townesmen shoulde pay vnto the Lorde Chastre forty thousand frankes for the payment whereof they shoulde haue theyr goodes preserued from the spoyle of the Souldiers and it shoulde be lawfull for them to carry or sell the same else where at theyr owne pleasure the whiche money was distributed to the Souldiers by the appoyntment of the Lord Chastre That the Kyng should confyrme thys agreemente by hys authoritie And last of all that the townesmen should promise vnto the King al obedience euer after And that they shuld giue twelue such hostages as the Lorde Chastre shoulde name vntill these things were fully perfourmed and accomplished Therefore the last day of August the Lorde Chastre entred into the citie with a greate trayne of armed men And by by were taken away from the Sanserreans their drummes trumpets and ensignes Mons Ianneau within certayne days after was secretly slayne and neuer knowne how There was placed in the towne a verie great garrizon And ouer and aboue the foresayde summe of fortie thousande Frankes they were very straightly charged to pay newe tributes And concerning the vse of Religion the which notwithstanding was promised in the first article of the agreement there was neyther speach nor performance to this day The king sent the armies of the Switzers into Daulphine to terrifie the inhabitants of Languedoc and mons Monbrune that they might receiue the couenant of the peace of Rochel Notwithstanding when they had remayned certayne weekes in Daulphine when also Monbrune had trauelled diligently to and fro to withstande them and could not rayse them of Languedoc in so much that a great masse of money shoulde haue bene spent to no purpose those returned againe into their countrey which were returned from the siege of Rochel had escaped the perils of their iourney ¶ The twelfth Booke of Commentaries concerning the Temporall and Ecclesiasticall state of the Kingdome of France in the raigne of Charles the ninth THE Rochelleans had made a peace with the King withoute the knowledge of them of Nismes and others of Languedoc although they also were expresly contayned in the couenants of agreemente Notwithstanding the Edict beyng read did not satisfye them but affyrmed that the experiments of the former tymes replenished with diuers murders did proue that these pacificatorie meanes were snares to intercept and intangle those with the pretence of peace whome they coulde not by force of Armes with warre ouercome Therfore they thought good to consult and participate this matter with their fellowes and perceyue it needefull to prouide for the same by a common assembly of the Churches whiche were left So that after tydings was brought vnto them of the Edict made they sente into the Armie a messenger to the Duke of Anjou to giue him thanks on their behalfe beseeching him that for so muche as the cause in hand was generall and bycause it belonged to many of the reformed Religion to know these things in conuenient time that he would giue them leaue to assemble them selues together in a fit place and that to the same ende he woulde graunt them his letters patents for their assurance These letters patents were graunted and made and all they of the Religion to whome knowledge might be gyuen were warned to be at Milliaud in Languedoc Wherevpon there came many from all partes of the Realme according as the tyme would suffer them THIS was a notable occasion to prouide for thinges againe time to come For in this assembly they considered and scanned how they might order their affayres afterwarde and so prouided for thē selues both lawes ciuill and also martiall In the large prouince of Languedoc there are many prouinces the which were replenished with a great number of the Religious whiche helde diuers cities and Townes in sundry parts of the same hauing also amongst them the Catholiques in somuch that the keeping of those places was very perillous by reason that their enimies were so mixed with them Therefore to the ende their affayres might euer afterwarde be ordred after a more firme constant maner they appointed two generalties or Lieftenantships for the territorie of the Religion in the whiche all the Religious of that prouince were contayned namely the Liefetenantship of Montauban and the Liefetenātship of Nismes Montauban to haue the preheminēce ouer those parts of the higher Languedoc and Nismes of the lower in the which the territorie of Seuenatz and Viuaretz were coprehēded They apoynted to euery Liefetenantship a Liefetenant which was some famous noble man And they appointed the office of these Liefetenantships to endure so lōg as the ciuill war should hold eyther opēly or secretly that they might haue the chiefe authoritie in martiall affayres notwithstanding so that their power might be subiect to the iudgemente of the Senate Euery coūtrey or diocesse had his senate according to the ancient maner of France and they continue in vse especially in that part euē vnto this day these Senats they call particular states But the Liefetenātship in the which many diocesses are contayned is called the chiefe or high Senate whiche consisteth of certayne choice men out of euery countrey or shyre notwithstanding so that the sentences of euery Senate in matters of great waight were examined and straightly ouerlooked It was also ordeyned that by the decree of that high Senate or court the Lefetenant shuld rule and gouerne those affayres which belonged vnto the warre These Liefetenants had a certayne stipend assigned vnto them the whole rule and charge of the treasure belonged to the Senate the Liefetenant by his office hauing nothing to do with the same AND to mayntaine warre they tooke these wayes namely that the people might be restrayned so muche as might be from martiall robbing and that countreys might not be wasted and spoyled they charge the townes and villages by a writ out of the kings Excheaker to pay tribute yea and those townes also in the whiche the Catholikes inhabited lenying suche a summe as might be sufficient to mayntaine garrizons in them They call for a Cōtribution Thus they were gently intreated which payed the commaunded tribute husbandry also was permitted and mayntained So that those places inhabited by the Catholikes did obey for feare of robbing spoiling and burning Thus they went about to cut off all occasion of martiall libertie so much as might be taken away among so many outrageous furies of warre and they prouided for the continuance of longer warre if so be no reasonable and indifferent condition were offered by the king Furthermore they gathered the tythes and reuenues of the priestes and appoynted collectors for the same Hytherto all occasion to holde warre seemed after so great slaughters of men made to be taken away from the Religious but this way which they nowe deuised brought to passe that they of the Religion were able to mayntaine garrizons in diuers places the which when neede required being come together in one by the commaundement of the Lieftenant
Duke of Alba which loused from Antwerpe to carrie victuall to Middelburge part whereof they chased away and the rest came to Middelburge Furthermore the Prince of Orange tooke the towne of Mounts in Brabant The twentith of September the Orangians fought wyth happy successe vpon the coast of Amsterdam in the whiche fyght the Duke of Alba had a great ouerthrow with losse of a great number of his Shippes and also of his men The eleuenth day of October the Orangians after a long battayle fought vpon the sea got the victorie of the King of Spaynes nauie of whome they slue a great number and tooke the County Bossu Lord Admirall of the whole nauie In the beginning of December the Duke of Alba forsaking his authoritie of gouernment in the low countrey being Brussels by the authoritie and cōmission of the kings letters put ouer his said office to Lewis de Requizence great Commaunder of Castile and then prepared for his returne into Spayne THE new King of Polonia notwithstanding that the Ambassadors of Polonia made great hast found dayly new delayes to deferre his iourney whether it wer for the pleasure and delight which he had in his owne countrey or for greefe to leaue a more noble kingdome the assured possession whereof his mother had promised vnto him The king him selfe vrged his departure in somuch that it is reported he sayde in anger That eyther he or himselfe must needes goe into Polonia For the secret grudges of emulation which was in eyther of them could not be so couertly restrayned but that often times they brast foorthe The Queene loued the Duke of Aniou more than the king whose great towardnesse she greatly feared It is certainly reported that the Queene sayde to Henry beeing very carefull cōcerning his departure Be of good cheere only goe thou shalt not remayne long in Polonia By the rumor heereof many thought that the Queene meant little good vnto the King and that hereof that euill which happened within a while after vnto him proceeded the whiche verily I would not set downe if so be the same had not bin obiected vnto the Queene hir selfe by letters written by certayne Courtiers whiche knew well ynough the affayres of the court Yea it is most certayne that the Quene was so addicted vnto hir sonne Henry that she hated hir other two sonnes HENRY hauing couenaunted and agreed with hys brother concerning those thinges whiche appertayned to their affayres departed at the length from Paris the eyght and twenty of September The king sayd that he would bring him on his way to the boundes and limits of hys kingdome The which he could not performe for that he fel sicke of a soare feuer at Vitri a towne in Champaigne most menne thinking that he was poysoned Therefore the king tooke his leaue of his brother and went no further who wente through Germany as his iourney lay and was curteously entertayned of the Princes of the same notwithstanding he hearde them in euery place greeuously detest the murders of Fraunce the principall cause whereof was layd to his charge in obeying the wicked counsayles of hys mother About the same tyme Frauncis Hotomanus a famous Lawyer a man endued with godlinesse and singular learning published a booke which he intituled Francogallia and dedicated the same to Frederic Countie Palatine In the same booke the sayde Hotomanus declareth with exquisite reason what was the state of the kingdome of France in olde time bringing the same to memorie againe out of the ancient antiquities of the historie of France And he declareth that although the Frenche Gaules tooke in olde time theyr kings from the Nobilitie and therefore chose them suche kings as were come of kingly race had bin royally trayned and brought vp whether the same were of the number of their childrē or of their neere kinsmen yet neuerthelesse the kingdome of France of olde time was wont to be gyuen not by right of inheritance as a priuate patrimonie but by the iudgemēt free electiōs of the people For proofe wherof he bringeth many things out of the expresse words of the Testamēt of Charles the great out of the elections of Pharamund of the sonnes of Pipin of Charles and of Charlemain of Chilperic of Clothar of Ottho and of other kings of whome he hath made a lōg catalogue alleaging the very wordes of the histories notwithstāding so that the kingdome shuld be deuided by the decree consent of the states one while to one sometime to moe of the sonnes of the kings And that as the authority to choose kings so also the power to displace and depose them from their rule was in old time in the handes of the states of the people in the publique assembly of the Realm Therefore that kings wer created in France by fyrme lawes not tyrāts ordeyned with free authoritie power to do what soeuer them listeth For the which matter he bringeth many examples namely of the two Childerickes which kings were deposed frō the kingdome by the decree of the states of Theoderic which was displaced with Ebroin his Lord great master of Chilperic of Charles the grosse also of Ottho which was chosen king in stede of Charles the sonne of Lewis the stutter and he taketh the credite of their iudgements and most vrgent causes out of the very midst of the historie He sheweth also what things were specially handled in the solemne assembly of the states and also what was the authoritie of the same And first of al concerning the creating or displacing of a king secondly concerning peace warre and common lawes thirdly concerning greate honors high offices and gouernments of the common welth Fourthly concerning the assigning of the patrimonie in part to the children of the king being deceased and concerning the appointing of dowry to daughters finally concerning al those things which appertayne to the weale publique The power of the sayd assembly of States was such saieth he that without the authoritie or sentence of the same the king coulde determine nothing but must folowe the authoritie and will of the States which said authoritie and will were called The decrees of the states And now when as this kingdom of France hath cōtinued almost a thousand two hūdred yeeres ther are said to be in al this time only three houses of kings that is to say of the Merouins who taking their originall of Meroue continued that stock two hūdred fourscore three yeres of Charlouins who springing frō Charles the great grew in that stocke three hūdred thirty seuē yeres of Capenites who beginning at Hugh Capet haue now held the kingdome fiue hundred fourescore yeres The which Hugh Capet got the royal dignitie that Charlouins being deposed namely Lewis the fifth the .xxxj. king of France the .xij. king of the stocke of the Charlouins his children being dead in warde And then hee proueth by many examples that the royal dignitie stood
vtter destructiō Wherevpon the Kings officers were not so forwarde in theyr affayres as else they would haue bin thinking that they did but lose their labour in a matter most easie to be finished Notwithstanding an armie was prepared and the King by his letters instantly required Monsieur Beleur whiche was hys Lidgar in Switzerlande for the same purpose to sende with all speede a band of Switzers FOR there remayned as yet certayne cities whiche were held and garded by those that were left of the Religion as Rochel Sanxer and in Languedoc Montauban Castres Nismes Milliaud Aubenac Priuac Mirebel Ganges Anduz and certaine other townes of no fame in the territorie of Viuaueretz and Seuenats Notwithstanding it seemed to many yea and to the most part of such as professed the Religion greate folly ioyned with madnes after so great a slaughter almost of all that professed the Religion the kings power being nothing deminished hauing the whole kingdom redy at his cōmandemēt for thē to enterprise presume to defend them selues against the armie of so mighty a king after so great cōsternatiō feare whē as not only none of the Princes but also not one noble mā almost was lefte in Frāce which durst so much as professe the loue he bare to the Religion There were also and that not a few whiche sayd that it was great wickednesse vnlawful for subiects hauing no authoritie from princes or chiefe magistrates to beare armour agaynste their king though he were wicked that by the effect and successe it selfe it had appeared that the forceable resistance of them of the Religion hitherto was vngodly though it were collected by the authoritie of the princes and by lawfull titles both for that the king was in his minoritie and also bycause the breaking of the kings Edicts might be lawfully punished for that the kings wil was in expresse words declared That in this enterprise all things faile and that the king is a man that there wante Princes to whome the aucthoritie of gouerning the kingdome shuld belong and that the king doth playnely professe that he wil not hurt them of the Religion but that he commaunded that murder to be committed with purpose to destroy the Admiral and other the chiefe aucthors and instrumentes of the warre that the kingdome afterwarde might remaine in peace And that although in this matter he exceeded the rule of reason yet it was not lawful for the subiect to rebell against him or for the subiect to punishe his lorde and king for his offence There were also some which vtterly condemned the gouernment of the prince of Conde and of the Admirall in their actes and exployts of the yeeres past and through the enuie of the lamentable successe haue brought the whole cause in hatred And those false accusations of Carpenter and Pibrach in their Epistle to that famous man Stanislaw Heluidius were oftentimes obiected by exulcerated and gaulled mindes to make the remembrance of the former warres detestable So that a man woulde haue thought that the Religion had bin extinguished for euer in Fraunce and concerning this matter many of them disputed with odious wordes whiche in time of the former warres had highly commended the causes to take the same in hand And thus calamitie was counted for great reproch and shame such is the greate rashnesse of men in iudging of matters ALSO in those Cities whiche as yet had not receyued the Kings Garrisons these dissentions were very ryfe and the Citizens being distract and vncertayne what to do seemed not so much to delay and deferre the Kings Garrison as to spend the tyme to the ende that euery one myght get for him selfe the more conuenient oportunitie and occasion to flee and escape away or els to get fauour agayne thys was the common will and purpose of the Townesmen Notwithstanding God vsed the diligence of a fewe to bring the rest to a constant purpose and the feare of the cruell murders committed perswaded the people to defende them selues that for somuch as they were in vndoubted perill of death they myght if it so pleased the Lorde choose the more honest kinde of death by the lawfull right of necessary defence the Magistrate him selfe vrging them therevnto THEREFORE amidst so many and so great difficulties and extremities it seemed impossible that Religiō should stand by any manner of meanes and so euerlasting destruction seemed to be broughte vppon the Churches of Fraunce In these straits of great calamitie the prouidence of God of such beginnings as were so weake and so farre from the iudgemente of humane reason made a way for so much more glory as the disorder and confusion of all thinges was past hope of recouerie The chiefe Captaynes were gone the ayde and help of forreine Princes wanted yet notwithstanding the present helpe and helping fauour of God in due tyme fayled not Yet for all that there remayne suche greate things of so weake and feeble a beginning euen vntill this day that this same seemeth to be especially the counsaile and finger of God that the force and strēgth of noblemen beyng cut off he alone mighte be counted the author of his worke and mighte make manifest his manyfolde wisdome in this worke I may not dissemble and in making this a preface for the narration to come I swarue not from my purpose both those noble men and ringleaders which tooke vppon them the ordering and defence of this cause and also in part they of the Religion themselues in the former yeeres past offended many wayes Much disorder verily and many faults came by the ciuill warres in somuch that among those of the Religion the puritie of Religion beeing contaminated and defyled with true occasions of true accusations was euill spoken of For it is well knowen that the Admirall him selfe in those former warres protested not once but often That he had rather dye any kinde of death than he would be counted any longer a Gouernour and Captayne of such a leawde and wicked route of common souldiers most vnworthy of the bare name of Religion for such he knew many of his band to be God therefore iustly punished those mē which abused his Religion neuerthelesse hee dyd not neyther wyll hee leaue vnfinished the worke which he hath begonne But is there any man so blynde which seeth not what great punishments remayne for those which for the mortall hatred they beare to the poore Religion haue set to theyr helping hand to commit a most detestable fact seeing that to fyll vp the measure of extreme wickednesse all shewe of right and equitie is set asyde in so much that there remayneth no excuse for the same But to returne to our purpose agayne THEREFORE this fourth warre is more wonderfull than the three first bycause of most weake and feeble beginnings it had greater and more notable successe in so much that when the Prince of Conde the Admirall and other noble
a violent charge at the first enforced the Rochellians to gyue backe but yet they persisted so valiantly in fight that they slew Mons Goaz and diuers other chiefe captaines and souldiers and caused the rest to retyre Then came the thyrde bande who gaue the thirde assault with like successe as the other had done During these assaultes the women tooke suche great paynes in castyng downe fire woorkes in such abundant manner that they deserue a great parte of the prayse of that victorie And by the miste of a certaine smoke which the townsmen made of purpose they fought with smal losse of mē the number being fortie onely But of the Catholikes there were aboue foure hundred slaine most of the which were captaynes and souldiers of great skill which fought in the forefront At Tadon also the townesmen had as happie successe in their fight agaynst the Catholikes at the time as they had before going nowe aboute to winne the Citie by scaling the walles at that part The walles of the towne were shyning bryght with the flame of the burning fyrebrandes which lay in the ditches The next day the townesmen to scorne the enimie armed their scullyons and slaues and brought them forth at Cogne gate with naked swordes in triumphant wise in their hands The Catholikes armed themselues and they streight way retyre into the Citie the townesmen in the meane time calling the Switzers to battaile in dirision The Catholikes put into the ditches certain gunnes to shake downe the Casemates but in vaine By the commaundement of the Maior threescore men and women and children of the rascal sort of people were brought out of the Citie The Rochellians were solicited to peace a Harault being sent vnto them with letters of certaine of their familiar friendes which were in the kings campe In fine the kings singular good wil to be at peace with them was declared they were also exhorted not to depriue them and theyrs of so good an occasion of peace The townesmen went forth to displace the fortes which were made ouer agaynst the gate of Sannicolas wherevpon ensued a great tempest of shot as thicke as hayle to the annoyance of both partes The day following whiche was the first of Iune foure townesmen making those afearde which lay in the next trenches and thought no doubt that there had bene a greater number and putting them to flight no man making resistance ouerthrew their baskets and bulwarkes There entered into the Citie two Souldiers with letters from Mongomerie in the which he gaue them to vnderstande that he was constrayned to returne into Englande to bring a greater power with the which he woulde shortly come vnto them Incouraging them to goe forwarde in the same constancie in the whiche they had by the goodnesse of God continued vntill that day The Catholikes fortifyed the trench which was at the bulwarke l'Euangile and that part allo whiche was somewhat nearer to Sannicolas A certaine Souldier crauing leaue of the Maior to go forth of the Citie vnder pretence to assayle the enimie fled into the kings campe The Casemates were dayly assaulted but in vaine BVT the townesmen were not onely vrged with external enimies but also with domestical and inwarde extremities Many were wearie of the war and many feared the famine by whiche the townesmen feared greate destruction Diuerse men diuerslye communed togither mislyking all that they coulde of those extremities there were manye of the rycher sorte whiche were greeued for the wasting and losse of theyr goodes insomuche that by all maner of meanes they desyred peace Therefore they withstoode the whole assembly And certaine also had determined to take the gate and to goe oute of the same For this cause certaine of the wellbyer sorte by the decree of the Senate were put in prison As yet the penurie of corne did not grieue the townesmen and yet notwithstanding their store was greatly diminished which they feared dayly more and more But the Rochellians had store of Saltfishe and wine And it is wonderful which certaine honest and credible persons do report which were at that siege how that a certaine kinde of fishe came into the hauen in such plentifull maner contrary to their woonted custome that the poorer sorte vsed to eate them in steade of breade and that the same plentie went away almost the same day when the kings army departed vpon the conclusion of peace On the contrary part no lesse extremities vrged the king as the scarcitie of money and the impaciencie of the nobles whiche were wearie of the warre coulde by no meanes be restrayned And the king was vnable to hemme in or inclose the towne of Rochel the same being so large and populous and the sea coast being so neare vnto the same Therefore both partes were fully determined to conclude a peace And to further this matter the Duke of Anjou had ioyful and acceptable newes concerning the kingdome of Polonia For the Duke of Anjou by the meanes of the nobles of Polonia was made king of Polonia in the place of Sigismond the former king of the same MONLVCE Bishop of Valence had solicited the matter to the noble men of Polonia with great diligence and with golden sermons the whiche also he caused to be put in print thereby seeking to win vnto his maister a kingdome A great scruple and doubt was obiected about the murders of Paris the causes whereof by open rumors were layde vppon the Duke of Anjou Notwithstanding Monluce so ordered the matter that in the name of the Duke of Anjou hee perswaded the states of Polonia Concerning the successe of the which election we will speake in another place This therefore was a special occasion to rayse the siege All this while the Catholikes came oftentymes to Cogne gate to intreate for a peace Amidst these communications of peace the Citie was very neare intercepted through the great securitie of the townsmen For a hundred Catholikes with Ladders clymed vp to the toppe of the walles and tooke a viewe of theyr Fortes the which being discouered the townesmen cryed Alarme and with speedie dispatch they were repulsed and put to flight but fiftene of them were slaine by falling from the walles into the Citie For ioy of the newes of Polonia there were triumphant shouts and thundring peale of great gunnes both in the kings campe and also in the nauie There fell downe twentie cubites of the walles at this peale To the ruyne and breache whereof the townesmen ranne out of hande suspecting that the enimie was come and stoode armed in a readinesse for certaine houres After long contentions it was at the last agreed betweene the kings armie and the Rochellians that the sayd Rochellians should go and submit themselues to the Duke of Anjou and desire peace of him Wherevpon the Rochellians receyued in the name of the Duke of Anjou assurance of truce and were cleared of the name of Rebels with the which afore time they
fyrme by the decree of the States in the times of the firste raigne both of the Merouins also of the Charlouins was continued also in the house of the Capenites And first by that notable cōtrouersie celebrated and made famous with the monumēts of the French histories and with the great warres which rose of the same betweene Philip Valoys and Edward borne of Isabel the sister of Charles Who when king Charles the fayre dyed without heires male contended for the kingdome When the matter grew thus to contention it pleased the States to preferre Philip Valoys being of royall line to whom the kingdom was adiudged Another example he broughte from the lamentab e tyme of King Iohn who ioyning battayle with the English men neare vnto Poictiers was taken carried prisoner into England So great calamitie being receyued the hope was left in the authoritie of the states alone Therefore by the decree of the saide States there were approued men of all sortes and conditions chosen to whome the charge and affayres of the Realme were committed howbeit there were three of the Kings sonnes namely Charles Lewis and Iohn of the whiche three the eldest was of lawfull age to gouerne A third example he bringeth from the yeare of our lord M.CCCLXXV at what time Charles the fyfth surnamed wise appoynted by his will and testament Philip Duke of Borbon his wiues brother to bee the tutor and gardian of his sonnes and Lewes Duke of Aniou his brother to be the gouernour of the Realme vntill such time as Charles hys sonne came vnto his full and lawfull age neuerthelesse it was decreed by a counsayle holden at Paris that the will should be frustrate and the gouernmente of the kingdome committed to the sayd Lewis the childes vncle vpon condition that in his gouernment he woulde do nothing without the aduice and consente of other honest and approued persons in the sayde counsayle and also that the wardship and education of the childe shoulde bee committed to the Duke of Borbon A fourth example he bringeth from the yere of our Lorde M.CCCXCII at what time Charles the sixth sonne of the said King sodaynely fell madde it was decreed by the authoritie of the states that the gouernement of the Realme should be committed to the Dukes of Berry and Burgundy Also he fetcheth a fifth example from the yeare M. CCCCXXVI when as Philip Duke of Burgundy and Humfrey Duke of Glocester were at mortall debate to the great detriment of the common wealth and at the length agreed betweene them selues to make an end of all controuersies by combate In this contention the States were vmpiers and decreed that both of them should put off their armour and rather ende their controuersies by lawe than by dinte of sworde Then he alleageth a sixt example from the yeare M. CCCC.Lxxxiiij when as Lewis the .xj. being dead and leauing behinde him his sonne Charles of the age of thirtene yeares it was decreed by an assembly of States at Towers that the education of the childe should bee committed to Anne the kings sister and that the gouernment of the Realme should bee set ouer to certayne choyse and approued persons in the sayd assembly notwithstanding that Lewis Duke of Orleans being the next of kinne required the same He setteth downe also a seuenth Argument taken from that warre which was helde in the tyme of the sayd Lewis the eleuenth which was of all other kings the most craftie and subtill which also greatly diminished the authoritie of the States at what time the kingdom was so gouerned by him that in many things the duetie of a good prince and of one louing his countrey was wanting the authoritie of the States began to be required that by the same the common wealth might be prouided for and so by the ayde of many Princes and noble men warre was holden which was therefore called the warre of the common wealth And verely at that tyme the authoritie of the States began to decay ▪ the which notwithstanding Lewis fayned to haue in great estimation Finally he handeleth that question Whether the gouernmēt of the kingdom of France by the lawe of France ought to come to the Distaffe and by many reasons and examples he sheweth that women ought to bee remoued from the gouernment of the Realme no lesse than from the inheritance of the same And thus disputing he offereth to the secret iudgementes of men by the state of the auncient kingdom an expresse Image of those calamities by which all things at the last in the kingdome of France are come to great disorder and confusion the authoritie of the states of the Realme being ouerthrowen and suppressed and a straunge woman hauing gotten into hir handes the royall gouernment M. Mombrune tooke about this time Monerb a walled town in the County of Venaiz Nium a towne bordering vppon the Countie of Daulphine and new small townes bandes of men specially out of Prouance came dayly vnto him And he inuaded the territorie of Grenoble to the great terror and feare of those that dwelt in the same Hee tooke also the riche Abbay of Viri and slew the Garrisons which kepte the same The Monkes of the great Charterhouse fearing to haue so ill a neighbour fortifyed themselues with Garrisons of Souldiers Thus M. Mombrune was feared in all that countrey rounde about Againe truce was taken for a moneth and a halfe Neuerthelesse the burning desire of warres was great in Languedoc and in Daulphine And vnder the pretence of that truce the King Queene made a great shewe that they desired peace but in deed they practised nothing els but bloudy warre Puygallard of Poictou to get Rochell byred with the kings money and by the kings commaundement certayne Souldiers of Rochell to betray the Citie And the chief of this conspiracie in the towne was mons Grandfiefe a famous man who valiantly behaued himselfe in the tyme of warre for the defence of Rochell Thus it was agreed amongst them that a Bulwarke and one of the Gates should bee taken to the which Puygallard should come incontinent with certayne bandes of Souldiers The conspiracie was discouered They of Rochell tooke many of the townsmen M. Grandfiefe was slayne And when enquirie was made of this conspiracie the conspirators answered that they had done nothing without the kings commaundement mons Puygallard being the author the which also certain letters found about Grandfiefe did plainly testify They of Rochell made complaint hereof to the king The king denied the said enterprise to be taken in hand by his commaundement willing them to punish those that were founde giltie of the conspiracie saying that he gaue them leaue and authoritie so to doe only he willed them to beware that they did nothing contrary to the Edicte Therefore they of Rochell according to their maner of execution put many of the Conspirators to death by the while of the which many were Citizens This was done about the the
body reported that she dyed of a pleurisie the more secret cause which was the poysoning of the brayne being not found for that they did not search the head Therefore to stop the rumour hir death was spread abroade in publike writings and billes Hir body was caryed to Vendosme and there sumptuously buryed according to the maner of the religion The King and Queene to declare their sorow and griefe put on mourning weed and commaunded all the court to doe the lyke The Queene of Nauar being thus deade the King so dealt with hir sonne Henrie with the Admirall and with the rest of the noble mē of the religion that hir death seemed to hasten forward the marriage Therefore within fewe dayes the mourning for the Queene of Nauar was layde aside in the court The King practized another subtletie to appoint the day of marriage for the which so many delayes had bene hitherto made He sayd oftentimes to the Prince of Nauar and to the Admiral that this time was differred by a certaine superstitious care of his mother of his sister and of the Cardinal of Borbon who mynded to marry them looking for the Popes dispensation by which they were to haue leaue to marry He fayned therfore that he had receyued letters from Rome from his Ambassadour by which he gaue them to vnderstande that the cardinal of Lorhain by his diligence had obtained the Popes dispensation which he would send with al speede possible and that he had sent him worde hereof out of hande that the King might not thinke the same long a comming Therefore the King shewed these letters vnto his mother to his sister and to the Cardinall of Borbon The Queene reioyced and sayde that the same was sufficient to ende the matter euen as if she had not knowne that they were fayned letters and that there was no impediment nowe but that the marriage might be solemnized Therfore it was agreed by consent on eyther part that the marriage day should be the .xviiij. of August THE towne of Mountes was besieged by the duke of Alba Lodowic Nassau was in the town with a great number of the nobilitie of Fraunce M. Genlis a noble man came with 500. horsemen and .4000 footemen with the kings consent to succour the besieged But the duke of Alba hauing priuie intelligence from the king of the cōming of M. Genlis of the which he suspected nothing encountred with him and distressed verie sore many of his souldiers being slayne some wounded and some taken prysoners Also monsieur Genlis and La Noe generalles of that armie were taken prysoners The rumour of this ouerthrowe seemed to be verie grieuous vnto the Kyng and to the whole court And by and by the King sent his letters vnto mons Monducet his Ambassadour in the lowe countrey which was with the Duke of Alba to see that no iniurie nor harme were done to mons Genlis and to the reste which were taken in battell ▪ Monducet did the kings Ambassage diligently to the Duke of Alba. The Admiral being certified of these commaundementes of the king and also of the diligence of Monducet with the Duke of Alba was wonderfully persuaded of the kings faythfull meaning to take warre in hande whome he heard oftentimes to say that he woulde one day be reuenged on the Duke of Alba and on the Spaniardes In the meane time the king gaue commission to the Admirall to leuie a newe armie that with a freshe supply of souldiers he might succour the besieged The myndes of them of the religion were greatly ioyous bicause of the marriage at hand Notwithstanding pitiful rumours went abrode dayly which they for the most part wold in no wise beleue construing al things to the best It is most certaine that many wise men after the death of the Queene of Nauar suspected that there was some fraude coloured vnder the pretence of matrimony and that the same deceit was specially practized to insnare the Admirall And it is certainly true that the Admiral was oftentimes admonished both by wordes and also by letters not to aduenture him selfe in so great an assembly and that too within the walles of Paris where the Guises were in great fauour and estimation And amongst other admonitions one deliuered vnto him a book the summe scope wherof was this Remēber that this is a decree of the Catholikes confirmed by authoritie That there is no faith to be kept with Heretikes by which name they of the religion are specially called Remēber that there is euerlasting hatred kindled against those of the religion by the enuie of the former warres so that there is no doubt but that the ful purpose and intent of the Queene is to destroy by all manner of means those of the Religion That an Italyan woman of the Popes progenie and of a subtile and craftie wit can not but seke all extremities against hir enimies consider in what schole the king hath bin trayned and brought vp that for this 12. yeeres space he hath learned of his scholemasters to sweare to blaspheme to forsweare to ioyne him self with whoores and harlots to dissemble his fayth his religion and his thoughtes to chaunge and frame his countenaunce and to reioyce in bloud that he might suffer his subiects to be slaine like beasts Thou knowest that the King is persuaded in the doctrine of Machiauel howe that he ought not to suffer in his realme any other religion than that vpon the which his state standeth and that he hath often learned this that it is not possible for his kingdome to be quiet so long as there are two religions at once in the same And it is certaine that hatred is planted in the kings mind being a yong man and he hath bin often times persuaded by false argumentes that they of the religion haue gone about to spoile him both of his kingdome and also of his life Thou art deceyued if that thou thinke that the king or any other such prince as he is will at any time suffer those subiects which shall by warre rise against him though vpō neuer so iust a cause to vse and enioy the benefite of his lawes But be thou rather persuaded of this that this is naturally ingrauē in the myndes of kings and princes to reuenge that by force of armes which is done against them by like force And that a Kyng and Princes will freely breake those couenants which they haue made eyther for feare or for necessitie so soone as those causes shall ceasse And that they holde this for a lawe That those conditions which the Prince hath made with the subiectes ought not to be kepte specially when he made them in warre the fayth ought to be broken for the kyngdoms sake That they make no conscience to deceyue the subiectes vnder the colour of a solemne othe These are the subtile sleyghts of Princes this is the discipline to preserue kingdomes Antonius Commodus at the last ceassing from his pleasures
spente that time in deuising murders against the noble men of his Realme and at the last determined to kill Iulian whome in the sight of men he loued and reuerenced as a father Antonius Caracalla an enimie of Alexandria bycause certayne verses were soong agaynste him commaunded all the yong men of the citie to be gathered togither vnder the colour of a muster and to be slayne and that euery souldier shuld kill his host where he lay Thus the Citie beyng replenished with murders he had no other excuse to cloake the same but to write vnto the Senate that they had euery one deserued death and that this answer ought to suffice them Lysander the chiefe Captayne of the Lacedemonians calling fourescore of the men of Miletus togither vnder the colour of societie and friendship cōmaunded them to be slaine Seruius Galba shewed the like crueltie vppon sixe thousande Spanyardes Antonius Spinola calling vnto him colourably the chiefe men of the Isle of Corsica to make them a banquet commaunded their heads to be chopt off Charles the seuenth King of Fraunce after he had reconciled him selfe with the Duke of Burgundy and confirmed the same with a matrimoniall league had also solemnely sworne to forgiue all things past sent for him to the towne of Monterell vnder the colour of friendship and there slue him There are many other examples from among the whiche I haue taken these fewe to the ende thou mayest knowe that the King beeing a yong man hath diligently learned that doctrine whiche is contayned in the .18 chapter of that Booke which concerneth the doctrine of a Prince set foorth by Machiauell Euen as it cannot be vnknowen vnto thee that the kyng the very same day that the Queene of Nauar came to the Court of Blaij Iestingly demaunded of the Queene mother adding thervnto ▪ acording to his maner a blasphemous othe if he had not behaued himselfe exceeding wel To the which the Queene answeared agayne that he had begon very well but it woulde profit little except he went forward But I will sayth he addyng hys accustomed oathes bryng them euery one into thy nette These are the Kings wordes Heereby it may bee gathered what the ende of these familiarities and friendshippes will bee shewed towardes thee and to other noble menne of the Religion Looke diligently to thy selfe and bee assured that there is no other remedy for thee to escape theyr snares than to get thee away betimes from thys Court whyche is a most fylthy and vncleane Sodome THIS Booke beyng red the Admirall aunswered with angry moode the man in whose name the same was offered That these things serued not the time that they mighte haue bin spoken conueniently in time past but nowe there was no cause remayning of suspition God had altered the Kings mynde hee woulde neuer beleeue that suche falsehoode could haue place in his Kyngs mynde nay he was perswaded that Fraunce had neuer a better King than Charles the ninth and that although the Duke of Anjou were an enimie to the Religion yet at the last hee woulde forsake that hatred for the reuerence sake of that affinitie whiche hee shoulde haue with the King of Nauar. That a league was made with Englande into the whyche also hee minded to enter with the Princes of Germany whyche professed the Religion to shewe hys affection towarde the Religion myndyng to haue in hys company one of the sonnes of the Countie Palatine and some one of the noble men of Englande whyche was zealous in the Religion That he had gyuen his fayth to the Prince of Orange and to his brother to ayde hym agaynst the Spanyardes in somuch that he was the chiefe and efficient cause of the preparation of warre into the iowe countrey That in stead of the Armie whyche was committed to the conduct of Mons Genlis a newe supply was prepared that the affayres of the lowe countrey were in good cace That the Kyngs Ambassadour dyd dayly aduertise hym of the counsayles of the Duke of Alba. That the same Nauie of which Mons Strozzi and Baron de Guard haue charge is prepared for no other end than to remoue the Spanish nauie and to goe with speede to Vlishing to the Prince of Orange that there may be open warre in the lowe countrey Finally that the Kyng did all things with greate care for the confirmation of peace by the benefyte whereof there was no doubt but that the affayres of the Religion shoulde haue good successe Wherefore hee prayed him and all others of the same opinion that they woulde not trouble his mynde with those suspitions beeyng occupied with better thynges but rather that they woulde pray vnto GOD that he woulde bryng that to good effect whyche was happyly begun to the peace and tranquillitie of the Realme and hys Churche ABOVT the same time almost Mons Momorencie was returned out of Englande hauing entred into league in the Kings name with the Queenes highnesse of Englande concerning that marriage which was intreated in the name of Henry Duke of Anjou it is vnknowen what hindered the same It is said that hir maiestie vtterly refused the matche But howsoeuer the cace stoode I am perswaded that God of his singular goodnesse prouided for hir Maiestie and also for the Realme of Englande from the whiche hee hath turned away great calamitie THE Prince of Orange hauing gotten a great armie in the which were sayd to be twenty thousand footemen eyght thousand horsemen entred the lowe countrey At whose comming the Cities in diuers places were yelded vnto hym in somuch that within a short time he had in his power foure and forty Cities the greatest part of Zeland Holland Among these cities he had Mechline In the mean time the Duke of Alba beseeged Mounts in the which was Lodowic brother to the Prince of Orange with a great number of noble French mē Shortly after thys was the cruel slaughter of the Admiral and other noble men and gentlemen committed at Paris and in other places of the Realme whiche is at large set foorth in the tenth Booke of Commentaries already translated and therefore here omitted AFTER the murder the king commaunded the King of Nauar and the Prince of Conde to come before him Who being in his presence he sayeth vnto them That after so long time of warres by which his kingdome hath bin greatly endammaged he hath found out at the length vndoubted remedies to take away cleane all the causes of warre and hathe therefore commaunded the Admirall to be slayne the wicked author of mischeuous troubles and that the same punishment was prouided in the Citie for al lewde and naughtie persons infected with vngodly superstition That he remembred what great harme he had receyued both of the King of Nauar and also of the Prince of Conde who were the Captaynes and ringleaders of desperate persons and seditiously helde warre against him to reuenge so greate iniuries he had nowe cause and occasion offered him
as the kings vndoubted commaundement As for the other commaundement sayth he it seemeth so cruell and barbarous that he would not obey the king if he were present to commaunde the same Notwithstanding this Countie d'Tende fought stoutly in the former warre against those of the Religion He which brought these letters and this bloudy commaundement to Countie d'Tende was called mons d'Mole a gentleman borne in Arles who within one yere after was beheaded at Paris by the kings commaundement Countie d'Tende within few dayes after being at Auinion was by some of the kings appoyntmēt poysoned to death Coūtie de Retz being appointed to succeed him Mons. Santherā gouernour of Auuergne answered to the same cōmandement that he wold not obey contrary cōmaundements being coloured and cloaked vnder the kings name affirming therfore that he wold satisfie the first of the two for that it agreed with the kings dignitie with his Edicts that he was no hangman but the kings lieftenāt to gouern the kings subiects with equitie peace The ninth day of Septēber the king being troubled with a sodaine feare cōmaunded his armour to be brought and the captaines of his guard to come vnto him he sweareth that he hath determined to destroy those that remained of thē of the religion willing thē to go euery man to his charge for he would first beginne with the prince of Conde Then the Queene his wife intreated him that he woulde not rashly take in hande a matter of so great waight The king being persuaded by the earnest beseeching of his wife laide aside his armour and dispatcht his guard The day folowing he called before him the Prince of Conde and offered vnto him three things of the which he willed him to chose one that is to say Masse Death or perpetuall imprysonment To this choyce the Prince of Conde answered that by the ayde and assystance of God he would neuer chose the firste and that he left the other two to the Kings will and pleasure But at the last he was by the meanes of one Rozarius a Minister sometime of the reformed Church of Orleans drawne to that abiuration the copy wherof is set down in the tenth booke of Cōmentaries By the subtile persuasions I say of this man he did fall away from the truth and openly renounced the Religion and went to the Masse and to other rytes of the Romishe Church Thus by the example of the Prince of Conde and the king of Nauar many whiche were accounted of the Religion fell from the same And the King of Nauar and the Prince of Conde solemnly set forth their defection by the Kings commaundement For when they had renounced the Religion at Paris they sent letters vnto the Pope in the which they declare that to their great sorowe and griefe they haue bene drawne away from the felowship of the Church by that false doctrine euen from their childhoode the blame whereof they layde not vpon their parentes but vpon those wicked men whiche had seduced them Notwithstanding they sayde it was come to passe in good time through the goodnesse of God that they shuld acknowledge their errour and seriously detest the same in mynd Therfore they humbly beseeched the Pope as a father to forgiue them their former offences and to receiue them againe into the bosome of the Church and they would shewe euer after all such obedience as became reuerent children to shewe and that it woulde please him to certifie them by his letters whereby their consciences might be assured of pardon graunted Therefore the Pope sent his pardon to the Prince of Conde and to the King of Nauar that they might not onely fight vnder his banner but also might be at continuall warre with the reformed religion such was the calamitie of those times After this the King of Nauar made an Edicte concerning them of Bearne concerning the abolishing of the reformed Religion By the commaundement of the Queene of Nauarre his mother when she was aliue the states of Bearne assembled themselues togither to take order cōcerning religion and by the free consent of the states the Masse was abrogated throughout all the dominion of Bearne Thither the king of Nauarre sent Mons Grammont wyth authoritie to preferre the Edict by whiche he forbade all that were within his dominion to vse the reformed religion notwithstanding he gaue leaue vnto them of the Religion to sell away their lande and to prouide for themselues in the space of one yeare and then to go whither soeuer they would THE Pope hearing of these murthers went himself with his whole Colledge of Cardinals first of all to the Church of S. Marke and gaue verie large thankes vnto god Then the next day after he celebrated a solemne Masse and commaunded a Iubile Thankes were giuen to God for the destruction of the enimies of the truth and of the Churche in the realme of Fraunce for the victorie gotten against the Turks and also prayer was made for the kingdome of Polonia that the king might proue suche a one as woulde seriously defende and mainteine the Catholike religion of Rome In the Euening there was a tryumphāt peale of Gunnes in the Castell of Santangell and the French men which were in the Citie made dyuerse ioyfull bankets in many places of the same as though nowe after so long contentions a full conquest were made and the euerlasting peace and tranquilitie of the Church of Rome gotten The French men had also a generall procession aboute the Citie in the which the Pope was present with his whole Colledge of Cardinals and a great number of dishes according to the custome were caryed in the same A Cardinal also sang Masse in the Churche of S. Lodowic where were a greate multitude of people assembled togither THERE were also about this time diuerse things written both in French and in Latine to commend the handling of that murther Antonius Muretus made an oration at Rome in commendation of the king and when he had done caused the same to be published commending the king for his haughtie and constant minde and also for his excellent wisedome Pibrachus set forth an Epistle in the which he maketh a very subtile discourse of al this hystorie to make the Admiral guilty of treason and the cause of the Religious hatefull Notwithstanding he pretended the loue of religion the whiche in tyme past he both knewe and had professed and had afterwarde abiured the same There was also an other Epistle spredde abroade of Peter Carpenter of Tholose a lawier who being a counterfeyt professor of the religion spake euill of the Admiral of the whole cause The which Epistle was answered by one Franciscus Portus a godly man and expert in the Greeke tongue Therfore amidst the tragical mournings of them of the Religion these were the triumphes of the Catholikes THE king also celebrated the order of S. Michael which was a feast dedicated to those noble men whiche were of the
woulde haue made a sufficient armie by this meanes also the catholikes power was weakned Vicount Pauline was made Lieftenant of Montauban and mons Sanroman of whome we spake before being come from Switzerland to Nismes was made Lieftenant of the same after he had taken his othe The comming of Sanroman brought to passe that the discordes of the captaynes disagreeing among them selues hitherto being appeased their affayres had more happy successe in Nismes and in the cities adioyning therevnto all men obeying with all their heartes the commaundement giuen by him and also by the Senate Therefore nowe at the last necessitie and experience the schoolemistresse of fooles taught the religious for their necessary defence a new kind of order not vsed in the time of the former warres and more conuenient And these things wer handled very well in the assembly or conuocation at Milliaud These things being thus prouided to establish a certaine order the men of Languedoc also determined in this conuocation to require certaine things of the king for the confirmation of peace for the former Edict did not satisfie them as we saide before neither did the name of peace so moue them by and by that without consideration and respect all conditions were receiued bycause the light credit of the Princes afore time taught them to beware Therefore they sente vnto the king Mons Yolet Philip Cherenac and others whiche were actiue and prudent men The summe of their message was To giue thanks vnto the king for singular good will which he declared that he had to establishe peace in his kingdome That the same remedy was so necessarie the kingdome by so long warres being in decay and almost ouerthrowen that it could not be any longer deferred without present destruction That they were minded to shew all obedience to their Lord king But bycause the tragicall and lamentable memorie of the murders lately committed on S. Bartholmewes daye doth shewe how dangerous a thing it is for the king theyr soueraigne to be ruled by the euill counsayles of wicked counsaylers they most humbly beseeched his maiestie not to thinke it strange that they to whom it specially belonged sought the most conuenient wayes for the establishing of peace That it was lately broughte to passe that the king by the practises of euill counsaylers contrary to hys good nature declared him selfe by his publique letters to be the author and chiefe cause of that wicked fact the whiche notwithstanding a fewe dayes before he openly detested the contrary shew whereof was too shamefull in the sight of al nations That they were perswaded of his own good will towards them but they greatly feared least his mind shoulde be led by his counsaylers as aforetime and that therfore they would prouide for them selues and seeke to saue their liues and the liues of their friendes beeyng taught by the pitifull example of their fellowes THESE things being vttered First of al they require that for the securitie of peace and to auoyd newe troubles they might keepe those Cities whiche they had already in possession with their owne garrisons of men and the same to haue their wages payed them out of the kings treasurie Secondly that beside those Cities the king woulde giue vnto thē two Cities in euery prouince of the Realme which might be thought most meete and conuenient in the iudgemente and opinion of foure men two of the whiche foure to be Catholiques and the other two Religious and the same two Cities also to haue garrisons of the Riligious maintayned in them by the kings pay Thirdly that the vse of the reformed Religion bee free through out the whole Realme without exception of any place for al those which shal require the same of the king Fourthly that they of the Religion may haue graunted vnto them new parlaments in euery prouince and that by suche iudges as imbrace the reformed Religion Fifthly that to maintayne the ministers of their Churches they may haue leaue togather those tithes which arise of their lands Last of all that they whiche were the authors of the murder committed on Saint Bartholmewes day mighte be punished as murderers spoylers and disturbers of the common peace These seemed to bee large petitions and in very deede their speech to the king extēded farther in so much that the Queene saide in displeasure and anger That the prince of Conde him selfe if he were aliue and were euen in the very middest of the kingdome with twenty thousand horsemē and fiue hundred thousand footemē had also in his hands the chiefe Cities of the Realme would not craue the one halfe of those things Wherefore shee came to euery one of these messengers sought to win thē sometime by faire promises otherwhile by threatnings But it was so prouided in the assembly at Milliaud that the messengers of themselues should do nothing but only offer the letter vnto the king should refer the kings answeares vnto the Senate that the whole matter mighte bee allowed by the authoritie of the same Dayes of respit wer takē for a moneth a halfe so the messengers being honorably receyued into euery Citie returned home againe The Catholiques coulde scarsely be perswaded but that the most mightie princes fauoured the cause of the Religious and pretended that the great libertie which the Religious had was the cause why they so thought The king was said to desire peace being warned by the successe of the warre at Rochell and in Languedoc In the meane time preparation was made for the voiage into Polonia the Queene and the new King prouiding al things for great magnificēce notwithstanding they had not money according to their wil. About the same time in the which the Ambassadors of Polonia wer at Paris a very bold wicked fact was cōmitted Ther was a certayn Citizen in Paris of greate wealth named Nantoilet a Catholique one of the chiefe magistrates of the Citie To this mans house came the new king of whom he was very courteously entertayned But the Duke of Aniou being in the house begā to quarel with the said Nantoilet first with words at the whiche the other had great marueile Then his seruāts begā to spoile caried away his plate iewels brake opē his cofers and caried away a greate masse of money Thus the outrage of murders brake the raines of shame running into all impudent boldnesse AFTER that Harlem was taken the Prince of Orāge tooke Alcmar a Citie of Holland the Citizens being deuided within thē selues at what time one gate was takē by that part which held of the Duke of Alba and bāds both of horsemen and footemen sent from the said Duke wer now within the vew of the Citie Notwithstāding the Prince of Orange putting to flight the sayd power enioyed the Citie The Flisshingers tooke the Castell Ramekins the fifth of August Also the sayd Flisshingers the thirtenth day of the same moneth encountered with the nauie of the
the Liefetenant who commaunded him to offer diligently hys traueile vnto Santaial to couenant with him for his rewarde and to appoint the day and the manner of the enterprise Then Deron without delay vnder colour of a priuy escape spake with Santaial receyued his reward and prescribeth the day the manner how hee might bring his purpose to passe The which being done he enformed Sanroman of the whole matter The manner of this treason should be thus namely that one of the gates of the citie should be lefte open for Santaial to enter Therfore the gate was left open according to couenant on the day appointed the warders vsing greate silence notwithstanding all things were prepared to receyue the enemy But none of the Catholiques appeared hauing intelligence of deceyt notwithstanding that for this purpose bandes of the catholiques were come out of the countrey of Viuaretz Daulphine and from diuers other places About the same time also D'Anuill should haue bene taken by treason which was bewrayed and the traytor hanged These were two practises of great wayght to furder the Queenes purpose if they had successe according to hir mynde ABOVT the same time they of Villeneufe of whom we spake before slue certaine bandes of the Catholiques without losse of any one of their men and tooke a little towne called Aubenac not far from the Riuer of Rosne and slue the Garrison almost which remayned of those that were slayne of Lions CHRISTOPHER sonne of the Counte Palatine ioyned himselfe with Graue Lodowic who vntill that day had borne no Armour accordyng to the forme of the othe whiche hee tooke at Mountes Who brought an armie of two thousand horsemen vnto his brother the Prince of Orange And while he taried at Mastricte the space of two monethes looking for his footeband of Gascoines and practising by counsail in the meane tyme to take the Castel of Andwerp was at the last very sore charged with the kings power in the territorie of Mokens within the dominion of Cleueland two myles from Nijmegen And hauing vntill the euening valiantly withstood their force tooke Sig. Lasso a man of great fame among the Spaniardes The daye following about the breake of the day the kings partes giuing a freshe assaulte at what tyme the Graue Lodowic had sent away parte of his horsemen to prouide forrage and the Launce knightes came on very slowly to the battaile the Spaniardes gotte at the laste the victorie but not without bloudshed the chiefe Captaynes Christopher and Lodowic being loste in that conflicte whose death was doubted a long tyme Notwithstanding this is certayne that they had receyued so many woundes before they were slayne that they being diligently sought for among the deade bodyes of suche as were slayne coulde not bee knowen Thys slaughter happened the seuentene of Aprill of thys present yeere About the beginning of Februarie there brake forth newe bandes of newe men in the countrey of Poictou which called themselues Politikes and Malecontentes of the which some professed that they sought the reformation of the realme other some the reuenge of their parentes and kinsmen which were slayne in the furies on Saint Barthelmewes day These ioyned themselues with those of the Religion who almost about the same tyme had begoon warre a freshe in the conntrey of Poictou hauyng Monsieur L'Noe theyr Captayne ALSO at the same instante almoste Countie Mongomeri comming out of England into Normandy tooke Sanlo and Charent townes neere vnto the Sea coast and in Normandy the lower he tooke the towne called Donfro Therefore these newe commotions of the Politikes and of the Religious caused newe musters of men in those partes and it was sayde that this was the beginning of great matters and that many noble men would come vnto this warre But whereunto this came we will shewe by and by Almost at the same tyme namely the last of February there was great feare in the Courte It was tolde the Queene that there was certayne troupes of horsemen seene ryding to and fro neere vnto Sangerman where the king at that tyme lay This so sodayne feare caused the number to bee thought the greater M. d'Guitri a noble man was Captayn ouer those troupes which cōtayned fiue hundred horsemen The Queene tolde the king hereof being at the poynt of death and caused him to bee remoued out of hande from Sangerman to Paris And shee sent messengers vnto M. d'Guitri to know of hym in the kings name what his entent was Who deliuered vnto the messengers certayne petitions concerning the reformation of the Realme and the restoring of the authoritie of the states and so within fewe dayes after departed not knowing what would ensue thereof In the meane tyme the Queene apprehended many in the Courte and in diuers places of Paris whom shee thought to bee giltie of this conspiracie among which of the nobilitie was M. Coconass and d'Mole of Arles one of the familiar frendes of the Duke of Alanson Also at the same tyme the Marshalles Momorencie and Cosse were in the Courte They within certayne dayes after were at the commaundement of the king and Queene apprehended by the Kings Garde and were openly in the sight of all men caryed into the Castell of Bastill The Queene also caused Rumors to be spred abroad that they were the authors of a bolde conspiracie concernyng the intercepting of the King and the settyng ouer of the kyngdome to the Duke of Alancon to the ende they might rule all things as they themselues lusted Therefore she commaunding the household seruants of the king of Nauar and of hir sonne the Duke of Alanson to be taken away caused them to be kept close prisoners that they might go no whether nor do any thing without keepers She depriued D'Anuil also of the gouernment of Languedoc as accessarie to the sayd conspiracie and she sent the Prince d'Alphine the sonne of Monpenser into Daulphine with great power to bee gouernour of Languedoc and she wrote vnto the Senat of Tholose concerning the same depriuation of d'Anuill Also shee commaunded the Lord d'Acier by hir letters who was an enemy to d'Anuill to ayde d'Alphine in the custody of Languedoc to bring vnto him all the power hee was able to make All these things were done in the kings name Mombrune about the very comming of the Prince D'Aulphine slew fiue Ensignes of footemen at a towne called Pontereaw In the meane tyme D'Anuill lay still doing all things in the kings name neyther did he enterprise any thing any whit the more when he vnderstood of the imprisonment of his brother But the kings letters which Prince d'Aulphine sent vnto the lord d'Acier were intercepted at Pusin and came to his handes and by that hee perceyued the treason wrought against him then began he more openly to deale with them of the religion and to talke also with mons Sanroman to take certayne cities but somewhat to late For he lost the more noble cities by his