did that same day in raising and trenching themselues against their King But the King was accustomed to vse patiencie and long delayes euen in the middest of mistrust The Kings forces being entred the Citie were by his commandement vnder the conduct of the Lord Byron distributed into diuers plares of the Citie not to enterprise or to offend any man but there to holde fast least that any mutinie should rise in the Citie as all things seemed apparantly to bée disposed by the comming of the Duke of Guize Part of those forces were appoynted to be about the King to fortifie his gardes and another part was placed at Saint Ihan de Greue before the common house of the Citie vnder the conduct of Marshall Haumont the Prouost of Marchants and other of the chiefest of the Citie who knew the Kings intent Likewise part of the saide forces were set vpon the little bridge vnder the commaundement of the Lorde Tinteuille There were also also some of them placed at the new market vnder the conduct of the Lorde Dampieore some were also at Saint Innocent and many other places This diuision of the Kings forces was well made for that end to the which it was done but it was not vniuersall nor in some speciall places where the necessitie did specially require For in the place Maubert was no body placed And that place was of such importance that being seazed vpon it might be the meanes to recouer all the others but yet if it had béene prouided with one hundred Pikes and thirtie Harquebusiers they had béen sufficient to let them for a time who would stirre The Lord Byron was warned of it and himselfe was not ignorant of it but for lack of men hée prouided not to it beside that these words were not looked to The Duke of Guize considering that his treacherous intents were already too manifest kéepeth his bedd that morning to dissemble the matter more kindely and supposing that all this preparation was for him whilest the King should make his processe he thought to preuent the worst therefore by secret messengers he sent to his partakers to flock together to seaze vpon as many places as they could to strengthen and to Barricado themselues afore the watch woord be giuen and that he may sweare that it was not his doing he was a sléepe still About eight a clock in the morning behold the Escheuins whether they were terrified by threatnings or accessaries to the rebellion in a moment of one side they began to vanish away and to descend from the vniuersity on the other side the people flocking together seazed vppon the place Maubert Barricados were planted within ten paces of the Suissers who might easily haue let it and immediatly they began euery where to trench themselues with Barricados from thirtie to thirtie paces the chayne 's also immediatly were drawne their Barricados were well flanked and well furnished with men to defend them so that it was no more time to goe through Paris any where without watch word passeport or particular billes from the Captaines or Colonels of the wardes The Duke of Guize vnderstanding that the Kings forces were seuered a sunder and disposed in certaine places knowing his partakers to bée stronger and more in number without comparison trenched with Barricados hard by the Kings Garisons set in diuers places as is before saide euen with thirtie paces one from the other and perceauing that all this while a sléep he had inclosed vp the Kings forces on euery side how much more can he doo awaking out of his bed if he would bestirre himselfe about his busines now séeing that it resteth no more but to charge and to dispatch the Kings forces that destitute of all succour more easily he may be had out of the Loure dead or a liue resteth therefore but the watch word to begin the may game All things being in a readines two sorts of men are appoynted the one to giue the watch word the other to giue the first blowe The watch word was giuen by interposed persons who went about the Citie reporting that the King would establish new Garisons in the Citie and executt one hundred of the chiefest inhabitants and many other noble men at the suggestion of the Duke Espernon who had intelligences with the King of Nauarre Others were interposed among the Kings French Souldiers who did bid the inhabitants to lay cleane sheetes in their beds for the same night they would lye in their houses On a suddaine therefore the fire was set to the myne in a moment Paris was fired into an horrible and confused commotion and as if there had been question to run vpon the enemy euery man doth prepare himselfe to set vpon the Kings gardes and the rest of his forces The others who were appoynted to beginne the fray were Brissak Boysdauphin Chamoyes and other partakers of Guyze who at the watch-word geuen began to charge the Swissers whereof some were killed some vnarmed the like was done to the other companies of Frenchmen many were slaine and all vnarmed The Duke of Guyze wayting a sleepe for this beginning started vp as he sayd out of his sleepe ranne to the fray shewed a double dilligence did endeuor to shew outwardly to the world that hee enterprised nothing and that he was vtterly ignorant of all these thinges and to that end hee might haue witnes he caused the slaughter which was made of the Swissers to sease caused the armes to bee rendred to the Kinges companies who had béen vnarmed but after such a maner as did shew how much greater regard they of Paris had of him then of the King and what intelligences hee had with them whereof hee did shew himselfe not discontented In that commotion some would haue killed the Marshal Biron and the Lord Belieure which thing this King of the may game misliked would not suffer Such occasions did content him greatly for by such actions he confirmed himselfe in the trust and confidence which he had in that people he would also haue them whom he saued from the slaughter to beleeue that he had no small part in France besides that he bound them to him in as much as their liues were woorth To be short no man was in danger of y e rage of the people who either was with him or was commended by him The Duke of Guyze after the vnarming of the Kinges companâ—es set themselues as prisoners vntill the euening and within a little whyle after these thinges were done they made their approches by litle and little to the Loure where the king was The King being aduertized of all which was a dooing did not shew himself mooued therwith at all But the 2. Quéenes were greatly amazed specially the Q Mother which all the dinner tyme did nothing else but weepe with great aboundance of tears And immediatly after dinner she tooke her coach to goe to the house of Guyze where the sayd Lord of Guyze
had retyred after hauing taken prisoners the Kings forces to do her best endeuor to passify the commotion but it was without any effect for they who heretofore had in admiration her deuilish craftines as a diuine wisedome did now when they had the vpper hand account it a deceitfull Italian dissimulation So that old Caâ—ye is no more regarded then she deserued For shee her selfe with much adoo could passe through the streates so thicke trenched with Barricados that shee was enforced to forsake her Coach and be carryed in a chayre and euery varlet would presume to bid her stay what will you haue whether goe you and opening the way only for her chayre did bid her goe her way As the seditious made all thinges in a readines to besiege the King in the Loure the next day the Duke of Guyze went out of his house to purchase to himselfe some good will of the Master by shewing some curtesy to the seruantes and came to the place where the Kinges forces were stayed and vnarmed in the euening caused theyr armes to be rendered them He sent one Saint Paul who had growen from a latrey to be a great man and greatly fauored by the Duke of Guyze to go before the Kings gards leading them as captiues in a tryumph and commaunded them to be turned out of Saint Anthonies gate and to shift for themselues The night following the Rebels besieged the Loure where the King was set their Barricados nigh the gace stopped the issues skirmished with them that came foorth and yet all thinges are so disguised that to besiege the King and kill him in his owne house to execute it dilligently and that without sparing the life of any man at the commaundement of Guyze is to obay the King to defend the King and the countrey to fight for liberty to expose valiantly their liues for their tempels their altars theyr wiues and children The morrow after as the tumult increased the King had aduertisement from two seuerall places the first by one who was familiar and houshold seruant to the Lord of Guyze the second by a gentleman of good calling that the sayd Guyze and they of Paris his partakers had determined to bring foorth the night following fifteene or sixteene thousand men by the new gate and other gates of that side of the Citty to besiege him without there to stop all passage and to force him in his house The King receaued confirmation of the same determination by one of his faithfull seruants a man of honor and vnderstanding who labored much to cause one of his seruantes to step to the Loure for that purpose who could not haue brought it to passe if it had not béene by the helpe of one of the Captaynes of the wardes of the City who conducted the messenger to the Loure The King did step asyde to receaue this message by the mouth of him which brought it which when hee vnderstood iudged the mischiefe and daunger to be greater then hee had thought and began to be amazed seeing that which hee would neuer haue expected of the Parisiens without shewing any token of dismay He was also aduised at the same instant to get him out of Paris though he should goe foorth alone if not he would be vndone and that when his person should be without he might find many seruaÌ„ts faithfull subiects The K. did not refuse that counsell for he saw the danger to encrease euery moment and yet he made no great shew to follow it But on y e contrary encreasing the assurance of his countenance did seeme to promise shortly to remedy it He sent the Q. Mother to the Duke of Guyze once again shee with much a doe hauing accesse to him exhorted him to bring of his owne so much as he could to pacifie that commotion prayed him very instantly to come to the king with great protestation of assurance that he would bee well pleased thereof protesting of his good will and confidence which he reposed in him The King delayed his departing out of Paris meditating reuengement vpon the head of this rebellion and had sent his mother to the ende to haue drawen him within his reach supposing that the head being off the members would coole and waxe weake The Q. Mother hauing done all that euer she could with her Italian Rethorick could not perswade the Duke of Guyze hauing learned by tâ—e simplicitie of them of the reformed Religion and by the tragedies which through his counsell he had caused the King to play vpon them of the religion how little credit was to be giuen to Kings faith and to her fayre promises but shewed himselfe very cold in that matter and contemptious towards her person for he feared that he should not be able to execute his enterprize within the Loure so well as without mistrusting to be preuented if he had entred therein The Q Mother seing that he was not moued by her wordes sendeth his answere to the king by the secretary Pinart The King being aduertized of the hardnes of the Duke out of hope to execute his will vpon him To preuent a farther mischiefe which hee saw to be at hand commaunded his companies to retire and determined to goe out of Paris and to take his farwell of the Loure at the perswasions of many officers of the Crowne who gaue him counsell to giue place to that desperate conspiracie and to retyre into a place of safety he sent his household to the place called the Tuilleries and leauing the Q. Mother there in the Loure went foorth out of Paris on that side which was most sure for him to wit through newgate with a walking staffe in his hand as though he went according to his custome to walke to the Tuilleries with as ioyful countenance as in the most ioyful day that could shine vnto him When he was out of the gate he turned his face toward that citie casting foorth certaine speaches of indignation with protestation against their ingratefulnes treachery and treason When he came to the Tuilleries he tooke his horse with them of his trayne who had meanes to get horses they who had none either stayed behinde or else followed him on foote Many great Lordes went after him on foote vntill they had the meanes to get horses Many great Lordes and gentlemen of the Kinges side went out of Paris in great haste some without bootes some destitute of all things euerie one vnder the shadowe of some friend such as they met withall in the middle of the confused prease The King that night went to Trappes and lodged in the house of Danuile brother to Mommorency and alyed to the Duke d'Espernon The flight of such a great King so vngratefully dealt with all by them whome he had so greatly fauored was lamentable The Duke of Guize hauing remoued the Kings power from him partly by killing and partly by sending others another cleane contrary way from the King supposing that the said King
had beene still in the Loure and knowing that there rested nothing more to doo but to haue his person for a gage of the Crowne determined to besiege the Loure and to bring out of hand the Artilery before the gate But vnderstanding that he was issued out and gone already a great way of hee remayned Master of Paris séeing that the Master and the seruants had yeelded him the lodging Hetherto wee haue conducted the King to Trappes and his forces are sent packing and the Duke maketh merrie in Paris in hope likewise to be Master of all the rest The Duke and his partakers perceauing how the King had giuen the slip and auoyded their bloudie hands doo scratch their heads and see their error for although the ouerthrow was great yet the victorie was not full the enterprise not well executed and the King being not taken the issue thereof was doubtfull and full of perplexitie For their consciences doo represent before their eyes the perfidious rebellion which they had committed as to haue not onely dispossessed him of his house of whome they holde all that euer they had but also to haue sought to murther him whom God had consecrated to represent before their eyes the image of his Soueraigne iustice to destroy their Prince who had loued them so tenderlie their benefactor who had cherished them as a Father his owne naturall Children They accurse their negligent folly in that they had not beene more watchfull to attend vpon his person feare seazed their hearts when considering the greatnes of their offence doo also knowe that yet hee will haue meanes inough to bring their dooings to iudgement and to take reuengement of them according to the haynousnes of their offence To be short they are very sory not for that which they had done but for that they haue not done worse But the Duke of Guize considering well that the stincking fame of his villanous fact would flee abroade vnto the eares of forraine Princes who will thinke themselues interesâ—ed in this iniurie and that they will not forsake such a mightie Prince in his distresse hee thought good that the execution done this day might be reported vnto Princes neighbours and friends of the Crowne in such a manner that whatsoeuer was therein most odious and damnable might bee either concealed or else coloured Therefore among others he forgot no courtesie and honest offers to the Lord Ambassodor of England to whome he sent the Lord Brissak accompanied with some others to offer him a protection and to pray him not to bee dismayed and not to remoue thence with assurance of safetie The Ambassador answered that if he had been as a priuat men in Paris hee would haue gone to prostrate himselfe at the feete of the Duke of Guize for to giue him most heartie thankes for his courtesies and honest proffers but being there nigh the King for the Queene of England his Mistresse who had aliâ—unce and couenant of amitie with him he could not nor would not take any protection but of the King onely The Lord Brissak shewed him that the Lord of Guize was not come to Paris to enterprize any thing against the King or his seruice but that hee hath resolued himselfe vpon the defensiue and that there was a great conspiracie against him and the Citie of Paris and how the towne house and other places were ful of gibets whereon the King had determined to hang a great number of the Citie and others The Lord of Guyze prayed him to aduertize his Mistresse of all these things to the end the worlde might be informed of the trueth The Ambassador answered that he could easilie beleeue that he saide as he thought but that hauty and hard enterprises oftentimes doo remayne incommunicable and closely shut vp in the hearts of them who doo enterprise them which also when they thinke good doo produce them forth with such colour as they iudge most fit for their aduantage And that he would say freely that whatsoeuer had passed in Paris would bee iudged very strange and wicked by all the Princes of Christendome who were interessed in it and that no colours were they neuer so fayre could make it to seeme good being the simple duety of a subiect to remaine in the iust obedience of his Soueraigne And that if there were so many gibets prepared it would bee beleeued more easily when the Lorde of Guyze shoulde bring them in sight And graunt that so it were yet is it a hatefull thing and intollerable that a subiect would let by force the iustice which his Soueraigne will execute with strong hand He promised him that willingly he would aduertise the Queene his Mistresse of all that which he tould him but to serue him as an interpreter of all the conceites of the Duke of Guyze and of them of his part it was no matter belonging to his charge The Queene his Mistresse being wiser then hee to beleeue and iudge what would please her Maiestie vpon that which he would write vnto her The Lord Brissake seeing that neither by fayre offers words nor prayers the Lord Ambassadour could be mooued to allowe their actions ended his speaches with threatnings saying that the people of Paris had a quarrell to him by reason of the crueltie which the Quéene of England had shewed to the Quéene of Scots To this word of crueltie the Ambassadour answered I arest you vpon this word of crueltie my Lord no man euer named a iustice well qualified crueltie Moreouer I beléeue not that the people of Paris haue any quarrell to mée as you say for vpon what occasion seeing that I am here a publike person who neuer molested any bedie Haue you any armour sayd the Lord Brissake If you did aske it me sayd the Lord Ambassadour as as of him who hath béen sometime friend and familiar of the Lord Cosse your vncle it may be I would tell you but being that which I am I will not tell you You shal be searched here sayd Brissake ere it belong for it is thought here is armour and it is to be feared you will be forced I haue two gates in this house sayd the Ambassadour I will shut and defend them as long as I may that it may appeare to the world that vniuftly in my person they haue violated the right of Nations To that Brissak replied but tell me in good friendship I pray you haue you any armour The Ambassadour answered seeing you aske me as a friend I will tell you as a friend If I were â—ere as a priuate man I would haue armour but being here as Ambassadour I haue none other armour then the right and faith publike I pray you sayd Brissak keepe your doores shut vp I ought not to doo it sayd the Lord Ambassour for the house of an Ambassadour ought to be open to all goers and commers considering that I am not in France to dwell in Paris onely but to bee nigh the King wheresoeuer he be
horses of carriage the onset was giuen within two leagues of Pilmil suburbe of Nantes The King after giuing of thankes vpon that place where the skirmish was fought for that prosperous successe and victorie made a light dinner vnder a tree and after retyred to his lodging at S. Georges where hee soiourned the whole day following for the long daies iourney which he had made the day before notwithstanding that day hee went a hawking for Partridges and in the euening viewed the towne of Montagne to take order for the fortifications and garrisons of the sayd towne and purposed to haue layed the siege to the towne Clisson not farre thence The King being yet at S. George was strengthened with foure regiments of footmen to wit of Charbonieres Sallignak Preau and the regiment of his gardes commanded by the Lord Querine there also he receaued the light horsemen of the Lord Trimouille who had discomfited the regiment of Lestele and taken foure Ensignes which they presented vnto the sayd King The selfe same day being aduertized of the daunger wherein the Duke Espernon stood within the Towne of Engolesme besieged there within the Castell by a conspiracie of the Leaguers caused him to giue ouer his enterprise vpon Clisson the day following being the 15. of August departed from Saint George purposing to make toward Engolesme to succor the saide Lorde Espernon but hearing by the way how the tumult there was pacified went not so far as that place It is saide before how that the Leaguers in their request presented vnto the King made a great complaint against the Duke Espernon charging him to haue intelligences with the King of Nauarre and them of the religion to haue been the cause that their armies had heretofore small successe and that if he should grow to greater authoritie it were danger that in time he would deliuer the places of his gouernement to the King of Nauarre that he is the onely cause that the politick state is so corrupt and out of frame and therefore the King must needes put him from about his person and fauour This Lord Espernon of the auncient house of Valette grew in great fauour with the King through his faithfull seruice a man altogether sold to popery yet a louer of the Kings person crowne and state a louer of the realme and peace of the same a hater of conspirators and perturbers of the quietnes of the King and his subiects who neuer could bee drawne to the conspiracies of the Leaguers neither by faire promises nor other meanes whatsoeuer which thing was the cause that the Leaguers hated him as the onely man about the Kings person who did hinder the execution â—f their enterprises that man therefore must not be about the King nor be admitted into the assembly of the states The King to giue place to their hatred for a time and to auoyde the inconueniences which through y e malice of his enemies might befall to such a trustie seruant determined to send him out of their sight and where hee thought that they should be least able to practise against him And giuing him a very great power and commission in a most ample manner to commaund in the Prouinces of Aniou Toureyne Poytow Engomoyes Xainctonge commaunded him to depart the Court about the same time that the edict of reunion was made by the Leaguers who hauing soiourned a while in the Tower of Loches situated in Toureyne vpon the riuer Vndre which falleth into Loyre betwéene Tours and Samure to fortifie and assure the said place to the Kings obedience against the practises of certaine Gentlemen of the League made against that place From thence he tooke his iourney to Engolesme where he vnderstoode that many enterprises were a working by the League against the Kings seruice There commaunded the Lorde Tageus his kinseman vnder the charge of the Lord Valette his brother The saide Lorde Espernon arriuing at Engolesme accompanied with a great number of the nobilitie was honorably receaued by the Maior and Aldermen of the Citie by the officers of iustice policie with great numbers of people who went to meete him at the gates of the Citie hee was likewise receaued by the Bishop and his Priests at the doore of Saint Peters Church where they sung solemnly a great te Deum laudamus in the worship of him Not long after the said Lord Espernon called together the Bishop and his Priestes the Maior and the Escheuins the Kings officers and other chiefe Citizens to giue them notice of the occasions of his comming which was first to preserue them all in the Catholicke Romane religion for the which and for the Kings seruice he would willingly aduenture his life against all manner of men Exhorting them to aduise what was requisit for their conseruation and that they would propound the same vnto him All answered with one consent that they would dye vnder his authority in the same resolution and for to testify their willes the better they would haue his authority from the King printed read and published as the manner is through all the towne The said Lord hauing many companies both of horsemen and footmen yet would he innouate nothing not so much as to change any part of the garrison of the Citty and to testify vnto them more apparantly of the confidence which hee had in the promises and fidelity of them he would not lodge in any stronger place nor more aduantagious for his preseruation but in the Castell which is called the Kings house wherein he found his Cosin the Lord Tageus lodged as the gouernours heretofore had accustomed to do This Castell hath no strength which is any thing worth nether in Ditches nor in any handy worke except some great Towers of stone very olde but otherwise very commodious for the store of chambers which are therein The said Lord had brought his Lady with him and had also lodged the Lady Tageus there Hee went the same day into the Citadell wherein he commaunded the Lord Bordes with all the nobility which accompanied him could euen then haue lodged there if he had had any diffidence of the inhabitants for the keies were presented to him by the Lord Bordes That Fortresse was sufficient to haue bridled the inhabitantes considering the strength and great store of Munitions of the said place as well in Ordinance as in other necessary things But specially hauing a gate to get out of the towne whereby may be let in as many men as one would But the sayd Lord in stéed of mistrust kept an open house as well for the nobility of the countrey as for the inhabitantes of the citty without any respect of persons whereof a great number but specially the Maior of the town with his conspiratours sat ordinarily at his table with great curtesy and welcome shewed vnto them by the sayd L. Espernon He walked familiarly with them through the citty and suburbs with a small company of his
them of the religion assoone as the Lord Tageus could returne from this exployte whome he would leaue there for the preseruation of the Citie Behold Christian Reader this noble man indued with good gifts raised vp to high degree sent out of the danger of his enemies to keepe the kings subiects in peace and iustice vnthankfull of Gods good graces doe meditate how to turne that power wisdome and graces receiued of God to persecute his Church and whilest hee is laying downe his plott God sendeth him a warning to wit murtherers to execute the rage of Gods enemies vpon him For as they concluded vpon the resolution of this warre which he purposed against the Children of God the Abbot of Elbeu sitting next vnto the doore of the closet heard the sound of a pistol shot within the wardrobe and some crying kil kill At this alarum the said Abbot ranne first to the doore nigh the closet where he found the Aulmoner of y e said Duke who had rushed in had shut vp the doore and thought it had neither lock nor boult but held the said doore with his back very pale and frighted The Abbot enquiring what it was speake softly sayd the Aulmoner there be armed men which seeke to kill my Lord. At the same instant the said Lord Espernon the Lord Mariuault and the Abbot heard two other pistolls shot in the same wardrobe with manie voyces crying kill kill comming to the said doore cryed yeeld my Lord for you are but a dead man The Abbot and Mariuault then counsailed the sayd Espernon to keep within the closet where was a second doore very narrow hard to get in At the same time the Toxin began to ring in all Churches of the Citie and they of the faction ran into the streates crying that the Hugonets had surprised the Castell and willing all men to run to succour it according to the instructions giuen by the Maior These tokens being giuen the people ran on euery side to their weapons and went toward the Castel they lodge themselues in the house next to the Castell The Maior that morning intending to bring to an end their conspiracie had perswaded them of his faction but especially 40. or 50. of the vilest and most desperat persons of all the Citie that his brother in law Southct came from the Court and had brought with him an expresse commaundement from the King both by letters and word of mouth to seaze vpon the person of the said Lord Espernon dead or aliue and to assure the citie some of them he had appoynted to run through the citie and to giue the alarum as is afore said some should seaze vpon the gates of the Castell when hee should haue entred the saide Castell and some should goe with him to execute this murther This vile traitor then head of the conspiracy entred first armed into the Castell through the great gate hauing two men booted with him which as he saide were Purseuants whom he brought to speake with the Duke and followed with ten men going vp into the hall and passing through it saluted the Lord Couplieres who sat vpon a table and thence passing through the Lord Espernon his chamber went as farre as the wardroabe supposing there to finde him and there to execute his damnable conspiracie there he met with on Raphael Gyrolamy a Gentleman Florentine Rouillard and Segnencio Secretaries and one Sorline the Kings Chirurgion The Lord Aubine one of the Kings Magistrates in the Court of Engolesme who was expressely come to aduertise the Lorde Espernon that there was some practise against him in the towne and there he stayed for his comming foorth to doo his message The Maior therefore entred as is said first of all armed with a Corselet into the wardrobe with a Pistoll in his hand ready charged and the cock downe came to Sorline first who set his hand to his sword and did hurt the Maior a little on the head Another man great and strong with a Pistoll set vpon Raphael who immediatly taking him by the coller cast him downe vppon the ground and with his sword wounded him as he did three more as they haue confessed after and beate them out of the chamber crying still my Lord is not here but being wounded with a Pistol he fell downe and then they made an end of him with their swords The others who were in the wardrobe saued themselues as they could Sorline running into the kitchen gaue the alarum to the cookes who ran with their broaches but the conspirators being in the hall and hearing the noyse in the kitchen stopped the way out of y t kitchē into the hall In the meane time while these things were dooing within the wardrobe by the Maior his partakers went about as they had receaued instructions aforehand of the Maior to seaze vpon the great gate of the Castell for to bring in the people who were already in armour but they were let by some Gentlemen who were in the Court of the Castell staying there for the Lorde Espernon his comming forth The first were the Lordes Ambleuille Beaurepayre Sobelle and others in defending of the said gate the Lord Beaurepayre was slaine with the stroake of a Halbeard the Prouost Baretes likewise and one of the gardes the Lord Clauery was hurt certaine Gentlemen entred into the said gate afore it was shut vp as Captaine Baron Artiges the Countie Brune brother in lawe to the Duke Espernon the Lords Goas Mirane Coste Emars and others They beleeued then that the Lord Espernon was dead so that being astonied and looked one vpon another they knewe not what to doo nor in whome to trust vntill that the Lords Ambleuille Myran Sobelle and Emars acknowledging one another and giuing hands with promise to dye together gathered as well Gentlemen as Souldiours of the garde close together and ran to the Chamber doore of the Lord Espernon through the which the conspiratours would haue gone forth to seaze vpon the tower of the Castell but they were let by the Gentlemen and gardes who wounded the Maior through the doore where of he fell downe they shot also against the residue of the conspiratours with these threatnings you shall dye traitors Seguencio the Secretarie whome they detayned prisoner reported that at that threatning they began to be amazed and to say among themselues we are vndone if we doo not saue our selues some where and thereupon carrying away the Maior went out through a little doore of that chamber which issued to a little paire of staires that did lead vp to a chamber nigh the tower but they were followed by the said Gentlemen and at the same time the Lord Espernon the Abbot Elbeu and the Lord Marinault who vnderstanding the voyce of Sobelle went forth of the closet with Pistolls and swordes in hand The conspirators were enforced to saue themselues in that Chamber nigh the great tower to y e which no man could go but by a
payre of staires so narrowe that but one man alone might passe there were none armed neither the Lord Espernon nor any of his were at all which thing caused them to stay their going vp At the same instant a maidseruant aduertised the Lord Espernon that the Maiors brother with a number of armed men did enter into the castle through a hole in the wall on the side of the Curtine The sayd Lord Espernon ran thether who found alreadie the Maiors brother entred with another which both were slaine there and a gard was put at the place At the same time the complices of the conspiracie and among others the foresaid Souchet the Maiors brother in law who had come lately from the Court with some other gentlemen of the countrey seeing that they could not fire the first gate where they found resistance as is sayd before ran to another gate of the Castle with fire to burne it preparing also giâ—s to breake it vp But the Lord Espernon with fiftéene of his men whom he had gathered together ran also to the sayd gate to defend and fortifie it with earth stones boords and such like leauing his gard to keepe the dore of the chamber where the conspirators were locked vp the which endeuoured themselues to issue foorth but notwithstanding were repulsed by the sayd gardes and the Lord Espernon himselfe who hauing deuided his gardes vpon the entries into the Castle went too and fro as néed required and where hee iudged his presence necessarie so that resorting to the foresayd doore he killed one of the sayd conspiratours with his own hand as he went about to issue foorth The inhabitants in the meane time did bestowe their shot freely vppon the chambers of the Castle because they were so great and wide and because the inhabitants had seazed vpon the next houses and among others vppon the house néerest to the Castle called the Quéenes house The diligence of the Lord Espernon and other gentlemen which accompanied him was such that within two houres they assured themselues of the Castle so that it had béen hard for the gentlemen and others who were within the Towne to force it without Canon The labour bestowed in fighting fortifying and breaking the staiers of the chambers and in fiering the narrowe staiers which went vp the chamber where the conspiratours were locked vp had béen quicke and violent The L. EspernoÌ„ desirous to make the gentlemen which were with him to drinke there was found in al the house but foure flagons of wine which were brought in that morning for his breakfast there was no water at all and very small store of bread for the inhabitants had seazed vpon the well which was in the other court and also the way to goe to it which thing did greatly trouble them that were besieged the space of two dayes and a halfe that they were inclosed therein But the discommoditie was little in comparison of the constant resolution which they tooke rather to dye then yéeld themselues vnto that sedicious multitude It is sayd before how the Maior afore hee began to execute his enterprise had by false surmises entised the Lord Bordes gouernour of the Citadell to come to his house making him beléeue that hee would discouer him some great practise against the King whom when he had in his hands he kept prisoner in his house This thing did greatly amaze the Lord Espernon that he heard not the Citadell play against the Citie the cause was that when the fray was begun at the Castle immediatly men appoynted by the Maior brought the sayd Bordes before the Citadell to cause the Lieutenant to surrender it or els to stay him from discharging the Ordinance against the towne which in case hee should doo it they threatned to kill the sayd Lord Bordes The Lieutenant desirous to saue the life of the sayd Lord Bordes promised to doo their request and so kept promise with them The Lord Espernon ignorant of all these things was greatly dismayed fearing least the Citadell had béen in the hands of the conspirators or els had fauoured them The conspirators closed vp in the high chamber of the Castle did affirme the same and when they were summoned to render themselues they answered that it was for the sayd Lord Espernon and his to yeeld that they should quickly see the Canon of the Citadell before the Castle There was an other mischaunce that happened The Ladie Espernon before the coÌ„motion began was gone to Masse to the Dominican friers WheÌ„ the alarum was giuen she went about to go forth to get the citadel ouer her head beleeuing that they were Hugonets that had attempted against y t town she was lead by y e armes by 2. gentlemen to wit Seguency not the secretary but an other of that name Pial she was arrested prisoner and her two Gentlemen slaine by these two Catholicks within the Church doore not permitting the Priest to make an ende of his iuggling game They tooke also many Gentlemen among whom were the Lords Curee Mesme Blere and Captaine Ramel the Baron Coze and many others of all degrees of the traine of the said Lord Espernon The Lords Curee and Mesme went about to get into the Castell but the people with Holbards kept them back although they saide that they would go fight against the Hugonets when they assaid to haue entred the Castel The Lord Haultclerie a man of that countrey of great estimation with much adoo saued their liues Captaine Ramel fell into the same daunger of the people in going about to get into the castell by the Curtine of the towne wall but he saued himselfe by taking the Bishops house In the middest of all these discommodities the Lord Espernon sendeth a Lackie to the Lord Tageus who was at Xainctes with all his horsemen to make haste to succour him The Lacky was let downe the wall of the Parke ioyning to the Castell but he was incontinently taken by the inhabitants Notwithstanding the Lord Tageus was aduertized of the commotion by two Gentlemen who in a good houre went forth of the towne to goe on to hunting who hearing the Toxin did gallop vnto the gate of the Citadell where they caused immediately all the bread and prouision which was in the subburb to be brought in and the selfe same day at night came to Xainctes to warne the Lord Tageus of that commotion The people in the meane while continued in their rage assisted and conducted by diuers gentlemen of the couÌ„try who were of the league among whome was one brought vp in the house of Guyze Messeliere Makuole and Boucheaulx and others who two houres after the commotion summoned the Lord Espernon by a drumme to yeeld and to deliuer the place into their hands promising him and his life and baggage safe That proffer he disdayned and gaue them no other answere but that he would within few houres make them change their language They threatned also the Lady Espernon
the Lord Argence As they were all ready there to signe the agreement behold a new commotion of the people who will not compound the reason was the arryuing into the towne of the Baron of Tonnerak with diuers gentlemen of the League also of captayne Caze Marshall of the lodgings of the L. Aubeterre who do assure them that the sayd Lord of Aubeterre will come with succour to them the next day morning with three hundred horsmen and fiue hundred footmen The Abbot by these occasions was enforced to get him to the castle agayne with greater danger then at the first by reason of the raging of this Leagued people For they brought him by force before the Citadell to forbid the Souldiers to discharge the ordinance agaynst the towne which thing notwithstanding in a while after they continued to do because that the people assaulted the castell continually vppon a vayne hope incited by those leagued gentlemen newly come The chiefest officers of the King and Bourgeses of the Citty hauing duly considered in the Bishops house the danger wherin their citty stood if so many strangers on euery syde should come in ioyned themselues with the cheefest Gentlemen agaynst the rest who were stubburne They sent agayne 2. of the chiefest Bourgeses to the Lord Espernon to beseech him that it may please him that the Lord Tageus his kinsman newly arryued in the Suburbs with his companies might signe and seale the agréement to the which they added onely that they who were detayned prisoners in the castell should be comprised therein and set at liberty according to the fayth which he had geuen them promising of their part to do the like to them whom they did detayne and all that which had been taken in the houses should be restored The Lord Espernon graunting vnto them their demaund sent againe the Abbot who went forth with them of the towne to the Lord Tageus to make him seale the composition which was done about foure a clocke in the euening Within a while after the trenches were broken the people went away the Lady Espernon was conducted by the sayd Abbot into the castell with all the prisoners detayned in the towne The Lord Bordes entred the Citadell the conspiratours and Maiors fellowes who were prisoners in the castell were set at liberty Mere with his complices went forth out of the towne and retyred into theyr houses vnder the conduct of the Lord Maumont captayne of light horses The dead on both sides were quietly buried and namely the Maior whose corps with the corps of his brother were freely deliuered to their friends to be buried When the agreement was concluded it was nine and thirtie houres that neither the Lord Espernon nor any of his had eate nor dronk There was no more powder for the shot he had determined the night following to issue forth vpon the enemies for to seaze vpon the well hee also looked that night to be rescued by his men to be short by the singuler goodnes of God he escaped a perilous snare of the Leaguers a marueilous great danger for the which to auoyde hee shewed himselfe both valiaunt and watchfull and if he would be thankfull to God for so great deliuerance and consider from whence for what cause these blowes came he should doe the part of a right noble man About the selfe same time that these things were done at Engolâ—sme against the Duke Espernon the Lorde Autragues gouernour of Orleans sent to the King to protest obedience with excuse that the things which he had done in fauour of the League had been for none other cause then for zeale of the Catholick religion but perceiuing that the chiefe Leaguers passed further then he thought he wholly doth renounce detest y â— League and vpon that protestation he was receaued in fauour by the King Whilest the King after hee had sent his writtes to the Prouinces Townes and Cities to make thoyse of their deputies men of wisdome discretion and louers of peace to send with speede to the States preparing all things to resort with a soft pace to Bloys to the States It is said also how the Leaguers peruerted all things suborned all the most vile and accursed traitors that could be picked out in all France It is said also how least that execrable company might be spied or crossed they had obtained by the edict of reunion that none of the reformed religion or suspected to fauour the same and that none of the Princes of the bloud shoulde bee admitted to that house least they shoulde bee spyed when they should go about to make processe against their lawfull King and naturall Prince The King considering the shortnes of the time reiourned his estates vntill the beginning of October following whatsoeuer other causes did moue him so to doo But toward the latter end of September he and his mother accompanied with the Duke of Guize with all their traine ariued at Bloys The Princes of Monpensier County and Soyssons did appeare at Bloys and for because the Prince County had ioyned himselfe to the army of the Germanes the yeare before his company was greatly suspected and many of his friends went about to perswade him to send to the Pope for an absolution but in that following the counsell of his best friends and seruants he did it noâ— The Prince of Soyssons had alreadie obtained a Bull of the Pope containing a pardon for hauing followed the part of them of the religion with a Renuoy for his absolution to the Legat of Venise who was also at the States hee made great difficulties in the matter so that they of the assembly had once resolued to require the King not to suffer the saide Prince to bee admitted but at length it was found good to stay their sute for that time Whilest these things aboue said do passe so diuersly in sundry places the great and mightie armie appoynted for Daulphine vnder the leading of the Duke d' Mayne dooth march and at length arriued in Liomoys there continued long daring not enter far into the Prouince of Daulphine for feare of scalding but soiourned vpon the borders betweene Liomoys and Daulphine as a man that came onely to see whether he could make the hereticks afraide or not The King arriued at Bloys with all his traine maketh readie all the solemnities fit for that assemblie whilest the deputies and assignes of the Prouinces doo make readie their instructions and hast to the place appoynted The King hauing more trust in his subiects then his subiects were to be trusted of him doth expect honest wise and indifferent deputies such as would seeke onely the good of the Common wealth But the Duke of Guize had so laboured of long time and so reduced the people that there was almost no citie towne nor prouince in all France but the complices of the Leaguers vnder colour of zeale of religion preuailed in sending such as were altogether factious and desirous of innouations
not béen ouerthrown by the way They follow on their accustomed course and method vsed by them these 14. or 15. yeares to wit to seduce the people more and more to make the King hatefull to his subiects that hee may bee forsaken of all men if it be possible and to render the King of Nauarre abhorted of all men in hope that if they could bring to passe any thing vpon the Kings person by these meanes the said King of Nauarre may be excluded from his right of succession The first poynt to performe was left to the assembly of the pretended states as it shal appeare hereafter the other two pieces of work were committed to the Iesuites Friers and other of like sorte de bacchandi calomniandiperitissimis for their dignitie runneth most of all vpon these two common places Whether the King considering the great necessities which hee should haue of money to maintaine a dangerous and long warre against the rebels and traitors had sent his coÌ„missions vnto his threasurors and receauers of his impost to continue the receauing and gathering of tallages and impost as they had done the yeare before or else that the rebells in Paris vsurping the name of the thrée estates of France had forged such a thing I am vncertaine But so it is that if they did not deuise yet they did vse his action to steale away the hearts of the people from his obedience and thereby to make their part stronger to aâ—ure the Kings subiects to ioyne hand with them in their rebellion For immediatly after the Duke d' Mayne came to Paris they set foorth a declaration bearing the name of the Princes Citties and commonalties vnited with the thrée estates of the realme where in deede there was not one Prince onely the Dukes d' Mayne Aumale Nemours and certaine other seditious persons of Paris Anious Roen Orleans and Abeuile with their generall counsell which consisted of seauen and forty persons most vile and for their wickednes picked out of the sinke of that rebellion whereof we haue spoken before First they doo still hide their damnable rebellion vnder the olde ragged gaberdine of defending the popish religion and because the poore people had béen of long time oppressed with diuers payments and greatly impouerished by long continuance of warre vnto the defence of popery they ioyne this plausible snare to wit to ease the people of the former accustomed payments Secondly vsurping the royall authoritie they forbid all manner of officers to gather any payments money tole impost or tallage for the King but to pay vnto their officers the tallages according vnto the rate of the yeare 1576. Thirdly they commaund that in case they haue payed the saide somms vnto their commissioners and the Kings officers should come to demaund the saide sommes or should goe about to compell them to pay the same sommes they to apprehend them and to bring them vnto the next prisons and there processe to be made as vpon publick extortioners Last of all they commaunde all officers and receauers of the Kings demaynes woods graines farmers of salt garners receauers of tenths and others whatsoeuer to bring pay and deliuer the same to none other then to them or their officers and that vpon paine of death It is said before that after the Oracle giuen out by the facultie of Theologie in the colledge of Sorboun the seditious brought it to the Senate of Paris to bee alowed inregistred and published who vppon the refusing of such a disloyall treacherie were all brought to prison and there as malefactors detayned Now vpon the Dukes comming to Paris they were called and offered either to remaine still in prison or else to doo two things First to alowe and approue the resolution of Sorboune Secondly to sweare to the new vnion which was a confederacy of the rebells This Senate in olâ—e time so famous and honorable for feare of this dangerous conspiratie of the Leaguers and rage of the people against their alegeance and loyaltie doo fall to this composition with the generall counsell of the citie aboue saide and the pretended states to wit the Senat shall ioyne with the rebells and sweare with them to persecute their King by all meanes without any respect of person or dignitie for the execution done by him vpon the persons of the Duke of Guize and the Cardinall his brother the 23. and 24. of December which they doo tearme with an odious name of massacre This excerable rebellion nowe hath gotten credit by that so famous and reuerent Senat the second Maiestie of France in olde time so renowmed The 30. day of Ianuarie all the chambers of the Senat with all the officers appertaining to that court to the number of 326. gathered together in the presence of the Duke d' Mayne the generall counsell aboue saide and the pretended states did sweare and subscribe some with their owne bloud as Catelina in olâ—e time in like case that forme of vnion which they had concluded the day before whereof the somme followeth First they doo sweare and promise to God to his mother to the Angels to al the hée saints and shee saints of Paradise to employ their liues their goods and all their meanes to the defence of the Catholick religion and doo protest that all that which they doo in this vnion is for the setting foorth of Gods glory and for the defence of the holy Church Secondly they sweare to defend the citie of Paris with the state there established also other cities of their association which then were or might be hereafter Thirdly they sweare to defend the Princes to wit the Dukes d' Mayne and Aumale for so they loue well to be called the Priestes Lords and Gentlemen vnited with them both in their persons and goods with the liberty of the states of the realme Last of all they sweare to pursue by al meanes possible them that haue violated the publick faith broken the vnion franchizes and liberties of the states meaning the King in committing the massacre so they cal the iust punishment of the Duke of Guize and the Cardinall his brother without any respect of persons dignity or prerogatiue whatsoeuer and also al them who shall fauour and assist the King by any meanes with promise neuer to forsake one another As this rebellious people did rage in the Senat house in the counsell of the citie and in their pretended states so the people are set at liberty to commit al outrages violences the poorer sort are against the rich the vile person against the honorable the wicked against the vertuous the ignorant and blinde against the learned to be short there is nothing but an infernall horror The Iesuits Friers other vncleane fowles of like feathers doo rage no lesse in the places and charges appoynted vnto them to wit in rayling most villanously against the King and slandering the King of Nauarre and them of the reformed religion for the causes aboue saide
the defence of the Romish Church What neede therefore had that church of any other protector then their owne King whose bountifulnes and liberality they so oftentimes haue tryed Whilest these things did so passe at Anger 's the citty of Nantes vppon Loyre began to hault by the secret practises and treacheries of the seditious Leaguers who were within the cittie But when the newes came of the taking of Anger 's and of the execution done vpon some seditious Iesuits and other Fryers the rebels at Nantes tooke the alarum in this wise for the Ladyes Martignes Mercure wife to the Duke of Mercure gouernour of Britayne tooke occasion thereupon to hasten the rebellion for beeing aduertised that many of the cheefest officers of iustice in that cittie as also other good Citizens faithful to the King seeing the practises which were wrought in their cittie by the Leaguers did disswade theyr fellowe citizens to geue eare to such seditious persons and aduised them rather to remayne faythful vnto the King then to draw vpon themselues the Kings wrath with a cruell and mortall warre For to breake the good purpose and intents of these men and to chastise them for their too great fidelity to their King These Ladies sent for two Captaynes of the towne well knowen for their seditious practises great affection to the traytors they shewed vnto these two Captaynes their passions with great amplifications of the thinges past at Anger 's They began by many inuectiues and spitefull speaches against the K. to shew how the King had put to death a great number of Priests and Friers who were taken at the winning of Anger 's how he had taken the chalices and relickes and wholly became an heretike then with much lying they fell to talke of them whom they would haue to bee taken prisoners in the citty charging them that they sought to bring into their cittye the K. of Nauarre with all his troups with determination to haue the cittie ransacked to take away their goods liues and religion and that therefore it was needfull they rayse the people to rebellion out of hand to seaze vppon them which were faythfull to the King and make the citty sure for the League The chiefest Captaine appointed for this execution was one Gassion a Gascoine brought vp in the house of Martignes and greatly affected to the League An order before that time was that the said Gassion for one halfe yeare commaunded in the castell and the Lord Crambok who was faithfull to the King the other halfe yeare this man no authority then at all The counsell of these two accursed women was quickly executed by the said Gassion hauing for that time the rule of the castell The people vpon these furmises were armed the streats were fortify to with Baricadoes The first execution of this rebellion was the apprehending of foure score of the most notable men and richest families in all the Citie and among the rest were the Lord Miron the Kings threasurer in Britaine the Lord Bourin a great Lawier and one Doctor Rogues Dean of the facultie of Phisicke and many other faithfull seruants of the King who were put in straight prison in the Castle their houses were spoyled and goods rifled The Citie being thus made sure for the League by the Rebells the countrey about was not free from that tempest light horses are sent into places most suspected many gentlemen are taken prisoners abroad without respect of age qualitie or religion such as did escape with the losse of their goods thought to haue sped well In like manner the Citie of Rhemes head Citie of the lowe Britaine which had behaued themselues modeslie enough hetherto might greatly haue fauoured aduaunced the treasons of the Duke Mercure if he could haue got it to his deuotion But for that purpose first it was needfull to haue the helpe of the Bishop of the place named Emare Hannekin sonne to a citizen of Paris for the stage play could not bee well seazoned with mirth except a Priest might play the diuels part Sir Hannekin therfore bestirreth himselfe all that euer he can to bring his treason to passe but his credite being there yet vnder age and small account he taketh the Bishop of Dole of the noble of Espinay to countenance the play being also assisted by a citizen named Botelier who was much beholding to the sayd Sir Hannekin because he was such a louing ghostly father to his wife he had also some other citizens some of the court of Parliament there men of faction who secretly set their shoulders to that worke All this blessed companie by the counsell of these two sedicious Priests deuisers of rebellion against their naturall and lawfull Prince doo raise vp the people in armes giuing to vnderstand though most falsly that the Lord Huuanday Lieutenant generall for the K. in that countrey the Lord Moubarot gouernor of the Towne and the Lord Asserake who accompanied them would haue oppressed the libertie of the Towne and brought in garrisons to sacke it Vppon this false rumour spread abroade by those two lying Priests the people armed did seaze vppon the Market place and fortified the streates with Barricadoes The Duke Mercure who then was a petie King at Nantes aduertised of these things so passing at Rhemes and desirous to enlarge his newly swallowed vp kingdome of little Britaine doth gather forces as great as he can and fayning to goe to Vaunes to the States of the countrey taketh his way to Rhedon and turned vp short to Rhemes where he arriuing was receaue◠with great ioy of thē of the League he put garrisons within the tower of the Fuller within the gate of S. George in the white gate It was time then for the Lords Huuanday Montbarot and Asserak to keepe themselues close within their houses being sought out for no lesse matter then for the price of their liues The Lord Montbarot had seazed vppon the tower of the gate Mordelese hee was summoned by the Duke Mercure to yeeld the sayd tower into his hands which thing he refused to doo saying that there he was placed for the King and for his seruice Vpon this refusall the Canon was brought before the Tower and many houses pearced to make it ready to the battery There was no appearance to sustaine a battery much lesse to hope for any succour which thinges béeing considered the Lord Montbarot agreed and yeelded the place with honorable conditions both for himselfe and his fellowes By these meanes Mercure remained master of the place whereof hee changed the whole estate and gouernment placing therein men at his deuotion there he caused a Iesuit most bitterly seditiously and vnworthy to inueygh and rayle agaynst the King he dispatched a Captaine Spaniard named Iohn with his company to scoure y e country hee did execrable oppressions robbing and sacking all indifferently he tooke many gentlmens houses which he robbed many men whom he cruelly entreated and put to great
specially in Prouance Peace vpon these occasions was made betwéene them that their forces being ioyned together they might the better be able to preuent the traiterous attempts and resist the practizes of the saide Leaguers After which agréement the said Lordes des Diguieres and Valete came together and oftentimes sat in counsel to take aduise for the safe kéeping of the countrey of Daulphine and Prouance in the Kings obedience they together entred Valence Romans Tullet and other places After these two Noble men by this newe reconsiliation had been some dayes together they determined to separate themselues and their forces the Lord des Diguieres remayned in Daulphine and the Lord Valette went with his forces into Prouance there to stop the attempts of the Rebels After the separation of these two Noble men the Lord des Diguieres first layed the siege before the fortresse of Auxonne right agaynst Montlimart which had been surprised by the Rebels and tooke it by assault the fift day of Ianuary the Captayne of the sayd Fort and all his men were put to the sword Shortly after the taking of Auxonne the Lord Eschambault who had constantly defended the reformed religion in Viuaretes ioyned his forces with the Lord des Diguieres which thing before he could not well doo From Auxonne the Lord des Diguieres strengthened with the forces of the Lord Eschambault layd the siege before the Hold of Colonseles in the countie of Griguan which he tooke by assault The Gouernour of that Hold was hanged and all his companie put to the sword one onely saued vpon condition that he should pay all the expenses that the whole armie had béen at that siege The sayd Lord des Diguieres departing from Colonseles tooke his way straight to the County of Veyascin and assoone as he was entred the countrey the Holds of Bauuyes Taussie le Bouschâ—l Racheringes and Rochegardes yéelded vnto him neuer expecting the Canon These Forts being surrendred he went to lay the siege before Camaret a place well fortified distant from Orenge about two miles The sayd towne yeelded at the sight of the Canon with safetie of liues as well of Souldiers as inhabitants From Camaret he went to the siege of Vacquiras he tooke also by composition Aubiguan where he rested the whole armie to refresh his Souldiers ten dayes Thether came the Deputies of the countrey to demaund a truce From Aubiguan the Lord des Diguieres went to besiege an Hold called Cayranne which was taken by assault the gouernour thereof being an Italian was hanged in the worship of Nuestra donna de Loretta and all his Souldiers for company with him or els put to the sword After this execution done the Gouernours of all places and Townes thereaboutes as Rakesell S. Romans Villedieu Boysson Mirebel Paymerat S. Romanet and others came to him and offered him their keyes From Cayranne the Lord des Diguieres went foorth to besiege Molans a place well fortified where are Castles very strong There he bestowed three hundred shot of canon and at length a breach being made the assault was giuen and after two hundred and fiftie men of the enemies had béen stayne the Towne was taken The Lord of the sayd place had his life saued in paying ten thousand Crownes for his raunsome and besides his house sacked There was during the time that these affaires did so passe in Daulphine a certayne méeting of Deputies of Grenoble and other Townes Cities of that Prouince making suite for to haue a truce for foure yeares vppon whose suite the Lord des Diguieres drewe néere to Grenoble and lodged his armie thereabout in the Countrey but hee himselfe went to Nions There the Deputies meâ— and requested to haue truces and ceasing from warre during the space of foure yeares But when as they could not agree vpon the conditions the Lord des Diguieres appoynted another méeting at Bogency within two miles of Grenoble and at length a truce was concluded betweene them about the latter end of March which was signed sealed and confirmed with great solemnitie in the Suburbs of Grenoble It was agréed that the principalitie of Orenge should be comprised in it and that they of the League who wâ—re returned to the Kings obedience should pay to the Lord des Diguieres for the intertainement of his companies eyghtéene thousand Crownes and the one halfe of all tolles which was thought to amount to fifty Crownes a day Moreouer they agréed to pay him eyght thousand Crownes for the intertaining of certaine Ministers and workes of pietie in Daulphine Also that the Fort of Bogencie and diuers other holdes kept by the Leaguers should be beaten downe and rased to the geound This truce was proclaymed in Grenoble on Easter day About the same time there was an assembly of the Prouince of Languedock holden in Nismes and Lunel about the like truce It is said before how the Lord des Diguieres and la Valete had ioyned themselues in amity for the Kings seruice and how the Lord Valete after hauing soiorned with the said des Diguieres to take counsell â—ogâ—ther about the Kings affayres in Daulphine and Prouance the Lord Valete with his forces went into his gouernement of Prouance where finding that Countrey full of confusions and factions by the meanes of the Court of Parliament at Aix and the Lord of Vins which not onely were rebels but also had solicited the Countrey to the like rebellion the said Lord Velete had caused an assembly of the states of Prouance to be holden after his arriuing there and being very strong and hauing the greatest part of the holdes in the Countrey they agreed in the saide assembly to make warre against the said court of Parliament and Lorde of Vins and for that purpose the States there deliuered him ten thousand Crownes The Lord Monbrune ioyned himselfe with the Lord Valete and surprised some strong places in that Prouince The King had called the Lord Mommorency from the gouernement of Languedock and had giuen that charge to the Lord Ioyeuse but at length the King perceauing that the said Ioyeuse by the perswasions of his mother inclined to the rebellion of the Leaguers he tooke that gouernement againe from him restored the Lord Mommorencie to that charge with commaundement to remoue the Parlâ—ament of Tholouze to the Citie of Narbonne because that Tholouze had rebelled against the King as is aforesaid The Citie of Narbonne vnderstanding of the restablishment of the Lord Mommorencie by the King shut vp their gates against Ioyeuse sent for the said Mommorency being then in Auignon proffering to receaue him saeing that it was the kings pleasure to haue restablished him in that gouernemeÌ„t The said Mommorency departed from Orenge the 28. of March to Narbonne ward The Townes of Languedock which were in the power of them of the Religion refused to haue his authoritie published among them without the expresse commaundement of the King of Nauarre The Lord des Diguieres hauing
to bring with them thrée thousand men that should vpon a luddaine be landed there at the time appoynted and should seaze vpon the City to the King of Spaynes vse At the time appoynted came the Galeys and Souldiours and tooke land The second magistrate of the city being a faithfull Citizen and in that neutrality of the City suspecting some treason thought to preuent it by diligence and as it pleased God that night tooke vpon him to view the watch and in his way met with certaine Mariners all amazed and frighted requiring him to prouide for the safety of the city for that there were a great number of Spanyards already landed wherupon he commaunded the townesmen presently to arme themselues And going a little further accompanied with some good Citizens did light on the company where the chiefe gouernour was there taking order with the enemy for the entring of the Towne This magistrate dnderstanding of these things already well accompanied with townesmen commaunded the dromme to sound the alarum and with great courage charged vpon the Spanyards whome they slew in great number he tooke many of them and the gouernour of the City prisoner with them and such of his complices as were with them so the City was yet once preserued from the Turkish bondage of the Spaniards Euen as the shéepe straying from their shepheards runne into the Wolues daunger so townes and Cities euen whole Prouinces with drawing themselues from the obedience of their Lords are dayly in danger to be made a pray to their enemies It is said how the Duke d'Mayne after his flight from Saint Andrews plaine went to Saint Denis to sée what entertainement the Parisiens would shew him and after he with few had concluded to holde Paris and Saint Denis specially fast from the Kings power and so he and the Spanish Moore Commendator Moreo went into Picardie thence to Bruxels to the Duke of Parma The Duke d'Mayne soiorned at Pâ—ronne a towne in Picardie situated vpon the riuer Sonie betwéene Amiens and Saint Quintine to gather such forces as he could he craued aide from al parts but they are as slowly to come to him as he is earnest to enuite them Balagny Gouernour of Cambray did promise him fiftéene hundred horses out of Picardie There the Duke d'Mayne séeing that al things went contrary yet to ease his stomack he maketh great braggs how that he will make againe an army of thirty thousand men These great bragges did procéede of the vaine hope which they had already conceaued of the King of Spayne for while these things aboue saide were a dooing by the King about the 20. of March they sent foure Ambassadors into Spayne first from the Duke d'Mayne and another from the Duke of Lorreyne the third from the Duke Merceur and the last in the name of the whole body of the League They arriued at Vadolit in the latter end of Aprill The somme of their Ambassage was to begge and not much neither but thrée Milions of Gold and thirty thousand men vpon that condition that they would make him King of France if he could get it yet promising their furtherance So after much capping and crouching begging and crauing chopping and changing what money they obtayned it is not certaine but it is reported that they were promised one Milion and that they had thirty thousand Crownes which they tooke in hope that more would come and an army out of the Lowe Countreyes of Flanders The King of Spayne was willing to hearken to these Ambassadors for thrée causes ambition feare and desire of reuenging First by the proffer of this Ambassage hée was put in some hope that considering the great power of these three Dukes and the great power of the League that is of the Townes Cities and commons rebelled hée might perhaps spéede better then he looked for And if he should not spéed in the whole yet he might in part thereof The second cause was feare which caused him with all his meanes to keepe the King from growing mighty for considering his great valoure and the iniuries which both his predecessors he had receaued at the Spaniards handes would in time call them to remembrance and seeke the means to recouer his owne The third cause was desire of reuenge supposing that in working him mischiefe he might bee reuenged of the losse reproch and dishonour of his Spaniards and Flemmings who had remayned to dung the playne of S. Andrew by reason of these particular affections not for any loue which hee had to the Leaguers or Leagued he wrote to the Duke of Parma to passe in person with such Forces as hee had and could spare in the lowe Countreis to succour the rebels in France In the meane while that the King soiorned at Mante the Parisiens beeing hardened by the Deuillish and seditious Sermons of the Fryers and Iesuits as the Egyptians were by the enchauntmentes of Iamnes Iambres they elected for gouernor of their city the Duke of Nemours by whose conduct they began to fortify their walles men women and Children night and day they pulled downe many houses in the Suburbs they receaued into the City three thousand Germans whom they placed part of them in the Arsenall and others in watch and ward in the most needfull places of the city They gathered corne and wine into the Citie so much as the could They fortified also Saint Denis Corbeil Melun Montereau fault yonne and Sennes The King passing in the sight of the Citie of Paris layed the siege before Corbeil which shortly after yelded the King stopped the riuer of Seine with a chayne of Iron so that no boats being neuer so little could passe by From Corbeil the King went to lay the siege before Montereau which is a great towne situated vppon the fall of the riuer Yonne into Seine which yeelded without any resisting From Montereau the King returned to Melune a strong towne vppon Seine this town part of it lyeth vpon the South banke of Seine and part is in an Iland within the sayd riuer there the Rebels had placed a strong garrison but the Citizens and Souldiers perceauing that they would be forced and that there was no hope of succour yeelded the place and put themselues in the Kings seruice The King hauing placed a strong garrison there wentbacke agayne to Sens compassed it doth plant sixe pieces of Ordinance agaynst the wall sent a Tâ—ompeter to the City to sommon them to render the place promising them all good and gracious fauour The Gouernor called the Lord Chambalon determined not to receaue him except first he would become a good Catholike Whereupon the K. began to batter the towne in two seuerall places gaue two assaults where he was repulsed beeing within the town one thousand and eight hundred Souldiers besides the Citizens and Inhabitants who were able to make two thousand Souldiers more The king therfore thought good to leaue of that enterprise and to follow the
tooke another resolution to wit to defend it to hold them play the enemies passing ouer the riuer vppon a bridge made with boates began to batter it with nine pieces of artillery the breach was made before the King had any notice thereof by reason of the great winde which was contrary and a great thick myst yet assoone as the King had any knowledge thereof he sent succour to haue rescued the Towne but the enemy giuing the assault afore the Kings forces could come and being few against many the enemy carried it away which being entred into the Towne omitted no barbarous cruelty and villany which that Sarrasenicall sauage nation could deuise there were betwéene two and thrée hundred Souldiours within the Towne gouerned by the Lord Laphin who defended that weake towne so valiantly that the enemy lost in that assault the most part of them that were at y e siege all the Garison Souldiours with their Captaines were slaine in like sorte as Leonidas with his Lacoues at Thermopylas The King tooke that losse very sorrowfully and supposing that this beginning would haue cheered and fleshed the enemy commaunded the skirmish to be giuen hoâ—ter then euer before But as the Woolâ—e pursued and hunted hauing gotten his den ouer his head will rather dye there then to get him forth and trie the matter with the hunter so these sauage rauening monsters could not be drawne out of their moore The King perceauing that nothing would encourage these fearefull warriours departed out of the campe with a good company of horsemen with ladders and marched toward Paris and caused certaine companies to draw nere the walls betwéene the gates of Saint Iames and Saint Marcel which being detected the alarum was giuen in the City the Kings Souldiours did hide themselues in the darkenes of the night being a great myst withall The Parisiens returned euery one home the Iesuites who are the most desperat and warlike of all the legions of the locustes of the kingdome of Antichrist watched all the night vpon the wal fearing some surprise and about foure a clock in the morning the Kings Souldiours lying in the towne ditch began to scale the wall the Iesuits fearing to be researched first for their horrible treasons doo sound the alarum and doo kéepe of the Kings men from leaping vpon the wall as well as they can whilest company doo run to helpe The inhabitants doo cast fagots kindled into the ditch by which meanes the Kings Souldiours being discouered did sound the retire gaue ouer the enterprise and so the King returned no more to Paris Here Christian reader thou shalt note in this City the notorious sins of the inhabitants the iudgements of God shewed vpon them and what is yet to come This City hath béen first of all the bulwark and strong hold of all Idolatry and heathenish superstitioâ—s which they haue increased of meere malicious wickednes and as it were to spight the Gospell whose voyce had been heard and had knocked at their gâ—tes many yeares They raised the alarum at the sound thereof they haue murthered the Saintes in the streates they haue shed their bloud vpon the earth like water their bodies they haue drawne by heapes and giuen them to bee meate for the beastes of the field and the fowles of the ayre they haue searched them out as it were with a lanterne that they might roote out the knowledge of God from the earth they haue made the gospel of life a hissing a by word a nodding of the head and a song of despight and contempt among them Therefore the Lord hath giuen them to a reprobate minde to commit among themselues all the abominations of the heathens and hath solde them to seducers and rauing false Prophets For beside the infinit heards of Epicures and idle bellies of idolatrous Priests Monkes and Friers about the yeare 1560. when the Gospell did knock at their gates there crept out of Spayne and Italy the vermine of Iesuitâ—s whome Sachan did burst out as vltimum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by whose desperat rage specially these sinfull people haue béen blinded and seduced to the vtâ—ermost They haue kindled and maintained to the vttermost of their power war against them of the reformed religion They were the first in all France to shew the fruite of their hellish Idolatry that haue rebelled against the King who was of their owne religion as great and deuout a Catholick as any was in the world they stirred vp and inuited to their rebâ—llion all other Cities of France by their example letters and Ambassadors and at length they haue shortned his life by an haynous parricide by the which they haue made their walls their houses their temples and themselues guilty of the damnable crime of treason hated both of GOD and man Now let vs sée the fearefull iudgements of God shewed vpon them the Lord hath executed his iustice vppon that defiled City defiled I say with the bloud of the innocents at all times by punishing them with his scourges of pestilence and dearth But after they had defiled their hands with the Kings bloud the anoynted of the Lord who represented before their eyes the image of God the Lord strooke them with the giddines of Sodome and the darkenes of Aegipt and sent euill Angels among them to vexe them with disquietnes with guilty consciences with vprores and seditions And now when the Lord during the siege had sent them mercy and fauour euen to their gates by the band of his messenger and Lieutenant Henry of Bourbon now raigning Prince of great and famous renowne They as men senseles fallen into a letargy and out of their wits would hearken to nothing but to the voyce of sedition of commotion of bloud and murther being deliuered into the bondâ—ge of â—raitors and tyrants And when the Lord had broaken the staffe of bread among them with greater rigour then in any place which euer was heard of they did not turne vnto the Lord who had giuen them bread wine oyle flaxe as Osea speaketh but multiplyed their idols worshipped diuâ—ls as Iames Clement the parricide and others euen with gréedines They did rather choose to eate the flesh of their sonnes and daughters which by the lawes of that realme is a capitall crime and to bee râ—uenged with fire then to accept grace and fauour at the hands of their King whome law nature and God had giuen vnto them Now let vs consider what by al reasons grounded vppon the stedfastnes of Gods threatnings is like to ensue thaâ— God may powre downe the fulnes of his wrath and iust indignation vppon that accursed City he in whose gouernâ—ment are the hearts of Kings and Princes doth alter the minde of the King to giue ouer that City vntill the day of vengeance Not for that he was not able to haue distressed the same longer and haue kept the Duke of Parma from approaching to it but to that end to hamper his enemies yet more in
little aboue the Waren in the high way from Hyers to Browage Wee haue sayd how about the 15. of September the Lord Clermont departed from the Prince at Pons and passed the riuer Loyre at a place called Rosiers thence passing through a place la clousiere des montils to the intent to passe vnknowne did fayne himselfe to be Secretary to the King of Nauarre frō thence he taketh his way to Bange where Rochemort departed from him The sayd Rochemort taketh his way to Beaufort which is situated betwéene Anger 's and the riuer Loyre where he was borne and soiorned there to see his brother and other friends and also to gather as many men as he could in that countrey Beaufort is a little Towne betwéene Loyre and Anger 's which is commaunded by a Castle of a reasonable strength which did hold for the king and was in the kéeping of Captayne Broke Rochemort arriued thether and visiting his friends who were the chiefest of the Towne and among them also Captayne Broke by their spéeches he vnderstood the state of Anger 's and the particularities there about the Castle There was a Captayne named Halot who had the kéeping of the sayd Castle of Anger 's whilest the Lord Bussy of Amboyse liued which had the gouernment of the Countrey Citie and Castle during the life of Monsieur the Kings brother But after the death of the sayd Bussy the Lord Brissack had the gouernment and had put out of the Castle the sayd Halot whereof by all meanes he sought to bee reuenged and to surprize the Castle And to bring this thing to passe he acquainted himselfe with Captayne Fresne who had commanded ouer a companie of Brissack at the beginning of the League This Brissack was one of the chiefest of the League and discharged the sayd Fresne after the edict of vnion was published in Iuly before for the which thing Fresne was greatly offended with Brissack These two Captaynes consented together to enterprize vpon the Castell and repayred to Beaufort to Captayne Broke to haue of him some company of men where they met with Rochemort and after certayne spéeches opened vnto him their enterprize who promised to furnish them with certayn men Rochemort aduertized the Lord Clermont praying him to send him men which shortly after sent him foure stout Souldiers This their counsell was wonderfully disguised as also the euēts fel out to be straunge and tragicall for Halot as he sayd would recouer the Castell for the King of whom sayd he he had letters to that effect to recouer the sayd Castle out of the hands of Brissack who was of the League as is afore sayd but indéede he respected himselfe thinking thereby to get the Kings or the King of Nauarre his fauour Captayne Fresne was desirous to be reuenged of Brissack at any price whatsoeuer These two were sure to haue men for the most part Papists Rochemort was in good hope that if he could get in the Castle he would finde the meanes to make it fall into the hands of the King of Nauarre Halot Fresne doo promise themselues that if Rochemort being the weakest and an Hugonet should attempt to innouate any thing they could easily dispatch him so that vnder the hope of one drift euery man had his meaning vnknowne one to another The enterprize is concluded the day appoynted The 26. of September some doo repayre at the time prefixed to the Suburbe of Pressigny some to the Suburbe called Lisses Captayne Fresne vsed to enter into the Castle easily as well acquainted with the Souldiers of the garde The day therefore prefixed hee goeth to see Captayne Greeke his friend who then commaunded in the Castle with ten or twelue Souldiers The sayd Captayne Greeke biddeth Fresne to dinner Fresne excused himselfe that he had company with whom he had promised to dine that day Captaine Greeke presseth him and prayeth him to bring his company with him Fresne had afore hand woon some of the gard whom he had made priuie to the enterprize he prayeth them of the second garde to let in them of his company whom he assured to be of his acquaintance but some of the souldiers mistrusting went about to shut the gate Rochemort and his companie withstoode them and taking weapons in hand did kill some of the garde Captaine Fresne went vp into the Captaines chamber who hearing the fray would haue gone foorth but being encountred by the sayd Fresne was slaine Captaine Halot seeing the tumult in stead to enter into the Castle ran into the Towne and vpon the rumour of the surprizing of the Castle biddeth the Citizens not to stirre for he had saith he caused the Castle to be taken for the King but incontinently he was taken prisoner by the Citizens Fresne and Rochemort being masters of the Castell the alarme was very hot in the towne notice was giuen euery where in great dilligence Rochemort forgetteth not to send to the Lord Clermont to certify him what was passed desiring him to send greater forces also to send word to the Prince Whilest these newes flye euery where diuers euents happened which deceaued both them and others They of the towne greeued to haue that thorne in their heeles sleep not but take armes beset the Castel and within a whyle haue succour of the Nobilitie of the countrey In the euening the inhabitantes would fayne haue parley with Fresne and vsed the means of Halot for to draw him forth of the Castell hauing placed in the darke of the night nigh the bridge 30. or 40. souldiers with Caliuers either for to take him or else to seaze vpon the drawing bridge when he should come forth Fresne vpon this parley going forth and being yet vpon the bridge one of y e souldiers hasting to shoot Fresne would haue returned in but Rochemort with his company seeing the perill did draw the bridge Fresne not able to recouer the drawing held fast at the chayns they without cut off his handes so hee fell into the ditch which was very deepe and cut in a rocke his Cloke was left hanging on the draw bridge There was a redde Deere in the ditch which tore him with his hornes They of the Towne by the licence of them of the Castell tooke him vp with a coard But the coard breaking hee fell downe agayne and at length was taken vp and buryed in a Chappell nigh the Castell Captayne Halot within few dayes after by the towne was condemned and executed These two being dead Rochemort a Hugonet remayned master of the Castell whereof hee geueth notice to the Lord Clermont who immediatly dispatched a messenger to the Prince being at the siege of Browage The inhabitants who could haue borne it with some contentation because they knew Fresne to be a Papist and that hee sayd he held it for the king after his death asked Rochemort for whom he kept the castel When he had answered that it was for the king of Nauarre they were greatly mooued and
without any other care then to conferre louingly with them about the necessary thinges for the preseruation of their Cittye The Maior had in his possession all the keies of the Cittie the inhabitantes made their accustomed watches and by halfes with two companies which were vnder the commaundement of the Lord Bordes whereof the most part were inhabitantes of the Citty Vppon request made vnto him by the Maior and Aldermen concerning the necessary fortifications for the safety and increasing of their Cittie the said Lord promised to lend them to that effect such a summe of money as they should thinke good And to aduaunce the worke the said Lord commaunded the Maior and the Lieutenant Nesmond to make the proiect by the counsell of Captaine Ramel son of Augustine mayster of the Kings workes In the meane while the said Lord caused the edict of reunion to be published in the Cittie and according to the same did prepare to war agaynst them of the religion to let them from gathering subsidies and tallages to represse their courses furthermore had made an enterprise agaynst one of their best places And for a beginning of y e performance of these things had commaunded his cosin the Lord Tageus to take with him all the companies of his light horses and the companyes of the Lords Sobelle and Cadilan with all the footmen and troops which he had brought with him And besides all this for to win the hartes of the inhabitantes he caused euery day all sorts of publike exercises of Romish poperie to be done in all their chiefe Idoll Temples in the Cittie He had also promised to the gray Fryers to helpe the reedifying of their couent and temple of the same For the warre defensiue and offensiue agaynst them of the religion hee obmitted no meanes he had no indsturie nor diligence For his pastimes he would go euery day without mistrust of any man to the Tenis court situated in one of the furthest partes of the citty Euery morning he would get vppon his horses himselfe to exercise them in the sight of great assembly of people with a very small company of his men about him It is sayd how the King to conuay the Lord Espernon his trusty and faythfull seruant out of the ielousies dangers of the Leaguers haâ— sent him into Guyenne to keepe such townes there as did wauer into his obedience The towne of Engolesme was aboue all the townes of that Countrey inclyning to the League so disposed by many Gentlemen therabouts who were leagued and deuoted to the Duke of Guyze The Duke Espernon as it is sayd went thether to make it sure to the kings obedience The newes comming to the towne of the determination of the saide Duke the complices of the conspiracie of the League considering that neither to admit him nor to exclude him was a safe way for them considering that the King might recouer the town at all tymes by the citadel which was kept by the L. Bordes a faithfull seruant to his Prince did immediatly send one who was y e Maiors brother to the court to know by the Oracle of the Leaguers what was to be done in such a doubtfull matter The Duke of Guyze with his counsell to wit his brother the Cardinall the Archbishop of Lyons did sit vpon the death of the Duke of Espernon they did condemne him to die They answered to their partakers to admit him and bid him welcome but to rid him out of the way if it can bee done by any meanes the reuenge they neede not to feare for they are in good hope that the master shall followe him shortly and if not yet they wil finde out some shift to excuse the matter and will find him guiltie of his owne death else they will so worke that the King shall haue little leasure to thinke vpon the reuenge They writ also to their complices gentlemen of the countrey as to Mere Massilieres Maqueuile Boucheaulx to the Baron Tonnerak Caze and Fleurak They caused also Vileroy the Kings Secretary to write his letters to the Lord Aubeterre to repaire to the Maior of Engolesme with al his power at such time as they should haue warning by the â—aid Maior in the meane while they expect the Oracle of the Leaguers the Duke Espernon is lulled a sleepe and cast into a dangerous security by the Maior and the rest of the conspiratours they make him beleeue that they loue him as their owne soule by the which dissimulation hee vnarmeth himselfe sendeth his forces abroad to warre agaynst Christ At length Souchet long desired commeth from the court geueth the answere that Espernon must die by all meanes possible biddeth them to put asyde all feare of reuenge for the causes afore shewed Now then it must be executed out of hand afore the returne of the Lord Tageus with the Dukes forces for then shall they not be able to put in execution y t iudgement hauing any forces about him or else because he will goe forth to war agaynst the heretikes according to his deliberation The tenth day of August the Lord Espernon very early got him on horsbacke to goe to his ordinary exercises with few of the nobility with him The maior with certaine of the inhabitants of the cittie were all that morning with him The sayd Lord lighting downe of his horse embraced the Maior and with great curtesy asked him whether hedelighted in horses Thence the sayd Lord returned to his lodging and went into his closet to change his shirt intending to goe deuoutly to Masse in the Chappell of Saint Laurence in the church of Saynt Cibert where his Almoner had prepared all the tooles ready to finish that misticall play this was about 7. a clocke The Maior on the other side with his complices who were gone to see his riding onely to spie what strength he had about him went home to put on his armour to charge his pistoll to take order about nine of the clock that the toxin should be rung and to appoynt at the same time certaine firebrands of sedition to goe about the streates crying that the Hugonâ—ts had seazed vpon the Castell The Maior also did craftily entice the Lord Bordes gouernour of the Citadell into his house vnder colour to discouer him a certaine enterprize against the king and when hee had him in his house kept him as prisoner Betweene eight and nine a clock the Lord Espernon being in his closet and knowing that the Abbot of Elbeue and the Lord Mariuault were in the next wardrobe staying there to accompany him to Masse sendeth a Page to call them to him into the Closet which when they had done hee â—hewed them a place in a booke sent him from Paris full of defamations against the honour authoritie of the King lamenting the vnbridled licence of this age hee prayeth them also to sit by him to vnderstand out of his own mouth his resolution and platforme of war against
if she would not perswade her husband to yeeld to make her serue for a gabion or else to stabb her She answered them that if they would bring her before the Castell she would perswade him to the contrary and that she did hope one day to haue reason of the insolencies of the said Mere who did proffer her such speeches The Lord Espernon had but eight Harquebusiers of his guard they neuer shot without killing or hurting some one or other so that there were killed by them 25. or thirtie persons but this was their euill luck that they had no powder with them but that which they found in their flasks One of the conspirators who was shut vp in the Castel with linnen cloth cut in length and knotted in the endes in stead of a coarde was let down into to the Castell ditche and aduertized the inhabitants howe that his felowes were ready almost to be stifled with fire or quelled with the fall of the house which could not bee auoyded except they were very shortly rescued That moued the Parents to induce the other Mayor named Bourgoyne to goe to the Castell to parley The Abbot Elbeu and the Lord Ambleuille spake with him through a hole of the wall and shewed him the danger wherein the towne stoode to be ransaked at the arriuing of the succour which was at hande That they had in holde the Maior with his conspired felowes whâ—me the Lord Espernon had forgiuen and that easily he mought be moued to pardon the people also which had beene abused And that it they should goe further in their enterprize and assault any more the Castell the Lorde Espernon would stay them all Furthermore they offer themselues to make meanes for the people with the said Lord Espernon They which were shut vp being no more able to endure yeelded vnto the Lord Espernon vpon his faith which he kept to them inuiolable The Maior at the time of his yeelding was gaping for life and within a while after dyed in the castell of the wounds which he had receiued The Lord Espernon caused his prisoners to write to them of the towne in what danger they were of their liues if they should any more assault the Castell Whereupon the inhabitants required the Maior Bourgoyne to returne to the Duke Espernon in the behalfe of them that he would send the Abbot and the Lord Ambleuille to them to intreate of peace The Lord Ambleuille would not forsake the Duke Espernon The Abbot preffered himselfe so that they would giue hostages They of the towne gaue the Kings procurator who entred into the Castell by a ladder by the which the Abbot came downe into the towne The Abbot at the first trenches found Mere and Messeliere two Gentlemen firâ—ts of the sedition accompanyed with a multitude of people who would haue treated with him but the Abbot would not saying that he would goe to treate with the seneschall in the house of the Lord Argence who was an olde Gentleman and of honour who also had promised all friendship to the Lorde Espernon Being conducted thither all the officers and chiefe of the Citie with much people resorted to the place The Abbot shewed them the enormitie of their ofâ—ence so to attempt against such an officer of the Crowne a good Catholick and faithfull seruant to the King that they had made themselues guilty of high treason Hee shewed them also the Maiors treasons whereof they had made themselues rash exâ—cutioners vnder a forged colour of the Kings commandement He spake vnto the officers the nobility and people to euery one sâ—nerally and before all shewing them their fault and their duty and concluded that by such kind of dealing they put themselues in great hazard of the Hugonets their common enemies He so much affected that they were deuided among themselues and found in the end that the kinges officers the cheefest of the cittie and the most apparant of the nobility were not at all priuie nor consenting in the beginning to the Maiors conspiracy who had onely assured himselfe of forty or fifty the vpleâ—â— sorâ— for the execution of his conspiracy and that these at the sound of the alarum had caused all the rest to take armour in hand vnder colour of the name of the Hugonets The common people induced by Mere shewed themselues void of all capacity of reason and intractable Many spéeches and reasonings passed in this conference the people fell to mutiny agayne and bidding the Abbot to make short proffered him like conditions as before The Abbot cut them short and assured them that the day following after noone the Lord Espernon should giue them the law The seditious Leagued Mere whom we haue said to haue béen brought vp in the house of Guyze the schoole of treasons and seditions did heate the people by an assured promise which hee made to them of an infallible succour of the Lord of Aubeterre who as hee sayd was at hand to whom also the Lord Vileroy the Kings secretary had written to that effect The Abbot departing thence went not without payne and danger to visit the Lady Espernon and commended her vnto a company of gentlemen who were assembled there and protested reuenge agaynst them which should proffer her iniury That beeing done he returned to the castel hauing nether sâ—ene the L. Bordes nor any other of the gentlemen which were detayned prisoners in the Towne The morrow after beeing the twelfth day of August the alarum was geuen in the Towne by the Drum and Toxin and as well the gentlemen the people the Leagued and others who were not of the conspiracie were enforced to take armor to go to the breach which they prepared and hoped to make in a weake place of the Castle wall defended neither with any window nor otherwise flanked Some small opening beeing made the people presented themselues where they were receaued and there was flayne the Lord Fleurak one of the Leaguers About three a clocke in the morning the people heard the trompets of the light horsemen of the Lord Espernon which made them beleeue that succouâ— was not farre This asswaged much their fury and on the contrary encouraged much the souldiers of the Citadell which hetherto had done nothing so that they let flee many shot of Harquebuzes and certayne voleyes of Canon agaynst the Cittie The Lord Espernon hauing commaunded them so to doo from the top of the high tower of the Castell At this new thundering from the Citadell they of the Towne began to wauer and to draw on agayne to parley and do desire that the Abbot would returne and that they would harken to the propositions of the said Lord Espernon The Abbot calling to remembrance the danger past maketh some difficulty to goe forth agayne But at length the Lord Espernon writeth and sendeth by the sayd Abbot what he wil require of them of the towne for the acknowledging of their fault Agayne all came together about noone to the house of
vnto him Hee sent Cotteblanch Prouost of Paris and the president Neuilly to Paris to see whether they could reduce that seduced people to their dutye the Lords Vilaguier and D'Abin did the like but neither of them could do any good About the fifteenth day these strange alterations beeing done in Paris vnder colour of the authority of the States there called and holden by few seditious persons letters were sent from they sayd assembly of rebels there vnto all citties of their confederacy to go forward in the like outrages and furie as they had done And first to autorise their seditious procéedings with great honourable tytles they call their letters a declaration of the Princes Catholikes vnited with the three estates of France touching the Massacre committed vppon the persons of the Duke of Guyze and the Cardinall his brother First they doo warne their fellowes to beware of any manner of instructions giuen vnto them by the King himselfe or any others contayning any excuse of the execution committed at Bloys vppon the Duke and Cardinall his brother Secondly they doo aduertise them that they haue as yet of that broode the Dukes de Mayne Aumale Mercure and Nemours and that the Duke de Mayne hath a great armie in readines to defend them Thirdly they go about to cléere the Duke of Guize of the crime of treason saying that it is but calumnies of hereticks denised against that house the space of 25. yeares So with them to spye from time to time the trayterous attempts and Note secrecies of the house of Guize is heresie and a worke of heretickes Fourthly they accuse the King of violating the publike faith and prophaning their corpus Domini as they tearme it vpon the which hee had sworne the edict of reunion But in déede the King swore the edict and not to suffer himselfe to bée murthered by the Duke of Guize Note At length they doo aggrauate the death of the Cardinall of Guize and the imprisonment of the Cardinall of Bourbon and Archbishop of Lions and exhort their companies to vnite themselues and to followe theyr example In the first page of this letter was this marke in the other side the Image of the Duke of Guize Now wee will leaue these confusions of Rebells assembled vnder the colour and name of the States of France to procéede further to fill the measure of their trespasse and will goe to see what the King doth at Bloys and elsewhere Immediatly after the death of Guize the King thought good to make Orleans sure of his side The Citadell in the middest of all these tumults and rebellions of Cities was and did hold for the King And the Lord Antragues who a little before had giuen ouer the League did all that euer he could doo to hold the Citie in the Kings obedience But the inhabitants being seduced afore hand by the Leaguers partakers of the Duke de Mayne encouraged by the conduct of Captain Breton and others who did promise to the inhabitants readie succour from the Duke de Mayne tooke weapons and by the confidence which they had in their riches and strength of their walles did openly reuolt It is commonly said that the Citie of Orleans is the Citadel of France as well for the commodious situation of the same vpon the riuer Loyre as for the fortifications thereof These reasons among others caused the King to trie by gracious and fayre meanes to bring them backe to their duetie But reason not preuayling with a people carried away with passion and seduced by the louers of alteration from the obedience of their King he was compelled to trie by force the meane of the Citadell He therefore sendeth the Marshall Haumont with forces as well of footmen as of horsemen with him hee sendeth part of his gardes and the Swissers The inhabitants on their side goe about by all meanes possible to rid themselues of the Citadell as of a heauie burthen they doo besiege it within the towne side doo trench themselues and couer themselues with horsmen and platformes doo vndermine it to blowe vp that Fort which nothing els but onely one of the gates commonly called Porte-bamere they make issues out and euen vpon the Swissers with some successe they doo thunder and rase that Fort with shot of Ordinance on the inside thereof They of the Kings side doo what they can there is a great number slaine on both sides The Lord Antragues promiseth notwithstanding to the King to keepe during the space of a moneth the out side although it were but broken walls and ruines during the which time he might call backe the armie which was in Poytow at the siege of Ganache vnder the conduct of the Lord of Neuers The inhabitants made two Mines vnder the Citadell but they were vented by them within About the 17. of Ianuarie there went forth out of Paris thrée thousand men well furnished but young souldiours and not trained vp in warre to goe to succor Orleans but they were discomfited by the Lorde Montigny and other Gentlemen who charged them betwéene Estampes and Orleans many of them were slaine the remnant were turned home naked The Duke d'Mayne about the last day of Ianuarie sending some supply of succour to Orleans stayed so their estate which did seeme to hang a side that they tooke courage partly by ruines partly with shot of ordinance and other meanes so wrought that they of the Kings side were inforced to giue ouer the ruines that rested of that which was called the citadell By these meanes Orleans remained hardened at the deuotion of the League So good Christian reader thou séest how the right of God and man is turned vpside downe their popish religion which they would séeme so much to honour reuerence and defend they haue most wickedly prophaned vsing it for a couering of their rebellion thou séest how the reuerence of all soueraigne power and authoritie is blotted out of the minds of them the respect of all lawes troden vnderfoote the sanctuarie of iustice violated and poluted thou séest here a damnable and diuelish anarchie the séeds and foundation of a barbarous and intollerable seruitude laied downe in France by the Duke d'Mayne and his partakers in a manner in like sort as Mahomet began his rebellion against the empire of the Romans Therefore yée O Noble Princes and Nobles of all the Kingdoms of Europe all men who are the louers of vertue and ciuility desirous to resigne to the posteritie good lawes christian libertie and discipline vp make hast to runne vppon these accursed enemies of all mankinde put out by time that fire which dooth threaten all authorities and powers of an horrible cumbustion Now there remaineth but thrée things for the League to bring to passe to set vp and dedicate their Idoll which they haue made to wit the Duke d'Mayne and to finish that piece of worke which his brother the Duke of Guize had brought almost to an end if he had
argument to walke in they cryed out that he serued himselfe of the forces of heretickes no maruel if they cry out now when they see a whip prepared for their backes and that now they are further from bringing to passe theyr wicked thoughts thâ—â— euer they were By these execrable outragious and seditious inue ctiues of these damnable Iesuits and Fryers hyred to sound the trompet of rebellion in a maner throughout all France but specially froÌ„ the riuer of Loyre north west and east and among other Prouinces Normandy was so infected with their poysoned and detestable rebellions that there was not so much as a Uillage to bee found where there was not some of all qualities dronken with their cup of abominations It is sayd before how the King had pardoned Brissak Boysdaulphine and Chastre with many others who within a while abusing the Kinges facility and ascribing their impunity to the Kings puâ—â—llanimity fled and reuolted to the League agayne After this reuolt Brissak and Boysdaulphine went to Anger 's as it is sayd and procured that great Citty to rebell but after the reducing of the sayd Cittye to the Kings obedience by the Marshal Haumont the said Brissak and Boysdaulphin fled and in their flight caused by the meanes of their partakers the Citty of Mans which was already wauering to rebel against the King To these 2. manipuli furum resorted the Lords la Mot Serrant Touchet Angeruile and Normandiere who by theyr treacherous solicitaâ—ion procured almost all the townes of Normandy to rebell and to open their gates to them as Roan which was reuolted long before Luseulx Falaize Newhauen Seas Bayeux Argenton and afterward Alcencon all these opened their gates to the rebels who afterward a most in a litle space consumed them There remained Caen Constances few other towns in base Normandie in the kings obedience by the good and prouident counsel of the Lord de la Veaue Beuuron the Presidents Aulbiguy and Lizeres and some other loyall and Noble men We sée how the cities of Normandie for the most part at the solicitatioÌ„ of Brissak Boysdaulphine and others whose names shall be knowne hereafter and by the preaching of the furious and frantick Iesuites and Friers are brought from the Kings obedience to a damnable rebellion The countrey men also and pesants were induced by the selfe same meanes to rebellion vnder colour of the defending the Catholick religion and hope of libertie There is in high Normandie a certaine place called la Chapelle Gantier thereupon the perswasions of the desperat Iesuites and Friers to countrey men were stirred vp to rebellion both against the King and the Nobilitie and began to commit horrible excesse and cruelties by reason of this beginning all the rebels in Normandy were called Gantiers these Peasants ioyned to themselues a number of Priestes but specially the Priestes of Sees and a great number of bedlem Friers furious Iesuites Parsons and among others the Parson of Vimonstier the most pestiferous desperat and seditious firebrand of all Normandy About the 19. the King vnderstanding of this rebellion in Normandy and foreséeing the mischiefe which might ensue if this euill were not in time remedyed thought good with all spéede to send the Prince Montpensier generall Lieutenant for his Maiestie into that Prouince to reduce them into the true way of their duetie and obedience and commaunded the Lord Saint Cire one of his counselers and Master of the requests of his house to accompany and assist him The King to bring this seduced people in the right way of iust obedience gaue charge to the saide Prince to offer pardon and impunity vnto the rebels in case they woulde liue quietly and peaceably vnder his gouernement Secondly hee discharged them of the third part of all taxes due vnto him hoping to haue a better opportunity and more happie season woulde come when he might gratifie them in some greater matter Thirdly hée gaue a forme of an oath to the said Prince to commaund all men to liue peaceably vnder his Gracious gouernement and to forsake all Leaguers and associations whatsoeuer and in case they would refuse either to returne vnder his protection or else to take that oath he gaue him authority to chastise them with strong hand as traitors and rebels About the 30. the saide Prince departed from Tours accompanied with the Lords of Backeuile and Archant and came to Luce where hee vnderstoode that Boysdaulphin and la Mot Serrant and other rebels had surprised the towne of Mans and purposed to méete with him to stop his way The 31. day this noble Prince of the house of Bourbon passed hard by the nose of the enemies and came as farre as Alencon where hée found the inhabitants amazed for the surprising of the towne of Mans by the enemy whome the rebels also had enueigled to enter into their rebellon and confirmed them in their obedience and duetie toward his Maiestie There this noble Prince with great deuotion and solemnitie kept his Easter and hauing taken order for the safetie of the towne appointed the Lorde Reuty gouernour of the said place with two companies of shot on horseback to kéepe the towne and Castell and to make roades in the villages about to repulse the rebells when they should come to forrage and constraine the inhabitants to pay them taxes and other tributes due to the King The 4. day the Prince vnderstanding that the citie of Sees were minded to ioyne to the rebels and had refused to take the oath according to the prescribed forme of the King purposed to passe that way and sent worde before to the Bishop and inhabitants that they shoulde open the gates for him who vpon a short consultation answered that they were ready to receaue him and being met by the citizens a great way out of the towne hée accompanied with the Lordes of Bakqueuile Archand and their troupes passed through without any stay The said Prince shewed vnto the Bishop and the inhabitants that he came from the King to offer pardon vnto the rebels and that the King ment to deale fauorably with his subiects to make account of them according to their duety and obedience towards him to chastise the rebels obstinat The inhabitants protested though with fained lippes of their loyaltie affection and obedience toward his Maiestie The departing from Sees met with the Lordes de Hallot and Creueceur his brother with a good and honorable tronpe of nobilitie to whome they proffered with many protections faithfully to serue the King as long as breath was in their bodies The 5. of Aprill the Prince departed from Escouche had intelligences that the Lords Touschet Angeruile Normandiere Captaines of the rebels with many Laâ—nciers and a good number of footemen haue come forth out of Falaize and marched on to stop the Princes way and went as farre as a village called Perrefit distant two miles from Falaize where they being met by the Lords Bakqueuile Archand Creueceur were
the Sonne of God So the Lord knoweth who are his Herein also appeareth euidently the mercifulnes of God who worketh all things to the best and comfort of his children For when as the Rebels and murtherers supposed that by the Kings death they might easily make an alteration of the state and transferre the Crowne vpon the head of the Duke de Mayne and so disappoynt the Princes of Bourbon of their right of succession the Lord turned al their counsels vpside downe For the Lord mooued the King lying on his death bed when he was in perfect memorie and farthest as the manner in such a case from all manner of affection and parciality to pronounce his sentence and decrée or rather supplying the person of God to proclayme the King of Nauarre right heire and successor of the crowne and by the inuocation of the glorious name of GOD bâ—und the Princes péeres Nobles Captaines and Souldiours to yéeld him dutifull obedience so that God himselfe hath béene the iudge of his cause giuing sentence on his side by him whome he appoynted his officer in that behalfe It will stand Thus much of the vnworthy death of so great a King in whom ended the issue of the noble house of Engolesme according vnto the fatall period of great Noble and mighty families which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein we haue to note the whole family excepted onely Francis the first as Henry the second Francis the second Charles the ninth Francis Duke of Aniou and this last King Henry the third 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per sanguinem ruit and haue died of an vntimely or violent death because they were polluted with that accursed woman Catherine Medicis Pope Clement his sisters brothers daughter And so making an end of the Epitasis of this vnnaturalltragedie played by leaguers we will make an end likewise of this 6. Booke Here endeth the 6. Booke THE SEVENTH BOOKE NOw we will follow the Catastrophe and last act which although it be full of Calamities yet it is like to bee ended with a ioyfull and happie successe The King beeing dead great heauines and sorrowe seazed vppon men of all degrees the Campe was full of sorrow and lamentation the wise saw this to be new seeds of a world of euils which wil worke the vtter subuersion of France On the other side great reioysing was seene among the rebels and traitors authors and procurers of the murther their ioye they shewed diuers waies but speciallie with contumelies and sarcasmes demaunding one of another whether the Friers knife was sharpe enough or not The rebels in Paris certified of the assured death of the King and supposing that the army had béen greatly dismayed replenished with teares and lamentation conceaued a good hope to do some great and notable exploit and imagining that it were easie in this mourning of all men to defeat the Kings forces all that night the Duke de Mayne did muster and prepare a mighty army and early in the morning issuing out of the Suburbs was so receaued by the Kings forces that he was enforced to retire within the Citie with blowes and dishonor That morning being the third of August but by the right calender the 23. of Iuly the King of Nauarre who was appointed the Kings Generall lieutenant by the King after that hee had receaued the wound assembled the Princes Lords Nobility and Captaines to deliberat how to remedy those great euils and to put out that combustion which the rebels had kindled in all partes of the realme First there was a capitulation made and concluded betweene theKing and the said Princes and Nobles Lords gentlemen and souldiers that there should be no innouation made in the Romish religion but the same should stand and be exercised peaceably without any interruption And that the reformed religion should be contained with all liberty in the exercise thereof within the places where it was then at that present time established prouided that the Romish religion should bee there exercised also without any disturbance And that men professing these two religions liuing peaceably like good subiects should be protected by the Kings authoritie in their liues goods liberties and franchizes vntill that by a nationall Councell some good and peaceable order should bee taken for some reconsiliation or vniformitie touching religion Which thing the King promised by the faith of a Prince to kéepe inuiolably and with as much speede as might be to prouide that a Councell and méeting of the learned might be assembled This order being concluded and the obseruation thereof promised by the King all his Princes Nobles Lords Gentlemen and Captaines promised vpon their othes all duetifull fidelitie and obedience vnto the K. and to assist him with their liues goods and meanes as well in the defence of his royall authoritie agaynst all traytors rebels and Leaguers which goe about to vsurpe the state as in the execution of the exemplary punishment vpon them who haue procured or committed that haynous disloyaltie felony and treason vpon the Kings person last deceased and all others who shall be knowne consenting knowing or accessarie to the same This order being taken as the readiest and most expedient to vnite the subiects with the King being promised and sworne the King of Nauarre was saluted declared proclaymed and crowned King of France and Nauarre by the name of King Henry the 4. And whereas in this historie hée had béen discerned from the King of France by the title of King of Nauarre now in the course of this historie following he shall be simply named King without any other addition or title This noble King being proclaymed King is crowned and put in the possession of the Crowne of France due vnto him by right not with triffling childish and Monkish cerimonies with holy oyle holy water holy toyes and holy trashes but after the ancient manner of the Emperours of the Romanes in the Camp by the whole army Princes Péeres Nobles and Captaines of the kingdome Here Christian Reader is to be noted Gods most gracious fauour toward France and prouidence toward this great King for except the Lord had prepared this heroicall Prince to restablish this decayed state which was cast downe headlong into such a depth of miseries by the Leaguers as in mans iudgement it was impossible that it could euer haue been vnited againe but rather reduced into a lamentable desolation But the Lord in his mercie beholding from heauen his holy habitation with his lightfull countenance after so many tempests hath raised vp lead by the hand and placed by his own authoritie and power this great Prince on the Throan of that state whom hee hath endued with wisedome prudence fortitude moderatnes modestie iustice and pietie to bee able to heale the deadly wounds of that sickly state to pacifie the controuersies of religion to lodge therein iustice and iudgement so long exiled out of that common wealth and to restore peace so long wished and desired Againe
moneth Possonnes the Duke de Mayne his gouernour there considering the state of the Duke of Sauoy his affayres seeing the Canon planted and the Lord Diguieres fortified with newe supplies all the commonaltie bent against him and being without any hope of ayde or reliefe the 30. of September yeelded the Towne of Essiles by composition that his Souldiers should freely depart with bagge and baggage So by these meanes the passages into Piemont doo remayne in the Kings power and the countrey of Daulphine is limitted with his olde limits long before fortified by the French Kings during the warres of Italy Sonnes generall of the Duke of Sauoy had prouoked the Lord Morges his nephewe to fight fiftie agaynst fiftie on horsebacke and appoynted the place which thing the Lord Diguieres vnderstanding conducted the sayd Morges vnto the place where the sayd Morges remayned with his forces readie to accept the offer from nine a clocke in the morning vntill three a clocke in the euening and at length came a Trompetter with a letter from the sayd Sonnes carying an excuse The Lord Diguieres in attending the comming of y e enemie had espied a passage néere Iallon where the enemie had entrenched himselfe and there lodged eight companies vnder the conduct of Captaine Venust and perceauing that there was no more hope of Sonnes comming to the combat appoynted he determined to spend the rest of that day in doing some exployt and to assault the sayd companyes who did lye vpon the hanging of the mountayne betweene Suze and Noualize and hauing found meanes to place one hundred Musketters who battered the enemie vpon the side of their fort the trenches of the enemie were forced and fourescore of them slayne among whom were Captaynes Venust Gassard and Charband Captayne Vilars with some other was taken prisoners and foure companies of Senton master of the Campe were so scattered that they came neuer together agayne This exployt was done the first of October This being done the Lord Diguieres returned again to Essiles and sent backe the foure Canons to Ambrun and caused two great peeces to bee drawne from Gap to Barcelona a place situated in the County of Nice and pertayning to the Duke of Sauoy hee sent his forces before to besiege the sayd Barcelona and when hee came himselfe about the eleauenth day of October and had made a breach the same day the enemie did parley and yéelded themselues with safetie of their liues leauing behind them their armour colours horses and baggage the Captaines were permitted to depart with their swords vpon an hackney The inhabitants had graunted them to enioy their goods abiding vnder the Kings obedience as the rest of his subiects vpon condition to pay sixe thousand Crownes for the army and the fraight of the Artillerie The 13. day the gouernour called Coreloere departed with three souldiers with him and as many of citizens and countrey men who repayred to their houses vnder the Kings safegard The 14. day the Lord Diguieres layd batterie before the Castle of Metans which he slenderly battered the 15. day only to view the enemies countenance But they being greatly afrayed the next night did steale away and so saued themselues except thirtie of them who were intercepted by the watch In this way of Piemont the Lord Diguieres had neuer aboue three hundred horses and twelue hundred shot and found no greater enemie then the inaccessible height of the mountaynes where ouer he was forced to passe the Canon but chiefly in his iourney to Barcelona The Citie of Grenoble in the land of Daulphine notwithstanding the truces and good entertaynment from time to time receaued of the Lord Diguieres had been seduced after the King last deceased and did hold still after for the League though not with such desperat madnes and insolencie as many others had done Now the L. Diguieres hauing well repressed the madnes chastized the rashnes and folly of the D. of Sauoy and hauing in a manner subdued and pacified that countrey forsooke the Duke of Sauoy and determined to scoure as much as he could all the remnant and ragges of rebellion out of that prouince which thing to bring to passe he thought good to begin at the head to wit the Citie of Grenoble and as by the euent which followed it seemed that he did besiege distresse that Citie which thing caused the inhabitants to consider that the Lord Diguieres had in a manner all the land of Daulphine at commaundement His power was increased and returned out of Piemont with few victories of many they weighed also how they were out of hope of any succour as well from the Duke de Mayne as from the Duke of Sauoy who being taught by the schoolemaster of fooles which is experience would not haue hereafter great lust to returne in haste into Daulphine These circumstances caused them well to consider the danger wherein they stoode which thing moued them to make a motion of peace by the which they were reduced to the dutifull obedience of their lawfull Soueraigne This peace was concluded in the suburbs of Saint Laurence by Grenoble the two and twentith of December betweene the Lord des Diguieres one of the kings priuie counsell and of estate captayne of a hundred men at armes of his Ordinances and generall of the armie leuied for the kings seruice in the land of Daulphine on the one part and the court of Parliament the commonalties of the countie and the Consuls of the same First that the exercize of the Romish Religion shall remaine frée both within the towne and suburbs thereof as hitherto it hath béen and that the Cleargie in all the prouince shall enioy the full possession of their goods in any place in the prouince vnder the kings protection Secondly that the frée exercize of the reformed Religion may be publikely celebrated within Trescloistre suburbs of the sayd citie without any let trouble or molestation Thirdly that all dwellers in the same towne that will continue therein shall personally protest and acknowledge Henrie the fourth king of France and Nauarre for their Soueraigne and shall yéeld to him the oth of fidelitie in like cases requisite in the hands of the Lord Saint Andrew president of the court of Parliament and Chastelard counsellor in the same court in the presence of the Lordes of Blemew and Calignon and vpon the same oath taken the sayd inhabitants shall bée maintayned and restored in the full and peaceable enioying of their goods offices priuiledges and franchizes Fourthly if any man of whatsoeuer calling or condition soeuer it bée shall be vnwilling to take the sayde oath and shall be desirous thereupon to departe else where hee shall be safely conducted to any place that they will go and may enioy their goods offices and dignities either by sale or by receauing their annuall fruits or stipend thereof at their choyce prouided alwayes that they enterprize nothing against the Kings seruice Fiftly that the custodie and
great dayes iourney as far as Lusack was giuen to vnderstand that the sayd Vicount had withdrawn his siege and with his horsemen had betaken himselfe to Chauigny a towne in Toureine leauing his Canon and footmen at Montmorillon The Prince séeing that he had missed the sayd Vicount determined to besiege the town of Montmorillon which the same day he caused to be summoned but they within being not willing to giue any answere the Prince commanded to giue certaine volleys of Canon after which he caused them to be summoned agayn but they still continued iâ— their resolution to keepe aloofe The sixt day of Iune at fiue a clock in the morning his excellencie changed the battery which continued very furious till ten a clock in the forenoone at which time a breach being made the Prince commaunded to giue the assault which was done very couragiously on al sides of the town and continued the space of three long houres together But in the end the Princes forces seazed vpon the high town compelled the enemy to retire into the low towne which is separated from the high by the riuer Vndre which floweth through the middest of it where they hid themselues within a Chappell from whence they greatly endomaged and molested the Princes Souldiers who were in the high towne which thing when the Prince perceiued he commaunded six or seauen voâ—leys of the Canon â—â— be discharged against the gate of the Chappell which being immediatly broken the enemie was compelled to forsake it whome the Princes power pursued and possessed the whole towne of Montmorillon There was slayne in the towne more than fiue hundred fooâ—men and thrée score Cuirasses two masters of the field and all the captaines slayne wounded or taken prisoners The Prince caused many of these rebells to be hanged to requite that which the Leaguers had done not long before at Saint Sauin There were in that towne foure Canons taken from the enemie and good store of other munition seauen Ensignes also were taken there The Prince lost in that exployt but one souldier of his guardes and a Gentleman named S. Martin The Marshall of men at armes was hurt with an Harquebush shot and very few Souldiers beside wounded The towne of Montmorillon being taken the seauenth day the townes of Chauigny Saint Sauin and Blank en Berry were voluntarily yeelded to the Kings pleasure also the Castells Bourg Archambault Plaisance Belarbre Auailles Belawne Angles Bisse did voluntaryly submit themselues to the Kings obedience Hauing layd downe the prosperous exployts done in Lymosin and Toureyne by the noble Prince County we will also represent to the reader the attempts and vnluckie successes of the rebells of Britaine The great and famous Quéene of England among other prince like vertues of a true Christian Princesse desirous to restablish the afflicted state of France sent vnto the King a new supply of forces to assist him in repressing of the rebellion of Britaine vnder the conduct of that noble and valiant Captaine Sir Iohn Norris Knight Generall of her Maiesties forces there The rumour of english forces flying in Britaine had caused noblemen and Gentlemen about fiue hundred in number with their wiues and children and all their chiefest and most precious wealth to retyre into the Citie of S. Guingcamp strong by Nature and Arte. There were within that citie besides the sayd nobilitie three hundred good french Souldiers with a great number of the inhabitants able men and experienced The renowmed Prince D'ombees generall of the Kings forces in Britaine accompanied with to the terror of the rebells the honourable Sir Iohn Norris determined to lay siege before Guingcamp there to take all these vnâ—aithfull vnnaturall and bastarde Frenchmen there heaped as if it were in a cubbe They arriued before the towne the third day of Iune and about three a clock in the after noone the sayd valiant Norris hauing obtayned to geue the first assauâ—t after certaine companies of French men had refused it did so presse the enemie for the space of three howers vntill the night did seperat them that after that day they determined not to come any more to such a feast The enemies within defended themselues most valiantly yet feeling so many woundes as they had and seeing so many dead of theirs as they saw determined the night following to talke of composition the next day In this assault Sir Iohn Norris lost nine worthy souldiers three valiane Captaynes to wit Denis Herne and Wolfe and about fortie souldiers hurt The fourth day of Iune in the morning the Lord Norris gaue a fresh assault with that courage that when the enemies had sustayned it with much a doo lesse then halfe an hower the remembrance of the losse past put them in fear of that which was present before their eies fearing to repent too late they made a token of parley determined to yeelde themselues if they might find any reasonable composition The Generall making signe to his people willingly harkened vnto them and promised to vse them well if they would freely yeeld themselues That seemed vnto them somewhat hard therefore they couenauted that the citie should not be sacked and that the souldiers within should depart with their weapons and other furniture and that they would bee content to pay any reasonable summe of money The assault being stayed and the agreement concluded vpon the promise of the sayd Generall the nobilitie most willingly and of their owne accord did yeeld themselues and swore obedience to the King promising to withdraw themselues presently euery man to his own house to be ready to serue the King in any his busines and payed fifteene thousand crowns and the Citie 25. thousand which was farre lesse then they did think they should haue payed The souldiers were permitted freely to depart according to the agreement and the gates of the Citie ioyfully were set open The Generall did not suffer any kind of iniuries to bee done to any maner of persons All these things beeing doue hee caused thanks to be geuen to God for his gracious and fauourable protection After the taking of Guingcampe the purpose of the Prince was to haue assaulted the towne of Morlaix to the end to reduce it the base Britayne withall to the Kings obedience But Merceur Captaine of theeues robbers and rebels vnderstanding the losse of the towne of Guingcamp and of the reuolting of so many noble men and gentlemen as had sworne to obay and serue the King fel in a pelting Lorreine chafe and swore by Saint Francis holy briech that he would be reuenged and presently remooued from Pontignie where hee ioyned with foure thousand Spaniards vnder the leading of Don Iuan de Lagula whom he hath sent for vppon the rumor of the losse of the sayd Guyngcamp and from thence began to march towards Morlaix by the way to Corlay The Prince vnderstanding of that and discouering the enemies forces to be of seauen hundred horses foure thousand Spaniards and
part of them had béene slayne in the assaults geuen to the Cittie and how the King was strong and not like to bee enforced to depart afore hee had the vpper hand ouer the sayd Towne And vnderstanding that the Duke de Mayne was come to Han with Forces in hope to relieue the sayd distressed towne and that the Lord Rosne who led the Duke de Mayne his army towards Lorreine was returning backe to Laon in Champaygne he delayed the time of composition to see what succor they would geue But at length seeing no reliefe comming and the King vrging the towne the sayd Lord Vile concluded an agreement with the King in this maner following The Lord Vile as well for himselfe as for the Gentlemen Souldiers and inhabitants of Noyon hath promised to yeeld the sayd towne vppon monday next following being the eighteenth of August together with all the munition for warre artillerie and victualls which at this present was therein conditionally if sometime of the day the Duke de Mayne doo not giue him a battell or by force put not within the towne one thousand souldiers or by some meanes doo not raise the siege Also that the sayd Ville Gentlemen and Captains shall depart with armour horses and baggage and the Souldiers with their weapons and horse And that the inhabitants shal be receaued into the Kings fauour entreated as good subiects in rendring him their duetifull obedience but specially and namely that the Lord of Ville his mother may freely remaine there enioy her goods in performing the submission of loyall fidelitie as other subiects Item that if any of the inhabitants be desirous to depart they shal safely passe among the men of warre Item that the Lord Ville shall be permitted to send the Lord of Brouly to the Duke de Mayne to aduertise him of the condition of this capitulation and that the King shall safely conduct him to that effect And for the accomplishing of the premises the sayd Lord Ville hath promised to sende hostages to the King the Lord Rieulx the Abbot of Genlis with foure of the towne such as the King shall choose whom the King doth promise to deliuer vppon the performance of the sayd conditions The King also doth graunt to send two Captaynes into the towne to keepe and see during the time from labouring to the contrary It had pleased the most famous and renowmed Queene of England during this siege to send a new supply of men to the King to assist him in the recouering the possession of his right vnder the conduct of thâ— most honourable and famous Earle of Essex whom the King leauing his power before Noyan went to meet at Gysors in Normandy whom hee receaued in most courteous sort accepting most thankfull her most excellent Maiesties gracious fauour and the said Earle his good and readie will for hazarding himselfe in such a dangerous iourney for his seruice After the death of Frier Sixtus which was hastened by the Spanish faction with a little slubber sauce was elected a newe Vicar of Rome of the house of Sfondraty if I remember well and is as much to say as burst bellie naming himselfe Gregory the 14. This Frier Gregory being set on horsebacke will ride as the prouerbe is vntil he breake his neck First in Ianuary he sent a Legate into France agaynst whom the King procéeded as agaynst an enemie of the publique peace of his subiects and in March last the sayd Frier Gregory pronounced a Bull agaynst the King his Princes Nobles subiects and realme Then not long after it is reported that he sent certain forces mustered out of the Stewes of Rome to the Duke of Sauoy to inuade Prouance conducted by some bastard of his and that Superstition Folly iniury and wrong might goe together he must coniure and charme the Standard of holy Church as all the sort of such idolatrous Antichrists haue bin Coniurers poysoners and Sorcerers many yeares together To play this Comedie he sitteth disguised in his Pontificalibus the Standard of holy Church holden before him he hisseth he bloweth hee mumbleth he crosseth he charmeth he stinketh but behold he that did hold it rather by some presage and token of the fall of that idolatrous rabble than by negligence let the Standard fall vppon the braynesicke Frier Gregories head which not onely did beate downe his triple Crowne from of his head but also gaue a knocke vppon his foolish pate All these companies shortly after were cut to peeces and the charmed Standard taken by the Lord des Diguieres as is reported Fryer Gregorie not content with all these iniurious prouocations sent one M. Marcilius Laudrianus by name an Italian by surname a Britaine but by sawcines and desperatnes a Iesuite vnder the name of his Nuncio to publish a certayne infamous libell full of impietie heresie and sedition vnder a Maske of religion in forme of Bulls against the King his Princes Nobles subieces but specially agaynst the French popish Church which this sawcie companion enterprized to publish at Pont de Larche in Normandie whereupon the K. finding himselfe sore iniâ—ried at the hands of this tyrannous vsurper commaunded his courts of Parliament to proceede by law agaynst these iniuries and so the Kings generall attourney in his court of Parliament holden at Caen in Normandie requiring iustice to be done vnto the King his Princes Nobles and subiects The court of Parliament therefore al Chambers assembled the third day of August did proceede agaynst Fryer Gregorie his person his vsurped tyranny his Nuncio and his Bulls First they doo declare the sayde Fryer Gregorie an enemie vnto the peace of Christianitie a troubler of the Catholick Romane Religion enemie to the King and Estate of France a conspiratour and associate with the rebells within the realme and accessary to the death of the late deceased King most trayterously murthered a firebrand of sedition and stirrer vp of warres and procurer of murthers Secondly they doe condemne his vsurped power vpon the state and Church of France to be vsurped abusiue and wrongful contrary to Gods worde holy decrees and liberties of the French Church commaunding all Primates Archbishops Bishops Colledges Couents Chapters Communalties bodies of Cities Curats Parsons and seruing Priests not to acknowledge any superiority or power of the same Fryer Gregorie nor to render him any obeisance neyther to assist or fauour anie excommunications publications or readings of any thing that should proceede from him The court also dooth forbid not to pursue or receaue of him or anie other whatsoeuer qualitie or conditioÌ„ they be his complices adherents any collations confirmations or prouisions for benefices graces dispensations or other expeditions nor to answere beare or cause to be borne by way of banque or otherwise any gold or siluer to y e court of Rome neither to pay any thing or render obeisance to the Archbishops Bishops his adherents who haue put in execution any of the pretended diffamatory libell
of Conde Other companies out of Brie Champaigne Vermandoys and other countries there bordering retyred to Sedan the capitall towne of the principality of Boillon Out of Burgondy and the countries about retyred to Geneua and into the signory of Berna The professers of the reformed religion out of Normandy low Britayn and Picardie passed ouer into England for their safety Good Christian Reader I beseech thee to stay here a while and learne both to feare and tremble at the dreadfull iudgementes of God and also his mercie toward his Church shewed at this time which when I do consider it putteth me in remembrance of the like euent which did happen a litle while afore the siege and destructions of Hierusalem by Vespasian and Titus his sonne That citie which here on earth had borne the Image of the true heauenly Hierusalem hauing most wilfully resisted the sonne of God stopped their eares at his voyce When it had fulfilled the measure of her iniquity and that God would make it a wonder a hissyng and nodding of the head vnto all Nations of the world for her obstinacie and vnthankefulnes a litle before the siege there was at midnight heard a voice in the Temple thus Migremns hinc at the rumor thereof all men were greatly amazed musing what should be signifyed by that warning The Saints which were there tooke that to be the voyce of God who according to the threatninges of the law of the Prophets and of Christ against that City would powre downe his wrath vpon that sinfull City directed vnto them commaunding them to depart and to geue place vnto hys wrath So the Church that was there remoued to the City Pella which was beyond Iordan in the ancient inheritance of the Rubenites where it was preserued and out of a place of safety did behold the mighty stormes of Gods tempestes which fel vpon that so noble and famous a City which by Strabo was thought to be the greatest and fayrest of all the East Euen as Abraham long before did behold the subuersion of Sodom so when the Lord had determined to powre the stormes of his anger vpon those Nations which are betweene the Loyre and the English Seas for their offences lyke vnto them of Hierusalem first hee taketh his Church which was scattered among those Nations Townes and Cities and bringeth most of them beyond Loyre some into England some to Sedan some to Geneua some to Suisserland some to Germany least the presence of them who do call vpon his name should hinder the execution of his wrath vpon his enemies for the publication of the edict of vnion commonly called the edict of Iuly although that in another forme was as it were the voyce of God heard out of the Temple Migremus hinc For those nations lying on the North side of Loyre who had conspired to destroy the Gospell of Christ haue drawen the warre from the Prouinces which doe professe the Gospell vpon their owne heads For not onely haue they felt all the former oppressions and outrages of the Leaguers but also by this edict all the burthen of this last ciuill warre raysed vp by the Leaguers hath fallen vpon them beside the horrible murthers and seditions which they haue committed among themselues by the euill Angels which the Lord in his wrath hath sent among them which also do continue still with greater calamities then euer before and is like to continue vntill that those wicked Nations polluted with idolatrie blood of the sayntes and whoredome be vtterly rooted out that God may be auenged of his enemies giuing in the meane tyme a litle rest vnto the reformed churches beyond Loyre and to make them thankful for his great mercyes who hath rewarded his enemies with euil which they had imagined agaynst his people without a cause So the Lord doth turne all thinges to good vnto his Sayntes Now the Leaguers are masters of all for the king had deliuered his royall authority vnto them and deuided his kingdome among them reseruing vnto himselfe the name of a King haue all the Countrey at theyr deuotion and do replenish all France with armes violence and boastings Now they wil play S. George they wil kil the Deuil eyther on horseback or a foote they will worke miracles or else the Deuill shall fayle them And for to begin these miracles the Duke Mercure brother in law to the King and by the last partition of the kingdome a pety King of Britayne was perswaded by his Counsell that now the publishing of the edict of vnion had of it selfe killed all the Hugonets in Poytow and that easily hee might tame all the Countrey and that bâ—ing in the field not one Hugonet durst lift vp his head therefore supposing there to haue to fight with dead men and making himselfe sure of the conquest to make proofe of his valure the 23 of August passed Loyre at Nantes out of Britayn in Poytow with two thousand men entending to roue and ransake all and hauing sacked many popish Churches spoyled the Abbeys at Saint Florent and Plainpied by Saumure like an horrible tempest did march forward sparing neither holy nor prophane thinges making hauocke of all thinges vntill he came as farre as Fontenay The Prince of Conde turned from Saint Paul Decadewalx to Saynt Ihan D' Angelye hauing assembled some friends as wel out of Xainctonge Poytow as other parts within few dayes saw himselfe to haue a lusty company as well of gentlemen as Harquebusiers on horsebacke and with that force expecting the rest tooke his iourney with as much diligence as hee could to meete with the sayd Mercure The Prince arriued at Chandeuier a towne not farre from Niort vnderstoode that the sayd Mercure was about Fontenay where he determined to giue him battaile Mercure hearing that the Prince approched with his companies so ready and willing to fight was amazed considering that it fell out contrary to the counsell giuen him before and that now be must fight with men aliue This increased his feare so much the more for that hee had not so soone heard of the Princes comming but that presently hee was certifyed that the said Prince was in battell array Whereupon he resolued to retyre home but being hardly pressed by the sayd prince he was fayne to retire to Fontenay And because the gouernor of the towne knowing not well how thinges had passed betweene the King and the Leaguers would not suffer him nor his to enter the towne yet otherwise shewing him such fauors as he might therfore he with his troups betook themselues to the Suburbe of Fontenay called the Loges The Prince desirous to see his enemy face to face aduanced toward the Suburbe in battaile aray to prooue whether he might prouoke the enemy to skirmish But the Duke would none of that play But after the Prince had kept the Duke besieged in the Loges for certaine dayes the said Duke fearing eyther at length to be forced or else that the Prince would
cut his way in his returne to Nantes by night secretly did steale away and with the mayne galop amaze and many alarms which he gaue to himself feare making him to imagine thinges which were not recouered to Nantes without any bayte the fourth day of September leauing behinde him his companies with great disorder and discontented mindes some of his troupes with decestation of his euill leading cursed the houre that euer they knew him Some of the Princes companies pursued the disaray and setting vpon the carriage tooke it and many prisoners with it Thus happily succeded the beginnings of the vnion and the miracles of these great Captaines whose heat was some what cooled and their hornes beaten in with this blow About the 5. day of September the Prince returning from Fonteney passed through Mele where the Countrey of Rochefocault which not long before had repayred to him left him againe taking his iourney to his own house And for as much as the plague was very sore at S. Iohn D'Angelye the Prince tooke his way to Iarnak vpon Charante where the Lorde Lauaughion and other Gentlemen left him to retyre to their houses Whilst these Princes soiorned at Iarank the Lord Laual a yong Noble man in a little bodie hauing a minde endued with notable godlines vertue with a ripe wit and couragious heart which did make him no lesse beloued and honorable vnto all honest vertuous and peaceable men then feared of all wicked and perturbers of the state of France This Lord accompanied with his three brethren the Lords Rieulx Taulay and Saulye the 8. of September departed from his house of Vitre in Batangue with a 150. Rutters and 300. Harquebusiers on horseback and with that companie passed ouer Loyre partly a forde and partly with boates at Manues three Leagues about Nantes by the help of the Lord Chargroys who was afterward his Lieutenant From thence he tooke his iourney through Poytow to S. Iohn D'Angelye where he entred not because of the pestilence which was there but passing through Tailborge went to the Prince at Marennes when the said Prince besieged Browage about the 12. of September About the 9. of September from Iarnak the Lord Saint Gelays with the Lord D'Aubigny and some other Gentlemen tooke their iourney toward Mele for some great affaires There they had knowledge that certaine companies of the League were comming to compasse them about which thing being found true the Lord S. Gelays Marshal of the Princes campe sendeth all night to the Lord Charboniere who was two leagues of with his companie hee sendeth also to certaine Gentlemen there abouts who were of the religion which with great diligence came toward him all night and at the breake of the day ioyned with the said Lord Saint Gelays The Leagued companies were conducted by Captaine Saint Katarine and others who perceauing themselues on a suddaine and beside their expectation compassed about without any further a doo required parley with the Lord Saint Gelays who after few words yeelded and promised to forsake the League and to cause their fellowes to doo the like and also that they would neuer carrie armes against them of the reformed religion which agreement they quicklie sealed and performed Many of these companies went to the Prince being then at Pons they which would not were sent away without weapons And this is the second miracle which the Leaguers did in Poytow About the same time the Lord Saint Mesmes Ranques and Orges went toward Tonnecharante at whose approaching the Lord Saint Luke who was then at Soubize with nigh two hundred Souldiours with great terrour departed and burning the bridge and gate of Soubize retired to Browage leauing most of all his garisons at the bourg of Moses These Lords mought haue pursued taken the Lord Saint Luke but delaying the time from Friday to Sunday they lost the occasion The 13. day these Lords tooke the tower of Foncras vpon Charante which did holde for the League About the same time the Prince of Conde least he should keepe his companies idle with the Lord of Rohan and others with him from Pons withall their companies tooke their way toward the Iles of Xainctonge for to recouer Sonbiez and the castell Augle which the Lord S. Luke had fortified with Garisons of the League and also to sease vpon the salt of the Iles whereof great summes of money might be made And for to bring to passe these things more easilie to haue munition and meanes of artilerie and other necessarie things in the meane whiles the Prince with a certaine number of horsemen tooke his iourney to Rochell notwithstanding the plague was very great there where hee obtained of the Citie both munition ships and power of men to conduct all to Browage Oleren and other places there abouts About the same time these Lords Douault Boysdaliz Sanuere Campos with many other Gentlemen hauing giuen the rendes vous in Berry as is aforesaid repayred to the Prince then being at Pons in Xainctonge About the 15. of September the Lords Saint Mesmes Ranques and Orges after the taking of the Tower of Foncras vpon Charante pursued the Garison which had fled from Soubieze and had stayed at the bourg of Moses as is said betweene Soubieze and Browage and followed them to a place called Graund Garison right against Browage on the north side of the riuer where after they had skirmished a while in the sight of the towne and of the Lord Saint Luk who was on the other side of the water on the key of Browage and being reduced there at the low water and hardly set on by them of the religion through dispayre of rescue cast themselues into the oose where the most part were slaine others that could not get out were drowned when the tide came The Lord Saint Luk was in great agonie to sée the best of all his Garisons so cast away without any remedie to saue one of them certaine shot of ordinance was discharged but it was all in vaine Among other prisoners were the Captaines Luchet Meanbourg and Sauage with some other whom the Lord Orges sent home without any ransome to the great discontentation of the Prince because they were they who did most seruice in the defending of Browage against the saide Prince About the same time the Lord Clermont enterprised to passe ouer Loyre with few with him among whome was one Captaine Rochemorte for to assemble them who could not dwell in their houses by reason of the publication of the edict of vnion About the 16. of September the prince hauing done his busines in Rochel assembled his forces at Saint Gennes and so marched toward the siege of Browage and from thence to Saint Iust. Here is to be noted that in that part of Xainctonge lying betweene the riuer of Browage and Garemme commonly called Almert there be foure townes to wit Saint Iust distant a mile and a halfe from Marennes Hyers betweene Marennes and Browage whereof
these three riuers in one are receaued into the riuer Mayne and so altogether in one about 2. miles beneath Anger 's 3. miles beneath Pont de Sell do run into Loyre Vpon this riuer of Loyre are situated these townes following Flesche Lude Lauerdine Chastean de Loyre Vendosme Chasteaudine Betwéene Chasteaudine and Reisgencye which lyeth vpon Loyre betweene Orleance and Bloys is the Towne Forest of Morchesuoyr in that Forest was the army of the Prince scattered and as it were became inuisible as shall be shewed in the discourse following The 16. of October the whole army began to passe ouer with great discommodity For from Saint Gemes they had but three meane boats wherwith they passed into the Iland which lyeth in the midle of the riuer On the other side of the Iland to passe to the towne of Rosiers they had but two boats and few Ferry-men who were Papistes they did the woorst they could and ready at euery hand to steale away These discommodities caused great confusion at the passage which was encreased with a great number of cariages which followed the Campe. At this passage euery man did presage the euill successe which afterward ensued For although there was no want of corage yet one might perceaue a certayne sadnes vnaccustomed which caused many to say let vs goe and dye for euery man was resolued to vanquish or to dye But the Lord disposed otherwise for a more meruâ—lous deliuerance hath not béen seene in our dayes For neither did they vanquish neither dyed but euery one dranke a reasonable draught of the cuppe of bitternes At this passage did arise great diuersity of opinions among the heads for none of the Captaynes thought good that the Prince should passe ouer for the care which they had of his safety their reasons were that it was most like that the enemie would not withstand their passage but would winke at it that afterwardes they might bring all their forces together to stop their returne thinking it an easy thing with many to ouercome few For they had already newes that Ioyeuse hasted to Anger 's with all his forces which were about three hundred Horses twelue hundred of Suissers and some regiments of Frenchmen They alleaged also that there was nothing sure at Anger 's and that it was to be feared that it would be surrendered before they could aryue thither so that their passing ouer stood vpon no reason but vpon an vncertaynty to venture such an army with all the state of their defeuce There was also newes brought to them though false that Brissake had seazed vpon Beaufort a towne betweene the riuer Lotion and Anger 's whither the Prince thought to haue gone to lodge that day The 17 of October notwithstanding the reasons aforesayd the Prince passed ouer at the town Rosiers with some noble men and Captaynes where he took about thirty gentlemen of the company of the Lord Boulaye who was already passed and certayne Harquebusiers with him commaunding them to lye in ambush in a wood nigh Beaufort and commaunded the Lord Valiere who was among the said gentlemen to make semblance towardes the gates of Beaufort and to draw them who should issue out into the aduantage of them which lay in ambush in the wood But when they came to Beaufort there they found none but the inhabitantes who did profer their Towne to the Prince and assured that there came no man except the County Carauas to whom they denyed entrance Upon this report the Prince determined to passe the rest of his army grounded vpon many reasons but especially vpon the newes which he had receaued of y t Lord Clermont whom he had heard to be about Anger 's with sixe or seauen hundred men who was not willing notwithstanding that the Prince should enclose himselfe in that sleeue All this while the Lord Rohan with his company made a road toward Saumur and the Lord Laual downe the riuer toward Anger 's for he passed last of all The Prince also sendeth a trompet vnder the colour of certayne prisonners to know of Anger 's what hee might But they of Anger 's would not suffer him to goe further then the Suburbs who reported onely that they which kept the Trenches were resolued to stand to their defence manfully Few dayes the Prince Monpensier had gone to Anger 's to profer his seruice but within few dayes he went away discontented because they of the citie had preferred the Lord Bocage before him which thing caused some to thinke that the sayd Prince Monpensier would ioyne with the Prince of Conde considering that this warre was agaynst the League and for the same cause the Lord Auantignie was sent to him from the Prince but all was in vayne The 18. the rest of the companies passed all ouer Loyre with leasure but with much discommodity by reason of the great continuall rayne The Prince left Captaine Serpent with a stronge garrison at the Abbey of Saint Maure to fortify the passage and to fauour their repassing at their returne The 19. they departed from Rosiers to passe the riuer Lotion which lyeth betweene Loyre and the towne Beaufort a riuer narrow but very déep then specially which for the great aboundant rayne was ouer the bankes There the passage was more troublesome then at Loyre because the countrey all about is coppses and Marishes daungerous for the horsemen They of Beaufort being so mened to open the gates to the Prince did it without any delay and taking away their Gard receaued such as were placed in their stead Thether the Prince arryued the same day at euening with his army and left the Lord Laual for the safety of theyr passage of Lotion who came to the Prince the next day after The same day about noone the Lord Clermont came to the Prince at Beaufort with thirty horses his horsemen were about nine hundred lodged in the villages betwéene Beaufort and Anger 's The twentéeth day being the Lordes day they soiorned at Beaufort and the night following they began to march toward Anger 's and appoynted the rendes vous at a certayne place within a league of Anger 's The Lord Ioyeuse vnderstanding the Prince of Conde to bee at hand fearing least hee might enterprize vpon the Castell by the helpe of those few men being onely 16. in all by reason that he thought them to bee of the religion or otherwise to fauour the Prince and that thence he might molest the League and hold the whole countrey in subiection he thought that it were not good to delay the regayning of the sayd Castel but to recouer it at any price whatsoeuer Therefore he conditioned with them who were within that the Papistes which were there nine in number might there remayne if they thought it good They of the religion 7. in number should be safely conducted to y t Princes camp and that they should not bee searched Also that they might carry away what they would Furthermore that at
Nauarre ioyned themselues with the Lord Turenne who within a short space grew to the number of sixe thousand With this power the Vicount Turenne kept the field in Limosin Perigord and about the time that the Prince departed from Browage to his iourney to Anger 's letters came vnto him from the Prince by the which he willed him to drawe néere Browage to fauour the siege thereof Vppon the receipt of these letters the Lord Turenne called his counsell together to knowe what was to be done There was then reasoned among them of the necessitie of his presence at that siege On the other side aduertisement was giuen that the armie of the League vnder the conduct of the Duke de Mayne was drawing nigh toward Guyenne although it was not yet scarse out of Paris and that the same was beaten with diuers disseases and among others the Swissers which made them conclude that occasion might be giuen to worke some good exployt vpon that armie and if not discomfited yet greatly it might be molested Agayne he had receaued letters of the King of Nauarre who aduertized him that he was at the poynt to depart out of Bearne to Bergerake ward in Perigord and therfore warned him to be in a readines that if néede should be he might ioyne with his Maiestie So that considering all these waightie occasions hée could not succour the siegr of Browage staying for the Duke de Mayne and expecting the King of Nauarre his comming He had many good occasions to enterprize vpon certaine Townes in Limosin as vpon the Citie of Trile Brune la galiarde and others in those quarters Trile is a Citie in Limosin a Bishops seate situated in a valley compassed about with high hilles which doo commaund the Towne It hath thrée fayre Suburbs about it and there is a little riuer named Vestere which washing the walls passeth by the Suburb which is greater than the citie Therein is a Frierie of the Franciscans which is inclosed about with a strong wall and for that cause the inhabitants had retyred and committed their goods to the Friers keeping which thing fell out very ill for them The high suburbe is like the first in greatnes the third is lesser than the other twaine The 8. day of Nouember the Lord Choupes with a great number of Gentlemen and Souldiers set on the lowe Suburbe The Lord Turenne who commaunded ouer the Harquebusiers which came out of France staying at the Franciscans house which is situated at the ende of the Suburbe set the gate on a fire and vppon occasion entered further euen to the Trenches which they of the Towne had made and after long skirmishing and killing of some of both parts wonne the same The high Suburbe at the same time by other companies as they were appoynted was also assaulted which they of the Suburbe did resist at the Trenches but at length enforced did retyre within the Towne They of the Towne being besieged all round about defended themselues vpon the walls without issuing out at all for the space of sixe daies The 13. day of Nouember were applied two péeces at the gate which made some way to enter in but they of the Towne did their endeuour to defend the breach which being not assaultable the assault was giuen ouer The siege continuing many of the Towne were slaine which caused the rest fearing to bee forced not to refuse the perswasions of Amaury who counselled them to capitulate Hostages being giuen of both sides the Kings Lieutenant with some of the chiefest Citizens came foorth to the Lord Turenne who was lodged at the gray Friers the agréement was long debated and at length concluded The 16. day of Nouember they of the Towne consented to redéeme the Towne and the ransaking of their houses with a certaine summe of money Furthermore it was agréed that a Captaine stranger with such as were left of his companie for most of them had béen slaine should goe foorth out of their Towne and they should receiue Captaine Amaury This Captaine Amaury was he of all the armie whom they feared most and yet did they requested to haue him whom they receaued for their gouernour and there he remayned in that charge vntill the comming of the Duke de Mayne About the 10. of December considering that the place was not sufficient to resist such an armie he gaue ouer the Towne into the hands of the Citizens and within fewe dayes after was slaine as followeth Within a while after the taking of this Citie the Lord Turenne retired his companies in garrisons in places of greater importance The 25. of December Amaury was aduertized that the Lord Sacramore of Birague this is that Sacramore whom after the Duke de Mayne killed in his anger with his owne hand one of the Leaguers was not farr from Turenne with a companie of Harquebusiers to lay in ambush and as he aduaunced himselfe one of his owne Souldiers too hastie to shoote with his péece hit him by misfortune and killed him and after they retyred to Turenne The Duke de Mayne sporting himselfe made good théere at y e Priests costs but it was no matter for holy Roode did pay for all and doth conquer Kingdomes in Perigord and Limosin and about the 27. of December tooke Montignake le conte an olde Towne and ruinous Castle belonging to the King of Nauarre He tooke also Beaulieu such a Fort as no man which hath any skill in warlike affayres would make any accompt of And ten daies after the inhabitants who were al of the reformed religion redeemed their Towne with one thousand Crownes which were payed to Antefort About the 17. of December the Duke de Mayne recouered Trile which the Lord Turenne had caused Amaury to surrender into the hands of the inhabitants about ten daies before because that place was not defensable The D. de Mayne at length perceiuing y t his practises against the Cities and Townes of Limosin Perigord would not frame determined to passe the riuer Dordonne at Souliake into Quercy leauing behind him Monfort a strong place and many other Townes and Holds because hee could not carrie them away with him It is sayd before how that the King of Nauarre in August last went into Languedock to S. Paul de Cadeioux where he met with the Prince of Conde and the Duke of Monmorency to aduertise them of their defence The sayd King remayned afterward in Bearne in great silence and quietnes viewing how farre all this league and vnion would proceede expecting the producing of some lamentable euents and as if it were out of his watch would become of the thrée great armies prepared for Guyenne Languedock and Daulphine and being hidden vnder the wing of the most high mused what would bee the end of the fierie threatnings and bragges of his enemies bearing patiently their insolencie euen to the danger of his owne person It is also sayd how that the Leaguers had procured an excommunication from Frier Sixtus
put there in garrison That castle by situation is very strong the garrison did great iniuries to them of the religion about Rochel Saint Jhan Marans other places and high wayes by their ordinarie courses The Lord Ranques knowing the nature of the place searched out the meanes to obtayne it he accompanied him with nine or ten gentlemen and certaine resolute Souldiers to the number of two and twentie he carried through the marish a little boate on a cart wherewith he went through a channell which watereth the garden of the Castle To this garden doth answer a gate of the sayd Castle through the which he thought to surprise the sayd Castle Notwithstanding the day before the taking of the same the garrison hauing intelligences of the purpose of the sayd Lord Ranques by one of the reformed religion who entertayned himselfe with them of the garrison they stopped that gate with brick dung and other things which were at hand and doubled their gards and so thought to haue well prouided the surprizing of the sayd place Notwithstanding their thoughts beguiled them for the sayd Lord Ranques following his enterprize applied a petaird against that gate which issued out into the garden the sayd péece opened the gate and brake their rampier and gaue the alarum to the garison whereof part ranne to the great gate other were surprised within the Castell and slayne other leapt ouer the walles They who had retyred to the great gate yeelded themselues with promise of their liues which thing was also performed The place was by the sayd Lord Ranques put in the keeping of Captayne Faueran and Vaunean who within a while after being sommoned by Captayne Merceur to render the same and for not so doing being threatned of the Canon put the sayd place in the hand of Malicorne gouernor of Niort About the beginning of Aprill the Lord Saynt Luke enterprised vpon the I le of Oleron where were certayne companies of the religion commaunded by the Lord Aubigny and Captayne Luuaille his Lieutenant For to bring to passe his enterprise bearing impaciently that neighbourhood conuayed certayne companies into that Iland among these was the regiment of Tierceline consisting of foure hundred harquebuziers fifty Muskets and two hundred pikes resolute Souldiers The Prince aduertyzed how this regiment of Tiercelyne had passed into that Iland the Fryday before Easter being the first of Aprill he tooke his way to Marennes nigh Browage where he thought that the sayd Tierceline was returned and went all night to surprise him more easily but finding them not hee returned to Taillebourge with the Lords Laual and Boulay and other Lords and Captaines who had accompanyed him The 3. of Aprill being Easter day the said Prince had aduertisement that the saide Treceline with his regiment had repassed from Oleron to Marennes for to returne to Xainctes vpon these intelligences the saide Prince departed intending to stop their passage in a place not farre from Xainctes At his ariuing there issued out of the towne about 16. or 20. men of armes with a certaine number of Harquebusiers who were charged by the Lord Chargroys which conducted the forrunners of the Lorde Laual he passed them so hardly that they could not retire within the reach of their Harquebusiers afore one of the enemies remayned on the place and many were hurt After this skirmish the Prince seeing that Treceline remoued not that day for that it was Easter day or otherwise retyred for the second time to Taillebourg without dooing any thing else Treceline was aduertised that his returne was spied but hee made no account of it trusting in the force of his regiment and resolued as hee saide to fight against whome soeuer would let his way as well in the field as in a strong place So the fourth day of April being Easter monday departing out of Marennes he tooke his iourney toward Xainctes marching in good order with countenance of men resolute to fight whereof the Prince being admonished about two a clock in the after noone speedilie tooke his horse accompanied with the Lorde Trimouille his brother in law the Lords Bowlay and Auantigny to the number of 30. horses so many Harquebusiers of his garde and some other who could bee found at hand with that small number he went the ready way to Xainctes where he found the enemie in the selfe same place where he had stayed for him the day before which was not much more than one thousand paces from the suburbe he found them too farre passed toward the towne and were couered with hedges and ditches yet he set vpon the rereware of them whereat the first he laied on the ground about 30. or 40. of the enemies the rest put themselues in battell aray being fauored with the hedges and high way In the first onset the horse of the Lord Trimouille who did lead the aduenturers was beaten downe with the shot of a musket and he also vnder who was in no lesse danger then the Lord Batardiere which being strooke with an Harquebush shot in the shoulder was slaine in that place the Lord Chanterelles also was wounded and dyed shortly after with Captaine Trauarre who being wounded on the head died also shortly after the Lord Auantigny was hurt in the hand and in the knee The Lord Laual who with great speede was gone to fetch his companie which was at Port d' Anneaulx and scatteringly lodged approaching to the lane of this skirmish yet timely enough galloping with 35. horses of his by the commaundement of the Prince set vpon them on the side of the hedges ayming stil to the Colonells Ensigne for there was no more which was compassed and couered with a squadron of Pikes whom he discomfited after he had spent all their shot he fought hand to hand with him who carried the Ensigne which at length hee gaue ouer to him thinking to saue himselfe with slight The Ensigne taken the Souldiours were quicklie put in disorder and discomfited although that they had been often supported vpholden by them of the citie There remained vpon the place about three skore many were wounded Captaine Peschays was taken Tiercelin himselfe was hurt in the arme The Lord Laual had three bretheren whereof the Lord Taulay a little before died of sicknes at Saint Ihan the Lord Sailly his third brother in that skirmish was hurt in the head whereof he died the morrow after the Lord Rieulx his other brother also was wounded in the belly with a pike whereof hee dyed the sixte day of the same moneth The Lord Chargroys Lieutenant of the Lord Laual was hurt with shot in the knee the Lord Monsche likewise in the Legge fewe Souldiours of the Princes garde were hurt and few slaine During this skirmish the Prince hauing gathered his companie together set on a fresh vpon such of the enemies as flocked together againe but especiallie vpon the horsemen of the enemie who made shew to aduance themselues The night interrupted the fight and
forces which repayred into the Iland out of euery side Hee had also meanes to make fortes and trenches in diuers entringes of the Iland to stop the succour which might come to them within the Castell and in the meane time pressed them hard The King of Nauarre on the other side receaued some forces as well them which had followed him out of Gascoyne as other who repayred vnto him out of Poytow and Xainctonge All these companyes together were fayre and disposed to do well although the forces of the enemy were no lesser notwithstanding he determined to enter into the Iland But hee found in the place which he thought to be most easie which before hee had viewed himselfe that the enemy had so entrenched himselfe there that it was impossible to force them without great losse of men considering y t the most part of the way to come to the sayd trenches the Souldiers should haue waded in the water to the wast the horses to the saddle The enemy also had set some Peeces vppon the bancke of the marsh by the which they might greatly haue endamaged them that would haue gone about to passe they had broken also some bridges to make the entring difficult All these discommodityes considered the King of Nauarre chose rather to saue his men to a better opportunity theÌ„ so dangerously to hazard them without any helpe to them that were within the Castell who might saue themselues some other way so he tooke his forces from Clousy and gaue it ouer Hee kept onely the fort of Brault the passage into the low Poytow which notwithstanding two or three dayes after came in the power of the enemie The enemy waxed stronger and stronger dayly because the castell refused parley and harkened to nothing but to defend themselues seeing no Ordinance At length the Lord Lauerdine had three Pieces brought from Niort which he set against the castell the 24. of March The first battery was agaynst a rownd tower which maketh one of the corners of the Castell toward the towne and with shot did so enlarge a window which was garnished with a Lattice of Iron that he enforced the Rochellers to forsake it they shot also agaynst the tower of the gate and in other places here and there without hurting any man although that place be very ill for the shot of Ordinance They which commaunded in the Castell and many Souldyers lacked no courage although they wanted many thinges necessary to assist themselues in defence of a naughty place but as the affections are diuers specially in a company confused as that was within the Castell so one gaue counsell one way another another way at length they came to that issue that they would surrender the place but vpon such tearms and conditions as should not be dishonorable vnto them The reasons of this resolution were that they had promised and so sent word to Rochel that they might hold eight dayes and no longer without succour The tearme was expired they had no more bread but for two dayes and yet was not there ynough for all Many of their horses were dead for hunger which did infect them with the stinke there happened also that some horses for lacke of fodder had eaten the tayles one of an other euen to the bones They had no saluâ—s to dresse them which were wounded they had no tooles to fortify them selues hauing among them all but one shouell and a maâ—tock The dungeon beeing very little the fall of the walles did quell them and that which was woorst of all they heard no newes of the King of Nauarre but onely what Lauerdine told them who made them beleeue that he was still in Gascoyne and although they beleeued not the wordes of the enemy yet did they see nothing to perswade them to the contrary The enemy on the other side fearing to be forced by the king of Nauarre offered them honest and good suretyes for the performance of the offers so that they did choose rather to take him in that mood seeing that they must yeeld then to expect greater extremity which might â—ender the conditions harder hauing done already that which good souldiers men of war might do therefore they yeelded vp the castell vpon these conditions That there should goe forth all gentlemen Souldiers and inhabitantes with their armor horses and stuffe and should be safely conducted whither they would which was faithfully kept by the Lord Lauerdine in the taile notwithstanding some souldiers were spoiled of their good but few The Iland of Marans being so reduced into the hand of the Leaguers the Lord Cluseaulx otherwise called Blanchard obtayned the gouernment of that place which he kept about two moneths About the same time that these things did so passe in the Iles of Maran to wit the 25. of March not farre from thence to wit in Britayne vppon the North side of Loyre as at Naunts and other places thereabouts happened an earthquake as a presage of such commotions as haue happened do continue there still which was testifyed by Lewis Viuant doctor of Phisike in the vniuersity of Naunts to Duke Mercure gouernour of Britayne as followeth These are to let your Lordship vnderstaÌ„d y t on Fryday being the 25. of March about 11. a clocke in the morning the weather being calme the wind at Southwest at the time of the celebration of the high Masse was heard throughout all the citty a great noyse roaring and groonting with a great shaking and quaking of the earth for that small time that it did continue so that the people which were in Churches with great multitudes were afâ—ard of that sudden noyse except some which thought it to haue béen carte loaden drawen through the streets Other doubted it had béen the Myne of the gate Sauuetour that had kindled they which were in houses thought that the fire had suddenly caught the Chymnies hearing such noyse as when a Chimney is fyred This noyse and earthquake not onely was in the Citty and Suburbs but also at Nozay Eucenis Oudon Mauues Calquefou S. Erbline S. Stephen Bâ—oys la Hay the low Goulene and high Goulene chiefely where the Countrey people were so amazed in those quarters that they forsooke both the Masse and the Priestes that saide it the riuer also was seene bubling at the same time This token dooth presage many calamities and a wonderfull alteration in this estate this earthquake doth admonish vs to search the right knowledge of our offences as also of late we haue been warned by fiery men which haue been seene by the watermen about Tours and Saumur to fight in the ayre Thus farre Doctor Viuaut to Duke Merceur It is saide before how the Duke of Lorreyne both besieged Iamets and also asked the Duchesse of Boillon in marriage for his Sonne the Lorde Vaudimount the Duke of Guize did the like for his This Noble Princesse abhorred their aliaunce partly for their false religion or rather atheisme which was
them that now the time is come that they ought to liue and dye together to bring to passe their intents Thus the Duke of Guyze with his Parisiens hauing dispatched those thinges which they thought necessary either to strengthen or excuse their actions Now he taketh in hand the third pen to write to the King wherewith he powreth out the words of a faithfull seruant and in disguising his enterprize goeth about to deceaue him to lul him asleep but to do it with good grace in his exordium hee doth chafe braule first for feare the King should haue that aduantage ouer him as to begin with him And although this his last action did openly shew the intentes of al his former dealings he must dissemble and make the words of seruice obedience sound highly There he doth lament and almost fall a weeping Crocodils lacrymis for his estate that by reason of the slaunders of his aduersaries he hath béen rendered suspect to the King of the cryme of high treason Secondly to make his innocency appeare he sheweth how he came to him with a small company to iustify his actions Thirdly he blameth the King that he would harken to his enemies who caused him to put extraordinary forces in Paris and to dispose them into the cheefest places of the sayd Citty and that he would be mooued by their perswasions to make such an exemplary execution of so many noble men and cittizens whose names hee doth omit in silence Fourthly he sayeth that when the commotion began hee was altogether vnarmed and fast a sleepe in his house Fiftly that his great paines which hee tooke in contayning the people from murther doth declare him that his intent was neuer to stir that Citty to sedition Sixtly the care which he had to saue them of his officers who had not well deserued of him doth manifestly prooue that he neuer intended any thing agaynst his seruantes Last of all the sauing of the liues of his Swissers Captaines and Souldiers doth plainly shew that hee neuer feared any thing so much as to displease him These be the pennes where with he doth so vary his skill and doth write so contrary thinges not to delight as the art of Rhetorike teacheth but by the one to confesse the truth with the other to colour his actions dissemble and lye and by the third to diuert the crime of those things which haue happened from himselfe and his partakers and to charge the King of Nauarre and the Duke Espernon namely as the workers and practisers of all the misdemeanours that haue fallen out in that commotion On the other side the King about the 17. of May being at Chartres sent letters vnto the gouernours of the prouinces of his Realme to geue them notice according to the trueth of things which had happened at Paris But namely hee wrote letters vnto the Lord Boiseguine gouernour for his maiesty in the citty of Poytiers and knight of the order of the holy Ghost wherin he sheweth briefly the summe of the matter of so sudden and contrary to his will comming of the Duke of Guyze of his owne intent in placing new garisons within Paris what had there hapened by the secret practising of the Duke of Guyze of the causes of his retire to Chartres praying him to giue notice of all these thinges to the Lords Gentlemen and all other of credit in Poytow and thereabout He writeth also to the same effect vnto the people and inhabitants of his realme for to diuert them from rebellion to the which they might be sollicited by the Duke of Guyze and his partakers and by the example of the Citty of Paris Whilest these things are so handled on both sides euery one iustifiyng his cause The Leaguers seeing themselues farther to execute their intent vpon the kings person than euer before do seaze vpon as many towns and holdes as they can and about the 25. and 26. of May the Cardinall and the Duke of Guyze went out of Paris and seazed vpon Meaulx and Chasteautiery in Brye The king seazed vpon Corbeil and Meloune and other holdes and places vpon the riuer of Seyne right against Brie and vpon the high wayes to Paris but the Duke of Guize hauing made sure Meaulx Chasteautiery as is said about the 27. of May returned to Paris and considering how the holding of Corbiel and Meloune was very grieuous to Paris do in hast prepare all things for the siege of Meloune and doth his best indeuour to force it but seeing that it was too hot for him and that it would not be recouered being so strongly fortified by the king gaue it ouer Whilest these things aboue said were a doing there appeared within Paris spanish captaines euery day more than other out of diuers parts men did ioyne with them Some who were faythfull to the king and of some credit among the people went through the streetes to perswade the inhabitance to open their shops and to doe as they haue done before Other who were of the league did cry with a lowd voice shut vp your shops and take armes if you will not be ransaked your wiues rauished and lose your traffick Many of the inhabitants went foorth out of Paris and retired some whither else they who could not doo it desired greatly the Kings returne In the meane time that on euery side they make their parts strong and that the parties were like to come to handy blowes The Leaguers considering their strength to be weak if the king should take the matter at the worst sent three manners of spials First they sent of their owne faction vnder the colour of seruice to view the kings countenaunce and to giue intelligences thereof from time to time Secondly the Capuchins were sent thither in procession that vnder the colour of hypocriticall holynes they might see what weather was at Chartres and to try if the kings minde was any thing altred toward the Friery Monkerie and popish superstition and inclining in any wise to y e heretikes as they tearmed theÌ„ The Capuchins are a sect of hypocrites differing from the Franciscan Friers nothing but in haire and forme of their cowle Their garments are of colour like the robes of the sweepe chimnies here in England and their cowle is made after the maner of a suger loafe likeso many melancholike Deuills spewed out of hell to make the worlde laugh Last of all another sorte of spialls were sent wiser of greater countenance than the other 2. sorts who would sound better make a more perfect anotomy of the kings heart to wit certaine picked out of the court of Parliament and among others namely the Lord Dauron master of the requests to excuse that which had bâ—ene committed in that tumult and to endeuour to pacifie that indignation which iustly hee had conceiued against Guyze and the inhabitants of Paris To whome he shewed himself very casie to be entreated as it may appeare by his speaches
vttered to them as followeth The Queene my mother hath geuen me to vnderstand that you were all assembled and will repayre to me whereof I am well pleased being assured that you would not offend in such force being the first company of my Realme I haue promised to my selfe of you alwayes all faithfulnes and obedience such as you haue shewed heretofore to my predecessors Kings as vnto your lawfull and naturall Princes And I know that if it had beene in your power to let thinges there passed that you woulde haue done it I am sory for that which hath happened to the city of Paris notwithstanding I am not the first to whome such misfortune hath happenned And the more I am displeased that the spare of these foureteene yeares that I haue beene king I haue alwayes honoured it with my abode shewing all gentlenes and goodnes to the inhabitants and they haue alwayes found me a good king gratifiyng them in all that euer I could I know that in such a Citie as that is there be good and bad when they shall make their submissioÌ„ will acknowledge themselues I will be readie to receiue and imbrace them as a good father his children and as a good King his subiects Your dutie is to labour in the matter for therein consisteth the preseruation of the Citie of your selues your wiues and your familyes Furthermore continue in your charges as you haue accustomed the Queene my mother shall certifie you from time to time of my will In the after noone the King sent for them againe and vsed these speaches following I haue sent for you before you goe hence to let you vnderstand besides that which I tould you this morning that I was aduertised of certaine reportes giuen out that I would haue put Garisons in the Citie of Paris I doo greatly â—â—use that euer such a thing came in their mindes I knowe that Garisons are set either to vndoo a Citie or for the mistrust of the inhabitants They ought not to thinke that I would destroy a Citie to the which I haue shewed so many tokens and witnesse of my good will which I haue so much benefited by my long abiding therein for to haue remayned there more then ten of my predecessors before me had done which thing hath brought to the inhabitantes euen to the simplest sort of artifficers all the commodities which there doo appeare this day whereby ten or twelue other Cities might haue been made rich And when my officers or Marchants haue had neede of me I haue done them good and I may say that I haue shewed my selfe a good King towards them And therefore it was farre from me to conceaue any diffidence of them whome I haue so dearely loued and of whome I ought to assure my selfe for the friendship which I haue witnessed vnto them was enough to take away that opinion from them that I should bee willing to giue them Garisons neither can it in trueth bee said that any man of my gardes or Garisons hath put his foote in any house or taken from any man a loafe of bread or any thing else but contrariwise haue at my prouision been furnished of all needful things neither should they haue stayed there aboue foure and twentie houres but the morrow after without lying in any other place should haue been appointed to their charge as if they had been in the campe I intended to haue made exactly a search of many strangers who were within my Citie of Paris and desirous to offend no man I sent euen to the Lord of Guize and other Lords to that end they should giue me a booke of the names of their houshold seruants and to cause the residue to auoyde Whereof I was aduertised that there was a great number no lesse then fifteene thousand men which thing I did for the preseruation of the Citie and safetie of my subiects This is the cause that I will haue them to acknowledge their fault with sorrow and displeasure I knowe well that they are made beleeue that hauing offended me in such a sort as they haue done mine indignation is irreconsiliable I will you to let them knowe that I haue not that humor nor will to vndoo them and that as God as whose Image I am here vpon the earth though vnworthie desireth not the death of a sinner so doo I not desire their vndooing I will alwaies prooue the peaceable way and when they shall shew their duetie and confesse their fault and testifie in deede the sorrow which they haue of their offence I will receaue and imbrace them as my subiects in shewing my selfe as a father toward his children I will haue them to acknowledge me as their King and Master if they doo it not but delay the matter in drawing my hand as I may doo I will make them feele their offence so that the marke thereof shall remaine for euer For being the first and principallest Citie honored with the first and suprem court of my Kingdome and other courtes priuiledges honors and vniuersitie I can as you know reuoake and remoue thence all my courtes and vniuersitie which would turne to their great displeasure for these things ceasing all other commodities and traffick will diminish as it fellout in the yeare 1579. during the great plague by reason of my absence and ceasing of the Parliament a great number of my officers being retyred thence young Children were seene that yeare to play at the nine pinnes in the streates I knowe that there is a great number of good men in my Citie of Paris and that of foure parts three are of that number who are very sory of that which hath happened Let them therefore so deale that I may be content let them not inforce me to shew them what I may doo more to doo that which I am able and will not You knowe that patiency prouoked doo turne into furie and you knowe also what a King offended may do if I list to employe all my power and meanes to bee reuenged And although I bee not of a vindicatiue spirit yet I would that they should know that I haue courage as much as any of my predecessors I haue not yet since the time that I came to the Crowne by the death of my brother vsed any rigour toward any man yet will not I that they should abuse my clemency I am not an vsurper I am a lawfull King by succession and of a race which hath alwaies commaunded with clemencie It is a tale to speake of religion they must take another way there is not a Prince in this world more Catholicke which desireth more the rooting out of heresie then I my actions and my life haue giuen sufficient witnes in that behalfe to my people I would that it had cost me an arme that the last heretick were in picture in this chamber Goe home to your charges and bee of good courage you ought not to feare any thing while you
that many of them to serue their turne did not feare to affirme that he was the eldest of the house of Bourbon and that if neede were hee was capable of the succession to the Crowne This man therefore serued much to their faction him they thrust forward for the negotiation and aduauncing of their affayres according to the occasions So that hauing determined to send a supplication to the King to asswage his displeasure while they aduise vpon other wayes to entangle and entrap him yet once more They prepose the said Cardinall his name in the said petition that the greatnes of his name onely of that faction of all the house of Bourbon may serue as a vayle to the affections of them who were more watchfull in handling of their affaires theÌ„ the said Cardinall was in the gouerning of his owne They doo present this supplication in the name of the Cardinall of Bourbon and of the Masters of the League who would faine becalled Princesse and in the name of the Citie of Paris and of the other Cities of their confederacie In this supplication they make a low coursie and al contemptious capping with an humble submission and protestation of their good willes with a proffer of their seruice and of all that they haue for the defence of his estate and of the Catholick religion so that the Duke of Guize may haue the leading of his forces and managing of their affaires Secondly they charge the Duke Espernon and his brother the Lord Valette to be fauourers of the hereticks to haue betrayed y e kings forces in hindering all good exploytes to bee done against the hereticks and the King of Nauarre To haue fauored the armie of the Germanes in their retiring home to haue beene the cause by his counsell of the vprore happened of late at Paris To haue wasted the Kinges treasure to be the author of all the disordeâ— which is in the gouernement Thirdly they purge themselues of any priuat inimitie or affection towards him in this accusation and for proofe of the foresaid offences doo referre themselues to the testimonie of the Queene Mother and of the officers of his Crowne if it pleaseth him to examine them vppon the saide crimes and giue them licence to speake their mindes with libertie Fourthly they demand of him instantly with prayer to put the sayd Espernon and Valette his brother and their adherents from his person and fauour and to discharge them from all charges and gouernements which they haue in the Realme that the king will prouide them of some small charges of no importance at all They also doe assure the King that in so doing he shall greatly please the people in deliuering them as they say from that feare which they haue conceaued of the power of the said Espernon These lets being taken away they require him to make warre in Guienne in his owne person to whome they doe promise their ready will courage and assistance against the heretikes and in the meane time to appoynt his mother to gouerne Paris Fiftly they require that the Duke de Maine may haue an armie to goe into Daulphine against them of the Religion they tell him that hee may make a great booty of the spoyle of Espernon his brother to maintaine the warre and that hee will abolish all new subsidies and charges layd vpon the people Sixtly they doe require that he will name a successor Catholick fearing it greatly to fall into the hands of them of the reformed Religion Seuenthly they of Paris as partakers in this request doo faine and glose with the king and pray him most humbly to beleeue them that all which had happened of late at Paris was not that they thought to do him any harme and that it was done by their Magistrates and that onely they doubted least the authors of the counsel in bringing extraordinary forces into the Citie would haue abused his authoritie in oppressing them They fayne themselues very sory that hee went foorth of their Citie in displeasure and mistrust praying him to giue them leaue to liue in rest vnder his obedience Last of all they require that the Lord d'Ho be discharged hereafter of his charge which he had to commaund in the Citie and that he will allow the deposing of the Prouost and Escheuins and approue the new election which they haue made of others and that hereafter it be lawfull for the Citizens to choose their owne officers Also when it shall please him to returne into the Citie hee will not bring within twelue leagues thereof any other forces beside his ordinary guards This supplication was presented to him the eight and tweÌ„tith of May. The King hauing receiued this suplication answereth it the nine and twentith of May at Chartres wherein first hee rehearseth the zeale which he hath to the Catholick religion the great and dangerous warrs which he had done the great charges which hee hath beene at for the same the famous victories obtained by him against them of the reformed religion and how he hath pacified the troubles raysed by the Leaguers and vnited the Catholicks which were by the Leaguers deuided Secondly he sheweth himselfe willing to put vp all iniuries passed against him in Paris when the inhabitants shall behaue themselues hereafter as it becommeth them to doe and in so doing hee proffereth them to preserue them in their liberties as his predecessors haue doone before him Thirdly hee wisheth nothing more than that all the popish Princes Lords and subiects may be reunited againe to warre against the King of Nauarre Fourthly he greatly desireth the reformation of his Realme in al his partes and for because it is a publike contagion he supposeth that it can not be well done without the assembly of the States which he intendeth to assemble in the towne of Bloys the fifteeneth of August where he promiseth to satisfie them in warranting them from falling into the handes of the king of Nauarre or any other hereâ—ick As touching the complaints against the Duke Espernon he promiseth to them iustice therein It is sayd before how the King after the retyre of the Germans returning to Paris intending to make a voyage to Guienne agaynst the King of Nauarre with all his forces and in his proper person had prepared the way to doo great exployts by sending forces vnto Lauerdine Lieutenant of Niort immediatly after the death of the Prince of Conde and how the sayd Lord Lauerdine with those forces seazed vpon the Iles of Marans and tooke all the Forts within the Iland Which exployts being done the Lord Cluseaulx otherwise called Blanchard obtayned the gouernment of the sayd Iland where hee determined to settle himselfe and after many extorsions ransackings and robberies done during and after the siege of Marans to them of the reformed religion who had abandoned all things to saue themselues at Rochel he promised to himselfe to fortifie and kéepe well the sayd places in hope shortly after to
meanes of reuenge and let the heretikes alone for a time The King whom Gods iustice did vrge and pursue for the hardnes of his hart in so obstinating himselfe against the Gospell and other offences which do issue out of that spring seemed to be touched with the readines of his good Subiectes but not to any purpose moued to follow their good counsell but thanketh euery one as though hee had no neede at all of their counsell and ayde The Leaguers now vnderstanding by their spials the pusillanimity of the King and his inclination to some composition and peace with them though disaduantagious by his slender and fearfull answere to their vnreasonable demaunds in their supplication do now conceaue a good hope not onely to amend the former fault but also to make themselues a way more plaine and easier then euer they had before to performe shortly their enterprises And as they haue had recourse alwaies to the Q. Mother by whose meanes they haue found a present remedy in all faultes committed and offences geuen to the King but now y t at their request she had besotted him by her sorceries shee must make an end of her good worke begunne This accursed woman hath béen the dishonor of womankinde the subuersion of the whole kingdome the slaughter of the nobility the butcher of the commons and the vndooing of her owne children The Leaguers then hauing such an intercessor who vnder colour of a motherly counsell will bring them neerer to execute their rage vppon the Kinges person and to vsurpe his estate do send this old Medea to make a negotiation for them as much to their aduantage as shee can Therefore that they may strip the King cleane out of authority they do thrust in their demaundes the articles concluded at Nancy spoken of before She must vrge the Kinges consent to these articles following for which intent shee went to Nemours a towne in Gastinois In these demaunds they woulde faine make the Kinge beleeue howe all that they doo is for the preseruation of the popish religion and that they desyre greatly a reunion of the Catholiks whereof he should be the head First they doe demaund that all generally shall promise and sweare to imploy their persons goods and meanes for the conseruation and defence of the king of his estate and authoritie and of the children which it shall please God to send him and that against all manner of men By this demaund they lull the king asleepe They shall sweare also the rooting out of heresie and doe require prouision to be taken that no heretike Prince or suspected of heresie or fauourer of heretikes may enioy the Crowne whatsoeuer right he may pretend thereunto and that this may be confirmed by an oath of all men Also that the king shall sweare to defend the Leaguers who doo call themselues Princes against the heretikes and their fauourers By this artcile they will exclude if they may all the Princes of the house of Bourbon whome they will easily finde either heretikes or fauourers Note of heretikes Secondly they demaund that it may please him to sweare to the obseruation of those demaunds and that hee will permit in their custodie the townes and Cities which are graunted them during six yeares and that in all other townes which shall ioyne themselues to the Leaguers nothing be innouated and that they may not be punished for any offence or rebellion committed Furthermore they doe demaund that if during the six yeares there should happen any vocation of gouernours and Captaines in the saide townes and Cities that then the Leaguers may name such as they think good and that the king shall stablish such at their request This is to dispossesse the king of his holds towns and cities and therin to place such as shall bee at their deuotion whome they may trust Note Thirdly they doe require the publishing of the councell of Trent and the obseruing of the same and that the King shall forsake his aliance which he hath with princes and nations heretickes and that hee shall giue ouer the protection of certaine townes knowen to bee the receptacle of heretikes By these they meane the Germanes the kings of Denmarke and Scotland Note the Queene of England the cantons of Swissers the townes of Geneua Sedan and Iamets that of one side he might be destitute of friends to defend him against his enemies and that the one of these Cities might be the more easily subdued by the Duke of Sauoy and the other two by the Duke of Lorreine Last of al that the goods and lands of the heretikes be solde and to imploy the mony to make warre against the heretikes but specially to maintaine one armie in Poytow vnder the conduct of the Duke of Guyze and the other in Daulphine conducted by his brother the Duke de Maine The king knew very wel except he had been talpacoecior y t these articles were against the dutie of faithfull subiects and that of the princes mentioned in the said articles there was but one to wit the Cardinall of Bourbon that all the others being strangers did handle him cunningly at will vnder faire colours and made him their mouth to speake for them He knew very well that all that which they say in their articles of the preseruation o◠his person crowne and estate were but wordes and a couering of their trayterous drifts he perceiued well that the desire which they pretended to haue of the ease and preseruation of Cities was but a flattering bayte on the one side to alienate them from his obedience and on the other side to make them affected ready to the execution of their enterprizes As for the nomination of gouernours and captains in the sayd townes which they would haue to be reformed to them to place therein such as they would think good he vnderstoode well that in plaine tearmes they meant to abridg y t small store of authoritie which they had left him and to make him their inferiour He saw well enough that the degraduatiō and disheriting of the lawfull Princes from the succession of the crowne vnder the colour of heresie or fauouring of heretikes was but a meane to put the Crowne vpon their owne heads Also that to breake the aliances which he had with the forraine Princes and nations whome they called heretikes was a thing no lesse vniust than pernitious to his estate whome by such means they wrapped into a heape of newe troubles and that such a demaund was arrogantly to command their King and Soueraigne To be short the king knew very well that in all these things they sought but the easier way to their greatnes and the means to debase his authoritie and to hasten the fall of his estate Yet as a man bereft of wit destitute of wisdome and courage and bewitched with the pernitious and poysoned counsells of Circe his execrable and accursed mother without considering any thing the greatnes of the
publike reuenger of Gods lawe and executer of his iustice who commandeth him that his eye shall not take pitie vpon such abominable contemners of Gods ordinance and iustice whose Image his person represented fearing men more then GOD and vnder the colour of clemencie consented to their crimes and through impunitie approoued their misdéedes God a righteous Iudge turned this his pusillanimitie to a snare and a blocke of offence by the which he wrought his owne ouerthrowe and miserable end Now leauing the euents which followed this tragedie played at Bloys we will fetch other matters and exploits which were done in other places that varietie may not onely delight the Christian Reader but also stirre him vp to feare tremble and reuerence Gods iudgements For not onely at Bloys he powred mightie streames of his wrath vpon the wicked but also in other places the Lord at the same time fed his enemies with shame clothed them with dishonour and rewarded them with confusion and in all places deliuered his Saints It is sayd before how at the making and concluding of the edict of reunion in Iuly last it was agreed that two mightie Armies should be mustered and made vp with as much readines as it could be done the one should be conducted by the Duke of Guize into Guienne and the other vnder the leading of the Duke de Mayne into Daulphine there to roote out them of the religion But yet the Duke of Guize aduised by his counsell to wit the Cardinall his brother and the Bishop of Lions altered his purpose for three causes First the cause of religion which he pretended was not the marke that he shot at neither did he greatly care which of the two went backward or forward Secondly he perceaued how he went to cast himselfe into the hazard of warre which is vncertaine but specially agaynst such a Captayne who hetherto had remained inuincible and knewe with fewe how to ouercome great multitudes and mighty forces whom hee feared as the slaue doth dread his Lord whom he hath greeuously offended Therfore he thought good not to hazard that way but to reserue himselfe to a better opportunity which would be offered him ere long The third cause was that if he should absent himselfe farre from Paris it might be that the King would enterprise it there uppon and carry it away from him Also if he should absent himselfe from the Court he were not able easily to bring to passe his intent nor giue the blowe which he had in minde long before Therfore another is to be sent yet it must not be any suspected person As for the Princes they are partiall in this cause and being of great authoritie of themselues are not to bee armed with power for els they may marre the play The Marshals Byron and Haultmont are good noble men good French men and valiant they are Royals and therfore we will haue none of them For it were not good to arme them with such forces for if wee say they should in the meane time execute our enterprise whilest they had such an armie they might marre all and begin a new tragedie vpon the players of the former Therefore such a Generall must néedes bee appoynted as may flatter with both sides and that will turne to the strongest part and if he should be lost in the battell it maketh no matter who that should be The Duke of Neuers of Nation an Italian an Atheist by religion a Spanyard by faction a Leaguer and a Royall both by policie and dissimulation in Nobilitie nouus homo For here is to be noted that in Italy there is no ancient Nobilitie remayning except it bee the Vrsins and Colomuae and some of the Patrilij in Venice For all the rest perhaps some fewe excepted are families raised vp within these few hundred yeares out of Colliers as the Medicis Porters and Chimney sweepers during the vniuersall rebellion of Italy against the Emperours vnder the factions of Guelpses and Gibelius and the Popes bastards also are the stockes of many families which now are accounted of the chiefest Nobilitie there as the houses of Parma Vrbines c. This Duke of Neuers hanging about the skirts of the Q. Mother maried the onely heires of the noble and ancient familie of Neuers whose father was slayne at the battell of Dreulx being of the house of Gonzages neuer heard of before these eight score yeares The noble Princes of the royall blood the ancient Nobility of France are no men but set behinde the doore they may not lead the kings armies not for lack of sufficiencie Why then Because they are suspected by the League to be true to their king good louers of their country and too naturall to their kings subiects and fellow Citizens Whilest therefore the States doe continue at Bloys and Rochel the Kings armie in Nouember taking their iourney into Poytow with great preparatioÌ„ intending as wel to recouer the places occupied by them of the Religion as also to beat the king of Nauarre in which doing not only they should make an ende of the warre by rooting out vtterly them of the Religion but also should recouer the losse of the honour of the armie which a moneth before had beene buried at Coutras by the King of Nauarre This armie was great and strong consisting of Frenchmen Swissers and Italians hauing a great number of armed men And as it marched forward so still it increased For light horses and Noble men with other qualities out of all partes out of the cities and communalties of the Prouinces neere about as well of the one as of the other side of the Loyre did voluntarylie ioyne themselues to it And among others out of the low Poytow were the Lords of Roches Beatault of Bourneueau Boucherie and Saint Andre with their companies The Duke of Neuers as is sayd before was generall assisted with the Lord Chastre and Sagonne two notable traytors Leaguers and Lauerdine loyall and faithfull to his Prince with other Lords and Captaines Ordinance munition and all kinde of preparation of warre was great The greatest part of this armie as well of the heads and commaunders as of the Nobilitie and others which did obey were Leaguers and leagued who thought that they could neuer worke mischiefe enough It is an incredible thing to heare the mischieues hauock and oppression which this armie did where it passed through but specially to them of the reformed religion who were found before them both in their houses and abroad the people men and women euen in diuers places the very cattell did flie before this armie as before a thundering tempest euen as a flock of sheepe before a heard of woolues sauage beasts or monsters neuer seene before Sultan Soliman Siech Selymogly did neuer cary greater cruelty sauagenes barbarousnes and terror into Austrich and Slireland when he came downe with three hundred thousand men to the siege of Vienne than did this râ—bble of turkish broode monstrous Cyclops God-contemners
forces there nigh at hand and ready to succour him although that so oftentimes hee had been deaffe at his most reasonable counsells The king being at Tours the first thing which hee did was in the beginning of Aprill there he depriued the Duke Mercure of his gouernment of lands dignities offices and prerogatiues to him granted by him for his treasons committed against his Maiestie in his gouernment In the beginning of Aprill the king being at Tours and perceiuing the great dangers which compassed him about on euery side hauing many Leaguers of his counsell and about his person the Citie for the most part leagued bent against him by the meanes of some of his saythfull counsellers as of the Marshals Biron and Hautmont and others and considering more deepely the reasonable and modest protestation of the K. of Nauarre who in his great prosperitie yet of late craueth for peace desireth to be taught proffereth his seruice to the king willeth them to deuise some good wayes to remedie the horrible confusions which doe ouerflow France began to hearken to some good and moderate counsell as to take some truces with the said king of Nauarre to vse his counsell and forces for his iust and lawfull defence In the moneth of March following after the taking of the Citadel of Orleans by the rebels and the ennouatious which they had made in Paris in the changing of the State and treading downe vnder foote the kings royall authoritie The Dukes of Mayne and Aumale began to shew such ielousies and suspitions which ambition did worke in their hearts as it did before in the two brethren to wit the Dukes of Guize and Maine For the Duke de Mayne was caryed to the vsurpation of the Monarchy after his brothers death as if it were vpon the shoulders o. rebells and would haue had been sory if his cousin the Duke de Aumale should haue had either the whole or else any part thereof in superioritie but rather desirous that he should depend of his commaundements and therefore did holde him short with secret practizes and factions The Duke d' Aumale would haue beene glad to haue had all to himselfe rather than his cosin and if not all yet he thought to get as good part in the cake as he might but the factious were not so fauourable vnto him as to the other Fearing therefore some Guizien trick such as hee was well acquainted with to be played against him by the helpe of the mutinous Parisiens he putteth on a good countenance and after infinite sackings riflings and manifolde robberyes committed vpon the rich Marchaunts and others in Paris for in those dayes all rich men were either royalls or hereticks he departed out of the Citie into Picardy where he thought his parte might bee stronger and hee mought bee in greater safetie Mercure on the other side for his part was content if he might make sure vnto himselfe the Dutchie of Britaine supposing that the throte of his ambition was not so wide as that he might swallow down the whole kingdom Crown of France yet betweene them 3. the glorious name of the League and holy vnion holy Church and holy Catholick Religion did rowle among them and were patched by the Fryers and Iesuites for an olde gaberdine to hide vnder all their treacheries against the king and robberies against his subiects All these things did flie abroad vnder the authoritie of the newe great generall Protector of the Crowne of France to wit the Duke de Mayne to whome that title was giuen by conspirators assembled at Paris vnder the name of States as it is afore sayde All these three did well agree together in resisting the kings authority and oppressing the kings subiects euery where euery man reseruing to himselfe his owne thoughts yet would they not be kept so secret but that their enuies ielousies and enimities sometime would flame out so that they could be euidently spied by other men The Duke d'Aumale absented himselfe from Paris and in the I le of France Picardie Brie Tartenoys and Vermandoys went about to doo his busines as well as he could his part as strong as strong might be made with those great summes of money which for his share he had made of the spoyle of the rich men of Paris The Citie of Paris is one of the greatest Cities in the world but doubtles the greatest in Europe It is deuided into three parts The one and the greatest part lyeth in Belgik on the banck of the riuer Seyne in a low fayre and plaine situation That part is called the towne Among other edifices on the lower end by the riuer nigh Newgate is the kings house called the Loure and right ouer against it on the other side of the streete is the auncient house called L'hostel de Bourbon about a mile and a halfe vpon the same side of the riuer is the town house called by a temple nigh to it Saint Iahn en Greue There is a long street from the pont anchange directly to Saint Denis warde called Saint Martins streat which deuideth that parte of the Citie well nigh through the middest The other part lying in the celtick on the south side of the riuer is the Vniuersitie lesser than the former part it is full of Monkeries Friâ—ries and Nunneryes of all feathers and colours vnder the heauens So that a man comming out of a strange countrey and seeing so great diuersitie of fantasies would think himselfe to wander into a countrey of monsters or a Citie of mad men but if he consider well he shall finde himselfe in the middest of Sodome so cleane is their conuersation Beside these infernall Locusts there is a great number of colledges and houses of learning for the which cause it is called the Vniuersitie wherein are chiefly two colldges to wit Sorboune and Nauarre Sorboune is a colledge where Diuines and students of Diuinity cheefly haue allowance and beside it is an association of Diuines whersoeuer they haue taken degrees it is more famous than Nauarre by reason of their ignorance but Nauarre is greater in liuing and multitude of students This Vniuersitie was founded or rather reformed I feare me from better to worse by Charles the great by the helpe of his schoolemaster one Alboinus an Englishman sometime scholler of the learned Beda who as it seemeth changed the former order of studie and fashioned them to the forme of doctrine laide downe by the learned S. Augustine This forme there continued vntill y t time that a visioÌ„ was seen in the ayre to wit a man naked hairy and deformed carying a wallet ful of stones gnawing on a stone which he had in his hand Immediately after that forme of studie was changed and diuinitie reduced to vaine speculations carnall Philosophy and fâ—iuolous questions without edifiyng or breeding any knowledge or wisedoms in the students Then began Aristotle to beare sway in the Diuinity schooles and to fitt in the chayre of Moses The
Bishop of Paris called Lombard went about to amend the fault and to haue pulled him downe out of that sacred chayre propounding to the students a book of common places such as it was called commonly Magister sententiarum Then came the begging Fryers with their wallets full of stones and among them Scotus and Thomas Aquinus they layd down a forme of their dreames questions they turne the bread of life into stones wholy There came after them worse then these more ignorant these harpyes defile both the word of God this booke of sentences though not pure before w t vnnecessary questions and vnlearned gloses to be short as many writing Fryers so many Alcorans they conceaue and bring forth they did reuoke the studie of Diuines from Gods word the reading of the learned antiquitie whose monuments they buryed in dust in their libraries to the descanting of Scotus Thomas the book of Sentenices with their corrupted dreames pro contra After that these frogs rising out of the infernall gulfebeing striken with giddines as they of Sodome at the dores of Lot by the angel of the Lord were deuided among themselues and to shew that they were no more of Christs people tooke other names and would be called by the names of their master some Scotists some Thomists some Simmonists but rather they should be called by their qualities Soccist Momists and Foolists This palpable darknes of Aegipt was had in admiration as the onely wisedome of the world fed and entertained by these seducing Friers and Monks vntill the wasting of that noble and in olde time famous Greece by Amorith the prince of the Turkes For then many learned men being the keepers of pure learning flying from that barbarous and cruel tiranny repayred some into Italie some into Germany some into France who were entertained by the liberalitie of Princes and common wealths by whose exile we were deliuered from y e darke bondage of ignorance which the legions of Fryers had brought into the world About the same time the most noble arte of Printing was reuealed of God vnto a noble man of Germany whose name shall be blessâ—d for euer in the generation of the righteous wiâ—h facilitie to performe the worke which hee had determined Francis of Valoys first of that name a prince whose fame no age to come shal blot out of mens remembrance with his princelike liberalitie restored in this Vniuersitie a purer learning and an easier traditine by calling thether famous men of all parts of the world This his liberalitie the Leaguers for the space of this twentie yeares haue vsed to the supplanting of the state of his posteritie The third part of that Citie is an Iland betweene the Towne and the Vniuersitie called commonly the Citie that Iland is of the forme of an Egge It is beautified with three special things first the palace of iudgement which heretofore had béen a Sanctuary of iustice Secondly a most sumptuous and rich Hospitall the like whereof is not in the world Thirdly the Temple of our Lady much like vnto Diana of Ephesus Temple the Bishops seate and a sinke of Idolatry The Suburbes bee of a wonderfull greatnes and may bee compared with a great and sumptuous Citie As this is great and large so is it populous to admiration surpassing the report which may be made thereof The most sort of the inhabitants is a rascall people of all sorts of handicrafts and of seruile nature The people generally is of small stature swartie of complexion of countenance like Spaniards or Italians fewe like one to another as it is commonly seene among them that are a mingled sinke of diuers Nations not like Frenchmen they are craftie and deceitfull great bablers and pratlers suspicious mutinous and factious cruell cowardly and effeminate lewd of life and behauiour desperatly supersticious and idolatrous foolish and sottish so generally that through all France they are prouerbially and reproachfully called badins de Paris that is a malapert sot of Paris of nicenes and purposed folly disguising and corrupting their tongue and going The Duke de Mayne perceiuing the King almost destitute and forsaken of his subiects compassed about with enemies at home with domesticall foes in the Citie with vnfaithfull subiects abroad in the field with sedicious and rebellious robbers thought to haue a fit opportunitie to oppresse the King Therefore in a great heate he doth gather and muster a great and mightie armie of the basest sort of this people but specially of such as were desperate and had nothing to lose and had conceaued good hope to doo well their busines with gayne and aduantage caused the Citie to prouide for them they were lodged in the suburbes and small Townes about Paris The Duke hauing this great armie doth from weeke to weeke from day to day so delay his iourney representing to himselfe continually the valianâ—nes victories faithfulnes and celeritie of the King of Nauarre who was not a dayes iourney from Tours who would not suffer the King to be oppressed nor easily surprised These mutinous and rebellious companies did commit such intolierable insolencies that the people both in Paris and about did cry out and complayne with great discontented mindes both of these oppressions and also of the scarâ—enes of victuals which did growe in the Citie by reason of the long soiourning of that armie about Paris To pacifie therefore the vprore about the middle of Aprill he did venture to goe foorth and taketh the field making great boast that now within fewe dayes he trusted to reduce all France to the obeisance of the League and the least of his promises was that he would bring the King to that passe that the most mutinous fellowes in Paris desired to haue him Taketh order for the safetie of the Citie and whereas in the alteration of the state of Paris done in Ianuary last they had made eighteene Colonels and Captaynes of so many wards as the Citie was deuided into euery Colonell should haue twelue hundred horsemen and footmen to walke about the Citie and to the Boys of Vicennes least that Castle should be surprised by the enemies the Lord of Mayneuille being left gouernour of the Citie with a strong garrison beside to see well that in the absence of the great Protector of the Crowne of France the malcontent people of Paris should not enterprise against him and exclude him from their Citie if at any time for feare of the King of Nauarre he should runne away So the Duke de Mayne bringeth this holy and inuincible armie for so it was commonly called into Beausse where was some good store of victuals which aboue all things his holy armie desired So that as well to ease the countrey about Paris as to hast his wicked intent he bringeth his armie as farre as Vendosme wherein hee entred by the helpe of them who were of his confederacie There hee tooke the Kings great counsell prisoners so that none could escape
so charged that they stood little to the fight for the Prince leading the maine Battaile beginning to appeare they fled and left behind them Touschet Angeruile and Normandiere their chiefest leaders who were taken prisoners and brought before the Duke who were redeliuered into the hands of those that had taken them till such time as hée should call for them againe All the companies of these rebels were hewen in pieces the Prince lost not one man there was none hurt of his side but only the Lord Chammont in the head and in a short space after cecouered That same day the Prince Montpencier came to Falaize where the enemies made a shew as though they would haue set open the gates for him intending some surprise against him The Prince hauing no Ordinance to force theÌ„ tooke his way to Caen where he entred about y e seauenth day of Aprill all the faithfull Citizens welcomming him with these salutations often reiterated God saue the King and my Lord the D. Montpencier in token of an vnfained ioy they kept that day holy day The Lord Beuuron accompanied him to his lodging which was the house of the presideÌ„t Aubigny thether came the L. Verune to do reuerence to the Prince who receaued him courteously and highly commended him for his loyall seruice to the King in kéeping the towne within his obedience The said Prince soiourned in Caen about ten dayes to set all things in a readines as well for the safety and defence of the Citie as for to assault the enemy and to scoure the country During the Princes soiourne there ariued the County Thorigny and afâ—er him the Lord Longannay with a great troupe of Gentlemen who were courteously receaued and imbraced with great thankes for their good affection toward his Maiestie promising to aduertise the King of their duetifull seruice and to requiâ—e it in particular as occasion would serue About the 15. of April the Prince Montpencier hauing done al things that were there to bée done and gathered such forces as hée might and by the aduise of the Lord Saint Cere he concluded to warre vpon the rebels and to make them to leaue that which they hold so fast in the countrey and because they had the chiefest townes he resolued to carry a long some pieces of artillery to force them if possible he might Therefore he sent away before Monsieur de Hallot Batreuile Archand with the regiment of Monsieur Tracy the companies of the Captaines Saint Denis Maillot Radier Chauuaine Daulphin Roqueuile Glaize and other voluntary Captaines to attempt vpon Falaize The Sonday to wit the 16. of Aprill hée like a good Catholick caused a procession to be made and a sermon and a certaine forme of prayers to bée dayly said for the safegarde of the King and the good successe of his affaires against the rebels The 17. the Prince hauing appoynted officers ouer his treasure money victuall and artillery departed with two Canons and one bastard Culuerine hoping at the least to drawe the enemy to the field ariuing at Falaize he lodged at the Abbey Saint Iahn On the other side the ringleaders of the rebels as Brissak the Lords of long Champ the Barons of Eschaufour and Tubeuf assembled the flower of their rebell forces within the towne of Falaize The 18. of Aprill they laid their Artillery to batter and hauing beaten downe thrée towers they sent a Sergeant and ten Souldiours to view the breach but séeing that they would haue enticed them to enter into the towne to haue intrapped them and considering that the wall was yet too déepe the Prince sounded the retraite And vnderstanding that the rebels had taken from about Aigle Orbeck Sees Argenton Vimonstier and other places néere thereabout a company of more then sixe thousand Gantiers wel appoynted for Muskets and Harquebuses as might bée among these peasants they intermingled some seauen or eight hundred good Souldiours such as they could come by some also of the Nobility of the weaker sort to these companies of rebellious robbers resorted a great number of Priestes CaÌ„ons Monkes Friers Iesuites and such stinking poysoned vermine the Lord Brissak accompanied with the Barons of Eschaufour the Lords Vieupont Roqueuual Beaulieu and Annay and other Captaines receaued them and conducted them the right way to Falaize to them repayred the Baron Vernier with his forces from Damfront The Lorde Pierrecourt also came with such forces as hée could make out of Ponteau de mer and Ange and Houfleur supposing to haue inclosed the Prince betwéene the Towne of Falaize and these great forces and so to haue surprised him and his power The Prince hauing intelligences of the enterprize prouided for them remooued his artillery from the trenches and sent away his cannon to Courcy and with the Culuerine resolued to encounter the enemie in the plaine field The enemies had lodged in three seuerall villages not farr distant a sunder betweene Argenton and Falayze to wit Pierrefit villiers and Commeaux The Prince Montpencier appoynted the County of Thoriguy and Longaunay and the Lord Vickes the elder brother to lodge betweene the said villages and Argenton there to stay them if they should seeme to recoyle back He sent also the Lords of Bakqueuile Archand and Benuron with their companies to enuiron them on the other side The 20. day y e prince himself ayded with the L. Hallot Creueceure his brother with the whole armie and being on the top of a hil commaunded the Lords of Emery and Surene Marshalls of the field to aduance the infantry which was on the left hand with the Culuerine which they did these footemen were lead by the Lords of Saint Denis Maillot Radier Roqueuile Chauuayn Daulphine Glayze and others all so well resolute to encounter with that rabble of rebels that they made no delay but skitmished straight with a hot on set on both sides but assoone as the culuerin had begun to play in their faces they began to bee amazed and Brissak himselfe caused his Cornet to turne bridle and retyred from the danger with a number of horsemen as hardy as himself The rebels notwithstanding stoode to the fight but when the Culuerine roared once againe and they sâ—w the Lord Vaumart one of their chiefest leaders with fifteene others carried away with the shott they began to quauer Then the prince commaunded a fresh charge hee marching formost of all his companies which was giuen so hot and fierce that al the rebels were put to the chase to yeeld and to fall downe before them whom God had armed with authoritie and force to reuenge that most damnable rebellion This first encounter was vpon two thousand who were lodged at Pierrefit they were all slayne or takeâ— prisoners few onely excepted The prince hauing assemblâ—d his troupes agayne immediatly set vpon the third village named Viliers where were another company of rebels conducted by the Baron Tubeuf they were all put to the sworde saue the Baron Tubeuf and a few
we may with admiration celebrate the prouidence of God that cleane contrary vnto the expectation of all men the Lord hath giuen him to France for her good For first the Leaguers in the beginning of their insurrection made him a party Then they vsed for the space of foure yeares all the power of France to oppresse him when force would not serue they procured poysoners to try what might bee done that way But that taking no place they degraded debarred him from his right of succession by a fundamental law of the realme which they sweared sealed and decréed that it should be vnchangeable and should remayne for euer they made him hatefull and abhorred of the common people throughout all France After they had missed of their purpose intended against the King they so vrged their attempts that the King was enforced to yéeld himselfe into the King of Nauarre his hands for his safety at length they murdered the King Then I will aske them what haue you gotten by it They answered that they haue gotten the Crowne either part or the whole Why Because there is no successor Demaunde What are the Bourbons then Answer They are excluded by a fundamentall lawe of the realme sworne by the vnion at Bloys Dem. What saith God to that Ans Beholde the Lord saith that hee will haue the King of Nauarre head of the house of Bourbon to succeede because it is his right for it is not reason that a confederacie of conspirators should make a law contrarie vnto the fundamentall lawe of the realme confirmed by the consent and custome of so many nations by the space of twelue hundred yeares not contrarie vnto Gods word Dem. But where dooth God speake it Ans By the mouth of a Soueraigne Magistrate ordained by him to bée the interpreter of all iudiciall lawes Therefore beholde the meanes which the rebels haue sought to exclude the King of Nauarre from his right of succession the Lord hath vsed to the stablishing of the said King and hath vnited the Princes Péeres and chiefest Lords Gentlemen Captaines and Souldiours of the realme to assist place and defend him in that roome so the arme of fleshe shall not preuaile against the power of God and the hand of the Lord shall be vpon him The Prince Montpencier gouernour and Generall for the King in Normandie then being at Audely a towne vpon the riuer of Seyne aboue Pont de Carche caused all his army to take that oath exhorting them to defend constantly the Kings will according to their oath About the 26. day of Iuly there was an assembly holden at Caen in Normandie of the court of Parliament whereto the late deceased King had transported the said court from the Cittie of Roen after the rebellion thereof of the Nobilitie and Gentlemen of the countrey and of the bodie of the towne and Vniuersitie and of the Citizens and inhabitants of the said towne where the Lord Lizores Lord President of the saide court did sit as head of the saide méeting in whose presence the saide President hauing declared the haynous déede committed vpon the person of the King late deceased and shewed the equitie of the Kings testament and last will on his owne behalfe protested perfect loyaltie to the King right and lawfull successor of the Crowne of France after the publication of the Kings and of y e Prince Montpencier his letters all vniformally with one consent did sweare their acknowledgement and fidelitie vnto the lawfull successor of the Crowne of France and to maintaine al things contained in the will of Henry d'Valoys lately deceased The like declarations and promises were made and othes of fidelitie and loyalty taken publikely in many townes and cities in France euen on the North side of Loyre to the same effect The rebels vnderstanding in Paris what the late deceased King had done and how the King of Nauarre was proclaymed King of France contrarie to their expectation that they were worse hampered now then before like to haue him to be their master whome they had refused and disdained thought good to trie what might be done by treachery vpon the person of the King And because that a Friers coate could not beguile this King as it did the other by reason of the little acquaintance and credit which hée giueth them they suborned a murtherer who vnder the colour of a Gentleman should shoote him through with a Piece but the Lord watching for his annointed brought the murtherer to confusion All thinges falling out so confusedly in France by the death of the last King and the newes thereof fleeing abroad into forreine countries replenished mens harts with admiration of Gods secret iudgements with a maze indignation and feare The King taking counsell what was best to be done in these extremities for to saue the remnant of the realme from vtter subuertion did resolue vpon these three pointes which will follow this miserable murther First the King considering how his enemies long time aforehand had rendered him by slaunderous libels and seditious sermons of Iesuits and Friers by these meanes to make him abhorred of the commonaltie and thereby to make them vnwilling to acknowledge him for their King and to render him fidelity loyaltie and obedience which long practised malice of his enemies would procure him much labour and long continuance of warre betweene him and his subiects Secondly he knew that in the Campe vnder the banner of his predecessor and also in his counsell were many deuoted sworne to the League whom he durst not trust and knowing that they would not do him faithful seruice no more then they did to his predecessor hee determined to licence them to depart so many as would and to liue peaceablie in their houses vnder his obedience whereupon many disbanded themselues and retired some home and some to the enemie Last of all the K. foreseeing that the heads of the League vpon this prosperous exploit done vpon the person of the King lately murthered will double their rage and with great forces which they could quickly set vp in such a mighty and populous cittie would set vpon him and with multitude might greatly distresse him determined to send part of his forces into Picardy vnder the conduct of the duke of Longueuile the Lord la Nouë there to minister play to the enemy and with the greatest part of his army to retire into Normandy there to gather greater forces and if need should require to be nigh and ready vpon the coast there to receaue supply of forces from the mightie Princesse the Queene of England which might bee done vpon short warning considering the small distance which is from Coast to Coast As for the Swissers and other Germans who serued the King his predecessor hee sent their Heads and Captaines vnto their Princes and Signories to vnderstand their pleasure whether they would call their men home or giue them leaue to serue him The said Germans Swissers according to
batteries whereof two from sundry parts should batter at one breath of the Castell The third being placed vpon a rock should scoure certaine waies along behinde the breach of the side of the Castell Therefore the fift day of Ianuary at eight of the clock in the morning his Ordinance began to beate two great towers which flanked from the one to the other whereof the one serued for a defence to the breach which he supposed to make And after the bestowing of foure hundered Canon shot the top of one Tower being fallen and a hole being made in the other Tower that defended the creach the King caused it to be battered spéedily for there néeded but the beating of a little piece of a Wall This done the King commaunded certaine companies of Souldiours to goe and view if they could lodge in the said Tower at whose commaundement certaine of them entring the hole which was made through went into the Castell and finding no resistance called their fellowes who entring one after another in a shortspace they became Masters of the Castell and Towne They within being sore dismayed without any fight retyred into the dâ—ngeon out of the which they sent thrée Gentlemen to beséech the King to receaue them vpon any composition The King answered that he would not receaue them but at his pleasure and that they should proue his clemency without binding him else vnto any condition The sixt of Ianuary the King suffered the Lord Brissak to come and submit himselfe vnto him and being ouercome with pitty which hée had vpon the young Gentlemâ—n graunted their â—iues in choosing fifteene of the best sort of them whome hée would keepe prisoners as warlike enemies and fifteene more such as hee should thinke good should bée at his Maiesties disposition Thus God did so beate downe these proud and insolent rebels roaring and breathing a little before nothing but fire and bloud that none of them did proffer or séemed to make head otherwise then by words The Towne being taken by assault could not be preserued from pillaging and sackaging that there might be a difference betweene them that fled to the Kings clemency and those who obstinatly did proue the force of his army the one being wholy desolat the other reioysing in a full quietnes and perfect peace The 15. whom the King tooke for warlike Enemies were put to their ransom the town was geuen to the Souldiours of the other fifteene who were at the Kings disposition the Lord Brissak as consenting and accessary to the Kings death was condeÌ„ned to die But wheras after the Kings death and when the townes of Picardie did reuolt the rebels had taken the Duchesse of Longeuille mother to the Duke now liuing prisoner for abhorring their rebellion and detained her in captiuitie in the Citie of Amiens The Duke of LoÌ„gueuille greatly desirous to deliuer his mother begged the said Brissak to set his mother at liberty and in place of safetie by exchange with the said Brissak which thing the king granted supposing that it would not bee long afore he would come againe into his hands to receaue the reward of his rebellion and parracide Hetherto Christian Reader thou hast seen into what miserable and wofull state the whole Realm was throwen in by the Leaguers by their Friers Monkes and desperat Iesuits and by their venimous seditions and vngodly sermons preached to the people to stirre them to all manner of damnable license And how that kingdome sunke and drowned in a most confused rebellion was left by the king Henry the third and last of the noble familie of Valoys and deliuered to Henry the 4. now king of France and Nauarre named declared and inthronised by his predecessor approued accepted and proclaimed lawfull and natural heire and king of y e crowne of France after the maner of the Emperours of the Romans by the Princes Nobilitie Officers of the Crowne not among few Priests Bishops and Monks with a trash of ceremonies but in the middle of an armie by y e Marshals Colonels captaines Souldiers acknowledged obedience sworn vnto by the best and soundest part of the realm towns cities Commonalties people as well ecclesiasticall as temporall resisted onely by few rebels and robbers who hauing surprised some Townes and Cities do exercise an intollerable and more then Turkish tyranny ouer the Citizens otherwise well disposed Thou hast séene also how God hath guided his hands to battell and his fingers to fight hath blessed his armes before and now in the beginning of his raigne with prosperous successe of victories and reduced Townes Cities and whole Prouinces seduced by the Leaguers to their duetifull obedience and hath so restored to them which will be quiet vnder his gouernement peace iustice and iudgement that they may say that the Lord after a long continual stormy tempest hath geuen them as a calme weather to restore in that afflicted state saturnia regna wherein godlinesse and iustice ought to raigne Now before we make an end of this yeare and this seuenth booke together wee will lay downe other exploits of warre done in other partes of France but specially in the Prouince of Daulphine and hauing no ample informations nor obseruation of time and other circumstances necessary to the perspicuity of the history we will put downe onely the euents bare and naked as it were priuate memories in such sort as they were sent to the noble Princesse of Orenge out of her soueraignty of Orenge by some of her seruantâ— there desyrous onely to aduertize her excellency simply of the accidents which had passed there It said before how the Guizes head of the League tooke for party the king of Nauarre and with him the professors of the reformed religion as onely hinderers of their driftes And afterwardes they proclaimed open warre against the Lords Espernon and Valete his brother who with their faithfull seruice and wise counsel were stumbling blockes in the way of the said Guizes and Leaguers disappointing them of their purposes The L. Valete beeing in Prouance and Daulphine and vnderstanding of the execution done at Bloys vppon the persons of the Duke of Guyze and the Cardinall his brother by a prudent wisedome foresaw how some new tumults would ryse thereupon and how the king would turne his forces against the Leaguers vpon that occasion would reconcile the king of Nauarre to him and vse his seruice and of them of the reformed Religion And thereupon to auoyde all inconueniences which might ensue this strange and vnexpected accident thought good to make peace with the Lord des Diguieres a noble man of great valour who had constantly and valiantly defended the cause of the religion and brought many Townes Cities and Fortresses from the tyranny and slauery of the Leaguers to the Kings obedience And when after the death of the Duke of Guize many Townes and holds had rebelled partly induced by the outâ—ries of y e Leaguers and partly surprized by them but
him nor good for his master to meddle with the Kings affayres we sayd the Lord Byron hold the King for the true and naturall heire of the Crowne of France That the King maintained their lawes and liberties inuiolable and had none for enemies but fewe straungers thrust forward by ambition who vnder y e pretence of religion sought to ouerthrowe all good lawes to lay downe the foundation of their tyrannie to giue entrance to the Spanish King and for religion to bring in all Atheisme The Frier protested that his master was free from medling in any such enterprises But his doings his practises his ministring of money to the Rebels his conuersation and familiaritie with Bernardine Mendoza was so auerred to the foolish Friers face that he was proued a lying false flattering Frier Thereupon master Frier his stomacke being not yet satisfied would haue a saucie Frierlike fling against the King and demaunded the Marshall Byron how they being professors of the Catholike religion made so light account of his masters holines and purposes to carrie armes against the Catholikes their brethren The Lord Byron answered that they carried armes agaynst rebels and traytors and told him agayne that it were very wisely done for him his master to looke somewhat neerer to his owne estate For if he so encroached and medled with them they would quickly excommunicate him And that there were diuers Bishops in France as good Catholikes as his master who would bee glad to bee made Patriaches in their seuerall Prouinces and would finde as good Scripture to maintaine their authoritie as his master had any to defend his Some reasoning being vpon this poynt Frier Paniguerola was found to be so great a Clark that he could answer little or nothing But at length to conclude the talke he shewed the somme of his Ambassage to wit he desired a good peace to be concluded and some paynes to be taken to bring the King to be a Catholike But he shewed not his intent which was to delay the siege of Paris if the king had intended to besiege it out of hand The other Ambassadour to wit Vileroy was sent by the King to the Lord Plessis Morney a noble man of great wisedome and profound learning who handled the sayd Vileroy very plainly and roughly reproaching vnto him his vnfaithfull and treacherous seruice to his old master Henry the third And when he had denyed these things wherewith he was charged the Lord Beaulieu both condemned his fayre flattering wordes and promises which he brought now full of dissimulation and verified his olde trayterous practises agaynst his olde master it was thought that iustice should haue been executed vppon him for his treasons according to the Kings edicts The King hauing soiourned at Mante fewe dayes tooke his way to Vernon which lyeth between Mante and Pont de larche which also yéelded vnto him From Vernon the Gentlemen of Normandy to the number of fifteene hundred horses retyred to their home about the eight of March The Lord Chartres gouernour of Deepe returned to Deepe sicke in whose absence certaine Leaguers inhabitants there went about to haue seazed vpon the towne for the League who being detected and preuented at his returne were exiled out of the Towne to the number of sixe score among whom were many of the richest sort of all the towne About the same time that the King soiourned at Vernon the Duke of Longueuile the Lord of Tinteuille arriued to the King with eight thousand Rutters The King hauing seazed on Vernon and Mante and stopped the traffique of that riuer with the Citie of Paris on that side and prouided for the safetie of the sayd Townes concluded in his counsell to besiege Paris the principallest Citie of the Realme where it was considered that the Citie being populous and great would easily be woon by famine which would eschewe slaughter both of his owne Souldiers and Citizens whome hée would by all gentle meanes bring to their duetie of obedience and therefore it was thought good to stop the passages of the riuers Oyse Marne and Seyne aboue Paris For in stopping Oyse the Towne of Pontoyse also should bee distressed Therefore the King deuideth his armie as followeth The Duke of Longueuile should haue part of his armie to besiege Beaumont vpon Oyse He sent the Marshall Byron with another part of the armie to scoure the riuer Marne where he tooke Cressie a towne situated in Brie betweene Meaulx and Corbeil where a Parisien named Peter was Captaine for whose raunsome was proffered eight hundred Crownes but the King for some speciall causes commaunded him to be hanged and fiue and twentie of the chiefest of the towne with him The sayd Marshall Byron immediatly after the taking of Cressie layed the siege before Lagnye vpon the riuer Marne right agaynst Corbeil The Citizens required space of time to send vnto the King which was yet in Normandy to craue his gracious mercie which they obtayned The King about the 21. of March hauing receiued certayne munitions from Deepe and taken order for the safetie of Normandy with part of his armie coasted betweene the riuers of Seyne and Eure and tooke the townes of Possie and S. Germain and the Pont S. Clow and marched toward Corbeil to seaze vpon the riuer of Seyne on that side It is said before how the Leaguers had compacted with the King of Spayne vpon some conditions of receiuing a certaine somme of money to haue deliuered the Citie of Marsels a great strong Citie in Prouance vpon the Mediterran Sea but being disappoynted of his purpose as is said in the first Booke that Citie continued faithfull vnto the King vntil the Duke of Guize his death The King of Spayne had corrupted aforehand the chiefe gouernour of the Citie by giuing him pay to the summe of fifty Crownes a day he had also drawne to his faction three score of the chiefest Citizens paying to some forty crownes some more and some lesse a day Thus the hearts of a great number of Citizens being disposed the death of the Duke of Guize was bruted euen to the coast of the Mediterrane Sea The gouernour and his complices hearing of that began to â—nuaigh and bring the City to a wauâ—ring and inconstancy of wills counsels some would haue the Towne to yéelde to the League and some would not so the Citie remayned as neuter hanging neither to Spayne nor to France In the meane time the Lord Valete as is said hauing made peace with the Lord Diguieres and considering the wauering of that Citie had prepared a nauy of Galeys on the Sea before the said City to controule such Ships or other vessels as might come or goe that way to benefit the said Towne whome he molâ—sted as Leaguers The gouernour and the rest of malcontents hired by the King of Spayne practized that the said King of Spayne and the Duke of Sauoy should send Galleys thether in shew to clense the Seas but in déede
of the famine the wilâ—ull obstinacy of that damned people who will rather perish like the heathenish Saguntines then to try his clemenâ—y and fauour whom they knew to be therewith indued more then euer had béen any King in France before him hearing also of this sauage and barbarous act of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by some that fled vnto him out of the City was greatly moued so that lifting vp his hands to Heauen before his nobility protested vnto the Lord as Titus did in like case at the siege of Ierusalem that hee was not guilty of those abominations which were there committed neither of the bloud of them that so desperatly perished That hee was their lawfull King ordayned of God to gouerne them that he had proffered vnto them contrary to their deserts mercy that he might haue forced them but to spare their bloud he had delayed it to his great hinderance hoping that néed would haue caused them to consider their duty But contrary vnto duty and nature they had obstinated themselues and committed more abominations then any City euer did among the heathens This good King his eyes full of teares retyred into his Chamber full of compassion admiration and loue of iustice Compassion was not in him only as it was in Scipio at the burning of Carthage an affection procéeding of a milde nature but a true Christian mercy by the which he did féele the griefes euen of his mortall enemies and therefore gaue certaine passeports vnto many to haue dayly out of his campe a certaine alowance of victuals and liberty to his souldiours to sell some victuals vnto the besieged for necessary thinges as shooes hose apparell and other such things which did somewhat relieue them and stopped the barbarous eating one another The admirations of this strange hardnes of hart of that people brought him to consider Gods iust and secret iudgements who in his wrath hath sent euill spirits of Idolomany in the mouthes of their false prophets that as through blindnes of Idolatrie this fiftie yeres past and more they had replenished their streates with burnings murthers and massacres of the Saints and had stopped their eares vnto the voyce of Christ so they should bee replenished with error and idolatrous hardnes by the wicked Friers and Iesuites possessed with lying spirites to bring them to that thraldome and obloquie neither will that Citie euer be restored to peace and iustice vntill that the streetes thereof be washed with the bloud of that damned generation The King considering his office and charge annexed and inseparably ioyned to his Crowne to minister iustice that is to punish the offenders and transgressors and that there began the rebellion there was by the consent of most wrought the death of the King and that by the reioycing and approbation of the sayd death they had rendred themselues accessarie and guiltie of the same euen their walles houses temples all whatsoeuer they had Therefore he considering correlatiuely his office their offence could not giue ouer the siege and seeing that they refused lawfull try all by their rebellion hee would followe that which in such a case God hath ordained that is force violence and warre yet hee determined to trye fashioning himselfe after Gods Image who is long suffering whether they might be prouoked to take pitie vpon their afflicted estate Here we will leaue the King for a time and will passe into other places to see what preparations of warre be made We haue sayd how the Duke de Mayne returned from Bruxels where hee was royally receaued as a poore simple lackie as is sayd into Champaigne thence he sent to the Duke Aumale and the Vidasme d'Amiens into Picardie to gather such forces as they could and to repayre vnto him with as much speede as they might to ioyne with the Duke of Parma who was comming with great forces Wherevpon about the middest of August the Lord Iumeges vnderstanding that the sayd Duke Aumale and Vidasme had gathered forces were going toward the Duke de Mayne to ioyne with the Spanyards comming out of the Lowe Countrey met with them nigh Amiens discomfited them and slewe thrée thousand of them as the common report is among whom was the Vidasme of Amiens The Duke Aumale by flight saued himselfe within Amiens The Duke of Parma in the meane time commanded the two regiments of Spanyards appoynted by the King of Spayne to keepe home and to doo their feate as they should vnderstand when the opportunitie should serue to march forward before him For although leauing the countrey vnprouided of sufficient forces the States would take occasion to do their busines and to surprise places yet according to the prouerbe he consented to some losse for feare of loosing all The Spaniards were very vnwilling to goe to that iourney but hee put them in hope of doing some great and waightie exployts which were not for euery man to knowe and which could not be effected without their counsell and helpe making them beléeue that they were the onely Souldiers of the world At length the Spanyards as a restie horse which striueth with the rider and goeth backward afore hee will take his way forward Vpon their departure hee sent foorth euery where to shewe his iourney into France hee setteth foorth a description of his armie how many thousand footmen how many thousand horsemen how many Princes Dukes and Earles what Caesars and Alexanders there was in that armie And when all came to all there were three which are by him called Princes euen such as he is himselfe such as may be a Knight here in England which do hold some small Dukedomes of small townes in Italy either of y e Pope or els of King Philip such as are holden in flauerie as the Bassas by the Turke to wit the Princes for so hee tearmeth them of Ascoly Castel Bertran and Symay two Princes as obscure as the name of their principalities There were y e Marquesse of Renty the Earle Berlamount There were also Dons of Spayne as Sanctio Layeua Iuan Baptista Tasis Alonso Idiaques Antonio de Zuniga Pedro Gaetano and Capechuca Romano All these Dons were such as might be twentie groates in the bookes of Subsidie so great noble men they were men that could haue shewed great prowesse vpon the naked Iudiens To be short there were three great Lords Pride Vanitie and Folly who were masters of the Campe. There were also fewe Carrowssers out of Flanders Henault and Brabant hee gaue them terrible names as Amutinados that is angry men Mansferidos and other such I wot not what as would make the poore heathnish women in Italy and Spayne crosse their foreheads thinking to heare some names of diuels He setteth foorth his furniture his stable his pages the couerings of his coffers and moyles and why not the belles of his moyles But a great ouersight was committed by him that made no mention of his Curtizans that was not for lacke of good will but
of Bourbon our mercifull and gracious King long may he liue the noble King of France with great reuerence and submission crauing pardon and shewing themselues sorrowfull for their rebellion and offences committed agaynst his maiestie The King considering their repentance and submission pardoned them with louing gracious and comfortable words whereupon were the keyes of their citie deliuered him who receaued them with amiable countenance These things being done the Citizens marching before the Magistrates after and the Cleargie following them conducted the King and his Princes in most triumphant sort to his lodging the people saluting him all the way with this acclamation Long liue Henry of Bourbon King of France and Nauarre It is sayd before how the Lord Diguieres had pacified Daulphine hath assaulted the Duke of Sauoy abroad and at home The Duke of Sauoy séeing himselfe hardly matched aduised how to molest the sayd Lord Diguieres sent to his good master the King of Spayne to bee reuenged therefore they tooke this aduise to send foure hundred light horses of Naples with some of the best of the olde garrisons there into Piemont which by reason of the swiftnes of their horses should molest the land of Daulphine with daily courses roades and inuasions These foure hundred Neapolitanes hauing taken counsell how to enter the land of Daulphine with a swift pace had not determined with what pace they should get out They therefore ranne as swift as their horses could goe as farre as the fort Bowe where the Lord Diguieres méeting stayed them so that they are not like to goe euer to Naples agayne to tell newes vnto their Curtizans of their light horses being there all slayne only a fewe excepted There it appeared to them that the best warre is not in Italy nor the best souldiour of Naples and that there is a great difference betweene the souldier trayned vp in Militarie Discipline and daily employed to great and waightie affayres and him who vnder the name of souldier is moulten in filthie pleasures in the Stewes of Curtizans as these were There appeared also how the horse is but a vayne thing to saue a man in an vniust cause and that they were but robbers who came to spoyle and molest them that had neuer proffered them wrong This exployt was done about the beginning of March as I can coniecture The Lord Digueres hauing cut short those insolent Italians determined to pursue some forces which were retiring out of Daulphine into Sauoy againe whome hee followed so short that hee entred the citie of Chamberie Metropolitan of Sauoy This is a great Citie famous for the straunge Idolatrie vsed in the same There is an olde filthy ragge some gowtie clowt of some gowtie Frier they haue made the world beléeue such is the spirit of Idolatrie in them that know not God and such is the spirit of Auarice in them that applie religions to gaine that it was the shrowd wherein Christ was buried therefore certaine times of the yeare there was a resort of infâ—nite mâ—ltitudes of people of diuers countreys and nations which came to worship that holy ragge and pray holy 〈◊〉 ora pro nobis The Lord Diguieres hauing taken the same sacked and spoyled it but hauing not forces sufficient to munit and keepe it left it and returned home with a fat spoyle without any losse Whilest the Lord Diguieres was in Sauoy the Duke of Nemours gouernour of Lyons descended from Lyons with his forces into Daulphine desirous to haue surprized some townes in that Prouince in the absence of the Lord Diguieres But the said Diguieres in returning home from Sauoy met him and so charged him that after he had slaine most of his horsmen put him to flight and followed him so hard that the inhabitants of the Citie cleane burned the suburb called Guiltiere being very fayre great and rich fearing least the sayd Lord Diguieres would haue entrenched himselfe in the sayd Suburb Whilest these things did so passe in Daulphine there happened in Prouance that certaine great practizes were discouered to the losse of the autor as the old saying is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord Dampuis Lieftenant to the Duke of Sauoy in Prouance being resident at Aix the Metropolitan Citie there had wrought a treason to surprize the Citie of Tarascon situated vpon the â—iuer Rosne by the meanes of certaine Dominican Friers and thirtie or fortie of the inhabitants of the towne to whome hee had made many fayre and large promises The bargaine being made the meanes and time must be sought out which were in this wise about midnight the black diuels Friers should rise to sing their holy mattens and black santus and should giue the watch word with three strokes of the bell whereupon the trayterous Citizens should seaze vpon one of the gates the L. Dampuis should haue come to the gate with fiue hundred Cuirasses 5. hundred Harquebusieres who should haue entred by the meanes of the traytors who were within This counsell could not be kept so close but it came to the eares of the Ladie of Oruano and one captaine Corses by whose diligence and good order vsed the treazon was disappointed in the manner as followeth The gouernour hauing intelligences of their intent and whole platforme caused the Friers and their complices â—he night before to be taken and layd in sundry prisons the night appoynted to worke the feate being come an ambush of certaine souldiers of his companies was set out of the town in a conuenient place the said gouernour also had appointed a companie as well of his souldiers as of the faithfull citizens to stand in silence within the gate of the Citie vntill the watch word agreed betweene the Friers and the enemies should be giuen with thrée strokes of the bell All things beeing in a readines and the time come to worke the Lord Dampuis came vnto the gate with his companies according to promise harkening to heare the watch word and to bee admitted into the Citie by the complices Well the three strokes of the bell were heard the ambush began immediatly behinde and the towns men opening the gate before to assault them so furiously not with the sounding of the bell but with sound of the Harquebuze shot that the enemies beeing compassed about within halfe an hower were slayne in a manner all and the Lord Dampuis taken prisoner and so wounded that two dayes after hee died of the woundes so the Towne was preserued from sacking and the people from murther and bondage and both the towne and People reserued to their kinges seruice this was done about the end of March. About the selfe same time the Countie of Carces had wrought another such practise also against the Towne of Tolon by the treason of the chiefest Consull and other Townes men which was in like maner discouered and the conspiratours apprehended and chastised We haue said before how the Senat of Aix in Prouance were rebels who not onely had
cause and wisedome and mistrusting the quarel of his side conceaued a great terrour and perceaued to haue cast himselfe so deeply into the Mire that if pollicy doth not plucke him out hee is like there to sticke fast a good while Therefore considering the small company which was about the King determined to assault him with many and for to bring to passe this his intent supposing the better to depart froÌ„ Monconter in time then to enioy it a while to his great domage he departed from Monconter about 11. a clocke in the euening with two hundred and fifty horsemen and sixe hundred Harquebuziers and trauelling all night came to Londiak by sixe a clocke in the morning beeing the twelft day of May. The King being at Londiak vnderstanding of the enemies coÌ„ming delayed no time but went immediatly to the field to receaue the said enemie The enemie perceauing the K. to haue determined to bid him battel to be already in the field left part of his footmen to force the trenches barricadoes of Londiak and this being done the enemie brought his horsemen and part of his footmen into the field to encounter the King there he deuided his companies into two troups in the one there was fiftie horsemen and in the other two hundred The King had but six score horsemen whome he deuided likewise into two troupes in the one thirty and in the other â—ourescore ten horsmen The King hauing set few footmen in battaile array called with a feruent prayer vpon the name of the GOD of armies and cheered vp his souldiers encouraging them to shew themselues men in defending such a iust cause as they had in hand which being done both armies ioyned and the enemie hauing made a verie small resistance was strooken with a sodaine terrour as if it were with a thunder-clap from heauen so that they began to wauer The Kings Souldiers perceauing this sodaine dread vpon the enemie gaue such a fresh and hot charge that they turned their backs and fled The King pursued them two miles from Londiak to a towne holden by their fauourers where these horsemen saued themselues There were fiftie horsemen slayne as many more taken prisoners many footmen slaine on the place and many both horsemen and footmen wounded The rest of the footemen saued themselues by flight into the woods which were neere at hand and there hid themselues Lo how there is neither strength nor counsell against the Lorde Lo howe the wicked is snared in his owne counsell The news of this foyle being blazed abroad throughout the enemies troups came also to Monconter by meanes whereof there rose such a sudaine feare among them that immediatly they retyred from the saide Monconter with al possible speed leauing the town frée from any strength of the enemie The Lord Tremblay being in the Castell and molesting the enemies daylie by sallies and slaughters of them as is sayd seing how wonderfully God had terrified that rebellious route went foorth of the Castell with his forces followed them and immediatly charged them so roughly that they were all slayne and taken prisoners by meanes whereof hee got both bagge and baggage from the enemie So was that accursed company enemies of mankind vtterly rooted out It is said before how the Lord D'ombes had gone from Renes into hase Britaine to a Towne called Quinpercorenten and in departing out of the sayd Towne to returne to Renes the garrisons of the enemies in townes about holden by them charged vpon the sayd Prince but were so receaued by him that there was slaine of the enemies side three Captayns of name and of great estimation among the Rebels seauen gentlemen of great account were taken prisoners all the rest in the pursuite were put to the sword Here thou mayst see Christian Reader that all these blowes slaughters and ouerthrowes euery where receaued cannot make these damned rebels consider the wrongfulnes of the cause which so obstinatly agaynst all lawes of nations agaynst nature and agaynst God they do defend As the rebels haue been beaten euen with a rod of yron by the Lords hand in his wrath both in Picardie and Britayn so now haue wee to consider an other example of Gods iustice executed vppon rebels in the Countrey of Caux in Normandie In this Moneth of May victuals beeing deare wares in the Citie of Roan one regiment appertayning to the Duke of Lorreine and the other to the Lord de la Lownde departed out of Roan planted themselues in a village called Cinqcens determining there to abide and to surprise such victuals for their maintenance as they could come by vntill the next haruest should prouide more plenteously there they fortifyed themselues with Trenches and Barricadoes this place is distant 9 Leagues from Diepe They fearing to be molested from Diepe had placed a troupe of horsemen in a wood distant two leagues from the place which they had fortifyed being fully in the high way from Diepe supposing if any forces should come from Diepe vpon them they might retire backe to geue intelligence vnto the sayd Regiments or else by making resistance should geue leasure to prepare themselues and to procure a fresh supply from Roan to back them if occasion should serue The Lord Chartres commaunder of Malta gouernour for the King in Diepe and Sir Roger Williams an English gentleman of great valoure and experience in militarie affayres who lately came thether hauing receaued intelligence of that fortification of Cinqcens and intent of the enemy resolued speedily to depart from Diepe in the euening the 19. day of May and trauailing all night came to the wood early in the next morning hauing with them four hundred French men and three hundred Englishmen There they found a troup of horsemen to stop their passage vpon whom they made a very fierce assault But they that came from Diepe gaue such a hot charge vpon them that all those horsemen were so slaine that none of them escaped any way Thus they leauing the dead bodies of the horsemen in the wood and taking some of their horses the Gouernor and Sir Roger Williams passed a long to Cinqcens and beeing come thether before noone they discryed the enemy with their Ensignes displayed within the Fort. The Gouernour of Deepe perceauing their fortification so strong alleaged that it was vnpossible to enter it therefore went about to perswade Sir Roger to goe backe agayne considering that the enemie was two to their one Sir Roger answered that it were a great dishonour for him so to doo and determined to set vpon them with his own thrée hundred men though it should cost both him and them their liues and with this resolution aduanced his Colours marching toward the enemie intended by the assistance of God to enter vpon them or els to lose his life in that place The Lord Chartres seeing that most honourable resolution of Sir Roger was wonderfully encouraged to the enterprise and thereupon protested to take