cannot preiudice the rights of their Prince much lesse then Christians the right of the Pope especially in a case of such importance Iointe that Truces doe not forbid war but in Countries of obedience not in other places where they haue nought to doe Moreouer they do not hinder one from taking vpon him the defence of some friend or allie by a much more strong reason then of him to whome all Christians are redewable for what soeuer they haue in this worlde as to Gods Lieutennant on earth Anne de Montmorency and his nephewes Odet and Gaspart of Coligny called Chastillon with many others represented vnto him for the contrarie the eternall and generall dishonour in all countries which he should get by breaking his faith so solemly sworne for the repose of his subiects vniuersall good of all Christendome so miserably torne in peeces thorough the continuance of so vilanous warresl yea and that there was a time in which ther was demaunded of Princes only their word for all assurances by reason that they saw them so wise and vertuous as they woulde not change their promises for all the aduantages of the worlde But as the malice of men encreased whereto the Princes by little and little participated so subiectes and strangers haue required at Princes handes their faith and oath which all men yea the very Turkes and other of contrary Religion hold inuiolable sauing at this daye Christians which first made shew of being willing to dispence with so Religious a bond as an oath is which cannot but turne to the great dishonour and generall obloquic of all Christendome the which no longer acknowledging any assurance vailable among men will fall into such a confusion that the strongest and most malicious will make subiect the good right honour and all vertue at his pleasure By consequence then there is no apparance of honour to be gotten in succouring the Pope who of himselfe in respect of the dutie of his charge ought to be ashamed to aske it and to giue occasion to such periurie and disloyaltie Yea if he were asked how hee would truely iudge or practise in his owne act if he were a King he would make no difficultie to disswade so pernitious a deliberation much lesse the hope of a conquest of a Realme ought to stur him vp thereunto considering the impossibilitie of gayning it or at the least keeping it by men so farre off so euill husbands and bad prouiders against a nation so neere and wel aduised as the Spanniard and especially that this hope is founded vpon the amitie of Italians whome we haue found for the most part vnconstant and variable in their duties as so many examples passed may verye well make vs wise enough to counsaile well therein our suruiuours And it is so farre off that the farre distance of the Emperour ought to encourage vs to doe euill as the good aduices wherewith he hath instructed his sonne the aduised and prouident personages which he hath lefte vnto him for counsell the alliaunce of the English which will furnish him both with men and money together with the resolution which he hath not to degenerate in ought from the vertues of his father nay rather to encrease them higher if occasion did present it selfe ought to make vs the more to feare the vndertaking thereof and to assure vs that we shall find ynough nay more forces and meanes to stay vs euen in the best of the enterprise then if the father himselfe had taken the conducte thereof All this notwithstanding and many other reasons which were alleadged coulde not hinder the breach of the truce and the expedition which was made into Italie chiefely in the ende by the diligence of the Conestable For albeit that he helde a hard string to the contrarie yet hee slacked for two occasions First that he perceyued through the absence of these vndertakers he mought haue faire and easie meanes to make great and assure his house so as hee was not in the ende ouer sorrie to see them of the house of Guise bearing armes to quitte the Courte and goe the voyage whereof hee hoped for no happie euente Iointe that he sought to marrie his eldest sonne whom 50000. crownes had a few dayes before redeemed out of prison with the widdow of the D. of Castre the kings aduowed daughter Whereupon the marriage being accorded euen as it stood vpon the poynte to be accomplished his sonne let him to vnderstande in October by Odet and Gaspart of Coligny his cousin germanes howe he had made a promise vnto the Ladie of Pienes that he coulde haue no other Whereat the father grieuously displeased endeuoured notwithstanding by all meanes to accomplishe this marriage So as hauing caused Pienes to be put in sure guarde within the house of Filles Dieu he considered with himselfe that herein he shoulde stande in neede of the Popes assistance vpon that he sent his sonne to Rome where he found Pierre Sirossy mareschall of Fraunce and they beganne together so well to besturre themselues for the Pope as they recouered agayne the porte of Ostye and other places occupied by the Spaniardes about Rome which serued him but as a prison And yet all the meanes which mought be was wrought with the Pope that he should not dispense with him to marrie any other then Pienes fearing least that being once obtained the Conestable would breake the desseins of the warre Whereof he being aduertised and seeing howe the Pope vsed him but with delayes dissimulations he besought him to contente himselfe with the seruice which he had done vnto him So as hauing taken his leaue he retourned to Paris a few dayes before Easter 1557. declaring vnto his Father that that which he let him to vnderstande of the promisse which he had made vnto Pienes was only to induce him vnto the marriage but that in trueth there was no other matter in such sorte as presently after the marriage was accomplished with the Lady of Castres The denyall thereof notwithstanding proceeding from the promisse which he mainteined he made vnto Pienes was the cause of an Edicte which was then published for the reciprocall duetie of parents and children vpon the occurrance of their marriage Edicte of childrens marriages THe K. ordayneth That such children as shall contract secrete marriage against the will or vnwitting vnto their father and mother be disinherited and declared vncapeable of all aduantages and profites which they might pretende by the meanes of nuptiall conuentions or by the benefite of customer or lawes of the contrarie And that the fathers and mothers may reuoke any guifts and aduantages giuen by them They likewise declared punishable which shall giue counsell ayde for the consummation of such marriages That this ordinance shall take place as well for the time to come as passed because there is therein a transgression of the lawe and commaundementes of God wherein no man may couer himselfe by any ignorance or
foolishe errour to the contrarie Reserued notwithstanding such marriages as haue bene heretofore consummate by carnall cohabitation and not comprehending sonnes aboue the age of thirtie yeeres or daughters of fiue and twentie prouided that they vse all duetie to seeke the aduice and counsell of their father and mother It grewe then when as the Conestable beganne to mislike the enterprise of Italie as I will tell you elsewhere Hereupon the Cardinall carryed tydinges of the whole vnto his Holynesse whilest that the King sent the Popes griefes vnto the Emperour and his sonne as it were to be the meanes to render him content Ioint that he woulde not so soone attempt any thing against them for the opinion which hee conceyued that they were not consenting and lesse the authours of such nouelties Some assuredly gaue out that Philippe answering more eagerly then his Father sayd that for his parte he desired the continuance of the Truce and rather a peace if it were possible to bring it to perfection But howe he had alwayes founde the Pope and his affinitie so great an enemie vnto his house that whosoeuer woulde declare himselfe his friende vndertaking his defence he woulde holde him for an enemie ouerrunne him with all his forces This notwithstanding the King stirred not of a long time any whitte in the Popes fauour were it that his meanes were not yet in his hande were it that he perswaded himselfe verie well of K. Philips good inclination to the continuance of the Truce by the report of Renard his ambaÌ„ssadour who assured him that his Maisters intention was cleane contrarie to the aunswere abouesaide oâ— else that he hoped that the truce woulde not leaue to be kept inuiolable in this case nowe that the Imperialles armed themselues in Italie for the restitution of the Colonois yea so farre as by playntes and requests redoubled they knew that they were entrenthed at Rome gates where the Pope was straightly enclosed within the castle of S. Angelo And further how Octauian Farneze solicited by the Imperialles and gayned by the Cardinals Farneze his brother S. Fleur his cousin was reuoulted from the King to them who a little before causing his father to be slayne woulde disinherite him which made him to listen eare vnto them who assured him that they meant to raunge the Pope to the will of the Emperour and chase the French out of Italie So as the King resolued to breake the truce determined to sende an armie vnder Francois de Lorraine Duke of Guise composed of 6000. Switzers vnder the Colonel Frelâ— and 4000. French vnder the Duke of Nemours with 500. men at armes and 500. light horse who hauing late enough made readie his preparatiues was enforced diligently to hasten to passe ouer the mountaines of Sauoy and the Alpes in the great frostes and infinite trauayles which Winter brought with it Such was one of the principallest occasions of this warre I leaue the pretence of the Realme of Naples to those who fansie it vnto themselues against those of Guise without any great apparance Iointe likewise the particular reason which some alleadge to shewe howe these Truces made and entertayned in dissimulation were but to couer the progresse and effectes of such intelligences as these Princes had one vpon another I will recite vnto you the meanes by which the Imperialles as the Frenche reporte gaue iust occasion vnto them to breake the Truce and despayre of a peace Without agrauating say they the rigorous entertainement made vnto our prisoners of warre more cruell then could be among the Moores Infidels Yea leauing apart how the D. of Bouillon was villanously and trayterously poysoned and afterwardes solde being dead it is most notorious that a fewe dayes after the conclusion of the Truce euery man on this side liuing with a hope of peace at hand it was verified by the reporte of the conspiratours how many enterprises had bene attempted vpon the principall Townes of this Realme as of the souldiers of Metz resolued to yeilde the Towne at the pursuite of the Compte de Meigue Gouernour of Luxembourg and with the priuitie of the Prince of Piemont The intelligence vpon Bourdeaux in Guienne at the conduct of Barlemont Generall of Finances to the Emperour a little before Easter and a moneth after the Truce accorded Few dayes after there was taken an ingener and maker of fortifications named Iaques de Flectias who confessed that he was sente by the Prince of Piemont to viewe and draw the plattes of the principall Townes vpon the Frontire with money imprest as Montreul Saint esprit de Rue Dourlan S. Quentin and Mezietes Besides a prouenciall souldier subborned with great presents to poyson the Welle at Mariembourg and consequently the whole Garrison therby to make the surprisall of the towne the more easie Thus did the Emperor first infringe the Truce contrarie to the publique oath Albeit that all contractes and accordes especially among Princes who are themselues to be example of the greatest conformation to the Lawes which they make ought not only to be without deceit and malice but exempt of all suspition considering that therein besides the duetie of conscience and of an honest man their particular acte alone is not comprised but the whole good and vniuersall repose consisteth They adde thereto the great preparations of men and money which Philip secretly made of all partes namely at the solliciting of the King of Boheme and Princes of Germanie to vndertake a warre against the King for the recouering of free Townes without caâ—sering his Captaines men of warre So as soone enough the Garrisons of Mesneil beganne to ouerrunne the platte Countrie about Abbeuille S. Esprit de Rue Auannes Cymetz Roc-Roy Ambenton vnder colour that famine enforced theÌ„ therunto Henry theÌ„ hauing seene how K· Philip stil proceeded on against the Pope and helde Rome beseiged sent worde to Pierre Strozzy to whome he had giuen the office of Mareschall of Fraunce in the roome of the late Mareschall de Sedan that he should put himselfe within Rome abide the brunte of the Spaniards vntil that the succours should be ariued out of Fraunce In this meane space Don Iean de Lune malcontent with King Philip retired from his seruice into Fraunce towards King Henry who courteously receyued him and gaue him an honest pension to mainteine him in such sorte as it was not possible for King Philips ministers to induce him to retire agayne into Spayne what fayre promises soeuer they made vnto him Some say that the Gouernour of the Castle of Milan fledde being suspected that hee woulde haue deliuered it vp to the King The which other auowing to be false say that the matter was about a quarrell betweene him and Ferdinand de Gonzague being disappointed of the gouernement of Milan by the meanes of Don Iean de Lune and the Chauncelour of Milan For Gonzague being afterwardes returned into fauour and purged of the crimes layde
holinesse and to present vnto him the dutie of a Chatholike Queene and an obedient daughter of the holy and Apostolique Church of Rome which shee acknowledged for the head Matrice and Soueraigne of all the Churches of Christendome and mother of all the Princes making profession of the Gospell Which was so agreeable vnto the Pope and the whole Courte and people of Rome that for a publike testimonie thereof they made Bonfiers and solemne processions praising God for this conuersion Afterwards and in the yeare 1555. an other Parliament was summoned in England in which among other thinges Queene Marie wrought by all the meanes shee was able that the Abbie lands might bee restored for so much as the Pope did vrge it very hard But by reason that the Nobilitie and Gentlemen stoode seased thereof and that manie had guifts thereof from the King nothing coulde bee brought to passe as shee desired Notwithstanding the Queene preuailed so much as the tenthes were graunted to the Clergie during this assemblie they scattered and sowed about London little pamphlets very biting among which some were sufficiently enough able to moue the people to sedition against the Spanniardes with whome the Englishmen playde a thousand shrewd turnes and to turne the Queene from the loue of Phillip Great search was made but it neuer could be possibly known whence they proceeded Before this assembly was dissolued and matters dispatched the B. of Winchester being Chancelour dyed of a Dropsie Thomas Heath Archbishoppe of Yorke who before that had beene in Germanie with him of Caunterburie and professed the Protestant Religion succeeded in his place After the victualing of Mariembourg and the attempts of Deux Ginets the King being informed of the auncient clames of the houses of Blois and Mont-forte to the Dutchie of Bretaigne to appease with the selfe same hand the quarrels which were redoubled by the Lady Anne Queene of Fraunce and Dutches of Bretaigne issued out of the bloud of Mon-fort in whose right the King himselfe claimed to accorde this olde difference with Messire Iean de Brosse Duke of estampes and Earle of Ponticue heire of the house of Blois rightes hee accorded in such sorte as this Duke released vnto him for himselfe and his successors Kinges of Fraunce all rightes titles reasons and actions which hee pretended to the Dutchie of Bretaigne in right of his mother the Ladie Marle of Bretaigne issued out of the house of Blois and the King cleane acquited and transferred vnto him the Countie of Pontieure sauing certaine Ports betweene Couegnon and Hauegnon and the Seicheries of Cornoaille Whereof autenticall letters passed betweene them The Historie of Fraunce THE FOVRTH BOOKE THe narration of matters passed hath made you able to know no lesse the desire thē the necessitie which the French had of a generall peace vnder the benefite whereof they hoped to forget all at the least part of so many losses passed and of the present miseries which caused them to feare much more mischeefe to ensue you haue seene how stoute these Princes shewed themselues vpon their treaties by the aduantagious conditions which their Embassadours had charge from them to repose In the ende notwithstanding yeelding vnto the aduise of their Councell they thought good to renew againe the negotiation Iointe the feare which the Imperials had of the comming of the Turks and the desire of Marie Queene of England to haue her husband still about her hoping there by to get an inheritor vnto her Crowne to restore the Catholike Church into her Countrie not to enter league with any one to warre against another to ease her Realme of so great charges not to breede any occasions of new riots and mutinies amongst her people Of all which points shee cleane lost the hope if her husband should bee absent employing in the managing and conduct of warre Besides the peaceable nature of this Prince which made great accounte of the good Councell which his Father gaue him to procure a reconciliation with all Princes rounde about him were sufficient occasions to mooue him instantly to request the Cardinall Pole to renew againe the tearmes of peace or at the least to conclude a good truce for a release to so great mischiefes Whereupon seeing the difficultie of articulating the conditions with such aduantages as each one desired the truce was concluded for fiue yeares the fift day of Februarie 1556. ceasing al quarrels and beginning againe to enter traficque and Marchandise one with an other as well by Sea as land euery man retaining what they had gotten and taken by right of warre without being able to agree vpon their prisonners among whome the D. of Ascot a Flemming and Francis de Montmorency eldest sonne vnto the Constable were the principall with many other conditions which were proclaimed at Paris the sixteene day of Februarie And afterwards the Comte de Lallain was at Blois in April to confirme the same with the King as also the Admirall De Chastillon was at Bruxelles with the Emperor and King Philip to receiue there the oath of their part wherein it was not forgotten to motion a marriage betweene Don Carlo eldest sonne vnto Philip and Prince of Spaine with the Ladie Isabel eldest daughter vnto the King But if Fraunce and the prouinces which cōfined on the Septentrional side hoped for repose during the continuance of this truce new occasions of more fresh mischiefes presented thēselues on the other side especially towards Italy You haue seene the election of the Cardinall Theatin to the Papacie and for that the house of Caraffe out of which hee was descended and of Melphe being of the most speciall marke within the Realme of Naples haue alwaies remained deuoted vnto the Crowne of France which euer honourably entertained them the Colonois Vrsins and other families of Rome partakers of the Emperour fearing to bee made stoope and least the Pope would too much exalt the friends of the French whome he might cal into Italy for that the Church of Rome pretendeth the Realme of Naples to be of her proper Domanie and least together with the graunts made vnto the Kings of France confirmed by the Popes predecessors and other matters which the King there demaunded he should make a new ratification with intent to bee able to preuaile helde themselues in the beginning vpon their gards then as the fearefull man interpreteth all newter things simple and doubtfull to his disaduantage they suspected in such wise the actions of the Pope and his confederates as they well furnished with men armour and other munition such lodgings as they had within the Towne Whereof the Pope being aduertised as soone animated against them he leauied men and by a generall muster tooke away armes from those whome hee thought had too much he munitioned the places within Rome and well furnished the Castle of Saint Angelo with all necessaries Afterwards as a man licenseth himselfe accordingly as leasure and libertie is giuen vnto