a time and the yong Prince continued in verie good grace vntill at length by reason of newe occasions of suspition hee was forced to auoyde the Realme so exceedingly was the King his father incensed agaynst him and going to Philip Duke of Burgundie who at that present was a verie great and mightie potentate was most honorably intertained furnished with all things necessarie for himselfe and his retinue where hee remained for a long time notwithstanding the duke was very often earnestly solicited to the coÌ„trarie by the king his father At the last all the stormie tempests being blowne ouer and he vpon the decease of his father being called home to receiue the Diademe and crowne of France Lewis the 11. K. of France he departed from the Court of Burgundie where he had liued a stranger and vnder the coÌ„trolment of others towards his new kingdome and naturall Countrie which he found very peaceable and flourishing in all wealth and prosperitie where hee was no sooner quietly established but that remembring some olde iniuries Lewis the 11. reiecâ—eâ—h his faâ—hers old counsellors and disliking manie of his fathers most faithfull and trustie counsellers hee remoued sundry out of their rowmes and offices and imprisoned others electing new into their places to the great griefe of diuerse of his best affected subiects the exceeding discontentment of most of his chiefest Nobilitie wherupon ensued maruellous trouble to the common wealth and vnspeakeable care and vexation of mind to himselfe The Duke of Britaine and sundrie other of the nobility rise against the King For the Duke of Brytaine the Duke of Berry the Duke of Nemours the earle of Saint Paule the earle of Arminake Beauleu Albret and manie other great Lords and states being highlie displeased with the King and with his gouernement banded togither against him and calling to theyr ayde Count Charolois sonne and heyre to Philip Duke of Burgundie raysed a mightie and puyssaunt armie wherewith they approched Paris and held besieged the chiefest Cittie of the land The King vnderstanding the daunger wherein the towne stoode The K. marcheth toward Paris and the resolution of his enemies hasted by all possible meanes to put himselfe within Paris the safekeeping whereof woulde be most auayleable for the aduancement of his other affayres Wherefore hauing gathered a strong power marched forwardes on his intended voyage not purposing to hazarde his fortune vppon anie aduauntage that shoulde be offered but onelie to defende himselfe and to amuse his enemies vntill the tyme might minister some better meanes to accomplish his desyres notwithstanding The k forced to forsake the field through the rash headinesse of the Lieutenant of Normandie called Le Bressy who had the leading of the auauntgarde the King was constrained to fight and to aduenture to open his passage by force of armes But being valiantly resisted by his enemies after a terrible and bloodie fight hee was forced to forsake the field and to retyre towards Corbeile leauing the entyre glorie of that victorie to Count Charolois and his associates As this good fortune puffed vp the haughtie minde of the Conquerour making him proude disdainfull and highly conceyted of his owne valour which in the ende bred his owne confusion and ouerthrowe The King reconcileth his subiects and maketh peace with Count Charolois so did it teach the conquered to pull downe his spirits and with all circumspect diligence and care to prouide for his future safetie in the most politike manner that hee might and hauing though with much adoo made peace with Count Charolois an enemie that hee greatly feared and reconciled his discontented Nobles who were a long time as prickes in his eyes and thornes in his sydes and withall concluded a league with Edwarde the fourth King of Englande at Pikquennie to his great aduauntage there remayned nothing that might any way endaunger his estate but onelie the greatnesse of Charles Duke of Burgundie who though he were at amitie with the King yet for that hee had a most turbulent spirite and of all other could least abide to continue for anie long time together in peace the King thought hee had iust occasion to suspect him Charles D. of Burgundy slaine at Nancy and therefore howsoeuer in outwarde shewe he made much of him yet in heart hee wished for nothing more then his confusion and ouerthrowe which appeared most apparantly by his secrete practises agaynst the Duke and then coulde no longer be hidde when as hee heard of his discomfiture at the battaile of Nancy where the sayde Duke was slaine his armie put to flight and the glorie of that noble house of Burgundie which had flourished for the space of an hundred and twentie yeares in all pompe and magnificence was vtterly defaced and obscured For presently vppon the newes the King was so exceeding ioyfull that hee did not in a maner regarde how richly and bountifully he rewarded the Messengers of so glad and ioyfull tydings Nowe beganne hee to studie for nothing so much as howe to dismember this poore afflicted Dukedome and by all meanes possible to teare and rent it in peeces K. Lewis of France getteth a great part of Burgundie He first gayned by liberall rewardes and fayre promises the chiefest of the Burgonian Nobilitie and likewise the Captaines of sundrie strong Townes by which meanes hee gate Abbeuille Peronne Arras Hesdin Bollogne Dyion and manie other principall places so that it seemed that the better part of the Dukedome of Burgundie was nowe brought vnder the kings obedience and annexed to the rest of the Dominions of the Flower de Lis By which meanes the reuenewes of the Crowne were greatly augmented the lande exceedingly strengthened the same and honour of the king wonderfully encreased all thinges falling out in a manner as well as might be wished or desired But hee had no sooner attayned to so high a degree of happinesse but hee was presently crossed with newe miseryes and afflictions which in small continuance of tyme did wholie bereaue him of his former ioyes For beeing at dinner at a Village neare vnto Chynon hee was suddainlie stroken with so vehement a payne The King stroken with a sudden disease that hee lost his speach and sences for the space of two dayes togither not remembring nor knowing any that were nearest about him And albeit by reason of those great meanes which were vsed his bodie was somewhat recouered and his mynde much bettered so that he seemed to come to some reasonable vnderstanding and knowledge yet was hee so weakened and euerie parte of him so mightilie decayed that it was not possible to free him of his maladie so long as hee lyued Besides hee grewe so suspitious of all sortes and so iealous of his owne sonne and sonne in Lawe that hee was neuer at quyet but lyued in such continuall feare least that honour and reuerence which had beene for so long a tyme giuen vnto him shoulde now be
THE Mutable and wauering estate of France from the yeare of our Lord 1460 vntill the yeare 1595. The great Battailes of the French Nation as well abroad with their forraigne enemies as at home among themselues in their ciuill and intestine warres With an ample declaration of the seditious and trecherous practises of that viperous brood of Hispaniolized Leaguers Collected out of sundry both Latine Italian and French Historiographers LONDON Printed by Thomas Creede 1597. To the right worshipfull Maister Iulius Caesar Esquire Doctor of the Ciuill Lawe maister of the Requests and of Saint Katherins and chiefe Iudge of her highnesse Court of the Admiraltie c. a namelesse well-willer wisheth all courses of happinesse that can bee named SIr this Collected Historie of the inconstant and mutable estate of Fraunce from the yeare 1460. vntill the yeare 1595. describing the great battails of the French Nation as well abroade with forraigne enemies as at home among themselues in their ciuill and intestine warres also an ample declaration of the seditious and trecherous practises of that viperous brood of Hispaniolized Leaguers during their bloodie mutinies and attempts from time to time with whatsoeuer else so serious a discourse can or may affoord I offer to your worshipfull and most kinde patronizing Your euer knowne affable inclination to studie and works of woorth makes me no way mistrustfull of gentle acceptance wherfore in one ballance poysing the Booke and in the other whatsoeuer remaynes in mee alwayes most readie at your worships seruice I cease from further troubling you with lines vrging no delight desiring that as your vertues are numberlesse so your ioyes both in this worlde and that to come may likewise be endlesse Though namelesse yet alwayes by your worship to be commaunded To the Reader AS in a briefe Chronicle or short compiled Historie gentle Reader euen so in this worke shalt thou behold the slipperie and vncertaine estate of a mightie Kingdome of France our neare neighbour whose warres strifes and most troublesome contentions as well at home in her owne bosome â—s abroad with forraigne and hostile enemies during the space of these many yeares from 1460 vntill 1595. the accidents of all which tâ—mâ— this present volume doâ—th truly acquaint thee withall for out of sundry both Latine Italian and French Histâ—riographers hath 〈◊〉 beene carefully collected and being for thy sake attired now in an English habit familiarly tels thee that Monarchies miseries which when thou hast aduisedly considered on and therwith compared thy owne Countries continuall blessednesse I doubt not but as in sorrowing for the one so thou wilt hartily pray for the other that the afflictions of France may be Englands looking Glasse and their neglect of peace our continuall labour and studie how to preserue it Fare ye well THE MVTABILITIE of France CHAP. I. Lewis sonne to Charles the seuenth King of France is driuen out of his fathers Kingdome He flieth to Philip Duke of Burgundie Returneth After his fathers decease is made King He falleth out with Charles Duke of Burgundie Is suddenly stroken with a sore disease and dieth miserably AS the wauering and interchaungeable course whereto euery thing whatsoeuer is continually subiect hath beene alwayes heretofore dayly obserued in the most auncient and renowmed Monarchies that euer were So hath it appeared in these latter dayes Kingdomes and states ful of change and mutabilitie in this age and that in a more liuely maner in the strange and wonderfull alterations of our neighbor countryes whose peace and prosperous estate as it was the common obiect of euerie mans eye so are their vnfortunate warres and wofull miseries the vsuall subiect of all mens speach and nothing is more lystened after then to what ende matters of so great waight and importance are likeliest to tend The most noble and renowmed kingdome of France which for so many yeares flowed with milke and honie and for the temperatenesse of the aire the fertilitie of the soile the ciuilitie of the Commons the loyaltie of the Nobilitie the dignitie and magnificence of the Prince was accounted the paragon of all Nations hath especially tasted of this vicissitude and change which so long as it was at peace with it selfe and not afflicted with any ciuill discention the subiect honouring the King with all dutifull obedience and the King tendering the welfare of the subiect with a hearty and louing affection and both concurring in one for the aduauncement of the Common-wealth flourished in most beautifull maner and appeared verie pleasing to the eye of all Nations round about but after that it once began to nourish turbulent spirits and to harbour strange and vnnaturall humours the Prince following the daungerous proiects of yong and corrupt councellors who rather sought their owne priuate gaine then the publike profite and vtilitie of the state and the people beeing easily drawne by the perswasions of their Gouernours to embrace in a maner any noueltie that was propounded then began the common-wealth to bee intangled in manie daungerous mischiefes and to bee encombred with sundrie cares wherewith for this long time it hath beene exceedingly vexed and tormented And albeit there hath often bin some mitigation of paine for a while and that by the great wisedome and skill of such as sate at the stearne and had the managing of the publike affayres the ship which was well neare ouerwhelmed with boisterous waues was safely preserued from the wracke yet as though there were a fatall destinie which could not be auoided it presently againe fell vpon the shelues and plunged it selfe a fresh into a vast Ocean of vnspeakeable miseries wherein it hath continued floting vp and downe for these many yeares and at this day is come to that desperate passe that although it be neither split vpon the sandes nor swallowed vp of the fearefull billowes yet doth it serue as a perfect glasse to viewe the vnstable estate of these earthly things and for an assured proofe of the variable change and continuall vicissitude in the most flowring kingdoms and common-wealthes Which albeit it doth euidently appeare vnto the eye of euery beholder yet will it be farre better discerned if wee consider the reignes of sundry French Kings in whose times there hath fallen out most strange and admirable accidents themselues being especiall occasions to prooue a mutuall and an alternatiue course in al things whatsoeuer Lewis the 11. K. of France rebelled in his youth against his father Lewis the eleuenth of that name King of Fraunce and sonne vnto Charles the seuenth was in his youth as Philip de Comins reporteth allured by the craftie perswasions of sundrie seditious heades to become chiefe of a rebellious faction and to beare Armes agaynst his father to his vnspeakeable griefe and the imminent perill of the whole lande but that vnnaturall warre not continuing long and the sonne being drawne to his obedience by the louing and wise perswasions of the King his father all things grewe verie peaceable for
anie wayes diminished or his former authoritie impayred that for the maintenaunce thereof hee vexed himselfe in most straunge and pittifull sort Hee woulde not at anie time come abroade nor bee seene but of some fewe in whome hee reposed a speciall confidence His Court Gates were continuallie guarded yea his verie Chamber Doore so surelye watched The miserie of Lewis the 11. as that it was impossible to keepe a prisoner in more strayte manner then hee kept his owne selfe And beeing a king that in former tymes had taken his delight in so manie rich beautifull and flourishing Cittyes and solaced himselfe in so manie stately Pallaces and pleasaunt Gardeyns was nowe to his vnspeakeable torment confined in a narrowe rowme sequestring himselfe from all companie and euerye other thing which might breede his delight or encrease his comfort and so continued in this miserable estate alwaies languishing in feare The death of Lewis the eleuenth King of France vntill his death which was in the yeere 1483. and hauing raigned two and twentie yeeres left behinde him a sonne who succeeded in the kingdome in whose dayes fell out many strange and admirable occurrences as shall appeare in the Chapter following CHAP. II. Charles the eight inuadeth Italy and conquereth Naples Alphonsus and Ferdinando flie into Cicilia the Venetians and other Princes leuying a great power driue the French out of Italy The battell of Tarro The French king dieth sodainely ALbeit that Lewis the eleuenth not long before his death Charles the eight succeeded his father Lewis in the kingdome of France had oftentimes and that very seriously aduised his sonne Charles who was to succeed him in the kingdome to maintain peace and amitie with all his neighbours rounde about and by no meanes to enter into warres with any forraigne Princes before hee were growne to ripe yeeres and that the Realme which had endured so many calamities and miseries wherewith it was greatly impouerished should be growne rich againe and better prouided to resist any violence that should be offered yet could not the graue and strong perswasions of so wise and well experienced a Prince take such deepe rooting in the heart of this yong King but that thorow his owne ambitious desire to make himselfe great and the manifolde reasons alleaged by sundrie of his aduisants partly to flatter him in his owne honour but more especially to serue theyr owne turne they were quickly plucked vppe againe and hee fully resolued to enter into a warre which of all other was thought most daungerous and which wrought as straunge effectes as much varietie and as singular alterations and chaunges as any other whatsoeuer All which to the ende they may bee the better vnderstood it shall bee verie conuenient to rippe vp the matter from the beginning and in as fewe words as may bee to shewe the originall of so great trouble as afterwardes ensued Charles the eight King of Fraunce pretending a title to the Kingdome of Naples as heire to Reynard Duke of Aniow Lewis Sfortia D. of Millan perswadeth Charles the eight to conquere Naples was no sooner settled in his kingdome but he was forthwith enduced by the colourable perswasions of Lewis Sfortia who had not long before vsurped the Dukedome of Millan to put in his claime and with might and mayne to assay to gette so noble so rich and renowmed a Diademe Notwithstanding for that it was a matter of no small importaunce it was thought good to haue it thorowly debated in Councell and to heare the opinions of the wisest and the best experienced in the lande who when they had with great maturitie of iudgement pondered euerie circumstance as the danger the king was likely to thrust himselfe into the infinite treasure that must bee expended as also what a multitude of valiant mens liues that would cost before so glorious a victorie could be atchiued and the difficultie that would be in keeping that beeing once gotten The Kings Councel disswadeth the King from the conquest of Naples they wholly resolued that it was an enterprise in no wise to be attempted Notwithstanding the king who was yong desirous to eternise his name by some memorable attempt could in no wise be diuerted being moued as it were by some diuine instinct and incouraged by sundrie remonstrances of two of his principall fauorites called Vere and Brissonet both which were but meane politicks and of all other most ignorant in militarie affaires These two were daily solliciters of the king Vere and Brissonet encite the king to enter Italy who otherwise was but too willing of himselfe to prouide all necessaries for his intended voyage and to set forwarde with as much celeritie as possibly might be The yonger sort of the French Nobilitie and such as had least experience were likewise exceeding desirous to enter Italy by force of Armes and to shew their valour and noble courage to forraigne Nations Al things seemed to concurre for the furtherance of this happy attempt saue that which was most necessarie and that was wise and wel experienced Captaines and store of siluer and gold which are accounted as the veines and sinewes of the warres There were men enough but such as were most fitte were most vnwilling the Kings Coffers were emptie and nothing could bee borrowed but vpon great interest and good assurance Thus the lets were many and the meanes to effect any thing with honour very small and in the end if the successe were such as was desired yet should there be nothing gotten as Lewis the eleuenth was wont to say but infinite trouble and imminent perill and that with the effusion of much French bloud The King resolueth to go to Naples contrarie to the opinion of his councell The King resoluing to passe into Italy notwithstanding whatsoeuer could be alleaged to the contrarie made a league with Ferdinando King of Spaine with Maximilian king of the Romanes and with Phillip Archduke of Austria and Duke of Flanders as also with the King of England least being occupied in his warres abroade he might happen to be molested at home by some forraigne enemie and deferring his iourney vntill the spring following which should be in the yeere 1493. in the meane while commanded that all things should be in a readinesse which were requisite for the maintenance of his Armie All men of vnderstanding wondered at this strange resolution of the King and the best affected towardes the Crowne of Fraunce did maruailously feare the sequel of so dangerous a iourney The more to encourage the King and to stirre him vp to prosecute his intended voyage The D. of Millan commeth to Ast to the French King Lewis Sfortia who vsurped the Dukedome of Millan as is alreadie sayde and had beene the first motioner of this warre did not onely promise vnto the King all the ayde and furtherance that might be by his embassadours but also came himselfe with the Duchesse his wife very nobly accompanied vnto
the King being at Ast where after some debating of the matter and cleering of sundrie doubts the king resolued to passe forward and so came to Pauia without any let or interruption from thence he went towards Sarzana being a very strong Castle and belonging to the Florentines which in the ende was taken and kept by the French The French Kings prosperous successe in Italy The Citizens of Florence being not a little amazed at the Kings prosperous successe thought it best to offer him all the fauour and kindnesse that might be humbly desiring him to come and repose himselfe in their Citie and to refresh his Armie in the rest of their territories as Pisa Lygournia Petrasancta and Librafacta Thus had the French gotten the whole state of the Florentines into their possession this bred a maruailous change in Italy and sundrie Citties being wearie of their gouernours rebelled and chose them new Lords The Florentines râ—bell against Peter de Medices their D. who in great misery fled to Venice The Florentines themselues considering that the French were growen strong became their vassailes and conspiring against their Duke called Peter de Medices droue him out of the City tooke whatsoeuer he had and reserued it for their owne vses The poore distressed Duke fled to Venice in very miserable estate where he had much adoo before he could be receiued Thus was the house of the Medices ouerthrown which had flourished in great wealth power and authoritie for the space of 60. yeares the King departing from Florence came to Sennes and so to Viterbium and from thence to the Castle of Brachana Although that Alphonsus King of Naples Alphonsus King of Naples prouideth to withstand the French was at the first but little moued with the comming of the French yet to preuent the worst hee had prouided two great and puissant armies that by sea was lead by his brother Frederik and the other by land by his sonne Ferdinando with whom were these famous and renowned Captaines Virgilius Vrsinus Petilian and the Lord of Treuoule Ferdidinando was gotten into Rome and hoped to keepe the Citie against the French King but the Pope being willing to follow the good fortune of the Conquerour suffered him to enter The Pope yeeldeth to to the French whereupon Ferdinando was forced to flie away in the night and with al possible speede to retire towards Naples His father Alphonsus beeing wonderfully terrified with this heauie newes and remembring the manifold iniuries offered to the Neapolitans both by his father and himselfe though hee had beene a very valiant couragious Alphonso yeeldeth his Kingdome to his son and flyeth into Cicilia and hardy Prince yet hee thought it best to yeeld to the time and giuing ouer the kingdome into his sonnes hand with a heauie heart and mournful cheere sayled into Cicilia with the Queene his mother in law who was daughter to Ferdinando king of Castile Before his departure he was continually tormented with sundrie imaginations often crying out that the King of Fraunce was comming and that the very houses trees and stones in the streets were all become French The great feare of Alphonsus and so with a passionate minde forsooke Naples where by the way wee may obserue one thing which Phillip de Comins noteth as a strange accident and that is that in lesse then two yeeres space there were fiue kings of Naples which were Ferdinando the father of Alphonsus Alphonsus Ferdinando his sonne Fiue Kings of Naples in lesse than two yeeres Charles the eight king of Fraunce and Frederik the brother of the saide Alphonsus The yong King Ferdinando made great preparation to withstand the French and hauing gathered a strong power encamped at Saint Germin in the frontiers of his territories resoluing to stop the passage of the enemie at that place Notwithstanding the French king marched on with great courage taking Castles and townes without any resistance all things seemed to yeeld voluntarily vnto him and to bende at his becke yea Ferdinando himselfe durst not abide him though he were strongly fortified and encamped in a place of great aduantage For assoone as he vnderstood by his espyals that the French were within two leagues Ferdinando K. of Naples flieth from the French he fled in very disordered manner towards Capua suffering the French King to enter at his pleasure and from thence hasted to Naples fearing a reuolt among the Citizens which indeede immediatly ensued vppon the approch of the French who comming to Capua entred presently vppon composition and before they came at Naples by three leagues the Citizens sent Embassadors to treat with them Naples yeeldeth to the French king being willing to receiue theÌ„ vpon condition that they should maintaine their ancient priuiledges which so terrified Ferdinando that he presently tooke sea and fled to his father in Cicilia Then was there a generall reuolt and euerie one made court to the French king who was receiued with great acclamation and applause of the people yea those who were in particular most bounden vnto the house of Arragon and such as had beene their especiall fauourites were now in an instant wholly turned French All Calabria Powilla Laurentia Turpia Encrenes Tarentum Monopolis set vp the Flower delis Thus did this yong King runne as it were through Italy without any stop or hinderance The speedy conquest of the French King neuer staying about the winning of any one towne the space of one day insomuch as from his departure from Ast vntill his entrie into Naples there were but foure moneths and ninteene dayes so that hee might say in regarde of his speedy conquest as Caesar sometime saide Veni Vidi Vici The French King beeing entred into Naples disposed of all things at his pleasure and seemed nowe to haue attained to his wished ende there was nothing to crosse him Charles of France crowned king of Naples or to stand in his way but like a conquerour hee commanded and it was obeyed wherupon he would needs be crowned King Which being perfourmed and the French not standing any longer in feare of any enemie they beganne to bee idle and carelesse and gaue themselues wholly to riot and excesse The pride of the French They seemed to contemne all others and scorned the Italians as men of no reckoning supposing that now they were able to passe through the whole world and that no man durst abide them So proude arrogant and disdainefull were they become by reason of this so prosperous and happie successe When as the King of France was growen to this greatnesse that hee had in a manner all the estate of Italy at his commaund that hee had gotten the Kingdome of Naples and was quietly possessed thereof and thereby was climed to the top of fortunes wheele so that it seemed that nothing was wanting to the full accomplishment of all his desired happinesse when as indeed he was most secure and carelesse
turned to the great good of the French who otherwise had beene in maruaylous danger to haue beene ouerthrowne at that encounter The Marques fought valiauntly and pearcing through the middest of the horsemen hard to the Ordinance ouerthrew a great bande of Gascons which were appointed to guard them The French being encouraged with the presence of their king laide about them like men and the Switzers beeing promised double pay like Tygres tare and rent in peeces as manie as fell into theyr handes And had not the earle of Petilia at that present escaped from the French and by comming to the flying Italians with all the forceable reasons hee coulde perswaded them to renew the fight the whole power of the Venetians had beene vtterly ouerthrowne Both armyes being well wearied with a long and bloody fight The French K. looseth all his baggage they sounded the retreate The French had lost all their baggage and the riches of Naples which was going into Fraunce was taken by the Italian souldiours a great number of their brauest men were slaine and amongst others the bastarde of Burbon a man of surpassing great valour The King himselfe hauing likewise lost all his plate and houshold stuffe was in extreme peril and had vndoubtedly bin taken had it not beene for the excellencie of his horse which was a cole black with one eye And although he gate the victorie and remained maister of the field yet were his losses verie great and farre surmounted the gaine he had gotten in that long and wearie voyage He was constrained to lie the night following in a simple cottage The distresse of the French King and all his great Lords were lodged round about him in the open fields who had nothing to eate nor any chaunge of apparell to put on So that they resolued to dislodge in the dead of the night and with al speed to recouer Ast. The French run out of Italie The Armie was sore afrighted and euery man coueted to bee in the Vauntgard supposing thereby to be furthest from daunger and nearest vnto places of safest retreate And thus marching forward in tumultuous maner with much ado got to Ast where they staied not long but went to Thurin and so to Lions The king was no sooner in France but all things went backewarde in Italie The great alteration in Italie all places reuolted and well was he that could first teare in peeces the Flower de Lis. Whosoeuer had beene friends before now became enemies and nothing was so hastily gayned but it was as speedily lost And the French Nation who not long before had beene the terror of the Turke the Pope the Emperor the Venetians and in a maner of al Europe were now in nothing more famous then in their dishonourable flight out of Italie leauing vnto posteritie a notable example of the chaunge and mutabilitie of these worldly affayres And as it vsually falleth out if fortune begin once to chaunge it neuer ceaseth vntill it haue throwne a man groueling to the ground so it fared with this king who began to decline a pace and to be crossed euerie day more then other His yong sonne the Duke of Orleance began to be desperately sicke and so continued languishing vntill at last he died wherewith his father was immesurably greeued The death of the yong D. of Orleanes and from that time forwards nothing thriued that he tooke in hand his friends forsooke him and his enemies dayly encreased and almost all matters stoode in verie bad tearmes Euill newes was brought from euery corner and the worst of all other was this death suddenly sendeth forth a messenger to summon him to appeare before him and to giue an account of his stewardship For as he was in a Gallerie at Ambois looking vpon such as played at tennis The sudden death of Charles the 8. King of France hee was suddenly stroken with an Apoplexie and liued not past some fiue or sixe houres after but yeelded vp the ghost 1497. hauing reigned fourteene yeares And albeit he were a very mightie Prince and had exceeding many goodly Castels beautifull houses and statly Pallaces and had conquered so many earledomes Marquesats Dukedoms and Kingdomes had made all Italie to stoope and bend at his becke had triumphed at Naples and atchieued so glorious a conquest and that so easily yea almost without drawing of his sword so that hee was now become one of the most redoubted worthies of the world yet did hee ende his dayes on the sudden and died in a verie miserable and beggerly place which sheweth the lamentable estate of all sorts and that the most mightie Potentates are subiect to a maruellous chaunge and alteration CHAP. III. Lewis the 12. King of France entreth Italy conquereth Millan taketh the Duke thereof prisoner He ioyneth with the Spanish King to conquer Naples who expelleth him and keepeth the kingdome for himselfe The battaile of Rauenna The Switzers driue the French out of Millan The death of King Lewis AFter the decease of Charles Lewis Duke of Orleance Lewis D. of Orleance K. of France and next heire to the Crowne succeeded in the kingdome who entituled himselfe king of Ierusalem Naples and Cicil and Duke of Millan intending to conquer the Dukedome and for that purpose prouided all things necessarie with all the speed that might be But by reason of the former kings expenses he foūd small store of treasure so that for to furnish himselfe he set to sale all the offices of France except such as were iudiciall a daungerous practice and none of the least occasion of that great confusion which afterwardes ensued Lewis D. of Millan forsaketh the French king Lewis Duke of Millan feared the Venetians more then the French and therfore ioyned with the Florentines to recouer Pisa But hee erred exceedingly herein for Lewis of Fraunce hauing made peace with other Princes bent all his forces agaynst Millan with whom also the Venetians ioyned in the ende Whereat the Duke was maruellously astonished and began to fortifie his owne territories so strongly as hee might But hee putting those in trust who were in most fauour and not such as had the greatest vertue and fidelitie too common a fault among great estates lost one thing after another and in a short space all things going backewarde Millan yeeldeth to the French hee was forced to forsake Millan and flie to the castell by reason the Citie was yeelded to the French Which ioyfull newes beeing brought vnto the King who was then at Lions hee determined forthwith to passe in person ouer the Alps The French K. goeth to Millan and being in Italy compounded with all the chiefe estates there and did in a maner whatsoeuer he listed The King hauing remained a while in the Duchie of Millan and taken such order for his affayres there as he liked best returned home leauing the Cardinall of Ambois for his Lieutenant in those quarters But he was no sooner
home to defende their owne territories Much confusion beganne nowe to growe among the Kings Souldiers and many of his mercenaries or hyred souldiers departed before the battaile beeing called home for the defence of theyr owne Countrey and the number which was least was farre lesse then indeed it was reported vnto the King so that the Emperialles spying theyr aduantage sette forwarde and with surpassing courage inuaded the Kings Campe in the dead of the night hauing couered their armour with whole shirts the better to discerne one another Their army was diuided into foure Battailons the first consisting of sixe thousand Almains Spaniards and Italians was led by the marquesse of Guasto a valiant yong Gentleman and of great towardnesse in the warres The second consisting wholy of Spaniards was conducted by the Marquesse of Pescara who commanded as principall in the army in the third and fourth battailes were the Dukes of Burbon and Lanoy who went as resolutely to the charge as any others The King being certified of their approch and hauing ordered his troups in as warlike manner as might bee deuised couragiously prepared himselfe for the encounter both armies were no sooner met The great valor of the King but the fight grew very terrible on both sides each partie doing his best for the glorie of their nation and for the obtaining of an entire victorie The King like a valiant captaine and noble souldier fought couragiously and forced the marquesse of Pescara to giue ground whereas hee being endangered to loose all sent to the Vizroy who had the leading of the formost battaile to come to his succors who vnderstanding in what danger the marquesse was furiously set on the Switzers who that day answered not the kings expectation breaking their array wholy defeated them in a moment Then appeared the misery of the French and the king himselfe was forthwith in imminent perill albeit he fought manfully and was seconded with a valiant troupe of French Nobilitie who did their vttermost for their owne securitie and honor of their country yet hauing the marquesse in his front and Antonio de Leua The King of France taken prisoner who was nowe issued out of Paua with al his forces on his backe after he had beene sore wearied and greeuously wounded both in the face and hand and had his horse killed vnder him hee was forced to yeelde to fiue common Souldiers which knew him not but shortly after the Viceroy passing by the king called vnto him and making himself knowne was with great reuerence receiued as Caesars prisoner Thus was the French king who not long before had beene in so flourishing estate commanding not onely ouer al France but also a great part of Italy being so mightie rich and puissant that hee was dreaded of all his neighbor princes subiected to a maruailous change and alteration The King of France sent prisoner into Spaine being made first a prisoner to common souldiers and conuaied from one place to another vntill at length he came into Spaine hauing left all his army to the mercie of their enemies who slew of them well neere to the number of 10000. and among them there perished twentie of the greatest of the French Nobilitie as Boniuet Chauany Monsieur de la palissa Tremoile Obigny and sundry others of especiall account The great slaughter of the french Nobilitie as Henry the king of Nauarre Renee the bastard of Sauoy Duke Memorancy Francis of Burbon Earle of Saint Paul Biron Imbercourt Floranges Colonell of the Switzers with a great number of especiall account were taken prisoners The Duke of Alanson escaped this bloudy conflict and recouered France with a mighty troupe of men of armes who serued for messengers of this wofull newes The emperials lost not past some 700. men and among them no man of any especiall account but onely Ferdinando Castriota the marquesse of Saint Angelo The Spaniards were maruailously enriched with this victorie for neuer had so few souldiers so great a bootie The gold siluer and precious moueables of the French Nobilitie were that day diuided among their enemies and euerie Spanish bisoneos seemed to walke in a world of wealth brauing it out in most superbious manner with the spoyles of the Flower de lis All Europe was mightily dismaied with the newes of this victorie and all estates beganne to grow iealous of the Emperials greatnesse The Venetians of all others thought themselues most neerely touched therewith The Pope the Venetians and other potentates make a league against the Emperour and therefore they offered to ioyne with the Pope and to hire a ten thousand Switzers to defende Italy against the Emperials hoping that the Lady Regent of France the Duke of Ferrara and many other Princes would ioyne with them against their common enimie In the meane time the King of France was as is alreadie declared transported into Spaine and sent vp into the Castle of Madrill This was no doubt a bitter receipt and a sharpe corrosiue to this magnanimous prince who had not been vsed to be confined in so narrow a roume but patience with hope was his best comfort for the Emperour would not see him much lesse minister any matter of consolation in that his wofull distresse neither yet did he seeme to shewe any externall signes of ioy for so glorious a victorie The moderation of Charles the fift he prohibited bonefires ringing of belles and such like accustomed solemnities saying that it might bee seemely to vse outwarde reioycings for victories against the Turks Sarrazins and other infidels but not against christian Princes The Emperours Councell were long before they could well tell what to do with this prisoner they beeing distracted into diuers opinions but in the ende it was fully concluded to make as great a gaine of him as might bee and therefore they earnestly pressed him to yeeld ouer all his claime and title to Burgondy Millan and Naples besides hee was bound to pay a huge summe of money for his ransome The agreemēt betweene the Emperor and the french King and to condiscend to sundrie other things and those so great that no man of iudgement thought hee would bee so good as his word Yet for assurance the King was contented to marry the Lady Elynor the Emperors sister and to grant that his two sons the Dolphin and the Duke of Orleance shuld be left in hostage for the better performance of the conditions Now was France brought to a lowe ebbe and the auncient splendor and glorie thereof mightily obscured yea that renowmed Kingdome which had beene alwaies accounted the parragon of all Europe and hadde beene a terror vnto the Romane monarchy sate as a desolate widow that had lost her husband in weeping wailing and great lamentation But shortly after this afflicted countrey began to bee recomforted and as it were reuiued after it had felt the pangs of death for the king being once set at libertie and gotten into France
sollicited other Princes as the Pope the king of England the Venetians and other states to ioyne with him and made a strong league and fell flat out with the emperour afresh notwithstanding all the promises which had beene made Then presently ensued new warres and all Europe was in a sort infected with this contagious humor Fortune which hadde so extreamely crossed the French designements began to be more fauourable and to beholde the king with a smiling countenance for the Lord Lautrech beeing sent into Italy tooke Bosco Genes Alexandria and Pauia from the emperour maruaylously aduauncing the French affaires The emperour beeing vexed at the heart with these newes complained greeuously of the king offering him the Combate The Emperour offereth the combate to the french King calling him forsworne and periured prince the King gaue him the lie and affirmed that hee would make it good vpon his body when and where he durst Thus did these mightie potentates fight a farre off with their tongues and their armies in Italy and other where sought to ruinate and ouerthrow each other by all possible meanes After many conflicts wherein sometime the emperials and sometime the French as it were alternatiuely had the better there was a peace concluded for tenne yeeres in which time the Emperour in very freendly and louing manner A peace betweene the Emperor and the French King passed through France to represse certaine tumultuous outrages committed in Flanders This peace beeing expired they fell again into new broyles but they were soone ended and nowe began France to bee scourged with the English who hauing gotten Bulloigne wasted their countrey round about The French king beeing very desirous to impale the English forces The death of Francis the first king of France and to keep them from forraging after their woonted manner raysed certaine forts round about in the most conuenient places but whilst hee was earnestly busied herein hee sodainely fell sicke and died 1546. at a place called Rambouillet hauing raigned 32. yeeres leauing his sonne to succeede him in all his territories and dominions CHAP. V. Henry the second maketh warre against the Emperour and taketh Metz and many other townes The Queene of Hungary inuadeth France The great army of the Emperour for the recouerie of Metz which was kept by the Duke of Guyse The Emperor raiseth his siege Teroanneis besieged by the Emperials The King raised a great power to withstand the Emperour The cruelty of the French in Henault The battaile of Reuty The King and the Emperour breake vp their armies Charles the fift yeeldeth ouer his empire Rome besieged and taken King Phillip of Spaine besiegeth Saint Quintins which he taketh after hee had ouerthrowne all the power of France The original of the Huguenots in France Callis besieged and takâ—n by the Guyse Count Egmond ouerthroweth Monsieur de Termes the Captaine of Callis Phillip King of Spaine marryeth the French Kings daughter At whose marriage the King of France is slaine by Montgommery HEnry the second of that name King of France Henry the second King of France was not onely heire of his fathers Kingdome but also of all royall vertues and princely qualities In the beginning of his raigne hee maintained the Scots against the English but at length a composition beeing made The king of France bendeth all his forces against the Emperor hee bent all his forces against the Emperour who at that time made warre against the Princes of Germany and hauing gathered a strong power wherein were 2500 french footmen 7000. Lansquenetes 1200. men of armes besides 2000. horsemen as many harquebuziers on horseback vnder the leading of the Duke of Aumaile ordaining the admirall Annebaut his Vizgerent in France Metz taken by the french commanded the Conestable to march before with the vauntgard who aduanced towards Metz. The towne was quickly yeelded vpon such composition as pleased the king and so became annexed to the crowne of France From thence the king went towardes Strasbourg where the French would gladly haue entred but the Citizens would in no wise permit them howbeit they offered what prouision they were able to spare but that would hardly satiâ—fie notwithstanding considering the Cittie was very strong and the people resolutely bent to defende themselues the King turned towardes Hoguenan and VVisbourg where the Embassadors of the emperiall princes met with him and desired him that he would enter no further into Germany with which message although the King was nothing well pleased yet he made a faire shew and seemed to take all things well and returned towards France The Queene of Hungary leuieth an army to inuade France The Queene of Hungary the Emperours sister vnderstanding of the retreat of the French deuised all the meanes that might bee to impeach them and to cut of as many as shee could catch at any aduantage and hauing leauied an army to the number of twelue thousand footmen three thousand horse vnder the leading of the Count Mansfeild and Martyn Vaurosh entered the faire fields of the Flower de Lys which they spoyled verie pittiously The King beeing aduertised heereof marched with all speede to releeue his distressed subiects but the emperials hearing of his resolution retired speedily whereupon the King began to cast about how he might conquere the Duchie of Luxembourg and hauing taken a Castle called Rock hee laide siege vnto Saint Iehan Solieure and Danuill all which were forthwith yeelded vnto the King Yuoy a place of great importance helde out for a time but in the ende it was gladde to hearken to a composition for albeit that the valiant Counte Mansfeild hadde put himselfe within the Towne and had fortified it very strongly with a resolution to defende it against all men yet by reason of the cowardlinesse of his Souldiers he was forced to yeeld to the Conestable and he with sundrie others of especiall account were carried prisoners to Paris Then ensued the taking of Momedy Luzembourg and the Dukedome of Bouillon by the mareschall of Sedan Cimets was likewise taken and the spoyle thereof giuen to the Souldiers Thus the French king prospered gaining many Townes Castles and strong holds from the Empire The French King breaketh vp his army without any resistance but his souldiers beeing wearied and diseased hee was forced to breake vp his campe and lay them in garrisons and to expect what course the Emperour would take to recouer his honour and to regaine his townes who by reason he was occupied in the warres with certaine of the Germaine princes could not hinder the French proceedings But he hauing with much ado compounded with Maurice and the rest of the Protestants employed all his counsels how to recouer that which the French king had taken from him and hauing perswaded with the Germaine potentates to aide and assist him in hs intended enterprise The preparation of the Emperour against the French king caused al his old bands which were in Italy as
assembling his army neere vnto Amiens and Piquenny vnder the leading of the Constable hee waited his oportunitie to be reuenged of his enemies who after the taking of Heyden spoyled the frontiers of Fraunce without pitie or mercie The French espying theyr aduauntage The French killeth seuen or eight hundred Emperials set vpon them on the suddaine and slue seuen or eight hundred and tooke the duke of Askot prisoner and almost fiue hundred others This losse somewhat abated the pride of the emperiall souldiours and encouraged the French to attempt greater matters for they presently marched towards Baupalme which was very well manned sufficiently appointed of all necessaries encamping before the town straitly enuironed it on al sides There were with the Constable the duks of Neuers of Vendosme Anguien Montpensier and the admiral Chastillon with their regiments amouÌ„ting to the nuÌ„ber of 8. or 9. thousand men the Rhingraue was collonel of the Lancequenets with whom was Reisberg This whâ—le â—â—my â—o sâ—â—d â—f 275â—◠〈◊〉 men and fiuâ— thousand hâ—rsmeâ— both which had also 4. regiments diuided into twenty ensignes being in the whole sum 12000. besides foure companies of Scots and two of English in all not past 1500. men The Nobilitie and Gentlemen made wel neare three thousand horse vnder the conduct of La Fayle Sansac was captaine of the light horse being in all two thousand reckoning the foure hundred English who were very valiant souldiers and of great courage Monsieur d' Esire was master of the Ordinance whereof there were in all about a hundred peeces This mighty army besieged Baupalme which place was as odious to the FreÌ„ch as Teroanne was to the Burgonians The Conestable vieweth Baupâ—lme but seeing the resolution of the defendaÌ„ts marcheth toward Câ—mbray The Constable taking with him 4000. horsmen and as many footmen first viewed the town aswell to see the countenance of those within as to make choise of a conuenient place to encampe in Hausimont was gouernor for the emperor a man of very great account hauing with him some twelue ensignes of footmen and foure hundred horse who vpon the approch of the French thundred from the towne with their great Ordinance and fallying forth at their gates skirmished very valiantly The French seeing the resolution of the defendants finding an exceeding want of water which could not by any meanes be supplied were enforced to depart to defer their siege vntil some other time hauing first spoiled and wasted all the country rouÌ„d about and so marched towards Cambray where hauing summoned the towne and seeing he could not be suffred to enter he fired the suburbs vsing all kind of hostilitie towards them tooke certaine litle castles and holds neer adioyning And albeit the emperor being certified of all this had commaunded the Prince of Piemont to aide those of Cambray and to relieue them by all possible meanes yet the French did in a maner what they listed and being maisters of the field helde the emperials verie short who for that they were not able to encounter them kept themselues within their strengths and would not bee drawne to aduenture their fortune vpon any occasion which was offered The king considering that the emperor did procrastinate seeking by delaies to spend the time vntil either the extremity of winter should approch or his soldiers be wearied with continual toile trauaile hauing wonderfully indomaged his enemies by sacking burning spoiling all the country ouer The K. breaketh vp his campe and braued the emperor at home at his own doores thinking he had sufficiently reuenged the former wrongs performed al things with great honor renowme resolued to break vp his army and to licence his nobles to depart and to recreat theÌ„selues after so long tedious trauail placing strong garrisons in sundry froÌ„tier towns the better to bridle the enemy if he should attempt any thing in his absence The emperor was not a little vexed with these French brauados and enuying the glory of the King sought for nothing so much as for reuenge wherfore casting about how he might best effect his desire he first compassed a mariage betweene Marie Queene of England and his sonne Philip King of Spaine The French King gathereth three new armies thereby to strengthen and fortifie himselfe the better agaynst Fraunce VVhich when King Henrie vnderstood he againe gathered his forces with all conuenient speede purposing indede to preuent the Emperour or at least to meete with him as soone as anie oportunitie serued His whole forces were diuided into three Armies the first which consisted of nine thousande footemen three hundred men of armes and six hundred light horse with as many harquebuziers on horseback was sent into Picardie vnder the leading of the prince de la Roch sur Yon. In the second were fiue and twentie ensignes of French footmen two regiments of Almaines with their Coronels the Rhingraue and Reisberg and fiue and twentie ensignes of Switzers foure hundred men of Armes and two thousand light horse ouer whom the Conestable was appointed generall The third army was led by the Duke of Neuers wherein were twentie ensignes of French footmen drawn out of the garrisons of Metz Verdune Thoule d' Anuille Yuoy and Momedie two regiments of the Count Rakendolph and of the Baron of Frontenay three hundred men of armes eight hundred light horse two hundred Pistoliers vnder the leading of the Prince of Conde The fortunate successe of the Kings armies These three armies entred the emperours dominions at three sundry places burning spoyling and making hauocke after a strange and cruell maner The Duke of Neuers tooke Ardennes Lincbante Villarcy besides many other strong Castels and well fortified places The Conestable marched towardes Auannes and caused it to be bruted that he would besiege it but vnderstanding that there was but a slender garrison in Mariambourg he secretly dispatched the Mareschall of Saint Andrew with the Switzers and certaine companies of the French footmen who approching on the suddaine enuironed the towne and kept those within from receyuing of anie newe supplie Wherewith they being greatlie terrifyed yeelded vnto the Conestable vpon the first summaunce From thence they passed foorth towarde Dinon where the Duke incorporating himselfe with an other strong power brought by the King layde siege to the Castle which for that it was verie strong would not condiscende to anie composition whereupon the batterie was planted and the walles were continually beate with thirtie Canons wherewith the French ouerthrowing the Towers Bulwarkes and whatsoeuer might serue for anie defence made a sufficient breach Certain Captains cassierd for their cowardlinesse and gaue a verie hote assaulte but they were repulsed by reason of the cowardlynesse of some leaders who therefore were presentlie cassierd and discharged of theyr places and pronounced villains to their perpetuall infamie and disgrace Yet those within being not able to holde out yelded at last to the kings mercy and
reigned 17. moneths to the exceeding grief of the Catholiks the great terror of the D. of Guise The horror of the Guises and the Cardinall his brother who had caried themselues so proudly and arrogantly during all the time of his reigne that they were extreemly hated of all that were of any vertuous and humble disposition and therefore were now maruellously afraid least they should endure some scourge for their former outragious doings and that horrible confusion which they had brought into the Common-wealth CHAP. VII Charles the ninth the French King the Prince of Conde set at libertie The discontentment of the Princes of the blood The King of Nauarre made the Kings Lieutenant The Conestable bandeth with the Guises The King of Nauarre forsaketh the Protestants The Triumuirat The murther at Vassie The beginning of the first ciuill warres The death of the King of Nauarre Dandelot bringeth forces out of Germanie for the succour of the Protestants The battell of Dreux Poltrot killeth the Duke of Guise Peace proclaimed FRancis the second was no sooner deceased and that Charles the ninth was come to the Crowne but all seemed to bee cast in a new mould especially the state of the Prince of Conde was incontinenly altered for whereas before hee was accused and condemned of high treason and should haue beene executed had not the malicious purposes of his enemies beene crossed by the sudden death of the King now he was cleared of all the former accusations and declared innocent of those pretended crimes and restored to his dignitie and place The Prince of Conde set at libertie The Guises his mortall enemies beganne in all submisse maner to seeke his fauour and neuer left the Queene mother vntill shee had accomplished theyr desyres which was the more readilie brought to passe for that they had caused the late King a day or two before to speake louingly vnto the King of Nauarre and to affirme that the Guises neuer attempted any thing eyther agaynst him or his brother the Prince of Conde but that whatsoeuer was done was at his commaundement and that contrarie to theyr counsaile and aduice hee had caused the saide Prince to bee imprisoned and therefore hee desired them for the loue they bare vnto him that they woulde not conceyue hardly agaynst them or anie of theirs Albeit Nauarre did not beleeue this yet as one loath to raise new stirs he was content to temporise dissemble the matter supposing in deed that now their pride was abated and that they would no more carrie themselues so hautily as they had done in times past But they no more able to change their natures then then the Leopard her spots still aspired to haue the gouernment in their hands and it seemed the Queene mother was well content to giue them some countenaunce fearing thaâ— if they should bee altogither kept vnder by the Princes of the blood her authoritie would likewise in short time be limited which was a thing that shee could not endure by any meanes Which being noted by the King of Nauarre hee complained to the Queene mother The King of Nauarre complaineth to the Queen mother of the Guise that those of Guise were againe too much fauored and that they had too great countenance being preferred before him who was the chiefest Prince of the blood and who by the ancient lawes ought to haue the gouernment of the Realme during the nonage of the King and that he could not endure to see them aduanced who had alwayes beene his mortall enemies And although he were contented to beare much in regard of the loue and dutie he bare vnto her The Princes of the blood depart from the Court greatly discontented yet there was no reason why his kindnesse should be so hardly requited And if it were he woulde not endure it and further if the duke of Guise were so neare about the King he must and would be further of The Queene mother sought to content Nauarre with faire wordes but yet she did not satisfie him as he desired and therefore the next day hee with most of the Princes of the blood the Conestable his sonnes and Nephewes of Chastillon departed from the Court towards Paris highly discontented with the Queenes answere The Queene mother who extreemely greeued to see this accident sent for the Conestable to come and speake with her to whom she caused the King to say and that in the presence of two Secretaries of estate The Conestable commanded by the King not to depart from Court who were readie to recorde what was spoken that seeing hee was the chiefe Officer of the Crowne and one of whose presence hee stoode in neede of at that instant he commanded him not to forsake him as he would answer it at his perill Which word tooke such place and made such an impression in the Conestables minde that albeit hee were often summoned by the King of Nauarre to stand to his promise yet he could not be drawne from the Court but kept him stil with the King wherupon it was presently voiced that the Queene mother maintained the Guises against the King of Nauarre and the rest of the Princes of the blood But least Nauarre and his associates should bee too much discontented with this crosse dealing it was thought good to practise some newe attonement betweene them and the Guises and to declare Nauarre the kings lieutenant generall throughout all his dominions The King of Nauarre made lieutenant generall for the king which was accomplished by the meanes of the Conestable so that now Nauarre was highly honoured and the Guises made Court vnto him This gaue some comfort vnto the persecuted Hugonots and caused all men to hope for some better gouernement then had beene of late time and the rather for that Nauarre tolde the Ambassadour of Denmark that within one yere he would cause the Gospel to be preached throughout all France It was a wonder to heare what ioy there was generally throughout the whole land and how exceedingly the number of the Protestants were encreased in a short tyme by this little countenaunce which was giuen them In somuch as they coulde hardly finde conuenient places to receiue the multitudes which flocked to the Sermons Now as there were many who vsed this benefit wisely and with great reuerence so there were others who indiscreetly abused it exceeding a meane and hastily running from one extremitie to another supposing they stoode vpon a better foundation then indeed they did began to vse too much libertie to eate flesh and that vpon such dayes as were forbidden to condemne festiuall dayes and many ceremoniall vsages to pul downe images and deface altars contrarie to that which had not long before beene expressely commaunded which was that the ordering of these things should bee referred either to a generall or nationall councell The Constable alienated from the Admirall by the practise of the Guise This boldnesse and rash dealing of many
Reisters disgaged him he had vndoubtedly fallen into their hands who loued him but a little While these bloudy broyles were continued betweene the aduantgards his exellency caused his maine battaile to dismarch the right wing whereof in which was the Duke of Aumaile and the marquesse of Baden with all his Reisters gaue in so farre afore the rest that the marquesse was there slaine The marquesse of Baden slaine and many others for companions of that mortall charge and Monsieur himselfe albeit hee marched full vppon the discouerie of the great Artillery made such haste that he left the Switzers vnder Collonell Phiffer and their generall Memie with the other battailon very farre behind which when the Protestants troupes discouered they casting themselues desperately into his esquadron breaking in euen hard to their Cornet made them that followed his excellencie to abandon the place notwithstanding al the deuoier of the Duke De Longauille Touannes Carnauallet Villars and others who indeuoured with all their might to repell the insisting confederates in a word this charge was so terrible that the most assured Ensignes beganne to turne head and had not the mareschall Cosse with his Switzers hasted apace the battaile had quickly beene at an ende Count Lodowicke seeing the Mareschall aduaunce thrust in verie lustily with his troupes of Almaines and French who sought it out most couragiously By this time had the Mareschall Biron rallyed diuerse dispersed troupes and with his owne which as yet remayned vnbroken and the Switzers went directly towardes the Lancequenets A great carnage among the Lancequenets but they beeing abandoned by their horsemen and shrewdly galled with the harquebuziers were exposed in a manner to the crueltie of the Switzers their ancient enemies who entring in as it were at the breach committed a wonderfull carnage and mortalitie among them Of foure thousand there escaped not past some two hundred or there aboutes And the same misfortune had fallen vpon three thousand Frenchmen which were arraunged with them had not Monsieur of a generous and noble nature contenting himselfe with the honour of so glorious a victorie commaunded to saue their liues And this was the end of this great battell where both the French men Almaines Italians Burgonians Switzars Flemings and Lancequenets had leysure to trie their valours at the full The Protestants lost at this encounter three thousand Lancequenets and a thousand fiue hundred Frenchmen The number that was slain on both sides There perished also of men of name Tauigny Pugreffier Dantricourt Biron brother to the Catholike and Saint Benet the ensigne of the Admirals companie La Noue and Acier were taken prisoners and their Reisters lost all their Wagons Of the Catholiques there perished some fiue or sixe hundred horsemen and twise so manie were grieuously hurt whereof the most part liued not long after The Count Reingraue the elder the Marques of Baden and Cleremont of Dauphinie were slaine The yong Reingraue the Earles of Issi and Santelle Italians with the Duke of Guise Scomberg Bassompcer and de Maille were sore wounded but afterwards recouered CHAP. XIII Saint Iean d'Angely besieged and taken by the Catholiks The king offreth a peace which is refused by the Protestants Monsieur de Bellegard is slaine THe losse of this battayle gaue a maruellous checke to the affayres of the Protestants A great alteration in the Protestants affayres who now were dryuen to forsake the Champaigne whereof they were maisters not long before and sundrie of their followers beganne to shrinke thinking that all had beene lost and manie good Townes which before fauoured their proceedings fell quite from them in deuotion and followed the good fortune of the victorious Catholiques So mutable and chaungeable are these earthly matters and are set in so fickle an estate and condition that one woulde thinke that euen God himselfe who guideth and gouerneth all with the eye of his prouidence were delighted with an alternatiue course and continuall chaunge in all things Albeit the affayres of the Protestants stoode but in a desperate estate yet lyke men of great courage wisedome and policie they woulde not shrinke from the cause but sought as it were to begin the game afresh and by all meanes to maintaine their honor and credits with al their associates And if it might be to repaire their losses or at the least to keepe that which remained in their possessions Wherupon they fortified sundry townes as Niort Angolesme Saint Iean d'Angely Rochell and others with assurance that the worst of these were sufficient to stay the Catholikes if they should happen to attempt them vntill they had gathered some new forces They also wrote letters into all quarters to assemble new troupes and left nothing vnattempted which might any way tend to the aduauncement of their affayres His excellencie following his good fortune tooke forthwith sundry good townes as Parthenay Niort Lusignen Fontenay and some others all places yeelding vnto him of theyr owne accorde so that hee neuer stayed his course vntill hee came before Saint Iean d'Angely S. Iean d'Angely besieged by the Catholiques whereof the Lorde Pilles was Gouernour And hauing summoned the Towne and they within returning an aunswere that lyked him not hee foorthwith planted his siege and placed his Cannon and with maruaylous furie plyed the batterie And for the greater terrour of the besieged the King the Queene mother the Cardinall of Lorraine The K. and Q. mother comme to the campe accompanied with a great troupe of Nobles and Gentlemen their attendants came to the Campe who were saluted with a thundering peale of Ordinaunce intermingled with sundrie vollies of small shotte besides many fireworkes and warrelike deuises as well to welcome their Maiesties as to daunt and dismay the besieged Protestants But they as men resolute to maintaine theyr lyues and libertyes encouraged each other valyauntlie to abyde the furie of the Catholiques and laboured day and night to repayre the breaches Yea they resolutely stoode to theyr tackeling and so Souldiourlyke bare themselues that after manie hote skirmishes and desperate assaultes beeing men of noble valour and commaunded by a generous and couragious Chieftaine S. Iean d'Angely yeelded vpon cōdition the King was content to take the towne vpon composition and to offer them honourable conditions promising them leaue to depart with bagge and baggage with their ensignes displayed and to bee safelie conducted whither soeuer they woulde But before the King coulde bring them to this passe 1570 hee had spent a long time lost the valiaunt Martigues Def fans one of the maisters of the Campe with manie other most singular and braue leaders and well neare tenne thousand common souldiours So that this siege gaue the Catholiques as shrewde a checke as that of Poictiers did the Protestants The King inclines to a peace The King beeing greatlie wearyed with these broyles beganne of his owne accorde to incline to a peace supposing in deede that those of the
thing in shewe highlie tending to the honour of the Prince and the establishing of a perpetuall peace and amitie with the Confederates The Prince of Conde was marryed to Marie de Cleues The prince of Conde marrieth the youngest daughter to the Duke of Neuers the Admirall with the daughter of the Count of Entremont in Sauoy The admiral marieth and the young Teligny with Lois of Colligny the Admirals daughter thus was there nothing but feasting banquetting singing reuelling and making of loue throughout all the partes of Fraunce The king seemed to stande highly contented with this peace and began dayly more and more to countenaunce the Protestants For hauing once perswaded the Queene of Nauarre to come to the court The Queene of Nauarre goeth to the Court. both he the Queene mother the Dukes of Aniou and Alenson the Kings brethren did intertaine her in most louing and friendly maner making her the best welcome that might be imagined Count Lodowicke brother to the Prince of Orenge who attended her was likewise verie honourably receyued by the King who promised him to ayde the Prince his brother agaynst the Spaniard and for that purpose had commaunded preparation to be made both by sea and land as though he had entended to begin the warres with all speede so that the King desired nothing more then to aduaunce the affayres of the Protestants The marriage of the yong Prince of Barne and the conquest of the lowe Countreys were the things that the King seemed to affect most And because the Admirall was a verie wise man an olde Souldiour the best experienced Captaine of all Fraunce and most skilfull in warlike affayres The King sent the Mareschall Cossy to Rochell to perswade with him to come to the Court and to assist his soueraigne in so honourable an enterprise the Admirall at the first was very vnwilling of himselfe and had dayly aduertisements to disswade him from that voyage The admiral goeth to the Court. But after many perswasions vsed by the Mareschall sundry friendly messages from the King and his fatall mishap as it were leading him thereunto he suffred himself to be gained and to be wooed by those who indeed loued him but a little He was no sooner come to Paris but the people flocked togither to see him His entertainment as to see a wonder The King receyued him with much kindnesse giuing him great honour calling him father at euerie worde And when the Admirall kneeled the King arose and tooke him vp protesting that he was the most welcome man liuing and that neuer any day was more ioiful vnto him then that wherein he did see the end of so many miseries and the beginning of peace and quietnesse for the whole lande And among manie other speaches hee chaunced to vtter these words Nowe we haue once gotten your companie you shal not depart from vs and this hee vttered with great laughter as a token of much ioy and delight The Queene mother his excellencie the Duke of Alenson and all the principall Courtiers welcomed him with farre greater honour then he expected and that which was more all these curtesies were accompanied with the great liberalitie of the Prince who gaue him an hundred thousand pounds in recompence of his losses sustained in the former wars besides the reuenues of the benefices which were belonging to his brother Odet the Cardinal of Chastillon who was lately deceased in England He was also admitted into the Kings priuie Councell His sonne in law Teligny was verie much honoured Cauagnes was made one of the maisters of the requests and to be short all the Admirals friends tasted of the kings liberalitie to the great contentment of the Protestants and the maruellous grudging of the Catholiques This honourable dealing gaue great hope of the continuance of the peace and the encrease of amitie amongest the French Nation in so much as the most rested secure reposing themselues in the faythfull promises of their prince yet manie suspected that all was but holy water of the Court and alluring baytes to catch the poore Protestants and afterwards to dispose of them as should be thought for their most aduauntage following said they herein the olde maxime in pollicie which is that where the skin of the Lion will not serue there it is best to put on the foxes coat The Queene of Nauarre was earnestly disswaded by sundry letters from many other friends from giuing her consent to the mariage The Admirall was likewise aduertised by secret messengers that in no wise he should go to Paris nor come within the reach of his enemies but all would not serue so desirous were they of the yong princes preferment so maruellously blinded at that instant But whilest the Queene of Nauarre was at Paris busied in prouiding for the mariage of her son she suddenly fell sicke and died the 10. of Iune The death of Ioan of Albret Queene of Nauarre 1572. to the great griefe of those of the reformed religion who exceedingly bewayled the death of so vertuous and constant a Lady and one that had beene a most noble maintainer of the truth all her dayes CHAP. XV. The Massacre at Paris THe sudden death of this Queene bred a sore suspition that she was poisoned and withal brought some delay the to mariage but at length all doubts being cleared both parties agreed the time appointed for the solemnising of the nuptials being come the yong King of Nauarre and the Lady Margaret were affianced with great solemnitie in our Lady Church in Paris by the Cardinall of Burbon the 18. of August 1572. in the presence of the King The mariage of the King of Nauarre the Queene mother the Duke of Aniou and Alenson the Prince of Conde with all the principal protestants The mariage ended there was nothing but banketting chearing tilting and all the deuises that might bee to please the eie and delight the eare to set forth all things in most royall and magnificent maner All old rancour and malice seemed to be buried in the pit of obliuion by reason of this new alliance which confirmed the hope of a most blessed peace in the time to come But in the middest of all this ioy and solace there fell out a sudden accident which astonished some and made others to bethinke themselues and to suspect the worst and that was this The admiral shot with an harquebuz Vpon the 22. of August as the Admirall was going from the Court toward his lodging hee was suddainlie shotte with a harquebuz out at a window of the house where Villemus who had beene schoole-maister to the Duke of Guise did vsually lodge and sore wounded with three Bullettes as hee was going a soft pace in the streete and reading a Supplication which had beene deliuered vnto him a little before One of the Bullets stroke off his fore finger and with the other hee was wounded in the left Arme. The Admirall
body through the streets hung vppe his dead carcase on a gibbet at Mountfaulcon and this was the lamentable ende of this noble Gentleman The great commendation of the Admirall who for his wisedome pollicie courage and constancie in the profession of Gods truth and maintenance of the same was one of the most excellent and famous men that euer was bred and brought vp in France The same day that the Admirall was hurt the king aduised his brother in law the king of Nauarre to cause some tenne or twelue of his trustiest friends to lodge neere him the better to defende him if the Duke of Guyse whom he tearmed a shrewd boy should happen to attempt any thing against him These Gentlemen and some others who were lodged in the king of Nauarres outer Chamber after the death of the Admirall and that they were disarmed by Nancy hauing their swords and daggers taken away were brought to the gate of the Louure and there were murthered before the kings face Then were the king of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde brought before the king The k ng of Nauâ—râ—e and the prince of Conde brought before the king who tolde them that hee would not suffer any more Religions in his Land then one and therefore if they loued their liues they must nowe become Catholikes and go to masse for hee meant not to beare with them any longer The king of Nauarre made a very submisse and humble answere but the Prince of Conde who was of more stout and couragious nature replying otherwise then the king expected was threatned with the losse of his head if hee relented not within three daies and so was sent to prison beeing first called obstinate seditious and rebellious traitor and the sonne of a rebellious traytor Nowe beganne the Courtiers with the kings guard who were appointed to massacre the Protestant Nobilitie to kill and murther all sorts in most outragious manner The Count Rochfaucont Count Rochfaucont so greatly beloued of Henry the second for his conceited and pleasant humour adorned with so many excellent graces and noble vertues fit for a perfect courtier was forced to yeelde vp his life to these mercilesse wretches who saluted him with this pittious godmorrow Teligny de Montreuill Teligny the Admirals sonne in Law and for his humble and milde spirit graced with a singular dexteritie in the mannaging of all publike affaires very deere vnto his Wife and prudent Father was seene of many but no man was so hardy as once to touch him vntill at last a stranger that knew him not ranne him thorow with a Rapier as hee was bewailing the death of so many braue men The Barron of Pardaillon The barrons Pardaillon the Barron of Pilles Pilles Soubize Soubize and Puuiant Puuiant all very famous and worthie men hauing beene commanders in Cheefe and well worthie for their rare vertues of better fortune were there murthered after a most disloyall and trecherous manner The marquesse of Reuell The marquesse of Reuell was hotly pursued as hee fled in his shirt towards the Riuer side and there was slaine by Bussy of Amboise his neere kinsman Monsieur the kings brother at the request of Archan the Captaine of his guard who was amorous of the Lady Chasteneray sent certaine souldiers to kill La Force her father in law who had thought that they had likewise slaine both her brethren but there was but one founde dead and the other beeing very sore wounded escaped by reason he was couered with the dead body of his Father where hee remained vntill the euening following and then secretly conueyed himselfe into the lodging of the Mareschall Biron his kinsman which when his sister Chasteneray vnderstood being sorrie that shee could not be heire as she earnestly desired she went to the Mareschals house fayning that shee was maruailously glad that her brother had so escaped desiring to see him that shee might comfort him but the mareschall smelling her intent would not bewray where hee was and by that meanes saued his life By this time was the signall giuen to such as commanded ouer the common people to make dispatch of the rest of the Protestants who beeing in a readinesse and encouraged by the Duke of Guyse Aumaile and Neuers slew euerie one that fell into their handes yea they so greedily thirsted after innocent bloud that in a short time they had made such a maruailous carnage and butcherie The carnage and butchery in the Citie that the streetes seemed to be paued with dead carcases and Carts were laden with the bodies of men women and children which were throwne into the Riuer death and desolation walked about in euerie corner of this Cittie and that in most gastly and greeuous manner to the extreme horror and dreade of euerie beholder There was nothing but weeping wayling and lamentation and a most wofull and fearefull crie throughout the whole Citie About the breake of the day the Duke of Guyse Neuers and Aumaile brethren in euill The Protestants in saint Germaines escape by flying away and the cheefest authors in that pittious tragedie went to awake sundrie of the Protestant Nobilitie who were lodged in the suburbs of Saint Germain as the Vidame of Chartres the Count of Mont-gommery the Lord of Fountenay Caumont Columbiers and many others who beeing aduertised of that which had happened supposed at the first that it had beene some vprore of the people and therefore purposed to haue gone to ayde the King fearing there had beene some danger towards his person but on the sodain they discouered 200. armed men and those of the kings guard who cried kill kill shooting at them and that in the kings sight who also as is reported took a harquebuz and swearing and blaspheming in most heathenish maner cried out shoot shoot The king helpeth to murther the Protestants Gods heart they flie they flie As those of the reformed Religion saw this they fled with all possible speede leauing whatsoeuer they had behinde them being pursued by those three Dukes before remembred The Bastard of Angolesme and diuers others who wounded some and had killed many had they not beene hindred by the negligence of the Porter who mistooke the keyes of the gates where they shoulde haue issued foorth was the occasion that the Protestants had some little time giuen them to prouide for their better securitie They were no sooner gone but the Switzers of the kings guard and sundrie courtiers spoyled their houses killing whomsoeuer they found cruelly murthering both man woman and child all that day being the 24. of August 1572. was spent in massacring rauishing sacking so that there perished by this turkish and barbarous villany aboue 10000. persons as well noble men as Gentlemen The number of Protestants slaine in Paris presidents of courts councellers aduocates schollers preachers phisitions proctors marchants artisans women maides and children All places were full of dead
carcases the thresholds gates and posts of the kings pallace were painted with the bloud of the slaine yea the chanels ouerflowed therwith and the water in the Riuer was turned into a red colour such and so horrible was the slaughter and butcherie which was made vpon the poore Hugonots The king the Queene mother the kings brethren with many Lords and Ladies of the Court went out in the euening to view the dead bodies and among others the Queene mother would needes see the nakednesse of Soubize The shamelesse fact of the Queene mother for that shee had beene enformed that hee was notable to get any children The king not satisfied with the slaughter of so many braue men within Paris sent letters to the Gouernours of all his principall Cities as Orleance Tours Meaux Angiers Bourges Tholoux Lyons and diuers others that they should likewise kill all the Protestants within their iurisdiction which commandement was forthwith put in execution and a most horrible slaughter followed in all places The number of protestants slaine in other places which bereaued aboue a hundred thousand of their liues within the territories of France in so much as that it was verily thought that all that were of the Religion were eyther slaine or else fled into forraine Countreyes CHAP. XVI Rochel holdeth out against the King The beginning of the fourth Ciuil warres The siege of Rochel The siege of Sancerre The Embassadors of Polonia come to the campe before Rochel Monsieur raiseth his siege WHo would not haue thought but that now the Gospel had bin vtterly extinguished in France that the Catholikes by this execrable deuise should haue attained to the full period of their desires no man of name remayning to make head against them or to crosse their fortune which nowe seemed so mightily to fauour their designes and indeede the king was verily perswaded that at this present he might haue accomplished whatsoeuer hee would and that not any durst haue shewed themselues to fauour the refourmed Religion The K. deceiued in his expectation Wherupon he wrote letters to sundry Protestant townes commanding them to receiue popish Garrisons and to liue after the Catholike manner but they vtterly refused to satisfie the king heerein and would not bee induced to condiscend vnto any such thing by all the perswasions that could bee vsed but fortified themselues as strongly as they could purposing to die rather then to yeeld and abiure their Religion The King partly by threatening and menacing the king of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde and partly by faire promises but especially by the wicked ministery of Rosier Rosier being a minister and of great credit with the Prince of Conde had recanted his Religion and by his perswasions causâ—d the Prince likewise to denie his who of late was become an apostate had caused them to abiure their Religion and to conforme themselues to the rites of the Romain church and thinking them to be fit instruments to gaine sundrie strong Townes who otherwise would not open their gates but by force of Cannon caused them to write their letters to such as hee thought meete and to vse all the seasons that might bee to draw them to his obedience by which deuise some relented and were content to follow the example of those great Princes seeing they had no hope to maintaine their cause hauing lost all their cheefetaines and principall commanders But Rochel Sancerre Montauban Nismes and some other held out standing vpon their guards and prouiding to fortifie themselues in all defensible manner that might be Many perswasions were vsed to gaine Rochel Rochel and sundrie other townes hold out against the King which of al other was the place of greatest importance and that which the king most desired as beeing the principall retreat of the Protestants Diuers messengers were sent thither who promised golden mountaines and Mareschall Biron indeuoured by all meanes to put himselfe within the Towne but they vtterly refused to accept of any other Gouernor then theyr Maior purposing to maintaine their Religion customes and liberties and that with the losse of their liues When the king was aduertised heereof and that he euidently perceiued that faire meanes would not preuaile hee resolued to besiege the Towne and by force of Armes to bring them vnder his obedience Whereuppon hee commanded Biron to gather a great armie to inuest the Rochelers with al speed who did not onely by themselues crosse the designements of the Catholikes but were the occasion that many other townes in Gascogne Languedock Quercy Poictou Auergne and Dauphony beganne to plucke vp their spirits and to oppose themselues against the kings proceedings The beginning of the fourth ciuill warres Besides the forces that the Mareschall brought by land there was a great nauie of shippes appoynted to keepe the seas and to stop vp the hauen that no victuall or other necessaries should be conueyed in by water nor any be suffered to go foorth to giue any aduertisements to their confederates All things being thus appointed in a readinesse both by sea and land Rochel besieged the Duke of Antou the Kings brother and his Lieutenant generall throughout all his dominions departed from Paris the tenth of Ianuary 1573. accompanied with the Duke of Alenson his brother the king of Nauarre the Prince of Conde the Duâ—e of Montpensier the Prince Dauphin his sonne the Duke of Longauille of Bouillon of Guyse of Aumaile and of Neuers the marquesse of Maine the mareschals of Cossy Retts and Biron the Count Rochfaucont Chauigny Mouluc La Valetta Mauleurier Pauâ—y Puygalliard Clermont Du Gas Cosseines with many other Lords knights and Gentlemen who no sooner arriued at the Campe but they were saluted with a thundring peale of great Ordenance and all the battailons of footmen stood readie arranged who likewise welcomed him with their whole vollyes of small shot to the high contentment of his excellencie Monsieur vnderstanding that there were a great number of very valiant and resolute men within the Towne who were all commanded by the noble and pollitike chiefetaine Monsieur de la Noue La Noue of whose wisedome courage and valour hee had often times before made good experiment thought it best to assay if with smooth words faire promises mingled with some threats he could induce the Rochelors The Rochelors would not trust the faire promises of Monsieur to submit themselues wholly vnder the Kings obedience assuring them if they would so do the king would deale most graciously with them and requite their loyalty with such fauor as they should haue good cause to hold themselues well contented but if on the contrarie they stubburnely refused to condiscend hereunto and like a rebellious rable wilfully reiect and vndutifully contemne so great grace offered by their soueraigne then they should looke for no fauour hereafter but for all the extremitie that might bee and that hee would not desist from persecuting them both with
the rest of their proceedings And hauing gotten sundry strong townes forts and castels into their handes they flatly refused those conditions of peace which the Rochellers had accepted fortifying themselues with a newe association and league began to annoy the Catholiks with open warre The mareschals of Memorancie and Cossy committed to prison The King being about this time incensed against the Mareschals of Memorancie and Cossy committed them to prison and suspecting the Mareschall Danuill to be of their confederacie depriued him of his Lieutenantship in Languedo ke and gaue it vnto the Prince Dauphin son to the Duke Montpencier Which when the Mareschall vnderstoode hee aranged himselfe with those of the Religion seizing vppon sundry strong townes as Montpellier Beucary Lunell and others Mareschal Danu â—l â—oyneth with the Protestants fortifying them with sufficient garrisons and all other necessaries There were also great numbers of the Catholikes who receyuing small fauour at the Kings hands neither were so rewarded for their seruices as they expected grew maleconts and seeing Monsieur the Kings brother was departed into Polonia they thought it now fit time to take their aduauntage and by leaguing themselues with the Protestants to reforme the policy of the land and to reclaim the king who said they was wholy misled by the wicked couÌ„sels of such as were strangers and enemies tothe Crowne of France They had also practised with the Duke of Alenson the Kings yongest brother to take part with them and found him not vnwilling to becom their leader and generall in this so hautie an enterprise And where as the Rochellers would not for a long time be drawne to ioyne with the rest of the Protestants Rochell ioyneth with the rest of the Protestants malecontents at last through the dexteritie and politike inducements of La Noue a man of great credit among them they were contented to bee embarked into that action and to prouide all necessaries for the maintenance of the future wars The Confederates hauing all things thus in a readinesse attended the departure of the Duke of Alenson The Duke of Alenson disswaded from going in the Protestants the King of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde from the Court and for their better safetie had sent some two hundred horse to Saint Germain in Lay but the King being made priuie hereof and his excellencie diuerted by La Moly the proceedings of the Protestants were mightily crossed for the time howbeit like men of courage and resolution they went forwards and openly inuaded the Catholiques both by sea and land Montgommerie who for a long while had beene in the I le of Gersey landed on the sudden in Normandie Montgommery landeth in Normandy ioyning with the Columbiers and incorporating himselfe with the Norman troupes made sharpe warre vpon the Papists getting many townes and fortresses which were very aduantagious for the Protestants Great preparation was made by the King to withstand these proceedings and proclamation was sent out into all parts to assemble the Bannes and Arierbannes and such was the diligence vsed herein that there was quickely gathered together a sufficient number to make two armyes which the King presently diuided sending the one into Poictou vnder the conduct of Montpencier against La Noue and the other vnder the leading of Mategnon into Bas Normandie agaynst the Count Mongommerie who preuayled mightily against the Catholiques seising vpon sundry their best townes and strongest holds and raunging euery where at his pleasure But at last the Count comming to Donfron was suddenly besieged by his enemies where he was taken prisoner being shamefully forsaken by his souldiers and so was led away to Paris and there had his head stroken off Montgommery taken beheaded the 26. of Iune to the great reioycing of the Parisians and the exceeding greefe of the Confederates CHAP. XVIII The King waxeth sicke Maketh a peace with his subiects Ordaineth the Queene mother Regent of France in the absence of the King of Polonia His death The end of the fourth ciuill warres The King waxeth sickly WHilest the Duke Montpencier besieged Fontenay the King who had now for a good while beene sickely and diseased began to waxe worse and worse insomuch as the Queene mother fearing that if he should die vpon the sudden there woulde be maruellous hurly burlies at court thought it best to sende for the Duke Duke Montpensier returneth to the Court. whom she comanded to repaire vnto the kings presence withall speed who thereupon brake vp his siege licensing his army to depart and he himself hasted to the Court. There he found a strange Metamorphosis for the king was now verie desirous to end the wars and to make a peace with the Protestants and would haue them fauoured and protected as well as his other subiects The king desirous to make peace with his subiects desiring and that verie instantly all sorts to put to their helping hands and to shew themselues furtherers of so laudable a worke Commaunding likewise his Lieutenants and gouernors in all his Dominions to cause his former Edicts to be diligently obserued to punish with all rigour and seueritie who soeuer refused to obey this his commaundement The Queene mother did likewise labour verie earnestly herein The end of the fourth ciuill warre and seemed desirous of nothing so much as to establish a peace and quietnesse throughout all Fraunce The King did still decay and death hasted his pace to ouertake him so that notwithstanding all the meanes that could bee imagined to escape so hote pursute yet there was no remedie but needes he must be arested and called to account for his former actions Which when with great perplexitie of minde and sorrow of heart he perceiued hauing ordained the Queene mother for Regent during the absence of the King of Polonia The Q. mother made Regent of Fraunce to whom the crowne of Fraunce as next heire did appertaine he yeelded vp his life the 30. of May at Bois de Vincens 1574. in the 13. yeare of his reigne and in the 24 of his age hauing bin the most bloodie and cruell Prince that euer did weare the French Diadem And as hee continually thirsted after the blood of the poore Protestants so did hee neuer cease vomiting and belching out of blood all the time of his sicknesse with most horrible swearing and blaspheming vntill his last gaspe after a most strange and fearful maner And this was the end of Charles of Valois and King of France The death of Charles the ninth King of France who beeing by nature wicked by education irreligious and by vngodly and wicked counsel easily drawne into all kinde of impious and barbarous actions began with iniustice continued with crueltie and ended in misery leauing that noble kingdome so torne and dismembred the Nobilitie so diuided and discontented and the communaltie so oppressed and impouerished that the whole state hauing lost the ancient splendor
and dignitie was mightily shaken and in a maner brought to a Chaos and confusion and hasted as it were a maine pace to a lamentable change and alteration CHAP. XIX Henry the third King of France and Polonia The Queene mother laboureth for peace which is concluded for three moneths The Prince of Conde goeth into Germany Lusignen dismanteled The King of Polonia stealeth away into France The first Ciu ll warres The Mareschall D'Anuill ioyneth with Protestants Cassimer commeth to the ayde of the Protestants The Duke of Alenson departeth malecontent from Court The ende of the first ciuill warres KIng Charles beeing dead and his brother Henry king of Polonia Henry the the King of France and Polonia declared heire to the Crowne during whose absence the Queene mother as is already sayde was proclaimed Regent the Catholikes beganne to insult more then euer before ouer the Protestants and to vse them in most outragious manner presuming vppon the accustomed good fortune of their new king and the resolute course of the Queene mother to roote out all those of the Religion and to expell them out of the territories of the Flower de Lis. The consideration whereof did maruailously dismay many of the Protestants and caused sundrie who inwardly fauoured their proceedings to plucke in their heades and keep themselues close and to expect what would bee the sequell of these newe occurrences There was great dissention at Rochell about these matters and long it was before they would fully determine what to do howbeit at length through the manifolde remonstrances of La Noue they fully resolued to continue the warres both by sea and land as they had doone in former times The Queene mother knowing that the best way to pacifie these tumults and to restraine the Confederates from any further proceeding in the warres was to vse them gently and by smoth words and faire promises to keepe them in vntill the comming of the new king sent the Abbot of Gadagny to Rochell with letters to La Noue The Queene mother writeth to La Noue in which among other things hee exhorted him to liue peaceably like a good subiect and not to vex the land with newe troubles in the absence of the king who peraduenture would bee reuenged thereof at his comming although shee knew that naturally hee was a very milde and mercifull Prince and one that would maintaine his subiects both of the one and the other Religion in peace and amitie so farre forth as possibly hee might had alreadie signified the same as well to her selfe and the principall officers of the Crowne as to sundry the greatest and cheefest Citties of the land These letters with sundrie perswasions vsed by the Abbot enduced the Rochelers to conclude a truce for three moneths The Rochelors conclude a peace for three monthâ— Mention was made before of the purpose of the Duke of Alenson and the king of Nauarre to depart the Court to ioyne with the Confederates which albeit they attempted not beeing diuerted there from by the councell of some of their friendes yet the late King had them in great ielousie and therefore kept them in a manner as prisoners setting spies to watch them and their actions and for that hee suspected the two Mareschalles of Memorancy and Cossy to bee of their confederacie hee imprisoned them in the Bastile within the Louure and discharged the Mareschall Danuill brother to Memorancy of his Lieutenantship in Languedock giuing it to the Prince Dauphin sonne to the Duke Montpencier and albeit the Prince of Conde Meru Thore the vicount of Turin Montagu and many others were secret fauourers of his excellency in this action yet for that they were not discouered the king suffered them to remaine at their libertie and sent the Prince of Conde into Picardy to looke to the gouernement of that Countrey The Prince of Conde sent into Picardy from whence he secretly conueyed himselfe into Germany who beeing aduertised of that which had passed at Court touching the Duke and the King of Nauarre and that there was a purpose to clap him vppe likewise secretly conuayed himselfe into Germany and forwith made profession of the Religion and so practised with the Princes and the rest of his friendes in that Countrey that hee leauied a great power of Reisters for the ayde of the French Protestants which when the Mareschall Danuill vnderstood hee beganne to drawe neere to those of the refourmed Religion then hee was accustomed to doo and finding many discontented pollitikes readie to ioyne with him resolued from that time forwarde to follow the matter with more earnestnesse and to further their cause all that euer hee might Henry of Burbon Prince of Conde accompanied with many of the Nobilitie of both Regions beeing at Heppenhem in Germanie and seriously busied in gathethering of forces to enter France for the releefe of his associats was enformed of all the Proceedings as well of the Protestants as of the Mareschall Danuill and the rest of the discontented pollitikes and vnderstanding that he was chosen generall ouer both sorts accepted thereof promising to employ all his credit power and authoritie to maintaine them against all their enemies vnder the obedience of Henry the third of that name King of Poland and of France Which when the Queene mother vnderstood shee thought it best to offer a treatie of peace and to holde all sorts in quietnesse vntill the comming of her Sonne out of Polonia whose presence shee supposed would bee a sufficient weapon to fight against all these practises and deuises Hereuppon she wrote letters to the Confederates and especially to the Rochelors to mooue them to embrace this negociation of peace whereby they themselues might liue in greater securitie The Queene mother moueth a peace and the whole Lande bee freed from ciuill and intestine warres They returned a dutifull answere desiring her maiestie to deale with the Prince of Conde who was elected the cheefe of the reformed Churches and to whome vnder the Kings obedience they hadde submitted themselues and in the meane while furnished their Citties with all necessaries for theyr better safetie With which answere the Queene mother beeing nothing well pleased sent the Duke Montpencier into Poictou with very great forces who hauing taken Maraus Noille Noue Charante and diuers other strong places planted his siege before Fontenay a Towne of very great importance which in the ende hee tooke by composition and so gained all base Poictou to the exceeding preiudice of the Confederates Hee likewise besieged Lusignen which beeing valiantly defended by the Lord of Fontenay held out for a long time yet yeelded at the last vppon reasonable conditions after it had beene besieged three moneths and twelue daies hauing lost some three and twentie Gentlemen and two hundred common souldiers Lusignen dismanteled the Catholikes spent seauen or eight thousande cannon shot and left some eight hundred of their men dead before the Towne to make satisfaction to
warres caused it to bee secretly spredde abroade among the people that hee was descended from Charlemaine and therefore had some right and title to the Crowne of Fraunce And as though hee meant one day to put in his clayme had so ordered the matter that great numbers of the Nobilitie and sundrie of the principall Citties of the lande were wholie at his deuotion but hee was cutte off in the middest of his hope as is alreadie sayde before Orleaunce and all his deuices came to naught sauing that he left behind him a sonne as hautie as aspiring and as ambitious as euer was the father Henrie duke of Guise his ambitious turbulent nature and one that attempted greater matters then euer did any of that line This man beeing growne into great credite with Charles the ninth and likewise with Henrie the thirde so aduaunced himselfe by their fauours that he gaue the lawe to Fraunce and did euery thing as he lysted And practising those rules which his father and vncle had left him was euermore deuising howe to trouble the state and to holde the King at continuall strife with his subiects as the readyest and speedyest way to compasse that which that factious and turbulent house had so greedily gaped after for these many yeares VVhereupon hee pondering with himselfe that if this late reconciliation which was made betweene the King and his subiects shoulde continue that the King of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde with their adherents and associates would quickely growe mightie and so with theyr power and authoritie easily ouerthrowe all his councelles and that in such sort as hee should neuer bee able to accomplish and fulfill his intended purpose thought it best and most expedient for his aduantages to beginne newe broyles and sturres and with a sixt ciuill warre to bring France againe into a Chaos and confusion The better to effect this and to lay as sure a foundation as might bee for so badde a buylding it was deuised that the Bishop of Paris and a certaine Aduocate called Dauid as craftie as wilie and as wicked a fellowe as anie lyued in those dayes shoulde bee sent to Rome The Bishop of Paris the aduocate Dauid sent to Rome to haue the direction of the Pope and his Cardinalles howe it were best to beginne and afterwards most circumspectlie to proccede and go forwardes in so hautie and weightie an enterprise There were many bitter complaints and sharpe accusations framed agaynst Henrie the third the French King against Monsieur his brother the king of Nauarre the Prince of Conde against the race of the Valoises the Burbons Accusations against the houses of Valois and Burbon all the princes of the blood and the auncient Nobilitie of Fraunce they were all either heretikes or fauourers of heretikes and by their late pacification entended the vtter subuersion of the holie Church of Rome There it was shewed to make the King and all his Princes the more odious howe the house of Capet had alwayes withstoode the Bishoppes of Rome and had in olde time maintained the Valdensis and Albigeons and nowe were either Hugonots or else great fauourers and abettors of them But on the contrarie that the house and lynage of Charlemaine which was wrongfully dispossessed of the Crowne had a speciall grace giuen them by the Papall benediction to support and helpe holie Church and that yet there were some of that ofspring left and those stoute maintainers of the Papall dignitie meaning those of Guise and such as had alwayes like notable Champions valiauntlie defended the Romaine fayth and therefore it was expedient nay most necessarie for the preseruation of the Catholike Religion to roote out the houses of Valois and Burbon and to restore the ofspring of Charlemaine which was endewed with all excellent vertues and throughly furnished with most notable gifts requisite for the execution of all commendable and honourable attempts The Councel holden at Rome for the rooting out of the blood Roiall of France And for the more speedie accomplishment hereof it was resolued that the Guises with their partakers should procure newe commotions in the lande and nourish the warres by all possible meanes that might bee That they should league the Nobililtie by oath to persecute the Gospel and to choose for their heade and principall of their league Henrie Duke of Guise whom the King shoulde bee counsayled to let alone and suffer him to proceede as he liked best seeing he was a man of that iudgement that knewe well enough what hee had to doo The Queene mother likewise should bee sent to perswade Monsiour her sonne to beat the assembly of the States which should bee holden at Blois Whither the king shoulde solicite the king of Nauarre and Prince of Conde to come by all the faire wordes that could be deuised And in the meane while there should be sundrie cunning fellowes and such as were most deuoted to the league sent abroad into the seueral prouinces who should secretly labour that such Deputies might be chosen as would further the designements of the Leaguers all that might be During which priuie practises the Friers and Iesuites shall incense the people agaynst the Hugonots by their seditious Sermōs The priests in their parish churches shal secretly take the names of all the able men for the warres and in their shriuings shall charge them to prouide them of all such weapons as shal be appoynted them by their captaines The States shal sweare to obserue and obey whatsoeuer shal be concluded And if Monsieur the king of Nauarre the prince of Conde and the rest of the princes of the blood do not appeare at the said assembly they shall be condemned as rebels and likewise all other that shal any way oppose themselues against the proceedings of the said States who shal sweare their obedience to the Sea of Rome and to obserue the Councell of Trent and withall a request shall be made to the king that if any man shall resist and refuse to giue his allowance thereto that he shall appoynt the Duke of Guise his generall and giue him authoritie to pursue him to the death who hauing so great forces shall cause them to be in a readinesse to march towarde Blois assoone as the assembly of the states is begun All things being thus contriued there shall be certaine commissioners chosen to enquier of the life and deedes of Monsieur and certaine iudges appoynted to condemne him for ioyning himselfe with the Heretikes and so his processe shal be drawene forthwith after the godly example of the king of Spaine who put to death Charles of Austrich his naturall sonne As soone as Monsieur is condemned then shall the forces march to strengthen the execution and shall set vpon all the Hugonots and put as many of them to the sworde as they can come by and the Duke of Guise beeing so strongly appoynted shall seyze vpon the persons of the King and Queene mother and by
departed but the Cittie began to reuolt and tooke part with their olde Duke Howbeit the Switzers in whom he reposed especiall confidence and by whose valour The D. of Millan taken prisoner hee verily perswaded himselfe hee shoulde bee able to maintaine his quarrell agaynst his enemyes betrayed him to the French who sent him prisoner to the King at Lions Then there was a maruellous concourse of people assembled to beholde this captiue Duke who not long before in fame dignitie and renowme had beene equall to anie Prince in Italie The King woulde not vouchsafe to see him but sent him to prison vnto the Castell of Locces The miserable end of the D. of Millan where hee continued for the space of tenne yeares and there in verie miserable manner ended his life And thus was this Noble Duke an other argument of the mutabilitie and chaunge of frowarde fortune Now was the French King wholy set vpon the conquest of Naples and least hee might any wayes bee hindered he thought it conuenient to procure Ferdinando King of Spaine to ioyne with him The French and Spanish Kings ioyne for the conquest of Naples who was easily drawne thereto and the better to countenaunce the matter pretended a title whereby hee would proue himselfe rightfull heire to the Neapolitan Crowne Ferdinando King of Naples beeing wonderfully dismayed heerewith yeelded vppon composition to the King of Fraunce and so his Kingdome was diuided betweene the French and Spanish Kings which two Princes could not long agree but falling at dissension betweene themselues there were manie sharpe bickerings the French still going by the woorst Monsieur de La Palissa and diuerse others were taken prisoners and Monsieur de Nemours was slaine by the Spaniardes vnder the leading of the great Consaluo who albeit there were a treatie of peace and an abstinence of warre concluded yet woulde hee take no knowledge thereof but proceeded still in the warres The Spaniniards driue the French out of Naples and so brought the whole Kingdome of Naples vnder the Spanish yoake Lewis of Fraunce hearing of all this was not a little greeued in his minde but there was no remedie but patience nor any wayes to doo any good but by force Wherevpon he sent newe armies into Italie with a purpose to repayre his former losses but a composition was made and all the warre beganne to bee diuerted towarde the Venetians who were brought to marueylous great extremities But by reason the Pope beganne to growe iealous of his owne hee forsooke the French and ioyned with the Venetians taking them into his protection The Pope taketh the Venetians into his protection Whereupon the French king thought it best to desist from any further proceedings and so entring league with the Pope returned hom Notwithstanding hee quickely smelling out the fetches of his late reconciled enemie ioyned againe with the Emperour and sendeth Monsieur de Chaumont into Italie with a strong power who with the Prince of Heâ—ault ouerthrew the Venetians and tooke Legnague Mountsilice and manie other places Not long after by reason of the death of Monsieur de Chaumont Gaston de Foix a valiaunt young Gentleman was sent into Italie to bee Generall ouer the French forces who hauing intelligence that the power of the Spaniardes was comming downe to succour Marke Anthonie de Colonna whom hee besieged in Rauenna fearing the irruption of those within the Towne brake vp his siege and withdrewe his forces three miles of towards the armie of his enemies with whom for that hee intended to fight he marshalled the troupes as followeth The vauntgard wherein was seuen hundred men of armes The battel of Rauenna besides the Almaines footmen was led by the Duke of Ferrara and the Seneschal of Normandy Neere vnto them were arraunged the footmen of the middle battaile which amounted to the number of eight thousande French vnder the conduct of Monsieur de Allegres The Rereward was composed of fiue hundred Italians ouer whom commaunded Frederick de Bosuolo This battailon was flanked both by the archers on horsebacke and by the light horsmen being in all three thousand Behind al these esquadrons which were so placed as they rather resembled a croysant or new Moone then any thing else were six hundred men of armes led by Seigneur de la Palaice and Cardinall Sanauerino Monsieur de Foix had made choyce of no peculiar charge for himselfe but taking out some durtie of the valiantest Gentlemen purposed to haue an eye to euerie place and to be ready to helpe where most neede was In this warlike maner he marched towardes his enemies whom he found strongly encamped by a Riuers side who being certified of the approach of the French had thus raunged their battailes In the vauntgarde were eight hundred men of Armes and sixe thousand footmen vnder the leading of Fabricio de Colonno high Constable of Naples In the middle battaile were sixe hundred men of Armes flanked with foure thousand footemen whose principall leader was the Viceroy himselfe and with him were the Marques of Palude and the Popes Legate called Iohn de Meâ—â—â— The Rerewarde was conducted by Caruaiall a Spaniard In which battaile were foure hundred men of Armes and foure thousand footemen The light horsemen commanded by Daualos the Marques of Pescara a very yong man but of passing great hope who guarded the right side of the footmen Peter de Nauarro the General of the Spanish footmen would not tie himselfe to any certaine place but determined to helpe where most neede required And in this order they expected the comming of their enemyes who by this time were aduaunced verie neare and the skirmish began to grow hote on both sides The fight continued long and manie were slaine but the Spanish troupes beeing maruaylously torne The Spaniards ouerthrowne at Rauenna by the French and scattered with the French Ordinaunce could not endure before the men of Armes of Fraunce For Fabritio de Colonna beeing taken by the Souldiours of the Duke of Ferrara the Viceroy and Caruaiall neuer staied any further tryall of theyr fortune but fled amaine leauing the Marques of Pescara and the Marques of Palude at the mercie of their enemies Although the horsemen were ouerthrowne yet the Spanish footemen fought valiauntly and with incredible fiercenesse maintained the battaile for a long time but being wearied in the ende and not able any longer to endure they began to giue ground Nauarro taken prisoner yet so as they rather seemed to retyre then to bee driuen out of the field which Nauarro beholding rather desyred to die then liue and therefore not departing out of the battaile hee suffered himselfe to be taken prisoner Gaston de Foix general of the French army slaine after he had gotten the victorie But when as Monsieur de Foix could not abide to see Spanish footemen to go away in such souldier-like maner with their rankes vnbroken hee in a great furie charged them
in the taile with a troupe of horsemen but beeing ouerthrowne from his horse was presently slaine with a Pike which was thrust into his side and so died most vnfortunately when hee had gotten a most glorious and honourable victorie The Lord Lautrech his cousin Germaine being hurt with aboue twentie wounds lay besydes him almost dead but beeing succoured in time was afterwards recouered The number that was slaine on both sides were well neare tenne thousand persons the thirde part of which were French men whose losse was farre the greater by reason of the death of Foix with whom the courage strength life and fiercenesse of that army was in a maner vtterly extinguished howbeit they entered Rauenna which they sacked and spoyled Rauenna sacked and spoyled and tooke sundrie other Cities raunging vp and downe at theyr owne pleasure But presently they began to be afflicted with newe crosses for the Switzers passing the Alpes and ioyning with the Venetians The Switzers expell the French out of Millan tooke Cremona and Bergamo and approching Millan Triultio being without hope to defende the Citie secretly stole away into Piemont and vpon the newes of his departure Parma Placentia Bologna and almost all Romagna returned to the Pope and Geane likewise reuolted from the French choosing Fregosa who had beene generall of the Venecian armie for their Duke Thus the French Kings affaires began to be quailed in Italy and by reason the king of England was nowe readie to enter France he was compelled to looke to the defence of his owne countrey The death of Lewis the twelfth king of France and to suffer the Switzers to take their pleasure in Millan But the French King reconciling himselfe with England married the Kings sister with whom he liued not three moneths but died at Paris 1514. after he had raigned seauenteene yeeres and was buried at Saint Denis CHAP. IIII. Francis the first King of France winneth Millan from the Emperor His great vertues he besiegeth Pauia and is taken prisoner He is sent into Spaine A league made against the Emperour The French King is deliuered and falleth out with the Emperour He dyeth at Rambouillet LEwis the twelfth was no sooner deceased Francis the first King of France but Francis Duke of Angolesme succeeded in the Kingdome who continuing the former quarrell for the Dukedome of Millan and kingdome of Naples left no stone vnroled to bring his desires to passe but forthwith there approched many impediments and sundrie blocks were cast in his way which maruailously altered his course extreamely crossed al his designements for the Emperour Maximilian growing aged and beeing wearie with the burthen of the Empire sent Embassadors to the Electors and to the Pope to desire them to choose Charles of Austriche and king of Spaine for their Emperour but the French king thinking him to be mightie inough already labored by all possible meanes to hinder that election Before that any thing could be accomplished Maximilian died The King of France laboreth to bee Emperour whereupon the French and Spanish kings became earnest competitors and each endeuored to win the Goale from other The French King was put in some hope by the faire promises of the marquesse of Brandenburge one of the electors howbeit in the ende Charles of Austriche was chosen which spited Francis to the heart Charles K. of Spaine chosen Emrour And now hee daily picked quarrels at the Emperour and at last fel flat out with him for being a Prince of great courage wise industrious rich and ambitious hee in a sort disdained that the yong king of Spaine should be preferred before him and therefore he presently hired Switzers who for money became his mercenaries and sent Monsieur de Lantrech to besiege Millan which was valiantly kept by Prospero Colonno The rumour whereof being spread beyond the Alps The great commendation of Francis the first caused Antonio de Leua to fortifie Pauia so that now all Italy began to bee in an vprore and the French kings comming was greatly feared for that hee was a Prince vniuersally furnished with all royall vertues and fit to enterprise great matters And vnderstanding that the Emperiall power had not onely expelled the French men out of the Duchie of Millan The great commendation of Francis the first but were entred France and by besieging of Marseiles in Prouence seemed to dare him within his owne dominions hee gathered a strong power and marched towardes his enemies with all speede who hearing of his comming brake vp their siege and hasted to Italy whom the king pursued so fast The King of France taketh Millan that the emperials were no sooner entred into Millan but that hee was hard at the gates where hee stayed not long but that the Cittie was yeelded vnto him the emperiall forces forsaking it and flying to Lody after a very tumultuous and disordered sort The King vsed the Citizens verie graciously and hauing somewhat reposed himselfe and refreshed his wearie troupes marched discreetely towardes Pauia The K. besiegeth Pauia wherein was Antonio de Leua with fiue thousand Lansquenets fiue hundred Spanish footmen with two cornets of horsemen The king encamped before the towne and besieged it very straightly the emperials beeing aduertised heereof gathered all theyr forces together and hauing an army wherein were seauen hundreth men of armes and as many horsemen a thousande Italian horsemen and aboue sixteene thousand footemen Spaniardes and Almans they sette forwarde from Lody with a full resolution to remooue the siege or to fight with the French and hazard all vpon a battaile The King was no sooner certified hereof but that sending for all his Captaines and men of war he fully determined to continue his siege and to expect the comming of his enemie whatsoeuer coulde bee alleaged to the contrarie often affirming that hee hadde rather dye then to stirre one foote before he had taken the Citie The emperiall Captaines beeing driuen into great necessitie for want of money and other necessaries and hauing much adoo to pacifie theyr souldiours The Emperials enuade the french Kings camp thought it best to vse expedition considering that it was impossible for them to continue long their men growing mutinous for want of pay and thereuppon as those that stoode in very desperate estate hasted to inuade the French who prepared with great courage to meete them they were exceedingly encouraged by the presence of theyr King who should bee an eye witnesse of theyr valour and prowesse The marquesse of Pescara with three thousande Spanish footemen assayled the French trenches where hee slew fiue hundreth men and poysoned three peeces of great ordinance This vnexpected accident dismaied many of the French souldiers and the rather for that the Admirall who carryed the cheefe sway in the Army next vnto the king was hurt in the thigh with a shotte and was carried to Placentia to bee cured of his wounds Sixe hundred Grisons were called
well Italians as Spaniards to repayre to him with all speede who with the troups of Lombardy and Piemont passed ouer the Alps and ioyned with the emperiall army which was assembled in Germany consisting of Bohemians Hungarians Polonians Almaines Wallounes Cleueners Flemmings The great army of the Emperour and Burgonians to the number of 50000. footmen and 20000. horsemen with incredible force of artillerie and all other warlike prouision The king of France vnderstanding of the resolution of the Emperour which was to recouer Metz and the rest of the townes The Duke of Guise sent to keepe Metz against the Emperor which had beene taken from the empire dispatched the duke of Guise a man of good experience in the wars with commaundement to put himselfe within the Towne to fortifie it and to furnish it with al necessarie prouision the better to endure the siege appointed the Rendeuous or place of assembly for the rest of his army at S. Michael a little towne in Lorraine where there met with him the Conestable the Duke of Neuers the Count Anguien the Prince of Conde the Prince of Contie the Prince of Aumaile the Vicont of Rhohan the Mareschall Saint Andrew Chastillon Collonell of all the French infanterie the Count Villiars The French Kings armie Bourdillon one of the Mareschals of the Campe the Rhinegraue and Reiroc with their Regiments of Launcequenets and many other noble Lordes and captaines In the whole there were some thirtie thousand footmen French Almains and Switzers and about seuen or eight thousand horsmen The Emperor being troubled with the gout lay long before he attempted any thing so that October was halfe past insomuch as the French King seeing the yeare so farre spent supposed that hee would doo nothing especially agaynst Metz which was a place of very great strength and plentifullie stored with all necessaries And the rather for that his principall captaines and chieftaines of greatest experience disswaded him all that might be from enterprising any further vntill some better oportunitie Notwithstanding the emperor would not hearken to their counsels nor be diuerted by any meanes but with all possible speede planted his armie before the towne in this maner following The Duke of Alua was sent before with the choisest of the emperiall armie The siege of Metz. who passing the riuer of Seille emcamped as neare the towne as he could and bestowed sundry of his forces in the strongest forts adioyning The Spanish companies were lodged at Saint Arnold and Saint Clement Certaine troupes of the Almaines were placed at a Bridge called Magny Don Lewis D' Auila captaine of the Spanish Horsemen was appoynted at the Hospitall The Seneschall of Morauia with the Bohemian Horsemen encamped at Blery and the rest at Ollerie Saint Preich and other places neare abouts All things beeing in a readinesse the emperials beganne to beate the Towne with their great Ordinance in verie furious sort and in all hostile maner to annoy the defendants The batterie continued long and yet the harme was but small neither could the breach be made sufficient for an assault Whereupon they remoued the Canon to another part of the Citie And falling to mining supposed to ouerthrow some peece of the wall with Gunpowder But the Duke of Guyse vnderstanding the drift of his enemyes caused countermynes to bee made wherein they had not trauailed long but they might heare the noyse and stirring of the Spaniardes and so were theyr deuises easily preuented This was no small discouragement to the Emperials seeing they preuailed not neyther by one meanes nor other Besides the season of the yeare grewe extreame colde insomuch as the Souldiours which lay in the fieldes The emperials weary of the siege were sore pinched and many dyed for want of necessaries so that all sortes beganne to waxe wearie of the siege and inwardly desired to be dismissed The Almaines themselues began to quaile yet as men that would win some honour they instantly craued of the Emperour that he would commaund a sufficient breach to be made and they would either enter or loose their liues for th y were not able to keepe the fiâ—ld any longer Then began he to before greeued foreseeing the miserable end that would ensue of that his rash and inconsiderate enterprise yet would he in no wise consent to raise his siege but with great perswasions animated his souldiours to persist promising that if he could not make a sufficient breach before the newe yeare he would breake vp his armie and licence euery man to depart This satisfied them for the time and made them to temporise expect their better fortune And to the ende they might all be assured of his great care to perfourme this he priuately commaunded the Duke of Alua to continue the mines with all diligence Which charge was so willingly accepted and so carefully performed that the pioners ceassed neither day nor night But the season of the yeare was so contrary and so repugnant that nothing could bee accomplished as was desired Besides the French who were in the Towne with their often sallying forth did exceedingly endomage them and slue many So that what with the colde The emperor resolueth to depart from Metz the 10. of December 1553. and extremitie of the winter and the couragious attempts of the French the Emperours army dayly diminished and yet nothing to the purpose performed Which when with intollerable sorrowe and vexation of spirit hee considered he resolued to depart And sending away his great Ordinaunce before with his other weightiest and most troublesome carriages himselfe followed with the rest of his armie which was so feeble and so weake with famine and sickenesse that they were scarce able to go The Duke of Neuers was left by the King to attende the Emperour and to watch him at euerie turne VVho carefully executing his masters commaundement followed the emperials in the taile and cut off sundrie as they strayed from the grosse of the armie The miserable estate of the emperiall army at their departure from Metz. Chastellon Lieutenant to Captaine Bourdillon was sent to discouer and to bring some certaintie of the emperors retreate Who coming to Pont Camonson found that the Count Egmond with his regiment was departed and had left behinde him a most pitifull spectacle of maimed and diseased persons From thence hee passed on towards Metz. But the Duke of Alua and Brabancon were departed with a great part of the army dislodging in a very strange and disordered maner without souÌ„d of drum leauing many of their tents with sundry barels of powder much warlike prouision behind them besids an incredible multitude of lame sicke diseased and impotent persons as testimonies of their hard fortune The French king being certified by the duke of Guise of all that had passed was exceeding ioyfull and seemed to triumph ouer the emperor who being a Prince that could not well brooke any indignity fought still to bee reuenged
Wherupō assembling a new army as soone as the time of the yeare permitted he besiged Teroanne The emperor purposeth to besiege Teroanne which Pauuilliers is commaunded to defend Which the K. vnderstanding commanded Pauuilliers to leuie what forces he thought conuenient and to keep it from the enemy Wherupon Francis Memorancy eldest son of the Constable accompanied with many valiant captaines and gentlemen of good qualitie his followers repaired to Teroanne purposing by their heroycall and noble acts to win themselues honour and renowme The towne being defended with so strong a garrison and sufficiently prouided of all necessaries was thought to bee tenable agaynst the strongest enemie that was and therfore the emperials were suffred to do what they listed Who endeuouring to effect some notable exploit laboured night and day and made their approches without any empeachment placing their batterie vpon a little mount from whence they might annoy the defendants at their pleasure They had brought with them all warlike prouision as powder shot and all sorts of great and small Ordinance from sundry townes and castels of Flanders For this place was so odious vnto all that inhabited neare vnto it that as soone as it was besieged not onely the women and little children ranne thither to behold so gladsome a sight but in token of their ioies they sung songs with dauncing and leaping and brought into the campe corne beere bread sheepe and beeues in great abundance Their battery being once planted The furious batterie of Teroanne they began to beat the towne in such furious sort that the besieged were exceedingly endaungered no place being free from iminent perill Notwithstanding like men of valour and courage they resolutely defended themselues often issuing forth and fighting with the emperials in their trenches killed many of them poisoning some of their great Ordinance drew other some into the towne in despite of their enemies And albeit the emperials were much endomaged herewith yet were they so readily relieued from other places and all their wants so diligently supplied that they easily amended as much in a day as the French had marred in a week So that wanting nothing that might either helpe themselues or hurt their enemies they ceased neither day nor night but thundring continually with the Canon beat downe the walles and ouethrew the Towers and Bulwarks leauing nothing in a maner vnder which the besieged might shroud themselues The courage of the besieged Howbeit they labored continually to repaire the breaches and as men desperate and carelesse of their owne securitie they would be most busie where the Canon was most furious bringing earth dung fagots and such like necessarie matter for defence Which continuall trauell did maruellously weaken the defendants and by reason they were no great number they were forced to be both souldiors and pioners to watch in the night and fight in the day alwayes in action without ceasing or intermission In the midst of these great extremities there entred into the towne one called captaine Greille with a hundred Carabins Captaine Greille entreth Teroanne with 100. Carabins Who forcing the enemies Corps degard with the losse of a fewe of his men was readily receiued by the French who attended his comming with great deuotion The assailants were nothing discouraged herewith but plied their batterie more hotely then before shooting for the space of ten dayes togither And hauing beaten downe all their flankers and other places of defence and therwithall made a reasonable breach of sixtie paces in breadth prepared to giue an assault Collonell which the French resolued to abide Then stroke vp the drums the trumpets soūded the ensignes were displaied the emperials marched on with crying showting and after their maner making a terrible noyse approching the breach striued to enter with maruellous furie The French on the other side valiantly resisted and with equall courage defended themselues The emperials are repulsed The fight continued long and many were slaine on either side But in the ende the emperial captains seeing the great mortality of their men caused them to retire hauing lost many of their brauest and most forward souldiors The King of Fraunce vnderstanding of the noble valour of his men albeit hee feared not the losse of the towne yet the more to animate them hee sent a new supplie of three hundred Breuit and S. Romain enter Teroanne with 300 fresh souldiers vnder the leading of Captaine Breuit and Saint Romain who with great hazard and perill gat into the Towne They without still continued their siege and what with raysing forts without and with vndermining within the ground they endomaged the besieged more thē before And hauing after much ado enlarged the breach and made the ascent so easie that a man of Armes might passe out and in at pleasure they cryed to a newe assault The French beeng greatly dismayed herewith and knowing they wanted all necessaryes to defende themselues anie longer demaunded a parlee Teroanne surprised by the emperials whilest the French are talking of a composition whereto the emperials yeelded But whilest they were talking the Almaines and Burgonians entered in sundrie places and the Spaniardes approached the great breach And so was the Towne taken without anie resistaunce The Almaines and Burgonians enraged agaynst the poore French committed manie barbarous factes and straunge cruelties killing and murthering whō soeuer fel into their hands Francis Memorancie hardly scaped and was led prisoner to Binecour lieutenant to the emperor Martigues Dampier de Losses Bandiment Baylet Saint Roman and sundry other great captains yeelded themselues to such as would take them The towne was sacked and spoiled whatsoeuer was worth any thing Teroanne is dismanteled was caried away by the emperials the emperor commanded it should be dismanteled and the houses fired so that in short time it was vtterly spoiled and defaced When as the French King vnderstood of this losse he was wonderfully greeued and fearing least the emperor who was on the other side as ioifull for the good newes would follow his fortune The French K. gathereth a great power to resist the Emperor Hedyn besieged and won by the Emperials and besiege Hedyn he gathered a strong power of French and Switzers and made all things ready with as great celeritie as might be to stop the enemies proceedings if need required but it was so long before his troupes could be assembled that the emperials vnder the leading of the Prince of Piemont were gotten before the towne which they straightly besieged battered on all sides And for that it was not very well fortified it was quickly gained There were slaine on the French part Horatius Farnelius duke of Castres Martigues Monuille Cizieux Lusignan Dampier and diuerse other captains and commaunders The duke of Bouillon Riou the Count Villars with the baron of Culan were taken prisoners The King was more and more inwardly vexed to see himselfe thus thwarted Wherfore
suffred the French to enter peaceably As these two armies conquered wheresoeuer they became and grew verie famous for their noble exploits so did the Prince de la Roch sur Yon with his forces prosper exceedingly and was verie terrible to the emperials by winning of townes castels and strong holds and by burning and defacing all things without pitie or mercie The Emperor rayseth a great power The emperour being at Brussels and hearing of the proceeding of the French raised a great power ouer which hee made Generall his Nephew the Duke of Sauoy who suspecting that the French King would besiege Namure put himselfe in the way betweene the towne and the King in a very strong and wel fortified place purposing to diuert the enemy if possibly he might which indeede was the cause that the King turned towards Henault The crueltie of the French in Henault where the French entred with such fury that they put all to fire and sword sparing neither man woman nor childe to the vnspeakeable horror of the inhabitants who fled on all sides from this violent and outragious tempest The duke of Sauoy followed them at the heeles and endamaged them so much as might be but could not effect any great matter for the French king still marched forwarde into the Countrey and tooke the most delectable and pleasant Castle called Marymont Marymont taken and spoyled by the french which was a house of pleasure and belonged to the Emperours Sister Mary Queene of Hungary The King commanded it should be rased and vtterly defaced in a reuenge of the displeasure she had done him in burning of his Castles of Foulembray Tragny Baines Reux and Bauet besides many other places were taken by the French to the vtter vndooing of many thousandes of the poore inhabitants Whilst these broyles continued thus hotly betweene the emperials and the French the marriage betweene Phillip of Spaine and Queene Mary of England The marriage of Phillip king of Spaine with Marie Queene of England was agreed vppon and immediatly after hee arriued in England very nobly accompanied with the Duke of Alua the Counts de Padille Rigomes Egmond the Admirall of Castill the marquesse de Languillare and many other great estates The King of France seeing well inough to what ende all this tended thought it best to stand vpon his guard and to haue all things in a readinesse and therefore hee reuiewed his armies mustered new Souldiers gathered mony and all other necessaries drawing his forces towards those parts that hee most suspected should be inuaded and surprising many Castles and strong holds The battaile of Reuty continued his course without any interruption vntil hee came before Reuty which for that it was a place of very great importance hee determined to winne it and the emperour resolued to keepe it The French hauing planted their siege had so bet the towne that a conuenient breach was made and they readie to giue an assault which when the emperour vnderstood hee made all possible speed to releeue thē purposing rather to hazard his fortune then to suffer the French to haue their willes wherefore hauing chosen out foure thousande of his best shot with a conuenient number of pikes to backe them and about foure thousand horsemen besides foure field peeces hee commanded them to march towards a wood which was neere adioyning which he coueted to take if possibly he might The whole cauallery was ledde by the Duke of Sauoy and the harquebuziers by Don Fernando de Gonzaga There marched also a battailon of Almaines along by the wood side vnder the conduct of Count Iohn of Nassau the mareschall of Cleue which was flanked with a great Hot or squadron of Reisters to the number of two thousand horse vnder the leading of the count Vuluenfort The vaine brag of count Vuluenfort who had promised the emperour to march vppon the bellies of the French Cauallery and to trample them vnder his feete at whose backe were some thousand two hundred light horse with other foure field peeces These harquebuziers were no sooner entred the wood but they encountred foure hundred French shot betweene whom and the emperials there beganne a very hot and furious skirmish The Duke of Guyse who had taken vppon him to keepe that quarter seeing with what courage the emperials maintained the fight supposed they were wel backed whereupon hee presently sent word to the King that he imagined the emperor was comming with all his forces and that there was great likelihood of a battaile as that day vppon which aduertisement the king forthwith arranged his troups in as warlike manner as he might sent word to the Guyse that if oportunitie serued hee should accept of the iourney and hee would be readie to assist him Then began the Duke of Guyse to encourage his souldiers and to animate them with the best words he could deuise and putting himselfe in the front of his Regiment waited his best oportunitie to assaile his enemie In the meane while the Conestable passed ouer a little riuer with certaine companyes on foote and the whole battaile of the Switzers who were wonderfully encouraged with the presence of the King that had promised to liue and die with them By this time the Emperials were so farre aduaunced that they had beaten the foure hundred shot out of the wood The french charge the Emperials and appeared ful in the face of the formost battailon of the French and beeing fauoured by theyr Reisters approched within two hundred paces of the Duke who presently commanded to charge them Whereupon the Duke of Nemours with his Regiment of light horse sette vppon the Reisters in the front and sent Forges the guydon of his companie and Tauannes to assaile them in the Flanke So there ensued a hote and furious combate but in the ende the French were repulsed with the losse of many braue mē With which happy successe the emperials were wonderfully encouraged perswading themselues that they had gotten an entire victory Count Vuluenfort ouerthrowne But the Duke of Guyse and Tauannes calling their troups and ioyning with the Duke D' Aumale and the whole cauallery of light horse charged the Emperials afresh and that with such furie that the Count Vuluenfort was wholy defeated and his Pistoliers quite ouerthrowne who while they hasted to saue themselues ranne vppon the battaile of their Almaines who by that meanes were exceedingly disordered so that the Duke of Neuers who was placed with his Regiment towards Reuty espying a passage laid open entred as it were at the breach vpon the Spanish shot and with such resolution followed his point that he defeated them in a moment driuing them to run towards the wood to saue themselues There were taken seauenteene ensignes fiue Cornets and foure field peeces The French pursued their victorie and slew to the number of some sixe or seauen hundred of these runnawaies chasing them hard to their trenches Thus did fortune
still fauour the French kings proceeding and crossed the Emperor almost in all his enterprises After this victorie the Emperour would no more be drawen to fight but kept himselfe with all his forces emparked within his strength which the French king perceiuing hee determined to retire towards Monterell to refresh his wearie armie leauing Reuty as a thing that would not bee gotten in haste where he staied not long but remooued towards Champeigne The king and the Emperor dissolue their armies and hauing fortified Bouloin and sundrie other frontier Townes brake vp his Armie and licensed euerie man to depart but this was no sooner knowne to the Emperour but hee taking the oportunitie sent his forces to spoyle the frontiers of France where there was made a pittious spoyle in a short time At length the Emperour likewise dissolued his troups and stuffing his Townes with strong garrisons thought it best to expect some better oportunitie to accomplish his desires Winter was no sooner past but that the French king who was somewhat puffed vp with his former victories and finding himselfe greeued with newe iniuries made great preparation for newe broyles and for more bloudy wars then before The Emperour and the French K. would not be reconciled and vnderstanding that the confines of France were sore anoyed with the Emperiall garrisons sent Mareschall Saint Andrew and Bourdillon with a conuenient number to stop the course of the insolent enemie and to enterprise further as occasion should bee offered And albeit there was great meanes made to reconcile these two mightie potentates yet nothing could bee effected for the french King required Naples Millan Burgundy Piemont Nauarre and many other places and the Emperour would part with nothing so that the treatie being broken off warre presently ensued for the Emperour hauing a power in a readinesse vnder the leading of Martin Ronsare the bastard of Cleue inuaded the territories belonging to the Flower de Lis burning spoyling and wasting in most outragious manner but this stormie tempest continued not long for the emperials began to fal sick of many diseases and to want victuals so that they were forced to retire hauing lost their generall and many others of especiall account Thus did the Emperour stande still in fortunes disgrace and nothing seemed to prosper that he tooke in hand vntill mid August following that shee began to returne her fauour towardes him by giuing him as it were some good words after so many sharpe and bitter checks At which time Hansimont gouernour of Baupalme Hansimont ouerthroweth the French and taketh their generall prisoner vnderstanding that a great power of the French were entred into his maisters territorie vnder the leading of La Faille setting vppon them on the sodaine slewe many of them and tooke La Faille prisoner with sundrie other of good account in somuch as the emperials bosted that they hadde taken the French Nobilitie in grosse and not by retaile and that they neuer wayed them but tooke them vpon their words While the emperor and the king were thus busied in the frontiers of Picardy their armies vnder the leading of the mareschall Brissack and the Duke of Alua sought to anoy each other in Piemont Casal surprised by Captayne Saluoyson Captaine Saluoyson surprised Casal in the dead of the night being one of the strongest and best fortified places in all those quarters wherein were taken Figuerot gouernor of the Towne and the Count Ladron general of the Almaines and maruailous store of all necessarie prouision for the warres Monsieur de Termes preuailed mightily in Italy and ouerthrew the emperials at Senes with great slaughter and mortalitie but he being called home Strozzi was appoynted Leiutenant in his place Strozzi ouerthrowne by the Emperials who fighting with the emperialles was wholy defeated and Clermont Moulbazon Blaise with the Collonels of the Switzers were slain with sundry others to the number of three hundred and fiue hundred were taken prisoners Thus fortune seemed to play with these two mightie Princes and to sport her selfe in the interchangeable fauour which shee bestowed vppon their armies vntill winter approching they were forced to forsake the field and draw their souldiers into garrisons expecting the spring of the yeere to make an end of their bitter contentions But the emperor now growing sickly and weake and waxing wearie with tossing and tumbling in these worldly affaires considering the variable change and mutabilitie to which they were subiect yeelded vp his kingdome of Spaine Charles the fift yeeldeth ouer his empire and betaketh himselfe to a monastery and all other his dominions and that absolutely vnto his sonne Phillip and spent the rest of his daies in a monastery which he had builded for that purpose Phillip King of Spaine being somewhat terrified with the rumor of the comming of the Turke and partly solicited by his wife who was loath to haue him encombered with the warres was contented to hearken to a peace which the French king refused not whereupon after long debating on either side a league was concluded for fiue yeeres but it could not bee kept halfe the time for the Pope and his Cardinals falling at discention and the Spanish king taking part with the one and the French king with the other the warres beganne againe afresh in Itâ—ly betweene these two late reconciled enemies The Pope besieged by the Spanish forces The Duke of Alua was sent against the triple Crowne of Rome who with the ayde of the Duke of Florence tooke many Castles and holds belonging to the Pope whom they besieged within Saint Angelo The Duke of Guâ—se though contrarie to the Counsel of Ann de Memorancy and his Cousins Olet and Iaspar Coligny called Chastillon was sent to raise the siege who accompanied with the Dukes of Aumaille and D' Elbenfe his brothers The Duke of Guyse sent to raise the siege the Duke of Nemours the count D' Eu the Vidame of Chartres and sundrie other great Captains marched forwarde with all possible speede purposing to releeue the distressed Pope who was well neere famished in Rome While the Duke was hasting on his way mareschall Strozzi tooke Ostia with a Castle neere adioyning belonging to the Spaniardes and likewise Vico Valerio which was sacked and the spoyle giuen to the Souldiers As soone as the Duke of Alua and the marquesse of Pescara the two cheefe commaunders of the Spanish forces The siege is raised and the Pope set at liberty vnderstood of the approch of the French they forthwith left Rome and retired the one towards Naples and the other towards Millan so that nowe the Pope was almost set at libertie againe sauing that the Duke of Florence did somewhat restrayne him but hee fearing least hee should draw all the warre vppon himselfe was willing to compounde with the French who were now growne strong in Italy prospered maruailously but many thought it would not be long for that the Spanish king
made verie great preparation both to with stande the French abroade and also for to finde them occupied at home and the rather because a third armie vnder the leading of their Admirall Chastillon gouernor of Picardy inuaded Artâ—oise wasting and spoyling the Countrey exceedingly Thus was the league which was so solemnly sworne and so necessary for all Christendome broken againe by the sinister counsels of the Guyse and the warres beganne afresh betweene these two mightie Princes King Phillip prepareth a great army to besiege S. Quintines King Phillip being highly discontented with the French King for so many iniuries and indignities offered hauing gathered a great army wherein was thirtie fiue thousand footmen and twelue thousand horse besides some eight thousand English vnder the leading of the Earle of Penbrooke purposed to besiege Saint Quintines in Vermandoise Chastillon putteth himselfe within S. Quintins which the Admirall Chastillon suspecting putte himselfe within the Towne with such power as hee hadde in a readinesse and fortified it as strongly as he could the French king likewise prepared to withstande the Spanish inuasion and hauing prouided an hoste consisting of eighteene thousande footmen Almaines and French The Conestable sent to releeue Saint Quintins and some fiue or sixe thousand horse sent the Conestable of France to front the enemie and to keepe him from entring into the fat fieldes of the Flower de Lis. But before this power could bee in a readinesse the prince of Piemont generall of the Spanish forces hadde inuested Saint Quinsines Saint Quintins besieged and planted his siege before the Towne which he watched so narrowly that it was impossible for any succours to enter without apparant daunger The Conestable notwithstanding espying a conuenient time conuayed certaine troups of footmen and horsemen into the Towne vnder the fauour of a skirmish maintained by the Duke of Neuers and the Prince of Condy The Conestable of France releeueth Saint Quintins and retireth which beeing performed hee beganne to retyre as not willing to hazard his fortune at that present which at the first was not discerned by the Spanish But after that the victuallers and pages of the French Campe perceiued the retrait of theyr Armie and howe farre they were engaged they beganne to runne after in great haste and with theyr yelling and crying gaue such euident proofe to the enemie of their exceeding feare so that the Count Egmond Count Egmond chargeth the Conestable who first discouered the French dismarch hauing aduertised the prince commaunded the trumpets to sounde Dedans dedans and with two thousand horse charged them on the side The Count Henry and Ernest of Brunswick each of them hauing a thousand beeing backed with the Counte Horne who hasted on with great fury did likewise assaile them at one instant who in their retiring turning head receiued them with equall valour While the French were thus assailed in the flanke the Count of Mansfeild Dostrate and Gueldres with three thousand horse ranne vpon them in the front and that with such a furious feast that hauing ouerthrowne theyr formost ranke the rest were soone defeated and compelled to flie away The Conestable is ouerthrowne and takeÌ„ prisoner with a great number of the French Nobilitie Iohn of Burbon Duke of Angolesme was dismounted at the first encounter and beeing horsed againe was slaine at the second Francis de la Tour vicount of Turin Saint Gelais and aboue a hundred and twentie Gentlemen of good account beside sixe hundred common souldiers died at that battaile The Conestable beeing wounded in the hippes was taken prisoner and brought to the Prince and so were the Dukes of Montpensier the mareschall Saint Andrew Lewis prince of Manfona the Ringraue Rochfaucont Saint Heran Burdillon Mouy Montsales and many other of the Nobilitie of great reckoning and reputation There were also aboue three hundred Gentlemen of Marke taken prisoners and many of the footmen beeing slaine the rest were taken to mercy and driuen away by troups as if they hadde beene flocks of sheepe and presented to King Phillip with theyr ensignes and colours as monuments of his glorious and triumphant victorie The King of France was wonderfully astonished with this ouerthrowe and the rather for that Paris the cheefe Citie of his Realme seemed to be straightly terrified that sundrie of the principall Citizens beganne to flie The great feare of the Parisians after the ouerthrow at S. Quintins and to withdraw themselues towardes the vttermost bounds of the lande fearing the comming of the enemie who had nowe libertie to doo what hee listed Howbeit hauing borrowed thirty thousand pounds of the Parisians he presently hired fourteene thousande Switzers and sent to the Duke of Guyse who was in Italy to repaire into France with all expedition and to bring with him all the forces hee could make Thus was the King driuen to an exigent and hee who not long before hadde sent the Guyse to anoy other men was nowe glad to call him home againe to defende himselfe The Hugonots tooke their name of a gate in the Citie of Tours called Hugon because thâ—se of the reformed religion being greatly persecuted did many times in the night assemble neere that gate where they had preaching and other exercises so that in the beginning in the way of mockage they they were called Hugonots which name being carried from one to another at length became a common name and vsed of al sorts who stood almost in a desperate state and lay open to the inuasion of his enemies In the meane time the King was earnestly busied in gathering of another Armie sending out his proclamations into all quarters fortifying Paris and appoynting the Duke of Neuers who by great happe escaped at Saint Quintins to bee his Lieutenant and to empeach the enemie from entering any further into France The number of those who were called * The Hugonots persecuted in France Hugonots began to increase and were dispersed in a manner ouer all the lande and because the affaires of the state went thus backward almost nothing prospered that was taken in hand one of the principall men about the king perswaded him that God was angrie and punished the land for that such sects and heresies as they tearmed them were suffered to increase and multiplie in a manner without controlement and that the King to pacifie the wrath of GOD must take a more seuere course in punishing such as were offenders heerein who hadde beene the principall meanes to pull downe the wrath of God vppon the King and the whole Lande Whereuppon there immediatly ensued horrible crueltyes towards the poore Hugonots and infinite multitudes were putte to death in a short time so that the rage of persecution grewe very great supposing thereby as by an expiation to turne away the hand of the almightie which was so heauie vppon France but they were exceedingly deceiued heerein for by applying a wrong medicine the disease dayly increased and
God seeing them wilfully repugne his truth augmented theyr sorrowes more and more for the Prince of Piemont did nowe more narrowly besiege Saint Quintins then before and hauing strongly fortified his Campe and stored himselfe with all conuenient necessaries for to maintaine the siege raised his mounts and planted 45. peeces of great ordenance wherewith hee battered the walles in most furious maner ‡ The Admirall would not hearken to a composition The admiral who was a very valiant pollitike and wise chiefetaine would not hearken to any composition but repayring the breaches resolued to keepe the place in despite of the enemie the Prince on the other side plyed the battery and hauing with much adoo made a sufficient breach disposed his bandes and gaue order for the assault the first place was assigned to Captaine Cazares maister of the Campe and to Lazaro Collonell of fifteene hundred Almaines The second to Captaine Nauarre with certain bands of Spaniards and to count Meigue with his Wallones the third to Iulian Romero with 3. ensignes of Spaniards 2000. English and the fourth to captain Carronnellet with 3. ensignes of of Burgonians all which beeing in a readines valiantly approched the wals Saint Quintins taken by assault The Admirall had likewise determined how to receiue the enemie and putting himselfe into that place where hee supposed most danger with great hardinesse expecting the comming of the Spaniards but there was not the like resolution on all hands for the souldiours beeing discouraged with the late ouerthrow and the inhabitants beeing timorous as men not accustomed to such daungers made small resistance so that the enemie entred at his pleasure which when the admirall to his vnspeakeable griefe beheld hee was enforced to seek to saue himself by yeelding to a common souldier The admiral yeldeâ—h himself to a common sâ—uldior who brought him to captain Cazares by whom he was led prisoner to the prince Dandelot his brother was likewise taken but he found the means to escape by a desperate aduenture to recouer his libertie Irnac S. Remy La Gard Cuzneux Moulins Bruell Bretanie Rambouâ—llet S. Romain S. Andre Linieres Soleil did likewise remaine prisoners Fayet le Iaune Salleuert Oger Vignes la Barre Estang Gourds and many other braue men were slaine The whole towne was sacked and spoiled and a maruellous masse of wealth gotten and caried into the low countries The French king was all this while prouiding his forces and deuising by what meanes he might best make head against his enemie fearing indeed the Prince would follow his good fortune and proceed further into France by reason that he had sent the Count of Frembarg with 1000. horse and 3. regiments of Lancequenets containing 14. ensignes 20. peeces of batterie to besiege Castellet a place of very great strength yet was it soone taken by the enemie the French not daring to abide the Canon so exceedingly were they afrighted with their former losses In the middest of all these mischiefs there fell out one thing which turned to the great aduantage of the French king A mutiny in the Spanish campe and brought no small hinderance to the Spanish kings proceedings and that was the mutinie among the Almaines and Spaniards who falling at dissention about their booties and spoiles gotten at S. Quintins the ransoms of their prisoners were the occasion of much trouble and tumult in the army Which when the French king vnderstood he practised in such maner with sundry of the Almain captains that their oath being expired with King Philip they were contented to be reclaimed by him and to serue against the enemies of the Flower de Lis. By this time was the Duke of Guise come out of Italie and being made the Kings Lieutenant was sent with a strong power toward Amiens with a secret commandemeÌ„t to enterprise against Calice if occasion serued The duke finding the towne slenderly prouided suddenly planted his siege about it The duke of Guise besiegeth Calice winneth it and that in the midst of winter And first assailed a fort called Nieulay which was easily gayned From thence he sent part of his army along the downes to Risebank which he likewise tooke without any great resistance The duke hauing gotten two principal places that in one day planted his battery against the towne wherin was gouernor the L. Wentworth who seeing the vnexpected successe of the French how fortune fauored the D. in all his dessignes disposed of all things as well as he might and endeuored to remoue the French out of their trenches but that was impossible for the duke was so strongly fortified and had gotten such places of aduaÌ„tage that he could not be forced by any means whatsoeuer The duke hauing planted 15. Canons began his battery against the old castle that with great fury And for that the wals were ruinous easie to be pearced the breach was soone made assault giuen but the French were repulsed at the first with the losse of their forwardst men notwithstanding they being incouraged with their former successe continued their enterprise and at last gayned the Castell which the Duke did forthwith cause to be strongly fortified This was a very great losse to the English for that from thence the French might shoote into the towne at their pleasure Now was Calice narrowly besieged and all passages were stopped in such sort that it was impossible to conuay in any succours or to send forth any to giue aduertisement of the distressed estate of the inhabitants Which when the Lord Wentworth perceiued and how that for want of necessaries he was not able to keepe the towne any longer he was content to parle with the Duke and to yeeld vpon composition Whereto the Duke of Guise willingly assented so that after much debating on either side the towne was yelded vpon condition Calice yeelded to the D. of Guise that the inhabitants might safely depart without impeachment whither they listed and the lord Wentworth with diuerse others to the number of fiftie of the chiefest to remaine prisoners Thus was Calice in lesse then seuen daies recouered by the French which had bin besieged by Edward the third king of England by the space of a whole yere and which had remained in the English mens hands for the space of 210. yeres to the incredible ioy of the French And as it was lost vnder Phâ—lip of Valois the French King so was it regained by the French in the time of Philip king of England The duke folowing his good fortune did forthwith besiege Guines wherin commaunded the valiant lord Gray who albeit he did stoutly hold out for a time abiding the planting of the Canon and a furious assault yet was he forced in the end to yeeld and to resigne his office to another man Which when the garrison of Hams vnderstood they abandoned the fort withdrew themselues to a place of greater securitie The French king was not a
a straight commaundement to all his ordinance and men of armes to assemble themselues at Pierreport in as warlike maner as might be there to attend his further pleasure and to be in a readinesse to be employed as occasion should be offered King Philip of Spaine had likewise gathered a very strong power and al things were prouided by these two mightie Monarkes as though they ment to determine all their controuersies by some one cruel bloody battell But God who ruleth the hearts of princes disposed of their intentions far otherwise then their blind affections led them For vpoÌ„ the sudden their hard harts began to be mollified and each party inclined to peace so that the place being appointed and the deputies on both sides agreed vpon they met about the midst of October following at Cercam betweene Artoys and Pycardy There were many complaints on both sides and a commemoration of sundry indignities offered on either part Each defended others doings neither was there any likelihood of better agreement so that after many contentious words their assembly brake vp without any coÌ„clusion for peace and yet for that winter approched the soldiers were not able to keep the field Peace concluded between France and Spaine both princes dissolued their armies and licenced their men of warre to repose themselues vntill the next yere But before that time by reason of newe occurrences there was a generall peace proclaimed betweene these two nations each linked with other with very strait alliances For King Philip whose wife Mary Queene of England was lately deceassed was contented to take in marriage Elizabeth the eldest daughter of Henry the French King and Pilebert Emmanuel duke of Sauoy was affianced vnto madame Margaret his sister so that by reason of these new coÌ„iunctions there insued much quietnes to all Christendome but especially to these two kingdoms who now had made an end of all their quarels contentions and seemed to study of nothing but how they might honor and solemnise in most royall maner these new marriages There was exceeding sumptuous preparation against the appointed time all the Nobilitie of France were assembled at Paris to attend the king to honor these espousals The lady Elizabeth was coÌ„ducted by the king her father to our Lady Church at the day prefixed in most pompous and stately maner and there married by the Cardinall of Burbon to the Duke of Alua was who constituted Procurator of the king of Spaine his maister The Duke of Alua marrieth the French kings daughter for his maister the king of Spaine There were all the princes of the bloud attending in their order and many cheefe Prelates and all the officers of the crowne The Duke of Alua was accompanied with the Prince of Orenge Count Egmond and sundrie other very honourable personages The marriage being finished there was exceeding feasting banquetting and cheering with dauncing masking and all other pastimes that could be imagined both to delight the eye and please the eare The king reioyced to see his daughter so honourably aduanced the Nobilitie and commonaltie were maruailously glad to remember what ease peace and tranquilitie they should enioy by this newe affinitie and all sorts seemed to triumph hoping there would be a perpetuall league and corespondency betweene these two Nations but now behold a woful mishap and lamentable mischance wherewith all this mirth and iollity was turned into weeping wailing and great sorrow so enterchangeably doo these two accompany each other so certainely do they follow one another The French king who had bin the principall challenger at tilt assisted by the Duke of Guyse Alphonse the Prince of Ferrara and the Duke of Nemours hauing borne himselfe very nobly that day and broken many staues to his great honor and high commendation would needes in the end run a course with count De Mont-gommery a valiant gentleman of France who at the first refusing The French King slaine with running a course at â—â—lt yet commanded by the king accepted the condition and offered so freely that theyr staues flying in peeces some of the shiuers getting in at the sight of the beuer pearced into the kings head greeuously wounded him that he died within eleuen daies after to the immesurable greefe of his subiects after hee hadde raigned twelue yeeres three moneths and tenne dayes CHAP. VI. Francis the second the French King The Guises authors of all the confusion in France The Guises ioyne with the Queene mother against the King of Nauarre The King of Nauarre yeeldeth to the Queene mother The Duke of Guise made Lieutenant for the King and Henrie Cardinall of Lorraine made L. Treasurer of France They incense the King agaynst the princes of the blood The enterprise of the Lord of Renaudie The hatred of the Guises towards the three Chastillons The Prince of Conde beeing discontented goeth from the Court The order of the States of France The Admirall presenteth the supplication of the Hugonots to the king The Prince of Conde committed to prison and is condemned to die The death of the King THe Kingdome of France had for manie yeares togither beene verie well acquainted with the variable and changeable estate of vnconstaunt fortune and vnder Charles the eight Lewis the twelfth Francis the first and Henrie the seconde had by wofull experience found how subiect the most flourishing estates kingdoms coÌ„monwealths are to a continuall change and alteration and therfore hauing by long obseruatioÌ„ perfitly learned that the best means to maintain her selfe in her wonted grandeur and glory was to be leagued with her neighbour Countries and to be at peace and vnitie at home beganne to haue a flexible heart and to encline to quietnesse as much as might bee so that hauing ended all quarrels and buried all wronges and indignities in the pit of obliuion and by a neare coniunction with the Spanyard her ancient and mightie enemy in the opinion of most men procured her selfe a perpetuall peace began as it were to clap her handes for ioy and seriously to tryumph in so incomparable a benefite But the fatall and ineuitable mishap of this most noble kingdome which had florished for so many hundred yeares and had been the paragon of her neighbor nations could not as it seemeth be auoyded but that it must needes take place and wanting forraigne enemies to worke her ouerthrow must needes hatch a viperous brood which by gnawing out the belly of their owne mother haue most vnnaturally sought the destruction of her who haue most tenderly fostered and brought them vp The house of Guyse the principall cause of all the sturres in France The principall cause to produce so lamentable an effect and the only means in a maner to hatch so horrible a mischiefe was the immesurable ambition of that haughtie and aspiring house of Guyse who albeit they were straungers and no natural French men yet fortune so fauoured their attempts and made some of them
so gracious with their soueraignes that they did not only contend for the superioritie with the greatest Princes of the blood but at length as ambition hath neuer any end striued with their liege Lords and through their rebellious counsels and most trayterous plottes assisted by a multitude of Guysards and Hispaniolized French draue their soueraigne Lord out of his chiefe Citie and not contented to offer so great indignitie to so mightie a potentate neuer left practising vntill they had most wickedly murthered him whose life in all dutie should haue beene vnto them more precious then their owne and with their diuellish sorceries haue so bewitched and sotted sundry of the French nation that at this day to their perpetuall shame and ignominy they will not be reduced vnto any dutifull obedience vnder their most lawfull and liege Lord. Francis Duke of Guyse and Charles Cardinal of Lorrain the two fire-brands of France One of the most notorious plotters of so many mischiefes was Francis Duke of Guyse who with his brother Charles Cardinall of Lorrain as proud subtil and as ambitious a prelate as euer was grew to that height through the benefit of their good fortune that they commanded all France and brought the greatest Princes of that natiō to be their vnderlings and by reason of a mariage between Francis the second with Mary the yoong Queene of Scottes their neece they bare themselues so loftely and so egerly stroue to aduance their house that they turned all France topsy turuy so chaunging the gouernment and altering the state that it seemed in a short time to be a meere Chaos and confusion For after the death of Henry the secōd and that Francis his sonne was crowned King these two so craftily handled the matter that ioyning with Katherin de Medices the Queen mother of France who contrary to the auncient lawes and ordinances of that Realme which permit not women to rule sought to haue the gouernment of the yoong King and to exclude Henry of Burbon King of Nauarre and chiefe Prince of the blood after infinite troubles to themselues and vnspeakeable misery to their owne Country they gat the gouernment into their hands and swayed euery thing after their owne likings And albeit the state of that kingdome had begun long before to be much afflicted and through the horrible persecutions of those whom they termed Hugonots maruellously decayed and weakned by reason of a secret diuision bred in the hearts of infinit multitudes who once dissenting in Religion could neuer after well agree in matters of state yet was the land at peace within it selfe and euery one seemed to be enclinable to their princes pleasure choosing rather to endure any affliction then by seeking to defend their liues and liberties by force of armes to bring in any intestine warres the most deuouring plague and sharpest punishment of all other but after that the house of Guyse began to rule and that their factious deuises cloaked with a zeale of mainteining the Catholicke cause had once stirred the coales the flame presently brake foorth and finding conuenient matter to nourish it withall spread it selfe in a short time ouer the face of the whole kingdome of France to the consuming of infinite multitudes of all sorts and the extreame impouerishing of the whole land There were sundry and diuers meanes to hasten this so wonderfull and lamentable alteration in France but the principall of all other was the vnexpected death of t e late King The Queene mother the King of Nauarre and the Duke of Guyse contend for the gouernment during the noneage of the King who albeit hee verie seuerely punished all such as were accounted Protestants and that principally at the instigation of the house of Guyse yet did he so politikely carry himselfe that during his raigne he kept that ambitious monster in some reasonable good order and the whole lande from tumult and rebellion but he was no sooner dead but that all things beganne to hasten to a confusion and the whole common wealth to bee daungerously infected with sundry fearefull diseases the originall whereof arose in this maner In the beginning of the reigne of Francis the second being but sixteene yeares olde there grewe a controuersie betweene Katherin de Medices the Kings mother Henry of Burbon King of Nauarre and Francis of Lorraigne Duke of Guyse touching the gouernment of the young King during his nonage The Queene-mother alleaged many reasons to strengthen her claime as the lawes of Nature which would that the mother should haue the bringing vp of her children as one hauing a most tender care ouer them and most willing of all others to doo them good the customes and vsages of sundry nations and the auncient order of the lande which made the mother Gardien of her childe and so by consequent gaue her the Regency of the kingdome The king of Nauarre on the contrary affirmed that he ought in right to be gouernour of the young king for that he was the next Prince of the blood and nearest of kinne vnto him besides that there were fundamentall lawes of that nation which did not only shut out all straungers by whom he vnderstood the house of Lorraine and of Guyse but also disabled the Queene mother by reason of her sexe which the Salique lawe did expresly exclude from all regency and succession to the Crowne The Duke of Guyse had also diuers reasons for the aduauncing of his owne title as that hee was the kinges vncle that by his seruice the whole state had bene in a maner mainteined and the land from sundry imminent perilles deliuered Besides he excepted in a sort against the king of Nauarre for that hee and his brother the Prince of Condy gaue euident tokens of their liking of the Gospel and their hatred of the Romish Religion so that if Nauarre shoulde haue the gouernement of the King it was to bee feared saide hee that the whole lande would fall into heresie Thus did these three contende with might and maine for the superiorite each of them deuising al the reasons they could imagine for the furtherance of their cause But in the ende the Queene Mother and the Duke of Guise doubting that they shoulde not bee able nor sufficient to preuaile and also fearing least that the King of Nauarre by reason of the great preheminence and authoritie that the princes of the blood shoulde by right haue besides his iust tytle shoulde in the ende preuayle and get the better agaynst them both thought it best to ioyne togither agaynst the King of Nauarre The Queene mother and D. of Guise ioine togither against Nauarre and eyther by force or by policie and fayre meanes to winne him vnto their willes and by some deuise or other to make him surcease from his iust claime and interest The better to effect this the Duke of Guise seysed vppon the king whome hee conducted and brought to the Louure in Paris with the yong Princes his
Brethren and with the two Queenes leauing the Princes of the blood the Conestable the Mareschall the Admirall and sundrie other noble and great personages attending vpon the dead Corps of the late king Henrie When they hadde preuailed in their purpose thus farre then was there such watch and warde kept about the King that no man might speake vnto him but in the presence of some of the Guyses and the matter was so well handled in the ende that the Cardinall and the Duke of Guyse ruled and gouourned all things and hadde the king in a manner at their will and commandement Then beganne they to bring into the kings Councell men of their owne faction and to procure the kinges displeasure vnto such as they disliked The rulers and gouernours of the Citties Townes and Prouinces were at their appointment the Princes of the bloud were imployed in busines far from the Court. The Prince of Conde was sent into Flanders to treate of the league made betweene Fraunce and Spaine the king of Nauarre the Cardinall of Burbon and the Prince De la Roch sur Yon were sent to conduct the kings Sister into Spaine There were many deuises and fetches to mooue the king of Nauarre to giue ouer his claime and title which hee made to the Regencie of the young King and many faire promises were procured out of Spaine conditionally that he would so doo The proude letters of the K. of Spaine And among others there were letters sent to that purpose wherein the Spanish king promised that if he would be ruled herein he would restore him the kingdome of Nauarre of which he held nothing but the title auerring further that very imperiously with threatening words that if he did otherwise he would take vpon him the protection of his brother in law himself and spend all that euer he had yea his owne life and the liues of fortie thousand others whom he had in a readinesse in maintaining the quarrell Thus partly with faire promises and partly with threats the King of Nauarre began to be cold and in a manner quiet and cleane to giue ouer the matter The king of Nauarre giueth ouer his claime When the Guyse perceiued this then did he proceede further hauing the countenance of the yong King and being backed so strongly with the Spanish king so that nowe hee put out and in whome hee listed The pride of Guyse and incroched vppon the offices of other men hee would not sticke to meddle with the Conestableship and great maister of France arrogating that vnto himselfe which of right belonged vnto others The high courts of Parliament were full of his followers and whom soeuer he suspected not to fauour his designes these were by some one sinister information or other presently disgraced insomuch as those fewe good men that were in place considering the rough handling and seuere vsage of sundry well affected persons and the small good that ensued by complaining vnto the King were content to be silent and not to meddle in such dangerous times The Cardinall of Guyse was appoynted ouer the Kings finances the Duke of Guyse hiâ— brother was made Lieutenant generall The Cardâ—nall of Guyse made Lorde treasurer and the duke his brother Lieutenant generall for the King and had the direction of all matters appertaining vnto the warres and all Captaines gouernors of townes and other officers were commanded to obey him as the King himselfe Thus hadde these two gotten the sole authoritie into their hands and although the Queene mother was at the first the meanes to procure them so great place and to make them so neere about the king yet not long after shee repented her thereof and sought many waies to curb them and to keepe them as short as shee might yet shee beeing a most vncertaine and inconstant woman and euer inclining to the worst still rather held with them then with the princes of the bloud who beganne to waxe wearie of the intollerable pride of the Guyse and the burning murthering and iniurious dealing of that bloudy house The Guyse no sooner suspected that their hearts were alienated but that hee studied day and night howe to ouerthrow them and to cause the King to embrew his handes in the bloud of his owne kinred While these mischiefes were thus in platting and many outragious parts plaied tending to the strengthening of this factious house and the vtter ouerthrow of the ancient Nobilitie of France infinite multitudes grewe maruailous discontented and both by word and writing shewed theyr mislike of the present gouernement exclaiming against the sore persecutions of those of the reformed Religion and the intollerable wronges and iniuries offered vnto sundrie of the Kings best affected subiects There were many supplications presented vnto the Queene mother to the King of Nauarre and others of greatest place authoritie The Guyse setteth the King against the princes of the bloud tending to the reformation of these miseries but they were little or nothing regarded for the Queene mother fauoured not the Protestants in her heart though often in the beginning made some shewe thereof and gaue some helpe to the persecuted Hugonots The King of Nauarre was timorous and would not prosecute the cause with such a courage as hee ought to haue done besides hee was besotted with the perswasions of regaining the kingdome of Nauarre if hee would still remaine a Catholike which conceiued hope so stacke in his mind and made so deepe an impression in the bottome of his heart that of a zealous and earnest professour hee became key cold and in the ende proued a bitter enemie to the cause so that the Guyses did still what they listed and no redresse was to bee expected for new Edicts proclamations were made those more seuere then before such as were knowne or suspected to be Protestants were apprehended either forced to recant or else were burned This barbarous vsage of so many natural Frenchmen outragious crueltie towardes all sorts bred by little little a commiseration in the hearts of sundry in whom there remained some sparks of humanitie so that banding together opposing themselues against the proceedings of that time they endeuored by al possible meanes to reforme the common wealth reduce the decaied estate to some better order and albeit that sundrie personages had shewed their liking of a reformation as the K. of Nauarre the Prince of Conde the conestable the Admirall Dandelot many others yet no man attempted but strained courtesie as it were who should begin which procrastinating sundry of good place not beeing able to endure any longer combined themselues together hauing for the principall and ringleader of their actions one called Godfray de Berry Lord of Renaudy The Lord of Renaudy with sundry others atteÌ„pt against the Guyse a wise valiant wel experienced Gentleman who notwithstanding wi hout the aduise of six counsellers and 20. captaines might not attempt any
giuing him verie gracious wordes and an honourable testimonie of his good seruice commanding euery one to speake his opinion in order and as the case required In this assembly there were three which spake excellently to the purpose laying open vnto the viewe of all men the naked truth and as men resolute in their countries cause not daunted with the faces of any openly reproued that course which was taken in the administration of the Common-wealth and the affaires of the land And those were Moluc Bishop of Valence Marillac the Archbishop of Vienna and Chastillon the Admirall The eloquent speach of Mouluc did somewhat warme the Guises and Marillac with his hardie and learned discourses did make them as hote as a toast Mouluc Marillac the Admiral worthy of immortal praise for their free speach Both concluding that to preuent so many miseries as were likely to ensue it were conuenient to assemble a generall Councell or if that could not be accomplished then to referre the deciding of those controuersies to a nationall Councell and in the meane time to deale more mildely with such as were of the reformed religion But when the Admirall came to speake he made them starke mad hee so touched them to the quicke The Admirall touch the Guises to the quicke For hauing first approoued that which had beene sayde by Mouluc and Marillac he insisted vpon the new garde which the Guises had set about the king which said he was a matter of perillous consequence to nourish the K. in a diffidence and euill opinion of his subiects and in time might draw on the hatred of the people towards their prince who seeing themselues suspected wold be suspitious againe seeing their king and souereigne armed against them and in stead of free accesse to impart vnto him their griefes and doleances to be vtterly secluded from his presence by a multitude of armed souldiours And for his part he could not conceiue what reason there was why the French king should be so garded for he would pawne his honour his goods yea and his life to that there was no harme meant against his person If any of his principall Officers were afrayed of themselues it were good to cut off all occasions of offence which arose especially of the disordered gouernment of such as had the managing of the publike affayres The duke of Guise highly offended with the Admiral The Duke of Guise was in an extreame rage with the Admirall for these speaches and from that day forward grew to be his mortall enemie And albeit that hee and the Cardinall his brother laboured to crosse these good motions before remembred yet was it agreed vpon by the King with the assent of all the Nobilitie that there should be another assembly of the estates at Meaux and there these points to be more fully resolued of and in the meane time that euery one should repaire into their Countries to learne the state of them the better to acquaint the King at the next assembly with their plaints While these things were thus in handling there were many enterprises of the Mal-contents tending to the surprising of sundry townes which occasioned the Guises to send out proclamation in the Kings name and to leuie souldiours to withstand as they said the attempts of the seditious and perturbers of the state But the truth was that hauing their forces in a readinesse they might send on the sodaine for the Prince of Cond◠who was still with his brother the King of Nauarre and if hee would not come then to fetch him by force But first they assayed after a milde manner to accomplish their deuises causing the king to write vnto Nauarre in friendly sort to request him to come to the Court and to bring his brother Conde with him or otherwise hee shoulde bee compelled to fetch him for that there were so many and so euident accusations agaynst him But Nauarre and the Prince aunswered so wisely and with such courage that their enemies thought it not good to attempt any thing agaynst them by violence Whereupon they caused the king to sende an other Messenger by whome they were required to come to his Maiestie The Guises cause the K. to falsifie his worde assuring them in the worde of a Prince that there should no iniurie bee offered them but that they shoulde returne at theyr pleasure onelie hee desired to bee satisfied from the Prince of Condees owne mouth touching such matters as hee was charged with Whereupon these two Princes relying vpon the kings faythfull promises 1560 repayred to the Court whither they were no sooner come but that the Prince of Conde was committed to Chauignie The Prince of Conde cōmitted to prison Captaine of the guarde and by him clapt vppe in prison where no man might speake vnto him The king of Nauarre had no further libertie then to walke from his owne Chamber to the king and no man might speake with him but such as pleased the Guise who set spyes enough about him to obserue his doings The mother in Lawe likewise of the Prince of Conde and Sister to Chastillon the Admirall was sent to prison and verie narrowlie looked vnto Her Closet and all her house was ryfled to find some matter agaynst her This rough dealing with the chiefe Princes of the blood and other such of great qualitie and calling made many muse what would be the issue of such outragious designes The Prince had not beene long committed to prison but there was a priest sent vnto him to say Masse in his Chamber But hee commaunded him to bee thrust out by the heade and shoulders The Prince thrusteth a Masse priest out of his doores by the head and shoulders willing him to tell the King that hee woulde not suffer any such idolatrous seruice in his presence as also that hee woulde not to saue his life offende the Maiestie of God in so high measure VVhen his enemyes had gotten this aduauntage agaynst him they so incensed the King that he forthwith commanded his processe to bee drawne and sentence of death to be pronounced against him The prince condemned to die with commaundement to hasten the execution as speedily as might bee But while they were earnestlie busied about this matter and thought euen nowe to haue attayned to the full period of their desires the king fell dangerously sick of an vlcer The K. falleth sicke growing in his ear which increasing more more the phisitions despairing of his recouery the Princes execution which should haue beene the morrow following was respited for a time vntill they saw what would become of the king who euerie day waxing worse and worse notwithstanding all the meanes that could be deuised by the Guises their solemne vowes to the saints in Paradice their publike processions with earnest praiers for his helth yet he died the fift day of December The death of the French King 1560. after he had
of the reformed and the dayly informations of such like pranks played in many corners of the land brought the Conestable who was a very deuout and a religious Papist into a maruellous dislike with such as were tearmed protestants especially when he saw them at Court eat flesh in Lent and that there were preachings in the Prince of Condes chamber and likewise in the Admirals and free accesse for al men to come vnto them Which when the Guises perceiued they likewise vnder the pretext of religion ioyned themselues vnto the Conestable exasperating him agaynst the Admirall his cousin for his embracing of the Gospel and set the Mareschal S. Andrew to whisper him in the eare that the motion which was made as touching the calling backe againe of those excessiue donations giuen by the late King was a deuise of the Admirals to keepe him being his vncle in awe and by that practise to cause him to chaunge his Religion Sundrie others as Madame Madalyne de Sauoy his wife the Dutchesse of Valentinois the Count Villiers put to their helping handes to whet him on who altogither alienated by these practises notwithstanding all the remonstrances of the Mareschal Memorancie his sonne banded against his owne kindred and associated himselfe with the Dukes of Montpensier and of Guise who with their leagues and confederations robbed the king of his subiects The league and brought into that noble kingdom all disorder and confusion The Guises hauing got the Conestable to ioyne with them began to lift vp theyr heades and secretly to spread abroade many infamous things agaynst the Admirall whose confusion of all others they most earnestly desired wherevpon many grudgings arose and it was vehemently feared that some tumultuous accidents would ensue for the preuenting whereof there was an Edict made at Fountainbleau The Edict made at Fountainbleu and sent abroad into all parts of the land whereby it was forbidden to vse any opprobrious words to any of the Kings liege people and especiallie that one shoulde not call another Papist or Hugonot but that all should liue in amitie togither and not alter any thing which was alreadie established before the king by the aduice of his councell had otherwise ordained The Guises could not endure that this peaceable course should bee taken The Guises labor to ouerthrow the kings Edict and therefore as those who thought it their best to fish in troubled waters they deuised with the Court of Parliament at Paris to frustrate this Proclamation and by many reasons to shew the inualiditie therof especially for that therby was tollerated two religions which said they was not to be endured considering that by this meanes the whole state was endangered nay that it was impossible for that cōmon wealth to endure long where there were such cōtrarieties considering that there can be no agreemēt betwixt god belial a kingdom diuided within it self could not continue for any long time Besides the Cardinal of of Lorrayn made many greeuous complaints against those of the Religion The Cardinall of Lorraine complaineth of the assemblies of the Protestants saying that their assemblies and conuenticles waxed greater euery day then other that there were foule and villanous disorders committed by them in their nocturnall meetings that they were people without order without conscience or any ciuill humanitie and that they neither feared God nor the King These and the like complaints much mooued the Queene mother gladly she would haue repressed these assemblies if shee had knowne how But the countenance of the King of Nauarre the Prince of Conde the Admirall Rochfaucont Dandelot and diuers other of the Nobilitie did encourage many to persist and drew on others by their examples with great earnestnes to embrace the gospel in so much as at length they finding themselues very strong and wel countenanced by great estates seised vppon sundrie of the Catholikes Churches and preached publikely in the view of all men and that in Paris the principall Citie of the whole land yea the Gospel preuailed so mightily in a short space that it was founde by the diligent enquirie of the Admirall that there were 2150. congregations that made profession therof 2150. congregations of the protestants in France which vexed the Guyses to the heart who by their cunning handling of the matter had by this time brought the Conestable in such hatred therwith and with his cousins the three Chastillons that both hee and the Guyses with all their fauourits departed the Court in a great chafe for that they sawe such fauour shewed to the poore Hugonots While the Protestants were thus graced at their princes hands and that all things seemed to go well with them there fell out a strange accident to crosse that happie course of the Gospel and a most deuilish pollicie was vsed to ouerthrow the reformed Religion well neere established in most of all the princicipall Cities and cheefest villages of the Realme and that was this The King of Nauarre albeit hee fauoured the Religion and countenanced the professours thereof in very good sort and that for a good while together yet beeing a man easily seduced and almost of no courage or resolution in any thing that hee tooke in hand was led by others and by faire words carryed hither and thither at euerie mans pleasure which the Guyses and their associats perceiuing practised sundrie waies to draw him to theyr faction assuring themselues that if hee might be gained theyr side would bee strong inough and that Conde the Admirall and all the rest of their confederates would bee made to stoope whether they would or not The better to effect this they practised with the Cardinall of Ferrara the Popes Legat and with the Cardinall of Turnon The Cardinals of Ferrara and Turnon turneth the K. of Nauarre from the Gospel who hauing by rich gifts and large promises gained two of his principall seruants did in the ende likewise win the maister by a notorious and deep dissimuled deuise They put into his head a phantasticall conceit assuring him that if hee would become a Catholike and continue in the Apostolike Romane faith that the King of Spaine would giue him the kingdome of Sardinia which was foure times so good as Nauarre and that the Popish and Spanish gallies should bee at his commaundement for the defence thereof against all men some also went about to perswade him to diuorce himselfe from his Wife and to marrie with the Queene of Scots a yong faire and beautifull widow The King of Nauarre councelled to deuorce himselfe from his Wife and to marrie with the queene of Scots the daily soliciting of such as were imployed in this businesse their manifolde remonstrances tooke such place that his whole mind was set vpon Sardinia whatsoeuer could be saide to the contrarie by any friend he had The Queene of Nauarre vnderstanding this sought by all meanes to diuert him setting before his eyes his many and
open on all sides and the Reformed persecuted in most cruell maner in euery place especially at Paris where nothing was more common then murthering spoiling and pilling the poore Hugonots yea such was the rage of the barbarous Catholikes that the Princesse of Cōde passing through a village called Vaudray was set vpon beeing in her Coach and great with childe and by hurling and throwing of stones by sundrie of the townesmen The Princesse of Conde assailed in hir Coach by the Papists at the instigation of a popish priest put in hazard of her life wherewith shee was so terrified that shee was deliuered before her time of two twins shortly after and at length with much adoo arriued at Orleance with her eldest sonne the marquesse of Conty where shee found the Prince of Conde the Admirall Dandelot and many other principall persons of the Religion who were busied in gathering forces and prouiding al necessarie meanes to withstande their enemies There were letters written to the Emperour Ferdinando and the Princes of the Empire enforming them of the occasion of their bearing of armes and of the vsurped authoritie of the Guyses and their adherents earnestly beseeching them to haue some commiseration of the King who being a Child was held in captiuitie by their tyranny and al things likely to be brought to a woful desolation throughout the realme of France The Prince had no sooner gathered a great power about him was growne strong by reason of a supply brought vnto him out of Poictou Conde taketh certaine townes vpon the Loyre and Xantoigne of three or foure hundred horse by the count Rochfaucont but that it was thought best to be doing and to employ some of his forces in getting of certaine strong townes and other well fortified places neere adioyning and thereupon certain troups were sent downe along by the Riuer of Loyre who tooke Mun Baugency and others wherein they placed certaine garrisons to keepe them from beeing regained by the enemie who now sought continually to anoy the Prince and to take the aduantage that was offered Sundrie Cities in France as Angiers Tholous Lymoux with many others wherin there were thousands of the reformed Religion seeing that the Prince was growne strong and very able to confront his enemies began to shewe themselues openly and to stande with the rest of their confederates whereuppon foorthwith there ensued a mortall hatred betweene them and the Catholikes each seeking the ouerthrow of others by all possible meanes Then immediatly followed robbing spoyling rauishing murthering massacring in most outragious maner The misery of the ciuill warres with a maruailous confusion in euery corner of the Land No man could well tell whom to trust or where to dwell in safetie The cheefe Cities were fraught with garrisons the small villages were sacked and burned by such as cared neither for God nor the deuill but onely howe to enrich themselues Infinite were the miseries in all quarters and nothing almost heard of but weeping wailing and lamentation and no hope of any redresse of so incomprehensible mischiefes The Prince of Conde and his associats pondering in their minds the wofull desolation that was like to ensue if there were not some present remedy for these diabolicall proceedings wrote diuers letters to the King the Queene mother and the King of Nauarre beseeching them to take some commiseration vppon the poore and desolate people and that by suffering the subiect to vse his conscience so long as he liued in obedience and according to the kings Edict France might enioy her former peace and not be brought to that horrible desolation which doth inseparably accompanie ciuill and intestine warres but the Guyse who in deede with the Cardinall his brother ruled the rost could not endure to heare of any peace but daily and hourely cryed out The Duke of Guyse crieth out for war to muster men to gather souldiers to send for the kings bannes and arierbannes and with fire and sword to persecute the poore protestants And hauing by their damnable practises gotten an armie marched towards Orleance with great furie The confederates beeing daily aduertised by their espials of the approch of the Catholikes thought it best to meete them by the way and if oportunitie serued to giue them battaile being especially mooued thereunto by the continuall perswasions of the Admirall and the couragious resolution of all in generall Wherupon the prince tooke the field the nineteenth of Iune 1562. with three Regiments of footmen amounting to the number of 33. Ensignes The Prince of Conde taketh the field whose Collonels were Gnamont Fontenay the yongest sonne of the vicont of Roham and Iuoy brother to Genlis with two thousand horse encamped at Vausoudun neere vnto Orleance and directly in the way towardes Baugency The Catholikes hauing not as yet al their forces in a readinesse thought it best to amuse the Prince with a parle of peace in which action the Queene mother was thought the meetest to be employed who so handled the matter that the Protestants who longed after nothing so much as quietnesse were readily drawne to hearken thereto onely they required that before any thing was talked of the Conestable the Duke of Guyse and the marquesse Saint Andrew should withdraw themselues to their houses and then the Prince of Conde should come to the King to treate of that which especially tended to the peaceable state of the common wealth and the welfare of euery particular man This was no sooner mooued by the Protestants but it was accepted by the Queene mother so that immediatly those three principall Catholikes departed from the Court and went as farre as Chasteaudan where they stayed to expect the sequell of their secret councels The Prince vnderstanding of theyr departure went presently vnto the K. putting himself into the hands of the Queene mother and other his enemies Conde putteth himselfe into the hands of his enemies but he was no sooner come to the Court but he forthwith repented of his haste and beeing aduertised by sundry of his imminent perill and danger pollitikely obtained of the Queen mother that the principall men of his Armie might likewise come to knowe her further pleasure which beeing granted hee wrote a secret letter vnto them of his estate A polliticke deuise of the Prince desiring them to hasten and to come strongly accompanied The next day early in the morning there came the Admirall Dandelot Rochfaucont the Prince Portian Rohan Genlis Gramont Soubize Piennes and many other lords Captains with a far greater retinew then the Queen expected so that nowe she thought it best to make fayre weather and to sooth them vp considering in deed that shee was not able to detayne the Prince any longer then hee himselfe listed and therefore in very gracious maner shee bad them al welcome and openly in the presence of all the Nobilitie shee gaue them great thanks for their true and faithfull seruice towardes the king assuring
them that shee for her parte did thinke very honourably of all their proceedings and did not doubt but the King her sonne would bee mindfull hereafter to recompence so many deserts The Queene mother alloweth of the proceedings of the protestants seeing it was very apparant that both his estate and her owne was maintained by their royall seruices They againe humbly thanked her maiestie for her good opinion beseeching her to continue their gracious Lady and to bee a meanes that there might bee an ende of those miseries which nowe so fearefully threatened the crowne of France promising for their parts to bee most ready to employ their whole studies yea their goods and liues and whatsoeuer other meanes they had to assist her maiestie in so good and laudable an action so that they might enioy a peace with a free exercise of their Religion according to the Kings edict They further declared vnto the Queen mother the manifold greeuances of the kings subiects with a meanes to remedie so many so lamentable disorders to al which sundry other remonstrances albeit she seemed to giue some allowances yet for that shee stood so stiffly against the free exercise of Religion and would needes vrge the Prince to depart the Realme as indeed he had promised rather then hee would bee any occasion of the continuance of ciuill wars albeit presently vppon better and more mature consideration hee repented him of the speech there could bee nothing concluded Whereupon the Prince returned to his campe The Prince of Conde returneth to his Campe prepareth for warre exceeding glad that God had deliuered him out of the snares of his enemies and resolued with all for his forces to fight it out and to hazard his fortune assoone as any oportunitie was offered With this resolution he dislodged and marched towards the Catholikes hauing in his army ten thousand fiue hundred footmen and a thousand horse Now when he approched the enemie hauing disposed his troupes in very warlike maner he twice presented the battaile but the Catholikes refused The Catholikes refuse to fight for that all their forces were not as yet assembled The Prince seeing hee could not drawe them out of their strength hauing braued them in the faces and maintained some light skirmishes with them retired towardes Orleance sending abroad into all quarters to prouide all necessaries for the warres and for the more speedy accomplishment heereof it was decreed that Soubize shoulde bee sent to Lyons Rochfaucont into Xaintoigne Duras into Guyen and Briquemault into Normandy and so into England to procure both men and money and as many friendes as might be gotten Dandelot was likewise sent into Germany to hasten such succours as were promised by the Princes Protestants Conde and the Admirall with the rest of the Captaines and Gentlemen with two and twenty ensignes of footmen remained stil in Orleance By this time were the forces which came out of Germany to the aide of the Catholikes in a readinesse to march vnder their Collonelles Forces sent out of Germany to aide the Catholikes Rokendolf Frewlich and the Ringraue who besides certaine Cornets of Reisters had likewise twentie ensignes of Lansquenits These were no sooner arriued at the campe but that the Triumuirate thought it best to employ them with al the rest of their forces against the Hugonots and that before they should haue any aide come out of Germany For the hastening whereof Dandelot hadde assayed all possible meanes and had so pollitikely handled the matter that notwithstanding all the practises of his enemies hee procured great ayde for the strengthening of the cause The Catholikes were long in suspence whether they should besiege Orleance or Rohan The Catholikes besiege Rohan and take it the principall Citie in Normandie but at last they resolued to assay their forces agaynst Rohan Where hauing first gayned the fort of Saint Katherins which commaunded the towne through the treacherie of the captaine who was corrupted with money and faire promises they foorthwith entred by force killing spoyling and murthering the inhabitants in most cruell and horrible manner and making hauocke of all thinges without pittie or mercie Augustine Marolat Marlorat hanged a famous learned man and chiefe Minister of the Towne was there hanged with Mautreuill the president of the Parliament besides sundrie other of speciall account The Catholikes lost manie of theyr brauest men and amongst others the King of Nauarre who beeing shot with a Harquebuz in the left shoulder as hee was making water in the Trenches dyed the seuenteenth of September following The King of Nauarre wounded to death neuer attaining that Marittime Kingdome the hope whereof had so bewitched him that he forgat wife children kinsfolks friends Religion yea and God himselfe and thought of nothing but of the Sardinian Crowne beeing happie in nothing but in this that hee dyed in the beginning of the Ciuill warres and neuer lyued to see the miserie of his owne Countrey whereof hee had beene a chiefe and principall cause The losse of this Citie being a place of so great importance was a maruailous discouragement vnto many who stood but faintly to their tacklings before and had no doubt wrought a more daungerous effect had not this breach beene repayred or at least well amended by the surpassing care and prouident circumspectnesse of Dandelot who so plied his friends in Germany Dandelot bringeth forces out of Germany to the ayd of the Protestants that he had gathered about 3300. horse and 4000. footmen with whom there met the Prince Portion at Strausbourge with 100. French horse The ioiful news of which power encouraged the confederates to hold out in hope of their future help and maruellously animated such as before were exceedingly daunted with the remembrance of their former losses These new supplies marched towards Lorrain and passing ouer the riuer of Seine trauersed the country by Yonne Creuen Montargis and arriued at Orleance in despite both of the duke of Neuers and the Mareschall S. Andrew who were sent to stop their passage with 14. cōpanies of men of Armes 16. cornets of Argoletters 25. ensignes of footmen 9. companies of launces and 13. of light horse besides the old troupes of Picardie vnder the leading of Pauan Monsales Giury Crenay and many other Chieftaines This noble and valiant Dandelot gayned a verie honourable report euen of his enemies for so wise and politique a conduct insomuch as hee was not onely reputed a Gentleman of surpassing courage and of an vndaunted spirit in greatest perils but also a leader of excellent skill Dandelot esteemed for an excellent captaine and deepe foresight to preuent all daungers About the same instant there met with him also Rochfaucont and Duras with some three hundred horse and a thousand fiue hundred footmen al which were no sooner assembled at Orleance but that the Prince determined to take the field and hauing prouided all thinges in a readinesse departed towarde Phiuiers and
defeated and no hope left for the Catholikes had not the Duke of Guise reserued his forces whole and entyre and with a sudden charge crossed the happy course of the victorious Prince whose battaillons of footmen being bared of their horse could not endure the furious assault of the Guisards but fled as fast as they could to saue their liues notwithstanding all the encouragement vsed by Dandelot who perswaded them all that he might to abide their enemies Moreouer Danuille one of the sonnes of the Constable espying the princes horsmen disordered with pursuing their victory charged theÌ„ before they could be rallied afresh and hauing first wounded Conde in the hand and then slain his horse the red crosses so pressed on him on all sides before he could be remounted that he was constrained to yeeld himself prisoner Conde taken prisoner to the immeasurable grief of all the confederates The Admirall gathering togither so manie as possible he might of his dispersed troupes gaue a fresh charge vppon the Guise where there was a sore and cruell fight but for that he was not able to match his enemies after the death of many braue men on both sides Dinothus saith that there were 10000. Catholikes slaine The Mareschal S. Andrew slaine he retired to Neufuil leauing the honour of that iourney to the Guise At the last encounter were slaine the Mareschall of S. Andrew Monbrune the Constables sonne the Lord Picues Annebaut Brossy Giury and many other leaders The Duke of Aumaile was greeuously hurt and likewise the Duke of Neuers who dyed shortly after The principall prisoners which were taken were the Constable who was forthwith sent to Orleanâ—e with Orayson Rochfort Esclauoles and sundrie other Gentlemen of good account There were slain on the Princes side verie neare a thousand fiue hundred footmen seuen hundred Almains some foure hundred horse as Dinothus reporteth The principall of which were the Baron of Arpaion Saux Shandeu Liencourt Fredomere Carliere Rongnac Mazelles Saint Germier al which for the most part were of the Cornet of Mouy who was taken prisoner at this last conflict The newes of this battaile was verie vncertaine each side supposing yea and constantly reporting their owne ouerthrowe But vpon more certaine intelligence how that both Generals were taken and that they had parted in a maner with equall losse each faction beganne to rowse vp themselues and to hope for better successe in their future wars wherupon they resolued to choose them new Generals vntill the old were againe restored to libertie The duke of Guise was thought the meetest to commaund ouer the Catholikes The D. of Guise chosen generall ouer the Catholiks and the Admirall ouer the protestants and the Admirall ouer the confederates who pondering their harmes lately receiued by the death of so many braue men and their want of many necessaries requisit for to keepe the field thought it best to retire the one to Paris the other to Orleance and there to repaire their broken armies The Duke of Guise lay not long idle but assayed to recouer certaine townes from the Confederates as Pluuiers Estamps and some others The Admirall on the other side beeing as carefull to maintaine heade agaynst the enemie besieged Selles in Berry which was yeelded vpon composition where he found good store of gold and siluer for the payment of his Reisters Rochfaucont tooke S. Agnan and the Prince Portian entered Monrichard The gayning of which Townes greatly countenanced the wauering estate of the Protestants Thus did these two armyes flote vp and downe each seeking to encroach vppon other so much as might bee At length the Admirall espying the drift of the Guise which was to inuest Orleance on the sudden put himself with all his forces within the Citie Where notwithstanding vpon better aduice he remayned not long but marched towards Normandie to meet with the Englishmen The admiral goeth towards New-hauen to meete with the Englishmen whose landing was dayly expected at New-hauen which was the place appoin for that purpose and that by the consent of the confederates The Queene mother being aduertised hereof laboured to stop his intended voyage by propounding a parle of peace but the Admirall being well acquainted with such stratagems would in no wise hearken thereto but folowed his formed proiect and so with some 3000. horse passingly well furnished and far better then at the battel of Dreux held on his course And being a man of great experience and singular expedition in all his enterprises he surprised on the sudden sundry places which proued afterward of no small moment for the aduancing of the affaires of the confederates The duke of Guise hauing his armie in a readinesse and vnderstanding of the Admirals departure from Orleance leauing Dandelot his brother for the guarde therof vntill his returne thought it best to besiege them who were there assembled while the Admirall with the flower of all their troupes was busied other wheres With this resolution he dislodged and planted his siege about the towne The Duke of Guise besieheth Orleance which he so sore battered and couragiously assailed that the Citie was in imminent perill and all the confederates were in a wonderfull feare least it should haue beene taken Yea the Duke so assured himselfe thereof that hee wrote to the King and Queene Mother that he hoped now to extirpe the race of the Hugonots who had for so many yeares troubled the whole land and that he would send them newes therof within foure and twentie houres But while he was thus in his ruffe firmely perswading himselfe that all was his bebold there fell out a straunge and vnexpected accident which brake the necke of all his deuises There was a poore Gentleman named Iohn Poltrot The storie of Poltot that killed the Duke of Guise one of verie little stature but full of spirite and lyfe and generally reputed of such as best knewe him to bee somewhat a rash headed fellow and verie vndiscreete and one that durst attempt any thing Who being brought vp for a long time in Spaine had learned the language verie perfectly And for that both for his colour complection and stature he was so like vnto them of that nation he was commonly called the little Spaniard This fellow seruing sometime vnder Soubize who commaunded at Lyons woulde often vaunt that this was the hande stretching out his arme that shoulde kill the Duke of Guise and deliuer Fraunce from that monstrous and cruell Tyrant And this hee vsually vttered in great brauerie so that as manie as heard him knowing the humour of the man laughed at his follie little imagining that hee meant as hee sayde for if hee had then it was lykely hee woulde haue kept his purpose more secrete and not haue beene so open mouthed It happened so that immediately after the battaile of Dreux Soubize sent this Poltrot with a Letter to the Admirall who was nowe at Selles in Berrie whither hee was no sooner
come but that Feuquieres whome hee had serued in former tymes in the warres in Pycardie knowing him to bee a man of seruice commended him to the Admirall saying that he was a fit man to bee employed to discouer somewhat of the enemyes proceedings about Orleanâ—e for that he shoulde bee taken for a Spaniard and so a fauourer of theyr designes Wherupon the Admirall gaue him twentie Crownes and sent him to Orleance where hee continued not long but hauing got as good intelligence as he coulde returned backe to do his message The Admyrall lyking the man well for his diligence and secrecie in matters of such importaunce gaue him an hundred Crownes and bidde him buy him a good Horse that hee might with more celeritie dispatch his businesse With this money Poltrot bought him a verie excellent Spanish Genet and leauing the Admirall went backe to the Guises Campe where he awayted some oportunitie to put in execution his intended purpose Which shortly after fell out for hee espying the Duke somewhat late in the euening ryding towardes his Tent vppon a little Nagge onely attended on by a Gentleman Vsher which went before him and an other which talked with him hee approched as neare as hee could and discharged his pistoll vpon the Duke hitting him in the shoulder wounded him verie sore and so turning his horse fled as fast as he could And hauing ridden all that night by by-wayes for feare of those who pursued him he not knowing which way he went wandred vp and downe in the end came againe almost to the place where hee committed the fact Which when he perceiued he rode all the day folowing with as much speed as possibly might be to get out of the danger of his pursuing enemies But hauing with continuall trauell wearied both himselfe and his horse he rested at a farm house where he was taken vpon suspition and committed to safe keeping for his further triall Being examined and found culpable he was adiudged to be drawn in peeces with foure horses Poltrot drawne in peeces with horses to haue his head cut off and his torne bodie to be burnt to ashes This sudden blow did maruellously dismay the Catholikes and the rather for that it appeared to be deadly and not possible to be healed For he waxed worse euerie day then other and died very shortly after The Duke of Guise died within seuen or eight daies after his hurt to their vnspeakable greefe who had reposed their whole confidence in him and to the great reioycing of the confederates whose deadly sworne enemies he was alwayes accounted And this was the end of that turbulent spirit ambitious Guise who as he had massacred many so he in the end was murthered by others and that euen then when he thought least of any danger nay rather fully perswaded himselfe well neare to haue attained to the full period of his wished desires So vncertaine is the state and condition of the greatest and most mightie personages in this variable and changeable world The Guise was no sooner dead but there ensued a present alteration and those conditions which had beene before propounded were forthwith fully agreed vpon so was there a peace proclaimed the 19. of March folowing at S. Memen in the campe before Orleance Peace proclamed in the Campe before Orleance wherewith all sorts in generall seemed to bee maruellously well contented hoping to be freed froÌ„ those horrible miseries wherwith they had bin afflicted for so many yeres And indeed albeit this pacification held but for a while yet did the whole land reape great fruite thereby and acknowledged the gracious goodnesse of the Almightie in that it had pleased him to giue them some respite and to make an end of their Ciuill warres But this blessed peace could not continue long by reason there fell out many occasions of discontentment to either faction by meanes wherof they were soone entangled afresh in their former sorrowes and vexations CHAP. VIII The seditious humour of the Cardinall of Lorraine The Admirall accused for the death of the Duke of Guyse The complaints of the Protestants The League made at Bayon The King refuseth to heare the Protestants The second ciuill warre Paris besieged by the Protestants THe Cardinall of Lorraine The Cardinall of Lorraine seeketh new occasions of strife and brother to the deceased Duke of Guyse the especiall instrument of all these calamities which hadde continued for so long time in that noble kingdome of France inwardly vexed to see such a peaceable estate knowing full well that it did not stande with his commoditie and profit to see the Princes of the bloud to bee fauoured at the Court neither yet the Nobilitie and Gentlemen to liue in peace and amitie one with another and all sorts as brethren to liue euenly together deuised a way to set all men again together by the eares and to embarke themselues into newe troubles Hee therefore with the assent of his associats spread abroade diuers calumniations and slanderous rumours of those of the reformed Religion being a gratious man with the Queen mother for that their humors were but too agreeable and consonant each to other he perswaded with her that if shee should countenance the cheefe Princes and Lords of the Religion and suffer them to be neere the Court and beare a sway in matters of State they would draw on many followers after them and peraduenture gaine the yong King and the Princes his brethren to be their friends and then Conde being a man of courage and of that proximitie in bloud would looke to haue his place which if hee might peaceably enioy her authoritie would be quickly in the dust and the Burbons Memorancies and Chastillons would rule all and as it was most likely shee should bee called to an account for her former gouernement during the Kings nonage and by drawing on the hatred of the Catholikes of the Pope and of the King of Spaine loose al her credit and reputation The Queene mother being iealous inough of her estate before and nowe encouraged by the Cardinall to role euerie stone rather then to loose one iot of her authoritie discountenanced all that shee might those of the Religion and to be ridde of the Admirall whome for his wisedome integritie valour and vprightnesse of all his actions shee could not abide it was deuised that hee should be charged to haue hired Poltrot to kill the late Duke of Guyse and to colour the matter withalâ— there was a counterfeit deposition of Poltrot exhibited and the yong Duke of Guyse was animated to demand iustice of the K. for the death of his father The yong Duke of of Guyse set on to accuse the Admiral of the murther of his father But when this deuise came to the prince of Condes eare Lord howe exceedingly was hee offended protesting and that openly at the Councell Table that hee would spend all that euer hee had yea and his owne
the troupes which came out of Guyen and Poictou to the succors of the Prince they thought it not conuenient to let slip so fit oportunity and therefore hauing all their forces in a readinesse the Constable issued forth of Paris the tenth of Nouember 1567. The conestable issueth foorth of Paris with three thousand horse and about seauenteene or eighteene thousand footmen all very well armed and appoynted for the Combate and were aranged in this manner CHAP. IX The battaile of Saint Dennis The death of the Constable of France The Army of the conestable HIs whole army was stretched out in length more resembling a hedge then any thing else on the left side whereof were placed the battalion of Switzers flanked with a good number of harquebuziers all which stood to assure fourteene peâ—ces of great ordinance which were planted in the mouth of Auberuilliers towardes which hee caused his whole army to turne head on the left side of the Switzers hee appointed a regiment of Horse and before them another very strong troupe likewise of horsemen whereof was Captaine the mareschall Memorancy his eldest son There were also on the same side the regiments of the Dukes of Nemours Longeuille the Count Retts Chauigny Thore Lansac and many others close to these stood a good troupe of harquebuziers on foote behind all these stood the battaile of the Parisians brauely shining with armor pikes halbards hiding almost the side of the army Catholike wherin was the Constable with his Switzers on the right side were the regiments of the Count Brissac and Strozzi and somewhat higher those of the mareschal Cossy Biron Auely Riuiere with some others behind whom stood the Duke of Aumaile mareschal Danuill strongly guarded with two troupes of horsemen for the better assurance of the Switzers and French footmen The Army of the Prince The Prince beeing aduertised heereof by his espyals and knowing that that day would not passe without a fight marshalled his battalions as followeth The Admirall assisted with Cleermont and his two sonnes Reâ—ty sixe cornets of horse and foure hundred harquebuziers on foote lead by Vallefeniere stood right in the face of those that guarded the side of the Constable Genlis accompanied with Lauardin Vardes Bressant Besancourt with fiue or sixe cornets fronted the mareschall Cossy Biron and the rest before mentioned The Prince of Conde the Cardinall Chastillon Sechalles the vidames of Chartres and of Amiens the Counts of Saux La Suze Esternay Conchauanes and Stuard who commaunded ouer certaine Scots with foure hundred harquebuziers stood lower in the forme of a battaile couering Saint Dennis faced the Conestable and them who were before him so that their forme of battaile resembled a Croysant or new Moone These generalles had no sooner disposed of their battailons in this warlike manner but their great ordinance beganne to thunder and theyr Enfans Perdus to attach the skirmish Genlis seeing the Catholikes approch towardes his quarters ranged his men close together and hauing desired them to go resolutely to the charge and to enter succor one another aduanced to receiue them who changing their pace into a trot reencountred them with such furie that it hasted the death of aboue fiftie persons at that instant The Admirall who was an olde Fox and beaten to the warres could quickly espie his aduantage seeing the state of the battaile caused his harquebuziers to amende theyr march and to putte themselues further forwardes and beeing seconded by the Prince and by the rest of the Armie who were readie to receiue their part of the blowes as well as others gaue in so lustily and so couragiously charged the red crosses that hee ouerthrew them making them runne headlong vpon the Parisian bands The red crosses bâ—gan to runne whom they exceedingly disordered and affrighted The Mareschall Cossy seeing many of the Catholikes disbanding themselues and the Confederates wholy pursuing them crying Victorie Victory sent worde to the Mareschall Danuill and the Duke of Aumaile to accompanie him to the charge Now was the Prince hastening to encounter the Constable vppon whome hee ranne amaine and with such fiercenesse assayled them whom hee met that hee quite defaced them who were much dismayed before with the fearefull flight of their companions whom the Admirall had chased alreadie and made such a breach in their great battailon that the Conestable being abandoned by aboue a thousand runnawaies finding himselfe hurt in the face The Constable wounded to death and pressed to yeeld by Stuard a Scot could not for choller answere otherwise then with blowes of his sword with the pummell whereof hee gaue Stuard such a blow on the Iawe bone that hee smote out two or three of his teeth and loosed many of the rest which when another Scotte espied he shotte him into the reines of the backe with his pistoll for that hee wore but a very thin and light harnesse beeing a man aboue foure score yeeres of age Now were the Switzers maruailously astonished and readie to take their heeles as well as others had they not beene reassured by the Duke of Aumaile and the Mareschall Danuille who promised to liue and die with them and likewise by the hardy onsette of the Mareschall Memorancy who by ouerthrowing certaine of the Princes troupes of Horse made most of his footmen to flye and hadde not the night so fast approched hee had vtterly discomfited all the rest but the darkenesse which presently ensued caused each to return to draw towards those quarters where they heard the cries of their Generalles the Protestants to the Prince of Conde who playned of his horse which was sore hurt and wounded insomuch as hee began to faile him and hee was no sooner alighted but hee fell downe starke dead besides him The Catholikes went towardes the Constable who was wounded to death and seeing all things standing in so badde tearmes neuer pursued the Protestants contenting themselues with the honour of the fielde and the libertie to burie theyr dead The number of the slaine The Prince retyred backe againe to Saint Dennis hauing lost the vidame of Amiens Piquigni Saux La Suse Saint Andrew Garennes with three hundred horsemen and aboue fiftie Gentlemen of Marke The Catholikes with their generall left behinde them dead in the field the Count De Chamne Hierom of Turin and aboue fortie chieftaines and commanders beside three hundred common souldiers and a great multitude of maimed and wounded men CHAP. X. The Prince of Conde leaueth Paris Rochel yeeldeth to the Protestants The Duke of Aniou made the Kings Lieutenant Cassimer bringeth ayde to the Protestants The siege of Chartres Peace proclaimed in France The Prince raiseth his siege before Paris THe next day after the comming of Dandelot who was exceeding sorie that hee came not time inough to haue beene at the battaile the Prince presented himselfe againe with all his whole power before Paris but his enimies kept close within the walles wherefore
after hee had braued them for a good space and had wasted and spoyled hard to the suburbs seeing that no man durst appeare to impeach his proceedings considering that victuals and other necessaries for his army waxed scant and that the Catholikes hourely reenforced themselues as also vnderstanding that Cassimer was comming with a great army to his ayde he dislodged then from S. Dennis the fifteenth of Nouember and went towards Lorrayne to receiue his Almaines Beeing on his way at Montargis hee receiued letters from Truchares who was a little before elected Maior of Rochell that if hee would sende some especiall man of account to be Lieutenant in his absence they would yeeld the towne to his deuotion The Prince was wonderfull glad to heare this good newes knowing that to bee a place of no small importance and therefore hee foorthwith dispatched Saint Hermin his Cousin with letters to the Mayor and Shriues of the towne giuing them hearty thankes for their great fauour and kindnesse with a request to remaine constant and to receiue his Cousin as his Lieutenant in his absence Rochel yeelded to the Protestants This gentleman was very welcome to the Rochelers where hee arriued the tenth of Februarie 1568. and so Rochell being a maruailous strong place accomodated with a goodly hauen by which meanes it was growne very rich remained euer after at the deuotion of the Confederates The troups of Poictou Xaintoigne c. By this time were there newe troupes leuied in Poictou Guyen Xaintoigne Angolesme and Gascongne vnder the leading of Saint Cyre Soubize Puuiant Pilles and other chiefetains amounting to the number of eighteene Cornets of horse and twenty leauen ensignes of footmen who marching to ioyne with the Prince tooke by the way Dorat Lusignan and Pont Sur Yon where they ioyned with the vauntgard ledde by the Admirall Chastillon from thence passing by Sens they tooke Bray Nogent Montereau and Espernay Thus did the Protestants stil aduance their affaires the Catholikes being not able to impeach or hinder them notwithstanding all their practises and deuises Monsieur Duke of Aniou made the Kings lieutenant generall Now was Monsieur the Duke of Aniou brother to the King by reason of the death of the Constable proclamed Lieutenant generall ouer all his brothers territories and Dominions who beeing assisted by the Prince de Nemours Longauille the Mareschall Cossy Tauannes Martigues Carnaualet Losses and sundrie other great Captaines was commaunded to bridle the Protestants as much as might be The Duke of Aumaile was sent into Lorraine to ioyne with the Marques of Baden who had raysed a power of some three thousand horse for the seruice of the King and the Duke of Alua sent the Count of Aremberg with a thousand and two hundred horse and two thousand footmen Spaniards and Burgonians who shoulde ioyne with Monsieur against the Prince of Conde The marques of Baden and the Duke of Alua send forces to Monsieur and the rest of the Confederates The yong Lonsac was sent to the Count Palatine to hinder the leuie of the Reisters made by his sonne Cassimer and nowe readie to march for the succour of the Protestants Thus was there great preparation made on all sides to continue the warres and to consume Fraunce with the flame of ciuill broyles The Prince being aduertised of all this hasted to meete with his Reisters and with much adoo being followed in the taile by the Catholikes at length arriued at Saint Michaell where hee passed the Riuer of Meaux and so entered into Lorraine still proceeding forwardes vntill hee came as farre as Mousoâ— where hee met with Cassimer and his Almaines The Prince of Conde meeteth with Cassimer his Almains who accompanyed with the two young Countes of Barbie the Count Holo the Mareschall of the Palatinate Scomberg and manie others of great reckoning and account had long expected the comming of the Confederates After some stay made for the refreshing of their wearied troupes they determined to returne towards the pleasant and fertile fieldes of the Flower de Lis there to assay if they could bring their enemies to any honest and reasonable conditions Monsieur had speedie intelligence of the returne of both Armyes wherefore hee sent great numbers both of horsemen and footemen to stoppe all the passages and amongst others commaunded the Duke of Neuers with his Italian bandes to defende the Riuers of Merne Seyne Yon The Duke of Neuers appointed to stop the passage of the Almains into France and sundrie other places And that if hee could not hinder theyr course yet he should annoy them by all possible meanes to the ende that beeng wearied and wasted so much as might bee his excellencie might fight with them afterwards in grosse with more aduauntage The Protestants minding not to forslowe theyr businesse dislodged from Chalons and marched towards the head of the Riuer of Meuse and so leauing Comercyon on their right hande passed ouer at Marne and went towardes Chastillon where they were assayled by certaine troupes of Italians and French who set vpon the taile of the army to cause them to hasten their pace But Scomberge Certain Italian troupes ouerthrowne by Scomberg being sent with part of his owne Regiment assisted by some fewe of the French gaue them such a furious charge that hee wholy defeated them and brought theyr colours to the Prince The armie was forthwith aduaunced and marching through Hurepoise by Bleueau and Montargis arryued at last in Beausse and encamped before Charters which they determined to besiege for that it was verie rich and well able to relieue the armie with manie necessaries The comming of this great power encouraged diuerse who had kept them selues close to put forth theyr heads and to attempt manie things in fauour of the Confederates Those of Languedocke Prouence and Gascoigne were presently vp in armes vnder their leaders Sipteres Montbrun Moâ—â—ans Senas Bâ—urinqâ—et Rapin Montacut and sundrie other Chieftaines and suddenly surprised Nismes Montpellier Saint Marcell Saint Esprit Saint Iean Boue all which they fortified for their greater profite and securitie The Catholikes were not idle but sought to catch whatsoeuer they coulde come by which might any way tend to their aduauntage Montaret gouernour of the Countrey of Burbonois with Terride La Valette and Monsales surprised certaine troupes of the Protestants whom they quickely defeated and put to flight Mascon was taken by the Duke of Neuers Mouluc likewise tooke certaine Isles in Xainctoigne and prepared all necessaries to besiege Rochell one of the principall retreates of the Protestants The Count Martinengo Richleu and sundrie others besieged Orleance Thus were they in euery corner of Fraunce vp in Armes and no man knewe where to bee safest from the violence of the souldiours and men of Armes Now were all things in a readinesse for the siege of Chartres Charters besieged so that hauing raysed theyr mounts and planted theyr artillarie they began to beate
him some of the ensignes who caused them to be set vp in Saint Peters Church from whence he went in procession with all his Cardinals to the temple of the holy Ghost to giue thanks for so ioyfull successe and so did likewise the Venetians and duke of Alua thinking that all the Protestants in France had beene wasted and consumed But the Admirall with the principall of the confederates gaue them quickly to vnderstand that the matter was likely to be farre otherwise then they imagined For they gathering togither their dispersed forces fortifyed Cognac Angolesme Pos Saint Gean d'Angely and other places wherein they planted strong garrisons to amuse the armie of the Catholiques vntill the comming of the Duke of Deux Ponts who was alreadie marching with a great power to the reliefe of the confederates And hauing chosen the young Prince of Nauarre for their Generall who promised to spende his life in defence of theyr cause The prince of Nauarre chosen generall of the protâ—stants after the death of Conde and neuer to abandon them vntill an assured peace were established reuiewing their troupes which amounted well neare to fortie thousand horse besids their footmen prouided all necessaries to begin the wars afresh and if it might bee to repaire their former losses Dandelot was sent into Poictou to view the strength of their forces in those quarters and to gather as much money as possibly hee could for the payment of the Souldiers where after he had very wisely and pollitikely aduanced his busines and gotten good store of gold and siluer for the maintenance of the warres in his returne fell into a burning feauer Dandelot dâ—eth of a burning feuer whereof hee died shortly after at Xaincts to the vnspeakeable greefe of the Admirall and all those of the reformed Churches Hee was very valiant pollitike and passing skilfull in all warlike affaires prouident to foresee all dangers couragious and hardy in all his enterprises liberall The praise â—f Daâ—delot courteous and affable and therfore wonderfully well beloued of his souldiers who thought themselues able to encounter with any whatsoeuer so long as they had him for cheefetaine and commander and therfore they bewailed the losse of him as of their father The Duke of Deux Ponts who was hasting to the aide of the Protestants The Duke of Deux Ponts commeth to ayde the protestants with a great power had in his armie seauen thousand and fiue hundred Reisters and sixe thousande Lansquenetes with whom were ioyned the Prince of Orenge the two Counts Ludouicus and Henry his brethren with a small band of their followers besides Moruilliers the marquesse of Reuel Fequieres Cleruant Mouy and Esternay with certaine culuerings sixe field peeces and a good number of Musqueters with those companies he got forward as fast as hee might still gayning ground and approching the territories of France notwithstanding al the hindrances and lets which were giuen by the Duke of Aumaile who with a great power was appointed to stoppe the passages and to barre this Almain Duke out of the fertile countrey of the Flower de Lis but that could not be for still hee passed foorth and at last rested himselfe before La Charite a towne of great importance La Charity besieged and taken by a composition and scituated as it were in the heart and bowels of France The Towne was verie straightly besieged and planting his battery he beate the wals in such furious maner that those within beeing not able to holde out and dispairing of any succours in time yeelded vpon composition to haue their liues saued and so was it sacked and spoyled by the Lansquenetes La Charity sacked The taking of the towne was no small aduantage to the confederates as also the losse thereof did much hinder the fortunate course of the victorious Catholikes who now began to consult how to impeach the two armies that they should not meete and vnite themselues together but doo what they could the Duke still aduanced forwardes passed through Lymosin so farre as Cars where falling sicke hee dyed of a quartaine Feuer tothe exceeding greefe of all his friendes and followers The Princes beeing aduertised of the comming of the Duke and the taking of La Charity hasted to meete them leauing La Noue Captaine in cheefe ouer Poictou Rochell and other places vnder their obedience and ioyning with the Germaines at length neere vnto Cars were not a little gladde in their hearts albeit they were mightily crossed by the death of theyr principall and cheefest leader The death of the Duke of Deux ponts * The Protestants had in their army som tenne or twelue thousand horse and twenty thousand foot men When all the confederates were ioyned together they first sent a supplicatication to the King desiring a peace but when they could not bee heard nor those miserable warres which had so long tormented poore France could haue any ende by faire meanes they proceeded on and purposed to assay if by fine force they could compell their enemies to any honest and reasonable conditions the better to effect this they determined to get as many strong townes as they could into their handes as well in the Countrey of Lymosyn as other where But the Army of his excellencie was nowe so strongly reenforced with the troupes of the Duke of Aumaile as also with one thousand and two hundred horse and foure hundred footmen all Italians and vnder the conduct of Saint Fior nephew to the Pope called Pius Quintus that they did continually coast them maintained sundrie braue skirmishes with the confederates barring them from executing many of their enterprises and at length each Army meeting together neere vnto Rockabeuille had almost tryed their quarrell by an entire battaile for Monsieur hauing encamped vppon a goodly plaine and entrenched his armie round about in most defencible maner sauing at one corner placed there a strong Corps du gard composed of the two Regiments sometimes commaunded by the valiant Counte Brissac and nowe ledde by the two Captains La Barthe and Goas who still lamented the death of their generous collonell to defende that quarter from all sodaine inuasions of the Protestants This Gard was quickly espied and the Admirall aduertised thereof who was very desirous to remooue them further off but for that hee did not well know their strength he thought it good to deale warily and to go with al his whole forces to this exploit beeing a matter of so great importance purposing to enterprise further if occasion serued Whereupon all the troupes were forthwith arranged and put in battaile array the Admirall assisted by Beaunois La Nocle Briquemant Soubize La Noue Teligny and others led the vantgard followed by their seueral Cornets and a great Hot of Reisters conducted by Count Ludouic brother to the Prince of Orenge who were flanked with the Regiments of Beaudisne and Piles and on the left hand with Rouuray Pouille a strong battailon
Religion would accept of any conditions But they beeing too often before beguyled with fayre wordes woulde not hearken thereto least the world should thinke that they were no longer able to maintaine their cause a speciall plotte sayd they to discountenaunce the rest of theyr proceedings The Protestants refuse a peace VVhereupon both the Catholiques and Protestants still continued to vexe each other in all hostill manner The Count de Lude and Puygalliard recouered Marans Browages and many other Islandes from the Confederates which were againe regayned by La Noue and stronglie fortifyed for the further aduauncement of the affayres of the Protestants Who preuayled also verie mightily by Sea taking manie great pryses which were no meanes to further theyr designements Whilest things fell out in this maner about Rochell the Princes the Admirall and the rest of the chiefest of the confederates had greatly encreased their forces and hasted to ioyne their troupes with Montgommerie Moubrune and other Chieftaines who had gathered a great number of harquebuziers to supply those bandes which had beene broken at the battell of Mountcounter And hauing thus reenforced their army they marched towards Lorrain there to attend the comming of theyr Almaynes And as they passed through Languedocke and came neare vnto Mountpellier La Loue one of the Mareschals of the campe was slaine as he was fast asleepe in the dead of the night through the great neglâ—gence of the Sentinels La Loue slain through the negligenâ—e of the Sentinels who beeing suddenly surprised by the garrison within the Towne were the cause of the death of this braue Chieftaine who for his valour courage and noble conduct was highly commended of all the Protestants Many townes were gayned by the Princes in these quarters as Lunell Nismes Margarite Saint Ambrose Saint Iean Saint Priuâ—te Bezouze Castillon Alâ—ts with sundâ—y other of good importance by which happy exploits the confederates did begin afresh to countenance themselues and to recouer much of their former honour and renowme When as the K. was aduertised of all their designes and how that they dayly encreased their forces surprised many castels strong holds and were now almost ioyned with their Reisters with whose ayd they resolued to returne againe into the heart of France and peraduenture once more to besiege the capitoll of all the Kingdome he dispatched forthwith the Mareschall Cossy with an armie wherein were 4000. Switzers 6000. French harquebuziers some 3. or 4000. horse and twelue great peeces of Ordinance with which forces he marched towards the princes Mareschal Cossy sent against the Princes who were incamped at a place called Saint Iean in Burgundy with some 2500. harquebuziers 2000. horse and eighteene cornets of Reisters These two armies came no sooner in view each of other but that their Enfans perdus began the game so that there was a hot skirmish on both sides The Prince of Berne and Conde were there in person each of them in the front of their Regiment and resolutely bent to go to the charge and there to make the first triall of their fortune The fight continued long and many were slaine but the Catholikes hauing the worse after they had lost Monsieur de Bellegard Monsieur de Bellegard slaine one of the Knights of the order besides diuerse others of good accouÌ„t were forced to suffer the Protestants to passe who hasting on their way after great trouble and a long and painefull iourney hauing in a maner rounded all Fraunce at the last they drewe neare to La Charitie Sancerre Antrin Vezelay and other Townes of the Religion where they defended themselues to theyr maruaylous comfort and contentation Nowe was the treatie of peace before mentioned reiterated and earnestly pursued by diuerse who perswaded the King The King perswaded to a peace that these intestine warres consumed none but his Subiectes that the murthers robberies burnings and such like miseryes woulde bee the confusion of the whole state and that who so euer gayned yet hee lost to the great impouerishing of the Crowne of Fraunce and the vtter destruction of that noble kingdome which had beene the paragon of all Europe These and the like reasons induced the King at length to condiscend to a peace which was accepted by the confederates and published in the yere 1570. to the great comfort of all the French and exceeding quiet of the whole lande where we may see the strange and wonderful mutabilitie of mens minds which as they are not long contented with one the self same estate so do they seldom or neuer like the better before they haue beene well scourged with the rod of their owne folly and taught by wofull experience howe to discerne betweene good and bad CHAP. XIIII Peace proclaimed in France The mariages of the King the Duke of Montpensier the Duke of Guise and the Admirall The Queene of Nauarre goeth to the Court The Admirall goeth to the Court The death of the Queene of Nauarre Peace proclaimed THe kings Edict for the establishing of a peace was no sooner published but that the forces on both sides were forthwith licenced to depart euery man to his owne house which hee had not seene for a long time before to the vnspeakable ioy of the protestaÌ„ts no small comfort to the better and honester sort of the Papists who as mariners that haue escaped some dangerous troublesom tempests and are arriued safely in their wished port held vp their haÌ„ds to heauen with giuing thanks for so vnspeakeable a blessing and earnestly entreated the almightie that they might spend the rest of their dayes in peace and quietnes The Princes with the Queene of Nauarre and sundry of the chiefe of the Protestants as the Admirall the Count Lodowick of Nassau Teligny La Noue and diuerse other withdrew themselues to Rochell for their greater securitie vntil they might see how the kings Edict would be executed Now began there a great alteration in the minds of the French all mens actions were suddenly changed as a man would haue thought after a strange wonderfull maner For where as not long before there was no talke but of hatred wrath murther bloodie broyles and most cruel and vnnaturall warres now was there nothing so much spoken of as loue amitie friendship and making of mariages The King was espoused to Isabel the second daughter to Maximilian the emperor The King marrieth whose nuptials were solemnised with great pompe and magnificence Lois of Burbon and Duke of Montpensier maried with the Duke of Guises sister Duke Montpensier marrieth and the Duke of Guise matched with the widowe of the late Prince Portion D. of Guise marieth one of the principall of the Confederates The Mareschall Cossy and Prontiere one of the Secretaryes of estate were sent vnto Rochell to treate with the Queene of Nauarre as touching a marriage betweene the Prince of Barne her sonne and the Ladie Margaret the Kinges sister a
poynted to the house from whence the peece was shotte and willed some of his Gentlemen to go search who was within sending Captaine Pilles and Captaine Monius to aduertise the King of his hurt Whilest he was led home by the lord Guerchy another gentleman the doore of the house beeing broken open the harquebuz was found but the harquebuzier was fled out at a backe gate and finding a spanish Gennet which was there prouided in a readinesse galloped away with all speede crying as hee went that now there was no Admirall in France Captaine Pilles finding the King at â—ennis with the Duke of Guyse The notable dissimulation of the King related vnto him the Admirals hurt which hee no sooner vnderstood but he leauing his play threw down his racket looking very pensiuely went to his Chamber the king of Nauarre the Prince of Conde the Count Rochfaucont and many other Lords knights and Gentlemen of the Religion beeing enformed of this mishap went presently to visit the Admirall The King taking with him the Queene mother The king goeth to visit the Admiral his two brethren and most of the principall Catholikes went likewise to comfort him shewing many signes of great sorrow for his harme complaining that indeede the Admirall felt the harme but the dishonour was done to the King vpon whose faithfull promise hee was come to the Court and therefore both hee that had committed the fact and all that consented thereto should bee most seuerely punished to the example of all other villanous and notorious malefactors whereto the Admirall answered that hee would leaue the reuenge to God and the execution of Iustice to the King but as for the authour hee was knowne well inough and because hee could not tell how long hee had to liue hee besought the king that hee might talke with him in secret touching things of very great importance and such as were most necessarie for the state of the Kingdome The King seemed to bee willing herewith but the Queen mother by a deuise brake off their talke for that time so that there was no further conference and because the king of Nauarre the Prince of Conde and diuers others moued the king that they might haue leaue to carrie the Admiral to his house at Chastillon which was some two daies iourney from Paris as to a place of greater quiet and securitie the king not willing to condiscend thereunto answered that so long a iourney would very much endanger his health and therefore he thought it better to haue him lodged in the Louure neere vnto his owne person where he should be safe from all perill furthermore he willed all the cheefe of the Protestant Nobilitie to place themselues as neere him as they could in case that if there were any need they might be readie to succour one another and appointed the Mareschall Cossy with a band of harquebuziers to guard his lodging The wolfe appointed to keepe the Lambe Vpon the Satterday which was the twenty three of August the councell sat about the examination of certaine witnesses touching the fact and sundrie other suspected persons taking great paines as it seemed to boult out the truth as though they meant to punish the offender with all rigour and seueritie With these and the like apparances the protestants helde themselues well satisfied neuer suspecting that all was but dissimulation and that so great mischiefe did hang ouer their heads The same day there was a sodaine rumour ouer al the Citie that the king had sent for the Mareschall Memorancy commanding him to come to him with al the forces hee could make and therefore the Parisians were best to stande vppon their guard but all was founde in the end to be vtterly false Teligny beeing giuen to vnderstand by the Admirals trumpetters that there were sixe cart loades of Armour brought into the Louure answered that hee did not like that men should bee so suspitious without cause for his part hee was well assured of the Kings good fauour and wished other men were so likewise seeing it was not possible that there should be any harme intended towardes them whome the king had honoured so many waies and had oftentimes so solemnely sworne to remaine theyr gracious and louing soueraigne But the king with all those of his secret counsell seeing that they had nowe brought all things about euen as they had desired and that the Admirall was taken in a trap and all his principall associats so snarled in their nets that it was impossible for them to get out thought it high time to putte in execution that which they had purposed so long before and at that instant to finish the dayes of all the Protestants Whereuppon a signall was giuen in the dead of the night by the touling of a Bell in the Louure which was no sooner heard by Cossy who as is alreadie sayde with a bande of harquebuziers guarded the Admiralles lodging but that hee commaunded his men to breake open the doores and to kill as many as they sounde in their wayes The Admirall hearing the noyse and fearing some seditious enterprise willed one of his Gentlemen to call to the guard which was appointed him by the King little imagining that it was they that came to offer him such violence and arising out of his bedde putte on his night gowne and kneeled downe to pray By this time were sundrie of the murtherers gotten in had slaine such as they found in the house The first that entred into the Admirals chamber was one Besme an Almaine a desperate ruffian one of the Duke of Guyses houshold seruants who with his drawne sword in his hand sayde Art thou the Admiral who answered with great constancie So I am called Which hee had no sooner vttered but that Besme runne him through with a sword and another called Atinius The Admirall murthered shot him into the brest with a Pistoll and the rest as Causius and Sarlaboix stabbed him with their daggers and threw him out at the window to the Duke of Guyse and Aumaile and the Cheualier of Angolesme who was King Henry his bastard all which stood crying out to make a quicke dispatch and would not departe thence vntil they were assured of his death and for that hee was so bloudied about the face by reason of his woundes vpon his head that it was hard to know him the Guyse kneeled down and wiped away the bloud with his handkercheffe and seeing it was hee whom they looked for cryed out that they hadde made a happie beginning willing them to proceede for it was the Kings pleasure and that the K. commanded them to spare none of the Hugonots and this hee vttered very often and with a loude voyce A certaine Italian cutte off the Admirals head and hauing embaulmed it sent it to Rome as a present to the Pope The Admirals head sent to Rome Some cutte off his handes and others his secret partes and hauing trayled his
fire and sword vntil he had taken their towne seene such punishment inflicted vpon them as the nature and qualitie of so traiterous a fact required Those within being taught by other mens harmes to beware hauing learned by wofull experience not to trust any faire promises that came from the Court seeing the king and all his Courtiers hadde so notoriously falsified their words in former times thought it best to stand vpon their guard and not to be beguyled with such alluring baites which when his excellencie perceiued hee commaunded his armie to approach nearer the towne to entrench themselues to raise Mounts to plant their Ordinaunce and to annoy those within as much as might be The Canon was no sooner placed but that it forthwith played vpon the Towne very furiously and to the great terrour of such as had not beene acquainted with the like sport Those of Rochel were not idle but prouided all necessaries to stop such breaches as should be made and answering the Catholikes with such shot as they had often issuing out and skirmishing with their enemies with notable courage and alacritie Yea the women maydes and children would expouse themselues to al hazard The courage of the women and aduenture forth among the souldiers carying them wine comfers and such like maruailously animating such as fought with their cheerfull words hardy examples And one among the rest so farre aduenturing that in the hotest of the skirmish she seeing one of the Catholikes slaine ran vnto him and tooke away his sword and harquebuz which she caried into the towne with great triumph and reioying sayde that she had adorned herselfe with the spoiles of her enemies The third of March those within discharging a Minion from the Tower of S. Iohn Euangelist pierced one of the enemies gabyons and encountring Claud of Lorraine Duke of Aumaile peere of Fraunce and Lieutenant for the King in the Duchie of Burgundie The Duke of Aumaile slaine stroke him starke deade to the great griefe of sundrie of the Catholiques of whom he was verie much beloued for his many excellent and commendable vertues And being incensed agaynst the Rochellors for this fact seeing they could get nothing with open force thought it best to assay what they could do by a more secret meanes whereupon they fell to vndermining spent a long time in digging and deluing vnder the ground endeuoring to blow vp their walles and to ouerthrow their towers bulwarks with gun-powder But they within so nobly valiantly defended themselues and so politikely preueÌ„ted all their stratagems that they could not by any means accomplish their desires Yea they seemed so little to regard all their endeuors that vpon May day in great ioylitie and triumph they decked their walles and towers and with trumpets drums fluâ—ts and other musicall and delightsome instruments seemed to spend the day in myrth and solace as though they little or nothing cared for their enemies Many who secretly fauoured the religion seeing the great courage of the Rochellors and their happy successe in holding out so long a time again such a mighty power began to pluck vp their hearts and openly to shew themselues So that now great numbers were vp in Armes in Poictou Xanctogne Quercie 〈◊〉 Dauphiny and sundrie other parts of the land so that the Catholikes who thought that they had destroyed all the Protestants in their Parisian murthers found themselues maruailously deceiued and many signes appeared of newe ciuill warres and those as troublesome and dangerous as anie others before 〈◊〉 For now the King and all the French Catholikes were growne so odious both at home and among forraigne Nations that all the Worlde spake shame of their barbarous and straunge cruelties and such Protestant Townes as were stronglie fortifyed woulde not yeelde by anie perswasion 〈◊〉 distrusting in the kings worde who had so often and so notoriouslie falsified his 〈◊〉 to the great dishonour and staine of his princelie dignitie and perpetuall staine of the French nation Whilest his excellencie with a mightie power besieged Rochel the Mareschal Danuill lieutenant for the king in Languedocke The mareschal Danuill in Languedocke was sent to reduce all those quarters vnder the Kings obedience but he found it a matter of more difficultie then he at the first imagined for albeit he entred the countrey with a strong power purposing to besiege Nismes a place of the greatest importance of all the rest and by force to constraine it to stand at the deuotion of the Catholikes yet was he in the end after some losse at the least of thousand of his best souldiours before a pettie village called Sancerre compelled to giue ouer his enterprise and to disperse his men into garrisons the better to relieue them and with all diligence to muster new forces to repayre his broken troupes Which when those of Sancerre vnderstoode The siege of Sancerre beeing notably encouraged by the surpassing valour of their Confederates they resolued to endure the vttermost attempts of La Chastre and all the Catholiques and therefore whereas by reason of theyr long siege all vittailes beganne to bee scarce The great famine in Sancerre necessitie the mother of all fine inuentions taught them to make manie hard shifts and to deuise new and straunge meates For after that they had first eaten vp all theyr Horses Asses Dogges Cattes and such like they deuised to make meate of their Skinnes roasting seething and broyling them vpon Girdirons as if they had beene Tripes Mice and Rattes were accounted daintie delicates and well was hee that could get them And being still pressed with hunger they deuised to make meat of old shooes hornes horses and bullockes hooues which had lien hid in the dunghils for many yeares the little children would broyle and rost their girdles to to fill their emptie mawes Rootes hearbs and barkes of trees serued in steade of iunketting dishes whatsoeuer had any moysture taste sauour or smell were it neuer so vnholsome they eate it with greedinesse And albeit they were often shewed of the daunger therof yet would they not take heede for the belly had no eares Yea so intollerable was the famine that they eate the verie dung especially of horses which was accounted indifferent good and therfore raked it togither as a thing of much price The father and mother eat their own child The father and mother eat their own child which was pined to death with huÌ„ger for so horrible a fact were both burned It is incredible what misery was in that towne and yet they would not yeeld nor coÌ„mit themselues to the mercy of their enemies But at length the famin still increasing hauing not past 400. souldiers left and those for the most part sickly weake and wounded and seeing no hope of any succors froÌ„ any their confederates were content to hearken to a parle which was offred vnto them by La Chastre and so by composition to render the
Guyse who was mustering of men and gathering of forces and that very busily for the same purpose As the king was thus deuising how hee might best withstand the Reisters new troubles ensued and a maruailous likelyhood of greater and more dangerous sturres then at any time before if they were not wisely and speedily preuented for the Duke of Alenson the kings onely brother and the second person of France sodainely departed from the Court The Duke of Alenson sodainly departeth from the Court to the aide of the confederates and went to Dreux beeing highly discontented with his straight keeping which he accounted no better then an imprisonment to whom theâ—e daily repayred great numbers of the nobilitie and gentlemen both Papists and Protestants and there openly shewed himselfe a fauourer of the Confederates * The king of Nauarre escapeth out of prison The king of Nauarre who had likewise beene shut vp for three yeeres hauing libertie on a time to go to hunt in the Forrest of Saint Germain in Lay accompanied with the Duke of Espernon and many other Lords and gentlemen so perswaded with them that they were not onely willing to suffer him to go whether hee would but many offering their seruice to bring him on the way neuer left him vntill he came to Samur where he continued not long but hee grew to that strength that he cared little or nothing for his enemies These two vnexpected accidents did maruailously astonish the Court and made the wisest of them well neere at their wits endes But the Queene mother who earnestly desired to see some good agreement betweene hir children The Queene mother reconcileth her children accompanied with some of the Princes of the bloud the principall officers of the Crowne and the two Mareschals of France Memorancy and Cossy who were now deliuered out of prison went with all speede toward Monsieur and neuer left him vntill she had first made a truce for nine moneths and afterwards hauing granted vnto him the Dukedomes of Berry Touraine and Aniou for his better maintenance besides many other things done in fauour of the Protestants the warres ceased and a generall peace was proclaimed thorowout the land which the Protestants hoped would be more permanent then any other of former times for that it was granted by the king who as yet had not violated his promise The end of the fift ciuill warres and therefore they had no cause to doubt of him especially considering that as one exempting himselfe from being culpable of the breach of the former pacification he commanded that this should be tearmed by the name of his Peace and therefore in all likelihood meant to haue it duly kept and obserued CHAP. XX. The ambition of the Guyses The house of Valois and Burbon condemned at Rome Monsieur forsaketh the Protestants The beginning of the sixt ciuill warres HItherto thou maist perceiue gentle Reader a maruailous strange alteration and as it were a continuall vicissitude in these French affaires The originall and progresse with the variable effect and incredible accidents occasioned through the continuance of these wofull ciuill warres are as it were in a glasse very liuely represented before thy eyes The due consideration whereof and mâ—st needes make euerie one in whom remaineth any piety to tremble at the secret iudgements of the almightie and to bee mooued with a fellow feeling and commiseration of the woful estate of our afflicted brethren in forraine Countreyes so ought it to worke an exceeding reioycing ioyned with most humble thanks in the hearts of those who enioy a quiet estate and blessed peace vnder a most gracious and mercifull prince with a continual inuocation vnto him who is the giuer of so rich a treasure not onely to poure downe and that in most plentifull manner such graces as are requisite for the beautifying and garnishing of so high a maiestie but also to assist her with such Religious wise and peaceable Councellers as abhorre a couetous humour wherewith many haue beene possessed for the enriching of themselues and detesting an ambitious and aspiring minde a vice oftentimes but too much inherent in the natures of great personages as are zealously adicted to the setting foorth of Gods glorie the seruice of his soueraigne and the peace and prosperitie of the Commonwealth The want whereof as it hath euermore beene the bane of many most flourishing nations so hath it been the principall motiue of such lamentable desolation as hath spread it selfe and that in most outragious manner ouer the face of that noble Kingdome of France where albeit that some of the latter Kings haue not beene so vertuously disposed as were to bee wished which notwithstanding may peraduenture in some sort bee executed in regarde of their mynoritie and want of good education by meanes whereof they haue the more easily beene enduced to giue their allowance to many most wicked and vngodly proceedings yet is it out of question that the gratest misteries which haue there fallen out haue beene hatched and brought foorth by the deuillish and pestiferous practises of sundrie Councellers who through the benefit of their good fortune and fauour of their Princes haue attained vnto great places and had the managing of the whole state The great ingratitude of the house of Guyse Among others the house of Guyse as it is notoriously knowne vnto the whole world haue faulted heerein in the highest degree that may bee who abusing those notable gifts which had made them commendable in the sight of their soueraignes and highly esteemed of the people and therefore ought to haue drawen on an honourable â—â—â—â—yage of themselues towardes all sorts but in more especiall towardes that house which had so honoured them aboue all families in France haue rendered euill for good and sought by all vnlawfull and trecherous meanes to subuert those who haue beene but too ready to procure theyr honour and aduauncement Which intollerable ingratitude of theyrs though it were prophesied on long before by the great King Francis the first of 〈…〉 saying The prophesie of King Francis That they would 〈…〉 into theyr dublets and his subiects into their shirts yet such was the carelesse securitie of the ofspring of that prudent Prince that they would not take 〈◊〉 vnto those aspiring heades but by giuing them countenance and authoritie haue mightily empaired their 〈◊〉 royall dignitie and 〈…〉 of this sharpe and bitter prophesie Francis Duke of Guyse assisted by the councelles of that 〈…〉 associate Charles his brother Cardinall of Lorraine Francis D of Guise aspireth to the Crowne of France had long synce layde the plot and cast in his minde how to effect this diabolicall deuice and to that ende had set all Fraunce in a combustion by sowing diuision betweene the King and the Princes of the blood and incensing the soueraigne agaynst his most obedient and dutifull subiectes And being growne verie gracious among the French by reason of his fortunate successe in the
runne to the Catholikes supposing that it was impossible for the Confederates to holde out for anie long time For besides that they were ouermatched by lande they were likewise hardly handled at sea and had much adoo to keepe the Isle of Re and Chese de Bay from Lansac who was Admirall ouer the nauie Catholique Lansac beaten at sea by the Protestants But at last they rigging foorth certaine shippes commaunded by Cleremont of Ambâ—is so scoured the coast that no enemie for the time durst appeare in sight of theyr warrelike Fleete wherewith they were maruellously well recomforted But their ioy lasted not long for the Duke de Maine approaching Broâ—age so furiously assayled it that Manducag who was gouernour of the Towne was forced to yeelde vpon composition being destitute of all necessaries requisite to withstand so great a puyssaunce By this time also Lansac hauing repayred his beaten Fleete The Protestantâ— beaten at sea by Lansac put foorth to sea afresh and meeting with the Confederates valiantly set vpon them and putting them to the woorse burnt their Admirall called the Prince and tooke an other vessell called the Floressante to the exceeding greefe of the Protestants who had reposed no small confidence in their sea forces Besides all these infortunate chaunces there fell out an other crosse which did verie much grieue and disquiet the Rochellors and that was the death of their Maior Bobinean The death of Bobinean who for that he was accounted a wise valiant and politique man one who of all others did wonderfully affect the good of his countrey and tendered the welfare of all in general was maruellously lamented of all sortes and especially of the Rochellors The great d stresse of the Rochellors who in a sort were amazed with his death and as men astonished with so manie crosses had fainted vnder their burthen had they not beene recomforted with a sudden report of a newe pacification which was earnestly sollicited by the Duke Montpencier Wherto the king was the more inclinable both for that there was a mightie power of Germaines readie to enter Fraunce and also for that he wanted money to maintaine so great charges Whereupon the Queene mother was employed to make the composition with the king of Nauarre the rest of the Protestants The ende of the sixt ciuill warre which after much running vp and downe was agreed vpon by both parties and proclaimed with great ioy and triumph both at Rochell and other places in token of the earnest desire they had to liue at ease and to spend the remnant of their dayes in rest and quietnesse CHAP. XXI The death of Monsieur The seditious and treacherous practises of the Guisards The beginning of the seuenth ciuill warre called the leaguers warre The Prince of Conde goeth toward Angiers His great distresse and admirable deliuerie THe Guises and the rest of the confederates perceiuing howe the King with great numbers of his nobles and coÌ„mon subiects began to take some delight in peace and that there was an intention to reforme many abuses which were crept into the state in the time of the ciuill warres to restore the nobilitie to their auncient dignitie and to vnburthen the people of sundry charges wherwith for a long while they had bin grieuously oppressed were inwardly vexed at the hart to consider that their former councels tooke no better effect and therfore they fel in hand with new practises and those more pernitious pestilent and more dangerous then any others that euer they attempted before For they considering that the coÌ„demnation execution of Monsieur the kings brother could not so easily be brought to passe as they desired and that the king of Nauarre and prince of Conde did so prudently prouide for their own security that it was a very hard thing to entrap theÌ„ bring their persons within danger thought it best to go secretly to work and by some priuy means to work their ruine ouerthrow against whom they could not preuail by open force and violence They therfore hired Salcedo a Spaniard to kil Monsieur Salcedo a Spaniard hired to kill Monsieur and promised him 6000. crowns for his labor but he failing of his purpose they procured a certain Gentlewoman with whom his excellencie was but too familiarly acquainted to giue him such a receipt as neuer left working till it had wrought the life out of his body so that he died the 10. Monsieur thought to be poysoned His death of Iuly 1582 to the great reioising of the Guises who now began to triumph to see so fortunat successe and happy aduancement of their affaires And considering that by the death of this great prince whoÌ„ they feared more then the King their side was maruellously strengthened they began to stir coles afresh and sought by all meanes to fill the land full of new broiles and hurli-burlies And the time fast approching which was appointed for the bringing forth of that monster wherewith they had trauailed for a long time they had many secret conferences with the duke of Parma The conspiracie of the Guise and the rest of the leaders Bernardine Mendoza the Spanish ambassador and Giouan Bardach no the King of Spaine his Corriero There was the bargain made to sell Marseiles Burdeaux and the Dukedome of Britaine to the King of Spaine their maister an appointted time made that the Duke of Sauoy should inuade the Marquisate of Saluces thereby to occupie the King and to disperse his forces into diuerse and sundrie places And beeing strongly supported by the fauors of many of the Nobilitie and sundry of the chiefe Cities they first required that the Edict of pacification should be reuoked that the K of Nauarre prince of Conde with all those who made profession of the gospel shuld be exiled the realm or else forced to abiure their religion that continual war should be denouÌ„ced against the protestants The King was aduertised of all these treacherous practises as well from sundrie the Princes of Germany as also from the King of Nauarre but hee would not beleeue any thing but tooke them to be but slanderous reports raised vp by the Hugonots and therefore lightly regarded them but still countenanced the Guyses and their adherents The seditious practises of the Guyses who hauing gotten the King to ioyne with them to yeeld to their requests they hired the Monks and Friers to stir vp the people to their seditious ceremonies shriuings and priuate conferences to bande with them and the rest of the Leagues and to persecute those of the Religion with fire and sword and to roote them and theirs out of the territories of France They caused sundrie infamous Libels to be spread abroad and gaue out that the king of Nauarre and the Protestant Princes had sworne to roote out the Catholike faith and to depriue them of the Romish Church of all honour dignitie and authoritie that the murther at Paris
for by reason that Captaine Rochmort who had surprised the saide Castle was slaine with a shot out of the Towne as hee was leaning in his chamber window the Castle was rendered again vpon composition made sure for the League as it was afore time The Prince beeing ignorant hereof passed the Loyre with all his troups which were some eight hundred horse and almost a thousand and two hundred harquebuziers on horsebacke conducted by the Lord of Nemours Lauall Trimouille Boâ—lay Saint Gelais Aubigny Ouches Rohan Touche Flesche and sundrie others The Lord Clermont had likewise gathered a great companie of horse and encamped himselfe with the Prince neere vnto Angiers These companies approching the Towne expected some signall from the Castle whereby they might vnderstand that it still held for the king of Nauarre but they were certified that the saide Castle was yeelded the day before into the handes of their enemies and therefore that it was lost labour to stay there any longer Which newes greeued the Prince exceedingly made him with the rest of his councell to fall to consultation how they might safely get backe ouer the Loyre and free themselues out of that danger which then appeared before their eies and for that they knewe well inough that both the kings forces and the Leaguers were vp in all quarters and hasted by all possible meanes to encounter them they retyred towards the Loyre with a purpose to returne the same way they came The Lord Lauell beeing the formost got ouer without any danger but before the comming of the Prince all the passages were seised by the enemie and the prince was aduertised by many messengers that either hee must resolue to open his way by the sword or else to hazard himselfe at al aduenture through the Countrey of Beause The Prince approching the danger The great distresse of the Prince and the rest of the Protestants that were with him and thinking that in either of these there was but hard choyse called a Councell but by reason of the diuersitie of opinions it was long before any thing could be concluded at length it was agreed to passe through Beause Then euery man prepared himselfe towardes that desperate iourney and marching toward Luche in Aniou purposed there to passe ouer the Loyre vpon the Bridge but the Riuer was so risen that there was no passage without imminent perill From thence therefore they went to Lude and so to Prillay Vandeloyre S. Arnol where they heard newes that the Duke of Espernon and the Mareschall Biron were at Boneuall in Beausse with great forces readie to fight with the dismayed multitude that the Duke De Mayne as on the other side of the Loyre neere vnto Bloy readie to cut off such as should fortune to passe that way and that all the Countrey was full of strong garrisons attending with great deuotion to make a pray of the Prince and that handfull of men which did accompanie him so that it seemed the further they went the neerer they approched their destruction and hauing with their long and laborious marches wearied themselues and tired their horses they did vtterly dispaire of any good successe In this great agony they iourneyed on and euerie day receiued more vncomfortable newes then other wherewith many supposing that all was lost secretly disbanded from the grosse of the Armie and repaired to such friendes as they had in the Countrey The Prince and the rest of the Nobilitie were wonderfully perplexed and knew not what course to take at length they resolued to diuide themselues into seuerall companies some going one way and some another the Lord Rohan with many Gentlemen in his retinew went towards Britaine Saint Gelais went towards Vandosme the Prince the Lords of Trimouille and Auantigny with some of their principall seruants betooke them to their fortune as well as the rest and hasted to get into some place of greater securitie The laborious and tedious trauaile of this noble Prince his wearisome courses his long Caualcados his great and perilous dangers hee escaped before he gat to that Iland of Gernsy would require a long discourse were sufficient for a whole volume As soone as the cheefetaines were thus dispersed the common souldiers were quickly scattered some tooke their way towards Orleance some towards Nomandy and some towards Mayne and to bee short euerie man went which way hee liked best trauailing in exceeding great feare hauing as they imagined neither meanes to escape nor force to resist but were readie euerie minute to fall into the hands of those who did wholly pursue them The Prince of Conde with the cheefest of hiâ— troupes arriued at Rochell much about one time and thirsted for nothing more then for their bloud but when all hope failed God did miarculously deliuer them and so deliâ—ered them in theyr iourneyes that hauing auoyded a million of more then apparent perils they all arriued at length at Rochell and that much about one time to the exceeding comfort of themselues and the wonder of all France CHAP. XXII The cruell Edicts of the King against the Protestants The number of the Popish Armies which were ouerthrowne in one yeere The villanous dealâ—ng of the Guyse The battaile of Coutras WHilst the Prince of Conde and the rest of his distressed Armie made this hard shift for themselues the Duke de Maine The Duke de Maine made captaine generall ouer the forâ—es of the Popish Clergy whome the League had procured to be appointed generall by the Kings authoritie ouer a mightie power maintained at the cost and charges of the Clergie of France bestirreth himselfe and seeketh to annoy the protestants as much as might bee but by reason the Vicount of Turin opposed himselfe against his proceedings with an army of sixe thousand men hee did no other harme but gat some fewe Townes which were of no great importance The League not prospering so fast as they desired by force of Armes caused the king who was nowe solde ouer to worke his owne confusion and the vtter ruine of his Realme and States The cruell Edicts of the king to make many cruell Edicts against those of the Religion notwithstanding all the pacifications and graunts of former times and they were commanded to auoyde the Realme within fifteene dayes otherwise there was libertie giuen to persecute them to death to seise vpon their goods lands and linings and to employ them to the kings vse The king of Nauarre knowing that all this was doone by the procurement of the League and the Popish Clergie seised likewise vppon all the Landes and goods of such as were either Leaguers or fauourers of that factious and rebellious multitude The seuere proclamations made by the king against those of the Reformed Churches wrought many lamentable effects in the Land Some who made profession of the Gospel recanted and turned to Poperie and because they would not bee suspected on any dissimulation they became earnest persecutors of
their poore brethren Others hid themselues in secret corners and liued most miserably and in great wants Infinite numbers fled away some into England some into Germanie others to Sedan The miserablee state of the pâ—rsecuted Protestants Geneua and such places as were free from persecution It was a most pittifull sight to beholde the dissipation of so many families who were nowe turned foorth of the doores naked and comfortlesse and forced to shift for themselues in strange Countreyes The Duke de Maine did all this while what hee could to any the Protestants and to gayne as many Citties and townes through very secrecie as hee could to ioyne with the League and to make that faction strong against the King by seducing his subiects vnder the colour of maintaining the Catholike Religion Which beeing suspected by sundrie his followers they disbanded themselues and some for want of pay refused to serue any longer The Duke de Maine by reason of these vnexpected crosses was not able to make head any longer and therefore wrote to the Guyse his brother in what bad tearmes things stood who fearing that if there were not new prouision that his brother the Duke de Maine would come shortly to ruyne and bee vtterly ouerthrowne aduised the king to make foure seuerall Armies Foure newe armies appointed to inuade the Protestants and to inuade the protestants in diuerse places at once which sayde hee was the onely way to weaken them considering that their forces should bee seuered and disioyned This pollicie was no sooner allowed as the best but the Mareschall Biron was appointed to go into Xainctoigne the Duke Ioyeuse into Languedocke the Lord Foynse his sonne into Auergne and the Duke of Espernon into Prouence La Chastre should bee readie with a fleete vppon the coast of Britaine to enterprise as time and opportunitie serued The king of Nauarre was foorthwith certified of this preparation which made him fortifie such places as were of importance as strongly as hee could and vnderstanding that the Mareschall Biron intended to besiege Browage with a power of one thousand two hundred horse foure thousand footmen he did so carefully prouide for the defence therof that after that Biron had bin long before the towne and had done little or nothing sauing that he was content to make a composition with the Protestants hee brake vp his campe and sent his companies some into Poictou and some into Aniou to refresh themselues and thus was this Army dispersed without dooing of any thing Duke Ioyeuse passed into Languedocke where hee tooke Lodere Saint Poure Montesquion and Marueiâ—lx and hauing committed infinite sorts of most horrible villanies and strange cruelties The armies of the Popish Leagueri ouerthrowne in lesse then one yeere after he had lost aboue thirtie of his best Captaines and fiue hundred others at the least before a palterie towne called Saint Puels brake vp his army and returned home in farre worse case then hee went footh The sauage rudenes of this rable made many of the Nobilitie who before fauored the League to forsake such an association wherein there was nothing but robbing spoyling whooring swearing and blaspheming and that after a most beastly and brutish manner the yong Ioyeuse following rather his pleasures then the wars made his progresse throughout Auuergna where hee did no other harme but spende and waste the Kings treasure and when that was doone retired to the Court to see if he could be trusted with any more And thus were all these armies brought to confusion vanishing away as a little smoke notwithstanding all their great brags The Leaguers considering that all these fiue Armies had spent great store of treasor and all other warlike preparation and yet had rather hindred then furthered their secret purposes for by reason they sped no better they were forsaken of many The Queen mother offereth a parly of peace growen into contempt with others deuised with the Queene mother whom they knew to fauour their designements that shee shoulde offer a parley of peace which shee did and sent to vnderstand of the king of Nauarre if hee would hearken thereto who tendering the good of his countrey refused not the motion wherupon there was an interuiew betweene the Queene mother and the saide King at Saint Brice the thirteenth of December where there was much adoo and many words spent to small purpose for the Queene would not condiscend to the excuse of the Religion and the king of Nauarre would make no peace seeing that was the principall cause of bearing armes howbeit in the end the Queene vnderstanding of the great leauie of Reisters that were comming to the ayde of the Protestants and growing in suspition that the Dukes of Guyse and de Maine and the rest of the Leaguers would enterprise somewhat against the King shee concluded a peace for three moneths and so returned to the Court. 1587 The Guyses trecherous dealing to discredit the King The Duke of Guyse intending to discredit the king with his subiects euerie day more then other sent abroade sundrie his supposts and caused them to spread a rumor how that the euill successe of all those armies which had beene employed against the Hugonots was for that the king beeing led by wicked councell would not permit that they should be sufficiently prouided for with money munition and other necessaries that hee had intelligence with the heretikes that hee had warre indeed in his mouth but in his heart he meant nothing lesse and that by such fraudulent dealing the good Catholikes were betrayed and the Heretikes encouraged and that therefore there was no good to be doone so long as there was such packing and false play The Domesticall enemie was first to bee ouerthrowne before the forraine enemie could be vanquished These and such like sinister informations were giuen out among the multitude by Friers Priests and Iesuites in their Sermons and manie busie headed fellowes were set a woorke to spreade these and such like defamatorie speaches with much vehemencie and earnestnesse in Alehouses Tauerns Markets and all other places of greatest assembly By reason of which sâ—aunderous and bad reports there grew much murmuring amongst the people with no small dislike of the present gouernment The King notwithstanding as a man bewitched with the deceitfull dealing of his mother and the treacherous practises of such counsellers as he most fauoured eyther vnderstoode nothing of all this or else was forced to winke at it as wanting leysure or meanes to sift the matter more narrowly For the rumour of the comming of the Germaines the fortunate successe of the Lord Digueres in Dauphinie and Languedocke the counter-league of the King of Nauarre the Prince of Conde and a great number of verie Noble and honourable personages of the lande with a full resolution to maintaine the reformed Religion did so occupie his minde that hee coulde not haue leysure to looke into the rebellious driftes of the Leaguers
who continuallie incensed the King agaynst the Hugonots and after the confusion and ruine of all his former Armyes perswaded him to assayle those of the Religion in Guyen with newe forces vnder the conducting and leading of Duke Ioyense for that it was thought that the Mareschall Biron was of too milde a nature and had dealt somewhat too fauourably in his late voyage Thus Duke Ioyense being armed with the Kings authoritie The Duke Ioyense sent against the Protestants and ayded with a mightie power inuaded Guyen where he tooke sundry townes as Mote Saint Cloy Saint Mexent Tonnay Charauty Maylezay and some others but the plague encreasing among his souldiers he was forced to breake vp his campe and to disperse his forces and hee himselfe posted to Paris to the rest of the principall Leaguers The King of Nauarre vnderstanding of his retreate set vpon his stragling troupes killed many tooke sundrie prisoners and in a short space recouered all that had beene lost Thus the Leaguers had caused the King to spend much money about nought intending thereby to weaken him and strengthen themselues for by this meanes they were still in authoritie and did in a maner what soeuer they lifted empouerishing their enemyes and inriching theyr friends as the readyest way to effect that which they had long before determined to accomplish About this time were the Germains readie to march towards France The great preparation of the King to withstande the Germans whereof the King being aduertised he prepared three seuerall Armies with the which he ment both to defend himselfe and to offend his enemies The duâ—e of Guise was made generall ouer the first wherin were 23000. French men besides 400 Launces 2000. Italians and sixe hundred light horse sent to him out of the low Countryes by the Duke of Parma All which were appointed to barre the Germaines out of Lorraine if it were possible or else to hinder them that they should not passe through Champaigne The King led the second army into Berry wherein was 88. companies of men of Armes ten thousand French footemen 12000. Switzers 4000. Rutters 12. double CanoÌ„s 2000. pioners with which power the King determined to keepe the Loyre The duke Ioyense conducted the third army against the King of Nauarre to keepe him occupied and to withhold him from ioyning with the Germaines The battell of Contras The King of Nauarre gathered as great forces as he could and being accompanied with the prince of Conde Count Soyssons the Lord Trimouille the vicount of Turen and many other honorable estates hasted to incorporate himselfe with his strangers vsing great speed gat ouer the riuer of Droune where the duke Ioyense had intended to stop his passage and so marched forwarde purposing to lodge at Contras The duke supposing that the aduauntage was his for that the king of Nauarre was weake in power inclosed between two riuers so that he could not escape without fighting as one desirous to do some notable exploit resolued to trie his fortune by some generall fight Whereupon hee tooke his place for the battell neare vnto Contras The King of Nauarre was glad of the Dukes resolution and hauing disposed all his troupes in very warlike manner wayted his best oportunitie to begin the battell About eight of the clock in the morning the Artillarie on both sides began to play And for that the king of Nauarres Ordinance was commodiously placed it did maruellously endomage the Dukes men of armes which stood at his right hand as also the regiments wherwith they were flanked for their better assurance wherewith when many were rent and torne in peeces the rest resolued rather to charge then to die so miserably without any further fight The harquebuziers came no sooner in reach each of other but they powred out their shot as thicke as haile each partie endeuoring to do well and to annoy one another to their vttermost The king of Nauarre had diuided his horsemen into foure squadrons the first was led by himselfe the second by the Prince of Conde the third by the Count Soysons who stood on the left hand of the king and the fourth by the vicount of Turenne who was at his right hand equally aduaunced with the formost These standing still beheld the skirmish of their footmen vntil the duke hasted to the generall onset then these three Princes of the blood euerie one in the front of their regiment began to change their pace into a trot and so into a gallop giuing such a furious charge vpon their enemies that they wholy defeated them and hauing killed a great number the rest betooke them to flight The footmen seeing their horsemen ouerthrowne lost courage and ranne away for company then was the mortalitie great for the Protestants pursuing them committed a maruailous carnage among them that fled There was slaine the Duke of Ioyense D. Ioyense slâ—ine and his army ouerthrowne generall of the armie and Saint Suuer his brother Bressay Rousay count Suxe Count Ganeto Count Aubiyon Fumel Rochford Neufny Gurats Saint Fort Tercelin maister of the campe Chesner and Vallade besides many other Lordes and Gentlemen of marke Bellegard Saint Luc the Marques of Prennes Count MoÌ„soreau Sansac Cipierre Santray Montigny Villecomblim Chasteaurenauld Parriere Chasteauueulx Chasteloux and Auuerdiere all captaines and commaunders were taken prisoners Diuerse Castels and strong holdes were presently yeelded vnto the king of Nauarre and a verie great feare possessed the hearts of the rest of his enemies CHAP. XXIII The great armâ—e of the Germaines ouerthrowne The death of the Duke of Bonillon The Guises slander the King The Leaguers besiege the Duchesse of Bonillon Their ouerthrow The Prince of Conde poisoned The Parisians rebel against the King The King flieth to Charteres The Guisards vow to kill the King THe French King 1588 The army of the Germains commaunded by the Duke of Bonillon and Duke of Guise were all this while verie busie in prouiding of all necessarie meanes to withstande the Germaines who still came on forwardes Their armie consisted of fiue thousand Ruttars fiue thousand Lancequenets sixteene thousand Switzers with whom were ioyned foure thousand French harquebuziers and three hundred French horse The Lord Mouy brought also two thousand French harquebuziers on horsebacke the Lord Villeneufe one thousand and the Lorde Louers one thousand The Lord Chastillon likewise ioined with them with one thousand fiue hundred harquebuziers and two hundred horses The whole number came to some thirtie fiue thousand besides the companies brought by the Prince of Contie They had sixteene peeces of great Ordinance with store of all warlike munition The general of all these was the Duke of Bonillon who commaunded as Lieutenant for the King of Nauarre This mightie and puyssant armie was the terrour of the League and the hope of the Protestants but the expectation of both was disappoynted for after that the Germaines had marched through Lorraine and were gotten into Fraunce as
farre as Lancy in Masconois where by reason that manie principall Captaines were corrupted with money and fayre promises and the rest suffered great wants they concluded to returne backe so that hauing made their capitulation and gotten theyr Passeportes Sundry of the Germaine Captains corrupâ—ed by mony caused the whole armie to retire The death of the duke of Bonillon euerie man made all the speede home that might bee loden with miserie shame and dishonour with the losse of many Ensignes and Cornets besides their chiefest leaders and commaunders The Duke of Bonillon generall of that armie with the Lord Clerebant and Van being not able to draw them forwards by any perswasion returned to Geneua where they died shortly after The Count de La Marke brother to the duke of Bonillon was deceased long before at a place called Loyne Great numbers of this dispersed armie were inuaded by their enemies and slaine in their passage homewards contrarie to the promise which had beene made vnto them by the Catholiques The Colonels and Captaines of the Switzers the chiefe authours of the dissolution of that Armie were seuerely punished by their Segneuries so that this whole armie was maruellously afflicted and euerie one was scourged after one sort or other and hauing spent and spoyled infinitely did nothing but worke their owne calamitie and ouerthrow The King vndoubtedly had taken maruellous care to sâ—uer this mightie puyssaunce and by cunning handling of the matter The Guises slaunder the King had brought them to this extreame passe that vnder the colour of a Passeport hee exposed them to the butcherie and rage of their enemies And although that by reason of this politique dealing he deserued high commendation yet the Guise so handled the matter that all redownded to his further discredite and caused his subiects to speake worse of him then at anie time before For the Guise had caused it to bee bruited abroad that not onely the King had willingly suffered the Germaines to escape contrarie to the counsaile and aduice of the Duke of Guise but also had giuen them the meanes to retyre in safetie some into Germanie and others into Languedocke there to ioyne with the King of Nauarre and so to continue further troubles in the lande to the great and intollerable harme of the good Catholiques and the encouraging of Heretikes and such as were enemies to holy Chuch When the Friers and Iesuits in Paris and other principall cities were possessed with these newes they brake forth into very seditious speeches openly exclayming against the King and extolling the wisdome prowesse noble acts of the duke of Guise whereby they procured him much fauor among the multitude that knew nothing but what they heard by the Leaguers and their fauorites which made them think that the King had killed his thousand but the Guise his ten thousand All which treacherous dealings tended to no other end but this either to make the French beleeue that the K. was not indowed with such noble and heroycall vertues as were requisite for him that should gouerne so mightie and puissant a nation or else that he was a notorious dissembler a maintainer of Heretikes a secret enemy to the Catholikes And then what should they doo with such a King let theÌ„ make choise of another more valiant more wise more prouident more religious a more stout defender of holy Church and who should that be but the Guise who for the zeale courage valour and singuler dexteritie in the mannaging of matters of estate was not onely superior to the King The leaguers attempt against the yong duches of Bonillon but the paragon of all Europe The leaguers being assured of the death of the duke of Bonillon and that hee had left his sister Madame Charlate de la Marke a yong and tender Ladie heyre to all his soueraigne segneurie and principalitie of Bonillon thought it their best to let the king of Nauarre alone for a time at whose handes there was little to bee gotten vnlesse they payed deare for it and to enterprise somewhat aagaynst this desolate Ladie and either by hooke or by crooke as wee vse to say to get the Dukedome into their possession VVhereupon the Duke of Guise vsed all the cunning hee coulde to match his sonne the Prince Ienuill with her and the Duke of Lorraine was as earnest a suter for his sonne called Marthuis de Pont and Lorde Vaudemont But neither of them being able by all their deuises to winne that Ladies fauour they thought it best to ioyne together and to compell her to match according to their lykings With this resolution they entered the Dukedome of Bonillon with a great power burning wasting killing murthering rauishing and committing all other horrible and detestable villanies that coulde bee imagined The crueltie of the leaguers against the dukedom of Bonillon and besieged the sayde Ladie and her two principall Townes Sedan and Iamets where they continued a long tyme spent much Treasure and lost most of theyr men and in the ende with shame and dishonour beeing well beaten at a womans hand by the valiant conduct of the Lord Necuile were glad to giue ouer and returne home Whilest the dukedom of Bonillon was vexed and tormented with these troublesome sutors the principal leagers assembled at Nancie in Lorrain where there was a great consultation helde how they might aduance themselues and ouerthow the King against whose person and state they had for a long time bout all their endeuors There they agreed to present certain articles to the king which they would haue him agree vnto and those were such as tended to the vtter destruction of the King and the auncient Nobilitie of Fraunce and the safetie of themselues First they requested the King to ioyne more openly with the League and to put all such as they dislyked out of their offices The petitions of the leâ—gue to the king To cause the Councell of Trent to bee proclaymed throughout all his Dominions To establish the Spanish inquisition To put such Castels and strong Townes into their handes as they should name vnto him That hee shoulde sende an armie into Lorraine vpon the borders of G rmanie to let the entrie of strangers into the land and for the maintenance thereof should cause all the goods of those whome they tearmed Heretikes or fauourers of Heretikes to bee solde and the money to bee deliuered into theyr handes That the Catholiques shoulde pay the tenth of their reuenewes for the same purpose and that the surplussage shoulde bee to pay the most needfull debts of the principall Leaguers and that the life of no Heretike prisoner shoulde be spared vnlesse hee would abiure and put in good securitie to liue Catholiquely hereafter and to giue all his goods or the iust valew of them which hee hath then in his possession to the supporting of the League and to binde himselfe to serue three yeares wheresoeuer he should be commaunded The
King did allowe of such of these Articles as did any way concerne the suppression of the reformed Religion The king refuseth to grant all the petitions of the league but considering that the rest did wonderfull derogate from his Crowne and dignitie and that they tended directlie to the weakening of himselfe and the strengthening of the league of which for a long tyme hee had verie hardly conceyued hee would not bee enduced to condiscend vnto them by anie manner of meanes or entreatie whatsoeuer Now as the Leaguers laboured openly by these and such like deuises to weaken the King so they practised secretly to destroy the King of Nauarre and Prince of Conde knowing that if they were once ridde of them it woulde bee an easie matter to accomplish the rest Heerevpon they set on worke certaine wicked and diuellish persons to bring these two great Princes to their deaths And assuring themselues that this detestable deuise woulde take effect they caused it on a suddaine to bee bruited all ouer the Realme of Fraunce that Nauarre and Conde were both dead But by Gods good prouidence Nauarre escaped that daunger and tooke no harme The Prince of Conde by the treacherous and villaynous dealing of some of his housholde seruaunts and amongest others of one Brillant and a page The prince of Conde poysoned two such as he had greatly fauoured and bestowed many benefites vpon was poisoned the third day of March in the yere of our Lord The great commendatiō of the prince of Conde one thousand fiue hūdred eightie and eight and died within two dayes after at Saint Iean d' Angely Whose death was greatly lamented of all good men for that hee was wise valiant zealous in religion true harted to his Prince a louer of his country and an irreconciliable enemie to the perturbers of the state and to all such as hee knewe to be aduersaries to God to the King and to the Crowne of France The Guises and the rest of the leaguers reioysed not a little at this newes for nowe they thought they were gotten one steppe higher and had greater hope to oppresse the Protestants then before who they knewe were mightily weakened with this losse And for that they supposed that in this conseruation of mens mindes they had oportunitie to attempt something which might still aduaunce their affaires they thought good that the Lorde Lauerdin who had scaped a scowring at the battaile of Coutras should assaile Marans a place of very great importaunce and if it were possible to make it sure for the league The Lord Lauerdin applied his businesse so diligently that he gayned the sayd Island of Marans in a short time Marans gained by the Lord Lauerdin by reason that the Protestants being amased as it were with the vnexpected death of the Prince did not prouide timelie enough for the fortifying thereof with such store of men and munition as was necessarie Albeit that the King was glad that the Lord Lauerdin had gotten Marans yet he liked not that it should be kept by the Lord Cluseaux whom he knewe to bee a fauourer of the League but there was no remedie he must beare with the time being indeede not able to doe as hee would for the most part of his Councell and those of the chiefest were leagers and the Duke of Guise the head of those monsters had caused such infamous rumours to be raysed of the Kings actions and by secret practises had so disgraced him among his subiects that he was almost growne into contempt among the communaltie and was imputed no bodie in comparison of the Guise This opinion the King would gladly haue rooted out and was verie desirous to gaine their good willes and affections if possibly he might The better to effect this he thought best to proclaime wars afresh against the Protestants The King prepareth to go into Poictou against the Protestants and to rayse a great power and to go in person into Poictou agaynst the King of Nauarre and all his confederates that so by some famous exploits against those of the reformed religion hee might regaine the loue and liking of his lost subiects The Duke of Guise who knew that he had stollen away the peoples hearts from the King thought it now good time to discouer his secrete meaning more openly and presuming of his fauourers at Court and the good wil of the countrey The Guise determineth to seise vpon Paris and to take the King concludeth to get Paris to seise vpon the king either aliue or dead to kill as many princes of the blood and other officers of the crown as he could lay hands vpon and by fine force to set the diadem of France vpon his owne head Now that he might be the more assured to accomplish all this he wrote secret letters to all his chiefe friends and followers to meete him at Paris as spedily as they might And for that the King should not be able to withstand him he had set the duke of Aumaile to warre against sundry townes and cities in Picardy and had giuen order that others should attempt as much in Normandy and other places knowing that the king would send thither his principall forces to keepe those countries in his obedience and then he might with more facilitie execute his intended purpose Vpon these aduertisements of the Guise to his associates there repayred vnto Paris great numbers of the most factious turbulent and malecontent persons of all the Land Many Spanish Captaines and Hispaniolized french were soone assembled in that mightie Cittie and that to the number of fifteene or sixteene thousand besides the Citizen Leaguers who were exceeding many and those as desperate and rash headed as any others whosoeuer the Duke of Guyse being diligently enformed of this and knowing how greatly hee was expected at Paris by his confederates resolued to post thither with all speede and the rather for that the king euen as he wished had now dispersed his forces sending some into Normandy and others into Picardy to maintain◠his authoritie in those prouinces the King had long mistrusted the Guyse for that he was now aduertised that hee was comming to Paris he vehemently suspected that there was some notable practise in hand to be performed against him by the Leaguers he therefore sent word to the sayd Duke whom hee vnderderstood to bee forward on his way by the Lord Belieure that in no wise hee should come to Paris at that time vppon paine of his displeasure and in case that he would notwithstanding continue his iourney that then hee helde him for a traytour and the authour of all those miseries wherewith the Land was so encombred at that instant Belieure did his message The Guyse entreth into Paris contrary to the Kings commandement but the Guyse did little regard it for he followed the said Belieure at the heeles and was at Paris almost assoone as hee accompanied not past with some
fifteene or sixteene Gentlemen the better to couer his intended purpose knowing that he should finde a sufficient number of partakers to maintaine himselfe against all men Not long after his arriuall he went very confidently to see the king and with all humble reuerence with his knee to the ground saluted him but the king being highly despleased for that his comming contrary to his commandement gaue him a frowning countenance The Guyse stayed not long at Court but returned to his house in the Citie immediatly after the King being duely enformed of the great number of strangers that were in the same Cittie and that it was verie likely that they remained there for some dangerous exploit caused twelue companies of French men and Switzers to bee distributed into sundrie places to keepe all quiet and in their due obedience The Cittizens at the instigation of the Guyse his companies tooke the Alarum making as though they feared that they should be murthered and haue their houses sacked The Parisians rise a-against the King and kil his guard for diuers were sent about to disperse such reports armed themselues and beeing assisted by Brissac Borsdauphin Chamois and the rest of the Guysards set vpon the Switzers and the rest of the Kings guardes whereof some they killed and others they disarmed and such as remained they kept as prisoners and hoping nowe to attaine to the Period of their desires they made theyr approches and besieged the Louure entending to take the King either aliue or dead The king seeing all that great and populous Cittie in an vprore and that hee had not sufficient forces to oppose against such a rebellious rable determined to leaue the Louure The King lâ—aueth Paris and flieth to Chartres at the perswasions of sundrie his most faithfull councellers who aduised him to giue place to that desperate Rebellion to seeke his safetie some other where whereupon he incontinently departed from Paris and went that night as farre as Trappes and the next day to his Citie of Chartres Many great Lords Gentlemen of good place which were the kings friends went after him as fast as they could some on horsebacke and some on foote making as good shift as they could vpon so short warning wherein wee may note a maruailous strange alteration and vicissitude in the state of this great Prince who hauing beene so mightie a monarke and a king of two such noble and puissant countreyes as were Polonia and France a commander ouer so many great and honourable personages and had ruled such an infinite multitude of all sorts was now driuen out of his owne house and out of his cheefest Citie and forced to flie before him who was his vassaile and subiect to his intollerable greefe and vexation leauing his treasure and whatsoeuer precious things he had to be a pray for his enemies The Guyse vnderstanding that the king was escaped and had auoyded his bloudy fingers was maruailously greeued and cursed his ouersight knowing that hee should neuer haue the like oportunitie againe to effect his purpose and fearing that the King would seeke to be reuenged of so great an indignitie offered to his person thought that hee would prouide the meanes as wel as he could to defende himself and his therfore he seised vpon the Kings arsemall and vpon his treasor The Guyse seiseth vppon the Kings treasor whereof hee brought to his owne house aboue seauen hundred thousand Crownes which hee laide vp as an earnest for the rest Then did he forthwith alter the pollicie of the Citie remoouing Perrense the prouost of the Merchants from his office and the rest of the cheefest officers which he knew to be affectionate to the king and placed such as were the most factious seditious Leaguers in their roumes he wrote also sundry letters to his frieÌ„ds abroad and to the principall Townes such as he knew to bee deuoted to him requiring them to ioyne with him and to be in a readinesse when hee should haue neede and caused it to be bruted that all that which had passed at Paris was not against the king but to defend the Cittie which was in danger to bee spoyled by strangers and that the king by the counsell of the Duke of Espernon who had said he intelligence with the King of Nauarre and the Heretikes had caused sundrie gibbets to be set vp in seueral places of the Citie to hang diuers Cittizens and to spoyle their houses thereby to gather money and to warre against the Leaguers The Guyse seeketh to couer his rebellious action When the Guyse had taken the course to assure himselfe by all the deuises hee could hee wrote letters to the king seeking to disguyse all this action and to perswade him that hee had no euill meaning against his maiestie but had alwaies beene and still remained his most dutifull subiect and had in this tumultuous stirre happened at Paris shewed how hee respected the King and all his seruants in that hee had taken so great prayes euen with the danger of his life to saue sundrie his officers his Captaines and Souldiers and so farre forth as possibly he might to keep the people from murther and bloudsâ—ed which was then so likely to haue fallen out and that to the great and irreperable harme of the Kings best affected subiects After the alleaging of these and many other arguments to proue his fidelitie he besought the king to be his gracious Lord and to account of him as his most faithfull and loyall sâ—biect and for that hee had a guiltie conscience hee was continually in feare least the King would at one time or other bee reuenged howsoeuer peraduenture for the time hee might dissemble the matter and shew him a fayre countenance and therefore hee practised all meanes to make his attonement and to that ende made earnest sute to the Queene mother to stand his gracious Lady Such was his demeanor and so cunningly hee handled the matter that she was woon to be a mediator for him and to assay to bring him againe into the kings fauor The king reposing a maruailous confidence in his mother The Queen mother reconcileth the Guyse to the King who had bewitched him with an opinion of her loue and naturall affection towards him suffered himselfe to be ruled by her aduice notwithstanding all the perswasions of the Catholikes that were about him who exclaimed against the Guyses and their proude and rebellious enterprises and required the king to taâ—e condigne punishment proffering him their seruice their liues theyr goods and whatsoeuer meanes they had for the accomplishment thereof The king thanked them for their good willes but resoluing to make a peace sent them home againe and would not follow their counsels After much going and comming on both sides the reconciliation was made the K. the Leaguers became good friendes and intended to bend all their forces against the Protestants Wherupon two mighty armies were prepared
the one for Guyen Two armies sent against the Protestants commanded by the Duke of Neuers the other for Dauphiny vnder the leading of the Duke de Maine All these troublous stirs being now ended the K. and the Leaguers beeing made friends it was thought good to call an assembly of the state to reforme the pollicie of the Land and to take some finer course for the prosecuting of the warres against the Hugonots and to that ende the king sent his writs to summon all prouinces Cities and townes This Parliament was appointed to begin the 15. of August yet afterward it was deferred vntill the ninth of October following to send their deputies to Bloys prouided alwaies that they were good Catholiks and such as neither had fauour nor were any waies suspected to fauour the king of Nauarre nor his associats and the Duke of Guyse and the rest of the Leaguers so handled the matter in the meane time that not any one man in a maner was chosen to be sent to that assembly but such as they were assured did either openly or secretly fauor their proceedings At this great Parleament there was much adoo and many things talked of but especially of the Edict of Reunion made the one and twentie of Iuly which tended to the establishing of Poperie the rooting out of Heresie and the disinheriting of the Princes of the bloud prouoking the king with many bitter words vehemeÌ„t exhortations to embrew his haÌ„ds in the bloud of the saints and with fire and sword to roote them out of France All which was assented vnto by the king and his three estates enacted as a fundamentall law of the land which they all swore to see inuiolably kept and obserued in al the kings dominions to the vttermost of their powers The king of Nauarre was quickly aduertised of whatsoeuer had passed at Bloys The Protâ—stants assemble at Rochel and therfore assembled all his principall friends followers at Rochel the 16. of Nouember following whither likewise all the reformed churches sent theyr deputies where they resolued vppon the defensiue and the meanes how to withstand their enemies The king continued at Bloys all this while and albeit hee shewed a faire countenance to the Guyse yet in heart hee loued him not for that indignitie which was offered him at Paris besides many other saucie and audacious Pranks which hee plaide since did breed a reuenging minde in the K. which he meant to shew more apparantly assoone as any oportunity was offered Now as it vsually falleth out betweene late reconciled enemies each still suspected other and many tarres â—ell out betweene their friendes and followers which bred sundrie sturres and hurleburlies in the Court but there were two especially which gaue the â—larum to the Courtiers and made euerie man to stand vpon his guard The first quarrell arose among the Pages and lackies some holding with the Burbons and some with the Leaguers wherewith the Duke of Guyse was so affrighted Two sodainâ— vprares at Court that hee ran into his chamber barred the doores and kept himselfe as close as he could The second was occasioned by a souldier who beeing hurt ranne to saue himselfe in the Guyses Chamber whither hee was followed by the kings guard with their drawen swords in their hands whereupon once againe all the Court was in an vprore not without great feare least some dangerous euent would ensue About the middle of December the Duke of Guyse shewed himselfe more disobedient then at any time before and a great contemner of the king and his authoritie The Guyse a maâ—â—â—â—ter of murtherers and Rebels in maintaining a number of Ruffians murtherers factious seditious persons and such as raised a rebellion in August last and had attempted the killing of the Duke of Espernan at Engolesme These were lodged in the Court and flocked about the Guyse and were so countenanced by him that no Magistrate durst say a word to them besides the king being daily enformed of many trech erous practises against his person and estate called al his Nobles and willed them to sweare that they should neuer attempt any thing against him The Guyse refuseth to take his oath for the preseruation of the King the Duke most disloyally refused and said in his presence that he would not take such an oath and if hee did any thing otherwise then he ought there were good lawes to punish him spare him not no other answere could bee gottten at his hands and fearing that the â—ing would be reuenged as well for this as for other notorious contempts as also considering that all the drifts of his councellers were so discouered that there was no way to hide them anie longer and therefore that now with all speede hee must put them in execution hee called a Councell of his most trusty friends as Lewis Cardinall of Guyse his brother the Archbishop of Lyons and some fewe others in which it was concluded The Guyse and his associats vow to kill the king that the king must needes bee dispatched out of hand and that all delaies were dangerous and therefore the twentie foure of that moneth was appointed for that tragical execution binding themselues to see the same performed with a solemne oath Thus was this great french king discouered of a very auncient and noble race honoured for a long time of his owne subiects and reuerenced of his neighbour Princes condemned to die by the hands of most disloyall traytors who had all their aduauncement by him and his predecessors CHAP. XXIIII The King resolueth to kill the Guyse The death of Francis Duke of Guyse and of the Cardinall his brother The terror of the Guysards The death of the Queene mother THough the King knew not of this sentence of death which was pronounced against him The King resolueth to kill the Guyse yet the olde and new iniuries offered vnto him by the Guyse did sufficiently exasperate him and made him watch all opportunitie to seeke his reuenge and assoone as euer he could to be ridde of so desperate a traytor This determination of the king could not be kept so secret but that the Guyse hauing many friends about the king who suspected some such thing aduertised the Duke the two and twenty of December by laying a little bill vnder his napkin wherin was written Looke to your selfe for some are about to play a shrewd play with you Hee perusing the writing wrote this answere They dare not and so threw it vnder the â—able The same day the king receiued diuers aduertisements of this horrible conspiracie of the Guyse against his person The aduertisements of the Duke of Maine and Aumaile to the King touching the attempt of the Guyse and especially from the Duke de Maine who sent Alphonso Corse to him with this message That it was an easie matter to carrie beades about and to put on a counterfeit shew of holinesse but hee was
sure that his brother had a dangerous enterprise in hand against his Maiestie which he knew not certainely when hee would put in execution but hee was well assured that the time was not farre off and that hee doubted least his warning should come too late And aduised him in these words That his Maiestie should beware of a desperate and furious mind The Duke of Aumaile sent likewise the duchesse his Wife to giue the King to vnderstand That there was great danger towards his person and that the conspirators were vpon the poynt of execution The king had also intercepted manie letters by which hee did euidently perceiue as much and how that the Guyses had sworne his death and destruction and disinhereting of the royall bloud of France in the houses of Valoys and Burbons and to sette vppe the house of Lorraine All these remonstrances made the king bestirre him and to deuise some speedie Course for the preseruation of his owne life Wherupon he got the keyes of the Castle doubled his guards and appointed a strong watch in the Town with commaundement not to open the gates without his speciall lisence all which was doone in the night without the knowledge of the Guyse and calling vnto him some seauen or eight of those fiue and fortie pensioners which daily attended on his person hee reuealed vnto them his purpose requiring theyr ayde and assistance who receiued most willingly their seruice with promise to execute his will and to doo as his Maiestie had directed them The next morning the Duke of Guyse the Cardinall his brother the Archbishop of Lyons with the Mareschall of Haultmont were assembled in the chamber neere vnto the king and readie to sit in councell howe and in what manner it were best to commit their detestable parricide The king hauing disposed of all things in the best manner that hee could deuise sent a Gentleman to call the Duke of Guyse to come and speake with him who comming forth and seeing the Guards more carefully disposed then was accustomed hauing a guiltie conscience beganne to suspect and as oftentimes the minde of man vppon the instant of so great aduentures presageth that which afterward ensueth so at this present the Dukes hart fainted and his colour charged as one fearing some imminent perill hee was readie to swound hee had sent his Page for a handkercheffe in one of the corners whereof his secretarie named Pellicart had knit vp a little written bill containing a warning to get him away with all speede or else he were but dead But this handkercheffe was intercepted with the remembrance as the Page was comming vppe and neuer came to his handes The Duke in going through a narrow passage to the King encreased his mistrust and was about to returne but still hee went forwards into the Kings vtter chamber where seeing the Lord Loiguake fitting vpon a chest whom of all other he most hated for that he had beene long perswaded that the same Lord determined to kill him hee set his hand to his sword with a purpose to set vppon the sayde Loiguake but by reason hee did weare his Cloake Scarft wise he was so troubled that he could not draw it past halfe way out of the sheath they who were appoynted for his execution The death of Francis D. of Guyse seeing him enterprise such an audacious act and that at the kings chamber doore preuented him and slew him at that instant The noyse was such in this tragicall execution that the Cardinall entred into a mistrust and made hast to get forth but he was stayed by a Gentleman of the Scottish guard The death of the Cardinall of Guise who had commandement to arrest him and not long after by reason of his former treasons and his presumptuous behauiour at that present mingled with some threatning speeches hee was strangled in the same placce where hee was taken prisoner The Archbishop rushed foorth in great furie and saide hee would helpe the Duke of Guyse but hee was quickly cooled and clapt vp in prison though afterwarde released vppon his submission and acknowledgement of his offence The Cardinall of Burbon the Prince Ieuuille sonne to the Duke of Guyse the Mareschall D'Albenfe with many other pertakers in this treason were apprehended and committed to safe keeping and likewise Pellicart secretarie to the Duke of Guyse with all his papers and writings whereby all the secret Councelles of the Guyses and the rest of the Leaguers as well of Princes and Nobles as of the Clergie Towne and Cities were manifested and discouered The fame of this execution was foorthwith spread abroade in the Towne albeit the Castle gates were shut which made all such as had guiltie consciences to packe from Bloys as speedily as euer did the Protestants from the suburbs of Saint Germaines on Bartholmew day The Guysards flie from Bloys and to seeke to shift for themselues some other where Thus were the Leaguers wonderfully crossed in their designements and many who the day before thought it an honour to bee called Guysards and were readie to challenge to the Combate such as reputed them Royalles were now altered on the sodaine and cast in a newe mould esteeming all that factious multitude worse then theeues and murtherers Shortly after that these things thus passed at Blois died the Queene mother The death of the Quâ—ene mother of France who was very olde and had liued too long for Fraunce where she had beene as the firebrand of the Country the nurse of all rebellions the bellowes of all ciuil dissention the instrument of the diuell to worke all impietie and vngodlinesse the procurer of the fall and destruction of her owne children and the principal worker of all this wofull and lamentable alteration happened in that noble and renowmed Kingdome CHAP. XXV The rebellion of Duke de Maine and most of the principall Cities of Fraunce The King of Fraunce and the King of Nauarre are reconciled The King of Fraunce murthered by a Frier The King of Nauarre proclaimed King of Fraunce THe King thought good to aduertise all his subiects of that which had happened at Blois and for that purpose wrote diuerse Letters to his seuerall gouernors of his prouinces duly enforming them of al these occurrences and sent to the assembly of the States to let them vnderstande that it was his pleasure that they should still continue and that he was fully determined to followe their reasonable counsailes in all things but they by little and little slyding away one after another got them home into their Countryes and by spreading of most accursed and damnable rumours deprauing the Kings fact with many hyperbolicall speeches which they amplified with sundry lying reasons and defamatorie libels tearming this execution by the name of the massacre committed at Blois caused an vniuersall rebellion of all those Townes Cities and Prouinces which had reiected the Gospel in former tymes The Duke de Maine no sooner vnderstood thereof
but that he perswaded himselfe that seeing his brother was dead The duke de Maine rebelleth aga nst the King he might now peraduenture obtaine the Crowne for himselfe if hee would lay in for it for hee had a great power in a readinesse and no doubt but the most of the Leaguers woulde followe him for feare least if they shoulde fall into the Kinges handes hee woulde punish them according to theyr deserts With this resolution hee left Dauphiny and hasted into Burgundie and Champaigne taking with him such strength and power as hee could get and making sure as manie places as hee coulde come by prepared to make warre agaynst the king Paris which was the capitoll Citie of the whole kingdome and had more fauoured the Guise then anie other was mooued to great indignation Paris and the rest of the principal Cities rebell against the King and shewed it selfe highly offended And being further incensed with the piteous outcryes and lamentable complaints of the Duchesses of Guise and Nemours and with the inuectiue Sermons of the Iesuites and Friers grewe into a desperate madnesse shaking off the yoake of obedience and rebelled openlye agaynst theyr naturall Prince and liege Lorde Most of the greatest rychest and strongest Cityes as Orleance Roan Amiens Aniou Lyons Abeuille Remes Tholous and manie others followed the example of the Parisians and conspiring with the rest of the Leaguers imprisoned the Kings friendes seyzed vpon his strong holdes robbed him of his treasure and vsed him in all outragious and rebellious maner The King vnderstanding of all these seditious sturres sought by faire meanes and in gentle maner to reduce them to their obedience sending out his proclaimations to pardon whatsoeuer was past and to burie it in the graue of obliuion so that they woulde lay downe their Armes and liue peaceablie vnder his authoritie The seditious diuinitie of the Sorbonists as in dutie they were bound but they made no reckoning of the Kinges clemencie but tearmed it cowardlinesse as though hee were afrayed of their forces beeing animated by the Sorbonists and their Doctours in Theologie who had resolued that they were set free from theyr oath of obedience and former allegiaunce made vnto Henrie the thirde And that it was lawfull for them and for all the residue of the people of Fraunce to take Armes agaynst the sayde King Henrie and to persecute him and all his adherents with fire and sworde as enemyes to God to their Countrey and to holy Church When they had once gotten this aduauntage that they were able to colour their proceedings as it were with an oracle from heauen they made no more conscience at the matter The duke de Maine made general of the Leaguers but presently determined to choose them a Generall for the leading of their forces and to establish a new Councell by whose direction they might manage the rest of their affayres They refused all the Princes of the blood and chose the Duke de Maine who was a man much fauoured of the leaguers The leaguers appoint a councell of state and one that was well acquainted with all their practises The Dukes of Aumaile and Nemours with the Cheualier of Aumaile were made gouernours of Paris There were also 47. of the most seditious turbulent factious and bitterest enemies to the King appoynted to order the state as the kings priuie councell had done in former times These had no sooner gotten this authoritie into their handes but they committed most horrible outrages against all such as they suspected to be the kings friends imprisoning murthering robbing sacâ—ing and spoyling them in such sort as was neuer heard of within any mans remembrance and going to the royall pallace called the Louure they seyzed vpon all the kings goods The leaguers notorious disobedience they violated the great Seale of France brake it in peeces and trode it vnder their feete They rent and tore the Armes of Valois and Burbon and trayled them in most despitefull manner in the mire and dyrt through the Streetes and assembling as manie of the principall Leaguers both of the Nobilitie Cleargie and Communaltie as they coulde wrote to other Cities theyr Confederates to follow their example and to ioyne with them and also to procure as manie partakers as they might the better to countenance their proceedings The king had often and very seriously disswaded them from this seditious course and with all lenitie sought to reduce them to their former obedience but considering that he preuailed nothing by gentlenesse and clemency but rather that the people waxed worse worse he therfore now determined to take a sharper course and by force to bring them vnder his obedience but fearing his owne weaknesse and want of sufficient power to bring his purposes to passe for that he was as it were coÌ„passed about with his enemies not knowing what to doo or whome to trust The king maketh peace with the 〈◊〉 of Nauarre perceyuing that the most of those who were about him were fauorers of the rebels hee was content to follow the aduice of his most trustie councellors and to make peace with the King of Nauarre and to vse his counsal and forces for his iust and lawfull defence and the rather for that the Duke de Maine approched verie neare vnto him with a great and puissant armie Thus was the king for the safetie of his person forced to cast himselfe into the armes of him whom for manie yeares hee had reputed for his mortall enemie and glad to seeke to be preserued by such an one whose destruction he had sought with all extremitie The King of Nauarre being aduertised of the Kings intent and solicited by sundry messengers to come to his ayde with all expedition called his Nobles and Captaines and gathered all his forces together and passing ouer the Loyre at Samnur went towards the King who was greatly distressed at Toures and in imminent perill to bee oppressed by the Leaguers The meeting of the King of France the King of Nauarre The King vnderstanding of his approach the thirtie of Aprill sent the Mareschall Haultmont accompanied with a great number of the Nobilitie to desire him to come to Plesis de Tours where hee with all his Court staid for him The King of Nauarre readily obeyed passing ouer the bridge of Saint Saphorin where hee left all his forces in battaile array and went towardes the King whom hee sound staying for him in the Parke of Plessis There was such a concourse of people and so great a throng that the two Kings were forced to stay aboue halfe a quarter of an houre stretching and holding out their hands before they could embrace one another so great was the prease and such a multitude were slocked togither to beholde this ioyfull and blessed meeting The kind embracings and louing salutations betweene these two Potentates did euidently declare their inward ioy contentation The reioysing of all sorts was incredible
nothing was heard for the space of halfe an houre but God saue the King a voyce which had not beene heard neare the Court in more then foure Moneths before And reiterating their ioyfull acclamations they ceased not but cryed out God saue the Kings God saue the King and the King of Nauarre Here wee may see a straunge and maruailous alteration on the sudden for these two Princes which had beene so bitter enemies each hauing for a long time pursued other by cruell and bloodie warres are now reconciled and are become louing and kind friends And the king who not long before stoode in daunger either to be murthered or else to be deliuered into the hands of those who thirsted for nothing more then for his blood is now freed from all feare and restored to his former libertie and is fortifyed by the arryuall of this Prince and Armie which did both countenaunce his authoritie and encourage his friendes and so daunted his enemyes that the Duke de Maine The Duke de Maine hasteth to Paris was glad to giue ouer his siege before Chasteaurenault and so retire to Paris with all speede The two kings sate often in councell about their affaires deuising of the best means to prosecute their warres for their most aduantage The king of Nauarre made many roades into the Countrie to the great domage and hurt of the Leaguers and so scoured the coast that no enemie durst once appeare in sight In the meane while the king receiued certaine Regiments of Switzers and help came from all parts of his Realme so that his armie dayly encreased in number fame and power And being now able to meete his enemies in the face he marched toward Paris The King marcheth toward Paris aad tooke by the way Ponthois Saint Clow Poysey Saint Germaines Charewton and sundrie other townes By which means that great and populous Citie beganne to bee sore distressed for want of victuals and other necessaries This made the conspirators to tremble and to lay their heads togither howe to auoyd this perill The leaguers conspire to kil the King which now hung ouer their heads whereupon the dukes of Maine Aumatle and Nemours the Archbishop of Lions whom the King a little before had pardoned and set at libertie the Lord Rosue Bosdauphin Brissac Sagone the 47. which were chosen for the Councell and the 17. Colonels which were appointed ouer the 18. wards of the city assembled togither and after much reasoning pro contra at last resolued that the onely meanes to saue themselues and to aduaunce their affaires was to kill the King who otherwise was likely to get the Citie in short time and to take an exemplarie punishment vpon them and all their adherents Hereupon the King is once againe condemned to die and as speedie a course taken as might be deuised to hasten his execution Frier Iames Clement appointed to kill the King They perswaded with one Frier Iames Clement of the order of S. Dominicke a lewd and bold hypocrite and enduced him with many reasons who was otherwise readie enough to any mischiefe to attempt this tragical and bloody act They forced the first president of the Senate named Harlay whom for his faithfulnesse to his Prince they had long detained in prison to write letters to the K. which this Frier should carrie with him They taught the sayd Clement likewise a lesson containing matters of great weight and importaunce aduising him that he should not disclose them to any but to the King and that in priuate and great secrecie Prouiding him besides a sharpe long knife enuenomed with deadly poyson wherewith he should aduenture to murther the sayd King as soone as he espied any fit occasion offered and entreated Pagarola the Popes Legat to blesse him and his knife for his better speed Frier Clement goeth to the campe at Saint Clow. The Frier being throughly schooled by this accursed companie prepareth for his iourney he putteth on his hypocriticall weed on his back layeth vp his lesson in his head and secretly hideth his poisoned knife in his sleeue and taking an other Frier as bad as himselfe in his companie hasted to execute his deuilish purpose and intent Hee was no sooner come to the Campe which then lay at Saint Clow but hee tolde such as hee mette first that hee had Letters to the King from the first President and certaine other Parisians well affected to his Maiestie contayning matters of verie great importaunce besides manie other waightie things to bee declared by worde of mouth The King being foorthwith aduertised hereof commaunded that hee shoulde attende vntill hee were called Within a while after the king willed that the Frier shoulde bee brought before him The Frier entered verie boldlie into the kings Chamber and being asked what his errant was hee aunswered that hee had matters of great waight and importaunce to declare vnto his Maiestie and such as highly concerned his seruice the king supposing that all was Gospell that the Frier sayde commaunded such as were about him to auoyde the Chamber and sate downe in a Chayre to heare the Friars newes The Frier approched to the King and falling vpon his knees beganne to tell a long tale and occupying the Kinges eares with a long and lying discourse espying his aduauntage drewe out his knife out of his sleeue Frier Clement woundeth the king with a poysoned knife and stabbed the King in the lower part of his belly and then made hast to get away The king being wonderfully terrified with that vnexpected attempt cryed out and laying hand vpon a dagger which was neare him strooke the Frier and wounded him The Lords and Gentlemen which were attending in an vtter Chamber hearing the noyse came running in and with their Swordes and Rapiers Frier Clement is slaine slue the Frier The Kings Surgeons were presently called and his wound dressed and he layde on his bed And for that he knewe not whether he should die or not he called for the king of Nauarre all the Princes Lordes and Noble men that were in his Campe and for the Captaines Colonels The King of Nauarre made heire apparant to the crowne of Fraunce and Chieftaines of the straungers before whom hee declared that the king of Nauarre was the true and indubitate heyre to the Crowne of Fraunce praying and exhorthing all of them to acknowledge him and to promise true obedience vnto him and to cause the lyke to bee acknowledged in the whole Campe and forthwith caused Letters to be written to all Prouinces and Cities to aduertise them howe things had passed at Saint Clowe and of his last will and Testament requiring all his faithfull subiects to protest the fulfilling of the same instantly requiring all true Frenchmen to reuenge his death and to take condigne punishment vppon the authors of that impious execrable fact and so the two and twentie of Iulie 1â—89 the poyson preuayling and dispersing it selfe through
his bodie The death of Henry the 3 the French King not withstanding all the remedies that could be deuised or imagined hee yeelded vp his life into the handes of him that gaue it him hauing reigned fourteene yeares and seuen moneths And this was the ende of Henrie the third the French king and king of Polonia and the last of the house of Valois who being bewitched with the sorceries of his mother and inclyning to euill by his owne bad disposition opposed himselfe agaynst Gods true religion and being giuen ouer to worke his owne destruction followed the wicked counsailes of his notorious and sworne enemies who spake him fayre to his face but inwardly hated him and neuer ceased persecuting of their deuelish deuises vntill they had brought his state to confusion and procured his vntimely death and destruction CHAP. XXVI Henrie the fourth the French King ouerthroweth the Leaguers in two seuerall battels Great famine in Paris The Duke of Parma entreth into Fraunce relieueth Paris From whence he flieth againe in great haste into the Lowe Countryes The Pope excommunicateth the King VVho causeth his Bull to be burned at Towers The great Armie of the Germianes The Duke of Parma goeth the sâ—conde time into Fraunce and preuayleth greatly agaynst the King The Leaguers seeke for peace The King encline to Poperie His coronation Paris with most of the great Citties of Fraunce turne to the King IMmediately after the death of Henrie the third Henrie of Burbon King of Nauarre and the true inheritour to the Crowne of Fraunce both by his owne right and by the last will and testament of the late King The princes Nobles and souldiers take their oath of obedience to Henry the fourth was proclaimed King of Fraunce by the name of King Henrie the foorth and so acknowledged by all the Princes Nobles Colonels Captaines and souldiours in the Campe after the ancient maner of choosing the Romane Emperors giuing him their oaths of fidelitie and obedience with protestation to assist him to maintaine his royall and princely authoritie against all traitours rebels and leaguers to the vttermost of their powers The Prince Montpensier being then at Audly a towne vpon the Riuer of Seyne caused likewise all his army to take the like oath exhorting them to defend constantly the late kings wil and valiantly to oppose theÌ„selues against al seditious persons despisers of gods lawfull ordinance traitors to their King sworne enemies to their own couÌ„try This Henry of Burbon King of Nauarre and now the French king and so hereafter he shall be tearmed considering the strength of his open enemies and fearing the treacherie of many in the Campe who were deuoted to the league knowing that they might be a meanes to distresse him beeing so neare vnto a great number of his euill willers who were likely to double their rage by reason of this exploit done vpon the late Kings person The French King retireth toward Norman de thought good to licence so many as he suspected to depart the campe and determined to retire with the rest into Normandie somewhat further from his enemies and to gather as great a power as hee could of his trustiest and most assured friends and in the meane time to view the attempts and preparations of the Leaguers The armie of the D. de Maine The D. de Maine besides all the bands which he had collected of the French rebels receyued certaine Swart Rutters vnder the leading of the Duke of Brimswicke The Duke of Lorraine sent his sonne likewise called the Marques of Pont. with certaine companies of horsemen with this great armie which amounted to the number of 25000. men The Duke de Maine marched towards Deep where the King lay with some nine or ten thousand men who vnderstanding of the approach of the enemie tooke the field with those forces which he had and encamped at Arques about two miles froÌ„ Deepe where he stayed not long but that the enemie appeared in fight at a village not far off called Martinglize The king sent out forthwith his light horsmeÌ„ to discouer between whoÌ„ the foreruÌ„ners of the Leaguers there were many hot skirmishes On the 19. day of September the enemie passed ouer a little riuer which ranne betweene both Armies and put himselfe in battaile array very well ordered strongly appointed and marched directly towards the king The Lord Billing with two thousande shot was appointed to charge first and the Duke de Maine stood behinde him with a strong battaile readie to succour as need required The king had quickly ordered his battailon hauing disposed of all things in as warlike maner as he could deuise sent forth his light horsemen to charge the enemie who were backed with the Prince of Conde led by the Lord Montaret His battailon of footemen was flanked with his owne cornet wherein were the Lord Graund Pryer of France the Count Rochfaucoult the Count Rossy his brother the Count Rochford with diuers other Gentlemen of great reckoning and such as were neerest about his person and hauing called vppon God to ayde him in his iust and righteous quarrell so furiously charged the enemie that hee left fiue hundred dead vpon the place at that instant The rest seeing the slaughter of their fellowes and the furie of the kings souldiers began to shrinke and in a short time to flie away in great feare and disorder The Principall men of the Leaguers which were slain were the Lord Saint Andrew Sagne Collonell of the light horsemen the Lord Saint Vidal Lieutenant of the Ordenance the Lord Vienuille Count Billing Temblecourt Sauelak and diuers others were taken prisoners The king lost the Count Rossy brother to Rochfaucont and the Lord Bake Ville a Gentleman of very worthy and commendable parts and not past some thirtie or fortie others The Duke de Maine seeing his bad lucke retyred his beaten troupes towards Picardy the king being strengthened with the forces of the Prince of Soysons Duke Languauille and Mareschall Haultmont besides foure thousand Englishmen newly sent him out of England The Lord VVillowby vnder the leading of the right noble and valiant Lord VVillowby departed from Deepe coasted the enemie til he came to Menlau and then returned toward Paris supposing that by that meanes hee should draw the Duke to follow him and so bring him to a battaile The king bringeth hiâ— army before Paris The King comming to Paris about the 28. of October determined to assault the suburbs and hauing prepared all things in a readinesse for that purpose assailed them the first of Nouember following where hee founde some resistance but the courage of the Souldiers redoubled with the presence of the Prince was such The suburbs of S. Germaines takeÌ„ that they quickly gayned them and slew aboue a thousand and fiue hundred of their enemies there were also taken fourteene ensignes and thirteene peeces of Ordenance The king seeing the Leaguers attempted nothing but
that they kept themselues close within the Wals albeit the Duke de Maine was entred within the Citie with all his forces The cruelty of de Maine beeing mooued with sundrie waightie causes resolued to dislodge and to employ his forces in some other places Hee was no sooner departed but that the Duke de Maine picked a quarrell against diuers of the richest Cittizens charging them that they had conspired against the holy League and procured the King to come to Paris which promised to deliuer the Citie into his hands whereupon many were condemned and executed and their goods seised to the vse of the League The King marched with all his power towardes the Loyre and Seyne purposing to redeeme the Townes which lay betweene those two riuers vnder his obedience and in his way tooke Estamps Ianuille Chasteandune Vendosme Lauerdin Chasteande Loyre Monteuert Chere and Montrichard yeelded of their owne accord The strong towne of Mans was taken by composition Sablis Laual Chasteantier with the Castles of Beanmont Touuoy and Alenson with manie other places of importance were likewise yeelded vnto the king so that in a short space hee had gotten very great number of strong â—ownes Castles and Cities yea very large and mightie prouinces out of the hands of the turbulent and seditious Leaguers The Lord Diguceres likewise ioyning with the Lorde Valette brother to the Duke of Espernon preuailed mightily in Prouince Languedock and brought the greatest parte of those Countreyes vnder the kings obedience The Duke de Maine lay all this while in Paris and did nothing vntill the comming of the Popes Legate called Hemico Caietano The Duke de Maine receiueth Money from the Pope and the King of Spaine but then hee beganne to stir beeing animated by this Embassador who brought with him fiftie thousande Duckets from Rome hee also receiued three hundred thousand Crownes from the Spaniard and by an excessiue taxe imposed vpon the Parisians with the spoyle and hauocke which was made vpon the Royals and richest marchants hee got aboue a Million of golde with which and the rest of his exhibition from Rome and Spaine he furnished his Army with all necessaries and leauing Paris went foorth to seeke the king hauing in his armie three thousand horse and thirtie thousand footmen Hee tooke by the way the Castle of Viennes and in the latter ende of Ianuarie got Ponthois from whence he remoued and planted his siege before Meulan The Duke of Parma sendeth forces to ayde Duke de Maine The Duke of Parma sent the Count Egmond and the Lord La Mote gouernor of Graueling with some fiue or sixe thousand chosen Souldiers to the ayde of the Leaguers the Duke de Maine receiued them in Picardy and ioyning them with the rest of his forces marched towards Dammartin drawing neere vnto the king who was then at siege before Dreux The King was no sooner aduertised heereof but that hee raysed his siege and hasted toward Yury where he supposed that the Duke with all his forces had beene lodged 1590. and comming to a place neere vnto the Towne called Saint Andrewes plaine he ordered his battailes The Kings battaile deuiding all his horsemen into seuen esquadrons flanking them very strongly with their seuerall battailons of footmen euerie one with their Enfans Perdus in theyr front readie to attach the skirmish assoone as the enemie should appeare The first Squadron was led by the Mareschall Aulmont wherin in was three hundred horse and twelue Regiments of French footmen The Prince Montpencier led the second which consisted of three hundred horse and foure hundred Lansquenetes and a Regiment of Switzers The third beeing diuided into two companies containing foure hundred light horse were somewhat further aduanced then the former two and were led by the Lord Graund Pryor the lord Guynny The Baron of Biron commanded ouer the fourth wherein were two hundred and fiftie good horses with certaine Cornets of light horsmen In the fift was the king himself with six hundred horse flanked on each side with foure Regiments of Switzers The sixt was led by the Mareschall Biron with two hundred and fiftie horses and two Regiments of French footmen The seauenth squadron was a great Hot of Rutters strengthned with French footmen as was vsed in other battailes The Duke de Maâ—ne resoluing to trie his fortune at that present The Duke de Maines battaile set likewise his forces in battaile array and taking his Cornet consisting of some two hundred and fiftie horses put himselfe in the middest of two squadrons of Launces which came out of the low countreyes wherin were some twelue or thirteene hundred horse The Duke of Nemours with other two hundred and fifty horse the Cheualier D' Aumaile with his band of horse incorporated themselues with this huge companie of Launces containing now in al some thousand eight hundred horsemen marching in front they were flanked also with two Regiments of Switzers lyned with French shot There were two other squadrons of Launces the one compounded of French Italians Albaneses the other of Wallons and Spaniards and betweene them both a strong battilon of French enfantery and Lansquenetes who had on their right wing seauen hundred Rutters and on the left wing fiue hundred with foure Culuerings All things beeing thus ordered and both armies in a readinesse for a generall fight the great Ordenance began to thunder on both sides the fury wherof being once past The Duke de Maine ouerthrowne in the plaine of Saint Andrew the horsemen and footmen charged each other couragiously and maintained a cruell and bloudy fight for a long time but at length the victorie enclined to the King and the whole power of the Duke was ouerthrowne The King himselfe that day fought valiantly and performed both the dutie of a prudent captaine and a couragious and hardy Souldier There were slaine very neere two thousande horsemen of the enemies and many of them commanders Some twelue or thirteene hundred were drowned in the Riuer of Yury the most part of the footmen were cutte in peeces and aboue foure hundred were taken prisoners al the Switzers yeelded to the kings mercy the Duke de Maine ranne away with the formost leauing his friendes to the mercie of their enemies and lost all his Ordenance and munition the Duke of Nemours Bassampierre Tauannes Rosue and many others fled to Dreux the cheefest that was slaine was the Count Egmond knight of the order of the golden Fleece and the general ouer the forces sent from the Duke of Parma out of the low countreyes the yong Count of Brunswick captaine Collin a Spaniard and the Lord of Chastaneray the Principall prisoners were the Lord Austfrist with many other Italian and Spanish Lords the Lord Boysdauphin who bare the white Cornet of the Duke de Maine was likewise taken prisoner and with him Fountaine Martell Lechant and many other Gentlemen of good account On the kings side there were slaine
the Lord Clermont Autragne one of the Captaines of the kings guard the Lord Tishcombert Longanuay Crenay Vienne Muauille Fequiers with some other twenty or thirtie Gentlemen at the most The Marquesse of Neste the Eearle Choysy the Lord de O the Count Lud the Lords Mouleuet Lauergue Rosne and many others were hurt but not in danger of death and this was the ende of this great battaile fought in the plaine of Saint Andrew the fourth of March 1590. The fame of this glorious victorie ouer the Leaguers so terrified sundrie townes that they yeelded forthwith and sent to craue pardon for their former offences Mante Vernon Cressy Lagny Poysy Saint Germaine and Saint Clow were the first that were drawen to their due obedience by whose examples sundrie others were easily reclaimed and yeelded vppon their first sommance the king beeing glad of this fortunate successe resolued to besiege Paris whereof when as the Parisians The Parisians prepare to endure a siege were enformed as also of the ouerthrowe of the Duke de Maine they were maruailously affrighted and tâ—e rather for that they had promised themselues an assured victorie grounding vppon the Dukes proude bragges and the fantasticall prophesies of sundrie seditious Friers and had not the Duke Henrico Caietanc the Popes Nuntio and Barnardin Mendoza scattered good store of Crownes among the Iesuites and such frierlike fellowes who shoulde with theyr seditious Sermons encourage the people to persist in theyr rebellious actions and corrupted the principall inhabitants with money and fayre promises the Parisians hadde in that conseruation of minde come to aske pardon as well as others but they beeing seduced by their chiefetaines and ringleaders beganne to bethinke them howe to fortifie their Cities and to make themselues able to endure a siege The king seeing their obstinacy followed his course and knowing the Citie to bee very populous and nothing well prouided for so many moneths determined to take all the passages and to blocke in the Parisians so sure that they should come by no victuals making choyse to vanquish them rather by famin then by the sword as the safest way to punish his enimies and to saue his friends Hee therefore seised vppon all the stronge Townes about the Citie as Corbeil Melun Montereaufault Yonne and Charenten and stopping the Riuer of Oyse Marne Yonne and Seyne would not suffer any prouision to bee conuayed into the Citie Whereupon there beganne to grow great scarcenesse The Duke de Maine goeth to Bruxelles to the Duke of Parma for ayde and a sore famine threatned that rebellious multitude The Duke de Maine was gone into Peronne in Picardy and from thence to Bruxelles to the Duke of Parma to entreate him to come to the succours of the League and vsed all the other meanes hee could to leuie newe forces and hauing had some promises from Spaine assured himselfe of ayd out of the low Countryes wherwith he should be once againe able to meete the king who all this while lay before Paris and attempted nothing but onely to keepe it from victuals and by that meanes had so famished the towne of S. Dennis S. Dennis yeeldeth to the King that after that they had consumed all their old store and had eaten vp their horses dogs cats rats mice rootes hearbs much bread made of ground straw beaten to powder they were enforced to yeeld to the kings mercy who vsed them very graciously Penury and want likewise so pressed the Citie of Paris Great famin in Paris that by the beginning of Iuly there were no dainties to be found in the Citie but the Parisians were glad to fall to such homely viands as not long before had serued for a dish at S. Dennis Yea so great and so horrible was the famine that there were many children eaten and deuoured by those hungry and staruen rebelles When the Duke da Maine who was still attending vppon the Duke of Parma was aduertised of the great and extreme penury that was among the Parisians as also of the vprores and murtherings of the people hee wrote letters full of rich promises assuring them of the comming of the Duke of Parma and himselfe with a sufficient number to raile the siege The miserable people oppressed with the tyrannie of their rulers hardned with seditious sermons blinded with ignorance seduced with malice and sed with much villanie from Spaine from the Pope and from this Duke and by Gods iust iudgement giuen ouer to a reprobate sense held out obstinately and would by no perswasions be enduced to submit themselues vnto the Kings mercie The hope that the Spaniard had to conquere France and to cloath himselfe with the rich spoyle of the Flower de Lis made the Duke of Parma to giue better eare to the Duke de Maine The Duke of Parma entreth into France and to hearken to the succours of the distressed Leaguers so that hauing gathered a power of some 15000. Spaniards Italians Wallons and Flemmings all of the olde bands of the countrey in the latter ende of August hee entred into France and ioyning with the forces of the Duke de Maine marched towards Paris The King hauing to deale with so great an enemie brake vp his siege and went to meete him as farre as the plaine of Boundy and there ordered his battailes made himself readie to end the quarrell by a generall fight the Kings army consisted of 10000. French footmen 4000. Switzers 4000. horsemen the greatest number wherof were gentlemeÌ„ of the cheerest houses in France and 800. Rutters there were sixe Princes two Mareschalles of France and a great number of noblemen captaines and Gentlemen who were able to leade as great an armie as that was The Duke of Parma hauing discouered all his warlike multitude from the top of a hill returned to his campe and caused his souldiers to entrench themselues as strongly as they could and refused to fight The Duke of Parma refuseth to fight albeit the king staied for him by the space of three daies together but afterward perceiuing that the Duke would not be drawen to a battaile by no meanes hee determined to breake vp his armie and to sende his souldiers into seuerall prouinces to rest and relieue them after so painfull and laborious a iourney and so to make them fresh and lustie against hee should haue better opportunitie to fight against his enemies Assoone as the king was departed wel neere twenty Leagues off and that he had deuided his forces by sending them into seuerall places The Duke of Parma entreth into Paris the Duke gat him out of the treaches hasted to Paris where he was welcomed with great ioy but he had not continued there long but the tyrannie pride and villany of the Spaniard and hispaniolized was such that the Parisians waxed weary of that intollerable burthen would faine haue bin rid of them and they had wist how they therfore entreated the duke to open the riuer
for the traffick which he promised vndertooke the siege of Corbaile which after 3. assaults wherin he lost a great nuÌ„ber of his best most approued souldiers he tooke by force shewed all crueltie vpon the inhabitants He made the Parisians beleeue that he would go from thence to take Poysy Meulan Maule Vernon Pont del Arch but indeed he was not so good as his word for he did nothing of al this but trifled out the time The Duke of Parma fli th out of France fed the citizens with faire words vntil the latter end of October and then marched homeward through Bric being followed hard at the heeles by the king and those smal forces which he could raise vpon the sodain as far as L' Arbre de Guyze where he entred into the low countreyes with not past some 8000. of all that companie wherewith hee had entred into France After that the Duke of Parma was gotten into the low Countreyes the king hauing gathered al his forces together marched toward Chartres which he besieged Chartres taken by the the king and after many sharpe assaults tooke it and brought it vnder his obedience hee tooke also Aulnean Macheuille Dourdan Bonsery Clay Tremblay Manican Ginlis and so scoured al the part of Picardy that no enemie durst once shew his face and from thence passed into Britaine where hee defeated the Lorde Saint Lawrence Mareschall of the Armie of the rebels vnder Duke Mercury and surprised Louuiers where hee found great store of Corne Wine and all other necessarie prouision besides foure thousand fat Oxen wherewith hee plentifully victualled his army for many dayes Cinqcens tâ—oken About the same time the Lord Chartres gouernour for the King in Deepe and Sir Roger VVilliams a very couragious and well experienced English knight with their English French forces amounting to some seauen hundred men defeated two regiments of the Leaguers at a place called Cinqcens and put them in a maner all to the sword The Prince Conty tooke Mount Morillon Chaurguy S. Sauin Blank en Bury Bourge Archambault Playsance Bellarbre Availes Betoune Bisse and many other forts and Castles in Limosin and Toureyne The Prince D' Ombs accompanied with the valiant fortunate and noble Gentleman Sir Iohn Norris general of such forces as were sent out of England for the ayde of the K. into Britaine tooke Guingcampe Cuingcampe taken where there were a great number of the Nobilitie and Gentlemen of the Countrey who with the Towne payed fiftie thousande Crownes for their Ransome and tooke the oath of Obedience to the king and passing from thence to Quelnec encountred with the Duke Mercury a principall Leaguer who at the first shewed a countenance as though he would haue tryed the quarrell by an entire fight but after the losse of some two or three hundred Spanish and French Leaguers with Don Roderigo cheefe Mareschall of the Spaniards and the Lord Guebrian Collonel of all the footmen he retired further off to places of greater securitie The king was now at the siege of Noyon Noyon takeÌ„ which in the ende yeelded vppon composition and the Lord Vile submitted himselfe to the king and had leaue to depart whither hee would the Leaguers seeing the kings fortunate successe fearing that all in the ende would yeeld vnto him procured a newe excommunication from Rome against him and all his faithfull subiects The Pope excommunicateth the King and caused it to be published at Pont del Arch in Normandy by Marcellus Landrianus a saucie and malepert Iesuite but the king beeing aduertised hereof commanded his Court of Parleament holden at Cane to proceede against Pope Gregory the fourteenth who sent it and his Nuntio that brought it as against tyrannes conspirators with rebels perturbers of the State sowers of sedition aâ—â— the common and notorious enemies of GOD and all goodnesse and taking the Popes Bull The Popes Bull hanged vpon the gallowes and burned at Tours caused it to bee fastned to a gibbet at Tours by the common hangman of the towne and to bee consumed to ashes to the great reioycing of all the beholders The King vnderstanding that the right honourable Lord the Earle of Essex was nowe arriued in France with a bande of very braue men and was marching towardes him went to meete the saide Earle at a place called Gysors where hee remained not long but returned towards Champaigne for that hee vnderstood that his Germaines were nowe in a readinesse to march on forwards on their waie towardes France In the meane while the English forces tooke the towne of Gourny and ioyning with the Mareschal Biron Goâ—rney ta-tâ—ken by thâ— earle of Eâ—â—â—x distressed the Leaguers in those quarters Much about this time the Prince Ienuille sonne to Francis late Duke of Guyse escaped out of prison at Tours where hee had beene kept for the space of three yeeres and more The yong D. of Guise escapeth out of prison and hauing the waies layde with fresh horse by the counsell of the Lord De la Chastre his kinsman got safely to Selles and from thence to Verdun where hee was most ioyfully receiued of all the Leaguers who had attended his comming with great deuotion and were exceeding glad that they had recouered him by whose means they imagined the better to countenance their actions and to effect their entended purpose Howbeit this their ioy was foorthwith crossed by the comming of the Germaines who were already entred into France and hasted to the succors of the king This great and mightie Armie wherein were some two or three and twenty thousand footmen and horsemen The armie of the Germain was diuided into sundry battailons and led by theyr seuerall chiefetaines and commaunders The Vicont of Turennes conducted the Vauntgard wherein were some 1600 horse next whom followed the Earle of Anhoult cheefe commaunder in the Armie with two thousand and two hundred horse The third place was alotted to Barbisderse with a squadron of some 1000. horse Iselstenius the Lieutenant of the Lorde Robours led 8. or 900. footmen Creighnicht Bernhard Dessaw and Bonnaw had their seuerall regiments each coÌ„sisted of a 1000. horse The Lord Laudins and the Earle of VVide had vnder their leading 6400. footmen equally diuided into two great squadrons which were flanked as it were with another strong battailon wherein were about 4300. footmen and 200. horse led by Templuys and the Earle of VVeda Christopher de Fesler with 300. footmen serued as a wing on the left hand betweene whom and the Earle of VVide was the yong Earle of VVestenberg with 3400. footmen there was also maruailous store of all warlike munition as great Artillerie pouder shotte bridges boats spades shouelles pickaxes and all other necessaries for the warres and nothing wanting which was requisite for the aduauncement of their affaires The Duke of Lorraine made al the preparation that might be to stop the passage of these Germaines and to
that ende stuffed all his frontier townes with strong garrisons but they opening their way by force passed forwards and by easie iourneyes came to the king who beeing strenhthened with these new forces resolued to besiege Boar. The Leaguers being now not able to encounter with the king in the field fortified the Citie as strong as they could and attended the comming of the Duke of Parma whose ayde they had instantly desired the better to maintaine head against the king The Duke vnderstanding in what tearmes the Leaguers stood knowing that the losse of Roan being a principall Citie in France 1592 The duke of Parma goeth the second time into France and the cheefest in Normandy would be very preiudicial vnto that mistery which lay secretly enclosed in his brest and a great meanes to crosse the proceedings of the Spanish king hispaniolized French gathered a great power and leauing the gouernement of the Low countreyes to the Count Mansford marched towards France which he entred about the midst of Ianuary with some 8. or 9000. Spaniards Italians Duch Wallons ioyning with the Leaguers so encreased his armie that he grew to be some 17. or 18000 strong with which power he determined to raise the Kings siege to deliuer theÌ„ who had with so great earnestnesse sought his helpe and with this resolution he marched towardes Roan which assoone as those who kept the town vnderstood they began to plucke vp their hearts and made many sallyes forth vppon the kings forces but being valiantly withstood shrewdly beaten were glad to returne with the losse often times of their valiantest leaders and most forward souldiers Nowe as the Leaguers within the town begaÌ„ to be punished with many miseries the famin daily encreased to the destruction of many so penury and want of necessaries began to creepe in among the kings souldiers and by reason it was in the extreme of the Winter many perished with cold and great numbers fel into very sore greeuous diseases notwithstanding the siege was still continued and all the politike deuises that might be put in practise to gaine the citie The Duke being about Rue and there thorowly enformed as wel of the state of Roan as of the courage resolution of the kings forces would not attempt any thing rast ly but sending for greater forces out of Flanders vnder the conduct of the Earles of Aremberg and Barlemont kept himself close for a while purposing as it seemed to protract the time to cause the K. who as is already said began to fal into manifold waÌ„ts to raise his siege from before the city but the Duke perceiuing that this depose took not so speedie effect as he desired pondering with himself how hard dangerous a matter it was to releeue the citie by force The pollitike dâ—uise of the Duke sought by a cunning pollitike deuise to bring his businesse about and therefore on the sodaine dislodged retired his whole power ouer the Riuer of Some as though he had purposed to returne home again without any more ado Which when the king perceiued and now verily thinking that hee had bin quite gone he licensed the greatest part of his Nobilitie and Gentlemen to departe home to their houses there to refresh themselues after so long tedious trauaile reseruing a sufficient number to maintaine the siege the K. departed to Deepe there to repose himselfe and to take counsell for the ordering of the rest of his affaires The Duke was quickly enformed by his espialles of whatsoeuer the king had done The Duke returâ—eth towards Roan and â—nowing now that all his aduantage consisted in celeritie caused his troupes on the sodaine to turne head and to march backe againe towards Roan and vsing great expedition so fast approched that the kings armie beeing not readye to encounter him and no assured course taken to crosse his designements he besieged Candebeck a town standing vpon the riuer betweene New-hauen Roan Roan releeâ—â—d by the 〈◊〉 of Parma By this meanes was the riuer cleered liberty obtained to passe and repasse without peril then were there forthwith a great number of ships prouided being thorowly furnished with victuals and all other necessaries were sent to Roan to releeue the Leaguers who were nowe extremely distressed and almost famished The King sought all the opportunitie that might be to fight with the Duke and offered many skirmishes to drawe him thereto but hee knowing fortune to bee very inconstant and in the warres especially to bee most wauering and vncertayne vtterly refused to hazard all vppon a Battaile and vnderstanding that there was some scarcitie in the kings campe and that it was impossible that so great a multitude shoulde bee long kept togither in a Countrey so exceedingly wasted where there were no meanes to relieue their wants kept himselfe close and sought to wearie his enemies by his long delaies The K. daily braued the Spaniards in the face dared them by many indignities to come to handy strokes which made the Duke resolue to do somwhat albeit he were sickly and most vnwilling to fight The Duke would not bee drawne to an entire fight supposing that if hee shoulde not stirre vpon so many prouocations his enemies would waxe more couragious and himselfe with all his Spaniards should lose much of their wonted honor reputation Whereupon he determined to encounter with the kings forces and to make some triall of the courage and resolution of his enemies yet so warily that he would be sure not to bring himselfe and his souldiers to a set battell but by some light conflict to maintain his honor and by a Spanish brauado to make the world beleeue that hee did but little esteeme of the king and all his forces Whereupon euery thing being in a readinesse and hauing encouraged his troupes with sundry perswasions the signall was no sooner giuen but there began a sharpe and cruel fight which hastened the death of many braue and valiant souldiers But the Duke espying the Kings side to be too strong and that his men were put to the worse withdrewe his troupes within their intrenchments hauing lost the yong Lord of Chastres and many other of great reckoning and account The dukes horse was shot through with a bullet The Count Horratio Scipio and Hanniball Bentiuolio with many others were sore wounded and in daunger of their liues The Duke not liking to trie the quarell any more by force fell to his old politike practises The duke de Maine entreth Roan and laboured by all possible meanes to get away away from the king without any further fighting Wherfore leauing a garrison of some 500 Spaniards French and Wallons in Caudebecke and sending the Duke de Maine with 3000. Leaguers into Roan hee reposing himselfe for a while within the Citie at length marched away as strongly and as closely as he could towarde Paris The D. of Parma marcheth
toward Paris there to refresh them after so long and tedious trauailes as also to make tryall what store of Crownes might be gotten to satisfie his greedie Souldiers The King pursued him and following him in the taile watched to skirmish with him vpon euerie aduauntage But seeing hee coulde not effect that which hee so earnestly affected which was to drawe him to an entyre fight hee caused all his troupes to turne heade and ledde them before Caudebecke which he foorthwith recouered from the Leaguers and leauing a strong garrison to defende the Riuer he retyred to Deepe The King goeth to Deepe giuing leaue to the greatest part of his army to go refresh themselues in more fertile and commodious Countreys Thus was Roan deliuered out of the hands of the King by the comming of the duke to the great encouragement of the Leaguers who seeing the Kinges fortune to frowne began to triumph and to reioyce exceedingly for this their vnexpected reliefe and the rather for that this their good hap was seconded by diuerse other fortunate exploits in other places for the Duke Ioyense ouerthrew certaine of the Kinges troupes before Lautrech as they went to surprise the saâ—d towne being betrayd by some of those who had promised them to bee a meanes to let them enter without anie empeachment But they vsing this as a stratagem to entrap the Kings souldiours The leaguers ouerthrow sundry of the Kings forces enformed the Duke of all theyr proceedings who as soone as hee had intelligence thereof gathered a strong power and lying in ambush by the way as they sâ—ould passe suddenly set vpon them and slue three or foure hundred and tooke 200. prisoners among whom were Monsieur de Violet de Godius sundry others of very good account Three hundred fled to a castell not farre off called la Trappe which was forthwith besieged by the said Duke and the leaguers they who were within the castell valiantly defended the place for a while induring some thirtie or fortie Canon shot at length considering their want of necessaries how they were not able to maintaine themselues as they desired they yeelded hauing lost Colaun bieres Tanieuse L'estolies Raueleus Bertrand Deluan Biense de Lucques La Brosse Lespinac and many other chieftains and commanders La Barry Portaleâ—se Pibrac besides sundry gentlemen were taken prisoners and well neare two hundred common souldiers About the same time Duke Mercury likewise ouerthrew the power of the prince of Conty the prince D' Ombes in Britany and hauing taken ten field peeces froÌ„ them slue many of their brauest and valiantest men as Membraise Rochpot Picheres with some others preuailing mightily in those quarters and reducing sundry townes vnder the obedience of the seditious league Thus did the Kings affaires begin to go backward and many townes who were wauering before did nowe wholy abandon the King and ioyne with the rebels Sundry of the nobilitie who were popishly affected and therefore glad of the Kings bad successe reuolted and secretly conueyed themselues away either to the enemy or into their owne countries and by their bad example drew on infinite numbers to take the same course forsaking their lawfull prince when hee stood in greatest need of their seruice exposing that noble kingdome to the barbarous villanie of that viperous broode who neuer cease gnawing out of the bowels of her that should be their dearest and best beloued mother The King wanting sufficient power to stop these wicked proceedings was forced to suffer the rebels to range at large and to get many of his townes both in Normandy Britany Prouince and Dauphiny They took likewise Espernon wherin they found great store of wine corne other necessaries for the wars These fortunate exploits so encouraged that rebellious route and so puffed them vp with the pride of their owne forces that they vtterly refused to bow their necks vnder the yoake of obedience or to admit of any other gouernment then such as pleased theÌ„selues The king was loath to loose Espernon being a towne of verie good importance and therfore drew all his forces to the siege therof where the Mareschall Biron was slaine Mareschall Biron slaine with a shot from the wall while hee was verie busie in viewing the army in giuing order for the planting of the siege Yea and the king himself was in great perill The daunger of the King hauing his horse killed vnder him with the same bullet wherewith the Mareschall was slaine before Duke Mercurie in the meane time tooke Manus in Britain and the duke de Maine recouered Caudebecke and cleared all the riuer froÌ„ New-hauen vp to Roan The D. of Nemours gouernor of Lions took Vienna and Valence and by that means coÌ„manded the riuer of Rhodanus Now were the Germains who came into France in 91. desirous to returne home so that taking their leaue of the French K. they marched toward Germany as fast as they could but by reason they were not so many nor so strong as when they came first into France they were desirous to passe rather by leaue then by force and therefore they thought it conuenient to send to the Duke of Parma for to obtaine License of him that they might quietly passe through the Dukedom of Luxemburge who readily condisceÌ„ded therto vpon condition that they should not rifle the Countrey as they went but should trauaile in peaceable manner and pay for whatsoeuer they tooke Thus this great and mightie Army which had in conceite deuoured halfe France The Germaines returne home and at theyr comming had opened their way by fine force returned home without dooing of anie great matter and were driuen to aske leaue and to sue to their enimies for their pasport such and so strange an alteration ensued in a short space The Leaguers beeing drunken with this prosperous successe began to consult about the election of a new King and to that ende the Duke of Ferta and the Cardinall of Sens The Leaguers consult about a new King the Popes Nuntio were sent to Paris to bee present as assistants in this waightie businesse as well to aide with their aduise and counsell as to perswade with sundrie great states who as yet were not fully resolued in this poynt neyther whether they shoulde assent to so wicked and desperate proceedings Now albeit that the rebellious multitude had prospered for a long time and were growen in a maner to the ful period of their desires hauing effected many things greatly tending to the countenancing of their affaires in so much as that they had gayned the strongest richest cities with infinit numbers of turbulent and seditious heades to ioyne hand in hand with them and to take parte in these their wicked and desperate attempts yet as it alwaies falleth out among such a confused and brainesicke rable each mistrusted other and being often admonished by the secret warnings of their owne consciences how damnable a course they had runne as
also considering the intollerable seruitude wherto they were likely to bring themselues and their posteritie if they should longer submit themselues to their Spanish protector and likewise seriously pondering the kings estate which was still supported by the cheefe Princes of the bloud the ancient and most honourable Nobilitie of France fauored by a number of valiant and wise personages and countenanced by sundrie mightie Princes abroade so that it still seemed to bee impossible to bring their purposes to passe but rather that they should hazard their owne estates their liues and liberties yea and in fine the whold kingdome by calling in the Spaniards their olde and ancient enemies who sought for nothing more then for the spoyle of the Flower de Lis. All these reasons with many other beeing well weighed they supposed it to bee their best to reconcile themselues to theyr king of whole readie inclination to peace The Leaguers seeke for peace though it were with hard conditions they nothing doubted wherupon they first priuily practised with sundry of the Papists which followed the king whereof there were no small number and hauing by their meanes made as it were an entrie vnto their pretensed purpose they sent their deputies to treate of a peace for three moneths wherto the king assented in Iuly 1593. and afterwards continued the same for two monethes more videlicet vnto the ende of the moneth of December following in all which time there was nothing doone otherwise then the sending of sundrie messages each to other with continual practising to draw the king to the liking of Poperie wherein there was such paines taken and so farre humane pollicie preuailed that this noble and famous Prince who had for the space of foure or fiue and twentie yeeres so valiantly and fortunately deâ—ended the Gospell and that with the hazard and perill of his owne life The K. enclineth to Popery freely exposing his royall person his treasor his friendes and all other meanes whatsoeuer â—oâ— the maintenance thereof beganne to waxe calme in the defence of his profession and to encline to that false and superstitious Religion of Rome to the high displeasure of almightie God the great dishonour of his princely Maiestie and to the extreme greefe and astonishment of all the Protestants Thus this noble and renowned Monarke the hope as it were of al that fauored Gods truth whom God had beautified with so many excellent graces and notable vertues as courage wisedom zeale and constancy in so many apparant dangers had made him the protecter and comforter of his afflicted church in France had deliuered him out of the hands of all his enemies 2. Sam. 12.8 and had giuen him his Lords house as the Prophet speaketh and if that had beene too little would haue giuen him much more making his proudest enemies to stoupe before h m and to the admiration and wonderment of all men continually protected him in despight of all those who sought his ruine and ouerthrow is another argument of the mutabilitie and interchangeable estate of all things in the world and that not onely the heauens the earth the sea the beasts of the field the fishes in the waters and the soules of the ayre are ful of varietie and change but likewise kingdomes countreyes and commonwealths Cities and townes all estates and conditions of men high and low rich and poore wise and foolish Prince and people are full of change and alteration Sundry principall Cities of France returne to the King In Ianuarie and Februarie immediatly folowing the Kings so apparant inclination to Poperie most of the principall Cities of France which had with so notorious obstinacy for a long while shaken off the yoake of their obedience beganne to bee reclaimed and as it were on the sodaine to bee arranged on the kings side Meaux Lyons Orleance Bourges Pontoâ—se with many other townes of speciall monument account opened their gates and willingly receiued the kings garrisons crying Vine Henry 4. roy de France de Nauarre expelling the Spaniards and hispaniolised French shewing great forwardnesse to withstande the outragious proceedings of the furious and desperate Leaguers The king had no sooner reduced these strong Townes vnder his obedience hauing by this meanes mightily strengthned himselfe and weakened his enemies but that hee was forthwith aduised by the Princes of his bloud the dukes and peeres of France the officers of his Crowne the Lords of his Councel and the most noâ—able personages of his courts of ParliameÌ„ts to frame himself to his corona ion and annoynting and that in such maner as all other kings his predecessors had done before him Which said ceremonious order of anointing is accounted the euident token of their royaltie and the publike approbation of the French nation Whereto the K. assenting as one now entending to obserue the ancient customs of his predecessors it was resolued that this solemne ceremony shuld be performed at our ladies church at Chartres for that the citie of Rheims where for the most part the king of France had wont euermore to be crowned still persisted in her rebellion and banded her selfe with the kings enemies All things beeing in a readinesse for the solemnizatioâ— of thâ—â—◠〈◊〉 magnificent coronation vpon the seuen and twentie day o◠〈…〉 the King came to the sayde Church attended with a great 〈…〉 Princes Earles Lordes and other States of Fraunce And by 〈…〉 some of the twelue Peeres as yet helde out agaynst the King and oâ—her â—ere sicke so that there wanted of the full and competent number to atteâ—◠〈◊〉 and to dootheyr seruice as the tyme then requyred the King 〈…〉 others in theyr steade to make vp the whole number whose names were as followeth Thâ— 6. peeres ecclesiastical 1 Bishop of Charters Representing the 1 Archbishop of Rhâ—mis the first peere Ecclesiastâ— all 2 Bishop of Nautes 2 The Bishop duke of 〈◊〉 3 Bishop of Digne 3 Bishop 〈…〉 4 Bishop of Mallefais 4 Bishop 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 5 Bishop of Orleance 5 Bishop Couâ—t of 〈◊〉 6 Bishop Angiers 6 Bishopâ— ouâ— to 〈◊〉 The 6 peeres temporall 7 Prince of Coney Representing the 7 Duke of Buâ—â—â—â—â—â— 8 County Soyssons 8 Duke of Norâ—â—â—â—â—â— 9 Duke Moâ—tpensier 9 Duke of Aqrâ—â—â—â—â—e 10 Duke of Rays 10 Count of Thâ—â—ous 11 Duke of Vantadon 11 Count of Flanders 12 Lord of Lupembourg 12 Count of Champaâ—â—ne The King was crowned by the Bishop of Chartres who for that day supplied the roome of the Archbishop of Rhemis and enthâ—onised him in his royall and Kingly seate in such maner and order as the rest of the Kings his predecessors had beene accustomed in former times Now began the Kings authoritie to waxe great and to enlarge it selfe euery day more and more and so farre it spread in a short time after that it was receyued into the heart of all Fraunce for the 20. of March following Paris the Metropolitan Citie of the whole realme Paris â—elleth to the 〈◊〉 which had continued in all kinde of rebellious disorder and that for many yeres togither omitting no kind of outrage that could be imagined against her natural and liege soueraignes their crownes and dignities by the vertuous and commendable industry of Brissac was likewise reduced vnder the Kings obedience who pardoning the inhabitants so many and so monstrous offences restored them to their auncient priueligieâ— rights grants Franchises and liberties with the reestablishments of his courts of Parliament and that in as large and ample manner as they had beene at anie time indued by any of the kings his predecessors abrogating all lawes decrees statutes ordinances which had passed in preiudice of theÌ„ as appeareth by an Edict bearing date the 28 of March 1594. So as neither the said inhabitants nor any of them should from thenceforth be troubled molested or disquieted in any maner of sort for their former disobediences imposing perpetuall silence heereof to his Attourneyes generall and to all other persons whatsoeuer commaunding withall all Dukes and Peeres of Fraunce all Officers of the Crowne all his Lieutenants and other Magistrates to cause the same to be proclaymed and published in theyr seuerall iurisdictions and resorts with expresse charge that the contents of the same should be inuiolably kept and obserued to the end that if it were possible the whole kingdome of Fraunce which for a long time had endured so manie calamities might nowe at length feele some ease and mitigation of former miseryes and the beaten barke of that distressed state which had beene so daungerously tossed in a vast Ocean of all kind of affliction might in the ende be brought to some desired hauen of peace and quietnesse and there be safely harboured to the eternall glorie of God the perpetuall honour of the King and the continuall ioy and comfort of the whole Common-wealth FINIS LONDON Printed by Thomas Creede 1597.
the inhabitants The Towers and the Bulwarks were ouerthrowne and the walles dismanteled and so in a short time one of the most beautifull and strongest holdes in Europe was vtterly rased and remained as a perpetuall monument of the Princes heauie indignation and displeasure The king of Polonia being aduertised of his brothers death by letters from the Queene mother and that he was now become heire to the Crowne of France albeit he was quietly established and a king ouer a mightie kingdome which was euerie way both very profitable and honourable vnto him yet as the nature of all men is to loue their owne naturall countrey more then another hee presently resolued to returne home againe and as shortly as might be to beholde the goodly and pleasant fieldes of the Flower de Lis but the great loue and reuerence which the Polonians bare vnto him who hauing vnderstood that the disease wherewith his brother Charles was afflicted was incurable and that peraduenture the Crowne of France would quickly intyce him out of Polonia made them watch ouer him with so vigilant an eye and to obserue him so narrowly that it caused him to doubt what course he should take to escape their hands and beeing indeede induced by sundrie strong presumptions to think that they would in no wise condiscend to his departure that it were but lost labor yea peraduenture much harme to acquaint them with his intended voyage determined to accomplish his purpose as closely and as secretly as he might and to leaue them his reasons in writing of so sodaine and hasty departure Wherefore hauing disposed of all things which were requisite for the furtherance of this proiect he first publikely dismissed Bellieure the French Embassador sending him home as one who seeing his maister was dead was nowe to be discharged of his office and with him hee sent the choysest Gentlemen about him and the cheefest and principall Iewels that hee had This being done hee made an exceeding sumptuous banket to all the great Polonian Lords and the Gentlemen in the Court which beeing finished and euerie man departed to his rest the king himselfe went likewise to bed as though he had purposed to haue slept vntill the next morrow but he had not rested long The king of Polonia stealeth away into France but rising againe putting on disguised apparrel he passed through the watch with Halde one of the Gentlemen of his chamber and mounted vpon his horse which was readie for that purpose and posted away from Gracouia with all speede and shortly arriued in Austria without any let notwithstanding all the extreme pursuite made by the Count Christophe the Count Tancy and many other Polonian Lords and comming to Vienna was royally receiued of the Emperour by whom hee was conducted to the territories of the Venetians who likewise entertained him in most honourable and magnificent manner and so passing by Padoua Ferrara and Cremona entred into Piemont and so into France where hee was no sooner come but he found all the countrey full of troubles tumults and dissentions and almost no corner free from cruell and bloudie warres The beginning of the fitf ciuill warres The Mareschall Danuill and his designes The Mareschall Danuill beganne to stirre coales in Languedocke and daily to enterprise vpon the Catholikes and to aduance the affaires of the Prince of Conde and his associats all that euer hee might The king finding such troubles in euery corner of the Land seemed to bee very sorrie and sought by all meanes to establish a peace and to that ende wrote to the Prince of Conde and the Mareschall Danuill who were the principall men among the Confederates that they shoulde signifie vnto him the causes of their discontentment and then he would as their king and soueraigne see them satisfied so farre foorth as might stand with equitie and iustice whereuppon both the Prince and the Mareschall sent their deputies vnto the king and Queene mother by whome their maiesties were certified of all their greefes and doleances The Prince of Conde and the mareschal Danuil send their deputies to the king and the reasons that moued them to take Armes which was saide they to defende their religion their liues and liberties and to maintaine themselues both against their owne enemies and the sworne aduersaries to the Crowne of France who beeing but strangers ruled all at their pleasure offering the greatest wrong and indignitie that might bee and that vnto the Princes of the bloud and cloking their actions with a colourable shewe of Religion set the whole Lande in a combustion intending indeede the vtter desolation thereof vnlesse they were speedily preuented and some good course taken to stop theyr turbulent proceedings The King incensed to wars by the perswasions of his councell The king seemed to giue them a fauourable hearing as one willing to make a pacification among his subiects whom hee would haue to liue in loue and amitie one with another vnder his obedience but by reason there were certaine articles propounded by the confederates which could not on the sodaine be agreed vpon the peace was deferred and the warres continued wherupon there were newe associations and leagues and both parties stood resolutely bent to annoy one another as much as might bee Those of the Religion were animated by the comfortable letters of the Prince of Conde who promised thē speedie aide and assistance hauing recouered Saint Iean D'Angely with sundrie other places of very good importance they gathered some fiue hundred pistoliers and a thousand two hundred harquebuziers led by the valiant La Noue wherewith they stopped the roades of their enemies who hadde a long while harryed and wasted tne Countrey without pittie or mercy The king as it seemed was of himselfe very inclinable to peace and in a sort contented that the protestants should freely enioy their consciences and haue publike places allowed them for their preachings but hee had no sooner entertained the councellers of the late king Charles but that hee was foorthwith cast in a newe mould for albeit hee were very earnestly sollicited by the Embassadours of the Queene of England the Duke of Sauoy and the Switzers to yeeld to some good agreement with his subiects yet would he not be drawen thither with all the perswasions that could be vsed but still maintained the warres and in all hostill manner inuaded those of the reformed Religion persecuting them with fire and sword with a full purpose to bring them to vtter ruine and desolation and being aduertised of the great leauy of Reisters which the Prince of Conde made in Germany which amounted to the number of seauen thousand and fiue hundred horse and three thousand footmen vnder the leading of the Duke Iohn Cassimer Duke Cassimer commeth to ayde the Protestants sonne to the Elector Palatine hee sent Mareschall Biron into Lorraine towardes the frontiers to stoppe theyr passage and to attend the comming of the Duke of