loss of a limb to the transgressors thereof for which certain Executioners shall be appointed that so our jurisdiction being resuscitated may revive again and those who have enriched themselves by our poverty among whom God for their pride hath raised up prophane contentions may be reduced to the State of the primitive Church and living in contemplation may shew us those miracles which are fled out of the World long ago and we in the mean time lead an active life as it is fitting The Historian adds the Pope having heard these things sighed with a troubled mind and desiring to appease their hearts and break their courage after he had admonished them he frighted them with threats but he did no good for all that Tho. Fullers holy War li. 4. The Christians were now plagued with Bendocdar the Mammaluke Prince in Egypt who succeeded Melechem and every where raging against them either killed or forced them to forswear their Religion The City of Joppa he took and burnt and then won Antioch slaying therein twenty thousand and carrying away captive an hundred thousand Christians These woful tidings brought into Europe so wrought on the good disposition of Lewes King of France that he resolved to make a second Voyage into Palestine to succour the Christians And to that end he provideth his Navy and is accompanied with Philip and Tristram his Sons Theobald King of Navarr his Son-in-Law Alphonse his Brother and Guido Earl of Flanders there went also Edward eldest Son to Henry III. King of England Lewes having now hoised up sail it was concluded that to secure and clear the Christians passage to Palestine from Pirates they should first take the City of Carthage in Africa by the way This Carthage long wrestled with Rome for the Soveraignty till Scipio crushed out her bowels with one deadly fall Yet long after the City stood before utterly demolished at last by the counsel of Cato it was quite destroyed it being within a days Sail from Rome Out of the ruines of this famous City Tunis arose which was not then considerable in bigness great only in mischief being seated betwixt Europe Asia and Africa and so became a worse annoyance to Christian Traffick than a whole Countrey of Saracens elsewhere The siege of Tunis being begun the Plague seized on the Christian Army Sir Walt. Ralegh Hist part 1. li. 5. ca. 3. whereof thousands dyed among others Tristram King Lewes his Son and he himself of a Flux followed after Many good Laws he made for his Kingdom that not the worst He first retrenched his Barons power to suffer parties to try their Titles to Land by duels He severely punished Blasphemers searing their Lips with an hot Iron And because by his command it was executed upon a rich Citizen of Paris some said he was a Tyrant He hearing it said before many I would to God that with searing my own Lips I could banish out of my Realm all abuses of Oaths He loved more to hear Sermons than to be at Mass yet was he somewhat superstitious as appeareth by some Instances For about the year 1240. Baldwin keeping by force the Empire of Constantinople which the French and other pilgrims of Syria had surprized and held it by right of conveniency being in great want of Money writ to King Lewes IX that the Holy Crown of Thorns of our Saviour was found and if he would help him with a sum of Money he would send it to him This King being of easie belief treated with the said Emperour for a great sum of Money and bought that crown which was put in the holy Chappel of Paris with great solemnity Shortly after the Venetians having bought a piece of the true cross as they said for two thousand and five hundred pounds sold it again to the same King Lewes for double the price The King himself carried it bare-headed and bare-foot to our Lady of Paris and the Pope gave to it fourty days of pardon His body was carried into France there to be buried and was most miserably tossed He was Sainted after his Death by Pope Boniface VIII and the 25th day of August on which day in his first Voyage to Palestine he went on Ship board is consecrated to his Memory Tunis was surrendred on conditions the French return home whilst Prince Edward valiantly setteth forward for Palestine Philip the third called the bold or the Hardy succeedeth to the Kingdom of France At the return of Philip Anno 1271. Queen Isabel his Wife dies in Sicily And his Unckle Alphonse with his Wife the Countess of Tholouse dye soon after at Bologne without any children so as according to the contract of the Marriage the Earldom of Tholouse should be incorporate to the Crown Richard Son to Henry King of England is traiterously slain by Guy of Montfort the Son of Simon of whom we have spoken walking in St. Laurences Church at Viterbo a City of the Pope's Pope Clement IV. born in Languedoc being dead the Cardinals disagree about the Election of a new Pope and continued in this contention two years nine months and one day as Platina reporteth The causes of so long a dissention are variously reported by several Historiographers But the chief were as follow Hist of Cardinalâ— part 3. lib. 1. The first and most forcible of all was the contrariety in the Natures of the Cardinals which were present at the Election at Viterbo who were eighteen in number all obstinate and untractable and had sworn each of them never to yeild to his companion in the least All of them believed themselves worthy of the Papacy and every one negotiated for himself without speaking a word of other pretenders so that it was not possible among eighteen several competitors to come to any resolution But that impediment being removed in which the Cardinals continued obstinate for above ten Months there arose another which lasted above a year and was the second occasion of the tediousness of the Election and that is that the Cardinals were divided into two Factions one of them Italians the other French These would have a Pope of their own Nation and the Italians would have him of theirs neither of them complying with the other and the number of the French being equal to the Italians there being no way to gain the two thirds of their Votes they remained divers weeks obstinate and doing nothing but the heaping dissention upon dissention The other reason was that this delay growing tedious to the Princes and particular to Philip King of France and Charles King of Sicily these two Princes resolved to come in person to Viterbo and solicite the Cardinals to expedite the creation of the Pope Upon this occasion the Cardinals which were adherents to these two Crowns having notice of their Resolutions would do nothing till they were arrived who when they did come served for nothing but to protract the election though their desire was to hasten it each of them
the Empire Anno 361. having before obtained of Constantius the Title of Caesar and been Entitled Augustus by the Soldiers in the City of Paris In the Year 375. St. Martin was made Bishop of Turin in France Exuperius was Bishop of Tholouse Simplicius of Vienna Amandus of Bourdeaux Maurice of Anjou Philastrius of Breux these were all accounted Bishops of great fame About this time sprung up the Sect of the Donatists Fuller's Prophane State Cap. 11. who were so called from a double Donatus as one saith whereof the one planted the Sect the other watered it and the Devil by God's permission gave the encrease The elder Donatus raised a Schism in Carthage against good Cecilian the Bishop there whom he loaded unjustly with many crimes which he was not able to prove August ad quod vult Deum and vexed with this disgrace he thought to right his credit by wronging Religion and so began the Heresie of the Donatists His most Dominative Tenet was that the Church was perished from the face of the earth the reliques thereof only remaining in his party There were two principal sides of them first the Rogatists so called from Rogatus their Teacher to whom St. Augustine beareth witness That they had zeal but not according to knowledge These were people of good lives hating bloody practices though erroneous in their Doctrine But there was another sort whom they called Circumcellions though as little Reason can be given of their Names as of their Opinions Their number in short time grew to be considerable Their Tenet was plausible and winning and that Faith is easily wrought that teacheth men to think well of themselves From Numidia Quod apud eum solum justitia locum haberet Aug. contr Petil. Lib. 2. where they began they overspread Africa Spain France Italy and Rome it self Their greatest increase was under Julian the Emperour This Apostate next to no Religion loved the worst Religion best they fled to this Bramble for succour extolling him for such a Godly man with whom alone justice did remain and he restored them their Churches again and armed them with many privileges against Christians Hereupon they killed many men in the very Churches murthering Women and Infants and ravishing Virgins c. The Donatists were opposed by the Learned Writings of private Fathers Optatus Milevitanus and St. Augustine and by two Councils one at Carthage Vid. August Epist 162. another at Arles in France Pope Miltiades was by the Emperour made Judge between the Catholicks and Donatists and after him the Bishop of Arles This Heresie continued till about the six hundreth year of Christ and that which put a period to this Heresie was partly their own dissentions but chiefly they were suppressed by the Civil Magistrate for Honorius the Emperour by punishments mixt with Instructions from the Church Vide Baron Annal in Anno 362. Num. 264. converted and reclaimed very many He caused the Patent of Privilege which Julian granted the Donatists Publicis locis affigendum in ludibrium To be affixed to publick places for a reproach unto them Julian was slain in battel against the Persians having governed the Empire after the death of Constantius one year and seven months Then Jovian was saluted Emperour who being a professor of the Christian Faith rejected the Arians but he died of a surfeit in the eighth month of his Reign Then Valentinian was Elected Emperour a man constant in the Christian Faith but he died of an Apoplexy in the twelfth year of his Government leaving his Son Gratian to succeed him in the Empire who after the death of Valens his Uncle had the Government both of East and West his Brother Valentinian was his Colleague in the Government of the West Gratian in the beginning of his Reign reduced from banishment those Bishops whom Valens that Arian Persecutor had banished Gratian was slain by Andragathius Captain of the Army of Maximus who usurped the Empire of the West by fraud and treachery near Lions in France where he made his abode But Theodosius a man of Noble Parentage in Spain to whom Gratian had committed the Government of the East being mindful of the kindness of Gratian toward him lâ—d an Army against Maximus The Captains of Maximus's Army hereupon delivered him bound to Theodosius who put him to death Andragathius who slew Gratian seeing no way to escape threw himself head-long into the Sea and so perished Not long after Eugenius by the Power of the Earl Arbogastes Usurped the Government Anno 391. And the year following the said Arbogastes slew Valentinian at Vienna in France Epiphanius saith he was strangled in his Palace Century V. IN the Year 401. died St. Martin Bishop of Turin who following Hillary into France from his banishment having there lived an austere and retired life was Created Bishop of Turin almost at that time that St. Ambrose was established Bishop of Milan viz. in the Year 375. A man to be admired above all his Predecessors for Piety whom the Emperours themselves have had in great esteem and among the rest Maximus who feasted him Anno 386. in a Feast that his Wife the Empress had prepared who supplyed the place of a Waiter and Attendant at the Table her self Sulpitius Severus in the life of St. Martin sheweth that when he was to be chosen Bishop one of the people having taken the Psalter in the place of the Reader then absent began to read the eighth Psalm where there was Vt destruas inimicum defensorem at which word defensorem the people cryed out against one Defensor who opposed Martin's Election to the Episcopacy About this time the Monastical Profession came into Europe to which Jerome at Rome and St. Martin in France did much contribute In the Year 446. the Pelagian Heresie having spread over all Britain the British Churches being infected therewith King Vortigern sent for Germanus Bishop of Auxerres and Lupus Bishop of Troyes in Champagne out of France men eminent for their Counsel and Doctrine who confuting the Pelagians gained to themselves great esteem among the Britans After the return of Germanus and Lupus into their own Countrey Pelagianism began to sprout forth again in Britain But after three years Germanus returning back again into Britain brought with him Severus and the Pelagian Heresie was again condemned in a second Synod Britain being thus settled in good order Germanus went again into France and died soon after his return In this Century flourished other worthy Bishops and Preachers in France Eucherius Bishop of Lions was then eminent some of whose writings are yet extant Baron ad Ann. 453. About this time Baronius speaks of a Synod of Anjou which saith Let none be Ordained Priests or Deacons but such as have one Wife only who married Virgins Hillary first Bishop of Arles and afterward as appeareth of Vienna flourished about the year 458. he opposed himself directly to Leo Bishop of Rome and would acknowledge no
that should seek to hinder the effect of the precedent Articles To cause Judges to be appointed to examine the crime committed by the Duke of Alançon declaring himself Chief of the Hereticks To cause the said Duke to come to Court with the King of Navarre and the Prince of Conde and to seize upon the said Duke King and Prince and all their Accomplices That the Captains that should be under the Duke of Guise should put all Protestants and adherents to the Sword both in the Country and in Walled Towns To subdue the revolted Princes To be Masters of the Field To block up the Towns that were opposite and to put all to fire and sword that should make head against them Then to take exemplary punishment of the Duke of Alanâ—on now henceforth to be called the Duke of Anjou and his Complices Then by the Pope's consent to put the King and Queen into a Monastery as King Pipin in former time had done Childeric and in favour of the Roman See to abolish the liberties and priviledges of the French Church These high projects were hearkened unto received and favoured in the Court of Rome The Articles of this Association were first drawn at Peronne in Picardy but disguised with goodly shews to blind them that would examine them more exactly which were To maintain the Law of God to restore the holy service thereof To preserve the King and his Successours in the Estate Dignity Service and Obedience due unto him by his Subjects To restore unto the Estates of the Realm their Rights Preheminencies and Ancient Liberties And for the execution of these Articles a certain form of Oath was propounded inflicting pains of eternal damnation to the Associates that for any pretext whatsoever should withdraw themselves from this League and a Bond for such should be enrolled to employ their goods persons and lives to punish and by all means to ruine the enemies and perturbers thereof and to punish them that should fail or make any delays by the Authority of the Head as he should think good This being done many Posts went to and fro carrying the news of these designs They cast many Libels through the Streets in many great Towns They murmure that the Protestants are too much supported by the Edict And under this plausible name of the Church the people give ear to such as are ready to thrust them into Mutiny The King was daily advertised of these things But on the other side he hated the Protestants and sought to ruine them by degrees but not by any Instruments without his Authority His Mother likewise hated them to the death She causeth the Duke her Son to come to the Court and the King to be reconciled to him The King calls an Assembly of the States at Bloyes where Peter d'Espinac Arch-Bishop of Lions and the Baron of Senecey are Speakers the one for the Clergy the other for the Nobility and both conclude a publick Exercise of one only Religion in France Peter Versoris Advocate in the Court of Parliament in Paris Oratour for the third Estate insists on the Union of all the Kings Subjects in one Religion but by mild means and without War The King seemed to encline only to alter some Articles in the last Edicts of Pacification and not to abolish it quite But at length the King consenteth to root out all other Religion but the Popish to banish all Ministers Deacons and Overseers of the Reformed Religion and yet to take all his other Subjects of the said Religion into his protection attending that by better instructions they might be brought into the bosome of the Church But the King of Navarre the Prince of Conde the Marshal of Montmorency d'Anville and other Noble-men both of the one and the other Religion refusing to assist at this present Parliament conclude a nullity of all that was Decreed to prejudice the Edict of Pacification protesting to maintain themselves in the Rights Liberties and Freedoms which the last Edict had granted them The King of Navarre beseecheth the Estates by the Duke of Montpensier who was sent unto him not to infringe the Edict of Peace but to suffer the Protestants to enjoy that which had been so formerly granted He desireth time to attend the opinion of an Assembly of those of his Religion and of the Catholick-Associates which was to be shortly made at Montaubon The Prince of Conde answers more sharply That he doth not acknowledge the Assembly at Bloys for the Estates of the Realm but a Conventicle of persons corrupted by the sworn enemies of the Crown who have sollicited the abolition of the Edict to the subversion of the Realm That he hath alwaies honoured the Clergy and Nobility but he pities the people whom this Assembly at Bloys sought to ruine The chief of the Politicks declare that they adhere not to any other Religion than that of their Fathers but they are against the taking from the Protestants the publick Exercise which had been so solemnly allowed them The Duke of Montpensier being returned perswaded to have the Edict confirmed John Bodin a man famous for Learning and experience in State-affairs one of the Deputies of the Commons of Vermandois sheweth to the Assembly how ruinous and fatal the new taking up of Arms would be repeating from the beginning all the dangers and miseries of the late Wars which made a deep impression on the minds of the third Estate But the other Orders being byassed and pre-ingaged it was determined by plurality of voices that request should be made unto the King to establish only the Romish Religion in the Kingdom and to exclude for ever all Communion with the Hugonots Nevertheless Bodin procured certain words to be entred in the Records of the Order of Commons to certifie their desire of unity in Religion without the noise of Arms and the necessity of War This Bodin was a man eminent as well among Protestants as Papists though himself professed the Romish Religion His Learning and skill in Politicks appears in his great Book de Republicâ Thuanus highly commendeth his writings Possevine dislikes his Methodus Historica because he makes such honourable mention of the Protestants there Some commend his Theatrum Naturae for a choice piece a Book full of natural curiosities The King gives notice to his Governours and publisheth by his Letters Patents that he is resolved to grant the Estates their requests touching the Exercise of one only Religion And thus the sixth Civil War begins in Guienne During the Parliament the Deputies of the Low Countries demand succours of the King and the Duke of Anjou for Pfotectour of their Liberties against the insolencies of the Spaniards Anjou is now declared the King's Lieutenant General They deliver him a mighty Army with which contrary to the Oath taken by him in the observation of the accord and promise pass'd with the Prince of Conde and Duke Casimire he besiegeth and taketh La-Charitè by Composition and Ysoire in
water as they are distinguished by John Baptist in Matth. 3. And he declares the words of the Institution and the effect of Baptism Jacob Andrews held there is but one Baptism because St. Paul saith one Baptism Beza said there is an outward and an inward washing And he rebuked the Wortembergers because they did not call the blood of Christ the thing signified in Baptism They asked whether Infants have Faith Beza denied and the other affirmed it They questioned whether the Elect being sanctified may lose faith Beza denied They asked what hope may Parents have of their Baptized Children Beza said All should hope well but we are not Prophets to fore-tell that this or that Child shall be a good or bad man Concerning Predestination Those of Wortemberg said God from all eternity not only foresaw the fall of man but hath also foreknown and chosen them that shall be saved and hath appointed them unto salvation that is that they should be saved by Christ for the election was made in Christ The number of them who shall be saved is certain with God So the question is say they whether God hath Predestinated his Elect unto life so that he in his hidden and absolute judgement hath appointed the most part of men unto eternal damnation that he will not have them to repent nor be converted and saved We believe say they that such Decree cannot be shewed by Scripture They reject those Propositions that Reprobation is the most wise purpose of God whereby from all eternity he hath constantly Decreed without all unrighteousness not to shew love on them whom he hath not loved that unjustly condemning them he might declare his wrath against sin and shew his glory The cause of the Decree of Election or Reprobation is his eternal favour toward them who at his pleasure are appointed unto salvation and his eternal hatred of ill ordaining whom he pleaseth unto condemnation But why he hath appointed these men rather than those unto salvation or damnation there is no other impulsive cause but his will c. Beza answered thus What ye deny That the vessels of wrath as well as the vessels of mercy were ordained from eternity we do affirm not only because there is a like reason of contraries and the very word Election proveth it but also it is declared by the express word of God Rom. 9.11 And this is so far said he from any ground that man can challenge God of unrighteousness that he were not unjust though he had condemned all men seeing we are all by nature the Children of wrath and he is debtor to none We say further that their Condemnation who in the eternal Decree are left in their corruption is not rightly attributed unto this Decree for albeit that which God hath Decreed cannot miss but shall come to pass and so they who perish do not perish without this Decree yet the cause of the execution or of their condemnation is not that Decree of God but their natural corruption and the fruits of it from which it pleased God to exempt them only whom he hath chosen to salvation That there ever was and is a great a number of them that perish the matter it self sheweth and Christ saith Few are chosen few do enter in at the strait gate Lastly that God will not have them to be converted and saved it 's not to be understood as if they were willing and God resisteth their desire but that they will not be converted nor can they will being forsaken of God and left in impenitency He answered also to the Objections Then they came to that question whether Christ died for all men Jacob held the affirmative and Beza the negative Prince Frederick now thought it time to close seeing no hope of agreement Osiand Cent. 16. lib. 4. cap. 23. he exhorted them to give one another the hand of Fraternity and to abstain from bitter writings until God shall give them more cause of Peace Jacob answered seeing they have accused us of gross Errours how can we acknowledge them as Brethren Beza said seeing you refuse to give us the right hand of Fraternity neither acknowledge us as Brethren we do not regard your hand of friendship So the Conference was ended March 29. Anthony Faius one of Beza's assistants in this Conference was a French Divine He hath written these Works In Epist ad Romanos In Priorem ad Timotheum In Ecclesiastem Enchiridion Theologicum De Vita Obitu Theod. Bezae Emblemata Epigrammata Miscel Abraham Faius his Son hath put out a Book entitled Linguae Gallicae Italicae hortulus amoenissimus horarum subcisivarum libri duo Now the King begins a War against the Protestants in Guienne The Castle of Angiers is suddenly taken by the Hugonots without much difficulty Angiers is a City scituate on this side the Loire in a sweet fertil Countrey well peopled famous for the study of the Law and commodiously seated to fall into all the Provinces of Gallia Celtica which largely invirons it on every side But this Castle of Angiers was recovered by the Catholicks before it was relieved and the Prince of Conde not knowing what was done coming to relieve Angiers was defeated The King sets forth divers Armies one under the Duke of Mayenne the Mareschal de Byron marcheth with another Army into Xantonge The King sets forth two other Armies one under the Duke of Joyeuse in Avergne the other under the Duke of Espernon in Provence he himself goes to Lions Then the Protestant Princes of Germany raise a mighty Army to relieve the Hugonots They send an Embassie before unto the King of France which encreaseth the discontents and hasteneth the taking up of Arms. The King seeks to perswade the King of Navarre to turn Catholick and come to Court he sends the Queen-Mother to Treat with him in Poictou about it Those of the League are highly displeased and murmure at it And from that occasion the union of the Parisians is fomented who provide and Arm themselves secretly They plot to surprize Bolougne in Picardy but the business is discovered and the Town is saved The Duke of Guise being up in Arms in Burgundy and Champagne takes Ausonne and Rocnoy and besiegeth Sedan The Queen-Mother returns from the King of Navarre to Paris but without effect The King makes a new Protestation not to Tolerate the Hugonots any longer He unites himself with the Catholick League to oppose the German Army He sends the Duke of Joyeuse into Poictou against the King of Navarre who coming unexpectedly cuts off two Regiments of the Hugonot Infantry The Duke of Guise draws his Army together to advance against the Germans in Lorain The King levieth Swisses and raiseth great Forces for the same purpose The Count of Soissons and the Prince of Conti go over to the King of Navarre's party The Duke of Lorain united with the Duke of Guise opposeth the entry of the Germans into his Countrey
Christians which would not renounce their Faith he cashiered and deprived of all military honour and some of their lives Many of the Bishops were plundered slain and martyred Great Cruelties were exercised against the Christians in Egypt Syria Phrygia and in other parts Vincentius saith Vincent in Specul Lib. 12. That at Triers which is a City situated by the River Mosella one Bietionarius exercised so great cruelty that the River was red with the blood of the Christians that were slain In France likewise he sent Posts up and down hither and thither with Decrees and express Commissions to this end that in whatsoever place any Christian was found he should presently be put to death But these two bloody Emperours seeing the number of the Christians rather to encrease than to diminish notwithstanding all the cruelty that they could shew and having now as it were their fill of blood they ceased at last of their own accord to put any more Christians to death and finding themselves not able to destroy the Church they gave over the Empire and became private men Constantius Chlorus and Maximinus Galerius succeeded in the Empire Constantius parted the Empire with Galerius and would Rule but in Britain Spain and France Galerius chose to him his two Sons Maximinus and Severus and Constantius took Constantine his Son Caesar under him Constantius was a great supporter of the Christians And when in the other Jurisdictions of the Empire the Congregations of the Christians were molested with Persecutions Constantius gave liberty to the Christians Century IV. COnstantius dying at York ANNO 306. Constantine his Son succeeded him in the Empire Constantine who Ruled France did not only abstain from shedding Christian blood but also had the Christians in great esteem Nazarius and Patera were esteemed rare Oratours in France living at that time The Histories of those Times make mention of one Sebastian a Martyr he being born in that part of France called Galâ—ia Narbonensis Fox Act. Monum Vol. 1. was a Christian and a Lieutenant General in the Army of Dioclesian who also encouraged many Martyrs of Christ by his Exhortations unto Constancy and kept them in the Faith He being therefore accused to Dioclesian was apprehended and brought into the open field where of his own Soldiers he was thrust through the body with innumerable arrows and after that his body was thrown into a jakes or sink St. Ambrose makes mention of this Sebastian the Martyr in his Commentary upon the 118. Psalm Constantine restored Peace unto the Church Anno 311. he Reigned thirty and two years great Tranquility enjoyed the Church under this good Emperour Before he had subdued Licinius he set forth many Edicts for the restitution of the Goods of the Church for the revoking the Christians out of Exile for taking away the Dissentions of the Doctors out of the Church for the setting of them free from publick charges A Copy of his Constitutions may be seen in Eusebius his Ecclesiastical History in his tenth Book and fifth Chapter In the fourteenth Year of Constantine there was holden a Council at Nice for the debating of the Controversie about the Feast of Easter and for the rooting out the Heresie of Arius There was likewise a Council holden at Arles under Constantine's Reign Constantine left three Sons whom he had by Fausta Maximian's Daughter Heirs of the Empire who also divided the Empire among themselves A sudden Sedition after their Father's death embroiled them all in blood and wars by the commotion and dissimulation of the Emperour Constantius In his Time the Arrian Heresie which for fear of Constantine had been suppressed began now again to lift up it's head for Constantius propagates that Heresie Hilary Bishop of Poictiers in France lived under the Reign of Constantius a man in Religion constant in Manners meek and courteous he wrote sharply against the Arians Ruffin Lib. 1. cap. 31. he was banished immediately after the Council of Milan into Phrygia as some suppose Among divers others he dedicated his Book De Synodis fidei Catholicae contra Arianos to the Bishops of the Provinces of Britain during his Exile for the Orthodox Faith commending them for their constancy in the profession of that Faith Theodor. Lib. 3. cap. 4. Theodoret writeth that he was banished to Thebaida and recalled from Exile again under Julian But it is more apparent that he remained in Phrygia until the Council of Seleucia unto which Council he was brought from banishment not by any special Commandment from the Emperour but by a general command given to his Deputy Leonas Hist Magdeb. Cent. 4. cap. 10. to assemble together the Bishops of the East under pretence of executing the command of the Emperour Hillary being banished in the East was brought to the Council of Seleucia from thence he went to Constantinople The Emperour refused to hear him dispute with the Arians in matters of Faith but gave him liberty to return to his own Countrey again He took great pains to purge the Countrey of France from the Arian Heresie and he prevailed so far that Jerome compares him to Deucalicon who both saw the flood of waters overflowing Thessalia and the abating of them also even so Hillary saw both the growth and decay of Arianism in France Hilar. Lib. 10. de Trinit Yet even this Father had his Errours for in his Tenth Book of the Trinity and upon Psal 138 and 53 he maintaineth That Jesus Christ in his death suffered no pain but that only he would make us believe that he suffered and that the blows did not give him any pain no more than if an arrow pierced the water or prickt the fire or hurt the air and that the virtue of the body of Christ received the violence of pains without feeling The same Father saith That Christ did eat and drink not out of any necessity but to comply with Custom for which Opinion he is reproved by Claudius Bishop of Vienna Du Moulin cont Perron Lib. 1. cap. 49. in the Book of the State of the Soul That Errour so gross hath brought him to another that in these words of the Lord Father let this Cup pass from me Jesus Christ desired his Father that his Disciples also might suffer in the like manner so that by his account St. Peter felt no pain in suffering martyrdom It is also one of his Opinions that Souls are Corporal He lived six years after his return from banishment and died under the Reign of Valentinian Stephanus Paschasius hath these Verses of him in his Icones Et nos exhilaras Hilari sanctissime Praesul Et monitis victa est Arria secta tuis Jerome although he was born in a Town of Dalmatia called Stridon and was instructed in rudiments of Learning at Rome yet from Rome he went into France of purpose to increase his Knowledge and to divers other places Constantius being dead Julian his Cousin German alone governed
heap of Constitutions about the keeping of Lent and Easter about the prohibition of Marriage betwixt Christians and unconverted Jews about Servants not to be admitted to Ecclesiastical Orders about Assemblies to be at the least yearly Convocated by Bishops about Ecclesiastical Rents not to be dilapidated Under the Reign of Theodebert King of Lorain Burgundy and Turinge the Fathers who were present at the Councils of Orleans convened also in the Council of Overnie and ordained that no man should arrive to the Office of a Bishop by the favour of men in Authority but by the merits of an honest and unreprovable life That the dead body of a Bishop in time of his Funeral should not be covered with the Pall otherwise called Opertorium Dominici corporis lest the honour done to the body should be a polluting of the Altar with many other Constitutions Under the Reign of Cherebert King of France a Council was Assembled at Tours In this Council it was Ordained that the Clergy and People in every Congregation should provide relief for their own poor and not permit them to wander up and down It was also Ordained that a Bishop should count his Wife as his Sister and that he should no manner of way company with her and for this cause should have Presbyters and Deacons so familiarly conversant with him that they might bear testimony of his honest behaviour viz. that he never companied with his Wife The Papists themselves could not overpass this Canon without a censure Moreover it was Ordained That no Priest or Monk should receive in bed with him another Priest or Monk to the end they might be so unreprovable that they would abstain from all appearance of evil In this Council were set down very strict prohibitions that no man should oppress the Church and convert to his own use any thing duly belonging to them lest he incurr the malediction of Judas who was a Thief and kept the bag and converted to his own use a part of that mony which belonged to the poor A Council likewise was holden at Paris wherein order was taken concerning admitting of Bishops to their Offices That no man should be admitted Bishop without the full consent of Clergy and People and that no man should presume by favour of Princes only without the consents aforesaid to become Bishop in any place Now Clotaire remained alone King of France his Brethren being dead their Children also were dead and Childebert the eldest died without Issue The Reign of Clotaire was short and wretched He sought to extort the thirds of all Ecclesiastical Things to his private Affairs but the Clergy opposed themselves against him so as threats prevailed not He dies Anno 567. Before that he Rules as King alone he Erected the little Realm of Yvetot upon this occasion Upon good Fryday he slew Gawter of Yvetot his Servant in the Chappel where he heard Service It is said that the King had ravished his Wife lodging in his house so as he that was beaten suffered the punishment Pope Eugenius displeased with this infamous murther condemned him to repair the fault upon pain of Excommunication Clotaire for satisfaction Ordaineth That from thenceforth the Lords of Yvetot should be free from all homage service and obedience to the King for the Land of Yvetot in the Countrey of Normandy And so this small seigneury hath continued long with the Title and Prerogative of a Realm until that this Title of a Realm was changed into a Principality the which the house of Bellay doth now enjoy Clotaire had by two Wives five Sons and one Daughter four survived him viz. Cherebert Chilperic Sigebert Gonthran and Closinde his Daughter Cherebert was King of France Chilperic King of Soissons Gonthran King of Orleans Sigibert King of Metz or Lorain although each of them called himself King of France and commanded absolutely over the Countries under their obedience All of them Reigned together fifteen years The second Council of Matiscon was convened in the twenty fourth year of King Gunthran In it complaint was made that Baptism usually was ministred on every holy day insomuch that upon Easter day scarce were two or three found to be presented to Baptism This they Ordained to be amended and that no man except upon occasion of infirmity presume to present his Child to Baptism but to attend upon the Festival dayes prescribed of old that is Easter and Whitsunday Also it was Appointed and Ordained that the Sacrament of the Altar should be Administred before any of the Communicants had tasted of meat or drink That no person who fleeth to the Church as to a City of Refuge should be drawn back again by violence from the bosome of the Church or be harmed in that holy place That a Bishop shall not be attached before a Secular Judge That the Houses of Bishops shall be kept holy with exercises of prayer and singing of Psalms and shall not be defiled with the barking of dogs and muting of Hawks That Secular men shall do reverence to those of the Clergy even unto the lowest degree of them in such sort that if the Secular Man do meet any of the Clergy walking on foot he shall honour him by uncovering his head But if the Secular man be riding on horseback and the Clergy-man on foot then the Secular man shall light down from his horse and shall do reverence to the Church-man In the third Council at Matiscon we read of nothing but a contentious disputation between two Bishops Palladius and Bertram and foolish questions scarce fit to be disputed in Grammar-Schools Chilperic a crafty man seizeth on his Father's Treasure and laboureth to become Master of the City of Paris but was not able to effect it Cherebert having cast off his Lawful Wife and being Excommunicated by German Bishop of Paris dieth at Blavia in Sancton in the ninth year of his Kingdom about the year 570 whose Kingdom his Brothers divide among themselves Chilperic and Sigebert waged War one against the other Chilperic enters the Countrey of Sigebert and takes from him the City of Rhemes Hereupon Sigebert pursues his Revenge and takes from Chilperic Soissons the Capital City of his Realm with his Son Theodobert forcing him to retire to Tournay Sigebert comes a Conquerour to Paris where he is received by common consent and so all the Cities belonging unto Cherebert yield him obedience But as he thought himself settled behold two young soldiers suborned by Fredegund an harlot of Chilperic's came to his Court enter freely into his Hall and getting near unto him each of them stabs him with his dagger and he falls down dead in the place These murtherers were suddenly torn in pieces so as they could not be known nor declare by whose instigation they had committed this murther Yet was it generally thought it was the practice of Fredegund to free Chilperic and to make her way the more smooth by the death of Sigebert who crossed her most Now is
battel But Charles Martel getting out of prison assisteth Plectrude gathereth Forces and overcometh the new King and Rainfroy Charles is now received and installed Major of France and having assured himself of the Children of King Dagobert he caused them to be gently brought up in a Monastery At Colen he seizeth on Plectrude and Thibauld and inflicts no other punishment upon them but enjoyns them to live quiet and to attempt nothing without his liking He pardons Rainfroy and gives him the Government of Anjou He degradeth Chilperic being advanced against Law and causeth the eldest Son of Dagobert to be chosen King named Chilperic the third Chilperic dies having reigned five years and in his place his Brother Thierri was crowned King He reigned ten years and dying left his Son Childerick the last King of this first race of the Merovingiens Charles Martel from Major of the Palace is chosen Duke or Prince of the French Eudo Prince of the Gascoigus to whom Rainfroy joyned himself called in the Saracens with their King Abdiram out of Spain Anno 725. whom Charles met and killed them with an universal slaughter there were slain in one day three hundred seventy and five thousand and of the French fifteen hundred among which were many of the Nobility and men of Note And having recovered Burgundy and Lions in the year following Eudo dying he invaded Aquitain and overthrew the Saracens in great numbers invading France in the year 731 and regained Avignon taken by them and forceth them to abandon Narbon and the whole Country to his mercy At that time divers devout Monks lived in France viz. Vandegrisil of Fontinel a builder of Monasteries of whom Sigebert makes mention Vrsmar of Lobia a Founder of a Monastery Bertine Abbot of Sithiena and holy Aegidius Childeric was King in shew nine years Anno 744. Pepin in the time of King Childeric called a Council at Soissons where he assisted in person together with the greatest Peers of the Land five under the Authority of Charles Martel and four under Pepin the Son of Charles who dispossessed him Charles Martel having governed the Kingdom five and twenty years dieth He had four Sons Carloman Pepin Giles and Grypho Giles was made Bishop of Rhotomagum and left his Government assigned him by his Father unto Carloman and Pepin and they two divide the Kingdom and Govern each one his own part under the Title of their Father as is apparent by the first words of the Council under Carloman In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ I Carloman Duke and Prince of the French in the year from the incarnation of Christ 742. on the 11th of the Kalends of March by the advice of the servants of God and of my Nobes I have Assembled the Bishops in my Kingdom c. Within seven years after this Synod he laid aside his Princely Authority saith Bellarmine and entred into a Cloyster becomes a Monk and so dieth at Vienna and then all the Authority was in Pepin alone Grypho had rebelled against Carloman but at last Pepin took him in Italy and caused him to be beheaded Anno 753. Pepin having the Government alone aimed at an higher Title Blondus and others who have written the Acts of the French Blond dec 14. Lib. 10. say that the Nobility and Commonalty of that Nation duly considering the worthiness of Pepin and sottishness of Childeric consulted with Zachary Bishop of Rome whether they should tolerate so foolish a King any longer and defraud Pepin of his deserved Princely honour And when the Pope answered That he was most worthy to be a King who could best discharge the Office of a King Petrie's Church-Hist Cent. 8. the French with the publick consent of the whole Nation did pronounce Pepin for their King and Childerick was shaven and made a Monk Then the Pope wrote unto Boniface Bishop of Mentz to Anoint Pepin King of France and declare all his Subjects free from their Oath of Allegiance unto their lazy Soveraign The Pope was chiefly moved hereunto with hope to draw help from Pepin against the Lumbards Concil apud Palat Vernes his mortal enemies Pepin Anno 755. called almost all the Gallican Bishops to meet at the Council of Vernes the Palace About this time Aponius a French man wrote several Books In the Council called by Carloman of which I hinted before he beginneth thus I Carloman c. have Assembled the Bishops which are in my Kingdom with the Priests into a Council and Synod These are Boniface Arch-Bishop of Mentz Burchard of Wirtzburg Reginfrid Guntharius with the rest of the Bishops and their Priests That they should give me Counsel how the Law of God and Religion of the Church may be restored which in the dayes of former Princes hath been shattered and fallen and how Christian People may attain the salvation of their souls and not perish being deceived by false Priests And by the advice of my Priests and Nobles We have Ordained Bishops through Cities and set over them the Arch-Bishop Boniface who is the Legate of St. Peter And we have Ordained that Synods should be called every year Concil Tom. 2. Edit Crab. that in our presence the Decrees of Canons Rites and Laws of the Church may be restored And we restore unto the Churches the Monies that have been taken from them We have also discharged all the Servants of God from hunting and wandring in woods with Dogs and that they have no Hawks nor Faulcons We have also Decreed according to the Holy Canons That each Presbyter dwelling in a Parish be subject unto the Bishop where he dwelleth and that alwayes in Lent he give an account of his Ministry whether of Baptism or Catholick Faith and prayers and order of Masses Then he forbiddeth sacrifice to the dead and other profane Rites of the Heathen He appointeth punishments against the Fornications and Adulteries of Monks It was also decreed that Monks and Nuns should live within their Abbies and Cloysters according to the Rule of their Father Benedict Pope Stephen confirmed Pepin and his Heirs for Kings of France and of him asked aid to withstand the Power of Aistulphus then King of Lombardy who then had exacted Tribute from certain Lands belonging to the Bishop of Rome and because it was refused took up Arms. The Pope wrote a Letter directed to the Kings of France and to all Bishops Abbots Priests and Monks and to the Glorious Dukes and Counts and unto the whole Army of the Kingdom of France Stephen Pope and all the Bishops Priests and Deacons Dukes Counts People and Army of the Romans all being in anguish with how doleful and bitter grief we are encompassed on every side with how great perplexity and doubtfulness we are distressed and how many tears our eyes do shed because of the continual troubles which are multiplyed upon us we think that the smallest part of all the elements do declare for who beholding our
the Catholick Church Then he appealeth to the testimony of Ambrose Augustine and Hierome who never taught the Doctrine of Transubstantiation He writeth also that the very Flesh and Blood of Christ was given unto the Apostles at the first Institution and are still given unto faithful Communicants Adelman enlarged much on this subject What answer Berengarius did return to him we find not But he wrote an Epistle to Lanfrank declaring the abuses of the Sacrament and commending the Book of John Scotus upon that question Occolampad Epist l. 3. And he wrote expresly that the Body of Christ is not in the Sacrament but as in a sign figure or mystery He spake also in his Preachings against the Romish Church in the Doctrine of Marriage and necessity of Baptism And Bellarmine witnesseth that Berengarius called the Church of Rome the malignant Church the Council of vanity and the seat of Satan and he called the Pope not Pontificem vel Episcopum sed pompificem Pulpificem It happened that Lanfrank was not at home and the Convent opened the Letter of Berengarius and sent it with a Clerk of Rhemes unto Pope Leo IX The Pope summoned a Synod at Verceles Berengarius was advised not to go himself to the Synod but send some Clerks in his name to answer for him The two Clerks were clapt in Prison Scotus was condemned 200 years after his death and the Doctrine of Berengarius was condemned yet nothing done against his Person at that time because many favoured him Lanfrank pleaded for him but he was commanded by the Pope to answer him under no less pain than to be reputed as great an Heretick as he Petries Ch. Hist Cent. 11. Lanfrank following the sway of the World for afterwards he was made Arch-Bishop of Canterbury by Willliam the Conquerour performed the charge Guitmund Bishop of Aversa wrote more bitterly and less truly against Berengarius Nevertheless Berengarius abode constant and was in great esteem both with the Nobility and People And therefore Pope Victor the second gave direction to the Bishops of France to take order with him The Pope's Ambassadours were present at the Council and Berengarius answered that he adhered to no particular opinion of his own but he followed the common Doctrine of the Universal Church that is saith he as the Fathers Primitive Church and Scriptures have taught This gentle answer mitigated the fury of his Adversaries yet he persisted in his own opinion and for this cause Lanfrank objected against him that he deluded the Council of Tours with general and doubtful words Du. Moul. Contr Perron li. 1. Afterwards Pope Nicholas the second hearing that he was honoured of many assembled a great Council against him at Rome of 113 Bishops where it was declared and pronounced That the Bread and Wine which is put upon the Altar after the Consecration is not only the Sacrament but also the true Body of our Lord Jesus Christ And that not only the Sacrament but the Body of the Lord is * It seems they meant sensibly sensually and in truth handled by the hands of the Priest broken and bruised by the teeth of the faithful When Berengarius with many Arguments defended that the Sacrament to speak properly was the figure of Christ 's body and Cardinal Albericus who was nominated to dispute against him could not by voice resist him Sigon de reg Ital li. 9. and neither of the two would yield unto the other Alhericus sought the space of seven days to answer in writing And at last when disputation could not prevail against him he was commanded to recant or else he must expect to be burnt They prescribed to him a form of Recantation of his errour as they called it Gratian de consecrat dist 2. The Recantation was penned by Cardinal Humbert and is registred by Gratian. Nevertheless the words of the Recantation are far from Transubstantiation These are the words so far as they concern our present purpose Massons Annal. Franc. li. 3. faithfully translated I Berengarius do consent to the Apostolick and Roman See and with my Mouth and Heart confess that the Bread and Wine laid on the Altar after the Consecration are not only the Sacrament but the very body and blood of our Lord Jesus and sensibly not only in Sacrament but in truth are handled with the hands of the Priest broken and chewed with the hands and Teeth of the faithful John Semeca the Glossator of the Decrees expresly condemneth the words of this Recantation and saith If thou understandest not the words of Berengarius soundly thou shalt fall into a greater Heresie than he did for we break not Christ 's body into pieces nisi in speciebus Usser de success Eccles Berengarius returning home returned also to his former Doctrine and wrote in defence of it Some have written that Berengarius denyed the Baptism of Infants But Arch-Bishop Vsher saith that in so many Synods held against him we never find any such thing laid to his charge Illyricus gives this Character of him Tempore Leonis noni circa 1049. Berengarius Vir pietate eruditione Clarus Andegavensis Ecclesiae Diaconus quum videret Pontificios Doctores quam plurimos ingenti fastu Transubstantiationis fundamenta sternere quod mentem Augustini aliorum Veterum non intelligerent Vid. Thevet vies des hommes Illustres li. 3. sed Sacramentales Hyperbolicas nonnullas locutiones ad novum sensum inducendum detorquerent veram sententiam ex Orthodoxo consensu repetitam his corruptelis opposuit verbo Dei Testimoniisque Veterum Theologorum refellere conatus est scriptis etiam evulgatis libris ut pii in vera Doctrinâ confirmarentur Catal. Test Verit. lib. 22. Berengarius dyed holding his first Doctrine at Tours in the Isle of St. Cosina and was buried at St. Martins where his Tomb was reared and Hildebert Bishop of Caenoman and then of Tours and made his Epitaph which William of Malmesbury hath set down And this is a part of it Quem modò miratur semper mirabitur orbis Ille Berengarius non obiturus obit Guil. Malmsb. de Gest Anglor li. 3. Quem sacrae fidei vestigia summa tenentem Huic jam quinta dies abstulit ausa nefas Illa dies damnosa dies perfida mundo Quâ dolor rerum summa ruina fuit Quâ Status Ecclesiae quâ spes quâ gloria Cleri Quâ cultor juris jure ruente ruit Post obitum secum vivam precor ac requiescam Nec fiat melior sors mea sorte suâ Platina calleth Berengarius famous for learning and holiness He was a great friend to learning Platin. in vit Joann 15. and bred many Students of Divinity at his proper charge and by means of them his Doctrine was sowed through all France and the Countries adjacent This was matter unto his adversaries to envy him the more Albeit he did waver as
renounce Gregory was hereupon declared Legate Della Marca and went to his charge but he dyed soon after at Ricanati of discontent John and Gregory being removed there remained a third still which was Benedict XIII who declared that he would never renounce Hereupon Sigismund the Emperour went in person to the Kings of France and of England to advise with them about forcing Benedict to a renouncing also Sigismund having received a satisfactory answer from these two Princes he went to Narbon and discoursed personally with Ferdinand King of Arragon whose Subjects paid obedience to Benedict But Benedict still alledged that he was the true Vicar of Christ saying that Constance was not a place convenient for the liberty of an Ecclesiastical Council seeing that John had been condemned and deposed from the Papacy by those very persons who had been formerly his Friends and received him to the Pontifical dignity The Princes of Spain observing the pertinacity of Benedict concurred with the opinion of the Council which was managed by five several Nations viz. Italy Germany England France and Spain What these Nations had done was approved and published by a Trumpet or a publick Notary Then Benedict's cause being discussed he was at last deposed and declared void of the Papacy no reckoning being made of the absent Scots and Count d'Armignac who continued their obedience to him About this time John Huss and Jerome of Prague his Disciple were condemned and burnt for Hereticks On Novemb. 8. Anno 1417. thirty two Cardinals entred the conclave with thirty others for the several Nations which is six a piece and on the 11 th of the same Month which was the Feast of St. Martin about three in the Morning Cardinal di san Gregorio called Oddo Colonna before was created Pope with great satisfaction to the people The Emperour presently went into the conclave and having thanked the Cardinals kissed the Pope's Feet The Pope embraced him and thanked him for his great industry in that affair This Pope would needs be called Martin because his Election hapned on that Saint's day Then all the French Cardinals left Benedict and came in unto Martin the Scots and d'Armignac did the same and all Christendom except Paniscola which remained divided Martin being desirous to put an end to the Council Anno 1418. he made a publick Assembly after which by common consent but especially of Sigismund Ibaldo Cardinal of St. Vito by order from the Pope pronounced these words of dismission Domini ite in pace and so all had liberty to depart Then Martin hastned to Rome travelling by Milan as the nearest way He sate fourteen years and dyed of an Apoplexy Febr. 20. Anno 1431. When Benedict had sate thirty years and was dead his Cardinals chose Pope Clement VIII but he compounded with Martin and so the schism was ended Henry V. King of England had invaded France and soon after at the Battle of Agin-Court ten thousand French-men were slain Anthony Duke of Brabant with his Brother Philip Earl of Nevers were also slain by the English Bow-men These were Brethren to John Duke of Burgundy Charles Duke of Orleans and Lewes of Burbon the Earls of Richemont Ew and Vendosme the strongest pillars of the Orleans faction with many other Noble-men and Gentlemen were taken prisoners and carried into England Lewes the Daulphin dyeth soon after this defeat The Emperour Sigismund cometh into France making shew of the great desire he had to make a peace betwixt the French and the English The English take all Normandy and Rhoan is besieged and taken and all the Isle of France yieldeth to King Henry even to the Gates of Paris France was now strangely divided into divers factions The King's Authority were for the Queen and the Burgundian Piccardy Burgundy and many other Towns in Bry Champagne and Beausse obeyed them absolutely after the great massacres that had been lately done in Paris Only Sens adhered to the Daulphin Charles The Prince of Orange of the Burgundian Faction makes War in Daulphinè and Languedoc to cross the affairs of Charles who notwithstanding had the greatest part of the Countrey at his devotion with the friendship of Avignon and the Earldom of Veness The English possessed all Normandy and a great part of Guienne But Rochel Poictiers St. John de Angelo Angoulesm Fontenay and some other Towns acknowledged the Daulphin All Anjou was his Avergne Berry Burbonois Forrest and Lionois obeyed him He likewise took upon him the Name of Regent The Duke of Britain leaves the English and joyns with the Daulphin The people grow in dislike with the Duke of Burgundy and the Parisians mutiny against the Burgundian faction and kill his Servants At length a peace is made betwixt the Daulphin and the Burgundian Anno 1419. but soon after the Daulphin causeth John Duke of Burgundy to be murthered in his presence This John had slain Charles Duke of Orleans traiterously and now he is treacherously slain by Charles the Daulphin Philip Son to John Duke of Burgundy stirs up great troubles against Charles the Daulphin in revenge of his Father 's death By his means Isabel an unkind Mother makes War against Charles her Son and peace with Henry V. King of England then a Capital Enemy to the State She gives him her Daughter Katherine in Marriage and procures King Charles VI. her Husband to declare Henry his lawful Heir and to disinherit his only Son Charles from the Realm of France But in the midst of these occurrences Henry V. dyeth in the vigour of his age and spirit on the last day of August Anno 1422. and Charles VI. the French King dyed fifty days after on the 22. of October the same year After his Funerals Henry VI. an Infant Son to Henry V. is proclaimed King of France and after is crowned King at Paris Charles VII after the decease of his Father Charles VI. took upon him the name of King of France notwithstanding the pretension of the English He was 21 years old when he began to reign and reigned 39 years The beginning of his reign was troublesome till he was installed King and thereby acknowledged of all the French Afterwards he reduced the Cities subdued by the English to his obedience beginning with the City of Paris and so proceeding to the rest of the Realm expelling the English from all except Calais In the close of his Reign he had many Domestical discontents which hastened him to his Grave after the happy events of all his difficulties At this time flourished John Gerson a divine of Paris he was present at the Council of Constance and in some written Treatises highly commendeth the decree Bishop Jâ—el's preface to his defence of his Apolâ—gy Bishop Bedel Waddesw â—eâ—â— p. 107. that the Bishop of Rome should be subject to the Council and saith The thing is worthy to be written in all places for a perpetual memory He was the most learned Man of his time and the only Doctor and Leader of
commanding that one should be celebrated every ten years His opinion was followed by Ludovicus Faber and some others Anno du Bourge did add that many villanies were committed condemned by the Laws for punishment whereof the rope and fire were not sufficient viz. frequent blasphemies against God perjuries Adulteries not only secret but even cherished with impudent license making himself to be plainly understood that he spake not only of the Grandees of the Court but of the King himself also adding that while men lived thus dissolutely divers Torments were prepared against those who were guilty of nothing but of publishing to the World the vices of the Church of Rome and desiring an amendment of them In opposition of all this Egidius Magister the prime President spake against the new Sects concluding that there was no other remedy but that which was formerly used against the Albigenses of whom Philip Augustus put to death six hundred in one day and against the Waldenses who were choaked in the caves whither they retired to hide themselves All the voices being given the King said he had how heard with his own Ears that which before was told him that the contagion of the Kingdom doth hence arise that there are in the Parliament who do despise the Pope's Authority and His that he well knoweth they are but few but the cause of many evils Therefore he exhorted those who are good Subjects to continue in doing their duty and immediately gave order that Faber and du Bourg should be imprisoned and afterwards caused four more to be apprehended in their houses But at the same time as if there had been no danger at all the Ministers of the Reformed for so the Protestants are called in France assembled in Paris in the Suburbs of St. German made a Synod in which Francis Morellus the chief man among them was President ordaining divers constitutions of the manner of holding Councils of removing the domination in the Church of the Election and Offices of Ministers of censures of Marriages of Divorces of degrees of consanguinity and affinity that throughout all France they might not only have an Uniform Faith but Discipline also And their courage did increase because the same of the severity used in France coming into Germany the three Electors and other Protestant Princes sent Ambassadours to the King to disswade him from that rigour against the professours of their Religion But the King though he gave them a courteous Answer yet remitted nothing of the severity but after the Ambassadours were gone he deputed four Judges of the body of the Parliament in the causes of the prisoners with the Bishop of Paris and the Inquisitor Anthony de Mocares commanding them to proceed with all expedition Nicholas Clinet one of the Elders of the Church at Paris and Taurin Gravelle a Lawyer and Advocate in the Court of Paris and elder of the same Church were both burnt at Paris Bartholomew Hector was burnt at Thurin Mistriss Philippa de Luns was strangled at Paris Anno 1558. after she had a little felt the Flame with her Feet and Visage Of the same company was also Nicholas Cene a Physician Brother to Philip Cene above-mentioned and Martyred at Diion and Peter Gabart which two were brought forth to their execution Octob. 2. They were holden long in the Air over a small fire and their lower parts burnt off before that the higher parts were much harmed with the fire Nevertheless these Holy Men ceased not in all these torments to turn up their eyes to Heaven and to shew forth infinite Testimonies of their Faith and constancy In the same fire many Bibles and Testaments were burnt Among divers young Scholars and Students that were in the little Castle with Peter Gabart there were these two viz. Frederick Danville and Francis Rebezies neither of them being past 20 years of Age. How valiantly they behaved themselves in the cause of Christ what conflicts they had disputing with the Doctors of Sorbonne what confessions they made their own Letters left in writing do make Relation these valiantly suffered Martyrdom Crispin li. 6. comment Gallic de Statu Relig. Reipub. Rene Seau and John Almerick were almost wracked to death in prison and afterwards both of them dyed in prison John Bordel Matthew Vermeil Peter Bourdon Andrew de Fou at the Countrey of Bresil were also Martyrs Villegaignon Lieutenant to the French King brought three of them to the top of a Rock and there being half strangled without any Judgement threw them into the Sea The fourth viz. Andrew de Fou he caused by manifold allurements somewhat to incline to his sayings so he escaped the danger not without a great offence taken of a great part of the French-men in that Countrey Benet Romain a Mercer at Draguignan in Provence was wracked and burnt Francis Civaux who had been Secretary to the French Ambassadour here in England in Queen Maries time after being desirous to hear the word of God went to Geneva Also he was placed to be Secretrary to the Senate of Geneva where he continued about the space of a year Having then certain business he came to Diion where he was betrayed by a Priest apprehended and carried to prison and within seven days after was first strangled and then burnt Peter Arondeau of Rochel was burnt quick at the place called St. John in Greve at Paris The Heroick constancy which God gave hâ—m and wherein he endured victorious unto death was a mirrour of patience to Anne du Bourg Counsellour in the Parliament of Paris and to divers other then prisoners and was to them a preparation toward the like death which shortly after they suffered Thomas Moutard was burnt at Valenciennes Divers others also suffered Martyrdom at Paris for the profession of the Gospel Philip the second King of Spain after the death of his Wife Mary Queen of England was married to Elizabeth eldest Daughter to King Henry II. Philibert Emmanuel Duke of Savoy married with Marguarite the King 's only Sister and Charles Duke of Lorrain with Claude a younger Daughter of Franoe The King yielded to Philip all that he had taken from him as well on this side as beyond the Mountains To the Savoyard he restored Bresse Savoy and Piedmont to the Genevois the Isle of Corse and about four hundred places more conquered during the late fatal Wars which had made so many Provinces desolate ruined so many Castles Towns and Villages drunk up so much Christian blood and slain so many millions of Men of all qualities retaining nothing but the Territories of Boullen and Calais The prisons were now full of the Protestants the Marriages of the King's Daughters and Sister were solemnized with all the pleasures and sports that could be devised The Court exceeded in sumptuous Plays Masks Dances and Bon-fires the people expressed publick joy by reason of the peace with loud acclamations in these ceremonies But this pleasant Comedy was converted by a sad
had lately taken Geneva into his Protection shewing clearly to all the world how little he esteemed the Catholick Religion and how much he was inclined to the enemies of the Bishop and See of Rome That therefore he had excluded all the Catholick Lords from any access to the Court or administration in the Government particularly those who had spilt so much blood for the preservation of the Kingdom and Religion and had brought in a new people that were privy to his designs and friends to the House of Bourbon That therefore he deprived all the old Servants of the Crown of all their Offices and Honours of the most Principal Governments and most suspected Fortresses to put them into the hands of men that were Catholicks in shew but really partial to Hereticks and inwardly adherents to the King of Navarre He added that notwithstanding the King 's publick shews of Devotion yet in his private Lodgings he gave himself over to the unbridled lusts of the flesh and to the perverse satisfying of his loose depraved appetite From which things set forth with many specious reasons he concluded it was time to unite themselves for their own defence and to destroy those designs before they were brought unto perfection Now the Duke of Guise by means of the Preachers and Friers in Pulpits and other places of Devotion labours to insinuate the Catholick League into the People Among these the chief were Guilliaume de la Rose a man of great eloquence who came afterward to be Bishop of Senlis Jean Prevost chief Priest of S. Severin an eloquent and learned man Jehan Boucher by birth a Parisian and Curate of S. Benet's Parish in the same City one Poncet a Frier in the Abby of S. Patrick at Melun Don Christin of Nizza in Provence and Jehan Vincestre all famous Preachers And finally most part of the Jesuites And as these prosecuted the business of the League in Paris the same was done at Lions by Claude Mattei a Priest of the same Society at Soissons by Mathew de Launoy Canon of that Cathedral at Roven by Father Egide Blovin of the Order of the Minims at Orleans by Bourlate a very noted Divine at Thoul by Francois de Rosier Arch-Deacon of that Church and an infinite number of others dispersed through the several places of France who by their Credit and Eloquence sometimes in their Pulpits sometimes in the Congregations of the Penitents sometimes in their secret conferences at Confessions did allure the people and entice them to enter into that Combination which it is likely very many did out of a respect to Religion believing that thereby the Calvinists would utterly be rooted out and the Authority of the Church be restored to its pristine greatness But many entred into that League invited by other ends and drawn to it by different hopes or else necessitated by their particular interests though all shrouded themselves under the same cloak of the preservation and maintenance of Religion Charles Cardinal of Bourbon the third Brother of Anthony King of Navarre and Louys Prince of Conde deceased and Unkle to Henry the present King of Navarre is desired for the Head of the League a man alwaies most observant of the Romish Religion and an open enemy to the Hugonots Then the Preachers did publickly in all places term the King a Tyrant and favourer of Hereticks the people did applaud them and from this deadly hatred which they had conceived against the King his Council and favourites sprung that fury which soon after was dispersed over all the body of France On July 15. 1582. Renauld of Beaune Archbishop of Bourges and Primate of Aquitain had then spoken at Fountainbleau in this sort The whole Church Christian and Catholick assisted by the Legates and Ambassadours of the Emperour of this your Kingdom and of all other Christian Princes Did call assemble and celebrate the Council of Trent where many good and wholesome Constitutions useful for the Government of the Church were ordained To which Council all the Legates and Ambassadours did solemnly swear in the behalf of their Masters to observe and keep and cause it to be inviolably kept by all their Subjects yea even the Ambassadours of this your Kingdom solemnly took that Oath Now it is received and observed by all Christian Catholick Kings and Potentates this Kingdom only excepted which hath hitherto deferred the publication and receiving of it to the great scandal of the French Nation and of the Title MOST CHRISTIAN wherewith your Majesty and your Predecessours have been honoured so that under colour of some Articles touching the liberty of the Gallican Church the stain of Schism resteth upon your Kingdom among other Countries Wherefore the Clergy doth now most humbly beseech your Majesty that you would be pleased to hearken to this publication and make an end of all to the glory of God and the union of his Church There was a Nuncio from the Pope who arrived in France in the beginning of the year 1583. who prosecuted this matter with great vehemency yet for all this he could not move King Henry III. at all the King of Navarre having written to King Henry III. concerning it the King of France made him this answer Brother Those that told you that I would cause the Council of Trent to be published were not well-informed of my intentions for I never so much as thought it Nay I kiow well how such publication would be prejudicial to my affairs and I am not a little jealous of the preservation of my Authority the priviledges of the Church of France and also of the observation of my Edict of Peace But it was only proposed unto me to cull out some certain Articles about Ecclesiastical Discipline for the Reforming of such abuses as reign in that State to the glory of God the edifying of my Subjects and withal the discharge of my conscience A thing which never toucheth in those Rules which I have set down in my Edicts for the Peace and tranquillity of my Kingdom which I will have inviolably kept on both sides On October 14. 1585. the Bishop and Earl of Noyon in the name of the Clergy assembled in the Abbey of St. German near Paris presented to the King a Book written by the advice of the Prelates of the Council of Trent They told him They brought unto him the Book of the Law of God which they humbly entreated him to receive The Provincial Synod held at Roven made this instance to the same Prince After that a good number of Bishops and Proxies for those that were absent together with Ecclesiastical Personâ— from all quarters of our Province of Normandy were met in our Metropolitan Church at Roan they tendered nothing more than earnestly to sollicite the publishing and promulgation of the Council of Trent within this Realm Wherefore this our Assembly by common consent have resolved to present their humble Petition to our most Christian King in like manner as was
love with a beautiful Lady a Subject born of the Spaniard and a Papist of the deepest Jesuitish dye which seduced and turned him both to the Romish Religion and to the Spanish Party Soon after the Duke declared himself a Papist to the incredible loss of the Protestant Party Sedan was grown by the persecutions in France The greatest number and the richest sort consisted of the Posterity of persons that had transported their Families and their Estates to Sedan during the Wars of Religion and that place was a refuge at hand for the Protestants when any trouble arose in France This change therefore in the Prince wrought a great consternation in the people of Sedan and a great grief in the generality of all the French Protestants Which the Duke of Bovillon perceiving and judging that as they lived at Sedan upon the account of their Religion they might retire from it upon the same account he called the Church and the University and told them that he would lend them the same Protection as before and innovate nothing Only whereas he gathered the Tythes of his Dominions and therewith gave wages to the Ministers Professours and Regents as also Stipends to the Priests now the Priests must have the Tythes as their ancient right and he would pay to the Ministers Professours and Regents their ordinary Stipends out of his own Estate Sedan enjoyed that rest for a year or two till the Duke won by his Wife to forsake the Protection which he enjoyed under the King of France who paid his Garrison agreed with the Spaniard to put himself under his Protection to turn out the French Garrison and receive his Which Plot being discovered by some of Sedan was made known to the French Court and such order was taken that the Duke's design was prevented Himself his Lady and all his Retinue were turned out of Sedan and are kept out of it to this day and the place continueth under the subjection of France This year the Inhabitants of the Valtoline were much distressed The Valtoline is a Country scituate at the foot of the Alpes not unlike a great ditch separated by the high Mountains from the Grisons â—nd those which are on the Coast of Italy It is not of very large extent not above twenty Leagues in length and one in breadth but is very fertile and of great importance serving as a Gate to the Spaniards and Venetians to bring Forces out of Germany into Italy as well to defend as to increase their States The Venetians were not ignorant of it when they were embroiled with Pope Paul V. Anno 1603. They made a League with the Grisons who are natural Lâ—â—ds of it to have free passage through it as their occasions should require though France had the only power to dispose of it according to the Treaty made with them by Lewes XII and renewed by Henry IV. Anno 1602. during the time of his own life the life of Lewes XIII and eight years after his decease Which Alliance with them gives great offence to the Spaniards which caused them to make another League with the Grisons to whom the same passages were assured for the safeguard of Milan But after a long Treaty made in the year 1613. these two new Alliances were overthrown and that of France re-setled which was not for any long time for from the year 1617. to the year 1621. there were nine insurrections among them At last the Valtolines made a general revolt and at the perswasion of the Governour of Milan massacred all the Protestants they met with In July 1620. the Governour of Milan sent them Souldiers and builded them Forts in their Valley The French King then being engaged in re-taking those Towns which the Hugonots had gotten into their possession could not succour the Grisons with his Armies but sent the Marshal de Bassompiere extraordinary Ambassadour into Spain in his name to demand that the Valtoline might be restored and all things replaced into their former state It was obtained and accordingly it was signed at Madrid in May 1621. on condition that certain great liberties might be accorded to the Catholicks there and with a Proviso that the Cantons of the Swisses and the Valtolines should encline the Grisons to consent to what had been agreed upon But the Spaniards procured the Catholick Cantons to deny their consents which being wanting they would put off the execution of the whole Treaty and moreover made one at Milan with the Deputies of the Grisons and unto others with the same Grisons and the Arch-Duke Leopold by which they got great advantages in those Countries and so kept to themselves the power of passing any Forces through that Country France never made any difficulty of according to any thing which might contribute to the exercise of the Catholick Religion in the Valtoline or for security of all such as made profession thereof But they would never agree to those demands which the Spaniards made concerning the having of passages with so much peremptoriness During which time Pope Gregory XV. died and Vrban VIII being set in his place proposed new Articles of Accommodation which comprised as much as could be of advantage for the Church and Catholicks which were readily accepted of by France but as stoutly rejected by the Spaniards for that it did not grant to them the enjoyment of the passages Then Cardinal Richlieu advised the King not to stand dallying upon the means of a Treaty as formerly but forthwith to make use of his Arms to reduce tâ—â—m to terms of justice The King resolves to send the Marquess de Coenures to the Cantons of the Swisses for the Grisons affairs at the same time that the Sieur de Bethune was dispatched toward Rome His instructions were first to re-unite all the Swisse Cantons with his Majesty to dispose the Catholicks to give their assent to the Treaty of Madrid and to espie if in this re-union there might not some way be found out for to re-place the Garrisons into the Soveraignty of the Valtoline The second was to be kept private if the first took effect else he was commanded to encourage the Grisons to rise who should receive assistance from his Majesty of such Troops as should be necessary according to such orders as should be received Then the French King Duke of Savoy and Common-wealth of Venice made a League for the restitution of the Valtoline The Marquess de Coenures takes the field to make himself Master of the Forts in the Valtoline which were all taken in the three first Months of the following year New Orders are sent to the Marquess to prosecute his Conquests there The Pope seems to the Cardinal de la Valette and the Sieur de Bethune to be very angry that the King should attempt upon the Forts in the Valtoline which were in his keeping and sends the Sieur Bernardino Nary to his Majesty to testifie to him his great discontent at it The King of Spain to break
his presence But the Prelates refusing to stoop to this Order it being contrary to the Rules of the French Church took a middle course They went so habited to salute him and accordingly accompanied him in the Cavalcade to Nostre-Dame whither being come they took off their Mantlets but all was done under a Proviso of saving their antient right He proposed to the King what the Pope had given him in charge He urged the King in general terms to peace to restore things in the Valtoline to their former state as they were before the Army of the Confederate Princes entred into it and desired him to grant a Cessation of Arms in Italy The King answered to the three Propositions That he was ever enclin'd to Peace and that he would still be induced to it provided it were for the publick safety and honourable for him and his Allies That as to what concern'd the Valtâ—line the late Treaty of Madrid had made provision for all those difficulties which have risen ever since and that he desired the execution of it As to the Cessation of Arms that he could by no means hearken to it because of the great prejudice it would be to himself and his Allies and the great advantage those of the adverse Party might make out of it Thereupon the Legate unexpectedly departeth from the French Court and goeth toward Rome The Hugonots now begged his Majestie 's pardon by their Deputies whom they sent unto him to testifie the sense they had of their fault and to assure him of their future fidelity and obedience His Majesty was well pleased with it and the Deputies coming to him at Fountainbleau about the end of August whilst the Legate was there there was no kind of acknowledgements and submissions which they did not make both in behalf of themselves as also of the Duke of Rohan and the Sieur de Soubize who sent to supplicate him by their particular Deputies that he would be pleased to employ them in the War of Italy that they might testifie by their passion to serve him that there was not any danger by Sea or Land to which they would not cheâ—rfully expose themselves to contribute to his glory Having made their speeches they presented the paper of their Complaints which they said were grounded upon several Graces which had been conferred upon them by the Edict of Nantes and several other grants The King received it and appointed it to be examined After the paper of their grievances had been examined the French King confirmed to them whatever had been granted to them by the Edict of Nantes granting them free liberty for the exercise of their Religion in such Towns where they had Churches and Church-yards and an Act of Oblivion for any thing done in the War but be would not consent to the demolishing of Fort Lewes as being of great importance for the keeping of Rochel in awe and obedience These favours were accepted by the general Deputies of the Protestants in the name of all their Towns excepting those of Rochel Montauban Castres and Milhaud who having been gained by the Duke of Rohan and Sieur de Soubize and finding that their Leaders had obtained only a single Pardon without any other advantage and without being employ'd in Italy according as they desired they entreated his Majesty upon other pretences that he would be pleased to grant some time till their two chief Officers and those four Cities were joyned with them The King granted to them that delay upon condition it were not over long who presently sent away the heads of those resolutions which had been taken But the Duke of Rohan excuseth himself from accepting those Articles which were granted to those of his Party He did his utmost to surprize some places in Languedoc He made an attempt upon Tillet in Albigeois He had some time before caused the Towns of Masdazil Pamiers and several other of Foix to revolt from which places he sent out his Scouts who committed great havocks in the plain Countrey But the Marshal de Themines and the Count de Carmain fell upon the Hugonots charged and killed many of them and took divers places from them some by storm some by composition Hereupon the Duke of Rohan went to the Assembly at Milhaud where he made those of his Party send a Currier to the King to accept of the Articles of Peace which his Majesty had granted to them His Majesty confirmed them though they had rendered themselves unworthy by their new Acts of Rebellion But it was necessary so to be for the better opposing of the enterprizes of Spain though Rochel was still excepted by reason of the little inclination they had testified of keeping themselves within their duty Then the Bishops and Clergy of France assembled at Paris The chief intent of their meeting was for the renewing of that Contract which they made every tenth year with the King for the payment of those Rents which are imposed on them They also condemned certain Libels sent abroad by the Spanish ambition which had been sent into France They condemned the Authours of them as enemies to the publick quiet and seducers of the people to Sedition And they granted to the King Six hundred thousand crowns upon the Churches oâ— France as a Contribution toward the Wars in which the State was engaged as also to preserve the Catholick Religion in its splendour and to maintain the glory of the Crown But many sordid spirits grudged at it who considering but one of those ends for which Lands were given to Churches began to oppose it as if the Church which is part of the State were not bound to contribute to the good of those Corporations of which they were members and as if the publick necessities were not more considerable than the private profits of some particular people who often employ their Revenues to bad uses The Cardinal now endeavoureth the procuring of Peace for those of Rochel And the same reasons which enclined his Majesty to shew his Clemency to the rest of that party did also perswade him to do the like to those of Rochel The King consented that the Town should be delivered into the hands of the Corporation on condition that they kept no Ships of War that they observed those Orders for traffique which were established in the rest of the Kingdom That they should restore to the Ecclesiasticks all the goods which had been taken from them That they should suffer the Catholicks to live freely and quietly in the exercise of the Roman Catholick Religion and in the enjoyment of those goods which appertained to them That his Majesty should leave what Garrison he thought fit in Fort Lewes and the Islands of Reé and Olleron only promising that he would settle such a course in it as those of Rochel might receive no trouble by it either in their Commerce or in the enjoyment of their goods These Articles were agreed on about the beginning of February An.
They meet at Pont St. Vincent but give not Battel The Germans pass on into France the Duke of Guise followeth them and the King with his Army advanceth to hinder them from joyning with the King of Navarre who advancing in the mean time to meet the Duke of Joyeuse passeth the River Drongne The Armies face one another at Coutras and fight with all their Forces where the Duke of Joyeuse lost both the Battel and his life On the other side the Duke of Guise fights with the Germans at Villemory and Auneau and makes a great slaughter of them The King following the Victory comes up close to the enemies Army The Swisses yield themselves unto him and the remainder of the Germans disband and betake themselves to flight They are followed and defeated in many places The Duke of Bovillon with a few horse making his escape by the way of Roane and Lionois after many dangers getteth to Geneva where he died within a few daies after leaving his Estate to his Sister whom he recommended to the care of the Duke of Montpensier The Sieur de Chastillon having often fought with the Forces of Burgundy and Lionois with great success and valour got at last into Languedoc and retired himself into his wonted Government in Vivarez The Sieur de Clervant hid among the Swisses that went with a safe-conduct escaped in their company to Basil The Prince of Conti with a few Horse lurking in remote places got at last unknown to his own house and the other Commanders taking several ways ran very various fortunes The Reiters divided themselves into two parts one with the Baron d'Oeneaw and Colonel Damartin passed through Savoy where being shrunk to the number of but five hundred they were pillaged by the Duke's Forces The other with the Baron de Bouck passing through Burgundy to the Confines of the County of Mombelliard was followed by the Marquess Du-Pont and the Duke of Guise by whom being overtaken without the Borders of France they were all cut in pieces in many several encounters These Heads of the League also sacked and burned the Towns and Castles of that Country The Germans sick with Feavers and weakened with bloody-flix falling down by the High-wayes and in the Towns as they passed were miserably slain by the Country-people Eighteen of them who were left sick in a poor Cottage in Burgundy had their throats cut with a knife by a Woman in revenge of those losses she had sustained The three thousand Swisses which were gone into Dauphiné under the Command of the Sieur de Cougy to joyn with Lesdiguiers These Swisses accompanied with four hundred French Musketiers as they passed the River Isare were assaulted by Monsieur de la Valette Brother to the Duke of Espernon with the Cavalry of Provence and by Colonel Alfonso Ornano of the Isle of Corsica with the Infantry of Dauphiné and so furiously charged there that all the rest being slain upon the place only sixty of them escaped from so great a slaughter Whereupon also the Sieur Lesdiguiers himself was forced to seek security among the Mountains Then the King returned to Paris armed and entred as it were in triumph on December 23. 1587. but the whole glory redounded to the Duke of Guise who being become admired was celebrated by the tongues and pens of all his adherents The Duke of Guise causeth a writing to be presented to the King in his own name and the names of the other Heads of the League wherein they demanded in substance That he would unite himself truly with them and sincerely make himself Head of the League to the extirpation of the Hugonots That he should put those persons from the Court from his Counsels and from their Offices who should be named by the Catholick Princes as ill-affected to Religion That he would make the Council of TRENT to be received and observed through the whole Kingdom only excepting those things which did prejudice the prviledge of the Gallican Church That he would grant some places which should be thought fit unto the confederate places for their security wherein they might keep Garrisons and make necessary Fortifications at the expence of the Crown That he would maintain an Army about the Confines of Lorain under the Command of one of the Confederate Princes to hinder the incursions of Foreigners That he would cause all the Estates of the Hugonots to be confiscate and sold wherewith the expences of the late Wars might be satisfied The end of the demand was only to make the King contemptible suspected to favour the Hugonots and furnish the League with an occasion and pretence to take up Arms and prosecute their begun designs while the prosperity of their Fortune lasted The burdens which the War the maintaining of so many Armies and his profuse manner of spending daily increased had lost the hearts of the people to the King The noise of the Duke of Guise's Victories had obscured the Majesty of the King's name his obstinate favour to his Minions had alienated the minds of his most ancient and devoted Servants and the people of Paris swayed by the ambition of the Council of Sixteen in that City constituted by the Guisians could no longer endure Government The City was full of infamous Pamphlets Politick Discourses Satyrical Verses and Fabulous Stories which for the most part abusing the name of the Duke of Espernon redounded to the disgrace of the King On the other side every corner of Paris resounded the praises of the Duke of Guise celebrated in Verse and Prose by many Writers with the titles of the new David the second Moses the deliverer of the Catholick People the Prop and Pillar of the Holy Church The Preachers filled the peoples ears with wonders of this new Gideon come into the world for the desired safety of the Kingdom Which things spread from the City of Paris diffused themselves into all the Provinces which received the same impressions as well to the King's disadvantage as in favour of the League The King declares the Duke of Espernon Admiral of the Kingdom and Governour of Normandy to the great discontent of the Duke of Guise The Council of Sixteen informs the Duke of Guise That they had twenty thousand Armed men in the City at their devotion ready to be put upon any enterprize That they were divided into sixteen Squadrons to every one of which they had appointed a Commander and that the rest of the people would doubtless follow the stream of the Chief men Henry Prince of Conde was poisoned at St. Jehan d'Angely by his own servants and died under whom the Protestants conceived great hopes and his death raised the affliction of that party to the greatest height The Duke of Guise wrote to the Sixteen to lessen their number and reduce it but into five quarters to which they should appoint a place where they should meet at the sign that should be given and that they should dispose things in such a