste the respecte eyther of consanguinitie or of Religion might hinder the mariage for that it was for the wealth of the Realme Furthermore that it would please his holines to giue them leaue to vse such rytes in celebrating matrimonie as might best serue theyr turne The Pope altogether misliketh of the Kings request the which he often tymes denyed to graunt affyrming the same to be most vnlawfull On the other parte also the Queene of Nauar consulted with the ministers of the reformed Religion what might be done in this matter Of the which diuers verdictes and iudgementes were giuen Some vrging the simplicitie of the word of god thought it wicked by any manner of meanes to contracte such matrimonie the which was therefore muche more daungerous in noble personages bicause the affayres in hand did not belong to one house alone but also almost to the whole Realme The which speaches notwithstanding were not gracious and acceptable to the Queene of Nauar and to the rest of the nobles perswading themselues that they should all generally receyue great profite by that maryage Therefore the matter was committed to a fewe by whose determination the same was to be ended and they concluded nothing but that which they knew would please the Queene of Nauar the nobles Then the matter being approued vppon their sentence determination began to grow in greater likeing to please more of the ministers whose iudgemēts were afterward required in publique assēblies of the churches of Frāce Thus the woorser counsaile tooke place and not only the Queene of Nauar but also the greatest part of them of the religiō earnestly wished that mariage All the cōtrouersie stood on this poynte by what way most conueniently and with lest offence of eyther parte the mariage might be solemnized THE Admirals wyfe being dead hee maryed another of the noble house of Royen being daughter to the Countie of Entremont and heyre to greate possessions This stocke belongeth to the Countie of Sauoy and thys riche noble woman was desired in maryage of many noble men and peeres also of Sauoy Notwithstanding the Admirall preuayled both by the meanes of the Kings letters to Philibert Duke of Sauoy whose authoritie was greate in makyng that noble maryage and also by his owne fame and name of Religion which was most acceptable to that heroicall Lady and so tooke hir to his wife which many gathered to bee an argument of most fyrme peace THE Admirall thought it necessarie for the expedition of the affayres in the lowe countrey to enter into league with Elizabeth the Queenes maiestie of Englande And good occasion as he thought was offered for that hir maiestie is single and the Duke of Anjou the Kings brother wanted a wyfe The Duke of Anjou thought him selfe woorthy so great a maryage both for that hee was the Kyngs brother and also bicause he had wonne to him selfe great renowne and prayse by his valiant actes in martiall affayres The charge to bring this matter to passe was committed to M. Momorencie a wise man and one of the chiefe nobles and gouernours of France The ende declared the causes of this league both that by this practise the myndes of the Admirall and of all the rest which ought necessarily to be blynded for the better finishing of the wicked facte might be deceyued all the whole matter being cloked with prouident care for the dispatche into the lowe countrey and also that Momorencie a man of sharpe wit myght not through hys familiaritie and conference with the Kyng smell out the counsailes of the tragedy which was in hande and finally that England being bounde by the name of this league might not stirre as offended at the wickednes of the facte the which also came to passe These were the reasons why the league was made with the Queenes maiestie of Englande as hath since appeared by the successe it selfe AVTVMNE of this present yeere was very vnseasonable flowing with continuall vehement showers of rayne A great parte of the houses and buildings of Feraria fell downe to the present ruine of the whole Citie Nere vnto Geneua at the straytes of Ecluse a great parte of a hyll was broken down with the freat and violence of the waters and fel down into the Riuer of Rosne with the which the water was so stopte that it dyd ouerflowe and the sayd Ryuer was so checkte with the floude that the streame hauyng hys contrary course backewarde caused the wheeles of those milles that stoode vppon the same to runne amisse and to turne the Milstones the wrong waye to the woonder of suche as sawe the same the lyke whereof was neuer seene before There was also so greate an Earthquake in a certayne village neere vnto Geneua that all the houses in the same were ouerthrowne and a certayne peece of
spente that time in deuising murders against the noble men of his Realme and at the last determined to kill Iulian whome in the sight of men he loued and reuerenced as a father Antonius Caracalla an enimie of Alexandria bycause certayne verses were soong agaynste him commaunded all the yong men of the citie to be gathered togither vnder the colour of a muster and to be slayne and that euery souldier shuld kill his host where he lay Thus the Citie beyng replenished with murders he had no other excuse to cloake the same but to write vnto the Senate that they had euery one deserued death and that this answer ought to suffice them Lysander the chiefe Captayne of the Lacedemonians calling fourescore of the men of Miletus togither vnder the colour of societie and friendship cōmaunded them to be slaine Seruius Galba shewed the like crueltie vppon sixe thousande Spanyardes Antonius Spinola calling vnto him colourably the chiefe men of the Isle of Corsica to make them a banquet commaunded their heads to be chopt off Charles the seuenth King of Fraunce after he had reconciled him selfe with the Duke of Burgundy and confirmed the same with a matrimoniall league had also solemnely sworne to forgiue all things past sent for him to the towne of Monterell vnder the colour of friendship and there slue him There are many other examples from among the whiche I haue taken these fewe to the ende thou mayest knowe that the King beeing a yong man hath diligently learned that doctrine whiche is contayned in the .18 chapter of that Booke which concerneth the doctrine of a Prince set foorth by Machiauell Euen as it cannot be vnknowen vnto thee that the kyng the very same day that the Queene of Nauar came to the Court of Blaij Iestingly demaunded of the Queene mother adding thervnto ▪ acording to his maner a blasphemous othe if he had not behaued himselfe exceeding wel To the which the Queene answeared agayne that he had begon very well but it woulde profit little except he went forward But I will sayth he addyng hys accustomed oathes bryng them euery one into thy nette These are the Kings wordes Heereby it may bee gathered what the ende of these familiarities and friendshippes will bee shewed towardes thee and to other noble menne of the Religion Looke diligently to thy selfe and bee assured that there is no other remedy for thee to escape theyr snares than to get thee away betimes from thys Court whyche is a most fylthy and vncleane Sodome THIS Booke beyng red the Admirall aunswered with angry moode the man in whose name the same was offered That these things serued not the time that they mighte haue bin spoken conueniently in time past but nowe there was no cause remayning of suspition God had altered the Kings mynde hee woulde neuer beleeue that suche falsehoode could haue place in his Kyngs mynde nay he was perswaded that Fraunce had neuer a better King than Charles the ninth and that although the Duke of Anjou were an enimie to the Religion yet at the last hee woulde forsake that hatred for the reuerence sake of that affinitie whiche hee shoulde haue with the King of Nauar. That a league was made with Englande into the whyche also hee minded to enter with the Princes of Germany whyche professed the Religion to shewe hys affection towarde the Religion myndyng to haue in hys company one of the sonnes of the Countie Palatine and some one of the noble men of Englande whyche was zealous in the Religion That he had gyuen his fayth to the Prince of Orange and to his brother to ayde hym agaynst the Spanyardes in somuch that he was the chiefe and efficient cause of the preparation of warre into the iowe countrey That in stead of the Armie whyche was committed to the conduct of Mons Genlis a newe supply was prepared that the affayres of the lowe countrey were in good cace That the Kyngs Ambassadour dyd dayly aduertise hym of the counsayles of the Duke of Alba. That the same Nauie of which Mons Strozzi and Baron de Guard haue charge is prepared for no other end than to remoue the Spanish nauie and to goe with speede to Vlishing to the Prince of Orange that there may be open warre in the lowe countrey Finally that the Kyng did all things with greate care for the confirmation of peace by the benefyte whereof there was no doubt but that the affayres of the Religion shoulde haue good successe Wherefore hee prayed him and all others of the same opinion that they woulde not trouble his mynde with those suspitions beeyng occupied with better thynges but rather that they woulde pray vnto GOD that he woulde bryng that to good effect whyche was happyly begun to the peace and tranquillitie of the Realme and hys Churche ABOVT the same time almost Mons Momorencie was returned out of Englande hauing entred into league in the Kings name with the Queenes highnesse of Englande concerning that marriage which was intreated in the name of Henry Duke of Anjou it is vnknowen what hindered the same It is said that hir maiestie vtterly refused the matche But howsoeuer the cace stoode I am perswaded that God of his singular goodnesse prouided for hir Maiestie and also for the Realme of Englande from the whiche hee hath turned away great calamitie THE Prince of Orange hauing gotten a great armie in the which were sayd to be twenty thousand footemen eyght thousand horsemen entred the lowe countrey At whose comming the Cities in diuers places were yelded vnto hym in somuch that within a short time he had in his power foure and forty Cities the greatest part of Zeland Holland Among these cities he had Mechline In the mean time the Duke of Alba beseeged Mounts in the which was Lodowic brother to the Prince of Orange with a great number of noble French mē Shortly after thys was the cruel slaughter of the Admiral and other noble men and gentlemen committed at Paris and in other places of the Realme whiche is at large set foorth in the tenth Booke of Commentaries already translated and therefore here omitted AFTER the murder the king commaunded the King of Nauar and the Prince of Conde to come before him Who being in his presence he sayeth vnto them That after so long time of warres by which his kingdome hath bin greatly endammaged he hath found out at the length vndoubted remedies to take away cleane all the causes of warre and hathe therefore commaunded the Admirall to be slayne the wicked author of mischeuous troubles and that the same punishment was prouided in the Citie for al lewde and naughtie persons infected with vngodly superstition That he remembred what great harme he had receyued both of the King of Nauar and also of the Prince of Conde who were the Captaynes and ringleaders of desperate persons and seditiously helde warre against him to reuenge so greate iniuries he had nowe cause and occasion offered him
Notwithstāding he sayd he would forgiue matters past and done for their ages and consanguinities sake deeming that they were not so much to be blamed as the Admirall and other moste mischeuous persons theyr counsaylers who eyther already had bin punished for their desertes or else were now vnder the same These thyngs therefore he sayd he would pardon vpon condition that they wold euer after amend their former faultes with more faythfull obedience and woulde returne to the Religion of the Catholique fayth that hauing renounced the doctrine of prophane superstition whiche had already caused so great troubles and warres they woulde wholly imbrace the auncient Religion and returne to the lap of the Church of Rome That he would euer after haue but one onely Religion imbraced in hys Realme and the same which he had receyued from hys auncetors Therefore he willed them to consider whether they would obay in these things or else suffer such punishmente as theyr fellowes had done The King of Nauar being abashed with these sharpe speeches aunsweared humbly vnto the king that hee remembred his fayth and the consanguinitie lately entred with hys maiestie and that he would do those things whiche might please and content his minde most hartily beseeching him to consider how great a thing a mans conscience is and how hardly he could renounce that Religion whiche he had learned and in the which he had bin trayned vp from a childe Notwithstanding he spake these things with great submission feare The Prince of Conde perceyuing the present perill answered the King but not without feare of mind that his maiestie had so solemnly giuen his faith to him and to the rest of the Religion that he could not perswade him selfe that he would breake so faithfull an oath nor harken to the counsailes of his aduersaries And as touching that obedience which his maiestie required of him and which he had euer hitherto faythfully shewed to the same he minded neuer to forsake it during life But as touching the Religion he had free leaue of the king to exercise the same and from God the true knowledge therof to whom he knew he shuld giue an account for the same Adding that him selfe and all that he had was in the kings power And he willed him to do what soeuer pleased him both with his life and also with his goodes yet neuerthelesse he was fully determined neuer to depart from that Religiō which he knew for certain to be true though it were to the present perill of his life The King was sore offended with this aunsweare of the Prince of Conde and calling him obstinate seditious and the sonne of a seditious person telleth him that if he do not repent him within three dayes he should suffer death for his peruerse obstinacie There were spared also certayne of the houshold seruantes of the king of Nauar which were gentlemē mons Grammōts Durase and certayne others which promised that they woulde do whatsoeuer the king commaunded them These being neuer earnest louers of the Religion were pardoned that they might be instruments afterward to withstand the same This garboyle and bloudy sturre being thus made in the Citie and in the Castell there were left as yet those whyche dwelt and aboade in the suburbes and some of the nobilitie as M. Chartres Mongomeri Briquemauld Bellouez Fontene and diuers other noble men Commaundement was giuen by the king to the Prouost of the marchāts to haue a thousand armed men in a redinesse to intercept those of the religion whiche were in the suburbes of Sangerman And hee had giuen the whole charge of this matter vnto M. Marcell one of the chiefe Magistrates of the citie Notwithstanding the prepared souldiours came not at the hour apointed through the negligēce of the said magistrate The king had appointed M. Mongeron chiefe ouerseer of the execution of his purpose He looking for his souldiors and seeking for the Duke of Guise to complayne to him of this matter certaine houres were spente In the meane tyme one of the Religion seing the citie all on a roare running vnto the riuer got in conuenient time a boate and so cut ouer the riuer and certified Mongomerie of the trouble in the citie This was about fiue of the clocke Mongomerie gaue M. Chartres to vnderstād hereof and so by opening the matter from one to an other it was generally knowne by and by to all that were in the village or suburbes Notwithstanding it seemed almost incredible The greatest part beleued that the king was not priuie to so great wickednesse so farre they were from thinking that it should be don by his commaundement othersome beyng as yet persuaded of the kings good will thought that the kings owne person was assaulted by the Guyses for the hatred that they bare to the Religion whiche he seemed to fauour Therfore amidst this varietie of opinions they knew not themselues what waye they were best to take Some thought it beste to goe oute of hande to the kyng to the Castell of Lowre least they myght be deceyued of the kynges will other some sayde that it was needfull and necessarie for them to goe and ayde the kyng The thyrde and wyser sorte nothing doubting but that this was doone by the kings commaundement betooke them to flight But while they made delay they might easily haue bin taken had not an other impediment happened The Duke of Guise seeing that he coulde not haue a band of souldiours of the Parisians they following the praye and spoyle deuised a newe way whiche was that he woulde goe himselfe with certaine souldiours to the suburbes of Sangerman whyle the shot and spearemen of the kings garde gaue an assault from the riuer vpon the whiche stoode the suburbes ouer against the castell of Lowre But his purpose and deuise tooke not effecte For when the Guise woulde haue gone foorth with his souldiours he was constrayned to staye the porter of the gates hauing deliuered the wrong keys the other not to be founde Before therefore the keyes coulde be brought suche delay was made that M. Chartres Mongomerie and others escaped away and yet not without further perill For they sawe on the other syde of the shoare bandes of souldiours approching to shippe and hearde cryes made from the Castell that they fledde and sawe also greate stoare of shotte discharged at them bothe from the Castell and also from the shippes Also it is sayde that the kyng hym selfe stoode vpon the top of his tower crying and swearyng and dischargyng shotte Then they whiche were in the suburbes leauyng all theyr goodes roade away without bootes and spurres wyth as muche speede as possible they coulde They were scarse out of sighte when the souldiours were landed on the other syde who brake into the houses and tooke their pray Neuerthelesse they whiche fled were pursued by the Guyse by Duke d'Aumale by the Earle of Engolesme and others to Monfort which is distant from Paris the space of
order who bare about them the order of S. Michael fighting with the diuel At this feast were many noble men and amōg the rest the king of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde THE xxvij day of October the Senate of Paris pronounced a sore sentence agaynst the Admirall being dead and agaynst his memorie and children He was condemned as one guiltie of treason as an enimie to peace and a common troubler of the state as the authour of a conspiracie agaynst the king and against the state His memorie was condemned to euerlasting ignominie And to the ende there might remaine some monument of those faults it was decreed that his bodie if it could be found should be drawne through euery streete of the citie after it had stood in the Market place foure and twentie houres and if the same could not be found then his Image should be made stuft with straw and so be drawne in stead of the same as aforesayd and so to the place of execution called the Forkes of Montfalcon It was also decreed that his Armes Crest and Shield should be drawne in like maner to the fore named place And that in what places soeuer they were found they should be broken downe by the hangman as a token of his euerlasting ignominie Also that all his goodes that either he or his aunceters had receyued by the benefite and liberalitie of kings whether they were moueable or immoueable should come vnto the crowne His children were pronounced vnnoble and base and vnworthie to haue anye publike office or to enioy their goodes which if they had any within the Realme they were confiscate to the king His chiefe house Chastillon was beaten downe to the ground that neuer any thing might be buylded there againe The trees of the Orcharde were cut downe and the Gardens about the sayde house turned vpside-downe and it was decreed that a brasen pyller should be erected where the house did stande with this decree of the Senate in the same It was also decreed that the xxiiij of August euery yeare there shoulde be a generall procession about the Citie to giue thankes vnto God and to celebrate the memorie of that day in the which that cruel murder was committed AMIDST these troubles many of the Religion whiche sought to prouide for the safegard of their conscience and life fled into forraine nations Some into Englande Germanie Strausburge and Heidelberge also othersominto Switzerland to Basile and to the townes of Berne to Lausanna and to other Cities and the greatest parte to Geneua Also Rochel Mountauban Nismes and certaine Cities in the Countrey of Viuaretz and Seuenatz were left as places of refuge as wee will declare hereafter The two sonnes of the Admiral by the singular prouidence of God escaped imminent destruction and the Countie Laual the sonne of D'andelot with the daughter of the Admirall which was Thelignies widow came to Geneua after that to Berne and tarying certaine monethes at Basil they returned to Berne againe being very louingly enterteyned of the people ¶ The eleuenth Booke of Commentaries concerning the temporall and Ecclesiasticall state of the Realme of Fraunce in the raigne of Charles the ninth WHilest the whole Realm of France was woonderfully distract and confounded by that horrible and butcherly murder committed and amiddest the violence of contrarye motions when as some triumphed as conquerers and other some being ouercome were ouerwhelmed with sorowe and griefe all men for the most parte whether they were Catholiques or of the Religion were sore afeard and astonyed Yea the fyerbrandes of furies dyd burne euen in the very tryumph of victorie the authors and chiefe instruments themselues of that detestable slaughter in somuch that they being as it were out of their wittes at these fyrste beginnings pretermitted many occasions by whiche they mighte haue brought their purpose about conueniently Notwithstanding the outrage to bryng their cruell purpose to passe pricked them forward that the Religiō might be vtterly destroyed and extinguished in the kingdome of France But their diuelish counsayles had quite contrary successe afterwardes diuers practises also were vsed on both sydes as we will declare hereafter in order Furthermore the horror and feare of that garboyle was spread to all those countreyes bordering vpon France Strasburge very carefully held watch and warde In Switzerlande the Cities of contrary Religion shewed them selues playnely to stande in feare one of another and there were in dyuers partes musters made and rumors spread abroade for trueth That if the Kyng made a perfect conquest of hys subiects he woulde sowe ciuill discordes in Switzerlande that a nation not onely excelling heretofore in ciuill concorde but also hauing gotten great authoritie and credite with the kingdomes bordering therevppon and selling their friendship for greate stipendes and summes of money shoulde contende and be at warres in it selfe They of Bern seemed most of al to be assalted whose power is gret amōg the Switzers by reason of the amplenes of their populous dominion The cause of discord was for that the Cities in Switzerlād which were named to be of the Religion seemed not to cōdescēd and agree to giue vnto the king a band of Catholiques to ayde him to rase and roote out for euer the remnant that remayned of them of the Religion bycause they did much abhorre that butcherly murder of France for that seemed both to be againste the Religion whiche they professed and also to tende to their owne priuate perill as when that the King had destroyed hys owne subiects he myght cause troubles and tumult in Switzerland by the meanes of the townes in the which the Catholiques inhabited who were very desirous to receyue the Kings pay notwithstanding what happened afterward we will declare anon BY THE Kings commaundement horsemen were dispatched and sente into all partes of the Realme and euery man receyued charge to watch and ward diligently Also the Gouernours of euery prouince had commaundement not to be absente from their charge at any tyme without the Kings assured commaundement to looke diligently that there arose no tumultuouse trouble and with all care and industrie to seeke and syft out narrowly all conuenticles and assemblies of suche as professed the Religion and seuerely to punish them IN all partes of the Realme and in euery Citie of the same they were apprehended whiche kept their houses vpon trust and assurance of the Kings Edict Many were slayne and put to death and all men had their goodes put to spoyle by the Kings officers euen as if they had bin enimies lawfully vanquished Notwithstandyng many escaped and fled into forrayne nations There was scarse one man founde which professed hymselfe to be of the Religion all were eyther in exile or hydden in corners or els sauing a fewe constrayned to forsake the Religion and to lyue more catholykely than the Catholykes them selues THEY of the Religion beeyng after thys maner vanquished there seemed nothing to remaine but their
Biron Wherevpon they of Rochel sent two messengers to Mons Biron to salute him for they stoode doubtfull what to doe whether they should receiue Monsieur Biron yea or no for it was reported that they of Rochel would incline vnto him the which to do was not without great perill Monsieur Biron talking with the messengers of Rochel in a secrete place bewayled and lamented wyth many teares the outrage of the murders committed shewed how greatly he was grieued for the fame and gaue thankes vnto God that his name could not be regestred and expressed in so infamouse an hystorie desired the messengers to certifie Rochel from him that he wished them to consider in what peryll they were and that they should wisely vse take those meanes for their safetie which God offered vnto them least they repented them to late with great dammage that they alone were not able to stande agaynst the Kings power the whiche beyng complete was ready to vanquish and ouerthrow the remaynder of them of the Religion shewyng also that this was the only remedie for them to submit themselues to hys authoritie or at least to admit and suffer hym with one or twoo more of his trayne to come into the towne that he might thereby certifie the kyng of theyr obedience the whiche beyng done he would bryng to passe that they shoulde sustayne no hurte by the kyngs Armie but would out of hande dispatch away the Nauie which was prepared to assayle them by force There were also certayne of the chiefe Citizens whiche fauored Mons Biron and his iudgement was well lyked of the two messengers who returnyng shewed bothe the imminent mischiefe of the great perill and also that the onely remedy to withstand the same rested in the counsayle of M. Biron whom report blased not only to be distayned and defiled with horrible furies of murders but also that he himselfe was brought into great peryll Notwithstanding in this matter he did only make a counterfeyte lamentation to pleasure the kyng euen as aforetyme he had employed his mortall labour in perswadyng the Admiral Neuerthelesse it is certayne that the name of Monsieur Biron was wrytten in the bloudy booke that he might haue his parte with others in the butcherly murder of Paris Therfore to get vnto hymself the kyngs fauour by some notable seruice he went about to yeelde vp thē of Rochel vnto the kyng The which if it had come to passe it had bene a hundred to one that the extreme slaughter should haue made a lamentable ende of that rēnant of the Religious so that not one shuld haue bene left aliue But Rochel was a great let to hinder those mischieuous coūsayles practises occasions to preuayle notablely were offered to them of the Religion both by these delaies also by the happy successe of the affayres of Rochel The messengers as wee sayde beyng come into the towne tolde the matter vnto the Senate and as they were in consultation deuising what way they were best to take woorde was brought to the Maior of the Citie which is the chiefe gouernour that shippes were to be seene at the promontorie or poynt cōmonly called Chef d'Bais the which beyng entered the hauen by the cōmandement of M. d'Guard letters were brought also by which he giueth them of Rochel to vnderstand that he was certified by the kyngs letters that Mons Biron would be at Rochel the same day with power admonisheth them to take diligent heede that they gaue him honorable entertaymēt as it was agreeable to his person and withall to remember that they had to do with a great and moste mightie kyng of whose goodnesse it should be better for them to taste than of his seueritie for that he intēded to punish them accordyng to theyr deserts which would impugne and resist hys cōmandements At this very instant while they hong doubtfull and knewe not which way to take in these extremities the open threatnyngs of Monsieur d'Guard hauyng confirmed the increased opinion concernyng the kings will in this poynt they agreed and concluded with one consent not to receyue Mons Biron that vpon this occasion At the very same tyme there came a messenger frō Montauban with letters by which they certified them of Rochel that Castre a citie in Languedoc the which was held by them of the Religion after many fayre promyses of the kyng concerning theyr safetie beyng yelded into the hande of Monsieur Creuset a noble man dwellyng vnto them was sacked and the Religious in the same most cruelly murdered Amidst so great distresse they of Montauban were sore afeard and very careful concernyng theyr owne priuate peril they admonished them of Rochel what they were best to do in so great extremitie namely to take wyse deliberation The present peryll of the inhabitants of Castre troubled and disquieted them of Rochel wherevppon they determined not to receyue Monsieur Biron vntil such tyme as they had prouyded for theyr owne safetie and securitie of which theyr determination they gaue Mons Biron to vnderstand out of hande MONSIEVR Biron aunswereth them agayne that he was very sory that they were bent to that which would bryng theyr owne destruction yet notwithstādyng he sayd he would hyde the matter from the kyng by speciall excuses vntill suche tyme as they had aduised themselues better willyng them not to hurte themselues by this daungerous determination and to beware least theyr rashe wilfulnesse turned them to displeasure Finally he promysed that he would endeuour hymselfe all that he coulde to perswade the kyng that the Nauie might be dismist and sent some otherway LOVING letters were sent vnto them againe from the kyng the Queene mother and from the Duke of Anjou by seueral messengers though the letters tended to one effect The kyng sought to perswade them of hys singular good will towardes them and promised vnto them al fayth humanitie in preseruyng them They of Rochel answere by letters agayne They giue thankes vnto the kyng and beseeche him that he would commaund the nauie to auoyd that coste for they were in such great feare at that present that they knew not what to do The which if it would please the kyng to cōmaunde they myght certaynly assure themselues of the kyngs good will towardes them and should also the more duetifully obey him By reason of these delayes of the kyng occasion was giuen to them of Rochel to cast away feare and to take vnto them better courage whereas if the kyng had set vpon them with all his force at the first brunte of the murder theyr ouerthrow had bene the more lykely Therefore beyng admonished by common counsayle beyng taught both by the general euill also by the present exāple of the men of Castre they of Rochel prepare themselues to theyr defence They make accordyng to the māner new Magistrates they create Captaynes for the warre they muster men both of the towne and also forreyners which
came thyther for refuge they appoynt that certaine ministers and also strangers shoulde be of the counsayle concerning matters for the towne Monsieur Sanstephen a noble man was made general of the horsemen The Captaynes were of more fame as Mons Essarz mons Riuier Mons Lyzi Mons Norman Mons Virolet Mons Nouel and diuerse others whose names we expresse bycause of the siege folowyng Agayne Mons Biron sent letters to them of Rochel from Broage a famous hauen where the Nauie roade Mons Strossi and Mons d'Guarde sente letters to them also but the letters of mons Biron were more friendly than the other in the whiche he affyrmed that he woulde procure the kyngs commaundement for the dismissyng of the Nauie so that they of Rochel would promise to the kyng to obey suche gouernours as he woulde appoynt ouer them Monsieur d'Guarde wrote more sharpely vnto them willyng them to receyue one condition or other eyther of peace or of warre affirmyng that the kyng should haue his authoritie by eyther They of Rochel answered that many things were promysed them but little or nothing performed that it was euident to all men what great cause they had to imbrace loue peace and what dammage and hurte they had receyued by warres and therfore how greatly they ought to deteste the same That they had hearde oftentimes that the kyng was very carefull for theyr safetie yet notwithstandyng the kyngs officers dyd annoy and endammage them very muche and that they in the meane tyme behaued themselues modestly and obediently towardes the kyng as all men might see Mons Biron and d' Guard practised after the same manner by letters and caused Mons Ouarz a noble man of that part and named to be of the religion to wryte to them of Rochel after the same effect and to shewe in howe greate peryll and danger they were in and to admonishe them to beware least by their obstinacie they cast them selues into presente destruction The Kyng also commaunded monsieur Durans whyche was a Solicitour in the affayres of Rochel being at the same tyme at Paris to goe vnto Rochel to perswade the Townesmen to receyue monsieur Biron and with him he sent to them of Rochel louing letters of bountifull good will. Monsieur Thecan the chiefe gouernour in the Senate of Paris wrote vnto certayne of his friendes of the chiefe Citizens that they would take diligent paynes in this matter would bring to passe that they of Rochel myghte receyue the conditions offered by the king They of Rochel write vnto monsieur de Guard complayning both of the sundry dammages done vnto them in time of the intreatie of peace also which wer yet done vnto thē dayly AMIDEST this intercourse and passage of letters too and fro there was a cruell slaughter made vpon those of the Religion at Burdeaux vppon whiche occasion they of Rochel demaunded whether they coulde looke for peace seeyng violente and outragious murders were still committed and seeing assaults of greater and more vehemēt slaughter were made vpō them For the Shippes of the Marchants of Rochel which had made their voiage and were returned from forrayne countries wer diuersly spoyled and their marchandise taken from them Now the kings power with open warre assayled them of Rochel in somuche that marchantes were restrayned of theyr passage and entercourse and the Kings nauie abode vpon the coast of Rochel robbing and spoyling all partes thereaboutes whyle the Armie whych shoulde come by lande was a preparing IN the meane time they of Rochel diligently applied theyr grape gathering for the wine presse and brought into the Citie fyue and twentie thousande tunnes of wine whyche did them great pleasure at what time they were besieged And all men both townesmen and also strangers laboured paynefully in in fortifying the towne with rampiers and bulwarks AND thus the state of Rochel beeyng knowen before wee come to the noble besieging of the same the order of the story requireth that wee shewe the state of other Townes also in the whyche the remnauntes of the godly religious were preserued They of Montaubane had the kings letters sent vnto them notwithstanding they continued in their former purpose by whiche during all the former ciuill warres they were very circumspect in not admitting any one that came from the kyng into the Citie but amidst the greate treasons and lyings in wayte of their neighbours of Tholouze preserued them selues vntill these hard and extreame beginnings NISMES the Townesmē not knowing what way they were best to take was almost ready to bee yeelded vp to the king Many of the principalles of the Religion stale out of the Citie carying their families to another place and got thēselues into such places as were neere vnto the same Also some of them hauing forsaken the Religion got them speedily to the Cities of the Catholiques hoping thereby the more conueniently to obtayne pardon of the King and many of them to shew that they were seriously returned to the Catholiques detested the Religion all that they could with odious words MONSIEVR Ioyeuse Lefetenant of Languedoc writ oftentimes to the inhabitants of Nismes to receyue the Kyngs Garrison Who at the first answered by delayes that they woulde obey the king yet notwithstāding bicause of the late murdering of their brethrē felow partakers with thē of the Religiō they had great cause to be careful for their safetie Notwithstāding Monsieur Ioyeuse perswaded them of the singular good wyll of the king by his letters often times affyrming that they should liue quietly in safetie by the benefite of the kings Edict of peace There is in Nismes the Kings court kept nowithstandyng it is lawfull for a man to appeale from the same to the Senate of Tholouze in the whyche Citie there was more plenty of Lawyers and more store of rich Citizens Many of them were almost at the same poynte to yeelde them selues in tyme to the Kyng and with speedy obedience to win the kings fauour Notwithstāding the greatest part of the commō sort of people certayne also of the chiefe men amōg whom was Mons Clauson a Counsailer of the court who as he was wise godly so also he was of great authoritie withstoode this purpose not minding to put thē selues into present perill of death And lest those of the kings side shuld take the Citie and let into the same the souldiers which wer vnder the cōduct of Mons Ioyeuse which lay in waite about the citie night and day sought diligently al occasiōs to take the same the said mons Clauson himself very carefully held watch warde with the townsmen of the gates of the citie least any mā shuld come in or out without their knowlege Mons Clauson being the author of this manly wise purpose notwithstanding that he was a learned graue man yet he endeuoured him selfe to play the souldier hauing alwayes a diligent eye in gouerning the
about that place what had happened in the citie and so they agreeing together tooke them to the Castell of Mirebel which afterward did them great pleasure Mons Leuger at the first intreated the chiefe of the Religion very gentlely seeking to persuade them that his purpose was to gouerne them wyth peace and equitie vnder the protection of the Kyngs Edicts and to trouble no mans conscience In the tyme of this truce many that professed the Relygion stale awaye to Mirebel and fortyfyed the same out of hande By the meanes heereof Villeneufe being afterwarde recouered as we wyll declare heereafter dyd greatly further the affayres of the Relygious in Languedoc Of the whiche I speake particularly that men may vnderstande and see of howe weake and small begynnings the affayres of the Religion grewe and tooke so good successe The inhabitantes of Aubenac and Priuac followed the counsell of the cytizens of Nismes concernyng the wayes of defence Notwithstandyng that monsieur Leuger in the meane tyme vrged them to receyue the garrizon They neyther made playne denyall nor yet admitted the Kyngs garrizon but they so handeled monsieur Leuger that for theyr money they should buy and delay the tyme of receyuing the Kyngs garrizon For this cause the Consulles of Aubenac hauing obtayned truce at his handes wente to Villeneufe and payed the money required Notwythstanding one of them beyng a verie honest and ryche Citizen named Valeton and of the Religion also was helde captyue by monsieur Leuger against the lawe of Armes for that he came vnder truste and was put also to his raunsome euen as if hee had beene taken in battell the whiche beyng payed hee was helde captyue neuerthelesse vntyll suche time as Villeneufe whiche they of the Relygion had taken was delyuered vp to him as wee will declare heereafter These experimentes of Catholique falsehoode confyrmed the Relygious as it were in obstinate constancie in so muche that they chose rather to suffer any thing than to come into the handes of theyr false forsworne enimies This was the state of many places in Languedoc AND bycause they of Nismes were vrged oftentimes by the letters of mons Ioyeuse to abstayne from holy Sermons according to the forme of the kings Edict left by that occasion they might be founde giltie before the king after deliberation had of the matter they determined for the present necessitie not to haue Sermons in the day time but in the night It can not be expressed howe muche weeping and lamentation the people made at that last Sermon Yet neuerthelesse men came to the preaching of the worde more plentifully and earnestly than they dyd before for the more that afflictions doe increase the more precious is the word of God vnto the godly The inhabitantes of Viuaretz and Seuenatz folowed the example of the citizens of Nismes in those cities whiche they helde they had theyr Sermons in the night the whiche notwithstanding continued but for a fewe dayes NEVERTHELES monsieur Ioyeuse was not contēted wyth this argument of obedience oftentimes hee vrged them of Nismes to receyue the kings garizon the whiche if they would doe he promised them that within fewe dayes they should be both free from the same and also shoulde haue libertie and peace both of body and conscience The citizens of Nismes answered very copiously in wryting that they coulde not receyue that garrizon shewing the reasons wherefore not that they refused to obey the king but that they myght prouide for the safetie of their life and for the libertie of theyr conscience Bycause such occasions had already falne out as seriously required them to seeke the same at this time Therfore they beseech monsieur Ioyeuse not to interprete the same otherwyse than they purposed and meant That they desired nothing but peace and tranquillitie and to shewe their obedience to the king That if so be lawfull remedies might be prouided to take away theyr iust feare they were ready to yeelde them selues into the handes of the kyng theyr Lorde and Prince But if so be old treasons and snares were practised and if so be they could obtayne no more than they had obtayned in tyme past they were ready to suffer all manner of extremitie rather than that they would willingly cast them selues vpon the cruell and bloudy swordes of spoyling murtherers for that it was great madnesse for any man willyngly to cast him selfe into peryll Then hauing amplifyed the iniquitie of those murthers committed and also hauing declared the dishonestie of the foreshewed falsehoode they shew that it is lawfull for Christians both by al law of God and man to defende them selues againste force and iniurie and that they doe not beare armoure agaynst the kyng but against theeues and murtherers furiously abusing the authoritie of the Kings name without punishment That they dyd plainly perceyue what they them selues were and also what and howe great the force of their enimies was That present death was before their eyes but yet that they did not doubt but that God which is most righteous and iust would helpe them miserable wretches in due time that eyther they might defend their lyfe against the violence of murtherers or else by martyrdome myght dye an honest death the which should testify to al posterities for euer both howe great the iniquitie of their enimies was also howe great their constancie and vertue in standing strongly valiantly in a good godly cause That they cōmitted the successe of the whole matter vnto God and that this was their only ioy in so great perplexitie namely that they were vniustly afflicted also that they were encouraged by the testimonie of a good conscience the happy successe whereof they looked for both in lyfe and also in death ARMIES were prepared in the Kings name in dyuers places in Languedoc in Guian in Dolpheny in Prouance coūtreys bording vpō Languedoc for the war of Languedoc Notwithstanding they of Nismes were firste assaulted the whiche being destroyed the Catholiques thought that the rest would more easily giue place Also d' Anuil was looked for to come with a power for that he hath chief gouernmēt of Lāguedoc They of Nismes prepare for their defence al that they can they fortify the city ouerthrow the suburbes as hurtful to the same carry in victuals and do diligently set al things in order euē as if they should be besieged by the diligence and prudence of mons Clauson Notwithstanding Nismes was not besieged by the kings power the occasion wherof we wil shew in order NOwe we are in this place to note the state of Sanserre which we sayd the relygious held also at the first beginning of the cruell slaughter whose constancie in wonderfull extremities is worthy to be remembred for euer The history of these our times is ful of many and of such rare examples on both partes the whiche we will briefly note accordyng to our purpose obseruyng so much as we may the order of
they might shew all the arguments that might be to the king of theyr obediēce Therfore the men of Sanserre assembled togither with monsieur Candaillet and testifie that they will yeelde vnto the king all obedience requiring one thing onely at his handes whiche was that they myght haue lybertie of lyfe and conscience according to the fourme of the Edict for the faythfull perfourmance whereof they sayde that they woulde yeelde vnto hym an hundred of theyr chiefe Citizens for pledges Thys was the begynning of greate dissention among the Citizens whiche almost oppressed the Citie in thys first beginning Monsieur Candaillet returned to the Court being accompanied with fiue of the chiefe Citizens of Sanserre of which two were Catholikes and three were Religious These had commission subscribed with the handes of the chiefe Citizens that they woulde allow and confirme whatsoeuer they did according to the fourme of the same The Messengers of Sanserre so soone as they were come into the Court had spoken to the King and Queene whether it were by threatnings or vpon hope of certaine rewards craued pardō of the king in the name of al the citizens of Sanserre whose persons they represented as though they had grieuously offended agaynst him beseeched the king that he would send M. Fontene to Sanserre with a power promising to vndertake that he should be welcom to the Inhabitants therabouts Therfore mon. Candaillet goeth before to tel them of Sanserre of the comming of mon. Fontene The which when they heard wondring at the matter being greatly offended therwith they assemble thēselues togither to consult of the same and at the last accord That forsomuch as the Messengers had don that thing by the kings perswasion against the forme of their cōmission they might lawfully refuse and reiect their act and agreemēt They send out to meet with mon. Fontene and to tel him that they are sory for the rashnesse of their deputies in that they had caused him to come vnto Sanserre certifying him withal that they knewe hys great good will for the which they gaue hym thankes promysing that they woulde yeelde vnto him great honour and woulde moste friendly entertayne him so that he would come to theyr citie in tyme of peace But forsomuch as it was a troublesome tyme they beseeched him to take it in good part that they could not suffer him to come into the citie Notwithstandyng Mons Fontene came to Cosne a towne two leagues from Sanserre that from thence he myght the more conueniently prosecute hys businesse The Deputies also of Sanserre were returned from the Courte Then contentions began to growe among the Citizens about the receyuyng of Monsieur Fontene For the Deputies perswaded with certaine of the chief citizens to receyue Mons Fontene into the citie shewyng the daunger which otherwise might come vnto the towne On the contrary parte others but specially forreners thought it not meete to receyue him Monsieur Fontene vnderstandyng that he was most of all resisted by forreners to enter into the citie wrote vnto them affirmyng that there was no cause why he should betray theyr safetie but rather that he had a care for the same Notwithstandyng that it was not meete that through theyr counsayle the miserable townsmen should runne into peril and that they ought not to be the procurers of them to resist the kyng seyng if they would they could not Therefore if they would determine to go to any other place he woulde bryng to passe that they should be safecōducted whether soeuer they would for the faythful performāce wherof he sayd they should haue pledges The forreners sent two Deputies to M. Fontene by which they desire that they may haue the libertie of cōscience and the peace and tranquillitie giuen vnto them by the king according to the prescripte of the pacificatorie Edicte affirmyng that they had done iniurie to no man but came vnto Sanserre vpon purpose to shunne those murders which were committed in other places and were receyued into the citie with the good leaue of the townsmen Therfore that there was no cause why theyr abode shoulde be greeuous or offensiue to any man so much that they shoulde departe to any other place To this monsieur Fontene more angerly answered that he would satisfie the kings commaundement in doyng that which shoulde be for the purpose and also for the kings dignitie Therfore that which could not be brought to passe by pollicie was assayed by force Therefore those townesmen whiche thought good to admit monsieur Fontene into the towne in the kings name by subtill deceite tooke the castell and tooke with them into the same monsieur Racam the brother of monsieur Fontene But when monsieur Fontene was come with his armie more neare to the citie to put a more strong garrison into the Castell behold the townsmen which were of the Religion gaue a violent assaulte vpon the castel by whiche they put the warders to flight and tooke the same euen the same day At that time they of Sanserre coulde not with courage inough bende thēselues to warre notwithstanding being admonished by present peril they began to arme themselues with courage and to make preparation for theyr owne defence THe affayres also of the lowe countrey accordyng to the order of the storie begon are not to be omitted but briefly touched The Prince of Orange hauyng an armie well appoynted prospered well in his affayres in the low countrey of Flaunders hauing gotten into his handes the most noble cities about that time that the murders were committed at Paris Therfore when he had taken Mechgeline Audenard and constrained Louen to pay vnto him a great summe of money he came to Mountes with all his power both to helpe his brother the Graue Lodouic and also to deliuer the towne compassed with a strayte siege by the Duke of Alba. The Prince of Orange arriued with greate speede to the Duke of Alba his campe whose cōmyng by apparance should haue brought great detriment to the Duke of Alba being hemd in on euery side by his enimies notwithstanding the Prince of Orange beyng slowe in biddyng battayle by reason of the importunate calling of the souldiers for wages departed without any attēpt giuen And retyring the Duke of Alba deuised to worke him some secrete mischiefe For the whiche purpose he sente after him fiue hundred well appoynted souldiers with calliuer shot and a troupe of horsemen to follow the pursuite who settyng vppon the Princes campe in the night and killyng the watche made greate slaughter with a Canbusadow vpon hys armie killyng many and wounding not a fewe When horrible newes of the Frēch slaughters came to the eares of the Graue Lodouic by whiche he and his fellowes were not a little troubled and beyng out of hope to haue succours from his brother the Prince of Orange the Duke of Alba also dayly more vehemently assaulting him the enimie beyng repulsed the Graue Lodouic began to intreate
a truce vppon the yeeldyng vp of the towne the which being graunted composition was made that hee shoulde departe from Mountes with leaue to accompany him a thousand and fiue hundred armed men and to carry horses and other necessary cariages hauing sworne not to beare armour agaynst King Philip by the space of one yeare after So the Graue Lodouic beyng wounded returned home into Germany after the surrender of a moste fine Citie to the Duke of Alba. THEN the Prince of Orange went a parte into Brabant seyng that Mechgeline was assaulted and the mindes of the townsmen discouraged bothe by the euill successe of the affayres of France and also by the late newes of winnyng of Mountes and perceyuing that they would without al doubte incline to the Duke of Alba he went secretely away left the towne emptie The which the Duke of Alba tooke and spoyled and caried from thence a greate bootie Then he reserued to him selfe Diest Termund Rurmund and Audenarde Afterward Zutphen beyng takē by the Duke of Alba so great a feare came vpon thē which tooke part with the Prince of Orange that euen as if a perfect cōquest were made that there had bene no neede of souldiers the Duke of Alba dismist many of hys Germane horsemen Therefore dayly cities came to the Duke of Alba crauyng pardon for theyr faulte and vtterly renouncyng the Prince of Orange The Duke of Alba besieged Narden a towne of Hollande which was helde by the garryson of the prynce of Orange the which the townsmen yelded vp vpon certaine cōditions Notwithstandyng the Spaniard breakyng his fayth outragiously murdered both them of the garrison also the townsmen At the which captayne Methyne beyng displeased who came out of Spayne into the low countrey was iudged to be the successour of the Duke of Alba very angry with Frederick sonne to the Duke of Alba got himselfe to Hertoghenbosh taried there to long vntil he was sent for by the kyng to come home again after that he was admonished of those dissetions amōg the chief Captaines of the low coūtrey The calamitie of those of Nardē made the other cities of Holland more constant least they shoulde yeelde themselues to hym whom they shoulde finde a more dangerous friende than the mortall enemie THERFORE they of Harlem beyng ready to yeelde themselues to the Duke of Alba hearing of the crueltie shewed vpon them of Narden chaunged theyr purpose receyued the garrison of the prynce of Orange choosing rather to die than to yeelde themselues willingly into the power of the Duke of Alba. The garrison of the prince of Orange fortified the towne very diligently beyng before very weake of it selfe In the societie and frendshyp of the prynce of Orange the most part of the cities of Hollande do persist as Leijden Roterdam Dort the countie of Hage Enckhuyse Goude Briel the rest But Amstredam the Metropolitane citie was fortified with a very strong garrison of the Duke of Alba But al Zeland except Middelburg tooke part with the prince of Orange THE Duke of Alba besieged Harlem with a great hoste and very furiously gaue assault to the same The townesmen with wonderfull strength and courage defended themselues so aptly placyng the fortifications in the Citie that some tyme when the Spaniarde was receyued euen into the bosome of the towne was constrayned to retyre agayne both with greate destruction and also with infamie and reproch So that both partes behaued them selues very valiantly About this time began the bitter cold of winter which gaue occasion to the Spanyards to preuayle much the Marishes with the which that countrey is replenished beeing frosen with Ise But their presuming vpon the Ise did somewhat anoy them The Spanyards made a bridge vpon pyles and stakes that by the same they might passe ouer the Ise and breake into the Citie but the Townesmen so vrged them that being cōstrayned to retire vpō heapes ouer the bridge the whiche being ouercharged with waight brake drowned a great nūber of Spanyardes some report more some lesse but by certain coniecture sixe hundred was the least the Catholiques dyminishe the number and write but two hundred The Prince of Orange sending souldiers to ayde the Citizens of Harlem was disappoynted of his purpose for they wer intercepted by the Duke of Alba vnlooked for and slayne with a great slaughter one cornet of horsemen escaping away and seuen Ensignes of footemen so that seuen hundred are sayde to be slayne in that place About that tyme it is sayde that there was in the territorie of Amsterdam a Calfe cast whyche hadde two heads and two backes and double feete that is to say eyght in all the whyche lyued for certayne houres The seuententh day of Nouember there appeared a starre in the signe Cassiopeia of wonderfull bignesse and excelling in brightnesse Of this starre diuers men gaue theyr iudgements and was likened to that starre which was seene about Scorpio in the tyme of Augustus Caesar at the byrth of our Sauiour Christe And it was sayd that as that starre did signifye the fyrste comming of Christ so this did betokē his last comming to iudgemente Verses concerning thys were published abroade by the learned This Starre appeared in the fyrmamēt for the space of nyne Monethes IN THE BEGINNING of this new yeere notwithstanding the vncomfortable time of winter the furious force of warre both in France and in the lowe countrey was nothing at all diminished The king gaue straight charge and commaundement vpō payne of greate punishmentes throughout the whole Realme of France that all noble men shoulde goe to the beseeging of Rochel One payne or punishmēt was the losse of honor that is to say that suche noble men as wente not vnto this warre should be counted rusticall base and tributarie The denouncing of this payne caused the noble men yea those whiche aforetime professed the Religion to come to the warre by heapes from all partes of the Realme THERE were caried to the Kyngs Campe seauen and thirtie great peeces of ordinance and about the same time there came threescore ensignes of footemen mons Biron with all diligence and labour made ditches bulwarks rampiers rolling trenches hardelles and all munitions and engines apperteyning to the siege of the Citie In the meane tyme hee intreateth them of Rochell to gyue pledges or hostages bycause of Gadagne an Abbot which was to come vnto them in the Kyngs name to declare vnto them the kings last will and determination They of Rochel aunsweared that if it would please Gadagne to certify them of the kings pleasure by letters they woulde make an answeare but as for the giuing of hostages or the letting of any man into the Citie especially at that time they neither could nor would ABOVT the euening of the twelfth day of this moneth they of Rochel brake foorth vpō the kings Camp slaying many toke mons Grandfiefe
a noble mā caried him into the citie After certayne dayes some soldiers being priuily come from the Shippes at the firste watch when the gates were shut and beyng passed ouer the ditch were assayled by the warders of the Kings campe In this tumult the Citie was raysed and the townesmen brake foorth by whyche occasion there was so sore a fyght and skirmish that a fewe only of the townesmen beyng slayne and wounded there was of the kings part a hūdred and fyue and fyftie slayne and many sore hurt Then the Catholiques began to practise by subtil meanes to intercept them of Rochel Mons Triabalde a noble man entred into the Citie vnder a coloured pretence of fleing to them of the Citie assayeth to bring the noble men which were there but especially mons Languillier who had the chiefe authoritie ouer Rochel to defection But seeing that he could not preuaile searing least they of the town would punish him for his falsehood returned to the kings Camp at the next eruption out of the citie About this time there were new platformes made for them of Rochel but those souldiers whiche were apoynted to gyue the enterprise were for the most parte slayne in the furie of the common people the rest after examination had by the Magistrate were brought foorth of prison and hanged The Citizens of Rochel made mons l' Noe their generall notwithstanding so that the chiefe authoritie and power of other matters shoulde rest in the hands of the Magistrate And certaine other speciall thyngs befell among them the which to thys day are knowen to fewe and to me also vncertayne that I dare not commit them to writing The Citizens came alwayes thyther where they thoughte they myght fynde the enimie Therefore there was a sore battayle fought at Tadon and at Netrè two villages neare to Rochel in whych the kyngs part was put to the worst And thus they neuer suffered the enimie to be at rest The twentie day of Ianuarie mons de Guarde brought the kings nauie to the promontorie called Chef de Bois and seeking to stop thē of Rochel of their passage sunke a huge emptie Shippe commōly called the Caraque in the sea and with great waytes and towes made the same immouable and ankerfast Vpō this he reared a fort called le Eguille from whēce he thundred discharged great shot against that part of the towne which was opposite to the same Ouer against one end of the Caraque ther was another fort called Corceille oueragainst the other ende of the same a thyrde fort called the fort of the newe hauen And thus the hauē was defended on both sydes the Caraque beyng in the middest There appeared in the ocean sea a little beyonde the hauen within the vewe of the towne two Shippes whiche seemed to beare sayle as though they would ariue at the Citie Therfore the townesmen went out of the Citie euen vpon a heape to the number of fourescore hauing certayne soldiers froonting them with targets and shields intending with matter that they caried with them to fyre the Caraque The which notwithstāding they attempted in vayne beeing terrifyed with the thundring shot which flew from the Eguille for t and also with the hardnesse of the enterprise and so returned into the citie The Duke of Anoiu sente letters from the towne called Samnessan to mons le Noe and commaundeth him to signify vnto the men of Rochel in his name that the king would forgyue them both their lyues and goodes so that they woulde yeeld them selues into his hands the which if they did refuse he would by force enter the Citie execute suche punishment vpon them as they should therby be made an example for al others There fled to Rochel from the Kings armie diuers whyche aforetime had followed the Religion and were constrained by the extremitie of the tymes to fyght vnder the Kings banner By these the kings counsayle was bewrayed to thē of Rochel The syxt day of February they of the towne made another eruptiō or violet assault vnder the conduct of mons l' Noe in the which they fought so valiantly that of the Legiō of Sammartine one whole band was almost slain many also were takē prisoners whiche notwythstanding were dismist withoute paying any raunsome Notwithstanding they which were knowen to be instruments of the murder found no such fauour The eight day also the besieged townesmē gaue another assault in the which they lost only fiue but the kings part many soldiers Mons l' Noe chose vnto himselfe a wel apppoynted strong band of noble and olde experienced soldiers choise men which offered willingly their seruice THE Duke of Anjou beyng come neare vnto the city sent againe two letters to the citizens of Rochell the first concerned the noble men the second appertayned to the townesmen and forreners which were fled thyther In the which letters he declareth that the king was not so vneasie to be reconciled and vnwilling to shewe grace but that if they would repent them and craue pardon at his handes he would receyue them to his fauour againe but if they did obstinately refuse hys grace they myght assure them selues to feele the power and seueritie of their most renowmed Lord could not impute the cause of that their destruction to any other than to thē selues They of Rochell answered the Duke of Anjou wyth thankes giuing beseeching him to labour with the King that the matter myght be brought to assured peace and tranquilitie that especially they myght haue the libertie of their conscience THE fiftenth day of this month the Duke of Anjou came with great authoritie and countenance into the kyngs campe being accompanyed with his brother the Duke of Alanson the king of Nauar the Prince of Conde the Dauphin whiche were of the kings bloud the Guise Duke D'Aumal Marques d'Meyne Duke d'Bouillon Monluce Count Rochfoucalt the Lord Acier who after the death of his brother succeeded hym in the inheritance and was called Duke D'Vzes who hauing forsaken the religion tooke parte with the catholikes There were many other noble men also there was so great a multitude of noble men that to besiege and assault one citie men came from al parts of the realme with al forces that might be possible But before we come to speake of the noble siege it seemeth necessarie that we make breef descriptiō of the situation of Rochel of the most famous places therein made notable by valiant exploytes Rochel by situation extendeth it selfe so farre into the Ocean sea that it is almost compassed about therewith and it is closed almost rounde about with salte maryshes very conuenient for the making of salte but that part whiche tendeth towarde the countrey of Poictou is fyrme and fast grounde On that part standeth the temple called L'temple d' Cogne the which was fortified with a countermure and now beareth
the name of Cogne fort So that the temple was ouerthrown that the steeple might serue for a watch tower and the rest of the matter of the temple for a fort Ouer against the salt maryshes standeth the tower of Moreille whiche defendeth that region in large compasse by reason of the tall and hygh munition of the same Next after this foloweth the tower of Sannicolas the which is compassed about both with a naturall moorysh ground and also with wittie skyll for on the right hand the Ocean flouds beate vpon the same and the swelling floud of the sea filleth the dytch thereof whether at the length the floud maye come for from that place vnto Cogne gate the dytches of the citie are almost drye From Sannicolas gate to the gate d'Moulinez the Sea extendeth it selfe with all one course and leuell and to defende that part against the assaultes that myght be giuen by the nauie there was a verie strong bulwarke made which was called Sannicolas fort Next to this stoode Sannicolas gate with bulwarkes adioyning to the same and then Sannicolas tower ouer against the which was the tower of the hauen the saide hauen diuiding them both And to the ende the Kings nauie might haue no passage into the hauen there was fastened a strong yron chayne from one of the sayde towers to the other Betweene the tower of the hauen and the Lanterne tower there was reared a very strong wall made by Masons and furnyshed with ordinance The Lanterne tower serued to giue lyght in the night to saylers or to suche as came into the hauen in time of peace Next vnto this was placed a notable forte called the Citadel being no lesse strong than it was greate and large in so much that it was to that part of the citie as it were an Armorie or storehouse of Artillerie This Citadel was compassed about with a wall of mayne strength at one corner whereof the tower of Gayor hath his place Betwene the whiche and the nexte poynt towarde the Kings campe were framed dyuers bulwarkes and fortes as the newe gate bulwarke and platfourme the forte of the Castell the place of Cockslem and the bulwarke called l' Euangile nowe battered downe At the other fourth corner of the wall was a very strōg bulwark called Cogne bulwark Many other fortes were reared which are to be seene in the platforme belōging to this discription Also it is to be noted that the hauen called Chef de bois where the Kings Nauie roade is two myles distant from the gate of Rochell THE Duke of Anjou therefore being receyued with tryumphant peales of the great fielde peeces went to Neullj to abyde there where he tarryed the whole time of the siege with the rest of the Princes and greatest part of the nobles The same day hee tooke a viewe of the walles of the Citie and mustred the Armie The day folowyng the townesmen brake out at three seuerall places of the Citie and hauyng slayne an hundred of their enimies returned into the Citie agayne with losse of a fewe of their men Then was there a place appointed from whence the walles of the citie might be conueniently battered the batterie being layd to the gate of Cogney and by the cōmaundement of the Duke of Anjou a countermure was made and fortified with hurdels to beare and defende the shot Also he forgot not to practise subtily mischief vnder the pretēce of parley to the end the city might be assailed with two engins namely by outward force by inward craft deceit For the citizens did not wel agree among thēselues some enclining to peace of the which the duke of Anjou at that time had made an offer vnto them others thinking it better to stand manfully to their own defence saying that the offered peace was nothing but a snare to betray them according to the olde maner Captaine Norman going to spoile rob with two galleys toke a ship laden with fifty tun of wine of Burdeux and fiue and twentie tunne of wheate and returned with his men in safety into Rochell hauen notwithstanding that he was assayled by mons d' Guarde wyth great force THE Duke of Anjou hauing taken a viewe of the Bulwarke whiche bordered on the sea coaste and mynding to returne into the Kyngs campe sent before hym two hundred horsemen commaunding them to skyrmishe wyth the townsmen that hee in the meane time might passe by with the more safetie Whyle these and certayne troupes of the townesmen were in skyrmish at that place certayne horsemen ouer whom mons Grandrise a noble man was captayne carying behynde euery of them a foote man with callyuer shot set vpon the Kyngs souldiers vnprepared in another part of the campe of whom they slue many and tooke some prysoners and brought with them certayne horses into the citie SHORTLY after they of Rochell beyng dyuersly sollicited were contented at the length to parley wyth the Kyngs Lieftenants mons l' Noe with Pierrez Mortie and Maurisson beyng chosen for this purpose came into the Kyngs campe and so entred into parley with mons Biron Strozzi Villequier and Gadagne and to this parley also came the Countie d' Retz and at the length certayne of the chiefe townesmen GADAGNE hauyng spoken at large to mons l' Noe and to hys felowes of the singular good wyll of the Kyng towardes them of Rochell offered at the last to them in wryting the summe of those conditions vpon the which the King woulde come to composition of peace the whiche conditions were these Fyrst that the inhabitants of Rochell though they had grieuously offended his maiestie for that they beyng abashed with a certayne vayne feare woulde not obey his commaundements oftentimes sent vnto them were notwithstanding freely pardoned so that they woulde receyue mons Biron into the citie and would obey hym Secondly that he wold graūt vnto thē the free vse of Relygion according to the forme of the pacificatorie Edict in the which he woulde haue nothyng neyther diminished nor altered for thys he would make them most ample and large assurance Thyrdly that he would gyue vnto those whiche woulde departe to any other place full leaue and libertie to depart and to carry theyr goodes whether soeuer they woulde or otherwyse to vse them at theyr owne pleasure They which were deputed for Rochel made answere that they had hytherto in no poynt disobeyed the kyng but had euer shewed themselues hys faythfull subiectes That by the daungerous and troublesome state of the tyme they were constrained to this necessarie defence of thēselues least they should fall into the handes and willes of theyr enimies as others had done which had imbraced with them the same religion That they desired of the king this one thing namely that they might enioy the libertie of their consciences by the benefite of the Edict of peace But seing the cause in hād was not their alone but belongyng
assayed In the meane tyme monsieur Leuger being deceyued and mocked by false Messengers watched many nightes hauing his men in a readinesse in armes So that he thought these reportes to be but vaine and false Monsieur Pradelle at the length brought to passe that in the beginning of the moneth of March hauing gathered succours togither monsieur Baro came with his souldiers from Priuac to Mirebel He came in the euening notwithstanding so that hee had day light for certaine houres and the watchmen and scoutes of mon. Leuger which lay at Mirebel in secret watche certified him out of hande of the comming of monsieur Baro and telling him that he would come the same night vnto the citie Monsieur Leuger though he were oftentymes mocked yet notwithstanding by this report he being styrred to looke aboute him commaunded the gates of the citie to be shut betymes and those which abiured the Religion as suspected to be put apart in diuerse places to double the watch insomuch that the towne being conueniently walled aboute was replenished with a standing watch He commaunded bonfires to be made in euery streete of the Citie and Cresset light to stand in euery window in such wise as the whole Citie was bright and shining And he himselfe with certaine choyse men went rounde about his watche In this so diligent watching they of the Religion had nothing deceyued his expectation and if they had come at the appoynted houre they coulde not haue preuayled For one a clocke after midnight was the houre appointed at the which time watches are cōmonly of lesse force And why they came not at the sayde houre appoynted this was the cause mons Baro shewing the danger of the attempt thought it good not to take the same in hande many valiant souldiers agreed herevnto being moued with authoritie Notwithstanding mons Pradelle preuailed that the attempt might be giuen and when he had made his prayers vnto God in the midst of his souldiers all men were so incouraged that they went forward as men persuaded and assured of victorie While the matter was thus in controuersie the time was delaied Mons Leuger deeming that they were the accustomed wiles and mockes lefte off his serious watch by which time the day starre appeared Wherefore all men being desirous of sleepe departed And monsieur Leuger him selfe went home to sleepe for that he had watched all the night They of the religion come vnto the citie when all things were at rest through the compassing valleys shadowed wyth hilles with the which Villeneufe was compassed on that side And when the iron barres were pulled vp they entred in at the forsaid hole they that entred first came vnto the chief watch slue certaine souldiers whom they found asleepe some betwene sleeping and waking And thus they ranne through the citie crying the towne is taken Thus the greater part being entred in at the hole not one shot being discharged from the walles against them opened one gate Whomsoeuer they met they slue Mons Leuger being waked with the noyse of this tumult went out of his house but being constrayned by force to retyre againe he kept him self close in the same being lately well fortified The Catholikes also betooke them to the tower of the greater gate to another also of great heigth beside the temple But such as were found armed in any place of the citie were slaine by thē of the religion insomuch that the streats were filled with dead bodies Many popishe prelates also were slaine which were come thither from diuers cities therabouts to hold a Synode And after they had assailed the two towers the house of mons Leuger to the hurt detrimēt of both parts the said three places were yelded the third day mons Leuger departed being in great peril of the catholikes in somuch that he could scarsly be in safety in his house being accused of treasō Thus fayth being violated he is also accused of treason by false surmise So great feare came vpon al this countrey that no doubt they of the religion might easily haue taken the next citie but that the souldiers being busied about the pray would not go else where A great booty was caryed out of this little town and much money for raunsomes was receyued which by the negligence of the captaines was put to priuate vses The Catholikes by this suddaine feare being awaked held al those cities which were neare vnto them they which had taken Villeneufe being gone no further Notwithstanding they of the religion tooke certain little townes which bordred vpon them and fortified Gorce and Saluasse that they might haue free passage from Viuijers to Nismes D'ANVIL hauyng placed the tayle and remaynder of his armies in dyuers townes from thence foorth mitigated the force of warre Neuerthelesse by them of the religion diuers townes and castels in sundry places of Languedoc were taken dayly rather by policie than with the displaied ensigne About this time a walled towne called Florensac being not farre from Narbō was taken Neyther was there any Diocesse in Languedoc in the which day by day some newes fell out The particular repetition of which things we haue thought more conuenient to defer vnto another time and for another booke They of the religion also tooke Pusis a towne bordering vpō the riuer of Rosne which afore that time by the negligēce of the townesmen was falne into decay Cursol also whiche lieth ouer against Valentz in Dauphine was strōgly fortified These things falling out in this order after the besieging of Sommiron they of the religion in Languedoc beganne to looke more seriously about them to take better order in their affayres For in their first beginning of warre the captaines and ringleaders being none of the nobilitie but borne of base parentage euerie man gouerned his souldiers as him lysted wherevpon many dissentions arose among them when as one would not obey the others counsell according to the nature of Frenchmen which is to like well of their owne gouenment Therfore the inhabitantes of Nismes with whom they of Viuijers and Seuenatz were ioyned determined to choose certain of the nobilitie whose commaundement the other captaynes shoulde not refuse to obey And to this order of gouernment accorded mons Sauroman a noble man and one deseruing to be loued for his godlynesse and his modestie who in the verie same gouernment afore time had verie profitably bestowed great diligence and paynes Who escaping the cruell slaughter of Paris fled into Switzerlande Him after deliberation had they chose and intreated him by their letters to take vpon him that charge At the first he doubted what he were best to doe whether he were best to ioyne him selfe with them being in so great peril Neuerthelesse after certaine monthes he came vnto them at the last as we will declare hereafter ABOVT this time the Churches of Languedoc sent into Germanie to craue helpe that they might be able
to sustaine the force of warre whiche they were assured would shortely be moued against them For this treatie mons Calueri and Valli strong wise men in the midst of the continual assaults of the enimie were sent They went especially to the countie Pallatine of whose cōpassion good wil in pittying their estate in redinesse to help thē they certified their felowes put them in hope of aide But for the present necessitie they receiued nothing And as they returned home againe making a longer iourny bicause of the lyings in waite of the enimies mons Valli came home in safetie but mons Calueti was taken by mons d' Gordes in Dauphine being kept in ward certaine monthes was at the length by reason of a peace which came in the meane time and by the intreatie of d'Anuil restored Al which things we will intreate of together hereafter in one place WE spake before of mons Monbrune and of the noble men of Daulphine He lying secretly at home seeming to haue no care for religiō but to prouide for his own priuat ease profit to seke to win the kings fauor came forth at the last contrarie to the expectation of all men and armed him selfe Mons d' Gorges sent vnto him straight after sugred letters promising vnto him euer and among in the kings name both domesticall peace and also libertie of conscience feeding him with friendly promises if so be he would serue the king or at least if he would be quiet and seeke his own profite Neuerthelesse in the meane time he went about to betray him seking to spoyle him of al the succours of his friendes and so to intercept him Mons Monbrune being certified hereof hauing both conscience towardes the religion and hauing abandoned out of his mynde the whole conceiued feare of the butcherly murder and they of Languedoc hauing good successe of their constancie began to persuade with his priuate friendes of the nobilitie which fauoured the religion and kept their houses to come abroade and after deliberation had they agreed together to take Valentz Mōtil Leucrest which were noble cities in Daulphine by them of the Religion whiche as yet were in them And they made their neighbours of Viuaretz acquainted with this matter But when their purpose fayled in taking those townes certaine bands of the inhabitantes in the territorie of Viuaretz also when they were come ouer the riuer of Rosne being intercepted by the horsemen of mons d'Gordes the sayde mons Monbrune tooke certain smal emptie towns of no fame in the hil country of Daulphine neare vnto the Diocesse of Dien as Orpier Diofet and Serra which were kept with no garizons Mons d'Gordes being in securitie and nothing at all fearing the styrring of them of the Religion and the townesmen whereof fauouring also the Religion And then mons Monbrune hauing with hym a fewe of his friends to the number of eyghteene horsemen and two and twentie olde souldiers only wente out of his house not knowing certaynely what to do hauing no sufficient trust in the strength of those fewe so great feare remayned by the remembrance of that lamentable tyme. About the same tyme by hys trauayle in the parts of Troiz whych lieth among the hilles of the Alpes and yet no barren soyle these noble men mons Ledigner Champolian Morge tooke the chiefe Citie called Meuza and dyuers other small townes and gathered togeather a great multitude of the Religious whyche are many in those parts which at that tyme lay hyden in secret places after the cruell slaughter committed MONS d' Gordes notwithstanding not deeming the perill of that hill countrey to be so greate in so weake and small beginnings sent out certayne troupes of horsemen only to intercept Mombrune and his fellowes but hee preuayled not Wherevpon he certifyed the King of a new commotiō Notwithstanding euen at these fyrst beginnings Monbrune tooke certayne troupes of Souldiers belonging to mons de Gords straggling heere and there and offered vp the fyrst fruites of greater slaughter to come OF these smal beginnings it can scarse be told how greatly his strength increased within fewe dayes insomuch that the kings syde had not a more terrible and fearefull enemie in the Realme of France whiche wee will briefly note hereafter in due tyme and place VVE sayde before that the Citizens of Sanferre were in great extremities by reason of domesticall dissentions and that a Castel was taken from them and recouered also by them the same day agayne Being taught by this dangerous admonition they begin more exquisitely to order and appoynt all things in the Citie and ordaine mons Ioanneau the Lieftenant of the towne and a payneful man to be their General and gouernour by his name and authoritie and their captaynes for the warre they chose mons Flore and Mine and certayne others they mustered the townesmen and appoynted bands of Souldiers Notwithstādyng as yet they were not beseeged by the kings armie and many but especially mons Ioanneau coulde not be perswaded that the king amidst the extremities of Rochel and Languedoc warres would beseege the Citie Neuerthelesse the more wise and prouident sort considered and thoughte that hee would not leaue that vnassaulted which was in the very harte and middest of the Realme Thys securitie brought to passe that they of Sanserre left many necessary things vndone but especially it caused them to neglect the prouision of corne for the Citie of whiche they might haue prouided great store in so fertile a countrey in the which their store houses so neare after haruest were replenished almost with all manner of fruites The pulling downe also of the suburbes and other villages adioyning vnto them was pretermitted whiche notwithstandyng was necessary to be done against the seege least the same places myghte serue theyr enemies tourne whyche they dyd afterwarde in very deede to the great anoyance of the towne But principally their carelesnesse in prouiding corne brought vpon them so great a famine that the same myght seeme to be nothyng inferioure nay rather to exceede the famine of Hierusalem and that of Samaria Besyde thys they erred in hopyng for succors by whyche they persisted constant to theyr owne hurt and detriment they whyche ought to haue ayded them eyther not doyng theyr duetie or els so vnfurnished that they could not help Notwithstandyng both their constancie and also theyr wonderfull industrie is woorthy to be remembred of suche as shall come heereafter and specially beeyng in a good cause it deserueth great prayse and commendation Thys history is written in French by one named Lerry an approued witnesse to bee credited beyng at that seege euen to the last moment from whose writing and others information we will according to our manner and purpose set downe that which is only necessary After that they of Sanserre had skirmished certayne dayes with theyr neyghbours of Cosne and had taken from them the
pray and bootie they were beseeged the ninth day of Ianuary of thys presente yeere with a copious armie contayning fyue hundred horsemen and fyue thousande footemen besyde those whych were borne and dwelling in that countrey who came thither of their owne accord to get them renowne The Lorde of Chastre knight of the order the kings gouernour of the countrey was general of the Armie He had for the batterie sixtiene great peeces and he caused a greate number of trenches and bulwarkes to be made for their defence in the seege When they of the towne sawe them selues besieged and then too late fearing the scarcitie of corne they determined to thrust out of the Citie the rusticall multitude But they to whome the executing heereof was committed so handled the matter that the greater part of the common people remayned still in the Citie wherevpon ensued both to the miserable people and also to the whole Citie an intollerable mischiefe So many groase ouersights coulde not but bring great calamitie to them of Sanserre The Lord of Chastre sending an Heralt summoned them of Sanserre to yeeld vp the towne the which if they would doe willingly he promised that he would perswade the Kyng to deale with them in clemencie but if they refused he threatned to shew all seueritie agaynst them To this the Sanserreans made no answeare but stayed the Heralt from returning agayne and kept him in the Citie the whych acte was agaynste the lawe of armes and committed by the vndiscrete counsayle of the chiefe rulers which notwithstanding was disliked of the most part of the townesmen This Acte tourned afterward to the great displeasure of mons Iohanneau the author of the same Thus the Sanserreans prepared themselues for their defence being greatly incouraged by the good successe of theyr former beseeging of the which we haue spoken in another place They disquieted the enemie by often eruption by the good conduct of mons Flore an expert and valiant Captayne who both tooke great paynes and also had happy successe in his affayres And it is certayne so farre foorth as we may iudge of humane matters humanly that if the Sanserreans had prouided in time sufficient store of corne the enemie had had the same successe whiche he had in the former warre All thyngs necessary for the siege beyng diligently prouided by the Lorde of Chastre the syxteene day of February of thys present yeere the walles of the Citie began to be battered with sixteene great peeces of ordināce two of the which were planted vpon a higher place of ground and bent against the face of the Citie to the great anoyance of the townesmen But before that time of the batterie there was fled a certayne souldier out of the Kings armie vnto the townesmen which bewrayed the place which the enemie by batterie intended to make sauteable to the which place the townesmen came with speede fortifying the same with a new countermure notwithstanding they sawe the enemie bend his force againste another place of lesse strength Yet neuerthelesse by proofe hee found the same contrary to hys expectation so well fortefyed that when he had for the space of three dayes done nothing but batter the same for in those three dayes space there were certaynely tolde three thousande and fyue hundred shot of ordinance they had made a very small breach in the wall Also credible persons whiche abode in this seege euen vntill the end of the same report a wonderfull thing worthy to be remembred namely that amiddest so many terrible thundryng shot there was not one hurt except one onely damsell whyche was slayne not with the shot but with the fyery flame of a peece howbeit houses in diuers places of the towne were shaken and rent and the weapons in the hands of soldiers broken in peeces also the helmets taken off from some of their heads and the rubbish and stone worke flewe about the eares of many withoute doyng them any hurt Also at what time there was a sermon the house it selfe wherin the people were assembled togeather was fylled with the rubbish of the next houses were beaten downe whiche things I would not report except they were approued true that it may appeare that not without cause the Sanserreans almost all perished with famine which were deliuered out of so great perilles but that God by his singular prouidence ordered the whole matter in whose hande is both life and death The breach beyng made as is aforesayd the L. Chastre determined to approche the walles with Engines that hee mighte winne the gate Viet which was next vnto the breach Also at other partes of the wall the soldiers vndermined that with dyuers assalts made together the Sanserreans might be vnable to resist The ninetienth day of March the Kings armie bente with might and mayne gaue an assalt at the breach and in the mean time the ordinance whiche was planted on the higher grounde discharged lustely at the face of the towne The townesmen feared the shaking and blowing vp of the mines standyng in doubt least they should breake foorth at those places where they were and fearing least while they were occupyed in one place on the other part an entrie mighte be made for the enimie So that they were in sore conflict with dyuers extremities Notwithstandyng they had suche successe in the ende that the enimie was not only repulsed but slayne also with a greate slaughter in somuch that he was discouraged any more to giue any assalt vnto the towne beeyng taught by the example of the former warres Wherefore the L. of Chastre perceyuing that it was but lost labour besyde the great spoyle also of his men to giue any more assalts to the towne and beeing warned by the error of mons Martinenge who aforetime was generall in the other seege but in vayne deuised another way of beseeging thinking it good to leaue off the assalting of the same and rather wyth strong bulwarkes to inclose it that neyther they whiche were within the Citie might come foorth nor yet those whych were without myght haue accesse to them whych were within that so he might cōstrayne the townesmē beyng brought to extreame famine to giue vp the towne the which in deede came to passe Therefore the daye following whiche was the twenty of March he displaced hys Artillerie and ouerthrewe and brente the fortifications which he had erected about the Citie and the whole armie almost trussed vp bagge and baggage Then the townesmen thought that the L. Chastre beeyng out of hope to take the Citie discamped but his intente was otherwise for he practised another kynde of strayt seege as we haue sayd Therefore the L. Chastre erected seauen bulwarks seuerally situated according to the conueniencie of the place in necessary places fortifyed such places of the hamlets adioyning therevnto as serued hys turne hemde in the Citie with broade trenches that the townesmen myghte haue a narrowe space left them betweene the Citie and
the ditche placed horsemen and footemen in conueniente order and commaunded a most strayt kynde of watche and ward in suche wise that it was not possible by any meanes that any man should goe out or come into the Citie When the townesmen sawe them selues to be thus inclosed they sente to diuers places for succours but specially into Germanie and into Languedoc But what came thereof we will shewe in order hereafter VVE sayde before that Harlem a towne in Hollande was beseeged by the Duke of Alba in winning whereof the Spanyards and contrariwyse in defending of the same the Prince of Orange hys souldiers tooke great paynes The wall being battered downe with shot was so fortifyed agayne by the garrison in the towne that trenches beeyng conueniently made by woonder labor round about within the Citie the inner partes of the Citie were deemed more fyrme and strong than the very walles were before Whilest this Citie was beseeged and valiant actes shewed on both parts many things in the meane time diuersly fel out The seauen and twentie day of Ianuary the Spanish nauie was taken by the Flisshiners notwithstanding it escaped away agayne with great slaughter IN THE meane tyme the Prince of Orange laboured by all meanes possible to vittayle them of Harlem beyng oppressed with famine and by due and conuenient arriuall from the bordering Cities ther aboutes as frō Leyden and Delfe and by the benefyte of the hard colde winter the way beeing frosen hard with Ise he brought to passe that victuals were conueyed to the townesmen In the beginning of March a new supply of Spanyardes to the number of fyue ensignes came into the Camp. The Flisshiners encountered happily at Ternese with the nauie of the Duke of Alba. THE Prince of Orange according to the variable chance of warre or rather by the manifolde prouidence of the Lord of hostes going about to succour them of Harlem with shippes Countie Bossu the Kings Liefetenant of Hollande encountering with him and being of more force tooke certayne shippes wherevpon ensued a new slaughter vpon the Prince of Oranges part by the meanes of them of Amsterdam ABOVT this time also the Reisters whiche were vnder the paye of the Duke of Alba taking with them the footebande with shot made an inroade in the territorie of Leyden robbing and spoyling the same and carying away a greate bootie VVITHIN fewe dayes after they of Harlem brake foorth vpon the kings armie as they were triumphing vpon the successe of their victories and were celebrating the feast of Easter and slewe a greate many and wounded many and for the good successe heereof they brake foorth agayne the daye following vppon the Duke of Alba hys campe and hauyng slayne certayne and disturbed the campe they returned into the Citie agayne But when they brake foorthe in the euenyng of the same daye and came in the dead time of the nighte vpon the Reisters Campe the Reisters were wyth feare so astonyed hauyng not yet breathed synce theyr late Conflictes that leauyng theyr Tentes they betooke them vnto theyr heeles most cowardlye they of Harlem following the chase and making a great slaughter of their enimies Notwithstandyng the townsmen hauing this successe not mynding to assaile the rest of the army for that they sawe them selues vnable to make their partie good retyred into the Citie agayne THE Kinges power wherof the Countie Bossu was generall and the power of the Prince of Orange striued who should be Lords of the Sea wherevpon diuers conflictes were had betweene them bycause the preheminence of the water might eyther helpe or hinder the towne of Harlem Therefore the Orengians wente about to winne the rampier thereby to stoppe the entercourse and passage of Amsterdam by whyche vittayles were carried into the Duke of Alba his campe But the men of Amsterdam came foorth and skirmished wyth the Orengians and beholde as they were buckeling togeather a greate number of Rusticall laborers were discouered The Orengians suspecting that the Spanyards were come were discomfyted and so for feare leauing eyght of theyr Shyppes in the power of the enimies were slayne by heapes by them of Amsterdam the reste cowardlye ranne away Thus the other practise to ayde the beseeged in Harlem was made frustrate the County Bossu defending that sea coast with the Spanish nauie But when the Duke of Alba had supplyed fresh soldiers in the roome of such as were slayne picking them out both from among the Reisters and Burgundians and also out of the old seruitours of the garrisons of the lowe countrey and thē procuring a more strayt seege notwithstandyng the constante seeking of the Prince of Orange to succour there came in the meane tyme a sore famine vpon them of Harlem for it is a Citie both copious of it selfe and was also replenished with a garrison of soldiers The Prince of Orange being only busily occupied in delyuering of Harlem leuied so greate an armie as hee coulde out of Hollande and Zelande minding to breake into the Citie to helpe the besieged The generall of this armie vnder the Prince of Orange was VVilliam Bronchorste Lorde of Battēburge He came at the last with his power to the duke of Alba his camp hauing slayne at the first onset the rereward of the Reisters encoūtred couragiously with the rest of the armie But the duke of Alba his part taking vnto thē courage so defended them selues that they did not only repulse the Orengians but also destroyed them with a great slaughter For it is sayde that there were a thousande and fiue hundred slayne the enimie hauing taken in the spoyle fourtene ensignes tenne fielde peeces and thirtie waggons Also the Lorde of Battemburge him selfe was slayne THVS the Duke of Alba hauing a great victorie folowed more vehemently the siege of Harlem Then they of Harlem being brought to great distresse by the siege whiche dured eyght monethes and by the sore famyne yeelded vp the towne vpon euyll conditions as that they shoulde submit them selues to the will and pleasure of the conquerer And to the ende the souldiers shoulde not haue the spoyle and bootie of the citie he commaunded two hundred and fortie thousande crownes to be gyuen vnto them Then the Spaniardes shewing all crueltie vpon the townesmen tormenting them by all manner of meanes The Duke of Alba commaunded sixe hundred of the souldiers to be hanged three hundred were brought out of the citie halfe naked and cast into the water a sight most pitifull and an acte with barbarous crueltie moste detestable seeing that the greatest parte of victorie consisteth in lenitie and mercie This happened the eleuenth day of Iuly NOw to returne to Rochell The Rochellians perseuered in their defence notwithstanding that they were nowe by no small occasion weakned And as the matter then seemed to require they committed the whole ordering charge of the war to certayne approued mē namely to mons Normā Riuier Charle Essarz Garguole reseruing
the name of authoritie and power to the Maior who notwithstanding did nothing of him selfe without the aduise of the Senate THE same day the kings side prepared a fresh for the batterie the townsmen with no lesse haughtie courage of mynd discharged the thundring shot from the fort l'Euangile against the kings campe to the great annoyance of the same The day folowing the kings ordinance went off so thicke that the roaring stroakes thereof could scarse be numbred and so helde on all the next day The townesmen in the meane while by night left nothing vndone to repaire and fortifie the breaches of their walles Countie d' Retz was stricken behynde in the reynes of the backe with a Calieuer shot beyng come out of the couent of the Engynes The same night mons Normā made an inroade euen vnto the enimies trenche notwithstanding he was constrayned to retyre againe into the citie with losse of two of his men beside those which were wounded The day after he came again to the same place purposing by ouerthrowing the hardels of the enimy to kil many of thē but he had like successe as he had before BVT for so much as we are to describe greater conflictes in this noble siege being such as our age hath not seene and so much the more noble for that after the finall destruction as it were of the Religious the wonderfull constancie of the Rochellians had most happy successe by the wonderfull goodnesse of God we thinke it meete and conuenient to our purpose to speake somewhat more largely and particularly to shewe the exploytes and actes of euerie day seuerally The sixtene day of Marche the kings parte made baskets ouer against the bulwarke l'Euangile planting those peeces of ordināce which were in the fort of Corceile by which we sayd the passage into the hauen from the sea was stopte betweene them The townsmen fortifie that part against the batterie Mons Fontene was chiefe captaine of the watch and ward of the Mines commonly called Cazemates which were made in the dytch seruing to make eruptions and to repulse the enimie from the walles He taking with him tenne of his souldiers came vnto that part of the kings camp which was neare vnto the Lazerhouse where he founde twelue noble men sitting at supper whome he slue notwithstanding that they promised him very large raunsomes to redeeme their lyfe and when he had doone returned in safetie vnto the citie agayne This was doone in the night of the same day The seuententh day was spent wholy in giuing an assault The day folowing when the kings campe went about by trenches and baskets to approch more neare vnto the walles there ensued a sore battell the townesmen comming out of the towne to withstand the enimie The next day after the townesmen came again to the same fortification and for all that the enimie coulde doe they ouerthrewe their baskets burdels and tumbled great woolpackes full of wooll into the ditch and slaying at the same place three score of them chased the rest to the castell Palereau The same day at nyght certaine shot of the kings campe came into the trench of the bulwark l'Euangile taking some of the townsmen vnawares slue them The twentie day the batterie was begon againe with fortie three great peeces which were planted in seuerall places notwithstanding the walles of the city were not much impaired the roofes of houses in diuers places were pulled downe whereat many a vayne shot was discharged There were told the same day a thousand and fiue hundred stroakes The two and twentie day a newe assault was intended to be giuen about three of the clocke in the afternoone but bicause the towne beganne to discharge against them whereby many of the Kings campe were slayne they stayed their former purpose and encountred the towne with mayne shot vntill sixe of the clocke in the euening It was told the townesmen that the enimie had determined the same day to winne the tower which stoode betweene the gate Rambalde and the Bulwarke l' Euangile and the treasons of the citie were feared Therefore the townsmen prepared them selues for defence appoynting in diuers necessarie places watch and warde All this while the townsmen tooke great paines in making bulwarks in the citie of earth compact with turffes and stakes to bynde the same One of the kings mynes was ouerwhelmed to the greate spoyle of the pioners That nyght there was in the citie a great earthquake the which some say was the cause of the ouerturning of the sayde myne but in my iudgement it is vnlikely From the last day of Februarie vnto the sixe and twentie of this moneth there were tolde twelue thousand and seuen hundred stroakes of the kings gunnes The same daye by the commandemente of the Maior one Chale whose name was famous in Rochell and whome we reckoned before among the captaynes of the warre went out of the citie for that the Rochellians had him in suspition and so came vnto the kings campe The day folowing the townesmen made an eruption vpon a troupe of horsmen which they discouered to stande at Tadon and after a skyrmishe by which both partes sustayned losse they retyred The eyght and twentie day of Marche the whole armie of the king was set in battell araye euen as if they woulde haue giuen an assault to the gate of Cogne and to the bulwarke l'Euangile Notwithstanding after they had for the space of one houre discharged shot one against the other with the losse and hurt of both partes they sounded the retraycte About sixe of the clocke in the euening the kings campe returned agayne and placing a troupe at Sannicolas gate the rest stoode in battell aray at Cogne gate Their purpose was to take the Cazemates whiche were in the dytche And for this cause fortie of the kings souldiers went downe into the dytche notwythstanding they were so repulsed by the townsmen that many of the kings campe fell into the ditch In the meane time the great gunnes thundered both from the towne and also out of the kings campe from which fortie shot were discharged The day following was spent onely in giuing an assault But the next day after that there was a sore battaile fought betweene the Rochellians and the kings campe The cause of the battaile was this Three souldiers went out of the towne and set vpō the first watch of the kings camp Then the whole campe armed thēselues By by there came out of the towne others to rescue the first wherupō the enimie came on by heapes vpon whom the Caliuer shot came as thicke as haile and such a tempest of great shot droue agaynst the threesquare battaile whiche was set in aray wedgewise to pearce into theyr enimies that of the forefront of the same fiue with targettes were slaine and after them many other souldiers There appeared at Tadon certaine horsmen at the first but few in number to allure the townesmen
to battaile but when they sawe that none would come forth to encounter with them a greater number discouered themselues ouer whom Countie Luden was generall These horsemen being within the leuel of Sannicolas tower were a fayre marke so that their horses and they themselues were ouerthrowne and slaine in great number with the violent shot of the same About the euening the kings side to requite the late susteyned losse slue with theyr great Gunnes certaine Souldiers and Captaynes The next day the kings scoutewatche was hanged by the decree of the Rochellians who was sayde to bewray and disclose the secretes of the townesmen The same day two souldiers fled from the kings campe to Rochel The kings campe in the Euening chaunged theyr accustomed maner of watch and shot off twelue great peeces agaynst the townesmen The day following whiche was the first day of April the townesmen in the deade time of the night shot off a peece of ordinance which in the day time they had leuelled and bent agaynst the tents whiche were pytched beside Palercau by the which many sleeping vpon their couches were slaine Wherevppon the kings campe discharged incontinent at them againe a great peale by whiche two of the Captayne 's belonging to the towne were slaine The same day Captain Dange fled from the kings campe to Rochel IN the kings campe by reason of the great multitude of souldiers in the same and the penurie of the country therabout vittayles were so deare that the souldiers priuily stale away and the horsmen and noble men which vpon their own charge mainteyned warre for that prouender was scarce and harde to be gotten went home to their houses Vpon this contempt and negligence of warlyke order and prouision insued also in the campe great sicknesse insomuch that within few dayes the sicknesse destroyed more than the sworde had done The forragers of corne were constrayned to cary prouision from Paris and from the places theraboutes but notwithstanding that the king gaue strayt commaundement in this behalfe it profited little The king also in this backsliding of the noble men gaue strayte charge to restrayne the same but in vaine Thus whiles delayes of this siege were made the kings campe was brought into great extremitie and all men thought that the Duke of Anjou should haue bene constrayned to raise and dissolue the siege without his purpose Whervpon the king wrote vnto his brother willing him to make speede in assaulting the towne and to winne the same out of hande or else to rayse the siege For by this tyme the Duke of Anjou had spent fiue Monethes Therefore he appoynted the sixth day of Aprill to giue an assault on the which day the whole armie assayled the towne THE seuenth day about fiue of the clocke in the morning the kings campe beganne a freshe to batter with greater violence than they had done before the gate Cogne and the Bulwark l'Euangile Thus after long batterie that part of the wall was beaten downe to the ground and the greatest part of the bulwarke l'Euangile battered downe Therefore the kings armie prepared themselues to enter the breache Who tooke out of euerie bande onely twentie and fyrst of all the forefront tooke two of the Cazemates from the townesmen which notwithstanding they enioyed but few houres For the townsmen lustily discharged theyr greate Gunnes agaynst them whereby they slewe many of the kings souldiers and when they of the towne had made a newe supply of men they constrayned their enimies to forsake their Cazemates an act verily at the first assault verie manly and valiant In the meane time about the same houre the kings armie gaue an assault on the other part at the bulwarke l'Euangile and setting vnto the same a bridge made with proppes and shores they tooke some part of the same then to this part they came running by heapes hauing two hundred Corslettes bearing shields and targets before them At the same moment also the great Gunnes went off as thicke as possible they might agaynst the towne and the townsmen sustayned great losse and dammage For the accounte being made it is sayde that there were heard the same day two thousand fiue hundred blowes of great Gunnes The townesmen valiantly put forth themselues for their defence agaynst theyr assayling enimies The women courageously threw also vpon them fierie hoopes pitch barrels burning and balles of fire and such kinde of fireworke by which they did greatly anoy them Thus the enimies preuayling nothing at all were repulsed Of the townesmen there were threescore slaine and certaine chiefe Captaynes also and many wounded And of the kings side as hath appeared by their own writings and report there were aboue three hūdred slaine and many wounded Among the noble men were wounded the Duke of Niuern the Marques of Neme one of the Duke of Guises brethren M. d'Gast of Daulphine which was in great fauor with the duke of Anjou The day following about eight of the clocke the kings armie gaue another assault to the towne notwithstanding the townesmen repulsed them with like courage as they had done before with the same successe Also they preferring themselues to giue the like assault about fiue of the clocke in the afternoone the townesmen beeing in like maner readie to receyue them left off their enterprise The same night there was manifestly seene in the ayre a great fire whiche had the forme and similitude of a Dragon which fell into the sea in the sight of many The townesmen to the end they might haue libertie to mend and repayre theyr walles made a smoke so thicke and darke that the whole campe was inclosed as it were with a cloude In the meane tyme there were throwne oute of the Citie in plentifull wise suche fire workes as wee named before to the greate horror and feare of the besiegers as they themselues report The next day the kings armie stoode in battaile aray euen as if they would haue giuen an assault notwithstanding the Rochellians beeing readie to receyue them they stayed from theyr purpose In the meane tyme there were discharged from the kings fortifications fourescore shot of great Gunnes In the euening the enimies made a great shoute and crie in the campe of purpose as if they had bene oppressed with some enimie which we call a false Alarme thereby to entice forth the townesmen The tenth day about foure of the clocke in the morning the enimie stoode arayed in diuerse pearcing battayles Which was a signe of an intended assault Whervpon all the townesmen prepared for their defence women also were appoynted to their charge yea children were not ydle Aboute sixe of the clocke the kings power with great violence assayled the bulwarke l'Euangile And on the other part manie of the enimies were discouered to scale the gate Moline At Tadon Countie Luden being with his bande was also come to the tower of Moline notwithstanding he was soone repulsed thence by
the whotte and fearce shotte of the greate Gunnes discharged by the towne Ladders were set to the walles and the townesmen in the meane tyme making no resistance they climbe them but when manye of them were come to the top of the Ladders and the sayde Ladders fully replenished by and by those townsmen which before lay hid discouered themselues being prepared with speares and long poales and ouerthrew their ladders with so violent an assault that euen with one force as it were they being repulsed the troupes whiche abode at the lower part of the walles were made afearde with the great noyse and crie of those that fell and being put to flight with the great plentie of shotte ranne away like madde men and cast themselues headlong into the Marishes for feare Then incontinently the women went forth with spits and shouels such like apt weapons belonging to womens war with the whiche they layde at those whom they founde ouerthrowne and easily slue them and caryed away the spoyle no man resisting him On the other part the townesmen no lesse valiantly behaued themselues in fight at the Bulwarke l'Euangile insomuch that the showering Gunshot neuer missed the heades of the Catholikes who were also much annoyed with fireworkes cast out of the towne vpon them Therefore the kings side was constrayned to retyre aboue three hundred souldiers of his being lost at that charge The next day after the Catholikes fortefyed with a rampire that part of the Bulwarke l'Euangile which they had taken and when they had set themselues in battaile aray making a shew as if they would haue giuen a newe charge they departed without any enterprise perceyuing that the townesmen prepared themselues for their defence They made also a mine for that bulwark and made a rampire ouer against the same to anoy the townesmē for the which the townesmen prouided in making a coūtermine with a gate to the same conueniently belonging for sodaine eruptions About sixe of the clocke in the euening the Rochellians cried Alarme vpon this occasion A certaine woman whiche was gone downe into a certain Wineseller to drawe wine hearde the voyce of a man speaking By which she thought that the enimies had made theyr mynes so farre and therefore cryed oute The people at thys crie armed themselues But after enquirie made of the matter it was founde oute that certayne of the townesmen by the commaundement of the Maior were searchyng for the conducte pypes which serued the towne with water The same day great stoare of corne great plentie of munition for warre was brought into the kings campe The day followyng another parte of the bulwarke l'Euangile whiche remayned of the former breache was beaten downe by a violent batterie by the fall whereof many bothe of the Townesmen and also of the Catholiques were slayne and with them a certayne Captayne whiche had conducted a bande of souldiours to that parte to gyue an assault The next day there was nothyng done woorthy to be spoken of sauyng that the townesmen castyng fire into the ditche brente certayne souldiours and pioners The same day the townesmen brake foorth at the Casemates belongyng to the bulwarke l'Euangile and slew many of the kyngs souldiers and brought theyr armour into the Citie On the other parte the great gunnes went off from the towne agaynst the kings fortes whereby many of the Catholiques were slayne The nientene day shyppes were discryed in the sea appoinpoynted and prepared for warre the whiche roade at anker within a myle of Rochel hauen called Chef-de bois By and by the Kyngs nauie was prepared and out of the kyngs armie bandes of soldiers were appoynted to defende the coaste and others to furnishe the shyppes and strayte way a notable peale of thunderyng shotte was rung betweene them This nyghte at the commaundement of the Rochellians a Captayne went foorth with one shippe and notwithstandyng that the enemie resisted he came in safety vnto the Nauie of Mongomerie of whome they receyued a signe that ayde was come to them of Rochel Notwithstandyng those shyppes were diuided in the mornyng So the Catholiques returned into the campe Aboute the euenyng there came a messenger whiche tolde that those shyppes were not farre off Whereas the townsmen wente about with great diligence to repayre the breache and ruyne of the bulwarke l'Euangile the Catholiques sought to beate it downe with shot Twoo of the kings armie fled to the gate d'Molines to the townsmen notwithstandyng the showers of shot which were discharged after them The townesmen made a countermine agaynst that myne whiche the catholiques had made for the bulwarke l'Euangile To this they set fire but bycause there was not sufficient store of gunpowder in the same theyr labour was lost The nexte day a newe charge was gyuen The same day there came vnto Cogne Monsieur Oars and Rolli to speake with the Maior in the Duke of Anjou his name The cause of this parley was that wayes myghte be taken for peace To the kyngs Ambassadours came the Maior Nortius the Pastor of the Churche and Monsieur Essarz and diuers others and when they had spente certayne howers in communication togyther they returned into the Citie About eight of the clocke the Catholiques blewe vp the mine whiche they had made at the bulwarke l'Euangile The earth fallyng ouerthwartly slewe many of the Catholiques and fiftene of the townsmen At this tumulte all the whole citie was armed but not one of the Catholiques appeared The day followyng a freshe assaulte was giuen that the pioners whiche made a mine by the noyse of the gunnes might not be perceyued of the townsmen The nexte daye the same Ambassadours came agayne aboute the treatie of peace when as notwithstandyng theyr fellowes persisted no lesse vehement than they did before in giuing the assaulte In the dead time of the nighte of the same day a piercyng battayle of the Catholiques beyng conducted by skilfull and valiant captaines wanne the ditche notwithstandyng they were cōstrayned to retire with great losse of their men Then began the great gunnes to thunder The twentieth day there was a sore charge gyuen agaynst the bulwarke l'Euangile by the Catholiques And euen in the middest of the fight fyre was put into the myne the which the Townesmen foreseeing auoyded the daunger thereof and beguyled the enemie They fought for the space of fiue houres without staye or retraite Fifteene of the Townesmen onely were slayne and thirtie hurte but verye many Catholiques were loste who susteyned great dammage by the townesmen at the drawe bridge out of the Casemates The last day the townsmen made an inroade to the forts of the Catholiques and slew many of them and then with losse of some of their men returned into the citie agayne The Rochellians sende their requestes concerning the peace to the duke of Anjou The firste daye of May the townesmen set vp vppon the walles green boughes in token of ioy and sang Psalmes vnto
God playing with cornets and trumpets ioyning therto the noyse of Gunnes In the nyght they burnt vp the greatest parte of the drawe bridge The next day Monsieur Oars brought the kings answere from the Duke of Anjou to the Rochellians concerning theyr demaunds In the nighte followyng the townsmen brake out of their countermine into the Catholikes myne and dryuing from thence the Catholiques and placyng watche and warde there they ouerthrew the same The two nexte dayes were spente with two fortunate eruptions with taking consultation concerning the kings answere Euery townesman without exception had leaue to come to this consultation and the daye and place of meeting was appoynted The fourth day of this moneth the Nauie spoken of before was more playnely to be seene at the syght whereof the Catholiques withoute delaye armed themselues For it was Countie Mongomerie with fiftie sayle greate and small And thus it fared with Mongomerie Mongomerie comming into Englande laboured by all meanes to obtayne ayde at the handes of Elizabeth the Queenes maiestie of England The whiche hir Maiestie denyed bycause of the league whiche she had made with the king Therfore Mongomerie tooke an other way getting into his handes partly by loane and partly by gift of English Frenchemen and the lowe countreymen of Flaunders fortie thousande frankes and got leaue of the Queenes maiestie to furnishe a nauie so well as he coulde Thus after long trauayle he furnished fiftie shippes But occasion fell out whiche delayed for a tyme that expedition and preparation The Earle of Worcester a noble man of Englande went into Fraunce in the Queenes name to baptize the newe borne daughter of the French king and to be one of the sureties or witnesses for the sayd child in hir highnes name In this passage certayn Frenchmen and Flemings set vppon him taking from him one of his shippes and killing certaine of his men Hir highnesse taking displeasure hereat commanded the matter to be enquired after for the which inquisition she sent the Lorde Admirall who setting vpon all the shippes of the Frenchmen and Flemings toke caried away whatsoeuer came to his hāds So that twentie of Mongomeries ships were loste So he came to the coast of Rochell with twentie ships of his nauie diminished When he sawe the kings nauie prepared and newe ships also to be furnished with other soldiours he durst not procede in this enterprise wherfore without assayling his enimies he directed his course an other way and vnloked for at Bell'Isle and there landed and took both the Isle and the castel The Rochellians perceiuing that Mongomerie was departed and therfore being without hope of ayde fortifyed the hauen all that they coulde wyth newe garrisons Notwithstāding before Mongomeries departure they sēt out one vnto him in a skyffe wylling him not to put himselfe in peryll for theyr sakes for they trusted yet in the goodnesse of GOD and were of that mynd that they would rather suffer any maner of extremitie than to yelde themselues into the handes of suche men as were full of all treason falshood and periurie After the which message Mongomerie sent a ship vnto the Citie with goonpouder and victuall which came safely into Rochell notwithstanding the kings force And after this as we sayd Mongomerie tooke a new viage After he had taried in the foresayde Ilande certayne dayes and knew not wel which way to take his souldiers also being obstinate and disobedient returned into England hauyng lost his trauayle with a fewe shippes the rest beyng left vppon the sea to robbe and spoyle one of the whiche whereof Monsieur Hippinnill was captayne went to the enimie To fortifie the siege of Rochel there came into the kyngs campe the fifth day of May foure thousand Switzers Therfore certaine dayes following were spent in skyrmishes losse of men beyng sustayned on both partes And amongst the chieftaines that were slaine Monsieur Cossine captaine of the kings garde beyng one of those whiche slew the Admiral was one CERTAINE Catholiques got vp vnlooked for vpon the bulwarke l'Euangile and tooke the watch of the same the warders being a sleepe some of the which they slew Whervpon if the townsmen had not succored them in time and resisted the other or if a greater number of the Catholiques had bene present the citie had bene in great daunger The next daye the townsmen gaue a woorthy charge vpon the Catholiques of whom they slew many There brake out of the citie fiue hundred at Cogne gate and charged the enemie being intrenched and suspecting no such thing by reason wherof they slewe many of them and put the rest to flight choked three of their great gunnes by driuyng into them crosse barres of iron As they were thus occupied there came succours from the kings campe and then began a sore skirmish Notwithstanding the townsmen brought with them into the citie eight of the catholikes Ensignes great plēty of armour apparel There were slayne in this skyrmish two hūdred catholikes or thereabouts twentie only of the townsmen were wāting The townsmen with great triūphe set vp on their walles those Ensignes which they had taken from their enemies The sixe and twentie day of this moneth the Catholiques began a newe batterie after the whiche they giue a freshe assaulte to the towne beyng the most notable of all the reste that happened in this siege The commyng of the Switzers was the cause of this assaulte who craued leaue of the Duke of Anjou that they might gyue an assaulte to the citie thereby to declare theyr loue towarde the king Therfore al theyr bandes set themselues in battaile aray betwene the well le Rouze about seuē of the clocke The which they of Cogne perceyuing discharged fiue great peeces the shot wherof fel among the thickest of them to theyr great damage Therefore they shyfted their standyng Also other bandes of the Catholiques were set in battayle aray in diuers places euē as if they would giue an assault In the meane tyme the great gunnes went off lustely on eyther part But the greatest hope of the Catholiques rested in their mines which were made in three seueral places The first myne hauing fire giuen vnto it did small hurte makyng a breach no bigger than for twoo men to enter at whiche breache the townsmen stopte with greate diligence Straite after the second was blowen vp with great force and the thyrde made a greate noyse ouerthrowyng a great parte of the wall notwithstanding so that the rubbell matter of the wall fell into the towne by the conuenient falling wherof the passage into the Citie was stopte agaynst the Catholiques The Duke of Anjou was present himself that by his presence he might encourage the souldiers And the firste onset was giuē by Mons d'Gaste but the townsmē so receyued him that he was constrayned to retire with great losse of hys men After him followed Mons d'Goaz who with his bande entring the breach with
were called the Rochellians complayning of the same vnto the messengers that were sent vnto them The same day the duke of Anjou went downe into a mine A souldier knewe him who by and by discharged at him his peece with the shot whereof he slue a noble man which stoode hard by him and some of the haile shot ran through the ruffe of the shirtband of the duke of Anjou and yet he had no harme but not without great peril of his life The Rochellians had intelligence giuen them that treason was a working agaynst them vnder the colour of a parley whereby they were admonished to looke diligently about thē and to be in a readinesse Notwithstanding the Ambassadors of peace come at the day appoynted and by common consent truce is taken the which notwithstanding was not obserued the townsmen complayning that the kings souldiers had taken a view of their ditch to their dammage So that the truce being broken a freshe battaile began betwene them wherein seuen of the kings side were slaine and of the townesmen one yong man About the Euening by the Maiors commaundement al the Citizens and other townesmen which were there present were called togither to heare the principal poynts and conditions of the kings peace There came into the kings campe Ambassadors from Polonia for the ioy of whose comming many peales of greate gunnes were shot off mons l'Noe returned to the parley with the townesmen in the name of the Duke of Anjou the kings ordinance shooting off in the meane time Shot also was discharged from the sea coast into the Citie and at a window a nurse with a yong infant was slaine The Ambassadors concerning the peace making returned agayne But the purpose of the Catholikes was in time of the parley to blowe vp a myne This the townesmen vnderstoode wherevpon all men at the Maiors commaundement were readie in armour Therefore they determined to deferre the matter vntill the parley were ended They had great hope to preuayle in the breaking vp of the myne About the Euening fire was set to the myne the whiche beeing blowen vp ouerthrewe the wall notwithstanding to such aduauntage for the townesmen that the enimie could not so easily enter as before he might haue done also one of the kings great Gunnes fell into the ditche In the meane time the ordinaunce in the ships vpon the sea coast were not vnoccupied The cause of another parley was for that the Rochellians sayde that they had not theyr owne cause alone in hande but the cause of other of their brethren also requyring that they which had borne armour for the same cause might bee prouided for by the same benefite of the Edict They of Nisme and of Montauban and others whiche had taken their part were easily admitted to the same benefit But at the first the Duke of Anjou excluded them of Sanserre and Daulphine He greatly withstood the Sanserreans whome he thought might easily be ouercome being farre set and separated from the helpe of theyr fellowes About that time the rysing of them of Daulphine hauing Mombrune and other noble men theyr captaynes was very weake and of small power Notwithstanding he promised that he would haue consideration of them both and that they shoulde bee partakers of the same benefit with the Rochellians Neuerthelesse in the Edicte it selfe of the which we will make mention anon he speaketh nothyng at all of them notwithstanding the condition of the Rochellians This also was the kings drift namely that by priuate Couenants and agreements he might diuide the religious one from another Therfore he thought it good to take peace with the Rochellians to shune the reproche of the foyle as though by constraynt he had raysed his siege Also the presence of the Ambassadors of Polonia vrged him before whom he thought it not conuenient for his dignitie to sustain so great dishonour and therefore he prouided for the same by a speciall remedy least with shame his armie should be constrayned to depart after so long a siege specially such honorable famous personages of a strange countrey being present The Duke of Anjou sayd that both at their instance and also at the intercession of the Rochellians he forgaue muche The Rochellians both earnestly desired to be deliuered from the extreame troubles of the long siege and also were very carefull for that which should folowe afterwarde Therefore at the last they concluded with the Duke of Anjou The couenants whereof ye shall heare anon THE Duke of Anjou sendeth to the King the agreement made with the Rochellians that he might confirme the same by his authoritie might cause it to be drawn in forme of an Edict In the meane while truce was taken for sixe dayes The townesmen come into the kings campe bring wine vnto his souldiers and receiue meate and other food of them again they saluted also talked friendly one with another notwithstanding watch ward was kept diligently within the citie to awake those which were secure vpō trust of a large peace a tumult was raised of purpose by captaine Norman euen as if the enimie had bin come At the last the kings forts and bulwarkes were ouerthrowne and the great gunnes caryed away The townesmen also for ioy made bonfiers in diuers places of the towne and certayne noble men had free leaue to go from the kings campe and to enter into the citie The tenth day of Iune monsieur Biron hauing certayne Heraldes of Armes attending vpon him entered into the citie and in euery corner and principal streate of the town proclaymed the Edict of peace in the kings name The same day Shippes laden with Wheate and other victuall came into the hauen with the scarsitie and penurie whereof the Rochellians beganne nowe to be vrged The tenure of the Edict now foloweth as it was set down and signed by the King. CHARLES by the grace of God king of France to all present or to come greeting Our intent hath alwayes bene and is after the example of our predecessours to rule and gouerne our realme and to receiue of our subiectes their obeysance to vs due rather by gentle by louing manner than by force Wherefore our most deare and welbeloued brother the King of Polonia hauing full vnderstanding of our will and pleasure hath appoynted and deputed certayne of the chiefe personages of our priuie counsell being with him to heare and vnderstande the complayntes griefes and supplycations of the Maior Sheriffes and Counsellers dwellers and inhabitants of our towne of Rochel Gentlemen and others that are there abyding And for as much as it is so that now in the end our most deare brother the sayd king of Polonia according to our pleasure and good will hath by the aduice of our most deare and welbeloued brethren the Duke of Alencon and King of Nauarre our most deare and welbeloued cousins the Prince of Conde and Prince Dauphine the Dukes of
season of sowre grapes whereof many folkes lyued came now in very good time Some did eate them rawe some baked in an Ouen some boyled in water and othersome fryed and sawced with Mustard and spices The ripe Bullaces and other wylde frutes that coulde bee gathered among the Vines and Bushes about the Towne were narrowly sought for and solde at the pleasure of suche as brought them Also the Thistles serued vs in steede of Ortichoks and Nettles in stede of Spinage To conclude this small discourse in lesse than three moneths during the siege of Sanserre there was eaten moe than two hundred Horses Mares Colts Asses Mules and other beasts of burthen so that of all the number that were in the Towne after the beseeging of it there was but one left alyue in stede whereof there was slayne an Asse that was caught among the Vineyardes At the beginning of August the dearth and famine had killed more than foure tymes as many in Sanserre in sixe weeks as the sworde had done in seuen moneths and a halfe duryng which time the seege lasted For in the Muster booke kepte of all the Souldiers and other people that were slayne from the begynning of the seege to the twentie of August as well with shot of Canon and Hargubusse as otherwise wer found but fourescore and tenne and I am sure that the number of such as died for hunger in the Towne and of suche as were about those that were shut vp in the same was more than foure hundred persons Who would not quake now at the hearing of such iudgements which God executed vpon the towne of Sanserre For they that were beseeged felt by experience how true the saying of the Prophet is that such as scape the Swoord shall be ouertaken with hunger and that the hande of GOD as the Psalme writer sayth stretcheth out whether soeuer he listeth Neuerthelesse let not suche as reade thys Booke thynke that they which were beseeged in Sanserre were the wickeddest and most abhominable sinners in the worlde For although they acknowledge theyr synnes before God and haue sufficient warning to walke better in hys feare heereafter yet is it not to be concluded that suche as are chastised most roughly are therefore moste wicked For as it is sayde in the Scripture the Chylde whome the father loueth shall not be exempted from the Rod. And as our Lorde Iesus Christe sayde to the Iewes of hys tyme Those vpon whome the Tower in Silo fell and those men whose bloud Pilate mingled with theyr Sacrifice were no greater sinners than other men But if they that haue knowledge of these things amend not theyr lyfe they shall all perishe miserably Whyche thyng I speake by the way to the intent that the seege and famin of Sanserre may serue for an example not only to suche as were at it but also generally to all men and specially to those that are Protestantes who haue iustly lost a parte of theyr libertie whiche they hadde to serue God openly and so hathe almost the whole Realme bycause they vsed it not to theyr profyte And therefore I must not rest so muche vppon seconde causes nor take vpon me to discourse of diuers thinges that haue come to passe in thys Realme within one yeere against the intent of our King. For God who gouerneth all things by his wonderfull prouidence hath guyded and directed the whole in suche wise according as he sayth in his worde that it is he that smiteth and maketh the wound and it is he that healeth it againe There is no more for vs to do but to profit our selues by the things that are past by amending our liues heereafter IN these great extremities the chiefe gouernours of the towne knewe not what to doe and to yeelde them selues into the hands of the enimie seemed vnto them more cruel than deathe it selfe they had sente messengers into dyuers places to craue ayde and succour of their fellowes but in vayne They which had some abilitie to helpe the miserable beseeged Sanserreans therefore refused to ayde them not that they misliked of theyr cause or thought them woorthy of so greate miseries but bycause they wanted money the whiche in this vnhappy tyme was hard to come by Notwithstandyng the Kings treasure was spent in leuying bands of horsemē and footemē to destroy the remaynder of miserable men They whiche had a good wyll to helpe were in so greate extremities that being brought them selues into greate perill were scarse able to withstande their assayling enimies When they sawe that theyr fyrst messengers could not speede of theyr purpose they sente agayne at the last namely the .24 of Iuly Mons Flore Mine and Crucian the chiefe Captaynes to prooue whether their presence might preuayle more to get help succors than their fellowes had done before These wente out of the Citie with greate perill within certayn dais wer taken slaine by their enimies AFTER newes herof was brought to the Sanserreans they notwithstanding determined with them selues to continue constant vnto the ende being still in hope to receyue succours Thus whyle they armed them selues to perseuerāce with new promises tidings was brought them that the king had taken peace with them of Rochell and Languedoc but that there was no mētiō made at al of them so that ther seemed to be no hope at al of ayd Therfore while contentiōs arose among the townesmen some thinking it best to persist other affirming that so to do was mad wilfulnesse and that they had rather dye once with the sworde than to make a long death with famine Mons Ioanneau the gouernour of the Towne came at the last to parley with Mons Martinenge a noble man in whome the Sanserreans reposed great trust The townesmen could scarsly be perswaded that they should escape with lyfe But when the Lord Chastre had at the fyrst by Mons Martinenge and afterward by letters perswaded the Sanserreans that euery one shoulde haue theyr lyues pardoned then all men were glad hoping for peace and that so greate miseries would haue an end at the last Therefore after certayne dayes conference with the Lorde Chastre they agreed together vpon these Articles FIRST that the Sanserreans and those which were come vnto them out of other cities of the Realme shoulde be vnder the benefyte of the pacificatorie Edict made the fourth day of August with the Rochellians that is to saye that they shoulde haue the free vse of the Religion which others expressed in the same Edict had Secondly that the townesmen shoulde be pardoned for all those faults which were committed in the time of this warre with faythfull promise made vnto them by the Lorde Chastre that no manner of dishonest violence should be offered to theyr liues wiues and daughters Thirdly that they shoulde bee restored to the possession of theyr goodes that they shoulde bee free from confiscation and that all sentences of confiscation already pronounced shoulde be reuoked Fourthly that the
townesmen shoulde pay vnto the Lorde Chastre forty thousand frankes for the payment whereof they shoulde haue theyr goodes preserued from the spoyle of the Souldiers and it shoulde be lawfull for them to carry or sell the same else where at theyr owne pleasure the whiche money was distributed to the Souldiers by the appoyntment of the Lord Chastre That the Kyng should confyrme thys agreemente by hys authoritie And last of all that the townesmen should promise vnto the King al obedience euer after And that they shuld giue twelue such hostages as the Lorde Chastre shoulde name vntill these things were fully perfourmed and accomplished Therefore the last day of August the Lorde Chastre entred into the citie with a greate trayne of armed men And by by were taken away from the Sanserreans their drummes trumpets and ensignes Mons Ianneau within certayne days after was secretly slayne and neuer knowne how There was placed in the towne a verie great garrizon And ouer and aboue the foresayde summe of fortie thousande Frankes they were very straightly charged to pay newe tributes And concerning the vse of Religion the which notwithstanding was promised in the first article of the agreement there was neyther speach nor performance to this day The king sent the armies of the Switzers into Daulphine to terrifie the inhabitants of Languedoc and mons Monbrune that they might receiue the couenant of the peace of Rochel Notwithstanding when they had remayned certayne weekes in Daulphine when also Monbrune had trauelled diligently to and fro to withstande them and could not rayse them of Languedoc in so much that a great masse of money shoulde haue bene spent to no purpose those returned againe into their countrey which were returned from the siege of Rochel had escaped the perils of their iourney ¶ The twelfth Booke of Commentaries concerning the Temporall and Ecclesiasticall state of the Kingdome of France in the raigne of Charles the ninth THE Rochelleans had made a peace with the King withoute the knowledge of them of Nismes and others of Languedoc although they also were expresly contayned in the couenants of agreemente Notwithstanding the Edict beyng read did not satisfye them but affyrmed that the experiments of the former tymes replenished with diuers murders did proue that these pacificatorie meanes were snares to intercept and intangle those with the pretence of peace whome they coulde not by force of Armes with warre ouercome Therfore they thought good to consult and participate this matter with their fellowes and perceyue it needefull to prouide for the same by a common assembly of the Churches whiche were left So that after tydings was brought vnto them of the Edict made they sente into the Armie a messenger to the Duke of Anjou to giue him thanks on their behalfe beseeching him that for so muche as the cause in hand was generall and bycause it belonged to many of the reformed Religion to know these things in conuenient time that he would giue them leaue to assemble them selues together in a fit place and that to the same ende he woulde graunt them his letters patents for their assurance These letters patents were graunted and made and all they of the Religion to whome knowledge might be gyuen were warned to be at Milliaud in Languedoc Wherevpon there came many from all partes of the Realme according as the tyme would suffer them THIS was a notable occasion to prouide for thinges againe time to come For in this assembly they considered and scanned how they might order their affayres afterwarde and so prouided for thē selues both lawes ciuill and also martiall In the large prouince of Languedoc there are many prouinces the which were replenished with a great number of the Religious whiche helde diuers cities and Townes in sundry parts of the same hauing also amongst them the Catholiques in somuch that the keeping of those places was very perillous by reason that their enimies were so mixed with them Therefore to the ende their affayres might euer afterwarde be ordred after a more firme constant maner they appointed two generalties or Lieftenantships for the territorie of the Religion in the whiche all the Religious of that prouince were contayned namely the Liefetenantship of Montauban and the Liefetenātship of Nismes Montauban to haue the preheminēce ouer those parts of the higher Languedoc and Nismes of the lower in the which the territorie of Seuenatz and Viuaretz were coprehēded They apoynted to euery Liefetenantship a Liefetenant which was some famous noble man And they appointed the office of these Liefetenantships to endure so lōg as the ciuill war should hold eyther opēly or secretly that they might haue the chiefe authoritie in martiall affayres notwithstanding so that their power might be subiect to the iudgemente of the Senate Euery coūtrey or diocesse had his senate according to the ancient maner of France and they continue in vse especially in that part euē vnto this day these Senats they call particular states But the Liefetenātship in the which many diocesses are contayned is called the chiefe or high Senate whiche consisteth of certayne choice men out of euery countrey or shyre notwithstanding so that the sentences of euery Senate in matters of great waight were examined and straightly ouerlooked It was also ordeyned that by the decree of that high Senate or court the Lefetenant shuld rule and gouerne those affayres which belonged vnto the warre These Liefetenants had a certayne stipend assigned vnto them the whole rule and charge of the treasure belonged to the Senate the Liefetenant by his office hauing nothing to do with the same AND to mayntaine warre they tooke these wayes namely that the people might be restrayned so muche as might be from martiall robbing and that countreys might not be wasted and spoyled they charge the townes and villages by a writ out of the kings Excheaker to pay tribute yea and those townes also in the whiche the Catholikes inhabited lenying suche a summe as might be sufficient to mayntaine garrizons in them They call for a Cōtribution Thus they were gently intreated which payed the commaunded tribute husbandry also was permitted and mayntained So that those places inhabited by the Catholikes did obey for feare of robbing spoiling and burning Thus they went about to cut off all occasion of martiall libertie so much as might be taken away among so many outrageous furies of warre and they prouided for the continuance of longer warre if so be no reasonable and indifferent condition were offered by the king Furthermore they gathered the tythes and reuenues of the priestes and appoynted collectors for the same Hytherto all occasion to holde warre seemed after so great slaughters of men made to be taken away from the Religious but this way which they nowe deuised brought to passe that they of the Religion were able to mayntaine garrizons in diuers places the which when neede required being come together in one by the commaundement of the Lieftenant
woulde haue made a sufficient armie by this meanes also the catholikes power was weakned Vicount Pauline was made Lieftenant of Montauban and mons Sanroman of whome we spake before being come from Switzerland to Nismes was made Lieftenant of the same after he had taken his othe The comming of Sanroman brought to passe that the discordes of the captaynes disagreeing among them selues hitherto being appeased their affayres had more happy successe in Nismes and in the cities adioyning therevnto all men obeying with all their heartes the commaundement giuen by him and also by the Senate Therefore nowe at the last necessitie and experience the schoolemistresse of fooles taught the religious for their necessary defence a new kind of order not vsed in the time of the former warres and more conuenient And these things wer handled very well in the assembly or conuocation at Milliaud These things being thus prouided to establish a certaine order the men of Languedoc also determined in this conuocation to require certaine things of the king for the confirmation of peace for the former Edict did not satisfie them as we saide before neither did the name of peace so moue them by and by that without consideration and respect all conditions were receiued bycause the light credit of the Princes afore time taught them to beware Therefore they sente vnto the king Mons Yolet Philip Cherenac and others whiche were actiue and prudent men The summe of their message was To giue thanks vnto the king for singular good will which he declared that he had to establishe peace in his kingdome That the same remedy was so necessarie the kingdome by so long warres being in decay and almost ouerthrowen that it could not be any longer deferred without present destruction That they were minded to shew all obedience to their Lord king But bycause the tragicall and lamentable memorie of the murders lately committed on S. Bartholmewes daye doth shewe how dangerous a thing it is for the king theyr soueraigne to be ruled by the euill counsayles of wicked counsaylers they most humbly beseeched his maiestie not to thinke it strange that they to whom it specially belonged sought the most conuenient wayes for the establishing of peace That it was lately broughte to passe that the king by the practises of euill counsaylers contrary to hys good nature declared him selfe by his publique letters to be the author and chiefe cause of that wicked fact the whiche notwithstanding a fewe dayes before he openly detested the contrary shew whereof was too shamefull in the sight of al nations That they were perswaded of his own good will towards them but they greatly feared least his mind shoulde be led by his counsaylers as aforetime and that therfore they would prouide for them selues and seeke to saue their liues and the liues of their friendes beeyng taught by the pitifull example of their fellowes THESE things being vttered First of al they require that for the securitie of peace and to auoyd newe troubles they might keepe those Cities whiche they had already in possession with their owne garrisons of men and the same to haue their wages payed them out of the kings treasurie Secondly that beside those Cities the king woulde giue vnto thē two Cities in euery prouince of the Realme which might be thought most meete and conuenient in the iudgemente and opinion of foure men two of the whiche foure to be Catholiques and the other two Religious and the same two Cities also to haue garrisons of the Riligious maintayned in them by the kings pay Thirdly that the vse of the reformed Religion bee free through out the whole Realme without exception of any place for al those which shal require the same of the king Fourthly that they of the Religion may haue graunted vnto them new parlaments in euery prouince and that by suche iudges as imbrace the reformed Religion Fifthly that to maintayne the ministers of their Churches they may haue leaue togather those tithes which arise of their lands Last of all that they whiche were the authors of the murder committed on Saint Bartholmewes day mighte be punished as murderers spoylers and disturbers of the common peace These seemed to bee large petitions and in very deede their speech to the king extēded farther in so much that the Queene saide in displeasure and anger That the prince of Conde him selfe if he were aliue and were euen in the very middest of the kingdome with twenty thousand horsemē and fiue hundred thousand footemē had also in his hands the chiefe Cities of the Realme would not craue the one halfe of those things Wherefore shee came to euery one of these messengers sought to win thē sometime by faire promises otherwhile by threatnings But it was so prouided in the assembly at Milliaud that the messengers of themselues should do nothing but only offer the letter vnto the king should refer the kings answeares vnto the Senate that the whole matter mighte bee allowed by the authoritie of the same Dayes of respit wer takē for a moneth a halfe so the messengers being honorably receyued into euery Citie returned home againe The Catholiques coulde scarsely be perswaded but that the most mightie princes fauoured the cause of the Religious and pretended that the great libertie which the Religious had was the cause why they so thought The king was said to desire peace being warned by the successe of the warre at Rochell and in Languedoc In the meane time preparation was made for the voiage into Polonia the Queene and the new King prouiding al things for great magnificēce notwithstanding they had not money according to their wil. About the same time in the which the Ambassadors of Polonia wer at Paris a very bold wicked fact was cōmitted Ther was a certayn Citizen in Paris of greate wealth named Nantoilet a Catholique one of the chiefe magistrates of the Citie To this mans house came the new king of whom he was very courteously entertayned But the Duke of Aniou being in the house begā to quarel with the said Nantoilet first with words at the whiche the other had great marueile Then his seruāts begā to spoile caried away his plate iewels brake opē his cofers and caried away a greate masse of money Thus the outrage of murders brake the raines of shame running into all impudent boldnesse AFTER that Harlem was taken the Prince of Orāge tooke Alcmar a Citie of Holland the Citizens being deuided within thē selues at what time one gate was takē by that part which held of the Duke of Alba and bāds both of horsemen and footemen sent from the said Duke wer now within the vew of the Citie Notwithstāding the Prince of Orange putting to flight the sayd power enioyed the Citie The Flisshingers tooke the Castell Ramekins the fifth of August Also the sayd Flisshingers the thirtenth day of the same moneth encountered with the nauie of the
late perill of his life in the furious murthers the remēbrance of the war of Rochell to destroy those who had valiantly behaued thēselues vnder his cōduct to defend his house stock Also vehement causes stirred vp the house of Momorencie For by the death of the Admirall which was so cruelly slaine the bloud of Momorencies brethren no doubt was sought they were not ignorant the their names were valde in the nūber of those which were slayne on Saint Barthelmewes day that if they might haue bene shut vp altogether they had dyed with the Admiral and his fellowes For the Queene enuied the authoritie of the house of Momorencie And it euidently appeared the Marshall Cosse and all other which by consanguinitie affinitie or by any other meanes belonged vnto these houses were appointed for the same slaughter Yea there was occasion of these newe matters sowen in the kings own lyne The Duke of Alancō the kings yongest brother being hated of his mother greatly misliked his in others gouernment and detested that wicked and horrible facte of the bloudy mariage So that the Duke of Alancon seemed to be of their side Therefore for this cause hee was hated of his mother These were the beginnings of great matters the which what successe they had we will shew hereafter The countreys being wearyed with long calamities of warres required of the king that there might be an assembly of the States that extreame necessitie at the last might prouide a remedy for so great troubles The Queene answered that the king she did like very well of this request for the king being dayly more and more sicke the Queene of hir selfe had the gouernment of all things and shee appoynted the assembly of States at Compien The Prince of Orange helde the greatest parte of Zealand as we sayd before except Midelburge the chiefe Citie of that countrey and Armac the most famous hauen of that Citie and of the whole Isle The same he beseeged with all the forces of the inhabitants of the Islelande and with other succors appertayning to the same The kings Nauy to succour them of Middelburge loosed from Andwarpe the xxv of Ianuary In this preparation the kings Souldiers sustayned great dammage and hurte For sodaynly a great Iron peece brake in the Ship by the violent breach wherof thirtie mē were slain certain also which stood vppō the shore The Ship it self was by and by dasht in peeces vppō the flat another ship after this was ouertakte with waues And when they came within the sight of the towne of Mountes the Souldiers of the Nauie to salute the kings Garrison gaue them a peale of shotte By occasion whereof fyer being vnwittingly cast into the goonpoulder which was in one of the shippes most horribly brent all the Souldiers that were in the same For all this they went forward with their iorney toward Middelburge The Nauie of the prince of Orange encoūtred with thē the Duke Reguisence the kings Lieftenāt in the low coūtrey loking vppon thē frō the shoare of the towne of Barrow Then began a fierce battaile betwene them both partes manfully quiting thēselues Notwithstanding .v. of the kings Shippes being at the first ouercome the Admirall hir selfe also was constrayned to flee and to forsake hir fellowes The chiefe Captayne whose name was Iulian Roman a man of great fame among the Spaniardes sliding out of the ship by a roape into a skiffe forsooke the Nauie The Prince of Orange his Nauie being conquerers pursued the chase tooke ninetene Shippes of warre The Admirall himself was slain All the Spaniardes and spectally the olde Souldiers of seruice which were taken were cast ouer boorde to feede fishes Then the Prince of Orange more vehemently vrged the siege of Middelburge and so within fewe dayes it was brought to passe that Moundragon being without all hope of helpe yelded vp the Citie of Middelburge and Armac This was the ninetene of Februarie of this yeare The trueltie shewed at the seege of Harlem was not here recompenced The Prince of Orange rather conquered with lenitie and gentlenes than otherwise he graunted lyfe also to the morrow masse Priestes but the Captaines Centurions he sent prisoners to Elishing hauing giuen leaue to Mountdragon their chief Captaine to redeeme them for the which cause he leauing behynde him assurance of faith and twelue hostages went to Andwerpe that he might make exchaunge of Captiues This Mountdragon so highly commended the humanitie clemencie fayth of the Prince of Orange vnto the kings Lefetenant Regnisence that he brought himselfe in suspicion with him and also into great perill ABOVT this tyme Mongon an experte Captaine in the fyrst ciuill warres of great name fame for killing of Mottecondrin tooke certayne small townes in the countrey of Velay and certayne strong Castelles and he was now approched to the Citie of Puij which was full of riche Marthants hauing already taken the Castell Espaule which was within see sight of the Citie by the subtill practise of Guiard of Puij a man of no religion and yet pretending to be of the religion Now the spoyling Souldier being made rich with the praye bought of the Souldiers of the Castell of Espaule one of the Captayne 's being corrupted with money by the men of Puij both the head of mons Guiard and the Castell it selfe Also M. Mongon himselfe on the other parte was by treason slaine And thus within fewe dayes they of the Religion were driuen out of the countrey of Velay by the treacherie and wickednesse of the spoyling irreligious Souldiers There standeth vppon the bancke of the Riuer of Rosne a Castell called Perand This Castell did the Lord of the same who from the tyme of the slaughter at Paris fayned the abiuration of Religion take a little towne also called Andace fortifying the sayd Castell with a Garrison of Souldiers of the Religion About the same tyme also by his meanes was taken the Castell Maleuall in the countrey of Forrest By reason whereof the entercourse of them of Lions was much endammaged Therefore they being styrred vp by this their anoyance beseeged the Castell Perand and within certayne dayes assalted wonne the same M. Sanroman making small hast to succour it ◠and then ouerthrew all the forces thereof that it might neuer anoy them afterward CONCERNING the assembly of states appoynted to be holden by the Queene we haue spoken before The auncient manner of France is that before the generall assembly of States the perticular assemblies of the states of euery prouince Assie together that by deliberation they might determine what should be handled in the generall assembly This manner the Queene shunneth of purpose and geueth charge to certaine exquisite persons to go into euery prouince and to heare the complayntes of the people and to bring the same vnto the king and to hir The same authoritie she gaue also to them of the Religion for whose affayres special prouision seemed
to be made Notwithstanding hee to whom this charge was committed was taken at Lions by the Lifetenant Mandelot and was kept in warde certayne monethes THE Queene was much troubled in mynde and very carefull for the auoyding of diuers dangerous straytes For she did perceiue that they of the religion were not only sproong vp in great number but also that they were more wyse and by the late successe also of matters more constant and couragious and that therefore shee should haue a sore conflict with them To these were added new enemies who hauing no regard to religion but only a care of ciuil affayres would haue the gouernment reformed and in better state And she was not ignorant how that the most famous of the nobles were both authors and also instruments of that counsaile Shee knew that hir sonne the Duke of Alancon was an enemy vnto hir gouernment furthermore that the King of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde were very angry with the perill and dammage which they had receyued in their owne persons therefore the ambicious woman suspected that they also were of this counsaile to remoue hir from the gouernment of the Realme The Kings health bring past all hope of recouerie and the neere approachyng of his death was giuen out by his soothsayers whose helpe and counsaile the Queene greatly vsed which caused hir to feare least according to the custome of the lawes and ordinances of the Realme the gouernement of the same should bee set ouer vnto the Duke of Alancon whereby the counsailes and deuises of hir enemyes had an open way made for them to take effecte To take away these inconueniences the woman by long experience of matters and by gouernement in great affayres being more circumspect and subtil than the wisest purposed to prouide all meanes and wayes She ioyned pollicie and force together that she might not faile to bring hir purpose to passe She pretended the kings name in all causes in euery place whom notwithstanding shee made very seldome priuy to hir counsailes bicause he was sicke as she pretended She very carefully prouided that the kings armies should bee in a readines at hir commaundement vnder the colour of warre against Languedoc the which was certainly sayde to be prepared excepte they of the Religion in Languedoc would receyue these conditions commaunded in the Edicte of Rochell And the Countie D'Retes hauing receiued a great summe of money gathered souldiers together in Germany Also the end of hir policies was that the authors of the new sturres should be destroyed by a new murther Aboue the rest d'Anuil withstood these mischeuous deuises who being far from the Courte seemed plainly to make delay notwithstanding that he was oftentymes commaunded in the kings name to come at what tyme he being in a great and large countrey most fitte conuenient for his purpose by reason of the power of them of the religiō seemed to be in possibilitie to enioy both the kings armie and also the noble cities therin he beheld dayly other enemies whō the queene sawe to be lesse appliant to do iniurie Therfore there came oftentimes letters of the king to d'Anuil that eyther setting all excuse asyde leauing the prouince in peace he would come vnto the king or els veryly that he should be apprehended amidst these communications of peace And for this purpose M. Sansulpis and M. Villeroy were sent to d'Anuil vnder the colour of peace speciall commaundements of the Queene concerning this matter being giuen to M. Suz and Mongeron who in those partes were of great authoritie among the Catholiques On the other parte the Queenes enemyes had their secret counsailes the ende whereof was that an assembly of States might bee had euen by meere commaundement and that the gouernement of the Realme might be restored to a better state concerning the which matter what we know wee wil speake anon Therfore while the Queene sent often messengers into Languedoc concerning peace both d'Anuill was diligent in his affayres and also they of the Religion wished peace Neuerthelesse they of the religion made new delayes dayly by those cōmunicatiōs of peace which they called a collation and messengers were sent to and fro from the Courte into Languedoc These things thus continued from Ianuary vnto the moneth of March. AT THE laste Henry Valoys came into Polonia and was receyued with great pompe of the Polonians And after that the royall Funeralles belongyng vnto kings was celebrated for Sigismond who notwithstanding dyed in Iune in the yeere M.D.Lxxij the newe king was crowned in a great assembly of the nobles and people of Polonia at Cracouia by the Arche bishop of Guesuen the eightenth of February of this present yeere M. Mombrune towarde the ende of the moneth of March came with his armie into that parte of Daulphine which lyeth vppon the coast of the Riuer of Rosune and tooke certayne smal townes as Loriol Liberon Ale◠Gran and Roynac and repayred the decayed walles of Liberon and Loriol After this he made an inroade and inuasion of all that countrey violently assayling the gates of Valence of L'Crest and of Montile And he conspired against the most noble Cities and specially against Montile the which conspiracies the Catholiques turned to the destruction of many Vppon this occasion the noble men of the Religion which lay in corners vntill the tyme seeing the present perill that king ouer their heades came and ioyned themselues with Mombrune VVE SAYD before that Orange was taken by Glandag to giue occasions of warre Whilest he was absent Berchon by the helpe industrie of certayne of the Citizens of Orange tooke the Castell and the Citie notwithstanding parte of the townsmen were sore afearde and they also of the Religion which dwelt there aboutes as if Berchan would haue restored the Romishe Religion and euil entreated them of the religion Neuerthelesse he going about no new thing gaue thē to vnderstande that hee helde the Castell and the Citie in the name of his Prince that all Citizens without difference of Religion might liue peaceably according to the forme of the Edicte And so their neighbours of Auinion which seemed to be in possibilitie to get that Citie to the which they bare alway a priuie grudge were put out of all hope to obtayne the same Berchon was sayd to be very familiar with Cardinall Arminiae the Popes Legate but not without great suspicion of a summe of money receyued ABOVT the same tyme the Catholiques thought that they had occasion offered them to get Nismes by treasō There is a little towne neere vnto Nismes called Margaret of the which M. Santaial a noble man had the gouernement with a strong garrison who by the meanes of certayne of the Catholiques of Nismes delt with a certain captayn of the townsmen named Deron and promised a great summe of money to tell him by what meanes he might get the Citie The captayne by and by bewrayed this matter vnto M. Sanroman
the Liefetenant who commaunded him to offer diligently hys traueile vnto Santaial to couenant with him for his rewarde and to appoint the day and the manner of the enterprise Then Deron without delay vnder colour of a priuy escape spake with Santaial receyued his reward and prescribeth the day the manner how hee might bring his purpose to passe The which being done he enformed Sanroman of the whole matter The manner of this treason should be thus namely that one of the gates of the citie should be lefte open for Santaial to enter Therfore the gate was left open according to couenant on the day appointed the warders vsing greate silence notwithstanding all things were prepared to receyue the enemy But none of the Catholiques appeared hauing intelligence of deceyt notwithstanding that for this purpose bandes of the catholiques were come out of the countrey of Viuaretz Daulphine and from diuers other places About the same time also D'Anuill should haue bene taken by treason which was bewrayed and the traytor hanged These were two practises of great wayght to furder the Queenes purpose if they had successe according to hir mynde ABOVT the same time they of Villeneufe of whom we spake before slue certaine bandes of the Catholiques without losse of any one of their men and tooke a little towne called Aubenac not far from the Riuer of Rosne and slue the Garrison almost which remayned of those that were slayne of Lions CHRISTOPHER sonne of the Counte Palatine ioyned himselfe with Graue Lodowic who vntill that day had borne no Armour accordyng to the forme of the othe whiche hee tooke at Mountes Who brought an armie of two thousand horsemen vnto his brother the Prince of Orange And while he taried at Mastricte the space of two monethes looking for his footeband of Gascoines and practising by counsail in the meane tyme to take the Castel of Andwerp was at the last very sore charged with the kings power in the territorie of Mokens within the dominion of Cleueland two myles from Nijmegen And hauing vntill the euening valiantly withstood their force tooke Sig. Lasso a man of great fame among the Spaniardes The daye following about the breake of the day the kings partes giuing a freshe assaulte at what tyme the Graue Lodowic had sent away parte of his horsemen to prouide forrage and the Launce knightes came on very slowly to the battaile the Spaniardes gotte at the laste the victorie but not without bloudshed the chiefe Captaynes Christopher and Lodowic being loste in that conflicte whose death was doubted a long tyme Notwithstanding this is certayne that they had receyued so many woundes before they were slayne that they being diligently sought for among the deade bodyes of suche as were slayne coulde not bee knowen Thys slaughter happened the seuentene of Aprill of thys present yeere About the beginning of Februarie there brake forth newe bandes of newe men in the countrey of Poictou which called themselues Politikes and Malecontentes of the which some professed that they sought the reformation of the realme other some the reuenge of their parentes and kinsmen which were slayne in the furies on Saint Barthelmewes day These ioyned themselues with those of the Religion who almost about the same tyme had begoon warre a freshe in the conntrey of Poictou hauyng Monsieur L'Noe theyr Captayne ALSO at the same instante almoste Countie Mongomeri comming out of England into Normandy tooke Sanlo and Charent townes neere vnto the Sea coast and in Normandy the lower he tooke the towne called Donfro Therefore these newe commotions of the Politikes and of the Religious caused newe musters of men in those partes and it was sayde that this was the beginning of great matters and that many noble men would come vnto this warre But whereunto this came we will shewe by and by Almost at the same tyme namely the last of February there was great feare in the Courte It was tolde the Queene that there was certayne troupes of horsemen seene ryding to and fro neere vnto Sangerman where the king at that tyme lay This so sodayne feare caused the number to bee thought the greater M. d'Guitri a noble man was Captayn ouer those troupes which cōtayned fiue hundred horsemen The Queene tolde the king hereof being at the poynt of death and caused him to bee remoued out of hande from Sangerman to Paris And shee sent messengers vnto M. d'Guitri to know of hym in the kings name what his entent was Who deliuered vnto the messengers certayne petitions concerning the reformation of the Realme and the restoring of the authoritie of the states and so within fewe dayes after departed not knowing what would ensue thereof In the meane tyme the Queene apprehended many in the Courte and in diuers places of Paris whom shee thought to bee giltie of this conspiracie among which of the nobilitie was M. Coconass and d'Mole of Arles one of the familiar frendes of the Duke of Alanson Also at the same tyme the Marshalles Momorencie and Cosse were in the Courte They within certayne dayes after were at the commaundement of the king and Queene apprehended by the Kings Garde and were openly in the sight of all men caryed into the Castell of Bastill The Queene also caused Rumors to be spred abroad that they were the authors of a bolde conspiracie concernyng the intercepting of the King and the settyng ouer of the kyngdome to the Duke of Alancon to the ende they might rule all things as they themselues lusted Therefore she commaunding the household seruants of the king of Nauar and of hir sonne the Duke of Alanson to be taken away caused them to be kept close prisoners that they might go no whether nor do any thing without keepers She depriued D'Anuil also of the gouernment of Languedoc as accessarie to the sayd conspiracie and she sent the Prince d'Alphine the sonne of Monpenser into Daulphine with great power to bee gouernour of Languedoc and she wrote vnto the Senat of Tholose concerning the same depriuation of d'Anuill Also shee commaunded the Lord d'Acier by hir letters who was an enemy to d'Anuill to ayde d'Alphine in the custody of Languedoc to bring vnto him all the power hee was able to make All these things were done in the kings name Mombrune about the very comming of the Prince D'Aulphine slew fiue Ensignes of footemen at a towne called Pontereaw In the meane tyme D'Anuill lay still doing all things in the kings name neyther did he enterprise any thing any whit the more when he vnderstood of the imprisonment of his brother But the kings letters which Prince d'Aulphine sent vnto the lord d'Acier were intercepted at Pusin and came to his handes and by that hee perceyued the treason wrought against him then began he more openly to deale with them of the religion and to talke also with mons Sanroman to take certayne cities but somewhat to late For he lost the more noble cities by his
long delay But he tooke Mountpellier Boucar Lunell and Pozenac and from Pozenac he was repulsed by the treason of a certaine Captayne to whom hee had committed both the Citie and also his daughter which was but two yeeres olde At the last by the kings commaundement M. Coconass and d'Mole were arayned in the Senat of Paris and were condemned of high treason against the kings person the state for which they were put to death and their goods confiscate to the King Rumors were spred abroad that the Momorencies and Marshall Cosse were the chiefe authors of their conspiracies and yet notwithstanding it is euidently knowen that neither Cononas nor d'Mole nor any of those which were apprehended had committed any such thing Men sayd that the Duke of Alanson sought to flee vnto Lodowic Nassau bicause he knew that treason was practised against him The Senate doubted to condemne them for this cause for that the house of Nassau were called by the king in his Edicte his frendes But to the ende the treason might appere by the confession of those that were apprehended the king pronounced Lodowic Nassau to be his enimy And so the Senate gaue sentēce against them Amidst these domesticall confusions of the courte all things were ordered either by blinde treason or els by mad violence Wyse men blamed much the lingering delay of the Marshals who deferring the tyme loste all occasions to bring any thing well to passe and so behaued themselues that they seemed neuer so much as to haue those matters in their thought Notwithstanding it was certainly reported that a great number of the nobilitie of France abhorring long ago the gouernement of the Queene and of straungers bicause they were not only reiected but were also in daunger of their lyfe to fill vp those furies on Saint Barthelmewes day had determined to reuyue againe the authoritie of the States and to reforme all things according to the prescript of the auncient lawes of the Realme To this also there was added a newe cause namely the dispayred health of the king Therefore he being dead it was sayd that their purpose was to giue the gouernement of the Realme vnto the Duke of Alanson in the absence of his brother which was next heire vnto the Crowne It was also necessarie for the peace and tranquilitie of the Realme that Religion should be prouided for We will in another place set downe the forme of that protestation in the which d'Anuill declareth the causes why he armed him selfe Treason also was practised against the Prince of Conde Who at that tyme was at Amiens the chiefe citie of Picardie And hauing intelligence of the treason went out of Amiens a hunting as he pretended according to his woonted manner and so comming home to his house making M. Tore one of the brethrē of Momorencie acquainted with his purpose came with all posting speed into Germany where he was very curteously receyued Within few dayes after the king of Nauar published a bil by which he clered himself from all suspiciō of the said cōspiracie against the king Men said that this was made by the subtil practise of the Queene that the hatred spite of the whole matter might light vppō the heades of the Marshals And thus he beginneth Bicause I vnderstand that certaine deceyuers haue dishonestly and wickedly spred abroad false rumors concernyng mee by the which to the dishonour of my name that duetie which I owe vnto my soueraigne Lord the King is brought in doubt as though I were partaker of that conspiracie lately reuealed at Sangerman I haue I say for this cause intreated the Kings maiestie to giue me leaue to write these things thereby euidently to signify my will vnto all men Therfore my desire is that all men know that the same matter is most false fayned such as neuer came in my mynde And I am so far from being giltie of this facte that I am rather perswaded according to the bonde both of nature and also of deuine and humane lawes to spende my lyfe and goods and to loose my frendes for the dignitie of my soueraigne Lord the King and the safetie of his faithfull subiectes and by all manner of meanes to withstand their enterprises who being Rebelles to the King doe trouble the peace and tranquilitie of the realme The lyke bill also was seuerally published by the Duke of Alanson VVE spake before concerning the comming of Countie Mongomerie into Normandy And hee was not long in the towne of Sanlo but M. Matigon the Kings Lefetenant of the lower Normandy beseeged the same So soone as Mongomerie sawe that the same was beseeged after deliberation had he went out of the towne with a hundred and threescore horsemen for he had not two hundred in all and came to Danfro which as we sayd before he had taken Danfro is a little town of the lower Normandy in the territorie of Passi the Duke of Alansons dominion which towne was hitherto obscure and now by the calamitie of Mongomerie made famous beyng walled rounde about with a weake wal yet notwithstanding fortified with a strong Castell all along the same ran the riuer of Meisne Mongomerie purposed for the refreshing of his horses to tarry there certayne dayes and then to ioyne him selfe to the succours of his fellowes which came dayly out of diuers partes of Normandy and of other quarters therabouts So soone as Mons Matigon heard hereof how that Mongomerie was within the walles of Donfro he came without delay to Donfro leauing parte of his armie at the seege of Sanlo and with the sounde of Trumpets gathered together from all partes a great number of those countrey men and sent vnto the King for more ayde There came therefore vnto him of the Kings Souldiers from all places the citie was beseeged and the walles sodenly battered with great guns Mongomerie at the first sought to deliuer him selfe out of the towne the which when he could not doe hee lefte the Citie and tooke the Castell He had with him scarce a hundred and fyftie Souldiers who being out of hope sought all occasions eyther by colour of eruption or by parley to flee vnto the enemie The Castell was battered with ordinance The fyrst charge Mongomerie valiantly withstoode to the great hurte of his enimies but when he sawe that his men fell away from him and that hee wanted things necessarie for the defence of hym selfe and the Castell hee desired to parley with M. Matigon and yelded him selfe and his men vnto hym vppon certayne conditions namely that hee and his might departe with their lyues that for certaine dayes hee might go whether hee would and that hee should departe without losse of lyfe in safetie so soone as he had deliuered vp the Castell And thus hee yelded vp the castell and hym selfe to M. Matigon Then the Kynges Souldiers runnyng through the breaches of the walles into the Castell slue whomsoeuer they met contrary to their fayth
Consulls for so the Magistrates of the towne are called least any treason shoulde be wrought by those which were enclined to the king he gaue the souldiers their watchword appoynted to euery man hys charge place viewed the walles rounde about and was very diligente and necessary about all things apperteyning to a Captayne THE people assembled together in the Guild haule by the warning of the Consulls oftentimes And then the most wise men and of greatest experience consulted what was best to be done they looked one vppon another doubted what to determine and deuising many wayes coulde lyke of none to take The greatest part of those whiche were counted wysest disliked the purpose to defende the citie againste the force of the Kings army as proceeding from bolde and madde rashnesse most perillous thinking that better meanes might be deuised by which the Citie might be yelded vp and so a general safety prouided for wishing that this way should be taken with al speed Notwithstāding the authors themselues of this counsaile while these things wer in consultatiō went about to prouide priuately for their families and caried them out of the citie and they them selues went out also by heapes In this diuersitie of contrary Iudgementes and affections of all sortes and estates of men the dissentions diuersly rising betweene the people and the gouernours seemed out of all doubt to make a way and entrance for the kings power and amiddest these controuersies to gyue occasion to the enimie sodenly to ouercome them to their great calamitie destruction NOTVVITHSTANDING thys purpose preuayled namely that there shoulde be no hast made in this matter that consultation should be had about the same hereafter that God most assuredly woulde ayde hys seruaunts in hys owne cause but if so be they must susteyne the force of their enimies and suffer death that nothing coulde happen more better vnto them and that the same should be farre more tollerable than to put them selues into the handes of murderers of whome they mighte looke for the same pardon whiche they had giuen to others of the Religion in Paris in Lions in Tholouz and in dyuers places els Therefore that it shoulde be a more honest and easie deathe whiche they shoulde suffer in defending them selues againste the violence of theyr vniust enimie than to be slayne and executed by the hangmen That the same defence was iust both by the law of God and man that they vsed not violence in setting vpon the enimie but withstood iust violence with iust defence That theeues and murderers were armed in the Kings name and by the kings authoritie and that therfore they withstoode not the king That if they dyed in this defence their death should be pretious before God and haue the honour of martyrdome And that there is no doubt but that God at the length will haue compassion vpon them and wyll help them by one way or other vnlooked for that patience and prayer was needefull that in delay there was lesse perill but in haste there was moste presente destruction seeyng by delay those occasions myghte growe whych myght gyue them abilitie to bryng notable thyngs to passe Monsieur Clauson declaring these thinges at large it was agreed by the consente of the greater number not to receyue at all the kyngs garison but to tarry for a more conuenient time and yet notwithstanding to occupy the mynde of monsieur Ioyeuse with conuenient answeres THEN they certified the indwellers of Seuenatz and Viuaretz their neyghbours which wholy depended vpon them of their purpose and exhorted them to constancie of mynd and to a better hope For they were assaulted in like sorte by the kings instruments Monsieur Leuger a noble man and knight of the order was sent into Viuaretz to take and hold the same IN these first beginnings they of the religion helde these townes Aubenac Priuac Pusi Villeneufe Notwithstanding it was not long ere the Catholiques had taken Pusi the cōuenient situation wherof much annoyed thē And monsieur Leuger practised this way to take Villeneufe Villeneufe is but a small towne yet notwithstanding it is situate very conueniently for that part being appoynted for a lower court from whence the appeale is to Nismes and it belongeth to the kyngs Excheaker The Religious of Villeneufe agreed with the Catholiques of the towne to ioyne together and to defende one another with mutuall heartes and handes saying that they were brethren and felowe citizens and that those barbarous and outragious murthers were to be resisted with all their power And taking an othe one to the other they indent that two captaynes should be chosen by generall consent and that the same should watch and warde day and night by turne and so that the Catholiques shoulde haue for their captayne one of them of the Relygion and the religious a Catholique to the ende all suspition might be taken away They of the relygion named for their captayne monsieur Baron and the Catholiques named for thē monsieur Mirambel both good and expert Captaynes This good and laudable purpose had yll successe by which it appeareth how yll two Religions agree together and abyde in one seate The townesmen thinking that they had heereby prouided very well for theyr safetie and they of the Relygion being persuaded of the fayth of the Catholiques are thereby neglecting theyr businesse beholde the cytie was taken by monsieur Leuger thus Captayne Mirambel tolde monsieur Leuger that there was an easie way made for hym to take the citie in so much that he should onely neede to approche somewhat nearer the citie with some ambushmēts of souldiers so cōmyng to the gates of the citie he should be let in by hym promysing so to order the matter and to appoynt such warders about the gates that he should easily haue his purpose Monsieur Leuger preparing his souldiers out of hand drew neare to the citye and came with a troupe of horsmen vnto the gates gaue monsieur Mirambel to vnderstande that he was come thyther with the kings power commaunding him vpon his allegeance to set open the gates vnto him There at that time monsieur Biron walked before the gates vnarmed with certayne of the chiefe townesmen him all amazed monsieur Leuger saluted at hys so sudden cōming vpon them Monsieur Mirebel commaunded the gates of the citie to be set open and mons Leuger entred the citie then the armed troupes of the Catholiques came flockyng rounde about hym he fortifyeth the gates and by and by the troupes of horsemen and of foote men whyche stayed at a vyllage harde by ranne vnto hym Amydst these salutations the Catholiques and they of the Relygion fleeyng together vnto him monsieur Biron stale away priuyly and came to the next towne by called Mirebel which was by the Kings Edict an appoynted place to receiue the holy assemblyes of the professours of the Religion of Villeneufe and tolde to mons Pradel a noble man whose lande lyeth in and