enter into a Fryery But if the king would follow good counsell he should keepe himselfe as he is For the eight point he praieth the king to geue ouer the preferring and placing of Abbots and Bishops to their liuings but to referre that to the Priestes themselues to the Chapters of Canons and Monkes and to leaue the disposition of Bishoprickes and Abbeyes to their elections and discretions Here Sir Henekyn is very carefull for the king he willeth him to forbeare to swallow such big morsels as Bishopricks and Abbeyes for the Note daunger which may ensue which is choaking but to leaue such fat morsels to them that haue throats big ynough to swallow down whole Stéeples The king hath resigned part of his royall authority to the Leaguers now to do well he shall resigne another part to Frier Syxtus and the third to the Priestes and then let him walke carelesse Ninthly he prayeth the king to take some good order that the Priests may be honoured renerenced and capped and that their iurisdiction may be restored to them and not interrupted hereafter Dixi. Here is the fourth part of the kinges authority which Sir Henekyn Note would fayne to wrest out of his hand that the Priestes may execute an infernall tyranny ouer the soules and bodies of men And to conclude his chattering hee doth promise to the king great blessinges here vppon earth and afterward the kingdome of heauen so that he will roote out and destroy them whom hee calleth heretikes Note here that Sir Henekyn doth call them heretikes who doth distroy their vngodly lewd liues and filthy pleasures as dronkennes glottony whoredome and worse then that Also he would haue the King to roote out that is to kill all whom these ghostly fathers shall appoint him Last of all to play the Turke to make hauock of all things to fill the earth with bloud is the way to ascend vp to Heauen quoth Sir Henekin well said sir Henekin by Saint Mary you haue said as well as euer I heard any of your occupation About the 30. of Nouember the King of Nauarre being at Bergerak and vnderstanding that his paâ—iencie had kindled the rage of his enemies and his moderatenes had increased the insolencie of the Leaguers and that after the dispearsing of the Princes armie the crueltie of the edict of vnion and declaration thereof the 7. of October was euery where executed with proscriptions murthers losses of goods dignities and honours dooth make an edict throughout his gouernement of Guienne to be executed wherein hee sheweth that whereas his silent patience and moderatenes had serued nothing but to increase the outragious excesses and cruelties of the seditions and rebells he is inforced to folow the course and order folowing First that all the goods lands rents fruites debts actions and accounts of all the inhabitants of those townes and places where the edict of Iulie and declaration thereof hath been published and executed and also of all Gentlemen or others bearing armes with the Leaguers and their partakers also of all Ecclesiasticall persons wheresoeuer who are contrarie vnto his part and of all whatsoeuer who are contributaries vnto his enemies within the Gouernement of Guienne to bee seazed vpon stayed and put in the hands of his commissioners to bee sould or farmed to him that will giue most Secondly forbiddeth all manner of persons who are indebted vnto such to pay them or their assignes or partakers any debt but commaundeth them to repayre vnto his Lieutenants generall or officers of his receites to declare and reueale al debts vpon paine of death and to pay fourefold that the said goods may be employed to the vse of warre al graines and fruites to be put in such places for store houses as shall be appoynted by his officers Thirdly he commaundeth the like to be executed vpon them who shall refuse to pay the contributions or the worke men at the fortifications and also that shal refuse to be contributaries in the deuiding of their fruites for the prouision of stoare houses which shall be conueniently made for the sustaining of the warre Fourthly the like intertainement to be done vnto the aboue said as the enemies shall intreate them of the reformed religion or Catholicks who haue ioyned themselues to him in that iust cause and necessarie defence charging all officers both to publish and execute the same edict without delay About the 25. of December the King as a man that studied nothing else but onely how to vexe molest trouble torment and vtterly euen with the losse of his realme and estate to roote out them of the reformed religion setteth forth an order of persecution which he commaundeth to be published at euerie court and in euery market wherein to help the memorie of persecutors he commaundeth then to haue books deuided in fiue chapters The first of them that hauing borne armes haue retired back and meant to be conuerted to poperie The second of them who haue or doo beare armes The third of them that according to the edict haue departed out of the realme The fourth of them that haue not departed out of their houses but are returned to poperie The fift of them that haue remained in their houses and doo persist in the reformed religion which he calleth heresie All the penaltie came to this that they shall bee persecuted all to death except they will abiure and all their goods seazed vpon and imployed to the vse of warre Furthermore he dooth promise a certaine forme of abiuration to bee sent into the countrey and willeth the Bishops to appoint in townes of their dioces their vickars generals to receaue their abiuration and to giue them absolution About the same time one Sir William Ruse Bishop of Anger 's did set foorth in his dioces vnto al Priests a forme of abiuration which the said Priests should enforce vpon them that had professed the true religion and had obeyed or would obey the Kings edict Wherein first hee dooth propound vnto them the Nicen simbole Secondly they shall allowe all the traditions of the Apostles and of the holy Mother Church of Rome By the traditions of the Apostles and holy Church hee vnderstandeth Note all the intusiasmes and dronken dreames all the sottish and heathenish devises of the phantasticall frantick dronken Popes Cardinalls Bishops Monkes and Friers which wee must needes to holde for articles of the faith because sir William hath said so Thirdly they shall beleeue that there is seauen Sacraments And why shall we not beleeue seauen thousand as well as seauen seeing Note that the seauen thousand are as well proued by the worde of God as the seauen Fourthly that all rites and ceremonies vsed in the ministration of the said seauen sacraments are good Al the crossings charmings duckings kissings howlings chauntings Note mumblings iuglings coniurings blowings slomberings gaddings turnings moppings c. Are either articles of faith or else as good as the articles of our
which pleased him so that euery one in his owne person did some honorable exployt in this victorie This victorie was the more honorable vnto the sayd King of Nauarre that it was not bloudie to him For so great number being slaine on the side of the enemies he lost a very small number of either horsemen or footmen of his own And among that small number there was not found one of marke or commandement On the other side all the chiefest were slaine wounded or taken except Lauerdine who saued himselfe with much a doo Captayne Mercure while they were in battaile ran to Contras to seaze vpon the king of Nauarre his baggage supposing that the Duke Ioyeuse had gotten the victorie But when he heard the crye of victorie for the King of Nauarre he went out in hast and following the bancke of the riuer Droune toward Rochechalays saued himselfe by flight and shame The victorie was pursued three houres and more in the which pursuing were slaine and taken a great number the ordinance was carried away and the baggage lost After the returne from pursuing of the enemie thankes were giuen to GOD vpon the place of the battell the wounded were taken vp the dead buried the campe of the enemie burned vp But that which filled the measure of the King of Nauarre his vertue and honour was that hee shewed himselfe no lesse courteous and gentle toward the prisoners and wounded than hee had shewed himselfe valiant in the fight Let them who haue tried him by experience giue the testimony thereof who also haue acknowledged by effect y e good affection which he beareth to good French men discerning by a wise prudence all good men from the conspiring and traiterous Leaguers enemies of the state He commaunded the wounded to be diligently dressed and attended he sent away almost all the prisoners without any raunsome he gratified many of the chiefest to some he rendered their Ensignes namely vnto the Lord Montigny If he could haue guided the lot of armes in the battell many were left there vpon the place to whom he would haue willingly forgiuen For there was seene in him in this prosperous successe not one token of insolencie or passion which is commonly the mother of crueltie Here foloweth the names of the most notable men who dyed in this battell The Lord Ioyeuse general of the army and Saint Suuer his brother Bressay Roussay County of Suze County Ganelo County Aubjyou Fumel Neufuy in Perigord the elder Rochefort Gurat Saint Fort. Vaulx Lieutenant of Bellegard The Ensigne bearer of the Lorde Montigny Tierceline master of the Campe. Chesner Valade Baculard Champel the younger Pluuiault Brangerie Al these were lords hauing charg in y e army w t many other men of Mark. These folowing were taken prisoners and wounded Bellegard taken wounded and afterward dyed Saint Luke The Marquis of Prennes County Monsoreau Sansak Cipiere Saultray Montigny Villecomblin Chasteaurenauld Maumont Parriere Chasteauuieulx Chastelou Auuerdiere All these were men of commaundement Beside these were a number of Gentlemen Captaines and other men of name part of them slaine part taken The body of Ioyeuse was embaumed and brought to Paris God in that day and place rained from Heauen his fearefull iudgements and made them of France who loue the bloud of ciuill warres to knowe that in the end the losse is common and that such pestilence destroyeth the authors thereof The King being at Gien vpon Loyre aboue Orleans with his armie to withstand the Germans at the passage of Loyre receaued newes that the two armies had met and it was first reported that it was but a little skirmish where the King of Nauarre was put to the worst But the trueth could not be hidden long for at length it was knowne to all men that the King of Nauarre had obtayned the notablest victory which was yet in all the ciuill warres of France for the defence of the religion with an irrecuperable losse of them who would haue it rooted out The Court kept a great mourning thereof which qualified well the great ioy that they had for the ouerthrow of the Germanes which they had promised to theÌ„selues After this victorie the King of Nauarre folowed his purposed iourney into Gascoyne for the causes afore said he brought with him the best part of all the companies hee was accompanied with the Prince of Soissons The Prince of Conde repayred into Xainctonge for to assemble moreouer al that he might and to be at the appoynted rendes vous when they should take their iourney toward the armie of the Germains vpon the riuer of Lisle and afterward willing to goe further for to haste with great diligence his way he left the bodie of his forces with the Vicount Turenne who loosing neither time nor occasion tooke many places vpon the said riuer and in the rountrey round about which hee reduced vnder the power of the King of Nauarre Here foloweth the names of the places taken by force or composition after the battell of Coutras The house and mill of Auber demont nigh Coutras was rendered by composition there were garisons placed The Mill of Penot beaten downe The Mill of Cause taken and the fortifications destroyed The Castell and Mill of Saint Seuerine forsaken by night of them who did holde it Captaine Roux commaunded there for the King of Nauarre The new Mill giuen ouer and burned to the very foundations with all the moueable goods and victuals which were within whereby many men were vndone hauing lost their euidences The Mill of Coâ—y put vnder the protection of the King of Nauarre with the condition to make no warre there The Uicount Miles answered for it The Mill of Meneplet did the like vpon the same condition so did the mill of Vauclere The house of Captaine Fay. The Abbey of Vauclere The Church of Saint Laurens The towne and Abbey of Guistre taken by force and a Garison put there Saint Denis was forsaken and a Garison put therein Lapalays taken by assault after threeskore and fiue shot of Ordinance there were about 31. persons killed and 32. hanged for the great outrages and violences committed therein and many other reasons which were found worthy of Iustice the strong holde the Church and the towne wholy consumed with fire with all the fruites and goods which were within for that it was a very den of theeues and robbers The Castell of Vigneron rendered by composition and a Garison put therein The towne and Church of Puisiguin sustained the siege a day and a halfe was rendered to diseretion there were some executed iudicially for the great iniuries and complaints laide against them The Lord Semens who was wont to be one of the pillers of the League in that countrie brought the rest there abouts to the seruice of the King of Nauarre and did shew himselfe more adicted to the said King of Nauarre then he did euer to the contrarie side The fort and towne of Lussak forsaken
forces there nigh at hand and ready to succour him although that so oftentimes hee had been deaffe at his most reasonable counsells The king being at Tours the first thing which hee did was in the beginning of Aprill there he depriued the Duke Mercure of his gouernment of lands dignities offices and prerogatiues to him granted by him for his treasons committed against his Maiestie in his gouernment In the beginning of Aprill the king being at Tours and perceiuing the great dangers which compassed him about on euery side hauing many Leaguers of his counsell and about his person the Citie for the most part leagued bent against him by the meanes of some of his saythfull counsellers as of the Marshals Biron and Hautmont and others and considering more deepely the reasonable and modest protestation of the K. of Nauarre who in his great prosperitie yet of late craueth for peace desireth to be taught proffereth his seruice to the king willeth them to deuise some good wayes to remedie the horrible confusions which doe ouerflow France began to hearken to some good and moderate counsell as to take some truces with the said king of Nauarre to vse his counsell and forces for his iust and lawfull defence In the moneth of March following after the taking of the Citadel of Orleans by the rebels and the ennouatious which they had made in Paris in the changing of the State and treading downe vnder foote the kings royall authoritie The Dukes of Mayne and Aumale began to shew such ielousies and suspitions which ambition did worke in their hearts as it did before in the two brethren to wit the Dukes of Guize and Maine For the Duke de Mayne was caryed to the vsurpation of the Monarchy after his brothers death as if it were vpon the shoulders o. rebells and would haue had been sory if his cousin the Duke de Aumale should haue had either the whole or else any part thereof in superioritie but rather desirous that he should depend of his commaundements and therefore did holde him short with secret practizes and factions The Duke d' Aumale would haue beene glad to haue had all to himselfe rather than his cosin and if not all yet he thought to get as good part in the cake as he might but the factious were not so fauourable vnto him as to the other Fearing therefore some Guizien trick such as hee was well acquainted with to be played against him by the helpe of the mutinous Parisiens he putteth on a good countenance and after infinite sackings riflings and manifolde robberyes committed vpon the rich Marchaunts and others in Paris for in those dayes all rich men were either royalls or hereticks he departed out of the Citie into Picardy where he thought his parte might bee stronger and hee mought bee in greater safetie Mercure on the other side for his part was content if he might make sure vnto himselfe the Dutchie of Britaine supposing that the throte of his ambition was not so wide as that he might swallow down the whole kingdom Crown of France yet betweene them 3. the glorious name of the League and holy vnion holy Church and holy Catholick Religion did rowle among them and were patched by the Fryers and Iesuites for an olde gaberdine to hide vnder all their treacheries against the king and robberies against his subiects All these things did flie abroad vnder the authoritie of the newe great generall Protector of the Crowne of France to wit the Duke de Mayne to whome that title was giuen by conspirators assembled at Paris vnder the name of States as it is afore sayde All these three did well agree together in resisting the kings authority and oppressing the kings subiects euery where euery man reseruing to himselfe his owne thoughts yet would they not be kept so secret but that their enuies ielousies and enimities sometime would flame out so that they could be euidently spied by other men The Duke d'Aumale absented himselfe from Paris and in the I le of France Picardie Brie Tartenoys and Vermandoys went about to doo his busines as well as he could his part as strong as strong might be made with those great summes of money which for his share he had made of the spoyle of the rich men of Paris The Citie of Paris is one of the greatest Cities in the world but doubtles the greatest in Europe It is deuided into three parts The one and the greatest part lyeth in Belgik on the banck of the riuer Seyne in a low fayre and plaine situation That part is called the towne Among other edifices on the lower end by the riuer nigh Newgate is the kings house called the Loure and right ouer against it on the other side of the streete is the auncient house called L'hostel de Bourbon about a mile and a halfe vpon the same side of the riuer is the town house called by a temple nigh to it Saint Iahn en Greue There is a long street from the pont anchange directly to Saint Denis warde called Saint Martins streat which deuideth that parte of the Citie well nigh through the middest The other part lying in the celtick on the south side of the riuer is the Vniuersitie lesser than the former part it is full of Monkeries Friâ—ries and Nunneryes of all feathers and colours vnder the heauens So that a man comming out of a strange countrey and seeing so great diuersitie of fantasies would think himselfe to wander into a countrey of monsters or a Citie of mad men but if he consider well he shall finde himselfe in the middest of Sodome so cleane is their conuersation Beside these infernall Locusts there is a great number of colledges and houses of learning for the which cause it is called the Vniuersitie wherein are chiefly two colldges to wit Sorboune and Nauarre Sorboune is a colledge where Diuines and students of Diuinity cheefly haue allowance and beside it is an association of Diuines whersoeuer they haue taken degrees it is more famous than Nauarre by reason of their ignorance but Nauarre is greater in liuing and multitude of students This Vniuersitie was founded or rather reformed I feare me from better to worse by Charles the great by the helpe of his schoolemaster one Alboinus an Englishman sometime scholler of the learned Beda who as it seemeth changed the former order of studie and fashioned them to the forme of doctrine laide downe by the learned S. Augustine This forme there continued vntill y t time that a visioÌ„ was seen in the ayre to wit a man naked hairy and deformed carying a wallet ful of stones gnawing on a stone which he had in his hand Immediately after that forme of studie was changed and diuinitie reduced to vaine speculations carnall Philosophy and fâ—iuolous questions without edifiyng or breeding any knowledge or wisedoms in the students Then began Aristotle to beare sway in the Diuinity schooles and to fitt in the chayre of Moses The