Engine had his Head parted from his body Some conceived they saw God's finger in the Womans hand that because the greater part of his cruelty lighted on the weaker Sex for he had buried the Lady La Vaur alive respecting neither her Sex nor Nobility a Woman was chosen out to be his Executioner He dyed even then when the Pope and three Councils of Vaur Lateran and Montpelier had pronounced him Son Servant favourite of the Faith the invincible defender thereof Among other of his stiles he was Earl of Leicester in England and Father to Simon Montfort the Cataline of this Kingdom See Camden in Leicester-shire also in Worcester-shire who under pretence of curing this Land of some grievances had killed it with his Physick had he not been killed himself in the battle of Evesham in the Reign of King Henry the third Here ended the storm of open War against the Albigenses though some great drops fell afterward And the Pope grew sensible of many mischiefs in prosecuting this people with the Holy War Perin de Albigensib li. 2. ca. 4. Three hundred thousand of these croised Pilgrims lost their lives in this expedition within the space of fifteen years so that there was neither City nor Village in France but by reason hereof had Widows and Orphans cursing this expedition The Pope therefore now resolves upon a privater way namely to prosecute them by way of Inquisition The chief promoter of that War was Dominick the Authour of the Order of the Dominicans His Mother being with child of him dreamed that she had a dog vomiting fire in her Womb. Du. Moul. Contr Perron l. 7. This ignivomus Cur as one calleth him did bark at and deeply bite the poor Albigenses who put above two hundred thousand of them to death Almerick for his laziness was deposed by the Pope and John Bren was made King of Jerusalem In the beginning of his Reign this accident fell out In France a Boy for his years went about singing in his own Tongue Jesus Lord repair our loss Restore to us thy Holy Cross Numberless Children ran after him and followed the same tune their Captain and chanter did set them No bolts no bars no fear of Fathers nor love of Mothers could hold them back but they would to the Holy Land to work wonders there but this merry musick had a sad close all either perishing on Land Math. Paris p. 324. or being drown'd by Sea Mathew Paris saith it was done by the instinct of the Devil King Lewes VIII having compounded with Almery the Son of Simon Earl of Montfort for Languedoc resolves to unite this rich Province to the Crown To this end he levies a great Army fortified with cruel Edicts against the Albigenses as Hereticks and Rebels Count Reymund submits himself to Pope Honorius and yieldeth to Lewes and perswades the Earl of Cominges to the like obedience Thus both of them abandon the people and go to Rome leaving the poor Albigenses to the mercy of Lewes who presently subdues all Languedoc and Provence The House of Montlor one of the greatest in the County of Vivaret having followed the Albigenses party makes his peace by means of the Town of Argentiere given to the Bishop of Viviers who enjoyeth it to this day Many Families were made desolate These poor miserable people were dispersed here and there and such as remained in the Country were forced to acknowledge the Pope's Authority Lewes ordered the Marshal Foy of the house of Mirepois to command his Forces leaving the Lord of Beaujeu for Governour and Lieutenant-General of Languedoc All this mischief was contrived by the Pope who had sent his Legat into France Fox Act. monum Vol. 1. to summon a Council at Biture whither the King with six Arch-Bishops and the Bishops and Suffragans of nine Provinces repaired to the number of an hundred besides the Abbots Priors and Proctors of all the Covents of France Having dispatch'd the business of Earl Reymund and the Albigenses the event whereof hath been before declared Romanus the Pope's Legate gave leave to all Proctors of Covents and Chapters to return home only retaining with him the Arch-Bishops Bishops Abbots to whom he opened another part of his Commission which was to obtain of every Cathedral Church two Prebend-ships one for the Bishop the other for the Chapter And in Monasteries also after the like sort where the Abbot and Covent had divers and several portions to require two Churches one for the Abbot the other for the Covent keeping this proportion that how much should suffice for the living of one Monk so much the whole Covent should find for their part and as much the Abbot for his likewise The Clergy of France answered that the thing he enterprized could not be brought to effect without great offence taken and inestimable damage to the Church of France In conclusion when the matter came to debating with the Legat the objections of the inferiour Clergy were these following 1. They alledged the great damages and expences Math. Paris which they were like to sustain thereby by reason of the continual procurators of the Pope which in every Diocess must live not of their own but must be sustained upon the charges of the Cathredral Churches and other Churches also and many times they being but procurators will be found as Legats 2. By that means they said great perturbations might ensue to the Covents and Chapters of Cathedral Churches in their elections Forasmuch as the Pope's Agents and Factors being in every Cathedral Church and Chapter-house perchance the Pope would command him in his person to be present at their elections and so might trouble the same by delaying and deferring till it might fall to the Court of Rome to give and so should be placed more of the Pope's Clientele in the Churches of France than of the proper Inhabitants of the Land 3. By this means they affirmed that all they in the Court of Rome should be richer and receive more for their proportion than the King of the Realm by means whereof the Court of Rome would delay and drive off great suits and would scarce take any pains with small causes Thus would Justice be turned aside and poor suitors should dye at the gates of Rome and for the better speeding of their causes they thought seeing it was meet they should have friends in the Court of Rome by keeping them needy their gifts might be the sweeter and their causes sooner dispatched 4. Seeing it is impossible that the Fountain of greedy desires should be stopped it was to be feared that either they would do that by others which they were wont to do by themselves or else they should be enforced to give greater rewards than before for small gifts with great Rich Men are little regarded 5. Whereas the removing away the slander was alledged which goeth on the Court of Rome by this means rather the contrary were to be
causes of that ruine Among the writings of John Guignard of Chartres were found certain scandalous libels against the King for which he was executed And one Francis Jacob a Scholar of the Jesuites of Bourges had lately said he would have killed the King but that he held him for dead and that another had done the deed Anno 1595. The Duke of Mayenne and Nemours yield unto the King and are received unto Grace The King of France is now admitted to a reconciliation with the Church of Rome upon these conditions and in these words He shall abjure all Heresies and profess the Catholick Faith in such form as shall be here done by his Ambassadours He shall introduce the Catholick Faith into the Principality of Bearn and shall nominate Catholick Magistrates in the said Province he shall procure within a year the Prince of Conde out of the hands of the Hereticks whom he shall cause to be instructed and brought up in the Catholick Religion The Decrees of the Council of Trent shall be published and received throughout the whole Kingdom of France He shall nominate to the vacant Churches and Monasteries such as are Catholicks and free from all suspicion of Heresie He shall do his best endeavour that the Churches and Clergy be invested anew in their Livings that have been seised upon without any judicial proceeding In bestowing of Magistracies and Dignities he shall take care that Catholicks only be preferred and that Heteticks as near as may be may be expelled The Concordates shall be observed and all abuses removed which have crept in contrary to the same The absolution in France granted by the Bishops shall be condemned He shall write letters to all the Princes of Christendom wherein he shall give notice of his Conversion and profession of the Catholick Faith The Pope granted his Absolution on September 16. by the Negotiation and pursuits of d'Ossat and du Perron his Procurers in the Court of Rome These were afterwards upon his recommendation honoured with Cardinals Caps After a War between the French and Spaniards a Peace was concluded between France and Spain Anno 1598. Then the French King who had hitherto flourished in Martial glory having now his thoughts wholly setled upon peace did so promote the welfare of France which had run headlong to ruine for many years through the storms of Civil War by maintaining and supporting Religion as well the Roman as the Reformed reviving the Laws cherishing Learning restoring Trade and Commerce and beautifying the Kingdom with splendid buildings that he far surpassed all the Kings that were before him In the year 1599. the King's Sister the Lady Katherine de Bourbon was married to the Duke of Bar Son to the Duke of Lorain The Reformed Religion in which she had been bred she would not change by reason as she said of her deceased Mother Queen Joane of Navarre whose life and actions were held worthy to be imitated as who had preferred safety of Conscience before assurance of honours and greatness yea than life it self Being accustomed to say to them on her part that Arms should not be laid down but with these three Conditions either an assured Peace an absolute Victory or an honest Death The Marriage was consummate in the King 's own Cabinet by the Archbishop of Roven at the King 's special Command to avoid greater inconvenencies She cordially affected that which did concert the Liberty of Conscience throughout all France often beseeching the King to let her see the assurances thereof whilst she was in France and not to suffer his Edicts to remain without execution being Proclaimed and without a durable observation being executed She used to be attended in her house by the Ministers of Paris who served her by turns every one a quarter of a year Being then to go into Lorain with her Husband the Church appointed Monsieur de Montigni an Antient Minister to attend her in that journey But M. Peter du-Moulin then coming to Paris the Old Gentleman desired to be excused and that the new Minister as fitter to travel by reason of his age might be chosen for that service To which motion the Princess presently enclined having a special liking to Du Moulin See the Life of Dr. Du Moulin wâ—itten by his worthy Son He took then that journey and because the Princess was entertained in Bishops Palaces and Abbeys he did officiate in the Palace of the Bishop of Meaux in that of the Bishop of Chalons and in the Abbey of Joverre The Harbingers of the Princess being come to Vitris le Francois a Town of Champagne addressed themselves to the chief Magistrate of the Town to prepare quarters for the Princess and her Court. Since Du-Moulin's establishment at Paris till the death of the King's Sister which was five years after he made a journey into Lorain every Spring either with her or to her and having served his quarter at her Court returned to Paris there the Princess was most part of the year Those of the Reformed Religion made many and great complaints that the King's Edicts were not kept nor observed that they were not provided of all things necessary for the exercise of their Religion the liberty of their Consciences and safety of their persons and fortunes That they were excluded from all charges and Offices in the State justice treasure and policie to the great prejudice of their Children c. The end of all their Assemblies was to obtain an Edict from the King so clear and plain as they should not be constrained to sue for any other Then the King made an Edict at Nantes and signed it after he had reduced that Province to his obedience containing a Declaration of the Edicts of Pacification and of the troubles grown in France for matter of Religion the which though granted in April 1598. was not allowed in the Court of Parliament of Paris until the 25. day of February following by reason of the many oppositions and difficulties that were made against it The Duchess of Bar would not go out of Paris before it was confirmed such was her zeal and affection in that matter as in all other affairs of that nature And for the better satisfaction of the Protestants in matters of justice it pleased King Henry IV. to erect a Chamber in the Court of Parliament of Paris purposely for them It consisted of one President and Sixteen Counsellours their Office to take knowledge of all the Causes and Suits of them of the Reformed Religion as well within the jurisdiction of the Parliament of Paris as also in Normandy and Britain till there should be a Chamber erected in either of them There were appointed also two Chambers in the Parliament of Burdeaux and Grenoble and one at Chasters for the Parliament of Tholouse These Chambers were called les Chambres de l'Edict because they were established by a special Edict at Nantes in Britain The Duke of Joyeuse wallowing in sensual pleasures being
1626. and the next day the General and particular Deputies ratified and confirmed them King Lewes made a severe Edict against Duels and took a solemn Oath not to shew any favour to those who should break it About this time there arose very great Disputes in the University of Paris especially between the Doctors of Divinity about a certain Book composed by Sanctarellus a Jesuite which treated of the power Popes had over Kings which Book had been approved by their chief President by the Pope's Vicegerent and by the Master of the holy Palace His Doctrine was That Popes had a power of direction or rather correction over Princes that they might not only Excommunicate them but deprive them of their Kingdoms too and absolve their Subjects from their Oaths of Allegiance whether it were for Heresie Apostasie or any other great publick crime whether it were for the insufficiency of their persons or for their not defending the Church and that the Pope might at last give their States to such as he should think fit For the present it made a great noise among the Doctors and was opposed by several Books which then were published The whole Body of Divines did condemn it some indeed of the old League seemed to favour it But the Parliament called the chief of the Jesuites before them and obliged them to sign a Declaration by which they should condemn the said Book and to cause another of the like to be subscribed by all the Provincials and Rectors and by Six of the most ancient of every one of their Colledges in France and so ordered the Book to be burnt by the common Hangman with prohibition to the Stationers to sell any of them At this time there were Combinations of divers Grandees of the Court against the King and State Madam de Chevuruse being discontented that her private intelligences with the English Ambassadour were so publickly taken notice of did not a little promote the undertakings by her animating of Monsieur the Grand Prior and Chalais to execute it both which were engaged by love to her as also that the Colonel d'Ornano abusing Monsieur's goodness and the credit which his place gave him did absolutely divert him from the Marriâ—ge which his Majesty had so earnestly desired should be celebrated The Cardinal discovered that Chalais was one of chief Instruments of the Enterprize and that Colonel Ornano was the Ring-leader of the Plot. That their chief end was to unite all the Provinces so close together that they might enforce his Majesty not to remove any thing from the Court and withal to permit them to live in the same licentiousness that they had a long while formerly enjoyed That to this effect they endeavoured the breaking of the match between Monsieur and Madamoiselle de Montpensier and to bring on that of Madamoiselle de Bourbon which would more nearly engage Monsieur to their Interests or else to persuade him to marry some other stranger Princess which might be a means to shelter and defend their designs by the forces and assistances which they might reasonably expect from such a Family That this once effected they intended the Count de Soissons should Marry Madamoiselle de Montpensier that the Houses of Guise and Bourbon might be united together and in this manner they would in a moment huddle up together all the leading potent persons of the Court. The Marshal de Ornano is arrested at Fountainbleau and carried Prisoner to the Castle of Bois de Vincennes where he died a few months after of a stoppage in his Bladder The Cardinal beseecheth the King to permit his retirement from the Court. And the King causeth the Duke de Vendosm and the Grand-Prior of France his Brother to be imprisoned at Blois The Marriage of Monsieur and Madamoiselle de Montpensier was celebrated soon after to the quiet and content of the whole Kingdom Chalais the Master of the King's Wardrobe is arrested from the Chamber of Justices at Nantes who condemned him of Treason and sentenced him to be beheaded which was done accordingly Then was the Sieur de Baradas removed from the Court who had been much in favour with the King About the end of this year great differences arose between the Bishop and the Officers of Verdun This being a Frontier Town was then lookt upon as considerable in regard Monsieur de Lorrain seemed to be active and able to attempt something upon France which obliged the King to go on with a design which he had long before resolved of the building a Citadel there The Abbey of S. Vannes was ever reputed the most fit place of all the City for that purpose whence it happened that in the Charter of the said Abbey there had been divers Articles concluded between the Bishop of Verdun and those to whom that place hath ever belonged in which they bound themselves to build their Church in some other place if it should be found necessary to make use of some part of it for the raising of a Citadel However the lines were so contrived that the Church was saved but that of the Capuchins was forced to be taken down which was afterwards done and rebuilt in another place Now the Bishop of Verdun being Lorrain's kinsman was wholly moved by him so that not considering what dependence he had upon the King he suffered himself to be engaged by the Duke to prevent the building of the Citadel On December 30. he published a Monitorium fixed upon all publick places against all such as should labour about it This proceeding was lookt on as a strange thing by the King's Officers The Sieur Guillet presently called a Council of his Majesties Officers of the Town to consider of what was to be done where it was concluded to tear down such Papers as had been any where posted up and to set others in their places of a contrary tenour in the King's behalf which was presently done The Bishop offended at it thundered out an Excommunication the next day against Guillet which he fastened in divers places and having given order to his Vicars not to act any thing in prejudice to his pretended authority he departed from Verdun and rode Post to Cologne In the mean while the Sieur Charpentier his Majesties President in Metz Thoul and Verdun being acquainted with the whole proceeding he declared the said Monitorium to be abusive and scandalous and commanded it to be torn and burnt by the Hangman That the said Bishop should be sent Prisoner to Paris That his Benefices in the mean time should remain in his Majesties hands and that he should pay a fine of ten thousand livres for his said fault This Judgement was put in execution with the usual form excepting only as to the Bishop's being sent to Paris so that he resolving not to suffer himself to be thus despoiled of his goods thought it his best course to send to the King to pacifie him for his rashness he also gave order to
was written in the same Bull We command the Angels to carry the absolved Soul into Paradise It was then a received Article that the Pope may command the Angels as his Serjeants Pope Clement granted great Indulgences to such as could not go but could find Money for that use Out of an old French Chronicle so as he that gave a penny was to have one year's pardon he that gave twelve pence twelve year's pardon and he that would give as much as would maintain a man going over Seas a plenary pardon for all The Pope appointed certain men whom he put in trust for the receiving of this Money Unspeakable were the sums of Money that were given for the purchasing these pardons for five years together At the end whereof when the good men were ready to go and perform what they had promised and vowed the business was broke off but the Pope kept the Money the Marquess his Nephew had a share of it and King Philip the fair and his three Sons who had taken up the cross to go thither in person Edward King of England and other noble persons stayed at home In this Council it was ordained that the feast of Corpus Christi should be kept with many Indulgences granted unto them who should celebrate this Feast In the same Council Pope Clement V. set forth a Book of Papal decrees called Liber Clementiarum which was received Symson Eccles Hist in Cent. 14. allowed and ratified by this Council Nauclerus saith that Clement before his death repented the setting out of this Book and commanded it to be burnt Yet notwithstanding the succeeding Popes and particularly John XXII confirmed and Authorized the said Book again together with the Decretals of Gregory and Boniface because these Books highly advanced the See of Rome exempting the Bishop of Rome from subjection to general Councils and attributing power to him to receive or reject the Emperour after he is chosen comparing the Pope to the Sun and the Emperour to the Moon Finally counting it a thing necessary unto Eternal Life that every person be subject to the Bishop of Rome It was also ordained that Schools should be erected and foreign Tongues should be learned namely the Hebrew Chaldaick and Arabick Languages It was also ordained that the name and remembrance of the Templars should be rooted out which decree was put in execution by all Christian Princes Know then Tho. Fuller supplem Hist sacribelli ca. 1. that about nineteen years after the Christians had lost all in Palestine by the cruel deed of Pope Clement V. and foul Fact of Philip the fair King of France the Templars were finally extirpated out of all Christendom Pope Clement having long sojourned in France had received many great courtesies from King Philip yea he owed little less than himself to him At last Philip requested of him a boon great enough saith my Authour for a King to ask and a Pope to grant namely all the Lands of the Knights Templars in France forfeited by reason of their horrible Heresies and licentious living The Pope was willing to gratifie him in some good proportion for his favours received and being thus long the King's Guest he gave him the Templars Lands and Goods to pay for his entertainment On a sudden all the Templars in France are clapt in prison damnable sins were laid to their charge as sacrificing of Men to an Idol they worshipped roasting of a Templar's Bastard and drinking his Blood spitting upon the cross of Christ conspiring with Turks and Saracens against Christianity they were charged with Sodomy Bestiality with many other Villanies out of the Road of humane corruption and as far from Man's Nature as God's Law The sole witness against them was one of their own Order a notorious Malefactor who at the same time being in prison and to suffer for his own offences condemned by the Master of their Order sought to prove his Innocency by charging all his own Order to be guilty And he swore most heartily to whatsoever was objected against their Order Besides many of the Templars being brought upon the rack confessed the accusations to be true wherewith they were charged Hereupon all the Templars were most cruelly burned to death at a stake through all France with James the Grand-Master of their Order Many men accounted not the Templars Malefactors but Martyrs First because the witness was unsufficient a Malefactor against his Judge and Secondly they bring tortured men against themselves And a confession extorted upon the Rack say some is of no validity But being burned at the stake they denyed it at their death though formerly they had confessed it A Templar being to be burned at Burdeaux and seeing the Pope and King Philip looking out of a Window Hospin de Orig. Monach. ca. 18. fol. 193. cryed unto them Clement thou cruel Tyrant seeing there is no other among mortal men to whom I should appeal for my unjust Death I cite Thee together with King Philip to the Tribunal of Christ the just Judge who redeemed me there both to appear within one year and a day where I will lay open my cause and Justice shall be done without any by-respect In like manner James Grand-Master of the Templars though by piece-meal he was tortured to death craved pardon of God and those of his order That forced by extremity of pain upon the rack and allured with hope of life he had accused them of such damnable sins whereof they were innocent True it is they were generally cryed up for innocents But Pope Clement and King Philip were within the time prefixed summoned by death to answer to God for what they had done Besides King Philip missed of his expectation and the morsel fell besides his Mouth the Lands of the Templars which were first granted to him as a portion for his youngest Son being afterwards by the Council of Vienne bestowed on the Knights-Hospitallers William Durand Bishop of Menda in Languedoc being summoned by Clement V. to the general Council at Vienne to come and see what was fitting to be reformed in the Church made a Book de Consiliis toward the beginning whereof he saith It seemeth to be a thing considerable and it is most expedient and necessary that before any thing else we should proceed to the correction and reformation of such things as ought to be corrected and reformed in the Church of God as well in the head as the Members And in the first Chapter of the third Book Verily as concerning the Reformation of the Catholick Church to bring it about profitably and effectually it seems expedient that it begin at the Head that is at the Holy Church of Rome which is the Head of all others Then he sets down in particular such things as stood in need of reformation notably representing many abuses of the See of Rome that deserved to be corrected But for all his learned discourse there was nothing done therein in
this our Request which it most just and reasonable but will obey it especially considering that our said Chancellour Presidents Masters of Requests c. are employed daily and in continual trouble about the maintenance and defence of the Rights and priviledges of the Churches of our said Realm and the administration of Justice to our said Subjects signifying unto you that you shall herein do us such an acceptable favour as nothing more by means whereof we take you and your affairs into special recommendation Given at Mascon August 18. in the sixth year of our Reign thus subscribed By the King In the presence of my Lord Cardinal D' Amboise Legat in France and others Robertet Sealed with yellow Wax with the King 's broad Seal There is in the same Book an exemplification of the privy Letters which the Court of Parliament writ to the Prelates about these nominations the Tenour whereof is this Reverend Father in God We send greeting to you It hath pleased the King to grant unto the Presidents Counsellours and other Officers of this Court his Letters and nomination to some Benefices which are in the hands of some Collatours and Patrons of this Realm and among others to our Brother such a Counsellour of our said Soveraign in this Court to the Benefices which are in your gift and disposal Wherefore we earnestly beseech you that in obedience to the said Letters and in consideration of the deserts of our said Brother you would bestow upon him the first Benefice that falls in your gift being by him required thereunto And in so doing you shall do us a most acceptable courtesie for which we shall take your affairs into special Recommendation Reverend Father in God we beseech the blessed Son of God to grant you your desire Written at Paris in the Parliament under the Seal thereof Septemb. 7. The Men celebrating the Parliament And this Annotation is written in the Margin Antiquitùs fiebant alitèr Voyez le recueil Du Fontan les grand ordonnances Tom. 4. Tit. ◠cap. 1. The said King Lewes XI in an Ordinance of January 8. 1475. makes this Narration When any Questions or differences come upon us as well concerning the state of the Church of our Kingdom as other our affairs we that ought to have recourse to them cannot be assisted aided or advised therein by reason of their absence where we and the Common-wealth are oftentimes much interessed Then after this he ordains in this manner We Will Ordain and declare by these Presents that all Arch-Bishops Bishops Abbots Prelates and others that hold any Dignities within our Kingdom and do reside out of the bounds thereof and out of our Obedience Do Return and Repair within five months after the publication of these Presents unto their Benefices within our sald Realm or unto some one of them if they have any more and there make continual Residence there to celebrate and continue divine Service as belongs unto them and as they are bound to do As also to the end that they may serve and assist us in our Councils and otherwise to the behoof of us and the Common-wealth of our said Kingdom when need shall be And this upon pain of being deprived of the Temporals of their said Benefices Fabian's chroni King Lewes falling into a long and and grievous sickness gave much Alms and in the Church of St. John Baptist in Paris he founded certain Priests to sing Masses for him perpetually for whose maintenance he gave of yearly Rent a thousand pounds of Paris Money So he remained in a languishing condition three years before he dyed He dyed August 30. 1483. and his Son Charles VIII succeeded him in the Kingdom Charles being crowned at Rhemes was from thence with pomp brought to Paris A general Parliament was held at Tours where the Pragmatick Sanction was restored to use it as they had accustomed In the year 1494. this King Charles VIII carried an Army of fifty thousand of Foot and Horse out of France into Italy and in two months space he became Lord of the whole Kingdom of Naples except some little Towns on the Sea-side which held for King Ferdinand The Pope seeing the success of King Charles makes a League with the Emperour Maximilian and the Venetians Into this League also entred Lewes Duke of Milan notwithstanding that by his procurement King Charles took occasion to come into Italy King Charles having Intelligence of this League resolves to leave such forces in the Kingdom of Naples as might be sufficient for the defence thereof and with the rest of his Army to return into France and marching toward Rome he gave the Pope to understand that he came to do his duty to his Holiness Pope Alexander not daring to abide his coming departed from Rome wherein and in other of the Pope's Towns the King's Troops did much harm The French King departing from Rome continueth his journey toward France Coming near to Parma passing the River Tarro he met a great Army of his Enemies whereof Francis Gonzaga Marquess of Mantua was General with whom they came to a Battle in which there dyed a thousand Men of both sides Anno 1495. But after some Treaties between the two Armies the French in a night went toward Astè where the King remained certain days and a Peace was concluded between him and the Duke of Milan and Lewes Duke of Orleans rendring Novarra King Charles returned into France and Ferdinand King of Naples recovered that Kingdom Concerning the abuses of the Court of Rome among the Statutes of this King Charles VIII I find in a Statute of February 18. 1496. this complaint Some years ago the Popes of Rome in despight and contempt of the Decrees of Antient Fathers and General Councils have brought all Ecclesiastical Dignities Cathedral and Collegiate under their disposal and all other of greatest value next after Bishopricks Review of the Counc Trident. li. 2. ca. 6. they have granted Livings in reversions upon the Vacancy to any that would sue for them which hath been the occasion for one to thirst after the death of another They have invented abundance of tricks whereby they have utterly annihilated the power and Authority of the Bishops Chapters and Colledges insomuch that there is none now that hath the power to present to a living In the Year 1498. King Charles VIII dyed of an Apoplexy at Amboise In him failed the direct Line of the Kings of France descended from Philip of Valois and the Crown fell to the collateral Line of the which the nearest Prince of the Blood was Lewes Duke of Orleans and Valois who succeeded in the Kingdom of France He was an excellent Prince of a liberal Nature affable temperate and of great moderation and was happy in his Reign Who subdued under his obedience Milan with Lombardy and Genoa with her two Rivers East and West together with the Islands of Corsica and Chio reconquered and divided the Realm of
Catastrophe into a mournful Tragedy The King on June 10. Anno 1558. would be one of the Challengers at the Tilt in St. Anthonie's street being seconded by the Dukes of Guise and Ferrara And to run his last course in favour of the Queen his Wife he sent a Lance to the Earl of Montgomery The Earl excuseth himself to run against his Majesty But having a second charge from the King to enter the List he runs and breaks his Lance upon the King's cuirass and with a splinter thereof his Bever being somewhat open strikes him so deep into the eye as on July 10. he dyed at his house of Tournelles in the 42 year of his Age. The King when he caused Faber and Anne du Bourg to be imprisoned vowed to see them burnt within few days if they persisted in their opinion but he was prevented by death The King's death in France which the Reformed did ascribe to miracle increased their courage though they durst not shew themselves openly in Paris For his Son Francis the second the new King after he was consecrated at Rhemes Septemb. 20. gave order to prosecute the process of the Counsellours who were in prison and deputed the president of St. Andreas and the Inquisitor Antonius Democares to discover the Protestants The Judges having gained some of the common sort formerly professours of that Religion had notice of the places where they secretly assembled Therefore many both men and women were imprisoned and many fled whose goods were confiscated after a citation by three Edicts And the example of Paris the same was done in Poytou Tholouse and Aix of Provence by the instigation of George Cardinal of Armignac who not to abandon that enterprize would not go to Rome to the election of the Pope using all diligence that those who were discovered might be apprehended The professours of that Religion being stirred up hereby and imboldened because they knew they were many sent about many writings against the King and Queen and those of Lorrain by whom the King was governed Authours of the persecution intermixing some points of Religion which being willingly read by all as things composed by publick liberty did imprint the new Religion in the minds of many In the end of the process against the Counsellours after a long contestation all were absolved except Anne du Bourg who was burnt on the eighteenth of December not so much by the inclination of the Judges as by the resolution of the Queen provoked against him because the Protestants did divulge in many writings and Libels spread abroad that the late King had been wounded in the eye by the providence of God for a punishment of his words used against du Bourg that he would see him burnt But the death and constancy of a man so conspicuous did make many curious to know what Religion that was for which he had so couragiously endured this punishment and made the number increase There was a great conspiracy in many parts of France into which many were entred and the major part for cause of Religion disdaining to see poor people drawn every day to be burned at the stake guilty of nothing but of zeal to worship God and to save their own souls To these were joyned others who thinking the Guisards to be the cause of all the disorders of the Kingdom judged it an Heroick Act to deliver it from oppression by taking the publick administration out of their hands Both these cloaked themselves with the cover of Religion to gain more followers and the better to confirm their minds caused the principal Lawyers of Germany and France and the most famous Protestant Divines to publish in writing that without violating the Majesty of a King and Dignity of the lawful Magistrate they might oppose with Arms the violent Domination of the house of Guise who offended true Religion and lawful Justice and kept the young King as it were in prison Great tumults of the people were raised in Provence Languedoc and Poitou whither the preachers of Geneva were called and came willingly By whose Sermons the number of Protestants did increase This general combination made the Governours of the Kingdom resolve that there was need of an Ecclesiastical remedy and that very quickly and a National Synod was proposed by the whole Council The Cardinal of Armignac said nothing was to be done without the Pope to which opinion some few Prelates did adhere But the Bishop of Valence said that France had Prelates of it's own to regulate the causes of Religion who best knew the wants of the Kingdom that it would be a great absurdity to see Paris burn having the Rivers of Some and Marne full of Water and to believe that water must be brought from Tibur to quench the fire The resolution of the Council was that there being need of a strong and sudden remedy the Prelates of the Kingdom should assemble to consider of these things and April 10. the Synod was intimated for the tenth of September A Currier was dispatcht to Rome to acquaint the Pope with this Resolution The Pope blameth the King for pardoning Hereticks and will not approve the National Synod but sendeth a Nuncio into Spain to disswade it And the King of Spain disswadeth the French King from the National Synod Therefore he dispatched away Antonio di Toledo Prior of Lyons to pray him not to go on herein The assaulting of Geneva was proposed But this proposition was not well taken in France because it would make the Protestants unite themselves Besides none going to that War but the Catholicks the Kingdom would be left open to the opposites The French King answered that he would not make a National Council to separate himself but to unite to the Church those that went astray that a general Council would more please and in likelihood be more profitable if his urgent occasions would suffer him to expect the time which must needs be very long that the National Council which he desireth shall depend upon the Apostolick See and the Pope which shall cease when the General shall be assembled and shall incorporate with it And that his deeds may answer to his words he desired the Pope to send a Legate into France with power to assemble the Bishops of the Kingdom and to settle the affairs of Religion The French King doth not think Trent a fit place for the Council nor that the Doctrines already discussed there should be maintained without re-examination This troubled the Pope who thought it did not proceed from the King 's own motion but from the Protestants The Protestants were formerly called Hugonots because the first conventions they had in the City of Tours where that belief first took strength and increased were in certain Cellars under-ground near Hugo's gate from whence they are by the vulgar sort called Hugonots Theodore Beza a man of great eloquence and excellent Learning having by his Sermons drawn many to embrace the Reformed Religion even
That all those that were free Lords over the Castles or Lands that they possessed not holding of any but the Crown might within their jurisdictions freely exercise the Reformed Religion and that the other Feaudataries who had not such dominion might do the same in their own houses for their Families only provided they lived not in any City or Town That in every Province certain Cities shall be appointed in the Faux-bourg whereof the Hugonots might Assemble at their Devotion That in all other Cities Towns and Castles in the City of Paris with the jurisdiction thereof and all places whatsoever where the Court resided the exercise of any other but the Romish Religion should be prohibited Yet every one to live free in his Conscience without any trouble or molestation That the Professours of the Reformed Religion should observe the Holy-dayes in the Roman Calender and in their Marriages the Rites and Constitutions of the Civil Law That all the Lords Princes Gentlemen Souldiers and Captains should have a full Pardon for all Delinquencies committed during the time of the War and every one to be restored to his charges goods dignities priviledges and prerogatives That the Germans should be sent away and have safe-conduct out of the Kingdom and that it should be in the King's power to recover all his places Towns and Castles from any person that should with-hold them from him This Capitulation being published in the Camp and in the Court on May 18. the Prine of Conde and the Constable came out of Prison and Andelot delivered the City of Orleans into the Queen's hands and the Kings Army recovereth Havre de Grace from the English The King cometh out of his Minority The Queen useth divers artifices to work the discontented Princes to her will The King and Queen make a general visitation of the whole Kingdom And from Bearn they went to Lions in which the Hugonots had so great a party And considering the importance of the place the neighbourhood of Geneva and Germany they resolved that a Citadel should be built between the Rhosne and the Saone two great Rivers that run through that Town whereby to bridle the people and secure it from the treachery of its neighbours Which being then begun was afterwards brought to perfection by the diligence of Monsieur de Losse newly put into that Government From Lions the King being come to Valence in Dolphinè he caused the City to be dismantled and built there a new Fortress that Town having ever been a receptacle for those that were in Rebellion From Lions they went to the Castle of Rousillon where there was an Interview between the King and the Duke of Savoy From thence they went to Avignon where the King and Queen gave answer to the Pope's Ambassy shewing that they were ready to extirpate Calvinism and to cause the Decrees of the Council of Trent to be observed in their Dominions Then they came to an Interview with the Queen of Spain at Baionne By an Ordinance of King Charles IX Anno 1563. it was Decreed that none should be admitted to sue by vertue of the priviledge of his Clergy to be sent back to the Ecclesiastical Judge in any Case whatsoever whether Civil or Criminal unless he were a Sub-deacon at the last which is as much as to exclude simple shavelings whether they be married or no. I find an ordinance of the same King made at Mante on Sep. 10. 1563. which speaks of defamatory Libels placards pasquils and such like things in matter of Religion and as for the point of jurisdiction ordains as followeth Commanding all publâ—que Magistrates Commissaries of the Countrey and other our officers whom it may concern to have regard hereunto charging our Proctors in every place and Advocates to do their endevour herein all other business laid aside to the finding out and punishing such faults as they shall find concerning this particular And afterwards they are commanded to observe the said Ordinance punctually and proceed against the breakers hereof by the punishments there assigned peremptorily without observing the ordinary forms of Justice For as much as many large Indulgences are most commonly granted to Fraternities as appears by divers of the Pope's Bulls King Charles IX required in his demands of the Council of Trent a reformation of the abuses of such Fraternities The Council found nothing to be corrected in them but tacitly confirm'd them by ordaining That the Administrators of them shall give account of their administration every year unto the Ordinary They were wary enough to touch upon that point seeing it directly concerns the Pope's authority By means of these Indulgences and the superstition which he useth in them he gains millions of men unto himself who devote themselves so much unto him for the special favour which they suppose they receive by the means of these Indulgences that they do not acknowledge any other superiour The Ambassadours of this King Charles sent to the Council of Trent had such Articles as these given them in their Instructions as concerning the reformation of the Court of Rome Excommunications the restoring of the Cup marriage of Priests Prayers in a known tongue and to demand that Psalms might be sung the Sacraments administred and a Catechism made in the vulgar Tongue And besides to assist all such as should require a just reformation in all other matters The originals of these instructions were signed by King Charles the Queen-Mother Natalis Comes li. 14. Hist sui temporis the Chancellour of the Palace and divers others Hereupon the King of France his Oratour said when they proposed these demands That they did wonderfully agree with those of the Emperour and for that reason they had deferred the Proposal of them supposing that if the other were assented unto they should also be satisfied But perceiving the lingrings and delays that were used in that behalf and withal pressed by the Letters of the King their Master they were constrained to make a motion of them They required further that all Mandates of provision of Benefices all Reversions Re-assumptions Resignations holding of Livings in Trust and Commendams might be quite taken away as contrary to the Decrees and that resignations in Favour might be banished the Court of Rome as forbidden by the Sacred Canons That a course might be taken for instructing the people what they ought to believe concerning the Worship of Images and to clear it from all superstitions and errours if any were crept into it And the like Essay to be made about Indulgences Pilgrimages Reliques of Saints and Fraternities that not only the ancient form of publick Penance might be restored in the Church for hainous and publick offenders but also publick Fasts for the appeasing of God's wrath That general Councils might be holden every ten years that for abrogating of suits about Benefices that distinction of Petitory and Possessory might be taken away or rather for the utter extinguishing of such Suits that Bishops might
contained in the writing framed at Nancy with the privity of the Duke of Lorain which had been presented to the King in the beginning of the year That the King should again declare himself Head of the Catholick League he promiseth never to make a Peace nor Truce with the Hugonots nor any Edict in their favour He shall by a publick Edict oblige all Princes Peers of France Lords and Officers of the Crown Towns Colledges Corporations and the whole people to swear the same and bind themselves with a solemn Oath never to suffer any one to reign that was not of the Romish Religion and that for time to come none should be admitted to Offices Places and Dignities in any part of that Kingdom but such as were Catholicks and made profession of their Faith according to the Doctrine of Sorbon and the Belief of the Church of Rome That the Council of Trent should be received and observed through the whole Kingdom upon the conditions and exceptions formerly mentioned the priviledges of the Gallican Church being within three Months to be declared by a Congregation of Prelates and the King's Council with divers other Articles The Articles concluded and confirmed the King presently sent forth his Letters Patents into all Provinces and several Bailages to appoint the Assembly of the States in October following at Blois a place far from Paris where the people were at his devotion far from any commerce or intelligence with the League and near those Towns which were held by the Hugonots The Duke of Guise goeth with the Queen-Mother to Chartres unto the King and is received by him with great demonstrations of honour in appearance The King causeth the Edict of the union to be published in his Council and sworn to by every one and the War against the Hugonots to be openly Proclaimed for the prosecution whereof two several Armies were appointed one in Dauphiné under the Duke of Mayenne the other in Poictou under Ludovico Gonzaga Duke of Nevers The King gives the Duke of Guise the General Command over all the men at Arms of the Realm This though not the name and title yet in effect was the Office and charge of Constable He makes the Cardinal of Guise Legate of Avignon the which he promiseth to obtain for him of the Pope He determined to give the Seal unto Peter of Espinac Archbishop of Lions He declares the Cardinal of Bourbon first Prince of the blood And the King 's late Counsellours are dismissed the Court. But two things trouble the League one iâ— the news of the defeat of the Spanish Armado at Sea by the English the other is that the King will not return to Paris howsoever they importune him Pope Sixtus V. writes congratulatory Letters to the Duke of Guise full of praises comparing him to those holy Macchabees the Defenders of the People of Israel and exhorting him to continue successfully and gloriously to fight for the advancement of the Church and the total extirpation of the Hugonots Which Letters to encrease the Duke's Fame were by his dependants caused to be Printed and divulged in Paris with as much applause in the people as anger and trouble in the King who could not be pleased that another should have more Credit and Authority in his Kingdom than himself The Assembly of the States meet at Blois at the time prefixed viz. on October 16. After dinner all being met in the great Hall of the Castle the King sate down in a Throne raised by many steps from the Earth and covered with a rich cloth of State The Queens Princes Cardinals Peers and Officers of the Crown sate upon Seats fitted for that purpose in two long rowes on the right hand and on the left and between them in the inner part of the Theatre sate the Deputies according to the Ancient preheminence of their degrees and the Duke of Guise as Grand-Mastre with the Staff of Office in his hand sate down upon a Stool at the foot of the State on â—he right hand and on the left sate the Sieur de Monthelon who represented the Person of the High Chancellour of the Kingdom The King begins the Assembly with an elegant Oration wherein attesting the earnest desires of the good of his people and shewing the dangerous condition wherein intestine discords had involved the Crown he exhorted every one to lay aside their passions to forget their enmities to reunite themselves sincerely under his obedience forsaking all novelties condemning all Leagues c. which had disturbed both him their Lawful Sovereign and the peace of the Kingdom For as he pardoned all that was past so for the time to come he would not endure it but account it as an Act of absolute Treason That as he resolved to persecute and tread down Heresie to favour those that were good to restore the splendour and force of justice to advance Religion to uphold the Nobility and to disburden the Common people so he earnestly prayed and conjured every one of them to assist him with their good Counsels and sincere intentions This speech of the King 's stung the Duke of Guise to the quick and all those of his party He caused his Speech to be Printed which served much to excuse those things which followed afterward After the King's Speech followed the Oration of Monthelon who prosecutes and amplifies the King's Speech To which the Archbishop of Bourges answered for the Order of the Clergy the Baron de Seneschay for the Nobility and the Prevost des Merchands of Paris for the third Order of the Commons The Tuesday following the King and the States swear in solemn manner to perform the Edict made before of persevering in the Romish Religion The Archbishop of Bourges shewed the States the greatness and obligation of the Oath which they were to take Beaulieu the new Secretary of State inrolled an Act of that Oath in memory of so solemn an Action After it was done they gave thanks to God publickly in the Church of S. Saveur The Proposition of receiving the Council of Trent made in the Assembly of the States is generally rejected The King is requested to declare the King of Navarre incapable of the Crown and all others suspected to be Hugonots and after much opposition he coldly consents unto it and gives unto the Deputies a Protestation which had been presented unto him from the King of Navarre who having called a Congregation of those of his party at Rochel had caused a writing to be printed wherein he demanded the execution of those Edicts and Grants which had been so often made to those of his party the Convocation of a National or universal Council wherein he might lawfully be instructed in those things that were controverted in matter of Faith and finally he protested to count invalid whatsoever should be determined against him in that Assembly at Blois To which Propositions of the King of Navarre the French King added That if justice requires no man
a select number of Prelates to accompany the Legate men of good Learning and experienced in the matters of Government among whom were Lorenzo Bâ—anchetti and Filippo Sega who after were Cardinals Marco Antonio Mocenigo Bishop of Ceneda a man well versed in affairs and highly esteemed by the Pope Francesco Panigarola Bishop of Asti a renowned Preacher and Robert Bellarmine a learned Jesuite To the choice of these men the Pope added Bills of Exchange to the Merchants of Lions for three hundred thousand crowns with Commission to the Legate to dispose of them according to occasion but particularly to spend them for the infranchisement of the Cardinal of Bourbon upon which he shewed his mind was fixed more than upon any other thought whatsoever But the Pope by letters from the Duke of Luxemburg found that what the Agents of the League had represented to him was vain whereupon the Pope gave Orders and Commissions to his Legate to shew himself no less Neutral in the secular pretensions of the Princes than most zealous concerning Religion and not to value one French-man above another provided he were obedient to the Church and generally liked by the Kingdom and that he should not shew himself an open enemy to the King of Navarre so long as there was any hope he might return into the bosom of the Church But these advertisements were very contrary to the principal scope of the Embassy which was to uphold the Catholick party of the League as the foundation of that Religion in France so that the substance of the business changed in the variety of circumstances did so disturb the Execution that it was afterwards governed more by the diversity of accidents than by any determinate resolution The Cardinal-Legate being come into France required Colonel Alfonso Corso not only to forbear molesting Grenoble and Valence which Cities alone held for the League in Dauphiné but also that as a Catholick and stranger he should forsake the King's party and joyn with the union But he answered that he was indeed a Catholick and an obedient Son to the See of Rome in spiritual things but that having made his Fortune as a Souldier in the service of the King of France he could not desist from following him but was bound to do what he could in the affairs of the Prince whom he served This answer troubled the Legate and the rather because being come to Lions he found the business of the League in great disorder by the King 's prosperous success The Count of Brisac appointed at first to meet the Legate and sercure his passage was forced to face about and employ himself in the affairs of Normandy The Duke of Nevers invited him to come into his State where standing Neuter he might freely take those wayes as might appear most convenient to him On the other side the Duke of Mayenne ceased not to sollicite him to come to Paris shewing him that without the authority of his name and those helps which were hoped for from him the League was in danger to be dissolved and subdued by the King's Forces and all the rest of the Kingdom would remain oppressed by the Hugonot's party The Legate having overcome many difficulties arrives at Paris where he caused the Pope's Breve of the 15. of October to be published wherein after an honourable commemoration of the merits of the Kingdom of France toward the See of Rome c. He attested that he had chosen Cardinal Gaetano Legate to the Kingdom of France with power to use all means fitting to protect the Catholick Religion to recal Hereticks into the bosome of the Church to restore the Peace and tranquillity of the Kingdom and finally to procure that under one only good pious and truly Catholick King the people of France might to the glory of God live in quietness and tranquillity after so many calamities of War Wherefore he prayed and exhorted all the Orders and Degrees of France to persevere in the Catholick Religion and to labour to extinguish and root up the evil of Heresie to cut off the occasions of discord and that particular enmities quarrels and Civil Wars being laid aside they should resolve to yield obedience to a lawful truly Catholick King and the Divine worship being restored under his shadow to live in charitable union and concord Two different Declarations followed upon the publication of this Breve one of the Parliament of Tours by which all persons were forbidden to obey or acknowledge the Legate the other of the Parliament of Paris by which all were exhorted to receive the Fatherly love of the Apostolick See and to give due Reverence to the Legates admonitions After which contrary Declarations many Learned men fight for their Factions with their Pens as the Souldiers with their Swords Aid being desired by the League from the King of Spain the Sieur de la Mothe refuseth to advance beyond the Frontiers of France from Flanders unless the King of Spain be declared Protector of the Crown of France with authority to dispose the chief part of the Temporal and Ecclesiastical Dignities which Prerogatives they called las Marcas de Justitia marks of justice The Duke of Mayenne will not hearken to an agreement with the King The Archbishop of Lions lately imprisoned at Amboise being newly set at liberty by Captain Du-Gast for a great summ of money and come to Paris is made High Chancellour to the Duke of Mayenne and President of the Council The Pope's Legate grants unto Mayenne the three hundred thousand crowns brought for the enlargement of the Cardinal of Bourbon Mayenne besiegeth Meulan a small place but seated upon the pass of the River Seine at the entring into Normandy which therefore next to Pointoise hindered the bringing of Victuals to Paris where after 25. dayes siege news came that the Old Castle at Roven was seized by some Seditious persons which caused him to raise the siege and march to Roven to appease the troubles On the other side the King besiegeth Dreux and the Duke of Mayenne being joyned with the Spanish supplies from Flanders marching towards Dreux resolveth to fight The German Infantry raised for the King of France turn for the League under the Command of Colonel S. Paul The Army of the League had in it four thousand five hundred Horse and twenty thousand Foot The King's Army was but three thousand Horse and eight thousand Foot The King's Army being refreshed they marched toward the field of Yvry appointed by the King for the place of Battel Here the Armies joyned wherein the King obtained a great Victory The King all Armed on Horse-back visits every Division with great diligence and exhorts his Souldiers with great vehemency At last standing still at the head of the main Battalion joyning his hands and lifting up his eyes to Heaven He said so loud that he was heard by many O Lord thou knowest the intentions of my heart and with the eye of thy Providence thou piercest into
love with a beautiful Lady a Subject born of the Spaniard and a Papist of the deepest Jesuitish dye which seduced and turned him both to the Romish Religion and to the Spanish Party Soon after the Duke declared himself a Papist to the incredible loss of the Protestant Party Sedan was grown by the persecutions in France The greatest number and the richest sort consisted of the Posterity of persons that had transported their Families and their Estates to Sedan during the Wars of Religion and that place was a refuge at hand for the Protestants when any trouble arose in France This change therefore in the Prince wrought a great consternation in the people of Sedan and a great grief in the generality of all the French Protestants Which the Duke of Bovillon perceiving and judging that as they lived at Sedan upon the account of their Religion they might retire from it upon the same account he called the Church and the University and told them that he would lend them the same Protection as before and innovate nothing Only whereas he gathered the Tythes of his Dominions and therewith gave wages to the Ministers Professours and Regents as also Stipends to the Priests now the Priests must have the Tythes as their ancient right and he would pay to the Ministers Professours and Regents their ordinary Stipends out of his own Estate Sedan enjoyed that rest for a year or two till the Duke won by his Wife to forsake the Protection which he enjoyed under the King of France who paid his Garrison agreed with the Spaniard to put himself under his Protection to turn out the French Garrison and receive his Which Plot being discovered by some of Sedan was made known to the French Court and such order was taken that the Duke's design was prevented Himself his Lady and all his Retinue were turned out of Sedan and are kept out of it to this day and the place continueth under the subjection of France This year the Inhabitants of the Valtoline were much distressed The Valtoline is a Country scituate at the foot of the Alpes not unlike a great ditch separated by the high Mountains from the Grisons â—nd those which are on the Coast of Italy It is not of very large extent not above twenty Leagues in length and one in breadth but is very fertile and of great importance serving as a Gate to the Spaniards and Venetians to bring Forces out of Germany into Italy as well to defend as to increase their States The Venetians were not ignorant of it when they were embroiled with Pope Paul V. Anno 1603. They made a League with the Grisons who are natural Lâ—â—ds of it to have free passage through it as their occasions should require though France had the only power to dispose of it according to the Treaty made with them by Lewes XII and renewed by Henry IV. Anno 1602. during the time of his own life the life of Lewes XIII and eight years after his decease Which Alliance with them gives great offence to the Spaniards which caused them to make another League with the Grisons to whom the same passages were assured for the safeguard of Milan But after a long Treaty made in the year 1613. these two new Alliances were overthrown and that of France re-setled which was not for any long time for from the year 1617. to the year 1621. there were nine insurrections among them At last the Valtolines made a general revolt and at the perswasion of the Governour of Milan massacred all the Protestants they met with In July 1620. the Governour of Milan sent them Souldiers and builded them Forts in their Valley The French King then being engaged in re-taking those Towns which the Hugonots had gotten into their possession could not succour the Grisons with his Armies but sent the Marshal de Bassompiere extraordinary Ambassadour into Spain in his name to demand that the Valtoline might be restored and all things replaced into their former state It was obtained and accordingly it was signed at Madrid in May 1621. on condition that certain great liberties might be accorded to the Catholicks there and with a Proviso that the Cantons of the Swisses and the Valtolines should encline the Grisons to consent to what had been agreed upon But the Spaniards procured the Catholick Cantons to deny their consents which being wanting they would put off the execution of the whole Treaty and moreover made one at Milan with the Deputies of the Grisons and unto others with the same Grisons and the Arch-Duke Leopold by which they got great advantages in those Countries and so kept to themselves the power of passing any Forces through that Country France never made any difficulty of according to any thing which might contribute to the exercise of the Catholick Religion in the Valtoline or for security of all such as made profession thereof But they would never agree to those demands which the Spaniards made concerning the having of passages with so much peremptoriness During which time Pope Gregory XV. died and Vrban VIII being set in his place proposed new Articles of Accommodation which comprised as much as could be of advantage for the Church and Catholicks which were readily accepted of by France but as stoutly rejected by the Spaniards for that it did not grant to them the enjoyment of the passages Then Cardinal Richlieu advised the King not to stand dallying upon the means of a Treaty as formerly but forthwith to make use of his Arms to reduce tâ—â—m to terms of justice The King resolves to send the Marquess de Coenures to the Cantons of the Swisses for the Grisons affairs at the same time that the Sieur de Bethune was dispatched toward Rome His instructions were first to re-unite all the Swisse Cantons with his Majesty to dispose the Catholicks to give their assent to the Treaty of Madrid and to espie if in this re-union there might not some way be found out for to re-place the Garrisons into the Soveraignty of the Valtoline The second was to be kept private if the first took effect else he was commanded to encourage the Grisons to rise who should receive assistance from his Majesty of such Troops as should be necessary according to such orders as should be received Then the French King Duke of Savoy and Common-wealth of Venice made a League for the restitution of the Valtoline The Marquess de Coenures takes the field to make himself Master of the Forts in the Valtoline which were all taken in the three first Months of the following year New Orders are sent to the Marquess to prosecute his Conquests there The Pope seems to the Cardinal de la Valette and the Sieur de Bethune to be very angry that the King should attempt upon the Forts in the Valtoline which were in his keeping and sends the Sieur Bernardino Nary to his Majesty to testifie to him his great discontent at it The King of Spain to break
of Paris that a publick thanâ—sgiving might be made and himself returning to Paris passed by Nostre Dam des Ardilliers that there he might pay his Vows for to his Devotions there he ascribed his first Victories as that of the relieving Reé upon which the whole success depended The King before he left Rochel published a Declaration wherein was contained that the Roman Catholick Religion should be freely Exercised there both in the City and Government of Aulnis That the Churches which had been lately destroyed thereabouts should be re-edified and restored to them in whose Possession they formerly were together with all their appurtenances That a sufficient maintenance should be given to such Curates as had not means to live on out of those lands which belonged to the Town-house That the Religieux de la charitè les Religiouses Hospitaliers should be re-established in the Hospitals of the Town to attend upon all sick persons That a Cross should be raised in the Castle-yard at the Foot of which an Inscription of the taking the City should be inscribed and that every first of November a Procession general should be made to give God thanks for his mercies That the Church-yard Consecrated in the Lands of Coreille where those of the Camp who died during the siege had been buried should still be conserved to that use That a Covent of Religieux Minimes should be built there who might pray unto God for them and perpetuate the memory of the thing The King took this course to keep Rochel in obedience He deposed the Mayor and discharged the Shrievalty and Commonalty of the Town without hopes of restauration He ordained that the most Seditious persons of the City should forsake it and among others Guison Mayre Godefray Salebret and Deserbrieres not so much as excepting the Dame de Rohan who was carried to Niort by the Sieur de Lannay Lieutenant des Gardes des Corps Next he revoked all the Priviledges and Charters heretofore granted to the City He commanded the Walls the Ramparts and the rest of the Fortifications to be razed and the Ditches to be filled up leaving only the Towers de S. Nicholas de la Chains de la lantern standing with that part of the Wall toward the Sea to preserve the Town from Pirates He appointed also that no stranger should have an House or Family in the Town without his Majestie 's permission had and obtained or that any Hereticks as the Protestants were called should return to their former dwellings And for the better keeping them in their obedience he ordained that there should be an Intendent of justice in the City Country and Government of Aulins who should see the Execution of his Ordinances and have an eye to that which concern'd his service all which was inserted in the said Declaration He then commanded the Inhabitants to be disarmed and that certain Regiments should remain in the Town until it were quite demolished After all these things he returned to Paris where he was magnificently received the Companies of the City making Orations unto him The expences of the Siege of Rochel are said to have amounted unto forty millions of Livres Then Monsieur the Prince the Dukes of Montmorency and Vantadour who Commanded his Majestie 's Forces in Languedoc became Masters of the Field and before the end of the year repossessed themselves of all those places in a few daies which were capable of being forced The King in the year following having resolved upon going into Italy commits the Government of the State to the Queen his Mother And before he goeth into Piedmont he compelleth the Hugonots in Languedoc to lay down their Arms and to declare in form before his Parliaments and Judges that they will live in all duties and obedience hereafter His Majesty caused his Declaration to this purpose to be read in Parliament himself being present which put a stop to all the Hugonots affairs until after the taking of Suze Whilst the King is in Italy the Duke of Rohan takes Arms in the Sevennes And with the assistance of the Cities of Montauban Nismes Millaut Castres Privas Vsetz and some others had got such a body of an Army together as therewith he hoped to maintain himself in that little angle of the Kingdom and either presently to obtain some advantagious Conditions or to expect a more favourable time for the re-establishment of his depressed Party In the mean time he treated secretly with the King of Spain from whom he had also obtain'd a promise of some supply of money But the King who had intelligence of his practice returning with the same celerity out of Italy into France in the most violent heats of Summer with which he had passed out of France into Italy in the greatest extremity of Winter presented himself before Privas one of the Hugonot Cities in June which at his first coming he carried by assault after which Aletz another of the same Principles surrendered without resistance The Duke of Rohan observing what a terrour the taking of these two places had infused into his whole Faction and knowing on the other side that a Peace with Italy and England was already conclued began to apprehend at last he should be totally deserted by all his Confederates and Friends and left alone to bear the shock of all his Majesties Victorious Arms which made him in time seriously apply himself to his mercy to avoid the severe effects of his justice A Peace was concluded in July 1629. with the Duke of Rohan which all the other Cities of his Party likewise accepted except Montauban which for some daies stood out but afterwards was surrendered to Cardinal Richlieu who settled all things in peace to the great happiness of the King and the whole Kingdom The next year the French King procured from the Pope the Cardinals Hats to be bestowed on the Archbishop of Lions and Monsieur Bagni the Pope's Nuntio Now new stirs are at Court occasioned by the discontents of the Queen-Mother and the Monsieur The Queen-Mother professeth open hatred to the Cardinal she directly opposeth all his Counsels which how well soever they succeeded she still found matter enough to render them suspected to the King and to discredit them by sinister interpretations The Duke of Savoy was grown by this time sensible of the dishonourable Peace he had concluded at Suze to which the loss of Montferrat stuck mainly in his stomach The Duke therefore seizeth upon all the French in his Territories not so much as excepting the Merchants and Religious Orders The Marshal of Crequi hereupon advanceth to Pignerol with one thousand Horse six thousand Foot and some Cannon and reduced the Town and Citadel to the obedience of the French King And the passages from France to Piedmont were open after the reducing of certain Towns of the Duke of Savoy In short time the King makes himself Master of all Savoy The Cardinal offered all sorts of submission to the Queen-Mother to
reconcile himself to her favour but all in vain she was still so implacably bent against him that the Peace of Italy being now concluded and the time come wherein the King had promised her to remove the Cardinal she was importunately instant with the King for the accomplishment of his Royal word At last the order was signed for the Cardinal's removal The Cardinal withdrawes himself a little time from the Court but by the advice of the Cardinal de la Valette restores himself again with the the King and so the Queen-Mother not only fell from her hopes but also from her credit with the King whereupon she departeth out of France and goeth to Bruxels Monsieur the King's Brother requesteth the Parliament to indict the Cardinal so doth the Queen-Mother But the King justifies Richlieu by his Letters and Declarations The Duke of Espernon stops the progress of a new Insurrection by dismantling several strong Cities of the Hugonot Party as Millant St. Afrique Pont de Camares Saint-Rome Tarn and several other places The King of Sweden having invaded Germany the French King makes an Alliance with him he establisheth a Chamber of justice in Paris who give judgement against several persons Then is the Cardinal Richlieu created Duke and Peer of France The French Protestants had obtained permission by the King 's Breviate about the beginning of this year to make a National Assembly of their Ministers of France for the maintaining of their Order and worship The Cardinal was of opinion that his Majesty should require them to meet at Charenton because being within his view they would have the less freedom to renew such Cabals as they had formerly made in their Assemblies of Guienne and Lauguedoc This Order was followed and the Sieur de Galland Counsellour to his Majesty was sent to be President in the King's behalf his Loyalty was not to be suspected and they were obliged to accept of him in regard of divers authentique testimonies which made appear that this Order was conformable to that of Councils assembled in the Primitive times which they professed to honour The King especially commanded him to be careful that no Proposition were made which did not concern their Faith or Discipline to silence them in his Majestie 's name in case they should discourse of any other affairs and to establish such Rules as the Cardinal had proposed to keep that Party in submission To this end he used his utmost Prudence and Loyalty he perswaded them to enact that there should not any more National Assemblies be made but in the presence of a Commissary from the King who might by testifying their obedience be a means of continuing them in quiet Besides he induced them to resolve upon the absolute excluding of all Stranger Ministers this being intended of all that were not natural French and to inhibite their Ministers from leaving the Kingdom without his Majestie 's Licence by this means to prevent all intelligences associations and correspondencies with the enemies of the State according to the Laws of the Kingdom and his Majestie 's particular prohibitions In fine he used so much prudence that they required their Ministers not to intermeddle in any affairs Politick or Military and condemned a Book of Berraut Minister of Montauban as erroneous because he maintained that Ministers had a particular call from God to bear Arms. Divers Ordinances were made there for the subsistence of their Party The Emperour of Germany sendeth Cardinal Pasman to Rome to endeavour to break the French King's Alliance with the King of Sweden The French King having lately been in Lorrain The Administ of Card. Ricâ—â—eu after his return the Cardinal undertook to compose a difference between the Bishops and Friers which had made a great noise for sundry ages together The Friers relying upon their priviledges obtained from Rome pretended to have power both to Preach and confess without permission from the Bishops And the Bishops unto whom all people within their Diocess are subject by common right did perpetually thwart that pretension They could not down with the Friers Priviledges alledging they ought to be declared void as being repugnant to the Primitive Constitutions of the Church This quarrel had been especially fomented during the last year by reason some Books had been published in the name of the English Catholicks which preferred the Monastical life before that of the Prelates and seemed to imply that Friers were more necessary at least more useful to the Church than the ordinary Pastors Was it probable that the whole Society of Friers would relinquish the Priviledges they had obtained from the See of Rome On the other side what reason was there that the Prelates should have so little Authority over them in Administration of Sacraments and the Word of God seeing of old Friers were only mixed among the Laity and addressed themselves unto the Bishops Congregations to receive the Sacraments from their hands or those who executed their charge The Cardinal took upon himself to end this difference though he was at that time employ'd in the most important affairs of Christendom He therefore caused the Superiours of the Orders to come before him one by one well knowing that to negotiate such a business in a publick Assembly would be a labour in vain He was a person well versed in all Antiquities and accordingly he represented to them how that in the first institution of Monks they were Consecrated unto God by the mediation of Bishops who received their Vows instructed them and directed their Consciences He laid before them the Original of the whole affair and shewed them how that the Son of God had subjected all those who sold their goods and followed him unto the Apostles whose Successours the Bishops are whereupon they making a strict profession of leading an Evangelical life were more particularly obliged to observe the Order established in and by the Gospel not that he would question the validity of those exemptions granted from the See of Rome unto which he owed much more respect and obedience than to debate the Ordinances thereof yet that he must needs inform them that they could not be dispensed with from following the Order established by Jesus Christ or his Apostles in Administring the Sacraments and Word of God That in fine themselves could not deny but they were obliged to relinquish some part of their pretensions for the avoiding of trouble to the Church which was likely to ensue upon this account and whereof the Hugonots discoursed with much freedom That this peace would be more acceptable to God than all the advantages it could otherwise procure unto particular persons That it would tend unto their honours by testifying unto the world the moderation of their minds and humility of their spirits and that the world would esteem the better of them That he should not willingly propose that the Bishops should have ordinary jurisdiction over their persons or power to visit their Monasteries but
should be sentenced or condemned without being summoned or without hearing his defence it was not good to Decree so heavy a sentence without giving him warning to answer for himself and without hearing his reasons whatsoever they were The King seeing the obstinacy of the States and their resolution against the King of Navarre procures an absolution at Rome for the Prince of Conti and Count Soissons of the House of Bourbon which much troubleth the Duke of Guise The King being no longer able to bear the insolencies of the Duke of Guise resolves upon his destruction and to bring the matter the better to pass seeming as it were to be stirred by devotion determined to remove to a Cell meaning there to be confessed and receive the Sacrament He called into his Chamber four of his Council such as he best trusted to whom he discovered the injuries and indignities he had received of the Duke of Guise his extreme ambition the danger himself stood in by the Treasons continually practised by the said Duke and his Confederates against his Person He told them he was determined to have the Duke slain as a Traytour which was consented to The evening of the 22. day of December being come the King commanded Monsieur de Larchant one of the Captains of his Guard to double them the next morning and to keep the Hall door after the Lords of the Council were gone in but that he should do it in such a manner as the Duke of Guise might not suspect any thing which was done In the morning the King made himself ready before day Davil Hist of the Civil Wars of France l. 9. under colour of going Personally to the Council and pretending he should stay there many hours dismissed all his Servants and in his closet there only remained Revol Secretary of State Colonel Alfonso Corso and Monsieur de la Bastide a Gascon who were all commanded by him to stay there In his Chamber was St. Pris one of his old Gentlemen-waiters in the Wardrobe the Count de Termes Great Chamberlain and in the Anti-chamber two Pages an Usher that waited at the Council-chamber-door and Lognac with eight of the five and fourty to whom the King had with very great Promises signified his pleasure and found them most ready to obey his command At break of day the Counsellours met and went into the Great Hall The Duke being come into the Council sitting near the fire fell into a little swound but quickly recovered Secretary Revol came into the Council out of the Anti-chamber and told him the King would have him to come unto him in the Closet The Duke arose and entred into the Anti-chamber which presently being locked after him he saw there only eight Gentlemen of the King's Guard which were well known unto him and as he went from thence into the Closet he stretcht forth his hand to lift up the hanging of the door but at that instand S. Malin one of the eight stabbed him into the neck with a Dagger The Duke of Guise Slain and the rest presently fell upon him on every side and after many wounds given him in the head being at last struck by Lognac upon whom he had most violently thrown hlmself he fell down at the door of the Wardrobe and there expired The Cardinal of Guise and Archbishop of Lions are made Prisoners as also all the Lords and other chief adherents of the Duke of Guise with Anne d'Este Duchess of Nemours and Mother to the Guises Pelicart the Duke of Guise's Secretary was likewise taken with all the writings which belonged to his Lord among which they found many Letters containing divers practices within and without the Kingdom the accounts of money which he had received from Spain to the summ of two millions of Ducats Many whom the King desired to get into his hands escaped the fury of that present revenge The body of the dead Duke being laid up in a green cloth was carried by the door-keepers into the great room beyond the King's Closet and there laid till further order Then the King sent Revol to the Cardinal-Legate to give him notice of all that had passed and to entreat him to meet him at Mass shewing how great a desire he had to be excused to the Pope Then having caused the doors to be opened and every one to be admitted into his Chamber he said with a loud voice That from thence-forward he would have his Subjects learn to know and obey him that every one therefore from that time should forget stubbornness and Rebellion for he would be a King not only in words but in deeds also So with an angry look and sowr countenance he went down the stairs into his Mothers Lodgings The Queen having been ill lay in her bed when the King came unto her to whom the King said This morning I have made my self King of France having put to death the King of Paris The Queen replyed You have made the Duke of Guise to be slain but God grant you be not now made King of nothing Have you foreseen the mischiefs that are like to follow Two things are necessary Speed and Resolution So being much afflicted in mind and with the Gout she held her peace And the King went to meet the Legate that they might go to Mass together and before Mass the King discourseth long with the Cardinal of Moresini about the Duke of Guises death The King seeing that the Legate shewed no trouble at the imprisonment of the Cardinals Commandeth that Lewes of Lorain Cardinal of Guise be also put to death And Du-Gast Captain of the King's Guard causeth the Cardinal of Guise to be slain by four Souldiers Armed with Partezans His body was carried to the same place where the body of the Duke his Brother lay The King doubted that if their bodies were seen they might occasion some tumult and therefore having by the Counsel of his Physitian caused them to be buried in quick-lime within a few hours all their flesh was consumed and afterwards the bones were secretly interred in an unknown place The Duke of Nemours escaped out of Prison on the fourth day And Anne d'Este Mother to him and the dead Princes of Lorain was also voluntarily freed by the King and divers others were set at liberty The Cardinal of Bourbon the Prince of Janville now Duke of Guise the Archbishop of Lions and the Duke of Elbeuf are all put into the Castle of Amboyse The Archbishop of Lions being often examined would never answer alledging that as Primate of all France he had no other Superiour but the Apostolick See Charles Duke of Mayenne third Brother to the Guises being advertised of the death of his Brothers flees from Lions unto Dijon a place under his Government In his valour and wisdom all the foundations and hopes of the League were now reduced The Queen-Mother died on January 5. 1589. in the seventieth year of her age After the death of