many of the inhabitants of that place because they had destroyed suche as at that time fled through their villages for succour The Prince of Condes bandes wan and spoiled Saint florent a very rich Abbay néer vnto Salmure which was garded with two hundred Souldiours but when they had slaine the souldiours because they stood stoutly in the defence therof they set fire on the Abbay Countie Brissac one of the Duke of Anious Captains and a very expert yong man in the warres goinge out of Salmure came sodenly vpon a troupe of horsemen being in number 100. vnder the conduct of Monsieur Borsauld part wherof he flew and part he put to flight The same also came sodeynly and vnlooked for vppon Countie Momgomery in the village of la Motte in so much that Momgomery was constrayned to flée into a Castle hard by but his brother Corminuille with certain others were taken For want of vittailes the Prince of Condes Armye went from Tuarz and from Montrebell and one Army came to Partenay and the other to Niort Thither came also the Quéene of Nauarre to consult with the Prince of Conde and with other Noble men there concerninge diuers things And among all other this was decreed That for so much as the papists to maintain this war did pluck away and sell the land of Churchmen according to the prescript of the Popes letters patents whether they were Catholiques or protestants the Quéen of Nauar the Prince of Conde also should doo the like in those places which they held and kept To bring this thing to passe letters wer giueÌ„ forth in the names of the prince of Nauarre of the Prince of Conde of the Admirall of the Andelot and of the Rochfoucault By whiche letters certaine meÌ„ were commaunded to sell the land of Ecclesiasticall persones and to assure and warrant the byers in their names quietly to enioy the same By this meanes within a short time they had gotten a great masse of money And on the contrary part the Kinges Edictes of the which we spake before were executed with great rigor against Religion All the moueable goods of the faythfull at the first which were taken in spoyle reserued by the Magistrate were openly sold their landes were made to paye great fynes and subsidies to mainteyne Garrisons and souldiours Garrisons were set to keepe Noble mens housholdes and the landes of the faithful by the commaundement of the Kings letters were appointed to be solde The Prince of Conde gaue an attempt against Lasignan being a very strong Castle being come thyther with the greatest part of his armyes but fayling of his purpose he departed againe from thence Sanser a Citie in Burgundy was besiéeged by the catholiques whose captaine was Martinenge an Italian To this siege came Monsieur Nemours bringing with him thrée thousand footemen at the least and certayne troupes of horsemen all which he broughte out of Prouance to ayde Martinenge in the seige The Generall ouer these was Countie Tende Lieftenant of Prouance Wyth these also there came certayne Armies oute of Dolpheny vnder the charge and conducte of Baron des Adretz whom we sayde before forsooke the faithfull in the first warre The Townsmen valiantly for certain Monethes defended themselues and by diuers eruptions vpon the enemies and skirmishes with them they had slaine manye of them and broken manye of their great gunnes Therefore Martinenge when he had wearyed in vayne his souldiers with the extreme coulde of winter he toke vp his caryage raised the seige and departed away secretly in the nighte Then the warders watchmen of the Citie suspecting that the enemyes fled gaue knowledge thereof to the chiefe Captaynes in the Citie who goyng forth by the breake of the day with certaine souldiers slewe many straglers that lingered behinde the armie without order or raye After this countie de Tende went to the Duke of Aniou and Baron de Adretz taking Nemours with him went to the Duke D'aumall This was about the beginning of Februarie The King was nowe at Mets and before he came thether he had forbidden the Protestants to vse the reformed religion vpon paine of death The power of Duke D'aumall beyng greatlye encreased with newe and freshe ayde he determined to encounter with the bandes of French souldiers which wayted for the Armies of the Duke of Deuxpons and came to Sauerne a towne belonging to the Bishoppe of Strasburge which fauoured him and there he stopped al the passage ouer the ryuer against the enemie But he could not there abide beyng repulsed I put to flighte by the FrenchmeÌ„ his enemyes These French bands that put him to â—…light were such as had fled out of the hither part of Fraunce thither partly which were left of the Armie of the prince of Orange Aboute this time MonsGenly dyed at Bergasiber in the Dominion of Deuxpous and bycause he was generall of those Armyes Mons. de Moy a Noble man and a good Captaine was chosen in his stéede While Duke D'aumall behaued himselfe thus about the borders of Loraine there came to the Duke of Aniou two thousand and two hundred Germane horsemen conducted by the Rheingrane Bassompierre He himselfe when he had payed the rest of the armie their wages went with all his power towarde the Territorye of Engolmoys mynding to wyn Engolesme a verye fayre and copious Citie But bycause the passage to the ryuer of Charente woulde be a necessarie helpe for him be mynded to kepe the bridge And therefore he commauÌ„ded Mons. Riuiere to go and take the Citie the Castell of Iâ—…rnac which bordereth vpon the ryuer of Charente Thys was the occasion of a great and lamentable battaile The Prince of Conde beyng certified of the purpose of the Duke of Aniou came to Niort with his main battaile the first daye of Marche and from thence he came by the Towne of Sanlan Angely the Citie of Saintes The Admirall went with the Uauntgarde to Cognac and the next daye after being the fourth day of Marche he with his brother the Andelot brought all the horsemeÌ„ of the Uauntgarde both with lawnce and shot to larnac and with them two Canons two dimi Canons Then straight way the Admiral beseiged the castell of Iarnac bycause Mons. Riuiere by and by at the discouery of them left the citie and went into the castell But the roaring Canon shot did so shake the castell gates and the walles thereof that Mons. Riuiere desired parley and the next day after vpon condition that he and his sâ—…uldiers shuld escape with theyr lyues he surrendered the Castell Leauing therefore to defende that place the Uicount de Montanmoy with his LegioÌ„ the Admirall and the Andelot dâ—…parted to viewe espie the force of the enemies bicause they were said not to be far of The sixte daye of this moneth the Prince of Conde with the Admirall and the Andelot taking with them all the horsemen of the vauntgarde and maine battaile sauing certaine
Pilles sent out by the Port Matta the same Gentleman whom he vsed afore in the supplye of succoures by whose second diligence the Lord de S. Auban a Gentleman of Daulphine accompanied with xl horsmen enterprised to come to the reliefe and succour of the sayde towne who notwithstandinge was so encountered in the way as hée was forced to retire with the losse of thrée of his people and also the Gentleman his guide The xxix day of Nouember Sebastian Luxenburge counte de Martiques knight of the order Captayne of fifty men at armes and Lieuftenaunte generall to the King in his Dutchie and countrey of Britaine being at the battery was stroken in the head with a harquebushot whereof he dyed to the generall griefe of the Papistes In the beginning of December about ix of the clock in the morninge the Catholiques demaunded to parley with the Lord de Pilles wherevnto he listened with lesse difficulty in respect he was not furnished with munition of warre for one assault more if it had bin offred ney ther had he hope to be so spéedily succoured as his perill required which was the cause that the ii of this month after hée had established extréeme actes and prouisions for the Gard of the said towne he was enforced to render it vppon the couenantes following 1 That the Protestants should depart the town their goodes saued with their horses and armour and banner displayed 2 That they should not beare armes for the generall cause of Religion in foure monethes after 3 That their whole companies as well Straungers as inhabitaunts might retire whither they would in al surety 4 That they should be safe conducted to their place of suerty where so euer it were by the Lorde de Byron according to which composition the morrow after the iii. of this moneth S Iean de Angely was yéelded into the handes of the Lord de Guitiniers The lord de Pilles departing the same day about noone by the Port de Matta with eyght hundreth footmen of all sortes and about C. horsmen ▪ taking his way towardes Angoulesme Not withstanding the conduct and presence of the saide lord de Byron the most part of the footemen were spoiled and dyuerse slaine and the baggage of the horsemen taken against their promysse of faith During this siéege died in the towne about a hundreth Souldiours and certain numbers of labourers of the catholikes side without the towne dyed aswell of the hand of the enemye as by diseases about two thousand amongst which were many great lordes Gentlemen and Captaines slayne as the great maister of the artillery whose office was giuen to the saide lord de Biron the gouernment of the towne was giuen to the lord de Guitiniers and for the garde of it the King bestowed eight companies of footemen The same day the King the Quéene mother the Cardynall of Loraine wyth dyuers great lordes of the Courte entred the towne and visited as wel the forte of the gate Aulnis and the castell as the first breach of the tower on the wall and so returned to their places where they were lodged afore Certaine of the Catholikes immediatly after the towne was giuen ouer wente towardes the yles of Marans and Marennes holden of long by them of the religion from whence they were now withdrawen by speciall commaundemente from Rochell whereby the Catholikes entred and seased vpon them wythoute resistance In this tyme were executed in Fraunce certayne iudgements diffinitiue pronounced afore against those of the reformed Religion whose processes were begon and pursued by the Kinges procurers from the begynning of the warres aswell against such as were out of the Realme as those that maintayned parte with the Princes The first sort forsooke the Realme immediatly after the second peace as being denyed to enter their houses goods contrary to the couenaunts of the same ▪ and lesse able to liue withoute mortall perill to theyr persons in the townes of their proper habitation being filled with garrisons of the contrary factiō as hath bene touched in the beginning of these discourses the other sort forsed estsoones to fal into armes were knit and tyed to the army of the Princes to resist the voluntary infringers of the peace and coniured enemyes to the whole Realme both the one and other were procéeded against by personall adiornements in three shorte dayes and for defaulte of apparance their goods were seased to the Kings vse and gouerned by speciall Commissioners of sequestration many ydle officers busied themselues to effect the execution of their goods in many prouinces the sayde iudgements dyd suspend hang vntill after the battell of Montgontour whē they awarded generall and spéedy processe against all men by defaultes procéeding to execution in Effigie and adiudication of their goods to the King wherein suche was the liberal zeale of the iudges that they executed by Effigie such as were dead long time before It hath bene sayd before that the Lord de Sansac lefte the siege of Uezeley by reason his Cannons miscaryed and now hauing got newe prouision of Artillery to the number of twelue or thirtéene péeces and beyng wythall aduertised by certaine of the Towne of Vezeley that the Lorde de Traues with a great part of the Nobilitie present at the firste siege were departed and lefte the Towne came to besiege it of freshe He battered still the tower of the Port du Barle righte against the watering place soone after he remoued his batterie to that fide of the gray Fryers following with so vehement an assaulte that they came to hande strokes vppon the breaches albeit he was repulsed During thys siege Albert de la Chasse a Bourgeys of the town wrote letters to the Catholikes reuealing the particular state of the Towne He threw his letters ouer the wall into a fielde where the Catholikes came and found them and as he was going to the Wall with a letter readye to conueye to the enemie he was taken with the facte and charging a scholemaister as partie to his treason were both hanged forthwith The batterie was such as thee wer spent aboue thrée thousand and fiue hundreth shottes of canon and al not able to force the Protestantes whiche made the Lorde Sansac raise his siege the. xvii of December 1569. loosing in this siege about xv hundreth men amongst whome the Lord de Foyssy Colonell of his footemen was hurte to death with a shot vppon the trenches Within the Towne amongst others M. Iaques Perrin a Minister was killed with a Canon The warre dyd still aggrauate in diuerse places of the Realme contrary to the opinion of such as thought it should haue ben qualified vtterly quēched by the battaile at Montgontour They of Charyte whereof hathe bene spoken before strēgthened themselues with great numbers of men of warre come with the Lord de Bricquemau and Borry with their retinue they maintayned ordinarie warre against the garrisons of the catholikes thereaboutes making many enterprises and one winning of another
and slewe three score of them three of their owne side onely being lacking When Trinitaeus sawe that he had assaulted Agronia in vaine he assaulted the villages thereabout as Comba and Tagliaret but at their handes he receiued the repulse also with losse of thirtie of his men Seyng therefore howe hardly he should obtaine his purpose and that he little preuayled by open violence he soughte to practise by subtiltie and crafte And sent to the inhabitantes of the valleys promising them peace if they woulde vnarme them selues sende men to the Duke to craue pardon for their rebellion and gyue vnto hym sixtene thousande Crownes The people desyring peace and to bée eased of all their troubles easilye yelded to these conditions And sente chosen men for the purpose to Trinitaeus saying that they woulde fulfyll his commaundement and so they put off their armoure which by and by was taken from them by the souldiers They sente in lyke maner in their owne name to the Duke two men to confirme the obedience of the people vnto hym by an othe so that they might haue libertie to vse their Religion In the meane time there was a great summe of money required the one halfe beyng payed and a daye appoynted for the payment of the other halfe Within fewe dayes after the Duke sente for the two Legates of the valleys and the Popes Legate sitting by him and a great multitude of people beyng present commaunded them kneeling on theyr knees in the name and on the behalfe of the inhabitantes of the valleys to confesse their faultes and to craue pardon for the same firste of the Duke and then of the Pope in the person of hys Legate there presente and to sweare both of them euer afterward to be loyal and obedient This thing beyng extorted from the Legates by feare the Duke by the meanes of these promyses commaunded the men of the valleys to put awaye their Ministers and to receyue suche as he sente vnto them and to come to the Masse The inhabitantes of the valleys blamed the inconstancie of their ambassadors saying that the same shuld not deceyue them neither that they woulde consente vnto that which they had done beyng agaynste theyr wils and commaundemente They woulde they sayde obey theyr Prince but so notwithstanding that they woulde haue the libertie of their conscience Wherfore they desired that they might haue leaue to exercise that doctrine which before time they had followed So soone as the Duke hearde of this he sent an armye againe and that in the deepe of Winter inuading all the countrey burning houses spoiling goods and Cattells and showing so much crueltie as might be The men of the valleys therefore being constrained forsooke their houses and fled to the toppes of the Mountaines with their wiues and children beyng couered with snowe From thence they sawe their houses on fire their trées cut downe their cattell taken away and spâ—…yled And yet for all this eueryone of them yea eueÌ„ their women shed no teares for the same but gaue prayses vnto God who had made theÌ„ worthie to suffer for his name and had made their houses ashes to throwe in the eyes of Antichrist Therefore when they sawe whereabout their enimyes went they dispayred not in the middest of so great affliction but made their prayers vnto God and sayde with one mind and consent that in so iuste a cause they would spende their liues thinking it better to dye than to receiue such horrible superstitions beyng fully persuaded that in so good and iust a cause God woulde not fayle them And thus they bended them selues to séeke their owne defence appointing scoutes and watches in certaine conuenient places making certaine holdes stopping the wayes againste their enimyes and setting all thyngs that was necessarye for them in so good order as they coulde There was therefore dayly skirmishes on bothe sides and within a fewe dayes there were a hundred men slaine on the Dukes side and on the other side not fortie Among other valiant Captaines there was one called Carolus Truchetus a very expert fellow in the warre and of great estimation and authoritie with the Duke This fellowe sought how he might win the Castles and holdes of their enimyes and therefore by the skill of the places and by the knowledge that he had of their situation he brought to passe by coÌ„ming on the backe side of the mountaine that he brought a thousand souldiers and placed them on the ridge of a hill and hauing quietly possessed the same he put his souldiers in comfort to haue the pray and after he had fortified the same he made hast to win another holde Of the which when many were ware that kept a little hill harde by they tolde the rest of their fellowes of the which part went to repell their enimyes and parte with all spéede gaue warning to all those that dwelt there rounde about with the sounde of a Trumpet And at the laste two hundred men being gathered together they easilye put their enimyes to flight And making hast to remoue those souldiers which were placed on the top of the hill they sawe certaine troupes of their enimyes making hast to get a forte néere vnto them of great force Therfore when they had altered their purpose leauing their former assault which they had ment to giue against those on the ridge of the hill they made hast to encounter with the other part and setting vpon them before they were readye they slew many of their enimyes and had made a greater slaughter had not a certaine preacher of Gods word by his admonitions stayed their force But Truchetus being strickeÌ„ with a stone on the legge was caryed away by two souldiers The which when a certain Cowheard which fed oxen there saw he threw a stone at him with a sling with so great violence that he falling to the ground and being lefte of his souldiers was slaine with his owne sworde by the same Cowhearde And nowe for wante of Gunnes the men of the valleys had made them crossebowes of wood which would deliuer stones with great force and therefore the men of Sabaudia being on the lower ground were very muche anoyed with this newe kinde of shooting Wherefore the men of Sabaudia to saue theÌ„ selues from the force and violence of the stones that were thus shot at them deuised great Targets with which they might couer their whole bodyes Therefore they sending before them fortie men shéelding them and defending them froÌ„ the force of the stones with their Targets marched on in hast with all their armies The which when the men of the valleys perceyued they set vpon them on the one side and slewe many of them and put all their armies to flight And at the length the enimyes vnloked for toke the towne Taglaretus and there some were slaine But they which were â—…n the edges of the mountaines set vpon the enimyes slewe many of them put the rest to flighte And
and order the whole matter least the victory one the onâ—… part being to great bothe the Kingdome should be brought to great calamitie also the Church to extreame ruine and destruction Herein therfore moste miraculously appeared the great prouidence of God in afflicting his seruantes and yet notwithstanding sauing them from destruction and in punishing the great outrage of the whole Kyngdome and yet not vtterly ouerthrowing the same The Guises therfore perceiued that they must néedes stop and represse the proceedings of the Prince of Conde and his adâ—…erents with whom they had not ben equall if they had ioyned battaile and also intended to shift of the couragious forwardnes of the Prince of Condes Armâ—…e by subtill meanes vntill they had the helpe of these Straungers whom they looked for To bring y which theyr purpose to passe the vehement inclination of the Prince of Conde to peace did greatly helpe them While the faâ—…hfull were in good hope one while to haue peace another while to haue victory by dayly rumors and the Cities being more negligently kept than they were wont to be certaine of them were lost as Angeu and CaloniuÌ„ and others the which were at the first counted but small losses but afterwardes great losses as the faithfull found Now séeing there ensued no frute of the communication had betwéene the Prince of Conde the Quéene the King of Nauar as we haue before declered both Armies prepare themselues to take their iourney The Army of the Guises was neither very great in number nor yet furnished with many expertsouldiers Ther were certaine bands of souldiers footemen gathered out froÌ„ among the rascall sort of people of Paris which were so rawe that they were faine to be taught euen the first principles of Martiall feates and among thâ—…se were many popish Priestes which had obtained leaue from the Pope of the Bishoppes to go to the warre And as for horsemen they had scarse one whole army many of the Noble Captaines being with the Prince of Conde The chiefest part of the Garisons of souldiers which were appoynted to defend the strong holdes in diuers partes of the Realme were called home to helpe the Guises of the which a great number stale away secretly to the Prince of Conde The Armie of the Prince of Conde was the greater in number the moste couragious and the best appoynted The greatest and most principall part of the Nobillitie being very well appoynted and furnished both with courage and armour and a great multitude of souldiers comming vnto him from all partes of the Realme almost the which was deuided into thrée parts The first part consisted of Uascones of the which Monure Grammuntiuâ—… was general The secoÌ„d of Oscitanes of the Inhabitants of Dolpheny of whom Monsure Rohainus was Captaine The third consisted of those Inhabitants of FrauÌ„ce that are called Franci in Latine of which the Andelot was Captaine who notwithstan ding was made the Captaine generall of all the footemen Concerning field péeces or great Goonnes the enemie had great abundance wherof the Prince of Conde had small stoore which either he had taken at Orleans or els were cast of purpose for him The common Counsell and consent of all men was to go to Paris with all their power being the chiefe Mee tropolitane Citie and the head of their enemies and to assault the same Notwithstanding the Guises remoued their Armie from Paris commaundement being first of all giuen by the Kyng of Nauar that all those which professe the reformed Religion should depart out of the Citie with in three dayes And then they came to Stapulas towardes Orleans The Prince of Conde also remoued from Orleans with all his Army the twenty of June to méete the enemie Then sent the Quéene Letters to the Prince of Conde intreating and perswading him to peace and coÌ„cord vppon indifferent and reasonable conditions The Prince of Conde alwayes desiring peace sent Letters back againe was contented to come to Parley Whervpon truce was taken for sixe dayes Then the King of Nauar wrote to his brother the Prince of Conde more louingly than he was wont to do desired of him to haue for himselfe and his familie only a Citie lying neare to the riuer Loyer called Bogencia which Citie was kept with Garrisons of the Prince of Conde the which he desired but vppon this condition that if they did not conclude vppon peace he would yéelde it into his handes againe The Quéene also came into the army of the Guises wrote to the Prince of Conde very louinge frendly letters desiringe him earnestly to come and talke with her By reason hereof it was commonly reported through out the whole army of the prince of Conde that there should be peace the Guises intending nothing lesse but a farther mischiâ—…fe as the euent afterward declared The Prince of Conde in the tyme of the truce talked oftentimes with the Quéene and with his Brother the King of Nauar. Then the Prince of Conde wheÌ„ he had told his fellowes that the Quéene had promised him that the Guises and his adherentes should foorthwith depart to their owne houses and vnarme themselues vpon condition that he himselfe should come vnto her as a pleadge for the confirming of the peace that should be concluded when I say he had reported these things to his fellowes he crediting the same perswaded his fellowes to giue him leaue to bring this thing to passe that he might séeme to leaue nothing vndone that might bréede peace and concord To the which they graunted making this request in maner and forme followinge Before the matter procede let the Guises the Constable Momorentius and the Marshall of saint Andrewe departe home to their owne houses immediatly after the which departing we desire that the Prince of Conde may remaine and abide in the handes of the Quene and of his Brother the king of Nauar as a hostage pleadge of our faith promising with one consent that we will gladly and readily obey al things that shal be commaunded vs to do which concerne our obedience and dutie to the kinge the profite and commoditie of the Realme and the conseruation of our liues and goodes but specially for the glory of God and the libertie of our consciences Then was this request which the adherentes of the Prince of Conde had made brought to the Quéene with letters oâ—…t of hand the same night al to soone it was subscribed by the Prince of Conde the rest of his frends and solemnly also subscribed by the King of Nauar and sealed with the Kings seale and then it was sent backe again with letters by which the Quéene and the King of Nauar declared that thei liked very wel of the condicioÌ„s This returne was made the fower and twentye day of June being the last day of the truce taken at which time notable occasion was offered to the Prince of Conde to anoie and gaule his enemies Notwithstanding
repressed by Monsuer Cursol whoÌ„ the King sent for the same purpose and by the helpe of the reformed churches notwithstanding that Monsuer Sommeriue the gouerners Sonne of Prouince and many Noble men and diuers other in authority for bicause of the Guises assisted those lewde persones Neuerthelesse the Gouerner of Prouince Counte de Tende of Sauoy openly maintained the faithfull and being oftentymes assaulted by his Sonne came in great peril of his life Therfore Monsuer Sommeriue so soone as he heard that warrs should begin fortyfied the Cities of greatest trust as Marseile Aiigues and others gathered togither so great an armie as he could and euery where euell intreated the faithfull Thus the matter daily waxing woorse and woorse and both partes being bent to battaile the faithfull also gathered an Armie with no small nomber of soldiers and captained â–ª but they had small store of great goonnes and of cities out of which they were excluded by the subtil practises of the papistes Their Captaines were these Monsuer Cardet Monsuer Bari Monsuer Panard and Monsuer Mouans a very good and expert captaine These marching forth with their armies came to Pertus and beséeged the same and for want of greate goonnes they intended to vndermind the citie Notwith standing when they heard of the comming of their enemies which in dede were mani mo in nomber they raised their séege and came to Cesteron which at that time they themselues possessed But while Monsuer Sommeriue intended to follow and pursue them behold hée got a new occasion to commit great wickednesse There was at Auinion which was a towne belonging to the Popes iurisdiction or territory and of great wealth a certain man called Fabricius Cerbello of Bononia béeing Gouernour of the same towne expert in the warres the Bishop of Romes Nephew and a mortall enimye to the reformed religion This man intreated Monsuer Sommeriue by his letters that for so much as he had already an army prepared he would come out of hand to Orenge which is a Noble citie and the Lordship or seignorie of the house of Nassau to the whiche there came dayly a great multitude of Huguenotes who vnlesse they were oppressed euen at the very first not only Auinion which bordered vpon the same should be endammaged but also all Prouence should thereby receiue great detriment Therefore by this mans aduise and counsel â–ª Mon sieur Sommeriue marched with his armie toward Orenge and had this occasion offered vnto him easely to assault the same Monsieur Parpalia of Auinion Lord chief Iustice of the Parliament of Orenge returning from Lions was taken at Bourg which is a towne in Languedoc néere vn to the riuer called the Rosne the inhabitants of the same towne being sworne enemies to the reformed religioÌ„ Therefore to deliuer and redéeme this Parpalia the inhabitants of Orenge and the borderers thereabouts leauing a small garrison to kéepe the Citie came in battail array to Bourg Whereupon the army of Monsieur Someriue being ayded with many of Dolpheny and AuinioÌ„ whose Captain was Monsieur Suze a notable enemy to the reformed Religion besieged the Citie of Orenge being voyd of men to defend the same battered the walles thereof with ordinance the which being shaken downe they easely obtayned the Citie After the taking wherof the furiouse and outragiouse soldier exercised al maner of crueltie vpon the poore inhabitantes For besyde the accustomed cruelty vsed in warres and at the raysing ouerthrowing of cities as rapines forcing of women the deflowring of virgins they vsed a new kind of torture â–ª as by casting downe the prisoners froÌ„ Turrets other high places the soldiers in the meane time watching the fall that they might receyue them vppon the toppes of their speares and points of their swoords They vsed also to hange vp men with their héeles vpward boaring holes through their féete for the thouges and tye ropes to hold by And after this they burnt and destroyed the chiefest principal buildings in the city The victorie being in this wise gotten the army by and by marched to Cesteron which we saide before the faithfull possessed and determined to giue the assault vppon the Citie Notwithstanding after certayne dayes they hearing of the comming of the army of Monsieur Sorez and Moneâ—…s with other necessary aydes helpes thei raysed their sieg departed without their purpose The losse and destructioÌ„ of the citie of Orenge brought great terrour and feare vpon all that Region and vpon the Inhabitants there abouts but especially to all Dolpheny Monsieur de Suze of whom mencion is made before abyding still also about that Region after the departure of Monsieur Sommeriue with a prepared army playing the mortall enemie and was of great might power both by the helpe of the inhabitants of the same countrey of whom he had gathered togither a great army by his own authoritie and also by the ayde of Monsieur Fabricius gouernour of Auinion Where vppon hée tooke the Cities bordering thereabouts some yéelding vp themselues without assault and some being coÌ„ssrayned thereunto by siege as Pierlot Mornac and diuers other little townes All the villages in that Region are walled round about because of their often and accustomed warres and in the territorie of Auinion whiche men call the Countye of Venais being a very frutefull soyle he wan many little Townes For in that Countye the faithfull held many of them And if hée had marched with his army toward Dolpheny he had woon with litle ado diuers Cities being slenderly fortefied all men quaking for feare and the cities almost being quite voyd of men to defende themselues For at that time the faythefull were gone to winne the citie of Puj in the Region of Vellay Notwithstanding at Lions was M. Adretze at that instaÌ„t gouerner of the city This man by his singular diligence and indeuour hauing gathered together from diuers places an Army of men came from Lions to Montiil a noble Citie of Dolpheny at whose commaundement suldiers came to him froÌ„ diuers places For at that time his name was of such authority throughout all those Regions that he might rule and gouerne as he listed himselfe al those places in the which the faithfull abode as the Prouinces of Lions Dolpheny and Languedos Monsuer de Suze hauing gotten a great Armie went to besiege the City of Vauriac in the Countie of Venais but being the more bold by reason of the successe that he had at Orenge hee was carelesse and rechlesse in his busines Therfore hée incamped him selfe néere vnto the Citie and willed the Citizens to yeeld vp the same vnto him In the meane time the souldiour being carelesse talked of the spoyle and of the pray assuring himselfe of the same and the Captaines euen as if they already had gotten the victory began to deuide the spoyle among them selues Also Monsuer de Suze him selfe sate wholely vnarmed in his tent playing at the Dyce after hee
faithfull held Therfore Monsuer Ioyse tooke shipping and in his shippes great store of Ordinaunce with the which hee so battered the Castell that the kéepers thereof for want of helpe yéelded and deliuered the same into his handes The men of Montpellier in the meane time not know ing of the yéelding vp of Maguelon intended to go with all the power they were able to make out of the Citie to set vpō their enemies camp being busied in the besieging of the Castell Therfore they went out of the Citie to the number of eight hundered horsemen and twelue Ensignes of footemen leauing behind them a Garrison to kéepe the Citie carying with them also certaine fielde péeces And they had not gone farre but they met with the Campe of Monsure Ioyse whether hee was retourned with al his men from the siege of Maguelon and al that day was spent betwéene them only with discharginge shot one at another Monsuer Ioyse woondering at the boldnes and courage of the men of Montpellier And while he was in a certaine Manner Place or ferme sitting at supper with certaine of his Captains and talking of the helpe and aide which he looked for at which time they assured them selues of the victory it came to passe that a certaine pellet which came out of the shot of the Protestants fell vppon the toppe of the house in the which he sate and shaking the house it berayed the whole table at the which he supt with dust made their eares to ring with the cracke and rashing rent of the house Then all of them began to feare and tremble doubting least the house would fall vppon their heades Then Petrus Lapas that spanish théese of whom we spake before being merily disposed cried to Monsuer Joyse in the Spanish tongue saying Behold Mon sure Ioyse the keyes which Montpellier offereth vnto thee deriding hereby his security The same day being the xiii day of September Baron des Adretz came out of Dolpheny with eight hundred well appoynted horsemen to the Protestants Campe of Montpellier by the rumor of whose comming Monsure Ioyse and the rest of his souldiers were not onely greatly afeard but also much offended with the delay of their fellowes Then Monsure des Adretz when he had found out the situation of their Campe minded to besiege them First therfore he got betwéene them and the Marsh or fenne thē did so beset or inclose them on euery side round about with men and ordinance that they could by no meanes escape nor yet by any way attaine to ayy vittailes And the mindes of the Papistes which had conceiued that the Protestants were many mo in num ber than they were as they were in déede were so discouraged and amazed that they durst by no meanes set vppon their enemies nor yet aduenture any waye to escape But now when the souldiers of Montpellier were throughly incouraged by the aide of Adretz to the battaile and that their enemies on the other part were quight discouraged behold Baron de Adretz tolde the Captaines that he must néedes depart from thence that night for so woord was brought vnto him from Lions And entering into the Citie of Montpellier by the break of the day he commaunded the Aldermen of the towne to giue vnto him 15000. Frankes Who for feare of force and sedition gaue vnto him so much money after the receipt wherof he departed out of the Citie minding no doubt to play the false Judas and Apostata which afterward came to passe Thus the siege being broken vp word was brought to Montpellier that Monsure Sommeriue and Monsure de Suze were come with a great Armie and that they went about to make a Bridge to come ouer the Riuer called the Rosne and that on the other part the power of the men of Auuergnoys came to the teritory of Seuenas vnder the charge and conduct of the Graun Prier Word hereof also came to the Campe of Monsure Joyse who when they vnderstoode that they were deliuered from the perill of the siege and that there had happened so soden a change they were excéedingly cōforted and reuiued as commonly it happeneth to men that haue escaped great daunger This rumour therfore dayly increasing more and more the men of Montpellier sawe that it was necessa ry for them to learne and know both what power the enemie of Fraunce had because he was nere and perillous and also how farre which way he minded to go whether there were any way to stop him Therfore by the common aduise of the Captaines Monsure Grill Monsure Bari Monsure Bulargues men very expert in the warre went to Nisines the twentie day of September with fiue hundred horsemen and thrée hundred foote men leauing the rest of their army behind thē to kéepe the Citie Who in the meane time suffered not the enemy which lay néere the citie to be in quiet comming out oftentimes euen to their Camp and skirmishings with them Now Monsieur Bulargues being a man expert and paynfull in warlike affaires was put in trust to vewe the Town of Sangiles whether the enemie minded to come and to sée whether the Towne were sufficiently fortefied to defende it selfe and what garrison it had who cōming thyther saw that the Citie was indifferently fortefied and was certefied by the inhabitants of Sangiles that they had ben summoned by the enemie to yéelde vp the citie and while monsieur Bulargues was there the enemie summoned them agayn with the same commandements saying that monsieur Sommeriue and monsieur de Suze required them to yéeld vp vnto them forthwith the citie vnlesse they would suffer and abyde all manner of extremity and cruelty if the same were wonne by force of battery So monsieur Burlargues leauing twenty of his men at Sangiles they scarse hauing in their own gar rison in the towne so many more good able souldiers and incouraging the townsmen with promise that out of hand they should haue more ayde he returned to Nismes conferring with his fellowes he had charge committed vnto him to conduct to the Towne of Sangilles two hundred Gonners And monsieur Grill and Bars promised that they would follow with the reste of the footemen and horsemen In the meane time word was brought to Sangiles that the enemie was come with a great army contayning six thousand footemen and eight hundred horsemē hauing with them also thrée great Canons that they intended to make a bridge ouer the riuer called the rosne and so besiege the towne of Sangiles The proud boasting Souldiour approched to the walles of the citie who notwithstanding were driuen backe agayne by those the kept the walles with gonnes Then the enemies began to batter the walles with their great Canons and to set ladders to the walles to scale them They of the towne séeing this called vpon their Captaines to make al spéed to defende them for they were gréeued at the proude wordes of
the papistes which bragged as if they had already wonne the towne And oftentimes the souldiers of monsieur Sommeriue would crye out to the townes mē saying Say vnto thy God Judge me O God for that psalm was made a common ryme Therefore monsieur Bulargues remoued in the night to goe from Nismes with hys two hundred gonners and troupe of horsemen which we sayd were appointed to ayde those of Sangilles hys fellowes followed after notwithstanding with not so much spéede and thereupon hée sent vnto them to make more haste from Estegell where they taried their comming In the way to Nismes from Sangiles there aryseth euen at the first a little hil which lying out in length maketh an euen playne and then assendeth agayn with an other hill betwéene both which hilles there are certaine small valleyes and then againe that playne or leuell at the entrie whereof the towne of Sangiles is situate is bounded with the Riuer of Rosne for the space of fower and twenty furlonges and so extendeth it selfe to the Castle called the Fourques which lyeth ouer against the city of Arles the riuer of Rosne running betwene them on the other part there lyeth a very large Iland and excéeding frutefull which in the vulgar tonge is called Camargua corruptly as it is thought of Campus Marius because Marius aboade there while he warred against the people of Denmarke or else of the Gréeke worde wyth the which the people of Phocis that built the citie Massilia in Prouance called the same which Gréeke worde is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying the goodnesse and fertility of the ground By this meanes following there was a bridge made by monsieur Sommeriue and his men First they tooke certayne Shippes and tyed them syde to syde with ropes crosse the Riuer vpon which then they layed bourdes plankes and so the whole armie of monsieur Sommeriue went ouer to the other shoare of Languedoc For the ryuer called the Rosne diuidteh Prouance and Languedoc asunder Monsieur Bulargues therefore looking for his soldiours at Estegel there came ryding out of the armie of monsieur Sommeriue ten horsemen not ware of monsieur Bulargues at whose commaundement eight of thē were presentlye hemde in the other twoo with great feare fled backe agayne to the armie and made report that a great number of their enemies lay hid in the valleyes besyde Estegell Therefore monsieur Sommeriue cōmaunded the horsemen to set themselues in aray and euery one to marche from thence and the footemen to arme themselues with spéede Then monsieur Bulargues hauing placed certaine scoutes vpō the top of the hill which lay betwéene them and their enemies for from thence they might easely behold the whole armie vppon the leuell was by them tolde that the horsemen of monsieur Sommeriue were comming towardes them in battayle aray Here monsieur Bulargues being like to be ouercom easely by the greater number of his enemies deuised a way out of hand and brought all his souldiers out of the valleyes and set them vpon the top of the hill to make the greater shew to terrifie his enemies Whose pollitique deuise had good successe for so soone as the enemie sawe them vppon the top of the hill they suspected that it was a trayne made to beguile them imagining also that so small a nūber durst not come so nighe except they were sure of more ayde and that therefore they shewed them selues because they would allure them forwarde vntill they had gotten the aduantage of the place and then with a great number to ioyne battayle with them Thē they stayed euen right ouer against them and so keeping a while their battaile aray they retourned backe agayne to their campe In the meane time some were sent againe to accelerate and hasten the comming of Monsure Grill and Bari who at the last came with the rest of the Army which being ioynd with those that were before with Monsure Bulargues made the whole Army to be in number one thousand fiue hundred of them horsemen and the other fiue hundred being footemen and for the space of certaine howers they abode there still in battayle aray in the sight of the Army of Monsure Sommeriue which Army when Monsure Bulargues perceyued to be quiet they came to the towne of Sangiles that as it was appointed they might both aid the Citie and also retourne out of hand to Nismes Therfore Monsure Bulargues leauing his fellowes hard by the towne sent into the towne two hundred goonners and shortly exhorted them and the souldiers that were in the towne to play the men promising vnto them that he would not be long from them And then going out of the Citie he perceyued that the enemy had raysed their siege therfore he ran in hast to sée which waye they were gon And he sawe the Army going towardes the Rosne as though they fled away Then hée ran and told this thing ioyfully to his fellowes that thei might sée the discomfited enemy fléeing away and therfore he sayde that they must not neglecte this occasion which God had offered them for God fighteth for his be therfore saith he of good courage and let vs pursue the enemy And thus talking a while with his souldiers many of them because they were a few in number refused so to do for he had with him only a hundred twentie horsemen Then he sayd Let him that loueth me followe me And so setting spoures to his horse he and so many as were with him pursued after the enemie vntill he came within thrée hundred paces of them at the sight wherof the horsemen of Monsure Sommeriue fled by and by before the footemen which were appoynted to kepe the ordinance Monsure Bulargues making no stay put forth his horse and began to skirmish and after the discharging of two small péeces the horsemen of Monsure Sommeriue leaning their great ordinance tourned their backes and brake through the raye of the footemen so the whole Army began to flée Then Monsure Bulargues with the rest of his fellowes began to crie The victory and killed whom soeuer they met though they made no resistāce and so they made a great slaughter And by reason of the comming of more aide to Monsure Bulargues there was the greater slaughter made euery where some sleing and some pursuing and ouercomming Notwithstanding they which came last delaying the time because they beléeued not the same to be true which Monsure Bulargues told them many horsemen of Monsure Sommeriue which were on the other part of y Army and had the better horses escaped by flight ouer the Bridge and among these were monsure Sommeriue and monsure de Suze who breaking the Bridge for feare least their enemies should followe after them caused a great number the more of their men to be slayne Ther fore the scattered souldiers ran vp and downe to and fro séeking how to escape but found no way Wheruppon many cast themselues into
cause which was not perticuler but generally belonging to all men and that I should resist open force and tyrāny and restore libertie of conscience to the men of the reformed Churches by the benefite of the kings Edicte after so great and so longe affliction whereby they sayd I should preserue the authoritie and dignitie of the king and the Estates For these causes the greatest part of Noble men and Gentlemen vppon conscience of their dutie knowing that they were bound hereunto both by diuine and also by mans lawe haue followed me and with these the greatest part of the kings subiectes and his most noble Cities haue voluntarily ioyned themselues with me and rather by diuine than humane reason haue elected and created mée with one voyce and consent for this cause to be their Captayne The which office I being of the kings bloud and naturally bound to the Crowne of Fraunce haue taken vpon mée and haue sworne to maintayne the glory of God the dignity and conseruation of the king the Realme hauing also entered into league with them in respecte whereof I haue bound my selfe vnto them and cannot be discharged of my othe againe without the solemne consent of my fellowes to whom I haue giuē my faith And whereas I offered to the Quéene to become a banished man vpon this condicion If by the departing of vs fewe the common peace and libertie of Religion might bee obtayned it is manifest that my departure shall open a gap to more miserable destruction and therefore there is no cause why I should be bound by that my promise If I should departe the realme I should leaue the King in this his nonage in perill of the ambition and violēce of straungers and the Crowne of the which I am by nature a defender and protector in hasard of lying in the dust Agayne it cannot be that the Kinges subiectes should be in the more securitie through my departure whē this one thing is manifest that the Shepeheard beeing away ▪ the Woulfe maye the more easely destroye the flocke Can I thinke that so great a multitude can be sent out of the realm without their great hurt and without the great destruction of the whole realme Therefore for my duties sake to do the which I am bound both by nature and also by my othe I cannot neyther ought I to depart out of the Realme specially in these perillouse tymes vnlesse I would incurre the faulte of a fugitiue and startaway For as touching the reasons which my aduersaries bring to couer their wickednesse and to diswade me from the defence of so iust a cause they are so weake of so small waight that no man will estéeme them but those which are affectionate vnto them For whereas they say that from that time hitherto the Quéene hath altered her purpose disalowed the Edicte and allowed their bearing of armour and had giuen hir authoritie to the King of Nauarre to rule and order the whole matter it is nothing First bycause it is more probable and agreable to reason that whatsoeuer the King the Quéene and the viceroy determined and decréed when they had full libertie and when the kingdome was in peace is more firme and sure than that which they approue and confirme in these troublesome tymes when they are after a sort constrayned by force of Armes Secondly the Quéene cannot alow the gathering togyther of domesticall and forein Armyes of men and the beginning of warre contrary to the auncient custome of the lawes of Fraunce and the late decrée of the states and that for so euil an end purpose as to breake the Kinges Edicte the decrée aforesaid made solemly by the Quenes cōmandement but she must also ouerthrow the foundation vppon which her authoritie standeth which by that meanes should be of no force Neyther can she of her selfe put ouer to another her authority and power to gouerne bycause it commeth not vnto her by natural right but is giuen vnto her by the benefite and consent of another Moreouer touchinge the king of Nauarre whether hée be Viceroy or Legat he hath no such authority that he may commaund the Guises or any other to gather togyther armies of men and that without the commaundement of the Quene or the kings lawfull Counsaile chosen by the states The which was not obserued when the Quéene gaue them commaundement to put of their armour Neyther is it of greater waight or force that the Quéene since that tyme hath approued the bearing of armour and the musteringe of souldiers bycause in those matters it cānot be sufficient to haue only a bare allowing or approuing in the which a sure and expresse commaundement is required To conclude admit the Kinges Counsaile were such as it ought to be by the decrée of the States and that there were ioyned therwith the authoritie of the Quéene and of the Kinge of Nauar God forbid that any man how great soeuer his authority be in the tyme of the Kinges nonage might gather an army proclayme warre and put the power of the King and the Realme into the hands of a subiect be he neuer so faithfull without the wil and consent of the States first had and specially when the purpose is so euill and that the Kinges ▪ Edict should be broken These thinges of me considered I haue determined not to forsake my king in his young age and my Countrey and Religion all which requyre my helpe Therefore I haue brought my army more neare my enemies my souldiers being very willing and couragious to set vppon the enemy and to ioyne battaile But our enemies which haue so often triumphed ouer vs scorned vs haue found no better way than to packe and steale away secretly in the night Therefore forsaking to ioyn battail with vs thei came to Blais a town without any Garrison vnlooked for besieged the same and when they had won it they shewed al maner of cruelty and since that tyme they haue spoyled as yet do spoile cruelly many of the Cities of this Realme And as for the Quéene though she know the goodnes of our cause and that I haue done nothing but by her commaundement yet neuerthelesse bycause she is more a fraide of the power and subtill practises of our aduersaries than she trusteth to the good successe of oure parte mindeth to giue her selfe wholy vnto them anddoth more openly and vehemently fauour them as may plainly appear by these effectes Therefore shée gaue her selfe wholy to the Cardinal of Lorrayn who at that tyme was with her to be gouerned by him although shée knewe well enough the couetousnes ambition cruell mind which is in him and in the rest of that stocke which haue bin the causes of most greuous troubles in the Realme of Fraunce ▪ since that tyme that they haue borne any rule Therfore the Cardinall left nothing vndone that might hinder peace as may appeare by hys letters which by chaunce came to our handes
Thirdly that the King himselfe might ratefie and allow y warre which they had mayntayned and what soeuer they had spent of the Kings money to mayntayne the same that there might be a cōmon and generall Counsell appointed in some conuenient place within this six monethes in the which neyther the Pope nor any other for hym might beare any rule Or if it might not be generall that then it might onely consist of our countrey men leaue being graunted to euery one to come thyther that both armies whether they were domesticall or forreyne might depart home euery man to his owne house and that it would please the King to account the Prince of Conde his army as his owne the which he protested hée gathered togyther to serue and obeye him And finally that for the establishing of this concord it would please the King and Quéene to gyue their fayth and that euery one of the Kings Counsell and Gouernour of any Prouince within the Realme might in lyke manner sweare to obserue and kéepe this peace These were the special condicions which the Prince of Conde required which were for certayne dayes sent abroad into diuers places the Guises for the nonce practising with the Quéen subtillie so to doo that they might haue the better hope of the ayde which was comminge and also that the Prince of Conde beginning now in the winter might fall into greater straytes For the Duke of Guise went about at no time to séeke peace concord fully perswading and assuring himselfe to haue the victorie of the Prince of Conde and his And herevpon it is reported that the Duke of Guise sayd to the Quéen whē shée went about to make peace If I thought that you would make any certayne and firme pacification with the Prince of Conde I would neuer agree to the same To the which the Quéene made aunswere agayne that shée neuer ment it This therefore was the aunswer that was made in the kings name to the peticions of the Prince of Conde First the libertie of religiō was graunted but with so many exceptions that it was no libertie at all For the king denyed any of his Counsell to vse the reformed religion in his Court hée depriued the Cities of warre which were in the vtmost partes of the Realme of the benefite of the Edict among which also hée put in Lions being no citie of warre Hée also exempted Paris the whole Territory of the same from the vse of the reformed Religion commaunding the armye of the Prince of Conde to breake vp and to depart home but the Army of the Duke of Guise which was called the Kings power to remayne at the kinges pleasure as it was hée denyed also leaue for those that had forsaken the Realme to come home agayne hauing not already enioyed that benefite Hée would not haue the Decrées and sentences pronounced to bée quite frustrated but for a tyme suspended He denyed any Protestantes too enioye his office sauing the Prince of Conde And finally he refused to allow that expence of his money vppon the warre Uppon this answere the Prince of Conde was out of all hope to haue peace The Guise would not go out of the Citie of Paris mynding by delay to weaken the pow er of the Prince of Conde While these thinges had this successe on both partes the Guises because they would loose no time went about to make Monsieur Genly a Noble man whose Brother was Monsieur de Iuoy which had forsaken the Prince of Conde after the yéelding vp of Burges to take their part also Monsieur Genly therfore being earnestly trauailed withall fell from the Prince of Conde to the contrary part and was receiued into Paris Whose departure made the Prince of Conde to alter his former purpose because he knew that he being one that had knowne al his secret and priuie Counsel would now bewray the same to the Guises So that when he should haue approched néerer Paris haue besieged the Citie he altered his purpose and remouing his Campe went from Paris with his whole power going through Normandy myndinge to ioyne him selfe to the English men who were now come to the Hauen le Grace being a Citie which bordered vppon the sea coast that then he might be the better able to ioyne battayle with the Guises IN the meane time there came Armies of Souldi ers out of Gascoyne and Spaine to aide the Guises the com ming of these men grealy incouraged the Guises for they were in number xxxii Ensignes of tall and well experienced souldiers Therefore now he fully determined to pursue the Prince of Conde before he ioyned vnto his Armie the English men which were sent with great stoore of money also to aide him by the Quéene of England least by the comming of that money he shoulde bée greatly holpen to mayntaine warre for he hoped that the Germanes at length wanting their paye because the Prince was bare of money wold come vnto him Ther fore to kéepe the Prince of Conde and the English men asunder the Duke of Guise remoued with his whole Armie and power from Paris and making great hast hée come to a towne in Normandy which is called the Teritory or playn of Dreux where also the Prince of Conde stayed and both Armies pitched their Campes with in two French Leagues one of another The Guise had chosen a very conuenient place to incampe hym selue on both for the néerenes of the towne of Dreux which was kept with their Garrisons and also because there were villages and woddes hard by them to flée vnto if néede were Betwéene both the Armies there ran a pleasant long playne hauing but a little valley only which lay on the side of them THE PRINCE OF CONDE when he sawe that his enemies were approched so néere after consultation with his fellowes determined to ioyne battayle with them leauing the euent to the prouidence of god Notwithstanding the Duke of Guise had a great number of footemen more on his part than the Prince of Conde had For he had XXVI thousand footemen where as the other had scarcely XI thousand footemen But of horsemen the Prince of Conde had IIII. thousand where as the Duke of Guise had but III. thousand THE Prince of Conde intending to ioyne battayle with his enemies earely in the morning by the breake of the daye set his souldiers in their arraye the horsemen in the first front which was deuided into diuers rankes In the first ranke or vauntgard he placed Monsieur Cure with a foure square troupe of shot on horse contayning sixe Cornets vppon eche side of the which vauntgard were two winges of Launces one wing of Frenchmen vnder the charge of Monsieur Moue and Monsieur Auerill and the other wing of Germanes After the French winge which was vppon the left hand of the battaile came the Prince of Conde and Rochfocaut with a Troupe of Launces to the number of 230. After the
second wing came the Prince of Porcian and the Admirall hauing the charge of two Giddons of Launces to the number of 120. Then followed them a very strong square battaile of footemen Germanes contayning twelue Ensignes hauing a little before them 500. shot on horse Then was there a very great Squadron of Frenchmen contayning 23. Ensignes placed to kéepe the great Ordinance which were also garded with a wing of horsemen Germanes on eyther side And thus the Prince of Conde marched forward with his whole Armie to encounter with his enemie who also had his men in a readinesse First the Guise with a very huge Troupe of Launces garded the corner or poynt of the Squadron of the first Armie which was on his right hand contayning fourtene Ensignes of footemen Spaniardes and the poynt of the second Squadron which was on his left hand contayning 22. Ensignes of tall Frenchmen hauing planted before them against the enemie 14. feeld péeces of Ordinance Then the Marshal of Santandre hauing sixe Giddons of Launces came with the poynt of the third Squadron which contayned a seuen Ensignes of footemen Germanes At the other poynt of the which Germanes there were also fiue Giddons of horsemen vnder the charge of Monsieur Dan uille Betwéene which fiue Giddons and the 12. GiddoÌ„s of the Constable were placed two great Squadrons the one contayning 22. Ensignes of footemen Switzers hauing planted before them eight péeces of Ordinaunce the other contayning 17. Ensignes of Brittons French men So that in all on the Guises part there were fyue Squadrons of foote men Euery Squadron is a battaile in proporcion foure square so that betwéene euery Squadron from poynt to poynt sauing betwéene the two last there were Giddons of horsemen at Armes to gard them This battayle had his proporcion in length but the Battayle of the Prince of Conde not so much in length but more in breadth Whereuppon against the Constable the Admirall was opposite at one end against Danuille the Prince of Conde but against the other end which was the first Army where the Guise and the Marshall of Santandre were there was none opposite The Armies on both parts being placed as you heare the Prince of CoÌ„de first of all commaunded his whole Armie to make their prayers vnto God the which being done he roade round about the Army exhorted his souldiers to be of good courage and then commaunded to sound the Trompet to battayle Then Monsieur Curee Captain of the vaunfgard not staying till the great peeces which were bent against him were discharged with the rest of his troupe discharged his shot at the Swisers â–ª after whom followed the Prince of Conde and at the first encounter so charged the horsemen of the Swisers whereof Monsieur Danuille had the conduct that he both put them to the chase and also brake into the squadron of the Swisers Rochfoucant in the meane tyme standing stil and keping his ray At the first the Swisers that were the footemen both by the force of the great gunnes and also by their owne artillery withstoode the first charge giuen by the Prince notwithstanding by the often shot discharged by the horsmen they were constrayned to breake their arraye and to retire before the Launces who also brake vppon theÌ„ and caused them to forsake their great ordinance the Princes souldiers sleying and killing so much as possibly they could The Admirall also preuailed almost no lesse against the Constable and hauinge with him the troupes of the Germanes they skirmished with the horse men of Monsieur Danuill which came againe to rescue the Constable and greately anoyed them with the hayle of their shot The Prince of Conde hauing destroied and put to flight the Swisers encountered then with the next Army of french men and breakinge their ray ouer ran them and put them to flight In the meane tyme there was a sore battaile betwene the Admirall and the Constable both partes quighting themselues very valeantly Notwithstanding the Constables side being not able to make their part good the Constable himself also being sore wounded in the head with an arming swerd and in other partes of the body with diuers shot and taken in plaine fight they fled away the Prince and the Admirall pursuing the chase The Prince hauing so good successe had good hope to haue the victori for the greatest part of the enimies army was eyther slaine or put to flight the great gunnes belongyng to the second Army taken and the Constable also as is a foresaid The horsemen of the Prince of Condes parte being occupied almost euerye one in pursuinge the enemye the Armies of the Germane and French footemen of the Princes side lay open naked before the Guise Monsieur Danuille The which when Monsieur Danuille perceyued he vaunced all the power he was able to make thither ward of whose coÌ„ming so sone as the Germanes were ware they disordred themselues and fled to a village hard by called Bleinuill without any maner of resistance Then the Princes armye of French footemen being left alone a very great troupe of horsemen charged theÌ„ sore and being discouraged and made a feard euen at the first onset they turned all their backes and fled Where fore a great nomber of them were slaine in chase wyth losse of a fewe of the Guisâ—… horsemen only Thus the Princes footemen being disperfâ—… slayne the Guises by the mutable chaunce of war had good hope to foyle the Prince of Conde For almost all the horsemen of the Prince of Condes side were wholy occupyed in chasing and killing the remnante of the Switsers and FrenchmeÌ„ Whereby also it must néedes be that they were greatly disordered and out of ray Wherefore Monsieur Danuille the Constables Sonne aduaunced his power of horsemen to encounter with the Prince of Conde the rest Who being vnable so match with their enemies be gan to flée the other followed the chase And the Prince himselfe séeking to escape through a wood hard by had his horse slaine vnder him with a shot and for lacke of a fresh horse to shift him he fell into the handes of Monsieur Danuille and was taken prisoner The Admirall séeinge in euery place his men fléeinge away the Germane horsemeÌ„ also fléeing by hâ—…apes hard by according to their maner to charge their gunnes then to return againe with one force to anoy the enemy the which maner of fight bycause many vnderstoode not suspecting that the Germanes fled were afrayde and perceyuing also that they were quight discouraged bycause the Prince of Conde was taken was much troubled and greued in mind He saw also to his great grief thrée great troupes of horsemen which the Guises very pollitiquely and prudently had reseruid euen till the very pinch came in the which was the Marshall of Santandre Duke Daumale Monsieur Niueâ—…ne and other noble men which he spedily dispatched to the chase he himself tarying still behind to
to be certifyed and persuaded and to assist vs with your aide and fauour In the meane time the mother and hir children commend themselues to your Maiestie to whom thei wishe most happy preseruation This letter was written the xv of October Certainly England did greatly fauour the cause of the faythfull as may appeare by the second demonstration of their good will in time of extreame perill binding the Frenchemen vnto them for euer by the great benefits and good turnes bestowed vppon them For they gaue liberally to such as were exiles and banished meÌ„ places to dwell in and very much comforted succoured the poore néedy and oppressed in these tumultes and garboyles of ciuill warres But to returne to our former purpose The Prince of Conde ioyned himself with the Army of Monsieur Acier the first day of Nouember at Aulbeterre and then out of hand they consulted concerninge the pursuing of Monpensier of which when they had agréed they tooke certain troupes of horsemen of the first Armie and the greatest parte of harquebuziers whiche came out of Languedoc and then the Admirall went toward a certain village called Bertrizi where it was reported the enemie aboade but when they had diligently enquired out the matter it was founde that hée was departed from thence with great spéed and so with losse of that iorney the Admirall retourned backe agayn to 〈◊〉 to the Prince of Conde To whom when hée was come agayn they determined and decréed togither to séeke all occasions of battail and sâ—… straightway they pursueâ—… Monpensier who with great expedition traueiled toward the Duke of Aniou For the Duke of Aniou with the reste of the army was at Chastelleraud in the territorie of Poictou who had also with him greate store of great Gunnes Therefore the Admirall wyth the first Army pursued Monpensier who was not farre from the Duke of Aniou in so muche that the Duke of Aniou béeing moued with so greate celeritie remoued his Campe néerer the Citie and more strongly encamped himself his souldiers the Admirall not bidding him battaile but extending his army and displayng his Ensignes in great quantitie of ground Notwithstanding this day there was nothing don The day following he marched his army more néere but first of all he gaue knowledge thereof to the Prince of Conde who sending before him his footemen came vnto him with the troupes of horsemen of the seconde Army but as he was comming on from the Admirall met hym and tolde him that he coulde not cause the Duke of Aniou to ioyne battaile with him bycause he had incaÌ„ped his souldiers within certaine valleys inuironed with hils and also by reason of a thicke myste which was so foggie that one of them coulde scarsly discerne and knowe another Therfore this day also was spent with charge and discharge of thundering shotte one agaynste another The Prince of Conde had taken a very strong castle called Caâ—…uigny by surrender which was situate near to the riuer of Vienna This castel he battered downe to the hard ground bycause it should not afterward stand the enemy in any stéede Then the Prince of Conde to the end he might entice the lingering Duke of Aniou to battail after deliberation had of the matter retired backe agayne with the Admirall and went asyde passing ouer the riuer agayn In the meane tyme Monsieur Bocard was comming to the Prince of Conde with the rest of the army and with good stoaâ—…e of great Ordinance when he had takeÌ„ Pont a strong and well fenced citie The Duke of Aniou vnderstanding of this determined to set vpon Monsieur Bocard he being yet a good way of from the Prince of Conde and passing ouer the riuer of Uienua he came to a certain Towne called Pamprui where Monpensier taried for him with the first army The Prince of Conde also was mynded to ioyne himselfe with Monsieur Bocard that if it were possible by this occasion hee might procure and allure the Duke of Anion to battaile Therfore the Prince of Conde came to that place the xvii of November was no farther then half a league from Monpensiers camp And by and by ther was a smal skirmish betwéen them which was but short by reason that night approched The Duke of Aniou was froÌ„ thence aboute a league Monpensier as though he had encamped himselfe made certaine fiers to deceiue the enemy and in the dead tyme of the night came towardes the Duke of Aniou at Iazenail By the breake of the day the Admirall sent Monsieur Briguemauld with certaine Troupes of Horsemen as scoutes to view the coste and hee himselfe aboade there still the Prince of Conde being not far from him Then Monsieur Briguemauld when he came to the place froÌ„ whence the enemy was fled found certain tentes empty and horses tyed with cariage which they had left behinde them and riding a little farther he might discern the enemy going forward then he sent Monsieur la Loe with twenty Horsemen to take a better and more certaine viewe of them who when he had ridden more neare gaue knowledge to Briguemauld that they were their enemies who straighte way with the rest of the horsemen rode against them at the sighte where of the Souldiers of Monpensier were so terrefied that thei forsoâ—…ke their cariage and fled towarde Mongontour hee leauinge his purpose to ioyne with the Duke of Aniou And it séemed now that they had occasion offered them to giue notable attemptes if so be the Admirall had not altered his purpose fearinge least the Prince of Conde on the other part should be troubled with the Duke of Aniou because hee hard oftentymes the sounde of the gonnes For the Prince of Conde fought with the Duke of Aniou with whom hee skirmished diuers tymes euen at his campe Notwithstanding this was not done without sheadinge of bloud six hundred of the Duke of Anious Souldiers being wanting and of them fiueteen captains And if they had not bene preuented by night it was to be feared least the battaile had bin more blou dy by the rescue of the Admirall The next day again the Prince of Conde came with his whole power to the same place but in vain The Duke of Aniou marched with his army to Poictiers and the Prince of Conde with his army to a towne called Mirebell within foure miles of Poictiers which straight way was yelded to the Prince of Conde where he taried eyght dayes Then the Admiral when he hard that certain bands of Souldiers taried at the citie Pontauzane tooke all his horsemen both with lawnce and shotte and trauailed in the night set vppon the whole Legion of the which the Brissac was Captaine and slewe thrée hundred of them There was also the greatest part of the enemyes horsemen whom he durst not set vpon both for that he knew not where the Prince of Conde was and also because there were great showers of rayne which muche anoyed them Therefore
it began in maner as followeth Weye and consider with your selfe your estate and you shall finde that all things haue happened ouertwhaâ—…tly vnto you euer since you haue gone about to vexe the Lutheranes When you set forth the Edict made at Cast ellobrian then began warres But when you inhibited and forbad the executioÌ„ of that Edict and were an enimie to the Pope in sending a power into Germanie for the libertie thereof bicause of the afflicted religion your busines had very prosperous successe But what hath hapned vnto you euer since you entred into friendship with the Pope taking the sword of him by which truce being broken warres might begin a fresh God vndoubtedly shall turne thy felicities into those calamities which are now ready to fall vpon thée and thy dignitie To what end went the armie of the Duke of Guise into Italy when he had serued Gods enimie for hire went he not to this ende that when he returned home againe he might vtterly destroy the Churches of the valleys of Pedemonte and might so offer and dedicate his victories vnto God Surely the ende and successe sheweth that God doth bring the deuises and counsels of men to naught when they turne to their own destruction as appeareth by the slaughter which happened on S. Laurence daye of late at what time he derided and frustrated the proude threatninges of the Constable which boasted that if he returned home againe a victor or conquerour he woulde roote out and vtterly destroy Geneua Thus after the repeating of many examples in the which the iudgements of God did appeare against the aduersaries of his truth whose memory also was yet fresh in the heads of al men this letter at the length coÌ„cludeth that afflictioÌ„s cannot abolish destroy the Church of God séeing that as Tertullian sayth The bloud of Martyrs is the seede of the Church and that it is the office of a King to take vpon him the care of religion the which all men might sée by diuers ways to be contaminated and neglected that this might lawfully be done by calling a Councell In the meane time that their cause as yet being vnknowne not certaine they may be peaceably not cruelly intreated which protest that they follow Gods truth and that so holy a name cannot in such wise be coÌ„temned but some inquisition must be made also that iudgement ought to be had not from the deuises of men but from the worde of God the only and most certaine rule of truth Therfore say they if we be not conuinced by Gods word it is neither fire nor sworde nor any maner of punishment that can terrifie vs These shall be the triumph and victorie of our faith that by being ouercome we shall be ouercommers at the last by this Chariote we shall come at the length to the hauen of euerlasting lyfe But that Edict which was made at Cast ellobrian of the which we haue made mention before was very straite and cruell against Religion in the which among many things these were the speciall sentences First that all former Edictes concerning the putting of heretiques to death should be confirmed That no man shoulde be admitted to anye publike office before he had made his coÌ„fession agréeable to the Catholike and Romishe faith That in euery Parliament and in the thirde moneth also there shoulde be assemblies made which are commonly called Mercuriales and that first of all matters concerning Religion shoulde be handled and that there shoulde be speciall regarde and eye had to the assembly of the Parliament least some corruption or heresie might secretly créepe in There was also another Apologie set forth for all men to vse so written that the auncient forme and state of the Church being represented and compared to that which is at this day the auncient fathers themselues also by their own wordes and writings might defend and maintaine the verye selfe and same cause which they nowe defended and in such wise that they which sayde that they reuerenced and embraced antiquitie might heare antiquitie defending and supporting the cause of the reformed Church so called These things truly are plentifully set forth in this wryting but the summe is this That it was against right that the faithfull shoulde be accused for well doing but more iniurious that they should be condemned their cause not being heard Notwithstanding that the Church of Christ before this time long since had felt the same iniuries therfore no maruaile if they whose cause was like were made equall to them in trouble Howbeit that Sathan and his Ministers shoulde so little preuaile that for all their force the Church shoulde arriue through the midst of their temptations to the safe and quiet hauen and the thicke and dark Clowdes being blowne ouer the light of innocencie should appeare and the enimies of the same be founde lyers After this those slaunders and reproches which were obiected against them being particularly examined and considered by them were also fully aunswered altogither out of the writings of the Fathers that their Apologie or defence myght plainly appeare to be true and sounde Furthermore many letters were written to the brethren which were in prison yea and Churches of farre Countries bewayling their estate did comfort them with their letters so that hereby they were wondefrully confirmed And among other Churches or congregations the congregation of Geneua shewed the dutie of the faithfull brethren insomuch that they did not let by all meanes possible to doe them good While those things were prouided for of the faithful the aduersaries on the contrarie part sought by all meanes possible to worke the death of the faithfull which were in prison so soone as they coulde and in this matter Munerius the ciuill Magistrate was not a little diligent and the people for their part gréedily gaped and continually looked for the same Now there came forth a commaundement from the King that all other matters set apart for a time the senate shoulde wholy applye themselues to vnderstande the cause of the faithfull and to iudge of them according to the euidence that shoulde be brought against them by Munerius the eiuill Praetor Notwithstanding the Kings commaundement herein the whole Senate or assembly of the Court refusing and reiecting this Munerius both for that he withstoode the auncient custome of the Court and also bicause as is before sayde he was accused of falshoode concluded that by the relation and report of anye one man which shoulde come forth and giue euidence the iudgement and sentence of those Iudges that were put in trust shoulde be ordered The whole Senate therefore although they were not a little troubled with the great number of prisoners yet notwithstanding what by the expresse commaundements of the King to them and what with the olde and 〈◊〉 spyte they vare to Religion so greatly preuayled within fewe dayes that their causes in déede came to iudgement Of the which they which constantly helde the
had of them that he sente his embassage vnto them and that he woulde call them to this Councell as though he were ignorant what Religion the States of the Empire followed who of late that they might reforme their Churches according to the true doctrine of the Gospell were constrayned to plucke their neck out of the Popes yoake that is to say to separate theÌ„selues from their fellowshippe which went about to oppresse and destroy the true doctrine of the Gospell We woulde therefore say they to the Legates that ye should knowe for a suretie that the most noble Princes of Germany will by no meanes obey the Pope nor acknowledge that he hath any power either by Gods lawe or by the lawe of man to call a Councell specially being such a one as maketh dissention strife in the Church and most cruelly warreth against the truth Furthermore they affirmed that they were misreported of slaundered as though they retained no certaine faith but that there were now among them So many heads so many opinioÌ„s So many Gospels so many teachers wheras they retained the plaine and manifest confessioÌ„ made at Ausburgh and offered to the Emperour Charles the. v. in the yéere of our Lord god M. D. XXX in the which not only all the principall grounds of faith are distinctly contained but also y celestial truth manye wayes therby set forth and published Also they said that the generall complaints of all meÌ„ did sufficiently declare with what errors the Church of Rome was filled and with what filthy superstitions the Gospell was there suppressed in so much that the same is rather like to the traditions vaine inuencions of heathen men than Christian Religion Wherfore say they bicause we haue of late separated and deuided our selues from the Churche of Rome not by anye rashnesse or vaine curiositie or being led by any leude affections but by the only commaundement of God which willeth all meÌ„ to flee Idolatry we protest that we wil so abyde most constaÌ„tly and not be subiect any maner of waye to the Pope For we acknowledge no maner of iurisdiction besides the iurisdiction of the most renoumed Emperour Ferdinandus And as touching the two Legates the Princes saide that were it not for the Popes ambassage on which they came they being worshipfully borne in Venice they would shewe vnto them so great courtesie fauour and friendship as might be both for that they loued the countrey of Venice and also bycause the Legates themselues by the dignitie of their birth were worthy as they thought to be well entertained And thus the Popes Legates with lost labour retourned from Germanie againe Then beganne Religion and the great number of the faythfull to increase more throughout euerye prouince of the kingdome of Fraunce but the deuill enuying that notable increase there were then many perturbations and troubles raised vp in many places In Prouince whiche was sometimes called Narbon there was great a doe and much trouble And the Gospell beyng much preached in the region of Langres almost in euery citie with great assemblies of people to heare y same at the laste ensued great affliction by the Earle Villarius Daulphenie also which is called the RegioÌ„ of Sauoy embracing y same doctrin felt the like persecutioÌ„s And by the meanes of one Mottaegondrinus who was Lieutenant to the Duke of Guise there was grieuous persecution at Valentia in so much that a Minister of Gods word and certaine honest citizens with him were beheaded Moreouer garrisons of souldiers were placed throughout euerye citie to the great anoyance and detriment of the faithfull who notwithstanding wonderfully increased both in number in zeale daily The Prince of Conde beyng sente for of the King came to hym to the Courte which was at Fontisbellaquaeums with a fewe onely attending vpon him The daye following he was called before the priuie Councell and beyng come he openly demaunded of the Chauncelor if he had any thing to saye against him who answered that he had nothing to obiect againste him the like answere also made all the reste And then he sat hym downe in his accustomed place Then the King declared before all the assemblye that the Prince of Conde had giuen vnto him due proofes and testimonyes of his innocencie for as we declared before by the practises of the Guises he was accused of treason the which he saids he dyd in no wise doubte of And therfore he gaue commandement to the Senate of Paris to giue leaue to the Prince of Conde to haue larger testimonyes of his innocencie And to the ende the Iudgement of the priuie Councell mighte be knowne to all men commaundement was giuen that the same shoulde be registred in the Register of the Senate and sent also to the Ambassadors of other Nations Therefore for bycause of these things the Prince of Conde went to Paris In the meane time there arose new contâ—…tions betwéen the Quéene and the King of Nauarre he complaining to the Queene that he was not well delt withall for that he was ill requited for that great good will and courtesie which he shewed towardes the Quéene in yéelâ—…ing vnto hir the gouernment of the Realme the Duke of Guise being in office and authoritie aduaunced before him who had not onely the keyes of the Tower to kéepe but also by the Quéenes will did what him liste Saying also that the matter was very ingratefully handled that he which had béen alwayes his enimie euen in the dayes of King Henrye and Frances shoulde as yet be aduaunced before him Also that if he were contented for the Quéenes sake to dissemble all things and not to bewray his griefe it was the more vnméete that he for his facilitie and tractablenesse shoulde be abused by hir In fine he saide that either he or else the Duke of Guise must néedes forsake the Court adding also that he coulde by no meanes abide with the king except the Guise departed To this the Quéene made answere that she did meane to gratifie the king of Nauarre so much as she might and so much also as equitie shoulde require but seing as then she sawe no iust cause she saide that she woulde in no wise expulse the Duke of Guise from the King bicause those offices that were committed vnto him of necessitie required his presence aboute the king She sayde also that she well perceyued that these complaints of the king of Nâ—…uar were continual and that one thing being graunted she must dayly graunt more and more and that there shoulde neuer be any measure or end of these complaintes â–ª Notwithstanding for his sake and to yelde vnto his complaintes she said that she would giue coÌ„maundement that the keyes of the tower mighte be deliuered vnto him although they pertayned to the Duke of Guise bycause he was Lord great Master as maye appéere also by the example of the Constable who heretofore bare the same office To this the King of
if they had any thing to obiect against the Prince of Conde Who affirmed in generall by a solemne othe that they had nothing to obiecte against him Then was the final senteÌ„ce of the Senat giuen in maner forme folowing that is to say That the Prince of Conde had done nothing against the kings Maiestie but was pure innocent and guiltlesse of all those crimes layd to his charge â–ª that all actions commensed against him were voyde Also that he should haue libertie to arrest and sue whom he thought good that hee myght bee satisfied according to the dignitie of his person VVith prouiso also that this decree shoulde be proclaymed in the hyghest Courtes of the king and registred in publike Recordes Thys ordinaunce and decrée was pronounced and openly read â–ª by the chiefe iudge of the Senate the gates of the Senate house beeing set wyde open and all the Senatours assembled together solemnely apparelled in their Scarlet Roabes accordyng to order And also at the Readyng hereof there was a great multitude of people and the greatest part of the Nobilitie of Fraunce as the kyng of Nauarre the Cardinall Burbon Monpensier and others of the Princes the Kinges kinsmenne and with these also were present the Dukes of Guise Nemorosius the Constable Momorentius the Marshall of Santandrae the Cardinal of Lorrayn and the Chastillion Others also which were accused for the same cause with the prince of Conde receiued the sentence of their purgation openly read And vndoubtedly the Prince of Conde alwayes denyed that he was the author or of the counsell of that â—…umult of Ambaxian howsoeuer the Guises maliciously interpreted that counsell and way which was deuised to kepe them vnder to be intended against the kings maiestie and the state of the realme By these and such like practizes those two brethren the Guyses inflamed the yong king Frances against the men of Burbon leauing nothing vndone that might séeme to proue their accusations Accusers were diligently sought for and matters of accusation inquired after By gifts by threatnings all things were attempted And in the iudgement of the Prince of Conde they leaned specially to one witnesse whose name was Sagua a seruant of the kyng of Nauar of whom we haue made mention before That Sagua being taken and apprehended by the Guises was diligently examined concerning the Prince of Conde if he knewe whether he had conspired against the king or no. Sagua at the first denied this saying that he knew no suche matter But at the length Frances the duke of Guyse broughte it to passe hauing with him a hangman and a halter by thretning death vnto him except he would plainly accuse the Prince of Conde of conspiracie against the king But at the length being escaped out of the Guyses hands he most coÌ„stantly sayd both by word and writing that the accusation agaynst the prince of Conde was extorted from him by force This publike sentence therfore of the Senate toke away from the Prince of Conde that spite and slaunder wherby he was sayd and thought to be guiltie of the tumult of Ambaxian But if the sentence of the Senate had not cléered and purged him yet the effect and sequele of that whiche followed maye be sufficient to approue that he neuer conspired against the king As his only studie and moste vndoubted good will in defending the young king and the realme also being in great perill from the mischiefe and lyings in wait of forrain enimies The which he would neuer haue doon if he had intended to hurt the king any maner of way The Cardinall of Lorrayn complayned to the Quéene that the matter was euery daye worse and worse and that the people presumed and toke too much libertie vpon the kings Edictes and also that the negligence and carelesnesse of the Iudges increased more and more affirming that there was no wiser way to be found than in suche troublesome matters to take counsell of the Senate of Paris It was reported that he went about this thing being assured and certified before of many of the mindes of the Senatours that by this preiudice he myghte helpe the Nationall Councell shortly at hande Therefore the King and the Quéene and all the priuie Councell came vnto the Senate to deliberate wyth them of those matters whiche appertayned to Religion and the gouernement of the realme The Chauncellor briefly declared that they wer therfore called togither by the kings commandement that they might shewe certaine ready and exquisite wayes to qualifie those perturbations and troubles whiche would euery day more and more increase by reason of the diuersitie of Religion to the ende the Kings subiects might peaceably lyue vnder his obedience To the which matter he sayd it pertained nothing at al to talke of religioÌ„ bicause the ciuil gouernmeÌ„t was only now in hand as for religion he sayd it should be reserued to be handled in the Nationall Councell to whome it belonged to discusse the same When the Chauncellour had ended his oration euery man spake his iudgement Some wishing punishements for religions sake to â—…e stâ—…yde vntil the Câ—…uncel had determined of the same Other some wyshing to haue punishment by death which was contrarâ—…e to the ancient câ—…nstitutions of the Bishops of Rome Other some deeming it best to haue the whole matter left to the authorâ—…tie of Ecclesiastical iurisdiction In the meane tyme they thought good to forbid that there should be no conuenticles or assemblies either priuate or publike â–ª eyther with armes or withoute armes allo that there shulâ—… be no sermons or administrations of Sacraments otherwyse than according to the vsuall maner of the Church of Rome And thus the whole assemblie were deuided into three â—…eueral opinions Uerie many were of the first opinion how beit the last opinion and adâ—…iss prâ—…uayled hauyng three voyces more than the other had for the whych cause there arose contention many men suspecting that the Notarie being corrupted wroughte deceytfully reâ—…koning the names of some whiche came vulooked for whyle the assemblie were vttering their opinions the whiche was againste all order and custome of the Senate Neuerthelesse there was an Edicte made whyche was called the Edicte of Iulye The effecte whereof was thys That all men should liue peaceably that there shouled bee no iniuries doone vnder the pretence of religion That all disturbers and breakers of the peace shoulde suffer death that there should be in no wyse any maner of elections or any other things which pertayned to factions or diuisions That preachers should vse no wordes of offencâ—… that myght breed sedition among the people but shuld rather modestly instruct them and that also vnder payn of death That ther should be no sermons made or sacraments ministred either priuatly or publikely either with armes or without armes after any other maner than that which was vsed in the catholike Church set forth by the king and his clergie of France
that vnder the pain of death confiscation of all their goods which offended herein Also that the knowledge and examination of heresie should be left to Ecclesiasticall persons and that whosoeuer was found guiltie therof should be committed to the secular power and susteine no other punishement than exile All these thinges to continue vntill the determination of a generall or Nationall counsell Pardon and full forgiuenesse of all crimes for religions sake being graunted to those that hadde offended vpon condition that they woulde euer afterwarde liue peaceably and catholikely Besides there was in this Edicte seuere punishments appoynted for false accusers And last of all strayte commaundement that no man shoulde weare armour It was also agréed and concluded in this assemblie that the Prelacie or Clergie shoulde be forthe with gathered togither and also the ministers of the reformed Religion being waranted from the king to come withoute harme in peace to that assemblie The Cardinall of Lorrain bragged that he would confute them by the authoritie of the auncient fathers and so made many men to hope to sée wonders Therefore the Quéene seeking to hasten this triumphe and fearing least the States of the realme woulde once againe make request to haue Temples gaue forthe commaundement that the Clergie of the Churche of Fraunce shoulde be at the towne of Possiac neere to Sangerman the tenth day of August following Fraunce béeyng in the middest of these troubles there was warrâ—… also aboute that tyme occasioned by the meanes of Religion betweene the Duke of Sabaudiâ—… and the Inhabitauntes of the Ualleys of Pedemount of the whiche to make relation béeing occasioned for one and the selfe same cause and in the nexte region it shall not be greately beside our purpose Pedamount néere vnto the mountayne Vesulus is called the valey of Lucern of a little towne called Lucerna néere adioyning to the same To this there is also an other adioyning called Angronia so called of the Riuer Angrone néere to the which the valeys of Perossa and Samnartine doe lye Those valleys haue dwelling in them fiftene thousande inhabitants Of which number the greatest part professe the Gospell also there were some in those places long agoe which abhorring the Pope and his doctrin had some knowledge and taste of true religion But after that the lyght of the truth in our tyme brast forthe and more cléerely appeared than it had done before it began also more cléerely to shine in those valeys Therfore when they were better instructed in the doctrine of the Gospell then did they more vehemently professe the truthe and that specially in two little townes aboue the rest where the same was openly professed These men of the valleys had many noble men appoynted to rule and gouerne them but among the reste they acknowledge the duke of Sabaudia their chiefe Prince and gouernour Therfore these inhabitauntes being hated for religions sake of the noble men that dwelt about them were diuers and sundrie wayes by them vexed And their chiefe Prince the duke of Sabaudia was sore agréeued that Religion began to flourish among them in somuch that he oftentimes coÌ„manded them to forsake the religion and to warne their ministers to receyue the Masse and the auncient religion otherwise he threatned them cruelly to punish them as rebels They being carefull by reason of these new commaundements sende at lengthe their Ambassadour to the Prince with a supplication and confession of their faith protesting that they beléeue all things conteyned in the old and newe Testament the articles of the Christian fayth called Symbolum Apostolorum the Nicene Créede and the Creede of Athanasius also the foure firste Councelles and the doctrine of the auncient Fathers so farre forth as they with the word of god Humbly beseching him to giue them leaue to liue according to the rule of Gods word and not to constraine them to doe any thing against their conscience affirming that they were readie not onelye to giue an account of their Religion but also to acknowledge and confesse their error if they might be brought vnto it by the word of god Adding herevnto that this doctrine had continued a long time among them as they coulde well approue by great testimonyes receiued from their ancetors Desiring him also to inquire how they behaued them selues towards their gouerners and in what order they liued protesting that their only desire was to render vnto him all obedience as vnto their chiefe Lord and Prince and that if they should be founde otherwise to be sharpely and seuerely punished This was the effecte of their ambassage to the Duke but it did nothing at all preuaile For the Duke gaue strait commaundement that no man should come or resort to those sermons which the Ministers of the inhabitantes of the valleys made if any did resorte vnto them their first punishment was the losse or forfeiture of 100. Crownes and the seconde punishment was to be a Gally slaue He commaunded also all the Nobles and Magistrates that had authoritie to punishe seuerely to execute the same againste the offenders Therfore the Noble men began to waxe fierce against the inhabitantes of the valleys in so much that when they had taken certaine of them they burnte them among whome were two preachers of Gods worde All men vsed violence against the meÌ„ of the valleys euen as if they had béen mortall enimyes great damage and hurte was done to them and those which dwelt about them making an armie made hauocke of them and spoyled them The men of the valleys were contented with all this iniurie and by the exhortations of their Ministers and preachers bare these things paciently for a time But at the length being ouerladen and wearied with these troubles they purposed to defend themselues in so much that they flew many of them which came to pray and spoile them Wherevpon the Duke gaue forth a commaundement that they shuld leaue off to spoile them anye more and sent vnto them Ranconensis and Triniâ—…aeus two of his gentlemen to intreate them friendly Notwithstanding they retourned home agayne as they came bycause they woulde haue bounde them to sende away their Ministers and Preaches The Duke beyng angrye wyth this intended to make open warre against them Wherevpon he sente agaynst them Trinitaeus with fiue thousands soulders the greatest parte whereof were gunners and some horsemen commaundyng hym that excepte the men of the valleys woulde doe as they were commaunded he shoulde deale with them as with mortall enimyes to spoile their goods and to put them to fire and sworde First of all therefore Trinitaeus assaulted Agronia with a thousand and a halfe of gunners certayne of the Townsmen to the number of thirtie being slenderly armed wyth flyngs and Crosbowes straighte waye went against them and withstandyng the firste fronte of the Armie were straite way rescued with two hundered oute of the valleys adioyning vnto them and so by and by they put their enimyes to flight
I would to God that in stead of our disputations arguments we might with one voice and consent sing a Psalme vnto God and shake handes as friendes as once it came to passe betwéene the Infidels the fielde béeing pitched and bothe armies ready to meete and encounter togyther At which thing truely we might be ashamed if both of vs preaching the doctrine of concorde and peace shoulde easily be deuided and made enemies and hardly reconciled agayne But what néede these wordes These things ought and may be wyshed for of men but it onely belongeth vnto God to bring them to passe the which he will doe when it shall please him with his goodnesse to couer our sinnes and with his light to driue away our darknesse And heere O King to the ende it maye appeare that we simply and plainly meane good soothe we will if it so séeme good and if leaue may be graunted briefly declare the chief and principall pointes of this Conference or Disputation notwithstanding in such order that no man shall haue iuste occasion to be offended There are some whiche thinke and woulde also persuade others that we disagree in matters of small waight and in those thinges which are indifferent not appertayning to the substance of our faith And ther are other some which hauing no knowledge or vnderstanding of those things which we beléeue and defende do thinke nothing lesse but that we agrée with the Iewes and Turkes The purpose and thought of those first sort of mē we trust shall be approued by vs to be no lesse commendable than the other is to be reiected And yet certainly neither of their opinions are firme and true For if we shoulde beléeue the opinion of this last sort the one part could not stand by any meanes without the destruction of the other But if the first opinion be receiued many matters shall be left so raw that occasions of greater troubles will thereof by and by spring and arise Therefore we graunt the whiche we can scarsly do without teares we confesse I say that as we doe agrée in certaine articles of our faithe so in certaine of them we do wholly vary and dissent We confesse that there is one God in one essence infinite and incomprehensible distinguished and deuided in three persons consubstanciall and coequall in all thinges namely into the Father begotten of none into the Sonne begotten of the Father before all worlds and into the holy Ghost procéeding from the Father and the Sonne We confesse that ther is one Iesus Christ perfect God perfect man without confusion of the two natures or separation of the Prophets We confesse that Christ as he is man is not the sonne of Ioseph but conceiued by the secrete power of the holy ghost in the wombe of the virgin Mary a virgin I say both before the byrth and after also We confesse his Natiuitie his life his death his buryal his descending into hell his Resurrection and his assention euen as they are contained in the holy Gospel We beleeue that Christ is now in heauen at the right hand of God from whence he shal come to iudge the quick the dead We beleue in the holy Ghost which doth illuminate comfort and defend vs We beleue that there is one holy Church Catho lique that is to say vniuersall which is the companie fellowship of Saints out of the which ther is no saluatiō We are persuaded of the frée remission of our sinnes in the bloud of Iesus Christ by whose power whē our bodies being raysed vp from deathe shall be ioyned againe to our soules we shall enioy with our God moste happy and euerlasting life What then will some say are not they the articles of our faith In what therfore do we disagree First of all we disagrée in the interpretation of some of these articles Secondly bycause it semeth vnto vs if we erre therin if it can be proued we are ready to acknowledge our error that many things are added vnto those articles as thoughe they were not sufficient so as though the edifice shuld neuer be builded the new inuentions of men haue dayly ben brought in Furthermore we say that whatsoeuer hath ben buylded set vp more was not so far as we can perceiue builded vpon those ancient first foundations therefore they do not only not set forth beautifie the building but also wonderfully defile deforme and disgrace the same yet notwithstanding greater credite and authoritie hath bene giuen vnto those fayned inuentions of men than to the pure woorde of God. This is the summe of those things whiche we beleue and teach But to the end our purpose may be the better vnderstād these things whiche we haue touched generally we will if it may séeme good declare particularly Therfore we do affirme and are persuaded that we may defend with al sobrietie and modestie out of the worde of God that the true God in whome we beléeue is spoyled and robbed of his perfecte righteousnesse if we set against his wrathe and iudgement for sinne any other satisfaction or purgation eyther in this world or in any other worlde than the sounde and perfecte obedience the which can be found in no other sauing in Iesus Chryst only In lyke manner also if we shall saye that God doth forgiue onely parte of our sinnes that we maye bring vnto him the other parte we spoyle hym wholly of his mercy Héerevpon it followeth that when we speake of the manner of saluation we muste stay our selues in the passion and death of Chryst Iesus our Sauiour and redéemer onely or else we must appoint in the place of the true God some straunge and fayned God which is neyther perfectly iuste nor perfectly mercyfull Heerevpon also dependeth another speciall poynte and of great force concerning the office of Iesus Chryst. For except he aboue be wholly our saluation that precious name Iesus that it to say a Sauiour béeing gyuen to him of the Angell dothe not appertayne vnto him In like maner also except he be our only Prophet which hath so fully declared vnto vs the will of his father as should be expedient for our saluation firste by the mouth of his Prophetes then by himselfe with his comming at the fulnesse of tyme and after that by his Apostles except also he alone be the spirituall King of our consciences and except he be our euerlasting Prieste after the order of Melchisidech and by that sacrifice of himselfe only once offered for al and neuer to be offered againe hath reconcyled men vnto God and doth also now alone in heauen make intercessiō for vs to God euen to the end of the world And to be short except we be complete perfect in him that name of Messias or Chryst that is to say Anoynted and appoynted of God the Father for vs to be a Sauiour dothe nothing at all béelong vnto him Therefore if the preaching of his
to be The like words also he hath in his 112. Epistle Also in 37. cha of his second booke against Crescon In like maner S. Cyprian sayth VVe must not haue regarde what this or that man doth before vs but what Christe Iesus hath done who is before all Like vnto this is the rule whiche S. Augustine gaue to Hierome And in an other place also when hée disputeth againste those which woulde vse the Councell of Ariminum Neyther will I saith he alleage the Councell of Nice against you nor shall you alleage the Councell of Ariminum againste me By the authoritie of Scripture lette vs weye matter with matter cause with cause and reason with reason Chrysostome was of the same opynion as may appeare in his 49. Homely vpon Mathew For the Church is founded vpon the foundation of the Prophetes Apostles Therefore to conclude this matter we embrace the holy Scripture for the fâ—…l and perfect declaration of al things which appertayne to our saluation But as touching that which appertaineth to generall councels and to the bookes of the fathers we meane to vse them and we forbid not you to vse them so farre foorth as that which ye shall bring from them be not disagreeing with the worde of god But for Gods sake bring not in their bare authoritie vntill al thinges are examined by the Scriptures For we saye with S. Augustine in his seconde booke De doctrina Christiana the. 6. chapter If there bee any difficultie in the interpretation of Scriptures the holy Ghoste hath so tempered the Scriptures that what soeuer in one place is obscurely spoken in another place is more playnely and euidently reuealed And thus far concerning that Article the whiche I haue prosecuted the more largely to the endâ—… all men maye knowe that we are enimies neither to generall Councels nor yet to the auncienâ—… Fathers There remayne yet to speake of two articles namely concerning the Sacraments and Ecclesiasticall discipline The first truely deserueth a copious and long tractation by reason of the often and great controuersies euen at this day concerning the same but bycause it is not our purpose to dispute but onely to declare the speciaâ—…l pointes of our confession it seemeth enough to me to eâ—…plicate the summe of our faithe We agree as I thinke in the description of the name of the Sacrament namely that Sacramenteâ—… are visible signes by the meanes and helpe whereof the coniunction which we haue with our Lord Iesus Chryst is not only simply signified or figured but is also truely offered vnto God and is confirmed sealed and as it were grauen by the power of the holy Ghost in their mynds which with a true faith apprehend that which is so signified and offered vnto them I vse this word Signified not to weaken or abolishe the Sacramentes but to the ende I might distinguishe the signe from the thing signified Herevpon we confesse that it is alwayes necessarie in Sacramentes that there be a heauenly and supernaturall change for we say not that the water in Baptisme is simply water but a true Sacrament of our regeneration and of the washing of our soules by the bloude of Christe Neither do we say that the breade in the holy Supper of our Lorde Iesus Christe is simply breade but a Sacramente of the precious body of Christe Iesus whiche was giuen for vs and that the wine is not simply wine but a Sacrament of his precious bloud which he hath shed for vs Neuerthelesse we deny that there is any change made in substance of the signes but in the ende and vse for the which they are instituted We denie also that the same mutation is made by the efficacie of certaine wordes pronounced neyther by the intention of him that pronounceth them but by his wil only which hath ordeined this heaueÌ„ly and diuine action the institution also wherof ought euidently and playnly to be expounded in the vulgar tongue that all men might vnderstand and receiue the same Thus muche concerning externall signes Nowe to come to that which is shewed and exhibited by those signes We say not that which many do who not well vnderstaÌ„ding our myndes haue supposed that we haue taught namely that in the Lords supper ther is only a coÌ„memoration of the death of our Lord Iesus Christe Neither do we say that we are partakers of the frutes of his death passion onely in that thing but do ioyne the ground it self with the frutes whiche do come fro him to vs affirming with S. Paul â–ª The bread which we breake according to the Lords instiâ—…tion is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say the participatioÌ„ of the bodie of Christ which was crucified for vs The cup which we drinke is the participation of his very bloud which was shed for vs yea â—…ueÌ„ in the verie same substance which he toke in the wombe of the virgin which he caried vp into heauen Behold I pray you can ye fynd any thing in this Sacrament which we séeke find not But me thinks I heare some body make answer For many wold haue vs to confesse the the bread the wine are changed not into the sacraments of the body bloud of our Sauior Iesus Christ but into the very bodie bloud of our lord Other some peradueÌ„ture wil not so vrge vs but wil haue vs coÌ„fesse that the body bloud is really corporally in with or vnder the bread wine But here my Lordes I pray you heare me paciently a little for a time suspend your iudgements If either of these opinions shall be proued vnto vs out of the worde of God to be true we are redy to imbrace it and wholly to reteine it But it séemeth vnto vs according to the measure of oure faith that this Transubstantiation cannot be reuoked or brought to the analogie substance of faith and to sounde doctrine bicause it is wholly repugnant to the nature of Sacramentes in which it is necessarie that there remaine substaÌ„tial signes that they may be true signes of the body blod of Iesu Christ. Furthermore it doth euert and confound the veritie of the humane nature in Christ of his ascentioÌ„ And as my opinioÌ„ is of TraÌ„substantiatioÌ„ eueÌ„ so is it also of ConsubstaÌ„tiatioÌ„ which hath no grouÌ„d in the words of Christe neither is it necessary to this that we be partakers of the Sacraments But if any man demaund of vs if we make Christ to be absent froÌ„ the supper we answer that we do not separate him from the supper But if we haue respect vnto the distaÌ„ce of places as we must of necessitie wheÌ„ we speake of his corporal presence of his humanitie distinctly considered wee affirme that his body is so far absent from the bread wine as the heauen is absent from the earth fâ—…r so much as we the sacraments are in earth but he is so glorified in heaueÌ„
by manye of the nobles was not altogether hidden but euidently ynonghe appeared to all men that woulde sée the same FINIS The translator to the Reader THus gentle Reader endeth the firste part of these CoÌ„mentaries faithfully collected and gathered by that singular learned man Petrus Ramus of Fraunce who himselfe bycause he was a zealous professor of the Gospell and an enimie to Antichrist was slaine in this last horrible butcherly murther in the yeare of our Lorde God. 1572. The speciall cause that moued the sayde Petrus Ramus to spende his trauaile in penning these Commentaries in the Latine toung was as you maye perceyue by hys preface in the beginning of this Booke that all Christian Realmes might be certifyed of the true originall and cause of all the warres troubles and sheding of Innocente bloude that haue beene from the yeare of our Lorde God. 1557. vntill this present daye To the ende therefore that his desire might be the better satisfyed when I had considered the worthinesse of his trauaile and what great fruite woulde spring of the same to al that will vouchsafe to spende sometime in reading of this worke for that all men vnderstande not the Latine toung I thought good to translate the same into Englishe that none of our Countreymen might be stayed from the taste of such fruite as will growe thereof And as I haue spente sometime in translating this firste parte so I meane God willing to goe forwarde with the other two partes the seconde beeing nowe in hande and shall bee printed if God permitte against the nexte Terme In the meane tyme I beseech thee right Christian Reader contente thy selfe with this accept my labor and requite my good will with diligent reading of the same Before the which I shall desire thee to correct with thy pen suche faults as I haue here caused to be noted In so doing no one sentence I trust shal seeme obscure vnto thee Faultes escaped in Printing Line 2. Page 9 For it reade he Li. 19. pa. 12. for might defende reade might séeme to defend Line 18. pag. 17. reade acknowledging of the truth Line 16. pag. 40 for other wile reade otherwise Line 22. pag. 43. reade as though it had bene Line 5. pag. 73. read we will not deny Line 8. pag. 73. reade name of the Church Line 4. pag. 76. for is sodaine reade is so highe Line 31. pag. 112. for there reade Then. Line 3. pag. 124. reade must not therefore Line 25. pag. 125. in these words and if that leaue out if Line 23. pag. 164. bring in these words might be solde from them Line 32. pag. 194. for Prophetes reade properties Line 5. pag. 167. for although reade as though Line 1. pag. 239. for only thee reade only thrée Line 18. pag. 235. for they shall reade shall they Line 20. pag. 235. for doth reade doth not NOte here good Reader that these faultes escaped in Printing are not so escaped in al the Bookes of this impression but in some Least therefore they to whome those should happen might be troubled in the reading with obscure sense I thought good to make a generall note of all THE INDEX A. Affliction of the Churche after the death of King Henrie 47. Affliction rysing of false reportes 50 Affliction somewhat ceaseth 61. Agronia assaulted 161. Ambaxian Tumult 2. Andelot put in pryson 23. Andelot answereth 23. Andelot escapeth pryson 110. Andelot in fauour againe 24. Annas Burgeus defendeth the gospell in the Parliament house 26. Annas Burgeus caryed to pryson by Mongomerie 27. Annas Burgeus examined 32. Annas Burgeus condemned 33. 39. Annas Burgeus disgraded 35. Annas Burgeus confession 36. Annas Burgeus taketh his iudgement thankfully 39. Annas Burgeus Oration 4. Annas Burgeus burned 43. Annas Burgeus bringing vp 44. Angell speaker for the Comminaltie 121 Apologie for the faythfull Captiues 9. Arrogant threatnings of the Constable 11. Augusta a cittie in Germanie 131. Authoritie of Godâ—… worde 199. Authoritie of the Church 227. B. Baptisme 75. Beza his prayer 189. Bishoppe of Nauntes author of the Tumult 17. Bishoppes of Rome sowers of discorde 82. Bookes of sclaunder 100. Brosaeus Generall of the Armie that went into Scotlande 61. C. Cardinall of Loraine an enemie to Burgeus 39. Cardinall Poole 95. Cardinall of Loraine seeketh to get fame by keeping Lybelles of reproch 104. Cardinall Ferrer sent from Rome to hinder the Nationall Councell 166. Calabria persecuted 63. Christ our righteousnesse 68. Christ God and Man. 68. Christ hath two natures 69. Christ dyed for sinne 69. Christ our Aduocate 71. Church what it is 72. 217. Churches denyed to them of the reformed Religion 124. Commendation of the protestantes 25 Communion with Christ and the Fathers vnder the law 18â—… Comparison betwene the doctrine of the Gospel and papistrie 37. CoÌ„fession of the french church 63 Confession of Annas Burgaeê° 36. Confession of the church of Flanders offered to king Philip. 166. Confirmation 204. Constable proudly threatneth 11. Constable drawne away from the Prince of Conde 140. Constable misseliketh of the profession oft he Admirall ibidem Controuersie betwene Charles the fifth and Pope Clement 91. Contention betwene the Queene and the king of Nauarre 136. Consubstantiation 203 Couetousnesse the beast of Babylon 93. Couetousnesse of Priestes 122. D. Democharis the inquisitour sitteth vpon Burgaeus 32. Democharis a slanderous inquisitour 50. Denises to abolishe the Gospell 1. Discipline of the Church 73. Disputation at Posiat 179. Doctrine of the lawe 71. Duke Arscotus a Brabantine 8. Duke of Guise an enimie to the Andelot 23. E. Earle Villarius an enemie to the Admirall 141. Ecclesiasticall Disciplne 72 Edict of Castellobrian 24. and. 12. Edict of Iuly 150. Election diuine 67. Election of Ministers 74. Example of two false brethren very notable â–ª 48. Excommunication 74. F. Factious names 118. Faith and good vvorkes 167 Faith coÌ„meth by the holy Ghost 70. Faith attaineth righteousnesse 70. Faithfull sclaundered 7. Figures of the Lawe 71. Forewarnings of desolation 92. Fruites of Popishe Sermons 22. G. Geneua a Sanctuarie for the Godly 4. Generall Councell not looked for 90. Generall Councell a vayne remedie 187. Georgius Gluchus Ambassadour out of Denmarke 139. God omnipotent 65. Gospell hath diuers professors 85. Good workes 71. Guises rule the Realme 50. Guises persecutors of the Gospel 51. Guises no Princes 60. Guises make claime to the crowne of England 62. H. Huguenotes a name giuen to the faithfull 59. I. Iacobes slaughter at Paris 1. Iacobus Sillius speaker for the Nobilitie 122. Ianus Contachus moueth controuersies 45. Ignorance of Priestes 122. Iniuries done to the faithfull 17. Innocencie of the Prince of Conde 147. Inquisitors of Fraunce called Flies 50. Intercession of Saintes 71. K. King Hentie the second set against the Protestantes 26. King Henrie threatneth Burgaeus 27. King Henrie slayne 34. Kinges duetie 100. King of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde sent for to the King. 107. King Fraunces dyeth 112. King of Nauar yeldeth his authoritie to the Queene
seeme to goe home to their houses 134. Guyses remoue their armye from Bogencia and take Blesa and towers 137. Guyses ayded by the Germans and Switsers 145. Guyses authours of moste horrible murder done at Vassy 10. Guyses come to Paris againste the Queenes commaundement 16. Guyses hauing gotten Paris seke to get the king also 19. Gnyses seeke to staye the Prince of Conde from ioyning wyth the Englishmen 237. Guyse being at the siege of Orleans was slaine by treason 258. H Horrible murder done to them of Towers by the Guyses after they had won the towne 137. Horrible murder coÌ„mitted at MoÌ„bâ—…yse by Baron des Adretze 183. Helpe desired by the Prince of Con de of the Queene of England the princes of Germany 146. I Idols broken downe and defaced at the Citties of Towers and Blayse 50. Idols broken downe at OrleaÌ„s 50. K King of Nauarie being shotte into the shoulder with a small pellâ—…t dyeth 202. L League made betwene the Nobles and the Prince of Conde 25. Letters sent by the olde Queene to the Prince 31. Letters sent from the Prince of Con de to the reformed churches 47. Letters sent by the olde Queene to the Prince 50. Letters sent froÌ„ the prince of CoÌ„de to the Emperour 70. Letters sent from the Senate at Paris to the Prince of Conde 51. Letters sent from the Prince of CoÌ„de to the Prince of Palatine 71. Letters sent to euery congregation from the Counsell holden at Orleans 73. Letters sent to the countie Palatine from the Synode at Orleans 76. Letters from the Prince of Conde to the Queene 115. Letters from the Prince to the king of Nauar. 118. Letters sent by the Prince of Conde to the Queene of Englande and the German princes for aide 146 Letters found in the Papistes tentâ—… after they were put to flight bewraying their hole purpose 195. Letters sent to the Germanes which were in the hoast of the Guyses by the Priaces of Germany to disâ—…ade them to take his part 210. Letters parents giuen out to them which had started awaye froÌ„ the Prince of Conde 212 Letters written to the Germanes which were in the princes of CoÌ„de his army to dehort them from his seruice 2540 M Marshall of S. Andrew being taken and wounded in the head dyeth in the fielde 243. Momorantius the Constable ioyned in amitie with the Guises 3. Montauban taken by the Faythfull 74. Monsieur Montbron put to flighte with his army 181. Monsieur â—…oyse besieged Montpelier 185. Monsieur Bularges got a wonderfull victory ouer the enemy 193. Monsieur de Adretze his acts done in Dolphiny and in the countie of Venayas 143. Mottecondrine slaine 81. N Names of the Captaines ouer the faithfull 139 Narbone is left by the faithfull too the tuition of the Papistes 79 Nemeaux otherwise called Nemis is taken by the faithfull 80 Nemours winneth Vienna 248 Nemours deceiued by an Inhabitant of Lions 249 Noble men of the Prince of CoÌ„des side went too parley with the Queene 133 Nonay cruelly spoyled 252 O Orenge assaulted and taken by the Papistes 140 Orleans vexed with a greeuous pestilence 146 Orleans besieged by the Papists 255 P Paris being gotten by the Guises they seke to get the King also 19 Parleyes hadde betweene the olde Queene the Admirall and the Prince of Conde 2â—…4 Peace offered by the king too the faithfull but vppon conditions 124 Peace taken on bothe partes 260 Poictiers woon by the Maâ—…shall of Saint Andrew 145 Pollicies wrought by the Guises to expell the Conde out of Paris 17 Prince of Conde becoÌ„meth pledge 131 Practises to take the Prince of Conde 131 Prince of Conde returneth to his ar mie backe againe 136 Prince of Conde forsaketh Paris 17 Prince of Conde specially inclined to peace 24 Prince of Conde coÌ„plaineth of the murther done at Sens. 34. Prince of Conde receiueth letters from the Senate at Paris 51 Prince of Conde returneth from Paris to ioyne with the EnglishmeÌ„ 237 Prince of CoÌ„de taken prisoner 242 Purpose of the Guises concerninge warre 22 Pultrot sent from Lions to Orleans with letters 256 Pultrot sâ—…apeth the Guise and by the meere prouideÌ„ce of God is taken againe 258 Pultrot is drawne in peeces with horse for killing the Guises 265 Q Queene of Scottes promised to bee giuen in mariage to the king of Nauar. 7 Queene mother denieth thevse of the reformed Religion too the Prince of Conde 134 Queene mother would haue the Prince of Conde and his friendes banished 135 Queene of Nauar sheweth her self to be a vertuous Lady 202 R. Requestes made by the faithful 124 Roan in Normandye besieged but in vayne 138 Roan besieged the second time 201 Ruzeus a professour of the Gospel commaunded to ward 23 S. Saltanus Lieuetenant of Lyons anenemie to the gospell 82 Slaughter at Tholoze 79 Slaughter of the faythfull at Vassy coÌ„mitted by the Duke of Guise page 10 Supplication offered to the King Queene in the name of the Triumuiri 87 Supplication offered the seconde time to the King and Queen by the Guises and his confederates pag. 90 Suze his army in Dolphiny greatly anoyed the faithful 146 T Talke betwixt the King of Nauar the Old Queene and the Prince of Conde 115 Talke betwene the old Queen and the Nobles on the Prince of CoÌ„de his side 133 The second declaratioÌ„ of the prince pag. 59. The true cause of the firste warres pag. 168 The beginning of the ciuill warres pag. 124 The reasons that stayed the Prince of Conde from going into exile pag. 222 The forme of the gouernement of the realme in the Kings minoritie 222 The order of the meeting of booth the battailes on the plane of Dreux 238 The first battaile wherein the Constable was taken and many Swit sers taken and slaine 240 The Admirall goeth into Normandie 257 V Valentia taken by the faithfull 81 Vienna woon by the Papistes 248 IV VVarre purposed by the Guises 22 VVickednes almost vncredible com mitted by the Papists against the faithfull in Prouance 185 VVritings published by the Queen of England coÌ„cerning the helpe she sent to the Prince of Conde page 203 VVritinges published by the Prince of Conde wherin hee declareth himselfe not to be the beginner of these warres 215 FINIS Faultes escaped in Printing both in the second part and also in the last part Page 57. line 7 leaue out of the which Page 88. line 10. for and reade an Page 97. line last for They then sayd read Thus much they said at that time Page 105. line last for they read the. Page 133. line 13. for orget read forget Page 147. line 13 for oh read of Page 169. line 27. for Bishoppes read Kyngs Page 175. line 6. for a read as Page 174. line 28. for the read then Page 176. line â—…6 for rnd read and. Page 187. line 8. for breathe read bredth Page 188. line 22. for ayy read any Page 204. line 30. for my sée read maye sée Page 224. for it it
January also against the forme of y League othe taken of vs not long since But if that deiection of Images deserueth any punishment because any such fact is contrary to the kyngs Edict what punishments then deserue they which so greatly abuse the kinges name that vnder the coullour therof they coÌ„mit great wickednesse as may appere by the coÌ„mitted murthers at Uassi at Sens at Paris at Tholoz and in many other places He that preferred this Supplication shuld first of all haue considered and remembered himselfe that it is read in no place that a dead Image requireth vengeance but it is read that the bloud of a slaine man which is the liuely Image of God cryeth and calleth for the vengeance of God and doth at the last cause the same to fall vppon the bloudshedders 7 Moreouer those Suppliants or rather commaunders require that they may vnarme themselues which without the commaundement of the king of Nauar put on the same and that they should be counted for Rebels and enemies to the King and the Realme I would glad ly demaund of them which thinke them selues so wise and saye that they séeke for the peace of the common wealth if that be not the way to cut of all hope of concord when they require that I and they that are with me should be counted Rebelles and enemies to the king and the Realme For they say not Let them which wyll not put of their Armoure but which haue put on Armour be accounted the Kinges enemies They which poynt requireth another maner of aunswere than by writing But I trustw tin these few daies to sée them to disputâ—… w titheÌ„ by the dynt of sword whether it be méete for strauÌ„gers two such meÌ„ as they are to iudge a Prince the kings néere kinsman the chiefest part of the Nobility of FrauÌ„ce to be rebels enemies to the king the Realme And let not them pretend the name of the king of Nauar to whom they in the former kinges dayes were sworne enemies They abased him all that they could and caused him to be little regarded of the king hys right and dignity being suppressed in matters of great waighte They cannot deny but that of late dayes when they went about to vsurp the gouernement of the Realme by their meanes it was brought to passe that whatsoeuer the king of Nauar required was denyed al occasion to rule and gouerne either in tyme of war or peace being taken from him and to discharge their spitefull stomacks in the dayes of king Fraunce lately disceased they made him to be lesse estemed then a man of meane state and condition being sent for to Orleans with thretnings and commaundement giuen to Noble men that they should not entertaine him at his cumminge also Marshall Tremen béeinge sent with two armies one of horsemen another of foote men was commaunded to take and â–ª spoyle all his Dominion and to cal the straunger to the pray And when thei saw that their deuise and purpose was let by the soden death of king Fraunces yet notwithstanding they sought by all meanes possible to be deliuered of him and would haue kept him from hauing any authority to rule or gouerne The Duke of Guise openly sayd that he would not departe from the Court neyther at the intreaty nor yet at the commaun dement of the king of Nauar The Marshall of S. Andrew euen in middest of the kinges Counsaile said that be knew no other king or Quene And now they abuse the name of the king of Nauar whoÌ„ they haue so much abused heretofore vnder the pretence wherof they seke the ruin and destruction of his owne naturall brother And they go about to bring to passe that whereas the kinge of Nauar is now beloued of all the Nobilitye of Fraunce he may here after be hated of al that they at the length may spyâ—…te out their venemouse hatred at the full vppon him These are their practises and herevnto tend all their deuises and Counsailes 8 Whereas they require that the king of Nauar wil bend all his force to bring these thinges to passe they plainly euough declare eyther great impudency or els an earnest desire to hinder peace and coÌ„cord For seinge they are fully determined to subdew all those of the reformed Religion to their willes by force of armes they should haue kept it close in secret to themselues vntill we â—…ad bin vnarmed But séeing they do so plainly declare vnto vs their meaning wée will take héede that we be not circumuented and beguiled that is to say we will not vnarme our selues but vpon very sure con ditions and cautions 9 Furthermore they require that by the sentence and wisedome of the Senate of Paris al other things might be added supplied to the making of the Edict Whereby they euideutly shewe in what estimation â–ª they haue the Quéene the king of Nauar and the kings Counsell But I maruaile wherfore they haue no regard of those wise and graue men to vse their Counsell â–ª whom they chose of late to be of the Kinges Counsaile â–ª I doubt not but that ther are in the senate of Paris good men which are nothing inferiour to those of the Senate heretofore in vertue in wisedome and in religion But those thrée Suppliantes haue so handled the matter by bying and selling of offices and by other vnlawfull meanes the the greater number of the Senate are subiect to the Guises so that the voyce of the smaller number â–ª quayleth For probation whereof we haue this The Senat of Paris refused to coÌ„firme that Edicâ—… which was made at that petition of the thrée estates of the Realme and sollemnely confirmed by all the Parliaments and Courtes of the Realme notwithstanding that the kyng him selfe sent his letters and Messengers twise vnto them but of late by the simple commaundement of the kynges Letters another Edict which is contrary to that former Edict in many thinges was by them preferred without any maner of stay This is the hope that we haue of their good and wholesome counsaile 10 To be short they adde this request that the Cities might be yéelded vp againe to the kyng and the Inhabitants therof sworne a new vnto him They woulde bring to passe earnestly séek as they did in the daies of kyng Fraunces the second lately disceased to perswade men that they are the kynges enemies which cannot abide their tirany The Duke of Guise and his bretheren should hold themselues content with this that they haue once already vsed these subtill meanes to the offence of many good men when as they pretented and abused the kyngs name to defend themselues agaynst their enemies If any man were of them suspected to be their enemie â—…ither for that he had at any time spoken vnreuerently of them or for any other cause he was cast by and by into prison was reported to be an enemie to the kyng and to the Realme And because
and seuere conditions And if their departure out of the realme might remedy the matter he beséeched the Quéene that there might be no regarde or consideration had of them but of publike peace and quietnesse The Prince of Conde had oftētimes vsed these words Let there be no consideration had of me I would gladly bring to passe that by my exile the kingdome might be in peace and the vse of the reformed Religion restored And the Quéene euen of purpose had entised and prouoked the Prince of Conde shée hauing the Triumuiri hir Schoole maisters to vse these wordes Therefore the Quéene hauing féete occasion offered hir answered That shée had alwayes the Prince of Conde and the rest in as great estimation as became hir But for somuch as the matter was come to this point that suche remedies must be vsed as shée wished not to her great grief yet notwithstanding because of the present necessitie she said she receiued that condition namely that they should forthwith depart the Realme by whose absence the myndes of the Bishopps would be the better pacified and so the Realme should be at peace and quietnes And shée would she said make generally and particularly to euery man such assurance for their peace and safetie as they could desire The Prince of Conde and his fellowes wonderinge greatly at these wordes of the Quéen which they looked not for said at the length that they had respecte vnto others as wel as to themselues whose aduise thei would haue But the Quéene prosecuted hir former talke saying that so the common wealth should be greatly profited and there are some saith shée that threaten to prolong the kings minoritie vntill hée come to the age of one and twenty if so be néede should require to resiste their violēce she was persuaded she said that the Prince of Conde and the rest of his friends would come and help the King although he were neuer so far of Thus they made an end for this day And the Quéen came to Talsiac The day following there came a Messenger betymes in the morning to the Prince of Conde from the Quéene with short letters which made mention of the communication had the daye before of the concluding of the same for the which cause she sayd shée would haue him come vnto hir Then the Prince of Cōde and his fellowes came to the Quéene and when hée had talked with her a while séeing that the time of hys aboad with her was not limited and séeing also that hée could bring nothing to passe as he would he prayed the Quéene that he and his fellowes might haue leaue to retourne back againe to their armie for so much as also hée perceyued that those perleyings wanted not the accustomed treasons of his aduersaries And thus the Prince of Conde the same day retourned agayne to his armie who very ioyfully receyued him notwithstandinge the soldiers was almost displeased that the Prince of Conde came into so great peril with the common consent of all the Nobles saying that those parleyes should be néedefull no more and that the pollicie of the aduersaries was not perceyued and seene who go about to detract delay the the tyme to the end they may increase their power with forreyne helpe to set vppon vs whom they now feare We for slow say they the aduantage when it is offered Where we had rather suffer any extremity than to haue these delayes Let vs set vpon the enemie and contende no more with wordes but with the dynte of sworde And in very déede if the Prince of Conde had brought hys armie at the first to Paris being so well appoynted and of so great courage there had ben great hope of victory But these delayes through parleying dyd both abate the number and also the courage of the soldiours where as the enemie thereby greatly increased his power The Guises hearing of this retourned with all spéed to their hoaste and were not a little gréeued that the Prince of Conde was so escaped their handes And because they thought it necessary they remoued their host secretly in the night from Baugence leauing there only certayne garrisons of Souldiours to defende the same The day following they assaulted Blais being a Noble Citie which wanted sufficient power to defende the same because the enemie came vnlooked for This they tooke and put a great number of men to the sworde From thence they went to Towers and sought to haue the same rendered vnto them the which when they had taken by surrender they spoyled horrible slaughter was committed by the Papistes in the same towne agaynst the faythfull Men and women without anye respect of age were drowned in the Riuer by shipfulls And diuers also were beheaded These sodayne and vnlooked for rumours stayed the Prince of Conde also the great and huge stoare of raine which fell in that Region being of it selfe very déepe and foule made the Prince of Conde to alter his purpose and to leaue following the enemie For there was no ioyning of battayle by reason of the foulnesse and dyrtinesse of the Countrey the tyme rather seruing to assalt and besiege Cities Wherefore hée determined to reserue his power vntill better occasions were offered and so retourned to Orleans agayne with hys whole Armye About this tyme wel néere the Aumal brother to the Duke of Guise assalted Roan in Normandie and battered a very strong and well fenced Castell commonly called the Castle of Saint Catherin with great store of ordinaunce but he preuailed not but had euill successe the City being stoutly defended by the soldiers in the town Moruilleirs a noble man being their Captaine Therefore the sixtéene day of the seege the Duke Aumale with out his purpose remoued his hoste from Rhoane and departed with losse of a great nomber of his Soldiers at this séege At Lyons and about the vtmost regions as Dolpheny Burgundy and the prouince of Langres the faithful were diuersly vered and troubled In Burgundie the losse of Chalon which in old time was called Cabilo was the occasion that many other Townes also were lost Tauuanies the vicegerent of that prouince hauing alwaies at euery occasion an armie ready and appointed to fighte Matisco was kept and defended by the garrison of soldiers of Lions whose Captaine was Mombrun This Mombrun geuing to the Soldiers in the night a watch word or signe to depart stale away by ship and lefte the City and came to Lyons Then Tauan easely tooke the Citie of Matisco being quite voide of defence Herevppon all Burgundie yéelded to the Pope In Prouince which is a Region nere vnto the Meditaran Sea the faithfull were very euill intreated and murthered Before the first motions of this Ciuil war there was stirred vp a greuouse sedition the chiefe author and Captaine whereof was one Flacean a desperate person who had gotten vnto him a band of wicked and lewde men the which sedition notwithstandinge was easely
had dyned and boasted and triumphed greatly of the praye before the victory And when the Scouts of the Army cryed out that the enemies were come Monsuer de Suze made a iest and scorne of the matter saying that they went about in vaine to deliuer the citie out of their hand notwithstanding he gaue commaundement to certaine vnder captaynes which were with him to make better enquiry what the matter was and to commaund the souldiers to arme them selues But hée in the meane time followed his play till euery man began to crie that the enemy which had ambushed themselues on the other side of the hyll which lay betwéene them was come Therfore at the length he arose and commaunded the souldiers to set them selues in battayle araye hée him selfe tooke vnto him his Armour and had scarsely put on his brestplate when euery man began to crie that the enemy had giuen the onset vpon the first froont of the battayle which was now constrayned to retire and flée He therfore in all hast without his helme mounted on horsebacke set the souldiers in their araye ran vp and downe and cried out like a mad man so that all were now on a roare and at their wittes end Yet neuerthelesse many of them stoode stoutly vnto the battaile so that the sight began to wax fierce on both parts Notwithstanding the faithfull being vnder the conduct and charge of Monsuer de Adretze preuayled and flew a great number of their enemies Then the souldiers of Monsuer de Suze turned their backes and fled before the faithfull And Monsuer de Suze him selfe being beset with a certaine troupe of horsemen escaped by flight but very hardly Thus when the faythfull had gotten the victory with losse of a fewe of their souldiers wher as on the enemies side two thousand were slaine they tooke and caried away their tents and artillary They tooke allso some of their enemies prisoners and had it not ben that they wanted horsemen fewe of them had escaped the souldiers were so sore moued to wrath by the remembraunce of the destruction of Orenge After this when Monsure de Adretze had fortefied Uâ—…uriac which hee had now valiantly defended to the ouerthrowe of the enemie he went forward and tooke diuers townes which had yeelded them selues to Monsuer de Suze and then he came to Auinion the souldiers of Monsuer de Suze fléeing from the same with all spéede There is a certaine towne in the County of Venais of no great fame called Mornac yet notwithstandinge by reason of the cituation of the same and also of a Castell belonging thereunto it is very hard to be woone This towne also Monsuer de Adretze obtayned but the Castell the Garrison of souldiers appoynted to kéepe the same by Monsuer de Suze held with two hundered townesmen also Yet notwithstanding at the length partly by force and partly by surrender he enioyed the Castell vpon condition that the souldiers should escape with life But so soone as he was come into the Castell the men of Orenge which were in the Army cried out saying that all those souldiers which were dismist with life were at the winning of Orenge and many of them were noted to be great shewers of crueltie at that time The Inhabitants of Mornac also shewed what iniuâ—…ie they had done vnto them and how they had broken theiâ—… faith and promise after they had yéelded vp vnto them the citie Then said Monsuer de Adretze As they haue handeled others so let them bee handeled themselues Then were they caried into the Castell againe from the top wherof to requite the crueltie which they had shewed towardes the men of Orenge they were cast downe headlong The like execution was done at Pierlat when the souldiers of Monsuer de Adretze had taken a very strong holde that appertayned to the same And from hence forth this kind of punishment was vsed eue ry where among the enemies But while these men of whom we spake before were cast downe bedlong from the Castell of Mornac there happened a thing worthy to be remembred One being cast downe from the Castell fell by the way by a wilde figge trée which grewe to the banke of the Castell and caught hold of the same the which when the lokers on sawe they greatly wondered But some to cause him to fall shot at him Notwithstanding by the earnest intreatie of certaine capitaynes Monsuer de Adretze graunted vnto him his life This happened in the Moneth of Iuly And thus the name of Monsuer de Adretze was a terrour to all those that dwelt there aboutes Now the Prince of Conde as we sayd before being retourned backe againe with his Army to Orleans the Guises and his adherents hauing gotten Blaâ—… and Towers and all that Region besides shewed all the crueltie that they could against the faithfull The Marshall of S. Andrewe went with some part of the Army to Poictiers and the same being but slenderly fortefied he wan After the surrender whereof the souldiers shewed great extremitie murthering spoyling rauishing and carying away mens wiues There came also into the host of the Guises great aid from the Swisers and shortly after that there came an Armie of footemen and horsemen of Germaynes vnder the conduct and charge of the Rheingraue and the Rokendolphe Aud they looked for ayde out of Spaine and Gascoygne In the meane time the Guises vsed other meanes and wayes to helpe and defend themselues For by the decrée and ordinance of the Senate of Paris they which had put them selues in Armoure at Orleans were proclaymed to haue put on the same against the Kyng and the Realme and that therfore they were Rebelles and giltie of Treason and ought to die and to haue open warre pronounced against them Also that they ought to be depriued of such dignities as they enioyed by the Kyng Furthermore that they should be made an open shame and a perpetuall ignominie that neither they themselues nor any of their posterity euer after might beare any publique office vnder the king And last of al that their goods should be confiscate to the king But they excepted the Prince of Conde as though he had bin constrained to do that which he had done against his will. In like maner the Guises sendinge letters to all places but especially into Germany openly accused the Prince of Conde and his adherents to be the authors and deâ—…eÌ„ders of newe and monstrouse opinions that by this meanes they might make the Germanes whose helpe both they and the Prince of Conde wanted to take their parte The Prince of Conde was hindered many waies For beside the greuouse sickenesse of the pestilence at Orleans which daily wasted his armie his power was greatly also diminished by the losse of Cities and by the increase of his enemies Also by reason of the delaies of doubtfull thinges in chaunce and by the threatnings of the enemie which so triumphed of their
men of Lions all that they could Wherevppon the men of Lions hauinge the Baron des Adretz the Generall came with an army to suppresse them and being entered in that Region they besieged the head Citie Monbriso and the Townesmen refusing to yéeld vp the Citie being encouraged to fight by their Captaine Monselas at the length their city was battered downe and taken by force then the souldioure that got the victorie shewed such crueltie that the streats of the citie were couered with dead carcasses Baron des Adretz himselfe vehemently encouraging the souldier to murder There remayned a fortresse in the citie into the which Monsieure Monselas with certayne of the chief citizens sled The same notwithstanding being shortly after taken partly by force partly by surrender Mon sieur des Adretz after hée had vewed all places of the castle sent in certayne souldiours to murder and spoyle who presently tooke Monsieur Monselas and his souldiours that were with him and cast them downe hedlong from the top of the houlde The which cruell kynde of death made many to mislike of Baron des Adretz the rather because hee had giuen his faith as it is reported to Monselas and to others with him to saue their liues Thus the citie Monbriso was sacked and rased and the whole Region therabout spoyled And Baron des Adretz returned againe to Lyons in the moneth of August About this tyme in the Region of Languedoc there was much businesse The inhabitants of Tolouze at the prouocation and setting on of Monsieur Monlace oftentimes assaulted the citie of Montauban into the whiche we sayd before many of the faithfull fledde from diuers places but by the singular Industrie vertue and constancy of the men of Montauban the inhabitants of Tolouze preuayled nothing at all Notwithstandinge the faithfull were thrust out of Pezenac and out of certaine other Townes by Monsieur Ioyse Liefetenant of Languedoc But Monsieur Sommeriue had very good successe in his affaires in Prouance as wée declared before the which gaue courage to the papistes to set vppon the faithfull that were in Languedoc Therefore Monsieur Ioyse Liefetenant of Languedoc Monsieur Sommeriue Fabricius of Auinion and Monsieur de Suze with others consulted among themselues determined to make so great a power as thei were able and to ioyne togither in one with as much spéede as they could to ouercome the faithfull in Languedoc All Prouance belonged to the charge of Monsieur Sommeriue to whom because of his victorie and late good successe of warre many came from diuers places Monsieur Fabricius had a great armye which came vnto him some being Italians and some comming out of the Townes territorie of Uenais And a great number attended and followed Monsieur de Suze out of Dolpheny But Monsieur Ioyse was of greater power thaÌ„ the reste who had out of the mighty cities Tolouze and Narbon both a great number of Souldiers and also all manner of artillerie and other necessaries for the war. These also were ayded by the men of Auuernoys they had hope to receyue helpe of the Spanish borderers from whom came diuers bandes whose Captain was Petruâ—… Lapia a notable theefe who came from the Mountaynes of Pyrren But the faythfull had many wel fenced and fortefied Cities â–ª land and ground enough with sufficient store of cattell Notwithstanding in men and other necessaries for warre their enemies were mightier In so muche that the Papistes perswading themselues to haue the victory thought it best to ioyne battayle out of hande Monsieur Ioyse setting vpon the faythfull on the one side and the men of Prouâ—…nce and of Auernoys on the other side Therefore while great armies were a prouidinge euery where Monsieur Ioyse Liefetenant of Languedov first of all remoued with his army with Monsieur Forquenoz LieftenaÌ„t of Narbon Their armies coÌ„tained seuen thousand footemen and a thousand horsemen they had sir great Canons and many other small péeces They pitched their Tentes the fourth day of September at a Uillage called Lates being a myle from Montpellier In this place he aboade lookinge for his fellowes thinking himselfe so sure to winne Montpellier that thei deuided the spoyles among them â–ª as if they had already wonne the Citie Thither came the Bishop of Montpellier whose name was Pelisser This man being sometime well accounted of among learned men and one that knew the trueth but now hauing forsaken the same became a notable enemie bought and sold Montpellier to certayne Marchaunts which only wayted vpon him for the pray At Montpellier beside the ordinarie and accustomed Garrison of the Towne there were certayne rescuing armies belonging to the churches contayning the num ber of eight hundred horsemen whose Captain was Iacobus Bellodine borne of a noble house who afterwarde was called Acierus according to the name of the territorie of his Lordship and did very notable seruice in the ciuill warres following and also twelue Enseignes of footemen After they vnderstood that the enemie had encamped himselfe they intended to breake out vppon them the same day to the ende they might take a better vewe of them and so they came néerer the enemie with twoo hundred horsemen and fiue hundred Gonners vnder the charge and conducte of Monsieur Ays of Nismes The enemie being ware of their comming rushed out of their tentes to méete them with all spéede and thus the battaile began to waxe hot on both parts the men of Montpellier fighting with such a courage that they constrayned the proude enemy to retire and flée backe euen to their tents from whence they discharging certaine great péeces but in vaine the faithfull retourned safe into the Citie againe with losse of two of their men only whereas on the other part there were slayne 100. For this good beginning and happie successe the faithfull caused publique and sollemne thanks to be giuen vnto God the which being done they prouided diligently for the safetie and fortefying of the Citie and at the commaundement of Monsuer Bellodine the Suburbes in the which there were certaine great Churches and great stoore of houses were with the diligent labour of the people throwne downe And after this there were certaine Skirmishes dayly betwéene both partes the Protestantes most commonly hauinge the victory Insomuch that Monsuer Ioyse was discouraged from befieging the Citie before he had more helpe and aide from his fellowes Notwithstanding because hée would not in the meane while spend the time in vaine he intended to assault a Castell which is in the I le of Maguelon For in that part bordering vppon the Sea coast there is a certaine Fen or Marshe which the Sea at certaine times ouerfloweth being of a great compasse both in length and breath in the which also there is a certaine Ileland lying out in length almost thrée miles and vppon this Ileland there standeth a Castell both of great antiquitie and also of sufficient force the which at that time the
condition also that they shall within sixtene dayes after the publication of these Letters put of their armoure and depart from those places and assemblies prohibited and forbidden Whatsoeuer he be that shall do otherwise shal fauour support and mayntayne his obstinate subiectes he straytely chargeth and commaundeth his Magistrates and officers seuerally to execute vppon hym such punishmentes as by the Lawes are appoynted ¶ The Duke of Guise vsed these letters which were published vnder the Kynges name to the intent hée might entangle and snare his enemies by all manner of meanes possible After the besieging of Burges the Duke of Nemours with certaine troupes of horsemen came at the coÌ„mandement of the Duke of Guise into Burgundy that ioyning the inhabitantes of Dolpheny and of Auernois with Monsieur Tauuanes Liefetenant of Burgundy he might assay to winne Lions and Dolpheny And at the very first assay he wan Vienna a noble Citie néere vnto the Rosne and bordering also vpon Lions by the meanes of the paâ—… pistes which were in the towne The souldiours were coÌ„ducted by Monsieur Mogeron who after the surrender of the Towne committed great murder and rapine The losse of Vienna was very hurtful to Lions the passage being shut vp into Dolpheny and Languedoc Then Nemours picking out so many souldiours out of his owne men and out of the Burgundians and Indwellers of Auuergnois and of Forest as would make an army remoued with the same néere Lions to besiege the Citie The Liefetenant of Lions as we sayd before was Monsieur Soubize a very wyse man who with great diligence prosperously prouided for the fortyfying of the Citie Notwithstanding Nemours dyd not incampe him selfe hard by the Citie after the manner of besieging but taking the suburbes and places bordering thereaboutes sought to kéepe them from vittailes and other necessary prouision Notwithstanding the Townes men diuers tymes brake forth vpon the enemie and lightly skirmished with them But for all this the enemie at the length was in hope to winne the Citie yet their hope was frustrated to their owne dammage and hurt There came into the handes of Nemours a certayne inhabitant of Lions of a reasonable good wit and at that time of some estimation and countenance This man declared vnto Nemours certayne meanes and wayes to obtayne Lions promising vnto him that if he might be sent thither he would prepare and make an easie enterance for him into the Citie For sayeth he I when I am in Lions am appointed to watche and kéepe the citie ioyning diuers other of the Garrison with me can open the Gate vnto you and can let in such a sufficient multitude of souldiers as coÌ„ming vnlooked for may easely take the Citie Onely set me at libertie and gyue me leaue to goe into the citie gyue me my reward when I haue brought it to passe Nemours tooke his offer and after fayre promises made hée set him frée and bad him go to Lions Hée when hée was come into the Citie declared the whole matter to Monsieur Soubize gouernour of the citie who coÌ„manded the man to kéepe the matter secrete and also to flatter Nemours in hope thereof still Therefore he appointed Nemours the tyme and place where and when hée should come to the Citie watch wordes were giuen and the matter was so appointed that Nemours had great hope to haue his purpose Wherevpon he commaunded a great number of harquebusiers and certayne troupes of horsemen when the tyme was come to go before and hée himselfe followed after with his whole army In the meane time Monsier Soubize had very wel fortified the Citie in euery place and corner the which being done he commaunded him to go toe the Gate of the citie whom Nemours had put in trust for the treason the watchmen about the gate to be very hush and silent without any manner of noyse as if they were a sléepe and then to giue the watchword The souldiours of Nemours hearing the watchword came with all spéed and were let into the Citie And wheÌ„ thrée hundred of them or there abouts were entered the warders of the gate perceyuing that the whole army of the enimies followed after a pace they discharged with all spéede a great péece of Ordinance against those that were without Whereby Nemours perceyuing that he was betrayed fled backe agayne with the reste of his armye so fast as hée conld then the Townesmen fell vpon those that were entered the Citie and slew them very fewe escaping their handes After this Nemours went his way and would neuer more come so néere Lions to besiege the same Notwithstanding they had after this certayn small skirmishes betwéene them Agaynst the comming of Nemours MoÌ„sier des Adretz had gathered togither out of all Dolpheny so many souldiours as he could to helpe the men of Lions and he conducted 1500. footemen with a very small troupe of horsemen The reporte hereof caused Nemours to take a newe deuise in hande and because he vnderstoode that the army of footemen of Monsieur des Adretz wanted horsemen to garde and defend them hée determined to set vpon him with his horsemen Wherefore not farre from Beaupere he met with Monsieur des Adretz and his men and skirmishing with them troubled them sore had slain a great nomber of them if so be both the oportunity of the place also the maÌ„lines of M. de Adretz in conducting his meÌ„ had not holpen theÌ„ So that notwithstanding the greatest part escaped few were lacking Notwithstandinge for this cause the inhabitants from Vienna all a long the ryuer Rosne were greatly afeard and greatly also the newes hereof dismaied Turnon although it was strongly fortified with Garrisons of Souldiers And about this tyme the inhabitantes of Nonay sought to winne the Citie of Sanstephen beinge a very Noble and famouse Citie in the Territory of Viuaretz and this was the occasion there is in the countrey of Forrest a Citie called Sanstephen nere vnto Nonay where dyuers kindes of weapons and artillery the place being very conuenient for the same are made by Copper Smithes of which there are there great store The men of Nonay being desierouse both to haue weapones and also the spoyle of the City which was of reasonable wealth by the aduise and counsayle of their gouernour they intended to winne the same Imageninge that by reason of the nearenes of Nemours and of Monsieur Caumont a man of greate power in that Region and of diuers other noblemen which dwelt about them they were secure and careles and might therefore more easely be opprest And in déed it came to passe according to their imagination For the greatest part of souldiers and almost al the young men and boyes in the Towne hauinge the gouernour of the Towne their Captaine went out of Nonay and trauailing all the nighte wyth great spede through woodes and secret places were very early at the Citie of Sainstephen And so soone as
the Protestantes he came with ranged and warlike armies as though he had ment to haue encountred with some enemie By his commaundement also there was watch and ward appointed at euery gate and flagges set out vpon the battlementes of the walles lyke as the manner is in Cities that be vanquished by force Moreouer he very straightly commaunded the Protestantes that they should bring all their armour to the common halles of euery Citie and charged his owne men that they should ransacke all the houses of the faithfull At Nemaux he caused one to be beaten with cudgelles bycause he had brought in hys armour somewhat to late and vnder colour and cloke of that example did very haynously sclaunder before the King the whole company of the faithful in Languedoc as obstinate and stubborne And deuidinge Garrisons of Souldiers into euery Citie where any congregation was surueyed and vewed them hymselfe and with certain troupes of Horsemen whom he had reclaymed to his owne lure and made fit for his owne pitch did spoile and waste all thinges wheresoeuer he came The Souldiers that were in Garrison and also they which waited vppon the Anuille began very cruelly to rage against the whole families of the faythfull euen as though they had bin taken captiue in war neither did they abstaine from robberies and rauishing of Uirgines but did scotfrée and without checke commit horrible murders the Anuille being in the meane tyme wholy giuen ouer to the filthy loue of whores beastly excesse of that good and gentle wyne of Languedoc and for these two causes he went diuers times to Auinion and there did compell a sight truly almost of incredible impudencie his owne wyfe a noble woman of the wor thy honorable house of the Duke of Bullion to salute entertain at her owne table an whore of that towne a wydowe whom he being taken with her bewty had caused to run headlong after filthy gayne And whereas fhere was an order appointed by the Profestantâ—…s in the Court of Nemaux that before they tooke any thing in hand thereshould be prayers made vnto God whose aide and helpe in administring iustice ought to be craued and sought for the Anuille commaundeth that that custome should be fortwith layde aside and when the chiefe Justice had said vnto him who then shall teach vs true Justice if the righteous and iust God be not called vppon He made aunswere that if he or any of his had anye care or regard of that inuocation or calling vpon Gods name yet not withstanding it was not the Kinges pleasure to lay any such burden vpon them who did little set by any such customes and rytes as that was and so at the commaundement of the Anuille the inuocation of Gods name was vtterly banished out of the Court of Nemaux Through the vnreasonable outrage of this furious raging president ther were diuers iniuries and damages wrought againste the Protestantes eyther vnder coloure of the Edict or els by playne and open force Of the which these thinges that follow being taken out of almost an infinit nomber of other may be sufficient examples The Kinges Edicte of peace did giue frée liberty to exercise the reformed Religion in all those Cities in which it had bin practised the vii day of March as it was prouided by flat expres wordes of the v. braunch of the Edicte besides other Cities that were seuerally to be appointed throughout all and euery one of the Prouinces Against this did the Auuille set this interpre â—…acion So that it be thought Lawfull by the chiefe Lordes of those places And so by these meanes he hindered the vse of the reformed religion in many places and euery wher scatered and dispersed abrode the congregations And although by the expresse tenure and forme of the Edicte liberty of Religion and conscience was graunted to all and in all places of the Kingdome yet he did so curtall and weaken the lihertie of the Edicte that he did not only compell those which were newly come out of the Cloisters and Abbies or els had forsaken some other Popish Rites in the tyme of warre but also those who long a go had left that kind of life and were entred into some better trade of lyuinge to take againe their former lyfe of monkish supersticion and to put awaye their wiues if they had maried any or els to depart out of the boundes and limites of his Prouince And by these meanes he plucked away many of the ministers of Godes woord from their congregations and droue them out of al the Countrey where he ruled A notable example of this extremitie was shew ed in Moton the minister of the congregation Who hauing long before forsaken all kynde of Monkery had maried a wife in honest and lawfull matrimonie and laboured verâ—… frutefully there in that Church To him straight commaundement was giuen eyther quight to forsake hys wife and leaue the ministery and then to take vpon him h is former kind of lyfe or els to depart out of the coast of Languedoc within thre daies who when he had made answer that he was content to depart for that he was so commaunded and hauing prouided al thinges necessarie for his familie and being set forward on his iourney as he passed by Monfrin a little towne of Languedoc by the way that leades to Auinion he went to visit the congregation ther and was requested by the elders of that Church that according to the custome he would preach a sermon to the people Moton was content and preached The matter was signified vnto MoÌ„scur Anuil who by and by coÌ„maunded the chiefe executioner forthwith to hang vp Moton as guilty of breaking the kings Edicte for that he had preached contrary to his forbidding Wherfore Moton was violently apprehended the â—…earefull Protestanteâ—… of the Church of Monfrin standing round about him and being haled and drawen out of his wiueâ—… armes that pitifully cryed out was bound vnto an almon trée Where after that he had comforted his wife and protested that he did willingly seale there with his bloud the truth of his doctrine for which vnwor thely he was so troubled he was strangled to death by the coÌ„mon hangman All which time while this was in doing MoÌ„suer Anâ—…ll lay carelesly at AuinioÌ„ wallowing in the filthye pleasures of whoores and wyne The churches of Languedoc did complaine of these iniâ—…ryes to the Kings maiesty and the Quéene his mother The like did the Prince of Conde being desired there vnto by them of Languedoc but all was in vain For the Constable was a careful maintainer of his lonnes mischiefes and so wrought that all the complaintes that were put vp against his sonne were voyd and to no purpose in so much that they which complayned were in perill and daunger â–ª Whereby it came to passe that â—…he congregations in Languedoc which had any thinge at all borne out the bruntes of the former warre were very hardly
long before to talke of the murthering of the Guâ—…se and yet it appeareth by his owne sayinge that I neuer spake vnto him or had any knowledge of him before the time that he brought Monsieur Subize his letters vnto me VVhere vppon I may truly conclude that it is neyther true nor like to be true that I should be the author of that thinge which he long before had conceiued and purposed in his mind Moreouer where as Merae was very nere of kinne to M. Rainold whom the Duke had caused to be slaine it was likely that he was enflamed and stirred vp againste the Guise by some priuate quarell and speciall hatred And as I haue declared beefore euen so of a truth the case standes vvhereby me thinke it is euident and plain that they who perswade themselues that I was the author and procurer of this murther besides that they vse very fonde and childishe reasons to proue the same do not know my nature for if so be I had charged him to doo any more then that I haue before declared I would not feare to confesse it with like franknes and boldnes And truly I would gladly aske this question of them whether they imâ—…gin that there was any other cause why I should cause my other answer to be published then that I desired the matter might be vnderstanded of all men And it there were any thing else why should I dissemble why should I cloake it why should I not confesse it who euer was a more deadly and open enemie vnto mee than the Duke of Guise for what other cause did he besiege Orleans but that he might vtterly destroy and cast awaye mee my wyfe and children and whatsoeuer else I held as deare and precious vnto mee yea there are men of great credite that can and will testifie that he vsed often to bragge and make his vaunts that whensoeuer the Citie were taken he would spare none neyther man woman yong nor old Neyther needeth any man to doubt that amongest all them that were in the battayle at Dreux it was he I sought for and chiefely he with whom I wished to meete And certaine it is that if I myselfe could haue discharged anie shot at him I would ful glad ly haue done it yea truely if I had ben Captain ouer ten thousand gunners I would haue charged them that they should euery one haue leueled and shot at him alone To be short I would haue left no deuise that might stande with the law of armes vntried so that I might by any meanes deliuer my selfe from an enemie so spightfull and deadly against mee and myne all good men And last of all I protest before God and his Aungelles that I commaunded nothing else but that which I haue declared in these my writings If there be any man that desiteth to knowe more let him repaire too mee and I will make him aunswer Whilest these things happened in Fraunce the Popish Prelates sat still at Trent labouring very diligently to prouide and establish the estate of Poperie with a long rable of Decrées the exact rehearsall whereof being at large already set out in a booke for that purpose shall not be néedfull to be brought in here in these oure Commentaries especially for that our onely purpose intent is briefly to shew the estate and condicion of the faithfull in Fraunce and how thei were troubled vexed in the time of Truce and how afterward they were enforced to breake out into open warre The Councell of Trent therefore did very carefully trauell in maintayning and defending the Popes authoritie and dignitie in the kingdome of Fraunce and this matter as a thing of greatest waight and importance was thorowly and most earnestly laboured of all sides And the great and large reuenew that came out of Fraunce whiche thing did chiefely enflame the zeale of those reuerend Fathers and the great daunger and present hazard they were in to loose them if the reformed Religion had preuayled did make them busily to besturre them and to take the matter in hand There was present at the Councell the Cardinall of Lorraine hauing great knowledge and experieÌ„ce in the affaires of Fraunce and a subtill and sleighty old coygner of new fetches and besides that the matter for hys owne cause stood him vppon he was also incensed with an outragious hatred and malice against the men of the reformed religion and chiefly against the trueth it self which he both knew and renounced At his request and setting on they began to consult how they might vtterly deface and roote vpp the reformed Religion out of Fraunce the readiest and fittest waye for that matter that they could deuise was that there should be a league made betwixt the King of Spayne and the King of FraÌ„ce and that the King of Spayne because it was a thing of great difficultie and could not without much a doe bée brought to passe should helpe the French Kinge at all tymes with such ayde as should be néedfull and that all wayes and meanes should be sought to abolish and disannull the Edict wherin was graunted the libertie and vse of the reformed Religion This league which was made for the rooting out of true religion the holy fathers of the Councell of Trent dyd call the Sacred and holye League The Cardinall of Lorayne doth promise all possible diligence and trauaill in this matter and that hée will perswade the King to finish the league and as for the Quéene being of herselfe prone enclining to their parte and the consents of the Nobles he accounted him selfe sure of them As the Cardinall a most bitter enemie to the reformed Religion did what possible he could for the accomplishement of these matters in the Councell at Trent the enemies of the Gospell were not idell at home in Fraunce in defacing and putting downe the Edicte and the Quéene was not onely euery day more wayward disliking of the reformed religion but was also very furiously incensed against it and dyd by all meanes shée could denise goe about to engraffe and so we hatred and malice in the tender mind of the yong King against religion that then he might proclayme perpetuall and euerlasting warre against al the reformed Churches in Fraunce The Constable Momorencie was also very forward in this matter and was very maliciously bent againste the truth bicause he purchased so great infamy and dishonour in the former warres So that the Edict had in France enemies both many in nomber and greate in power and authoritie About this time the Kinge being of the age of xiiii yeres was declared to be of ful lawfull age by the decrées and iudgemente as the maner was of all the high Courtes of parliament and within few dayes after was according to the custome solemly crowned and all such estates as had to do with the administration of the Realme as vicegerents and protectours and such other were displaced very profitablie fitly both
ministered vnto vs than hitherto it hathe bene and that according to the prescript of the Edicts Againe if any of vs be founde to offende against any of the Edictes let him be punished according to order of lawe by some vpright and vncorrupted iudge and let not the offence of one man condemne the whole multitude Oathe And if it please his Maiesty that we shall dwell peacebally and quietly vnder his protection in our cities al diâ—…sentions taken away we protest that we will neuer departe out of the same what extremity or losse soeuer we abyde but do promise that we will with harte minde hande and with all that euer we haue ioyne with our citizens to the obeyinge of them and to the defence of our cities towarde the which we will all wayes beare a true loue and faithfull harte Answer We cannot with a good conscience imbrace this Article as it is put downe because it bringeth that in doubt which is euidently graunted vnto vs by the Edictes that is to saye that by them the Kinges Maiesty doth account vs for his faithfull and true seruants as by the grace of God we haue bene hytherto and will be euer hereafter Insomuch that we cannot doubte but that we are vnder his protection beinge in those Cities of his dominion in the wich we were borne or do dwell seinge that we are ready to persiste and abyde in his obedience Therefore we are so farre from doubtinge of his wil and meaninge that we rather geue hym immortall thankes do beseche hym to continew the same towar des vs still and specially to be fauorable vnto vs in the liberty of our consciences and in the administration of our Religion Without the vse of the wich we are not only ready to forsake our Cities but also our lyues where as contrarywyse graunting the same vnto vs which is more dere by right vnto vs than oure lyfe namely the obseruation of his Edictes we will most gladly sweare and promise to kepe these thinges Oathe And also a true and sincere good will towardes the Catholikes vntill it shall please God to ende al troubles to bringe the which thinge to passe we trust that this recoÌ„cilliation will make a happy and proâ—…perouse waye Answer As concerninge that loue which by nature we owe vnto all men the Religion which we professe teacheth vs neuer to forget the same and the rather we ought to shewe it towardes them because they are our Countrey men to whome we ought to do good for euell the which we promise to do so much as we are able But where as weare required to enter into a sounde perfecte reconcilliation with them we besech his Maiesty to enioyne the Catholiques to the same oathe and specially to prouide that theire seditiouse preachers which are the principal causes of these troubles may cease to go forward as of late they haue begoon And that they may be punished except they obay according to the tenore of the Edictes To conclude yf it please his Maiesty that his Edictes may be obserued with al sincerity and vprightnes as we trust it is his pleasure and that the execution thereof resteth in his officers handes which hyther too they haue bene very neglegent in we are ready to sweare without any exception what soeuer a good prince can requyre of his subiectes This was the oathe and this was also the answer of the faithfull They were woorkemanly deuises made by theire craftes masters with which many might haue ben snared sâ—…inge there was nâ—… mencion made of Religion that by this meanes the noble men beinge woon with hope of peace and bounde with an oathe the waie might be the more easy to bringe theire matters to passe Whereas the men of Rochell as we sayd before pretending theire priuiledge had excused themselues to be frée from receiuing any Garrisonnes of Soldiers the Kinge hauinge often tymes threatened them by his letters armies of footemen and horsemen were prepared out of hande to beséege the city Monsieur de Anuil and Monluce 〈◊〉 receiued the like coÌ„maunment to beséege Montauban Notwithstandinge Danuil was very much busied in diuers places of his Liefetenantship Ther were also in euery Prouines pressinges and moysterings of soldiers but only of the catholikes side and they were suche as were counted able men These were commaunded to prouide them Armoure and to be ready at the firste call Also diuers sondry reportes were brought daily to the prince of Conde as That the faithfull congregation at Blais goingâ—… to heare a Sermon at the place which the Kinge had appointed them was almost 〈◊〉 to the nomber of â–ª 200. Beside this there were letters founde out in diuers places which greatly bewrayed the secrete Counsailes and deuises of the catholikes and theire practising of the holy League with diuers other coÌ„spiracies Therefore al things grew dayly to farther mischefe and rumors were euery where of new murthers also the proude threateninges of the catholikes as in sayinge that the faithefull shoulde enioy theire goods but one Moneth were manifest signes of warres But among all other murthers the deathe of Amanzi a noble and modest man greued very muche the prince of Conde the rest of the faithfull This Amanzi was slaine at his own doores as he stood there houlding a yong daughter of his in his hand He was a man of comly personage tall greate and no lesse beautified with giftes of the minde of singuler modesty and humanity so welbeloued of all men that a maÌ„ woulde haue thought it vnpossible that so amiable a man shoulde haue fouÌ„de any enemy There came newes also to the Prince of Conde that the Armies which were sente to beséege Rochell were called backe agayne were sent to take hym at Noiâ—…rst and that fowertene Cornets of horsemen with fowertene Ensignes of footemeÌ„ were comminge to that parte of Borgondy The comminge allso of Theligni from the Courte with the Kinges Answer which was notwithstandinge seasoned with maruellouse fayer and swete woordes fore shewed sorrowfull newes Therfore the Prince of Conde hanging doubtful and not kowing what to do and being also certified by dayly messengers in how great perill he stoode requested the Countes of 〈◊〉 that shée would go vnto the Kyng on his behalfe and declaring vnto him these thinges would also beséech him That his promises so sollemly confirmed by his othe by his Edict and by his letters might not be broken being so much the more iniurious because all these counsailes are practised vn der the couler of his name although hee doubteth not of his true and sincere meaning But the Countesse of Roteline was scarsâ—…y departed when the Prince of Conde was admonished by messengers againe That except with all spéede he did looke vn to him selfe he would afterward repent his delaye for that the armies of the enemies approched so fast and that he could not without great perill escape the hands
of the garrisons which were so nie Againe they told him that it was certainely reported that the purpose of his aduersaries was to take him and the Admirall Therfore when the Prince of Conde had consulted with the Admirall they perceiuing that they had no longer time to tary they commended the successe of al thinges to the prouidence of God and tooke with them their wiues and their children and fled the xxij daye of August the same day the Prince of Condes letters being deliuered to the Kyng in the which he declared vnto him the cause of his departure and complained also of the iniuries offered vnto him I AM SORY saith he most Christian King that in all my letters which I haue sent vnto you since the proclimation of the Edict you haue found nothing but complaints and lamentations of your subiects and yet I am constrained too write of the same vnto you still For if euer any subiect had iust cause to complaine and lament to his Prince and soueraigne Lord then I and the rest of my bretherne haue cause so to do who a long time haue ben abused and oppressed miserably with all kind of iniuries and violence ▪ The which they haue borne the more paciētly because they haue thought that time at the last would ease them of all their euils and because they wold let passe al occasions that might renue the wounds of former warres although ▪ by the goodnes of God they might haue repelled those iniuries many wayes The causes wherof we know O King are not to bee imputed vnto you who of your selfe are so well inclined and disposed that you are an vtter enemie to such waies The which you haue often times declared vnto me by your letters and also by the communication which you had of late with your Mother the Quéene by which you declared how odious the renuing of troubles was vnto you when as you requested her to séeke to pacefie all thinges and to bring to passe that the ciuil warres might be no more begon which could not chuse but bring in time extréeme destruction But we impute the cause of these troubles to the Cardinall of Loraine and to his fellowes your aduersaries and enemies to your Crowne and dignitie by whose wicked counsaile and familiaritie which they haue with the Kyng of Spaeine dissentions and hartburnings haue ben continued these sixe yeres among your subiectes and are miserably fostered and increased by murthers which are dayly committed euery where at their becke vppon those which refuse to ioyne with them Wherin they do openly abuse your Maiesty that they may make your selfe the instrument of the detestable destruction of your Realme and they do also obscure your Maiesties fame while they go about to constraine you to violate the warrant of your faith openly giuen and confirmed by your othe that this one thing might be to all your subiectes and to all forreine Nations an example neuer to credite your faith hereafter whatsoeuer by woordes you shall professe the which how perilous and pernicious a thing it is for the conser uation of your state do ye not sée For what shall they say which haue heard of our prompt and readie obediēce which we haue shewed towards you in disarming our selues and in dismissing our armies with all spéede go ing home to our houses voyde of armour and discouering our naked brestes to the sharpe swordes of our aduersaries and all vnder trust warrant of your faith Shall your faith be said to be a net and share to intangle and slay your better sort of subiects and shal their faithfull obedience be thus tried How long shall an armie at your cost and charge bee waged to gard and defend your enemies but to woorke the destruction of your good and faithfull subiects What shall they saye which vnderstand of the peace made Surely they wil say that we could not sléepe safe in our owne houses that to saue our liues we are constrained with our wife and children to flée from house to house I was no sooner come to this place in Burgandy but there were diuers spies sent to vew the walles therof and the altitude of the Castell And now because our aduersaries would not faile to bring their mischeuous purpose to passe they haue sent hither the chiefest part of their power to hem vs in and to set vppon vs Insomuch that wée are constrained to depart from hence and too wander vp downe vntill God shall appoint a place of refuge and all to auoyde the brutish madnes the furies and cruelties of the Cardinall and his compartners enemies to the Crowne of Fraunce Can there be found in any monument of histories and Cronicles an example of so great falshode and such detestable trechery executed vnder the pretenced name of the Kyng Will you suffer your faith your promise and name to be so abused by them and your subiects which serue you faithfully and truely to be so violently oppressed Shall an vnchast priest a Tiger and a cruell Tirant ▪ with a ra ble of such as he him selfe is rule you and the rest of your Princes the Péeres and Nobles of the realme How long shall your pacience suffer such Iauelles too abuse your authoritie and name and make you the author of your owne destruction How long shall they bée counted for faithfull subiects and seruants which séeke for your Crowne to deuide the same with straungers And how long shall they be counted for Rebelles and Traytors which willingly submit themselues to that obedience which they owe vnto you and desire only to liue peaceably vnder your protection I might be more tediouse vnto you most Christian King if I would speake all that I might to this effect the which séeing thei are more particularly declared in the Supplication which I haue sent to your highnesse by this bearer I refer my selfe to the same and I shall most humbly pray and beséeche your Maiestie to accept to consider and to way the same as procéeding frō him who seeketh so much the preseruation of youre dignitie and Royall estate as the Cardinall and his fellowes are mortall enemies to the same yea as procéeding frō him who only wisheth to liue and dye in that naturall subiection and loyall obedience which hée oweth vnto you Therefore the Prince of Conde sent with these letters a Supplication which although it be long and tediouse yet notwithstāding because it declareth the causes and reasons of great and gréeuouse complaints and sheweth also the necessitie of the warre which he tooke in hand the third tyme we will not let to put down the same in order And thus the Prince of Conde began Although I neuer doubted most Christian King of your Maiesties singular good will to haue your Edicts of pacification obserued because it is the only and most present remedy to establish the peace and tranquillitie of your Realme séeing also your Maiesty hath oftentymes signified vnto mée
Maiestie and make you beléeue that we séeke not him but you seyng we protest before God that we desire to haue no man but him onely and his confederates and why we â—…o so we haue declared both iust necessarie causes How long shall credit be giuen to his olde Iuglings and lyes I most hartily beseche the Quéenes Maiestie to remember his former talke at Chantelliere where she tolde the Constable and the Admirall that the Cardinall was borne to sowe strife discention wheresoeuer he was and that he was the chiefe and onelye cause of all the broyles and factions that were fostred through out all the Realme Let hir cal to hir minde the purpose of that wise and prudent king Henrie who perceiuing the ambitions and wicked dispositions of the Cardinall and al his brethren was fully bente a little before he dyed to haue banished them all from his Court to Loraine But here note the iudgement that the Emperour Maximilianus that nowe is gaue of him when he wrote to your Maiestie That all the warres and dissentions that trouble the state of Christians were both begon and maintained by a couple of Cardinals the Cardinal GranuellaÌ„ and him of Loraine notwithstanding al this he abideth with your Maiestie a great armie is maintained to gard and defende him that subtill Serpente at your charges is maintained to sucke your owne bloud who tarieth for nothing but onely to spie out fit occasion and oportunitie to spit out his venemous poysoÌ„ against your grace What blyndnesse hath bewitched vs that straungers and forreyners can sée the destruction that hangs ouer our heades and yet we cannot perceiue it hauing it amongst vs as it were in our lappes Is there any man so ignoraunt that doth not sée him practise his olde and Iâ—…neterate treacheries to the entent he mighte thrust out and depose the lawful true hieâ—…e froÌ„ the crowne and then giue it to a straunger what doth he make of Religion but a cloke and a veyle to couer his villanie Can any man thinke that he setteth by or beareth any zeale to that Religion which he willingly of his owne accord would haue forsaken and in stead of it haue embraced the confession of Ausburge onely vpon this condition that Francis the Duke of Guise might be chosen one of the Princes electors of the Empire If any man say vnto him that it is very perilous likely that the Spanishe King triumphing at our destruction will to our greaâ—… griefe set vppon and inuade the Kingdome such is his shamlesse impudencie that he will not stick to say openly that the Quéene doth not muche care for that bycause she loueth her daughters as well as her sonnes And although God would graunt your Maiestie both might and power to pacifie all controuersies amongest vs for Religion yet surely there is no hope euer to extinguishe the engraffed grudges and hatred that the Cardinall and his companions do dayly sowe amongst your subiectes For what salue what remedie can be deuised for that wouÌ„d which through murthers and spoyles is made euerie daye more and more incurable Is there any hope to reconcile your subiecâ—…s and set them at one againe whose stâ—…macke are with these furious and bloudy cruelties set on fire with inquenâ—…h able flame of hatred Nay sure it is past all doubt that these olde displeasures and hatefull harthurnings will last from one generatioÌ„ to another and passe from one to another euâ—… by succession and heritage as lands and â—…ubstance doe yea it is to be feared that the same miserie and destruction will ouer whelmâ—… vs that hathe fallen vpon the Quéene of Scots throughe the wicked and diuelishe counsell of the Cardinall If we sée the CoÌ„mons to riâ—…e vp and â—…ebell for custome and tributâ—… of salte and for vnreasonable taxes that there Princes lay vpon them which causes be vnlawfull and feditious what then shall they doe that haue iust and necessarie causes to alledge forthemselues who are not only spoyled and bereâ—…ed of there goods but also of there consciences dignitie honor and life that by this meane he might more easle compasse his long desired wishe to depose your Maiestie and hathe for this purpose full craftely raised ciuill broyles as more fitte for his purpose then foreme warres Is there anye iniurie that can driue a man sooner into desperation then when he séeth his conscience his honor honestie and life affaulted wherfore if I whom it hath pleased God to place in néere degrée of blâ—…d to your Grace am besides that natural coniunction bound by other great occasions to be carefull for the preseruation of your honor and dignitie together with the Admirall one of your chiefe and mostâ—… noâ—…le officers and many other Noble men who are your highnesâ—… naturall liege and loyall subiectes doe sée the enemie euen before your gates shall not we hazarde and spende both life and goods to chase him away shall we be such traitors both to our selues and our Couâ—…ey that when we sée the â—…atter maniâ—… we shall hold our tounges and suffer our enemyes furiouâ—…y withoute râ—…sistance to iâ—…ade vâ—… shall we your Princes and subiectes so behaue our selues that it may worthily and iustly another day be cast in oure téeth and sayd That we without regarde of our allegiance which by 〈◊〉 he wâ—… 〈◊〉 promised to your Grace â—…ue suffâ—…ed our lawfuâ—…l Prince and appoynâ—…ed by God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his throne shall we suffer our selues to bâ—… 〈◊〉 noted with such repâ—…oche of periurie and trecherie as to haue séene the scepter and Crowne of â—…ur countrey rent from the right and true heire and giuen to an vsurping straunger but admitte the Cardinals doings tende not to the vtter destruction of your Maiestie yet no man can denie but that councell which he giueth vn to your grace is not only disordered and vniust but also very pernicious and intollerable There is nothing more acceptable before God or that draweth néerer too his diuine puritie then for a Kyng to gouerne his subiects and people with Iustice and equitie againe there is nothing more beseeming the office and dutie of a King then to loue promote and further peace and tranquillitie and to defend his subiects committed to his charge from all calamities and anoy What hath bene the cause that so many common welthes haue ben preserued in florishing estate so loÌ„g but only the peaceable and quiet gouernment of the commons without any violence or iniuries But amongst all those counselles which that wicked Cardinall hath and doth giue to your Maiestie can one word bee found that did or doth tend too the maintenance of peace and quietnes Nay rather at your graces great cost and charge he maintaineth an armie that there by he may engender and norish suspicions in your Maiesties brest against those who couet nothing so much as to shew the dutifull obedience they owe to your high nes Is it not thorough him that you suffer
him and that all things mighte be done orderly â–ª he appoynted a certaine forme of discipline to be vsed among his souldiers the which we thought good here to inserte as worthy remembrance For the performance whereof this was the forme of the oath that was ministred vnto them Ye sweare and promise by the name of the liuing God that ye for the causes declared by the Prince of Conde wyll gyue your liues bodyes and goods to be at the commaundement of the same Prince of Conde whom ye acknowledge to be the captayne of this Armie Ye sweare and promise willingly to obey all those things whyche eyther he or his deputies shall commaunde and faithfully to obserue and keepe the order of discipline which he hath appointed to the gouerning of his armie And that till suche tyme as they whiche are enemyes to the common peace be openly punished by order of law for their murthers roberâ—…es spoyles and oppressions whiche they haue committed agaynst the Kynges will and againste the peace towardes the professors of the reformed Religion within the Realme that we at the lengthe maye eniâ—…ya the freedome of our consciences the securitie of ourdyues and goods peacâ—…ably vnder the Kynges obedience But this was the description and forme of the Discipline prescribed BECAVSE Order as it is profitable to all men sort is necessary for the louers of the reformed Religion I which am lawfully called to this warre haue thought good with the aduise and confent of the Nobles Captaynes and of other expert wyse men to ordayâ—…e and to giue all 〈◊〉 to vnderstande That if there be any man which will not obeye these things there is no place for him in our armye I will therefore that euery man faythfully obserue and kéepe them First whosoeuer shall come to this Army shall declare and giue his name within sixe dayes and shall â—…weare accoâ—…ding to the forme of the othe appoynted the which except they doe their horse and armour shal be taken from them and giuen to their accuser And when he hath giuen his name he shall gyue attendance and â—…de to his charge whether it be to watch and ward day or night or whatsoeuer else if not then he shal forâ—…ayte his armour No man shall forsake his Enseigne and goe to another Enseigne without the sufferance leaue of his Captain he that shall do otherwise shal be punished according to his offence And because no man shall pleade ignorance let them which are lately come to our army be certified of this decrée It shal be lawful for the souldiour to aske leaue of his Captayne if it be denied â–ª I will that he come to me and I will order the matter at my discretion I will also that the othe be ministred euery Moneth And to the ende the names of such as be lacking may be knowne I will that the hils and Scroules of the names be brought vnto mee â—… and that thâ—…re be none in the Army which kéepe backe hys name or which is not alowed by the testimony of some other He which shal be found gilty herein the third day after the publishing of this writing shall suffer death Furthermore I will and appointe that there bee in ei uery Giddon of horsemen one hundreth and of euery Enseigne of footemen CC. and euery Captayne to haue vnder him his vndercaptaynes other officers That no man presume to attempt any thing against the enemie wiihout the commaundement of his Superiours if the Captayne shal be found culpable herein then hee shal be banished his office if the Souldiour his armour shal be taken from him and then he expelled the hoaste That no man forsake his Enseigne and that suche as are found robbing and spoyling be seuerely punished as théeues and their armour and horse gyuen to their accusers And because this warre differeth from the other warres that haue bene heretofore I will that thâ—… spoyles be caryed all to one place for the common profite and wealth of the whole Army If any shall pilpher or purloyn froÌ„ his fellow he shal be punished as a theef and he that shall apprehend and detecte such a one shal be well rewarded The spoyles which shal be taken at the yéelding vp of any Citie shall 〈◊〉 to the general vse of the whole army And nothing shal be counted for spoile but that which may be proued so to be by sure arguments and testimenies otherwise it shal be accouÌ„ted for rapine and theft I will also that there be no vagrant and vnprofitable members in the Army Three footemen shall haue onely one Page attendinge vppon them who also shall followe his Maisters Enseigne if he be found otherwise he shal be hanged It shall not be lawfull for any footeman to haue horses asses or other cattell but onely for Captaynes and such like officers prouided notwithstaÌ„ding that they abuse not this libertie If any man shall take away the cattie that belonge to husband men for tillage he shall suffer death Moreouer I will that there be no braule nor contencion moâ—…ed specially that one man fight not with an other yf any shall so do he shall dye If there happen to bee any offence â—…et the Captaynes be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there may be some order taken and peace 〈◊〉 I 〈◊〉 that all priuie grudge and maâ—…ice be layde asyde and if any man refuse to be reconciled I commaund 〈◊〉 that Captaynes be admonished thereof that all sawfull wayes may be sought for reconciliation That no man take any other lodging thaÌ„ that which shal be appointed to him If he be a Captayne that shalâ—…e fasty herein hée shall loose his office but if he be but a common souldiour hée shal loose his armoure or horse beside other punishmeÌ„ts at my discretion And I will that all officers diligently come togither to the appointed place of méeting for the Army that they may foresée and prouide whatsoeuer shal be necessary for euery occasion That no maÌ„ steale away the vittayle and prouision belonging to the Army vpon payne of death â–ª And least any man may plead lawfully ignorance I will that these Martiall decrées be proclaymed euery wéeke throughout the whole Army in some coÌ„uenient place or other Let these things be diligently obserued and kept generally They which abused the Kings name feared least the Quéene of Nauarre should goe to the Prince of Conde with the yong Prince her sonne Therefore Monsieur Losse was fent to steale away the Prince but in vayne For the good and Christian Quéene of Nauar when she had made all things ready and had gathered certeyne bandes of men out of her dominion came with hir son to the Prince of Conde Then they practised by other meanes to stay her least she should ioyne her self with the Prince of Conde writing vnto her sugred letters to winne her from the reformed Religion With these letters was sent Monsieur Motte to perswade her and to assure her of the Kinge and
part was conducted by Monsieur Boisuerd a very good Captaine The Andelot taried at a village called Saintmalin there to take his dinner In the meane time a Monsieur Boysuerd chiefe Captaine of that army was conducting his souldiers to the riuer of Loyre there met him a younge man wonderfully dismayd and abashed and when he perceyued that Monsieur Boysuerd and the rest of his souldiers were protestantes he told Boisuerd that Monsieur Martyques was come with a great army of men the greatnesse whereof he said had made him sore afraide Monsieur Boysuerd regarded not this newes vntill he sawe certaine troupes of horsmen and then he sought with all spéede to defend himselfe and sought to make out of hand bulwarkes and trenches betwéene him and the enemy beside the riuer this was a good remedy but he could not haue his purpose the enemy marched so fast â—ne â–ª Then Monsieur Boysuerd with all spéede sent woord to the Andelot of the comminge of Martiques but before Boisuerd could set his men in their array Martiques rushed vpon him with a great troupe of horsemen dispersed his souldiers and made greate slaughter of them in the chase For that they had not sufficient store of horsmen Monsieur Boisuerd also himself was slaine many of the chiefe Captaines also were taken and many slaine Notwithstanding Monsieur Martiques marched forward with his army toward Saulmur with fiue hundred horsemen and ten ensignes of footemen The Andelot for all this supposed to haue the victory becausé his enemies were fewer in nomber as he thought but when he vnderstood that Boisuerd was slain and a great sort of hys souldiers also and that Monsieur Martiques had a strong army deuided into diuers parts when also he perceyued that hys armye had gotten the vantage of ground of him he shonned them and choseâ—… more conuenient ground suffering Martigues to pas by hym toward Saulmur many of the souldyours of the Andelot not knowing what the meaning hereof should be yéelding vnto him Then the Andelot gathering togi ther his men pursued with all spéede Monsieur Martigues the which when he perceiued he rode the faster tooke Saulmur which was then kept by the Garrisons of the papistes leauing behind them the spoile which they had taken from the Souldiers of the Andelot Now the bridges being stopte vp and cut awaye the Andelot was driuen to séeke other wayes to passe ouer the riuer of Lâ—…ire he sought therfore to go ouer at some shallow forde or other but he could not by reason of the wynter floudes which had caused the riuer to bee déepe in those places where otherwise there is little or no wa ter at all Notwithstanding at the last he found a place so shallow and fléete that his horsemen footemen Ordinance waggons and his whole army passed ouer the riuer without perill being moste wonderfull and the lyke seldome heard of before After this their safe passage they gaue thankes vnto God sang altogither the 73. Psalm beginning thus IN IVKY IS GOD KNOWNE HIS NAME IS GREAT IN ISRAEL And thus as they went foreward on their iorney they sawe certayne troupes of horsemen on that syde of the ryuer against whom wheÌ„ the Andelot had sent certayne troupes of horsemen he put them to flight and slew some of them After this they passing quietly on their iorney came at the last into the countrey of Poictou tooke a certayne Towne called Tuars by surrender then ioyned them selues with the Admiral which came to méete them After this coniunction of both armies they tooke a noble Citie called Partenay the Citizens willingly yéeldinge 〈◊〉 â–ª sauing certayne popisâ—… priestes who séeking to reâ—…st were slayne Then they iointly and togither besteged a noble Citie called Engolesme but when they had assaulted the same certaine dayes and were out of hope to winne it they tooke at the last a certayne yong man whiche was sent at the eaâ—…est intrâ—…aty of the townesmen to Monpensier to crâ—…ue ayde at his hands by which yong man they learned in what great necessitie the town was in Thereupon the Admirall gaue a new assault to the other side of the Town by battery made such breaches in the same that the Townsmen being voyd of al hope to defend themselues came straightway to compositioÌ„ with the Admirall for the surrender of the Towne So that this Citie came into the power of the Prince of Conde And straytâ—… after this that Noble Citie Niort came into his handes In so muche that it maye séeme wonderful that so many Noble Cities in so short while hauing so néere vnto them great ayde of the Catholikes to defend them shoulde be taken These things happened in the moneth of September Toward the ende of this Moneth a great Army being gathered togither at Orleans the Kings Edictes were théenderedout in one of the which Edictes the vse and administration of the reformed religioÌ„ was quight taken away and forbidden It contayned this summe Knowe all men that the Kinges our Aunâ—…etours of happy memory to the end they might shew themselues to be Christians and true defenders of the church haue vsed all lawfull ways and meanes to preserue the same Church and to take awaye the diuisions of Religion sprong vp by secrete sermons and by seattering abroad of râ—…probate bookes And after the vnfortunate disceasse of ouâ—… Father King Henry there were certayne Noble men stirreâ—… vp by the Ministers of this newe opinion which withdrew themselues and moued controuerâ—… and that vpon no zeale of religion but moued by ambition to haue the gouernement of this Realme vnder King Frances our brother albeit that he himselfe was of sufficient yeres by the lawes of this Realme and was able enough to gouern both for that he had authoritie and wisdome enough and also was ruled counsayled by the vertuouse and wise counsayle of the Quéen his mother â–ª of other singular Noble men which were still about him after the death of his Father king Henry who directed him in the steppes of oure Father as playnly appeared all the time of his raigne Who had no doubt brought the kingdome into that former State and condition in the which he founde it if the Lord had lent him longer life notwithstanding the state of the Kingdome was then troubled by certaine noble men who when they durst not openly bewray their myndes concerning the getting of the kingdome vnto them â–ª by the industery of their Ministers of this â—…ewe learning they caused the tumult of Ambâ—…yse vnder the collour of offering vp a supplication with a confession of faith to our brother the King who although he knewe them to be the authors of that mischiefe yet notwithstandyng with greate clemencie following the example of oure heauenlye Father he pardoned all his subiectes by an Edicte which had straied from faith and truth would come into the righte waye agayne thinking hereby to preuaile more than by the Rigor of punishments And
causes with the aduise iudgement coÌ„sent of our mother Brethren of our Princes and of our priyue counsaile vve haue do inhibite forbid by an Edict irreuocable euerlasting al men of what state conditioÌ„ or degre so euer they be of throghout our whole realme to vse any o ther religioÌ„ thaÌ„ the catholique relig oÌ„ of Rome which our auÌ„cetours haue imbraced which we following their ex ample do as yet hold kepe Also we straightli coÌ„mauÌ„d and charge that all the ministers of that religion do depart and auoide out of this our Realme with in fiuetene dayes after the proclaiming of this Edict These thinges we commaunde vppon paine of death and confiscation of the offenders goodes Notwithstanding we wil not that the men of the reformed religion so called be vexed and sifted in their consciences for their religion so that they frequent vse no other religion than that which is Catholique and of Rome Hopinge that it will come to passe at the last both by the instinct of Goddes holy spiril and also by the diligence of the prelates of the church that all our subiectes shall imbrace and receiue one religion And we do fréely pardon and forgiue euery one which with in twentye dayes after the publication of these our letters shal put of his armour and liue peaceably as it becommeth faithful subiectes whatsoeuer he or they haue committed heretofore against vs and our familye all the which if they will obey we take vnder our protection do forbid our officers to do vnto them any harme Also we will that all dissentions betwéene whomsoeuer they be whether they be common or pryuate beburied in silence and that no iniury be done to a ny eyther in woord or déed Whatsoeuer he be that doth contrary here vnto he shal be punished as a rebell But when twenty dayes are expired we wil shewe against the obstinate all manner of seuerity and rigor by lawe and will shewe vnto them no manner of fauour Wée wil and commaund that this Edict be published and pro claimed euery where and theÌ„ straightly obserued and that we bee certified from day to day of all thinges concerning the same Wherevnto ye that be our offycers looke diligently There was also another Edict made forbidding all those that professed the reformed religion to haue any manner of office committed vnto them whether they had liued peaceably at home all the time of the Ciuill warres or whether they had born armour to take part with the Prince of Conde These Edictes were first of all by the Senate of Paris then by all other Courtes of the realme very ioyfully receiued and no lesse carefully published and proclaimed the same day al solemne rites being diligently ob serued as though the kingdom after so long and so many vexations and troubles of warre had nowe 〈◊〉 peace There came also from the Pope letters patentes by which the King had libertie graunted vnto him to take out and to sell of the Ecclesiasticall lyuinges and goods so much as should be worth vnto him yerely fyue hundred thousand Crownes to mayntayne warre agaynst the heretiques that they might eyther bee vtterly destroied or else be brought to the obedience of the church of Rome But first in the beginning of his letters hee spake largely concerning the great boldnesse of heretiques and of their wicked counâ—…ayles which they had haue with the Germanes and Englishmen The Prince of Conde about this tyme put Monsieur Aciere in trust to gather an army of men togyther too whom there came a great noÌ„ber of Protestants which were by the papistes molested and thrust out of theyr houses or which could not be in sufficieÌ„t safety in their houses out of Langâ—…edoc Dolpheny and a maÌ„ might sée great heapes of men women childreÌ„ and old folks leauing their houses and fléeinge to those Cities that were in the territorie of Uiâ—…aretze and Seuenas whiche are also in Languedoc were kept by the Protestants Notwithstanding Monsieur Aciere gathered out from among these no small number of warlyke souldiâ—…urs which he mynded to conducte to the Prince of Conde to Rochel He had also of the men of Dolpheny seuen hundred and fyue Enseignes of footemen and two Giddons of horsemen The Captaynes ouer these â–ª were Monsieur Monbrune Monsieur Ancon Monsieur 〈◊〉 Monsieur Viriâ—…y Monsieur Blacon Monsieur Mirabell Monsieur Câ—…elard and Monsieur Orose all whiche were 〈◊〉 come of noble stocke Out of Languedoc he had fyue hâ—…ndred and thrée Enseignes of footemen and 〈◊〉 Giddeons of horsemen And among those were nuÌ„bered the men of Uiuaretz which were also of Languedoc of which there were xiii Enseignes of footmen vnder the charge of Monsieur Pierregord and one Giddon of horsemen vnder the conduct of Monsieur Toras The Captaynes ouer the reste were Monsieur Beaudisne brother to Monsieur Aciere Monsieur Ambri MoÌ„sieur Lâ—…mosson Monsieur Burlargues and Monsieur Espondillan And Acieres bande contayned twoo hundred well appointed horsemen Monsieur Mouents had gathe red out of the Prouancialles ten Enseignes of footemen and Monsieur Uallouore a Giddon contayning a hundred horsemen The place appointed for all these baÌ„des to méet was at Ales a town of Languedoc in the territorie of Seuenats and the time of their comming togyther was the xxv day of September But the men of Dolpheny could not come into Languedocke but they muste néedes passe ouer the ryuer called the Rosne the whiche was very hard to doo both for that the same was very swift and déepe and also because the ennemie had stopt the passages by the bridges But for all this Monsieur Meuents by his singular industrie and trauaill within â—…ower and tweÌ„ty howres builded and raysed vp a stroÌ„g Bulwarke ouer against Uiuarets and so the Armies were caryed ouer by shipp out of Dolpheny to the other side of the Ryuer After this all the Armies met togyther at Ales and with great spéed when they had passed the territorie of Seuenats and Rhodez Monsieur Aciere the xxiiii day of October passed ouer the ryuer DordoÌ„ne at Solliac with his whole Army and so came into GuiaÌ„ Monsieur Monluc the Lieuetenant daring not aduenture vpon him to resist The rumour being spred abroad of the comminge of Monsieur Acier Duke Monpensier whiche a little before was in the territorie of Poictou minded to stop his passage with fower thousand horsemen and with forty Enseignes of well appoynted Souldioures footemen Therefore taking long iorneys he came with speede to a Citie called Perigueux néere vnto the which Monsieur Acier had brought his army to a little Towne called Sainctastier where Monpensier set vppon the heade and tayle of Monsieur Acieres army with twoo seuerall bandes but by and by Acier gaue him the repulse who fearing least the enemie would goe to inuade the other bandes which were distributed among the villages he by and by gaue warning to Monsieur Mouentes and to Monsieur Pierregorde to
kéepe their Souldiours with in their Campes and said that he would come by and by with the reste of the army This aduise pleased the captaynes very well â—…auing onely Monsieur Mouents who vaunsing his Enseignes willed them to followe him Monsieur Pierregorde the reste of the Captayne 's fearing least by this destruction of the bandes ther should be a way made to the enemie to anoy them and protesting that the whole blame hereof should rest on him they also with their bandes marched forward But they were not scarsly gone out of the village when they saw Duke Monpensier comming with a great army of horsmen Then with spéed he prepared himselfe and choose out fyue hundred harquebuziers to be in the first front who straytway discharged a great peale of shot against the launces on horse but they presently charging their launces ran with such violence vppon them that they brake the ray of Mouents souldiours so ensued a sore skirmishe and when they had resisted a while the whole army of Mouents tourned their backes and fled the two Captaynes also themselues being slayne namely Pierregorde and Mouents and the reste whiche fled were for the most part slayne by the Inhabitantes of those quarters notwithstanding many escaped and ame to Monsieur Acier in safety In this skirm ishe there were slayne and wanting of Monsieur Aciers soldiers siâ—…e hundred and of Monpensiers side certaine horsemen of great name After this Monpensier gaue no other attempt but retourned to the Citie Perigeux and Monsieur Acier wheÌ„ he had gathered togither all his souldiers and the remnant of the souldiours of Mouenes came the next day to a village called Aulbeterre The Prince of Conde hearing of the comminge of Monsieur Acier after he had wonne Engolesme prepared himselfe to take his iorney and to méete him The Quéene of Nauarre in the meane tyme dealt very substantially at Rochel and had appointed certain Shippes to kéepe the hauens mouth belonginge to the same and also to the end shée might haue the more easie passage into England which was a great friend and fur therer of the Protestants cause Therefore the Quéene of Nauarre sente letters to the Quéene of Englande by Mousieur Shastiller a Noble man whom shée had made Generall of that Nauy and when shée had declared the causes of the warre begonne shée commended her self and her cause vnto her as followeth Beside the great good will and desire moste Noble Quéene which I always had to abyde in your fauoure there is also at this day occasion offered the which truly would greatly accuse me if I shoulde not by letters declare vnto you what causes haue led mée my children whom God hath lent vnto me hyther And my faulte should be so much the greater by how much hée according to his infinit goodnes hath bestowed so many and so great benefits vpoÌ„ you and hath geuen vnto you such a zeale for the aduauncement of his glory namely to you O Quéene whom he hath choosen to be a â—…ngular Nource of his Church By good right therefore are those things referred and brought before you which doo appertayne to this defence of the trueth of the church of god And truly as I know that you vnderstand the generall state of our affaires most noble Quéene so I pray and beseeche you perswade your selfe that there are thrée causes of the which the least ought to be sufficient which haue constrayned me to forsake my owne Dominion and to come hyther The first cause therfore is RELIGION the which would haue ben oppressed in this our Realme of FraÌ„ce by the olde and barbarouse tyrannie of the Cardinall of Lorrayne and of those which take his part that I should no doubt haue ben ashamed of my selfe and myne and to haue had my name reckoned among the faythfull if so be to withstand this error and horror and to defend the trueth I had not sought all meanes possible both by my goods and also with perill of my lyfe and except also my Sonne and I had ioyned our selues with this so honorable a company of Princes and Nobles All the which are with me determined and fully purposed by the helpe of the lord God of hoastes not to spare in thys cause by any maner of meanes neither lyfe nor goods nor any thing else which God had lent vnto vs. The seconde cause whiche also dependeth vpon the first is our obedience to the King bicause the ruyne of religion is also the ruyne of the King for the preseruation whereof we are straitly bounde And bicause my sonne and I haue obtained at the hands of God this honour and dignitie that we are so néere of bloude to the King this also most Noble Quéene hath constrayned vs to make haste and to set oure selues against those which abusing our Kings name and facillitie doe make him the author of his owne detrement and harme and althoughe of himselfe he is moste faithfull and sure of his promises the breaker of his faith and promises and that by those subtill meanes and wayes whiche they haue deuised to breake the Edicte of pacification The which Edict as it caused maintayned peace betweene the king and his good and faithfull subiectes so long as it was obserued and kepte so the same beyng broken calleth and prouoketh the fidelitie of the subiectes to lamentable and pitifull warre so coacted and constrayned that there is neuer a one of vs whiche is not violently and againste his will drawne therevnto The thirde cause moste Noble Quéene is peculiar to my Sonne and me namely for that we sée the olde and sworne enemyes to God and to our sâ—…ocke and kynred with deadly and impudent hatred to go about and séeke to rase and vtterly to destroy vs and our familie wheÌ„ as also my brother the Prince of Conde to auoyde the practises and conspiracies againste him and his was constrained with his wife and children to séeke a place of refuge and securitie the mother great with childe the children being in so pitifull a cace that I cannot repeate the same without teares besyde this also that I was certifyed knew the same for a suertie that some were appoynted to steale and violently to carry away my sonne from me With these reasons and causes we beyng moued could not chuse but come together to the ende that we beyng ioyned in one mighte lyue and dye together as also the bonde of consanguinitie wyth the which we are mutually knit together dothe bynde vs herevnto that it dothe commaunde vs to doe no lesse These are the thrée causes O Quéene which haue vrged me to take the sworde in hande We doe not as the good catholiques lay to our charge warre against God and oure King we thanke God for it there is no suche treason to be layde to our charge but are faithfull seruauntes and subiectes both to God and oure king Of the which I moste humbly pray and beséeche you
Lions and from among the remnante of the Borgondians and he trauayled this way bycause there was no other passage to the Prince of Conde all other wayes beyng sâ—…opt vp The Duke D'aumall went with his power thyther and béeing prepared to fight met with the bandes of footemen and horsemen trauailing without order or raye Then Mon. Cochay beyng thervnto constrayned sought to defende himselfe against the Aumall as tyme and place would suffer him and that manfully Notwithstanding the Aumall thoughe to the losse and spoyle of manye of his men gat at the last the victory and toke Monsieur Cochay and certaine of his Captaines and slewe of hys men 120. The reste of the armie which were gone before Mons. Cochay and met not with the enemy escaped in safetie without any sight of the enemy Then Mons. Cochay was brought to Ments beyng within a while after brought for the of the Citie as thoughe he shoulde haue bene exchaunged was slaine without the Citie Noyers a Towne of Burgundy from whence we said before the Prince of Conde was gone was notwithstan dinge kepte in the Prince of Condes name with a small Garrison Aboute this tyme this towne was besieged and wonne by Monsieur Barbezieux the souldiers with in the towne hauing very valeantly defended theÌ„selues so long as possibly they could The Castle also was yéelded vp on these conditions that the Souldiours should passe in safety with their lyues and carrye away wyth them bag and baggage and that Monsieur Barbezieux should giue his â—…aith for the performance hereof But these conditions were kept in no pointe For so soone as the gates were set open they cruelly slewe the Townsmen so faste as they met them only a fewe after they were ransacked spoyled escaped all manner of household stuffe was giuen to the souldier for a praye but the rest was caryed to Troy. The Germanes which were vnder the Kinges paye were by this time come ouer the riuer of Rhein wel ny to Mogunce about the latter end of December There were of them fiue thousand and sixe hundred horsmen whose principal captains were these Philbert Marques of Bade Diere Hess Leuineng Countie Rhingraue and Bassompere Duke D'aumall was so proude of this news that openly he threatned the Duke of Deuxpons and his Region Notwithstanding the Duke prouided so well for the matter that this threateninges turned to bare wordes and nothing else But let vs come now to the affaires and exploites of Poictou After those skirmishes by horsemen agaynst the Duke of Aniou wée saide that the Prince of Conde tooke the towne of Mirebell and there aboade and the Duke of Aniou at Poictiers Within certaine dayes after the Prince of Conde brought forth his armies and wonne the castle of Champiniac in the territory of MoÌ„penser and after this he tooke the Castle of Sauuigniae and beat downe the same to the ground In the meane time the Duke of Anious army being increased and fortified with fresh bandes of Souldiers both horsemen and footemen which were brought vnto him by Monsieur Ioyse Lieuetenant of Languedoc hée determined to besiege Mirebell because it would stand him in good stéede being so néere Poictiers the Prince of Conde being gone with his army to the same And when by battery he had made the towne sautable the souldiers being not able to defende the same any longer for want of vittaile other prouision they surrendered the same howbeit the Souldious that were in the Castell stood still in the defence thereof But the Duke of Aniou leauing there the Lieuetenant of Poictou called MoÌ„ sieur Lude to besiege the same went with the rest of his army to a towne called Lodun which was kept by MoÌ„sieur Acier Who being summoned by a Heralt to surrender the same at the commaundement of the Duke of Aniou aunswered that the citie was committed vnto him by the Prince of Nauar the kings general President of Guian to whom agayne he sayd he would restore the same to none other if any man would goe about to take the same by force he wold by force again make resistance and if he could giue him the repulse And then hee certified the Prince of Conde of euerye thing as it fell out In the meane tyme the Castell of Mirebell was taken certayne souldiers being let into the same vnder the coulour of parley The Duke of Aniou hearing the aunswer of Monsieur Acier brought his army neerer the citie The prince of Conde also came thither in so much that both armies being in their battayle araye and their Ensignes displayed might sée one another very plaine Then they discharged shot one at another with their great gonns spending all that day with shot and certaine small skirmishes and when the night came both partes encamped themselues This was done the sixtéene day of December The xvii xviii dayes following were spente as the other day before The xix day the Duke of Aniou toward the euening gaue place and went to Chinon the Princes souldiours pursuing the armie at which time there were on the Princes syde two hundred Switzers slayne and on the Dukes side thrée Ensignes of footemen About this time the cold of the winter wared verye eager in so much that it was wonderfull that the Armies would lye in the fieldes vnder the colde ayer â–ª but such was the burning heat of hatred that many of both Armies by reason of the extreme cold fel into greuous diseases of the which many dyed Therefore both Armies for this tyme of winter retired The Duke of Aniou brought his Armie to Poictiers to Salmure to Chinon other places thereabouts and the Prince of Conde brought his armie to Tuars to Montriuibellay And he made Monsieur de Iuoy which in the time of the first ciuill warre was Lieuetenant of Burges Lieuetenant of Lodune And these were the exploites of this yere Notwithstanding the troublesomnesse of the tyme the coldnesse of the winter these garboyles of warre were not quite ceassed So that this yéere also was speÌ„t and ouerpassed with lamentable troubles There was sent into Gascoyne Monsieur de Pilles man very expert in the warres which shold make new collections and Moisters of souldiours and carry them with hym For there what with the aid of the town of MoÌ„taulbane what with the help of the armies of the which the Uicountes had the charge the faithful were of no smal power yea they had also many townes in their possession although the inhabitants of Toloze and Monsieur Monluce went about still to anoye them So soone as Monsieur Pilles was come thyther he tooke the towns of Beegerac and Saintfoy by surrender and when he had gathered togither banâ—…es of horsemen and footmen hée retourned to the Prince of Conde And by the waye as he retourned by that place in the which as we said before Monsieur de Mouents his men wer ouerthroweÌ„ he wounded and flew
troupes whiche taryed behynde at Iarnac with Briguemauld came to Beauuoire besyde the ryuer of Mate where the Duke of Aniou was with hys armie So soone as the prince of Conde sawe him he set his army in aray and commaunded certaine drummes to stricke vp behynde a lyttle hill harde by them in couert as if an Armye of footemen had bene there Notwithstandyng all that daye was spent wyth certaynâ—… small skirmishes The Duke of Aniou beyng driuen froÌ„ thâ—…nce which is a place of passage ouer the ryuer sought another way and certayne miles beyonde Engolesme he passed ouer the ryuer Charente with hys whole armie and in hys iourney he sodenly gaue assault vpon the citie of Mele and on the castell of Ruffec slewe the garrisons tokâ—… the same and after this also he toke â—…y surrender thâ—… citie of Chasteau neufe and there passed ouer the riuer â–ª Report hereof being brought to the Prince of Conde he perceiued well that there was no lingering of time he went therfore with his maine battaile from Saintes to Cognac and the Admirall came with the vaunt garde â—…o Iarnac The eleuenth day of this moneth the Duke of Aniou hauing commaunded a strong bridge to be made at Chasteâ—…uneuf came neare in the meane tyme vnto Cognac with the greatest part of his armies makinge a countenâ—…unce as though he would presently besiege the Citie The princes of Nauar and of Coude were then at Cognac their Armies being distributed lodged among the Uillages there aboutes Then by and by they sente word to the Admirall commaundinge him to come vnto them with al spéede The Admiral bicause it was nedefull for them to be at Iarnac sente his brother the Andelot to the princes to the ende they might both vnderstand the necessitie of his abiding still and also to deliberate with them what was néedeful to be done The Andelot was not so sâ—…ne gone but the Duke of Aniou with his whole army which was at Cognac rushed with great violence mindinge to recouer and get the bridge of Iarnac But beinge forced to retire by the Admiral they turned their backes and many of them and of the other part also at this conâ—…ict were slaine In the meane time the prince of Conde deliberating of the matter minded on the day followinge to remoue his army and he on the xii day came to Iarnac the Admirall remoued to Bassac And the same day the Admirall came with the Uauntgard before Chasteauneuf to viewe the place He knew that the enemy had made another Bridge of woode neare vnto the stone Bridge of Ghasteaunâ—…f that he might passe and repasse ouer them with his wholâ—… army the more spéedely And then hée â—…eturned to Bassac againe leauing there certain bandes for defence till he came backe againe But bycause of the incoÌ„modiousnes of the place which caused the army to be dispersed abroade the prince of Conde sent to the Admirall willing him to be with hym 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 day earely in the morning and to bring wyth hiâ—… all his bandes and his ordinance and to sée that the horsemen were with him euen at the breake of the day So soone as the Admiral had receiued the message he sent word that night to euery captaine hereof But many of them were so slacke that they had the nexte day in the morning scarsly taken their iorney by nine of the clock The Admirall taryed their comminge at the Riuer to kepe the same with certaine bandes of Harguabuziers In the meane tyme the Catholiques Campe passed ouer the riuer of Charente all the night with as great spéede as myght be and were come before Bassac in the sight of the prince of Conde But bycause the said prince lacked the Lord Pluueaus horsemen and his regimen of footemen leaft as you haue heard behinde and were nowe comminge he had no intent as yet to fight The morrow after being the xiii of March the prince with his horsmen that were already arryued presented himselfe in the morning in order of battaile before the enemy aboue the Uillage of Bassac When all was arryued the said prince returned with the battaile drue to Mattâ— neare Saint Iean de Angelie which the Admirall did also leauing behinde to direct the retracte the Lord de la Noue who retiring a reasonable pase and yet not far of was charged with a great hoste of horsmen which forced him to take the charge and chased hym to Bassac where the Admirall was ready to resist and repulsed the catholiques vnto the other side of the Uillage In the meane while certayne troupes of shot of the Catholiques entered the said village sought to skirmishe with the Admirall who likewise droue them out of the village Notwithstanding they were reléeued by the reste of the Campe that folowed at hand and returned to the village The Lord Admirall séeing that the Catholiques were so nye sent a Gentleman with spéede to the Prince to aduertise him that the whole campe of the coÌ„trary side was there and almost at his héeles so that séeinge no meane to retire without fightinge desired him to aduaunce such powers as he had of the battaile Immediatly the prince reculed till he was very néere the Admiral ringing himselfs in battaile at the foote of a hill on the left hand The Admirall was in battaile raye on the right hand along a little Coppies lookings towarde Bassac He had about him the Lord Pluueaus regimen of fiue Enseignes of footemeÌ„ who made a long skirmish and séeing that the Catholiques in the meane while were readie to charge him comming betwéene the Prince him turned his face right vpon them and with certain Cornets which were with him pressed vppon them so whotly that he brought to the ground a great number and so passed further At the same instant the Prince when hée had mads his praiers vnto God went to battail with great corage vpon whoÌ„ rushed a great Squadron of Reisters or Germanes and set vpon him on the syde at which charge his horse was killed and fell vppon him and his horsemen put to the chase whom the Catholiques pursued Albeit as they passed further a French Gentleman named the Lord of S. Iean knew the Prince of Conde and also the Lord de Argence both which promised him to saue his life or else to leaue theirs in aduenture Where vppon as an Archer being descended on foote to helpe to shifte the prince of Conde from vnder his horse and had set him on his féete one named Montesquion who was thought to be the captain of the garde to the Kings brother knowing the Prince shot him thorough the head with a pistolet the shot entering behinde came forth vnder his eye of which he presently dyed They which were present were very sore offended for this deed but specially they which had giuen vnto him their faith to saue his lyfe This was the ende of the Prince of Conde a Noble Prince â–ª who hath left behind him
of oke very large also well fastened and ioyned wyth nailes cables and cordes that the cannon mighte well passe ouer it and of suche breadth that viii or ix men might walke a fronte They made another of the same matter and fashion and set it likewise vppon the ryuer about xl pase distant frō the other These bridges thus made and erected they bestowed manye baskets wyth earth aswell neare the first bridge as on the other side that which was within the Byshops meade drawing to the suburbes of S. Sornyn neare the sayd bridges part of their artillery beating the defenses of y wall which are before and right against the sayde temples Those defenses thus beaten and skowred the batterie began the morow after being the. xxiii of August in that place and the bishops mead The catholikes labored to their best to repaire their breaches and had no assaulte that daye The Lorde of Briancon brother to the countie Du lude goyng the same day to view a platforme neare to Carmes to supply some special want with hys aduise had his head striken from his shoulders with a bollet Likewyse the Lorde a' Aunoux stryuing the same daye to driue the protestantes from a Tower which they occupyed neare the breache of the Abbottes meade was striken in the head with a harquebush whereof he dyed shortly after The Lorde of Prunaye also beyng amongst his souldiers at the breache had his lefte legge taken awaye with a Cannon and so dyed Of the Protestantes syde were killed the Lorde of Chanay called Frauncis du Fay and one of the Marshals of the campe of the vauntgard hurt with a musket in the arme broken in two partes The foure and twentie of this moneth in the morning the Princes renewed eftsones the batterie with twelue or xiiii péeces against the wall before the sayde Temples the same beyng of such vehement furie that their was discharged that daye more than seuen hundreth shottes of Cannon which beat a large breach before thrée of the clocke in the afternoone and the Protestantes ringed in battell vpon the toppe of the hilles towardes the suburbes ready to gyue the assault which they entended forthwith to do by the Abbots meade as hauing disposed most part of their armye on that syde The Catholikes were busie to reléeue their breaches with beds faggots and other matters apt to fill vp The Duke of Guyse beyng at the one breach and the countie Du-lude at the other seyng the enemye prepared strongly and spedely to the assault rong the alarum bell of the towne to the ende that euery one myghte retire into his quarter There was a captaine of the protestantes who beyng followed with ten or twelue and couered onely with his target ranne ouer one of the bridges within the Byshops meade and came euen to to the little corner or arme of the ryuer that toucheth the wall and so viewed the breache whiche he reported to the Admirall not to be sufficiently assaultable as well bycause the ruyne and breakings of the wal were falne within the towne and had not filled vp the ryuer which runneth at the foote of the wall as also that they within had raised great trenches and rampiers whereupon the army retyred in the euening without any assaulte This daye Captaine Gascourt Knighte of Malta was slaine with a cannon beyng sent by the Guyse to viewe the breache and consider what was necessary to defend it The morrow beyng the xxv of Angust the Princes armye was eftsones ringed in order as thoughe they would goe to the assault the breaches were once again viewed as well that within the Abbots meade as the other at S. Radegonde by certaine Captaynes and souldiours who in their returne reported the perillous estate of the same The same day the Protestantes bestowed certeyne shot of artillery as well against the Bridge Anioubert as Rochereul wherein were beaten certaine holes or creuisses to auoyde the water out of the Abbots mead the same being filled and stopped againe the same euening by the Catholiques The rest of this August passed without any great effectes sauing certain light batteries to purge the waters and raze the milne of Tyson togither with certeyn sallies made sometime by the bridge Achard It was thought that the sicknesse of the Admirall and the Lord de Acier was the cause why there were no more attempts aduaunced The first of September the princes determined to winne the suburbes of Rochereul to the ende by that meane the sooner to ridde the waters And bicause they would cut off from such as kept the said suburbes al suc cours and reléefe from the towne they bent firste certeyne Canons against the towre of the bridge of Rochereul discharging vpō it aboue an hundreth voleis which battered a great part of it winning in the end the vyne whereof is spoken before which houered and valted on highe ouer the streat of the suburbs This was almost the chiefest place of skirmishe since during the siege The morrow they battered the defenses of the Castle and Rochereul bridge pitching also newe batteries vnder the Nut trées neare the riuer betwéene the way that goeth to Hostel-dieu at the parting of the suburbes drawing to the meadow towards Chastelleraut The Saterday the iii. of September the battery began in the morning against the wall and gate of the sub urbes which by two of the clock in the after noone had throwen open a wyde breach whereupō the protestāts did spéedely ring themselues in battaill as well on high de la Cueil where lay a piece that gouerned the Offices of the Castell as beneath the sayde Hostel-dieu and in thrée squares neare the Nut trées of the place where the batterie was made The Catholiques restored the breaches as much as they could with vessels wood earth rampiers and there were the Captaines Passac Nozieres the Lorde of Montaill and Carbonieres with others prepared to susteyne the assaulte They had bestowed about foure hundreth harquebuziers in the Towers galleries and offices of the Castell which flanked all along as they should come to the assaulte All which notwithstanding the Protestants about thrée of the clocke in the afternoone came to the assault the Lorde de Pilles with his regimēt was the formost being folowed with diuers other regimentes of the French footemen who valiauntly came vpon the breach and stood till they had bestowed diuerse blowes with their Curtillaxes albeit they were constrained to turne face in respecte of the flankers which gréeued them greatly Immediatly followed the second assault giuen by certeyne numbers of horsemen descended on foote with diuers footemen and they like wise repulsed These first assaultes being performed by the French men the Lansknechts would néeds followe with a third which albeit was performed with such courage as they fought valiauntly vpon the breache yet séeing the present defense and general daunger to mayntain it long they reculed and retired euery one into his quarter In these assaultes the
de Montbrun Mirabell and Uerlibet departed the fourtéenth day of the moneth of October and taking their way by Perigueux came to Solliac the Sonday the sixtéenth of October about two of the clocke at after noone They thought there to passe Dordon but it was so swelled by the great raines falne certaine dayes before that it was not possible to wade ouer By which difficulty they were constrained â—…o stay there sending for suche boates as they coulde â—…inde by which they began to ferry the same day and all the next nyghte not with suche spéede in respecte of their fewe beates but certaine numbers were not yet passed in the morning Which beyng espied of the Catholike garrisons thereby and specially they of Sarba sent out three skore horsemen with certaine footemen and Paisants to viewe the number of such as were yet to passe and what watch and garde they kept Who with others to the nomber of two hundreth seing neyther order vsed nor any shot his matche kindled fell vppon them and discomfited them without resistance many were slaine and the rest stripte into their shertes and so sent ouer the passage to followe their companye Some vsing a spéede aboue the rest in passing the daye before the better to refreshe them at their ease were set vpon in the night within their lodgings and led away prisoners by the Catholikes Amongst whome were the Lorde dâ—… Quintell a ' Dauphynoâ—…s Mormoiron de Uenesin guide to the whole company a Phisition called M. Mâ—…rle with thrée others the Lorde de Sarraz a Gentleman of Uiuares was taken by the same a little before but forthwith set at libertie The noyse which the Catholikes made in charging them on the water side gaue the Alarum to those that had already passed the ryuer being in a Towne not far off who falling forthwith into aray order of defence after they had taryed sometime to receyue them that escaped to their succours began to marche towards Acyer wherin they entered the next morning and from thence without other let they wente to Oâ—…yllac in Auuergne from whence they departed as shal be hereafter declared After Nyort was taken the Kings brother determined iâ—… beséege the towne of S. Iean de Angely in Saincâ—…onge and for that same effect drue his armie power on that side The Lord of Byron Marshall of his campe about the. x. of October accompanyed with certaine cornets of horsemen came to sommon the Towne for the King to whome the garrison made an answere by the Lord de la Ramiere that they ment not to surrender the Towne by other composition than a generall peace including the publike quiet and profit of the realme of Fraunce wherevpon he returned And captaine la Motte accompanyed with xv or xx horsemen went forthwith to skome and skoure the wayes within halfe a league aboute the towne and specially of that side to Nyort finding within a village certaine footemen of the Catholikes whereof some wer slaine some put â—…o flight and v. or vi taken and led prisoners into the towne In the meane while they of the towne prepared for the siege vsing great deuise and diligence in fortifying diuerse partes of it some dyd beate downe parte of the suburbes of Aulnis and Tailleburg to cut from the Catholikes all conueniente meanes to encampe there Some filled vp the ditches in necessary places in effect they left nothing imperfect which necessarily belonged to the fortification of the town the better to endure the siege The Lorde de Pilles gouernour there for the matters of warre as is sayd made a viewe of the footemeÌ„ which were a thousande or xi hundred of all sortes as well straungers as others â–ª mmediatly after this muster the Lorde de Personne arriued there with xxx or xl horsemen and then bycause they would omit nothing tending to the defence of the Towne they beganne to make fire workes with other artificiall Engines to â–ª annoye the enimyes About the. xiiii daye of this moneth the Kings brother planted hys siege before Sainct Iean de Angely about thrée of the clocke in the after noone The Lorde of Gouas regimen with certaine other was lodged in the Suburbes of Aulnys dealing not that day with the suburbes of Taillebourg as fearing they coulde not enter but with great perill They within the towne had forsaken his Suburbe bycause they would not put theyr men to the hazarde in keeping it Albeâ—…t thâ—… Catholikes forbare not to sease vpon it the next day and lodge within it The Protestants fortifyed the Fort or place of defence without the gate d' Aulnis and filling it with earth rammed vp the gate omitting nothing necessary either to force or pollicie wherein to enâ—…orce a generâ—…ll diligence in their fortification Proclamations were pronounced thorow the towne that all people as well men women as children able or apte to trauell should labour and worke at the rampiers and that euery one shoulde haue alwayes before his dore three or foure sackes full of dong to be employed in necessarie places According to these commaundementes there was a common assistence at the rampiers as well of straungers as people of the town by whom was performed a wonderfull indeuour As soone as the Catholikes had made them selues Lordes of the Suburbes aforesayde the Protestantes made a sallie with fortie horsmeÌ„ by the gate de Matta and set vpon the Suburbes of Aulnis where they killed foure or fyue men and then fell on skouring the wayes towardes Nyort â–ª tyll the place of execution where they founde an Italian on horsebacke and broughte him into the towne About the eythtéenth day of this moneth the Protestantes made another sally by the gate d' Aulnis and issuing out aboue the forte they discended within the ditche by a ladder there were of this faction and conduc ted by captaine la Motte Cl. Souldiours with white shirtes aboue their garmentes who charging so happily vppon the Suburbes d'Aulnis found the catholiques playing at cardes and so without any watch to discouer them they killed about three score or foure score Souldioures and then retired vppon the false trenche of the ditche by the helpe of their haquehusheares which were vppon the fort of the gate They wanne in this exploite two footemen Ensignes xl or l. harquebusheares certaine Morrions corcelets and pollares of stéele whiche they caried into the town loosing not aboue two or thrée of their company The Catholiques in the meane whyle drue néere their artillery which they planted so aptly in a vyne towards Nyort as it mighr beate as well the gate of Nyort as the bulwarke of the port d'Aulnis and also the tower betwéene the two gates Their battery whiche they bestowed there was foure Canons and a Coluerine Afore they discharged any batterie they demaunded to parley and for that cause would that the lorde of Pilles should haue come forth of the towne vppon their faith which the protestants thought not conuenient for their safetie albeit in his
batter a Tower of the side of the gate du Barle right against the watringâ—… place the same continuing so vehemeÌ„tly two full 〈◊〉 that at the â—…econd dayes end a corner of the Tower fell to the earth The Wednesday the twelfth day he remoued foure of his péeces of the side of S Pere thunderinge a new battery against the gate called the wicket aboue the which eyght Ensignes of footmen came and pitched the thirtéenth of this moneth remaininge there till the whole army discampped The fouretéenth day he remoued also two of his péeces and planted them agaynst a Tower called the Columbes to the end with more ease to batter the said wicket against the which the batterye endured till the next daye When hauinge now beaten two breaches hée gaue the assaulte to them both at one instaunt offering to scale on that side of the Cordeliers His assaultes were resisted and his people so repulsed that they were out of hart eftsoones to returne therefore the night following aboute midnight he raised hys sâ—…éege and retired to Auallon hauing lost at the assaultes and in the tyme of their sieege thrée or foure hundreth men as wel footemen as horsmen Of the Protestants side there were slaine and hurt onely ten men whereof the Lord Sarazin was killed with the canon beinge in the first Tower that they battered whom the Lord de Blossar succéeded in place and charge chosen by the common voice and opinion of the multitude in respècte of his vertue and wisdome in defence of the Towne The Lord of Sansac raised not his siéege for other purpose thaÌ„ to prouide other Canones all his others being either crackt or burst in these batteries The Princes being at Sainctes assoone as they were enformed of the siéege of S. Iean d' Angely determined to go into Gascoygne with two or thrée thousand harquebushears on foote and all their horsmen leauing the remeinder of their footemen to aide the Townes wherein were Garrisons they had two principall reasons to induce them to this iourney as to drawe the siege from S. Iean de Angely esteeming the campe woulde followe them and also to ioyne with the Uicountes forces ouer whome as is sayde the Montgomery commaunded They departed from Sanctonge aboute the beginning of the siege and with their horsemen as well Frenche as Almayns who after this voyage had sent their cariage to Rochâ—…ll and sho ton foote wherof some were led by the Lorde de Rouray tooke their waye towardes Montauban And bycause the Ryuer of Dordonne by which they must passe was not at that tyme passeable without vessels the Lorde de la Bessonniere by whose meanes as is afore sayde the Towne of Oryllac was taken departed wyth a hundred horses and gathering together as manye boates as he coulde fynde a long Dordonne caused them to be brought to Argentall to the ende the Princes army stayed not at the passage there albeit comming thether aboute the. xxv of thys moneth they were constrained to staye there almoste eight dayes afore their whole armye coulde passe In which meane while certaine of their army summoned the Towne of Sourd in Auergne to be rendred to the Princes to the obedience and vse of the king Wherevnto as they refused at the first so considering the condition of their owne state with the present force of the enemye yéelded vpon couenaunt to set open the gates and paye sixe thousande Frankes not to be committed to pillage the Lorde of Montbrun and Mirabell beyng come to Oryllac as is sayd their compayes lodged within a league of the towne in a village called Arpaion to rest their horses which were weary wyth long trauail where there Lorde de Montbrun fell sicke of a continuall ague the same partly causing the aboade and staye of the armye albeit féeling by the course of his sickenesse that he was not able to make presente departure from thence imparted the same with the Lorde Mirabell to the ende the voyage lingred no longer wherevpon the Lorde Mirabell with foure hundred horsemen put himselfe on the way the. 24. of the same moneth to performe his iourney into Languedoc he had amongst others in his company the Lord Foulques who not manie dayes before came to the said Oryllac with lx horsemen of purpose to accompany the Lord Mirabell their departure was neyther so secrete nor their iourney so surely conueyed but the Papistes which were in certaine townes and Castels aboute Oryllac were speedely aduertised who commaunded the townes men of euery village to sounde the Alarum bell to the ende to warne and discouer the place they passed by and so set vpon and discomfyt them According to this charge the Tocsain was sounded at the same instante that the Lorde Mirabell and his troupe discended from the hill two leagues from Oryllac wherevpon the garrison of Roilliac hauyng séene the troup passe by them in negligent order and leauing withal their own charge made no small spéede by a crosse waye a thwart the hill and set vppon them sodainely in the village where the Tocsain was sounded and the same in suche subtill season and sorte as afore they were discryed they killed sixe or seuen of the Mirabels company and so retired leading with them certaine prisoners the troup notwithstanding mounted aboue the village where being ringed and drawen into battell order they discouered in the tops of the hils concours of people from all parts to intercept them in a straite by whiche they should passe their guides besides bringing them further increase of feare daunger by general flocking of the popular sort to set vpon them in that straite wherevpon they were constrained to turne backe and retyre to their quarter of Orpaion and there to consult of a safe meane to passe The Lorde Uerbelet in the meane while remayned at Oryllac as gouernor in Auergne vnder the Princes according to the authoritie giuen him at his departure from the Campe. Within fewe dayes after his comming to the town and being acknowledged of the garrison as their gouernour ordeyned that thrée hundreth Harquebusears on foote and thrée hundreth pykemen shoulde be entertayned for the garde of the towne for whose pay he leuied of the inhabitáts a loane of Lord de S. Heran sayd he was come thither to bestowâ—… garrison in the Castell the gentlewoman aunswered that this errand was without néed because that as the place was already furnished so her husbande as shee thought would not admit any newe numbers wherewith as she offered to haue shut the gate and returne into the Castle the Lord S. Heran thrust so rudely at the gate that the Gentlewoman being thrown to the grouÌ„d he entred the gate by force vpon her by whose skrike or crye one of the houshold seruaunts descended spéedely and séeing his mistresse vpon the ground discharged his pistoiet and hurt the Lord S. Heran in the arme who also fearinge further perill flong out of the posterne which immediatly was shut vpon him albeit he
should not easily recouer the like againe hereafter And therefore it was best to take the aduantage of this opportunitie A fewe dayes before Lodouic of Nassaw went secretely into the frontiers of the lowe countrey and toke with him as partners of his iourney and priuie to his councell thrée FrenchmeÌ„ of great credite with the Admirall namely Saucourt la Noue and Genlis to whome the King hadde giuen in charge to sée if they coulde by any meanes attempt and possesse any townes bordering vpon his Realme They gathering diuers other Gentlemen into their companie wente spéedily into the lowe countrey the Admirall not knowing of it Who as soone as he vnderstoode of their going thither wrote vnto them that he much maruelled what they ment saying that he well knewe there coulde be no power gotten readie before fortie days end and that they should be well aduised to do nothing rashly nor to ouerthrowe with hast their deuises that séemed not ripe to be executed The Countie of Nassaw inflamed with the sight and desire of his countrey and fearing the mutablenesse of the King did first at the sodaine set vpon Valentiennes but being repulsed by the Spanishe Souldiers that were in garrison in the Castell he hastily departed to Montz and toke the town being a place very strong by nature and well furnished with all things necessarie for the warre Which thing being by report and Messangers spread abroade into the lowe countrey and caried into Fraunce and Germanie bothe encouraged all them of the Religion with great hope and also séemed to haue now plainly and openly deciphered and disclosed the mynd of the French king Moreouer Genlis returning to Paris when he had made report to the King of all the matter as it had procéeded easily obtayned of him that by his assente he might leuie certaine bandes of footemen and horssemen of Fraunce and carie them to succoure Montz But by the way when he was entred into the bounds of the low countrie hauing with him to the number of 4000. footemen and about 400. horssemen they were beset by the Duke of Alua and the most parte of them distressed whiche thing was well knowne to haue bene wrought by the meanes of the Guisians whiche by dayly messages and letters aduertised the Duke of Alua of their purpose and preparation Which falsehood of theirs many moste affectionate to the Romish Religion were highly offended with bicause a great nuÌ„ber were addicted to the same Romish Religion in that coÌ„panie With this losse and with the rescue of the towne of Valentiennes the King semed to be much troubled for he feared least his counsels being disclosed to the Spanish King would at length bréede some cause of querell and warre Howbeit when he began to remember that a great part of his secretes was alreadie reuealed to the Duke of Alua he oftentimes resolued to vtter his minde plainly and to make open warre But he was withdrawne from that purpose by certaine men whiche the Admirall had long before conceiued that they woulde so doe Howbeit he gaue the Admirall libertie to sende what soeuer he thought meete to further the Prince of Aurenge his enterprise and as great supply either of footemen or of horssemen as he could to the armie which the Prince of Aurenge had leuied in Germanie When the Admiral for that cause had made request that he might leuie thirtie troupes of horssemen and as many ensignes of footemen he easily obtayned it For the entertainement of these footmen it behoued to haue money wherfore at the request of the Admirall the King called for his Tresurer and coÌ„maunded him to deliuer to the Admirall so muche money as the Admirall should thinke méete and charged him that he should not in any wise after the vsuall maner of the accompts of finances write the causes of the receipt but onely set it downe in this forme This summe of money was payde to the Admirall suche a daye by the Kings commaundement for certaine causes which the King hath coÌ„maunded not to be written and to this warrant the King subscribed with his owne hand Also the King wrote to Monducet his Embassadoure in the lowe countrey to trauell as earnestly as he could for their deliuerance that were taken at the ouerthrow of Genlis whiche commaundement it is sayde that Monducet did most faithfully and diligently execute Not long before this Ioane Quéene of Nauarre aboue mentioned died in the Court at Paris of a sodaine sicknesse béeing about the age of fortie and thrée yeres where as the suspition was great that she dyed of poyson and hir body being for that cause opened by the Phisitions there were no tokens of poyson espied But shortely after by the detection of one A. P. it hath ben founde that she was poysoned with a venomed smell of a payre of perfumed gloues dressed by one Renat the Kings Apothicarie an Italian that hath a shop at Paris vpon S. Michaels bridge neare vnto the Pallace which could not be espied by the Phisitions whiche did not open the heade nor loked into the brayne It is well knowne that the same man aboute certaine yeres past for the same intent gaue to Lewes Prince of Conde a poisoned Pomander which the Prince left with one le Grosse his Surgion le Grosse delighted with the same was by little and little poysoned therwith and so swelled that he hardly escaped with his life By hir death the Kingdome came to the Prince Henrie hir sonne to whome as is abouesaide the Kings sister was promised and contracted Thinges being as it séemed throughout al France in most peacible estate and the concord of all degrées well stablished the day was appointed for the mariage of the King of Nauar which day all they that fancied the Religion estéemed so much the more ioyfull to them bicause they sawe the King wonderfully bent thereunto and all good men iudged the same a most assured pleâ—…ge and establishment of ciuill concorde wheras on the contrarie part the Guisians and other enimies of common quietnesse greatly abhorred the same mariage When the day came the mariage was with royall pompe solemnized before the great Churche of Paris and a certaine forme of wordes so framed as disagréed with the Religion of neither side was by the Kings commaundement pronounced by the Cardinall of Buâ—…bon the King of Nauars vncle and so the matrimonie celebrate with great ioye of the King and all good men the bryde was with great traine and pompe led into the Church to heare Masse and in the meane time the brydgrome who mislyked these ceremonies togither with Henrie Prince of Conde sonne of Lewes and the Admirall and other noble meÌ„ of the same Religion walked without the Churche dore wayting for the Brides returne While these thinges were in doing at Paris Strozzi who as we haue sayde had the charge of the Kings power at the Sea houering vpon the coast of Rochel did now and then send of his Captains and
he attempted no maner of force because of the letters that came in the meane time The sixe and twenty day following the Guises the Constable and the Marshall of Saint Andrew departed from their Campes And by by word was brought to the Prince of Conde that those thrée accordinge to the forme of the peticion were departed from their armie home to their houses When the Prince of Conde vnderstoode this he came to the King of Nauar to Baugence with a fewe only attending vppon him Wherevppon he was brought through the middest of the host in al the hast to a village called Talsiac wher the Quéene aboade and betwene Baugence that Uillage Talsiac were placed certain Garrisons of soldiers When he came to the Quéene he was of her very louingelye entertained and had many faire promises made him and by request easely obtayned leaue of her that certain of his fellowes might come vnto that place both to the end they might salute her and also that they might conferre and talke togither concerninge concord and peace In the meane tyme woord was brought to the frendes and fellowes of the Prince of Conde that the Guises the Constale and the Marshall of Saint Andrew abode still at Chastellodune which was not far distant from Talsia where the Quéene and the Prince of Conde abode and certaine letters also of the Dukeeof Guise to the Cardinall of Loraine his Brother were taken by the way and brought to them Of which letters this is the summe word for word as they were written I send vnto you this messenger in all hast possible to certefie you that all thinges were yesterday finished And know you this also for certaine that many are blinded and deceiued very much Our Mother and her brother sweare that they will not forsake vs and that they will followe no other Counsell than the Counsayle of such whom you know To be short the reformed Religion if we behaue our selues wisely as we mean to do will haue a fall Ye and our Admirall shall haue euill successe All our power remayneth still whole but theires is broken and dispersed our Cities are rendred vp againe without any maner of mencion of preaching or of the administration of Sacraments This messenger which I send vn to you is trustie There came also to the hands of the Prince of Conde by the meanes of one of the kyng of Nauars houshold seruaunts a note in writing of the Duke of Guises left with the Kyng of Nauar for a remembraunce to this effect Let there be no obligation made for Religion See that the pledge be kept in any wise Concerning the rendering vp of the Cities let there be no delay Order the matter wisely Suffer them in no wise to come any neerer to Orleans Let vs be diligently certefied and admonished of all things These forewarnings greatly troubled the Prince of Conde and his adherents they sawe that he was fallen into the handes of his enemies so that there was great daunger on euery side Notwithstanding his friendes thinking it not good to delay the matter and to suffer the Prince to be in perill when they had giuen the Captaines charge to be vigilant and to haue their souldiers in a redines came to the Queene The principall wherof were these the Admirall the Andelot Monsuer Porcia Monsuer Rochfocald Monsuer Rohan Monsuer Genluis Monsuer Grammontius Monsuer Soubizius and Monsuer Piennius These saluted the Quéene and were very louingly entertayned of her She gaue vnto them thankes for their great diligence and paines for her and the kynges prifite at that time insomuch that she sayd they had pre serued her life and the kyngs the which their merits deseruing honour pryce the sayd she wold neuer or get Then they declared to the Quéene with what fidelitie they had serued the Kyng with their body goods vnder the Prince of Conde they shewed vnto her the equitie of their cause which at that time was in controuersie and their earnest care also which they had for the preseruation of the kynges dignitie and the peace profite of the whole Realme Whereuppon they most hartely prayed and beséeched the Quéene that they might not preferre the immaginations of a few men before those things which appertayned to the glory of God and the safetie of the Realme For God saye they will defend euery good cause and seuerely punish all kind of wickednes which are committed against the Kyngs Edicts abusing the Kinges name therunto For himselfe also the Prince of Conde protested that it séemed very straūge vnto him that some shuld be had in such estimation and no regard at all to be had of him which was not only néere of kin to the king whereas the other were straungers and but seruants to the kyng but also had offered all maner of indifferent conditions and submission Wherefore he sayd it was now high time to prouide some remidies to resist and repell those calamities at hand The Quéene being before instructed concerning euery thing what answere she should make began not to answere to those things which were spoken by the Prince of Conde but to declare That the number power and authority of those was very great which followed and imbraced the Church of Roome and they haue the sword in their hands sayth she and are fully determined to defend that Religion which all former kings haue receiued and imbraced so that they meane this shal be the principall condition among the rest for concord and peace That there be no other Religion obserued followed throughout the whole Realme than the Catholique Religion of Roome But the Prince of Conde in the name of the rest replied that they did not plead their owne priuate cause but whatsoeuer had ben done by them vntill that day was done first for the defence of the kynges libertie and authoritie and secondly for a common wealth and herevppon they put themselues in armour at the first by the Quéenes commaundement for the which cause they did not care if they spent their goods liues so that the kyngs Edict might be obserued and kept wherby euery man might haue leaue to vse the reformed Religiō and the libertie of their conscience without the benefite wherof they thought them selues to be but dead Insomuch that if they in whom so great a number of faithfull did repose their trust for the handling of these matters should so much ouershoote themselues and forget their dutie that they should agrée to those thinges which were so repugnant to the glory of God and the common profite of all men it could not be auoyded but that they should be counted of all men forsakers contemners of the glory of God of the kings dignitie and safetie of the cōmon peace tranquillity of the realme The which rather then it should come to passe shoulde cause them to forsake the realm before they would agrée to those so vniust