he returned not a little discontented The 22. between Nine and Ten in the morning the Duke of Soubize followed by Mr. Baker Agent for the Duke of Buckingham came to the Gate of S. Nicholas desiring entrance into the City The Guard before the admitting of him acquainting the Mayor therewith he immediately repaired thither and sinding him betwixt the two Gates remonstrated to him the consequence of his coming into the City intreating of him if he desired the good and Conservation of Rochel and the Church of France to return to the Duke of Buckingham but the old Dutchess of Rohan his Mother who was some Months before retired hither coming to meet her Son after Salutations and Imbraces took him by the hand saying with a loud voice that she might be heard by the Mayor and the multitude that were there My Son come 1627. July see your Sister who is very sick At which words without demanding leave of the Mayor who found himself surprized and durst not openly and by force oppose him he went into the City with her as did also Mr. Baker who demanding to be heard in Council which was held after Dinner he made this Speech as followeth Gentlemen I am sent by my Lord the Duke of Buckingham High-Admiral of England to declare to you the Reasons for which by the Command of the King my Master he is come to the place where he now is and in sight of you accompanied with a Fleet of Ships laden with Souldiers Artillery and Ammunition ready to make a descent if occasion require It is sufficiently known to the World how the King of Great Britain our Master having Personally by an Adventure very rare and by a Prudence exceeding much his Age discovered before and since his coming to the Crown the danger ready to fall upon him and the rest of Christendom by the Ambition Fraud and Power of the House of Austria hath used all industry to prevent this danger and that not only by his own Forces but also by those of his Allies to which Resolution as he hath been pressed by almost all Princes and Estates of Christendom so none hath done it with more vehemency and efficacy than the French King his Brother-in-law and his Ministers not only by Arguments but also by Promises of Union and Assistance in that Common Cause And to conserve this Mutual Interest against a Common Enemy or suspected Friend was the reason why the King our Master hath more desired 1627. July the Amity and Alliance of France than of all the World besides hoping by this means to have the Power to divert the thoughts of this Great King from the ruine of his best Subjects those of the Reformed Religion and humbling the true Enemies of his Estate who keeps from him so many brave Provinces and Kingdoms possessed by his Predecessors In the prosecution of which Design he was willing to have sacrificed all his Interest for Common Good and securing of Christendom But his Majesty hath found by too dear experience that being ingaged in a War with Spain he did not only not receive the favour and assistance of France which with reason he might have expected but by expecting it received more prejudice and hinderances than from Spain it self and the reason hereof is most apparent for the grand design of this Estate is to take the advantage of the Ingagement of the King our Master with Spain to ruine and extirpate at the same time those of the Reformed Religion in France not that his Majesty will believe that this proceeds from the French King his Brother-in-law or the Queen his Mother being so great Princes and so nearly Allied to him but you Gentlemen know better than we the Powerful Influences that the Jesuits and Spanish Faction have upon the Councils of France which are said to be so strong that even with a high-hand Affairs are often carried against the King himself and by the force of this Faction proceeded the refusal of a passage to Mansfields Army raised and furnished in England 1624. at the very instant of their departure contrary to a Solemn Article 1627. July agreed upon with the French King for their passage by which refusal the Liberty of Germany hath been betrayed and twelve thousand English near totally destroyed The King our Master having interposed his Ambassadours for appeasing the last Wars against those of the Religion and with the consent of the French King himself becoming Guarrantee for the Peace and that those of the Religion were willing to submit to harder terms than at that time their Condition considered they needed to have done in hopes that the designs of this Estate would turn against their Common Enemies in Italy by the Power of this Faction it is nevertheless come to pass that not only the Confederates of the King in Italy have been abandoned but the Arms imployed there have since been made use of to reduce you to the extremity of Poverty and Famine of which I need not say more than that the Complaints of this City and all the Body of the Reformed Religion do still continue the Dukes of Rohan and Soubize having represented them to the King our Master Finally when this Faction perceived that all was to no purpose without prohibiting this City all Trade to Sea under pretext of an Imaginary Society of Commerce they have built a number of Ships of War but doubting that it would be sufficient to their design to fortifie themselves at Sea without at the same time weakning there the King our Master by an unexampled and unheard of Injustice in the midst of a full and perfect Peace and at a time when the King our Master was deeply ingaged in War by whch the Assurance and Riches of France increased they 1627. July made seizure of 120 Ships of his Subjects with Artillery Merchandize and Marriners and what other design could they have in it than to assure themselves of the ruine of this City For these Reasons alledged and many other of the same nature the King our Master the most Religious and Pious Prince in the World setting aside all other Respects than that of his Conscience hath a Sympathy of your Sufferings and his own Honour and finding himself obliged by Promise to procure the accomplishment of the Articles agreed upon especially being invited thereunto by my Lords the Dukes of Rohan and Soubize in the Name of the whole Body of the Reformed Religion he hath therefore sent hither my Lord the Duke of Buckingham who hath given me in Charge to make you an Offer in his Name of a powerful assistance as well by Land as Sea in case you resolve to accept of it for redeeming your Liberty by joyning with you in an actual War which he will do upon such Conditions as you your selves Gentlemen and all the World shall acknowledge that the King our Master hath no Eye to his own advantage but vour good the vindication of his Honour and discharge
The last FAMOUS SIEGE OF THE CITY OF ROCHEL TOGETHER WITH THE Edict of Nantes WRITTEN In French by Peter Meruault a Citizen of Rochel who was in the City from the beginning of the Siege until the Rendition of it LONDON Printed for John Wickins at the White Hart over against St. Dunstans Church in Fleet-street 1680. THE AUTHOURS PREFACE WHEN the Siege of Rochel had its first beginning I was but in the 20th year of my Age and having been bred to commerce wanted the advantage and ornament of Scholarship yet nevertheless my curiosity prompting me I made it my business to take notice of what then passed and my Father being a Member of the Common Council and as Master of the Artillery exercised the second Charge or Office in the City I learned from him divers Particulars which I carefully committed to writing And though I had at that time nothing less in my thoughts than to compose a Narrative for the Publick yet being cloistred up until the Rendition of the City I find this Journal compleat even until the end of the Siege which I kept only for my own particular use in case the Lord in his mercy should suffer me to survive from whence it is that this Collection hath ever since lain dormant in my Cabinet and nothing but the importunity of friends could have carried me beyond my own resolution in exposing it to publick view Neither my Age my Profession nor yet the little care I then took in digesting of things intending them only for my self can beget in any an expectation of exactness in Form or Style worthy perusal having nothing more to recommend it than integrity as to matter of Fact of which those at a distance as well as those at home must bear witness it being a plain Narrative of Counsels and Transactions during the Siege without any Inferences of my own In the collecting of which neither Interest Affection or Hatred had any influence upon me As this Age is fruitful in great Wits so these Memoirs may be useful to the Writers of the Historie of our Times However some may haply be glad to understand the Particulars which I have here given an Account of PETER MERUAULT For some Reasons the Authour could not publish this Journal sooner though he had Licence for doing it many years since A PREFACE TO THE READER Reader IT is now fifty one years since the Reformed Religion and Liberty received its great wound in the loss of Rochel a City in France once famous for its constant opposition of Rome and being a safe refuge for the Protestants of that Kingdom in the frequent Massacres practised by the more than cruel and bruitish Papists Whoever shall read D' Aubignie's History not D' Avila's against which the Reformed excepts as partial of the Civil Wars of France writ in or near the time of King Henry IV. Grandfather to the present King of England will find that this City was of great service to that King in all his troubles as being a Sanctuary to him upon several occasions constantly taking his part against his Enemies the Popish and Spanish League and Faction This Henry IV. like a magnanimous and generous Soul excelling in gratitude and good Nature tyranny and oppression being the Badges and effects of dissoluteness and cowardise when by the assistance of the Reformed he was restored to the Crown and Dignity of France did not unthankfully forget his friends and persecute them but as a heroick Prince made them participate of the mercies of God towards him by giving them as their Magna Charta the Edict or Law Called that of Nantes with supplementary Articles by which they are restored in all cases to equal Priviledges with the Romanists for though to do the like by Papists in a Protestant Country would be the certain ruine of that Nation their faithless bloody Principles and owning of a Foreign Head being inconsistent with such liberty yet he knew that nothing could be of more security to his Crown than to cherish those that owned no other Sovereign than their Native Prince and could have no other Interest than his as his Successors have since experienced both of them being indebted to the Reformed for keeping their Crowns upon their heads After several former Edicts or Laws had been no sooner made for the security of the Religion than broke the reformed Party who had for their Heads the King of Navarre and Prince of Condée besides a multitude of other Grandees refusing to rely any longer upon Paper Edicts and the word of a King demanded Cautionary Towns and had amongst others the City of Rochel given them for one Whilst this excellent Prince Henry IV. lived his Edict and supplementary Articles hereunto annexed declarative of many former Edicts were faithfully observed but he was no sooner gone than his Successours losing all gratitude chose rather to follow the vicious examples of his Predecessors than the vertuous Precedent that he left them of being true and faithful to Laws and Engagements for at the importunity of their Bishops enemies to true piety setting aside all faith and reverence due to Laws made perpetual and irrevocable they took up a severe persecution of the Reformed from whence arose several Wars and as many reconciliations for the innocent Protestants thirsting after nothing but Peace in the enjoyment of their Laws were always deluded out of their advantages to rely upon fair promises and the insignificant word of their King Until Lewis XIII having first prepared all Matters took his opportunity to fall upon this City the chief Bulwark of the Reformed which resisted upon the account of their Priviledges as a Cautionary Town thinking it as lawful to defend their Rights as for the King to invade them and how the place was lost appears by the ensuing Journal or History which shews I. A Miracle and perhaps beyond example of Unity Courage Constancy and Resolution to die rather than outlive their Liberty II. In all the Managers of their defence as well at home as abroad during the Siege more of faithfulness diligence prudence readiness of Wit and Parts than peradventure will be found in any History especially of its bigness The loss of this City was the first decay of the Protestant Cause and Interest in Christendome and the Original Rise and Foundation of that Greatness in the French Monarchy which threatens at this day the Liberty of Europe for so long as Rochel remained in freedom under a Maior his Council and the Common Council of forty eight annually chosen by themselves they were so formidable under that Government that the French could never get forward in suppressing those of the Religion nor oppressing of their Neighbours which renders the Spaniard guilty of a great Solecism in Politicks in being assistant in the reducing of this City as well as Spinola the Great Spanish General but a Native of Genoua was in contriving the Digue a Bank which blocked up the Passage by Sea
of his Conscience for his Majesty is far from pursuing any Demands or Pretensions of his own or to invade the Territories of the French King his Brother with whom he desires to come to a perfect Union so it may be accompanied with the assurance of those in France who make Profession of the same Religion with himself If it be demanded how it comes that the King of Great Britain offers at this time Succours to 1627. July those of the Reformed Religion and this City when being formerly earnestly solicited to it he would not hearken thereunto I answer that the King at that time was not obliged by Promise to take care that the Articles agreed upon by the last Peace were observed besides that then the Treaties between these two Kingdoms were in their Vigour and Reputation and that the King our Master had hopes to be as beneficial to you by his Intercession as by his Arms for he well understands that the Church of God is our true Common Country and therefore hath been very careful in all his Seizures by Sea and Land to preserve those of the Reformed Religion and especially this City from all damage But at present the proceedings of this Estate hath put his Majesty out of doubt as to their designs and left him at liberty by having trodden under feet the Reverence due to Publick Treaties and therefore if you refuse this opportunity you will hereafter seek it in vain and in such case my Lord the Duke of Buckingham hath commanded me to make a Solemn Protestation before God and Man that he holds the King his Master in Honour and Conscience fully acquitted from all Engagements and his Excellency will dispose himself to execute the other Commands which he hath in Charge God hath in mercy given you the opportunity of making choice of Good or Evil and I have it in Command to press you to a ready Answer and Declaration as to which of the two you will make choice of You ought to consider that you may at present resolve clearly hereof as well as with suspention and that as to us each hour of delay will be very prejudicial 1627. July After this he presented the Duke of Buckgham's own Manifest Signed by himself containing a Declaration of the King of Great Britain's Intentions as followeth WHat share the Kings of Great Britain have always taken in the Affairs of the Reformed Church of this Kingdom and with how much Zeal and Care they have laboured their good is most eminently known to all the Examples thereof having been as ordinary as the occasions The present King my most honoured Lord and Master had not come therein behind his Predecessors if his honest and laudable designs for their good and advantage had not been perverted to their ruine by those whose interest it was to have accomplished them What Advantages hath he refused what Parties hath he not pursued that by his Alliance with France he might work the more profitably and powerfully for the restitution of the Churches to their Antient Liberty and Splendour And how could we have expected less from so strict an Alliance and so many reiterated Promises from the Mouth of a Great Prince than Effects truly Royal and suitable to his Grandure but the Issue is so far short of that that his Majesty instead of obtaining freedom and security for the Churches and a general Peace to France by the reconciliation of those who breathe after nothing but all sort of obedience to their King under the enjoyment of Edicts hath met with nothing but the contrary some having prevailed by the interest they had in those of the Religion to the deceiving of them and that not only by dividing them from him but also by rendering him if not odious at least under suspect with them in perverting the means that he ordained for 1627. July their good to an end wholly contrary Witness the English Vessels not designed for the extirpation of those of the Religion express promises having been given not to make use of them to their prejudice and yet nevertheless they were carried to Rochel and imployed â—n the last Naval Fight against them What can any expect from so puissant a King as the King my Master for being publickly illuded than a Resentment equal and proportionable to the injury done him But he hath had Patience beyond Patience and whilest he could hope to relieve the Churches by other means he hath not had recourse to Arms until being made instrumental of the last Peace upon Conditions disadvantagious enough which had never been accepted of without the intercession of His Majesty who interposed His Credit and Interest with the Churches even with Menaces for procuring their agreeing to them for salving the honour of the most Christian King and giving him assurance not only of the observance of them but also of the melioration of the said Conditions whilest he should remain Caution towards the Churches but what hath been the issue of all this nothing but the abuse of his Bounty and that which His Majesty thought would have been a Remedy to all their Evils hath it not carried the Churches to almost the last point of ruine So little it fails that by the continuation of the Fort before Rochel the demolishing whereof was promised by the violence of the Soldiers and Garrisons in the said Fort and Isles as well towards the Inhabitants of the said City as Strangers who instead of being intirely with-drawn have been dayly augmented and other Forts built and by the Commissioners remaining in the said City beyond the time agreed Cabals have been held by the means of which Divisions have crept in amongst the Inhabitants to 1627. July the opening the Gates to Neighbour Troops and byother breaches of the Peace the said City and in it the whole Church hath wanted little of drawing its last Breath and nevertheless his Majesty hath contained himself and not opposed such great Injuries and Violations of Faith more than by Complaints and Intercessions until having had certain advise confirmed by intercepted Letters of the great preparations that the most Christian King made for falling upon Rochel and then his Majesty could not do less than vindicate his honour by a ready taking Arms against those that had rendered him as a Confederate in their Fraudes and Treachery and to give Testimony of the Integrity and Zeal which he hath always had to the establishment of the Churches which shall ever be most dear and pretious to him above all other things and that if any shall question whether this is the only end of his Arms and not rather some particular interest let him consider the Circumstances of time and dispositions of his Affairs and they cannot believe that the King my Master hath any design upon France or can have thoughts of Conquest in a time so disadvantagious That he hath at present for Enemy one of the most puissant Princes in the World and that if that
the wise gave no heed to this but the common people comforted themselves with it whatever it was this night had something extraordinary which caused the inflammation of the Air in such a manner as occasioned a great Allarum in the City and that all run to the places of Arms and Court of Guards where they remained until day upon the fear of those Fantasmes which the Watch took for men 1628. Septemb. The 28th of August an Inhabitant called John Mattin came into Rochel from England bringing a Letter from the Deputies advising that the Army was put to Sea and was on this side the Channel and that it had come sooner had not the death of the Duke of Buckingham who was killed at Portsmouth by a Lieutenant hindered it the History of whose Death because he was a great Lord and the first Author of this War I have inserted here with the circumstances of it having extracted it from the Journals of one of the Deputies who was in England and since his return hath given me a Narrative of it An Extract of the Journal of Sieur Vincent THe 26th of September 1628. being at Portsmouth where the preparations for the Naval Army were preparing with all diligence the Duke of Buckingham sent for us early in the morning and communicated to us some Letters received from the Kings Camp before Rochel by which they gave him advice that the City had then received a notable refreshment of Victuals and particularly fifty or sixty Oxen We answered that these reports were scattered artificially to retard our relief and that except Oxen could fly it was impossible that the News could be true The Duke of Soubize came in at the very instant of time and confirmed the same that I had said beseeching him not to slacken upon this noise his good affections and diligence in our Affairs He promised us that there should not be one moment of delay but however he continued the news and intended himself to carry it to the King who 1628. Septemb. was four miles from thence and thereupon he got a slight Breakfast and going from the Table he was presented with a certain Plat-form for a Building by a Captain of a very little stature and viewing of it went towards the door where the Tapistry being held up for him he stayed some time looking upon and considering the Platform In this place and at this instant there came up a certain young man a Lieutenant of a Company who over the shoulder of the said Captain stabbed him with a Knife at one blow in the Stomach and so retired into the Croud The Duke laid presently his hand upon his Sword and pursued him the length of the Antichamber pronouncing these words Ha Dog thou hast killed me Then finding himself to faint let fall his Sword and pulled out the Knife himself which he who stabbed him had left in his Body As soon as it had taken wind he fell upon the ground and being lifted up by his Servants was laid along upon a Table to make the blood come from him which came out at his mouth and then he gave no more any sign of life This was so sudden as one can scarce imagine We being in the Chamber at the door where he was stabbed there rise a report that the French had killed the Duke The noise and confusion which was in the Croud being amongst his Train put us into a most great Allarm every one laying their hands upon their Swords crying and demanding who it was and we had assuredly run a great Adventure had not he who committed the Murther seeing others wrongfully accused accused himself declaring with a loud voice that it was he Whereupon being seized and interrogated upon the cause which 1628. Septemb. had moved him to this action he answered that they would find it in the Crown of his Hat where presuming that he should be killed upon the place he had hid them and there they found a Writing the substance whereof was that the Duke having been declared by Vote of Parliament a Copy of which he recited an Enemy to the State his Life by the Laws of the Kingdom was exposed as a prey and to this publick injury he joyned another as to his own particular viz. in that for advancing his own Favourites he had twice prevented him of a Captains Command when it was his due so that he believed he had a right to revenge by that Stab both himself and the Publick And as he had committed this to writing he continued afterwards to declare the same by word of mouth that having killed a Publick Enemy he was authorised therein by the Laws of the Land and other Confession than this they had no way to draw from him the Rack not being permitted in England But to return to the Duke so soon as he was expired all the great Croud which filled his House went away by little and little and returning thither two hours after I found the Body extended in a Corner of the Room upon a miserable old Mat and guarded solely by one Valet de Chambre And this opposed to the splendour in which we saw him in the morning having about him all the gallantest Nobility of the Kingdom and the Principal Captains of the Army presenteth to us a sad document of the vanity and inconstancy of the fading things of this World The News was carried presently to the King who was in his Chappel at that days service When they told it him in his Ear he stirred 1628. Septemb. not from his place nor enquired after any particulars of it which was taken for a Testimony of the great Reverence he carried to the Place and Action which he would not trouble only as a mark of a grand Emotion they observed the blood to come into his face which became as black as a Hat Prayers being ended he enquired after the Fact sent to condole the Widdow and assured her that the Offices of the Father should be preserved for the Son and sent us word also that this accident should not in any kind divert his good will and kindness giving us order to acquaint our City with the same This was the end of this great Lord raised by King James and had all the Power under the present King his Son who having put him upon amplifying the Rights of his Royalty beyond what the Laws of England seem to permit he had drawn upon him the hatred of all the Kingdom as appeared during his life and much more after his death in that they would at a great rate have redeemed the life of him that had assassinated him The 27th of Septemb. new Stile about seven or eight in the Evening the Land-Forces and all the Batteries made a Consort with Cannon and Musquet-shot mixed with an infinite number of Fire-works and cryes of Vive le Roy which continued above an hour and a half in Celebration of the Kings Nativity The 28th of Septemb. arrived in Rochel
into the City commanded 1628. Novemb. the last Mayor the Sieurs Salbert and Polinier Ministers and about ten others as well of the Corps of the City as Burgers to leave the City and to absent for six Months which was done by a meer Verbal Command The fourth and fifth they ranged in the Castle-yard all the Cannon of the City as also of the Forts and Digue and Quarters of the Camp in order to the conveying them from thence to Brouage and other places as was done some days after The same day about four in the Evening the English Fleet after having been a Month and six days in the Road and seen from thence the reduction of Rochel to the obedience of the King set sail to carry the news of it for England and carried with them a great Party of French The sixth seventh and eighth of this Month was so great a Storm at South-East and with such violence that the Digue in many places and above all upon the Coast of Portneuf was so shaken the Engines and Candlesticks so broken and removed that a Flemish Ship of two hundred Tuns laden with Victuals for the relief of the City which had stayed at the Head of the Bay being driven by the impetuosity of the Storm ruâ— on shore having passed the Digue with little difficulty which we observed as the Lords particular protection of the affairs of his Majesty since had this Storm come eight days sooner the City had been relieved Some days after the King went to Port de Coigne to see a Mine sprung which they had made at a Peece detached from the said Port to the end that according as this should succeed they might 1628. Novemb. deal with the new as well as ancient Walls of the City having ordered the demolishing of all its fortifications and this Mine succeeded well The sixteenth the Keeper of the Seal sent for the Registers of the Council and made a strict search into the Memoires and Instructions given the Deputies the City had sent to the King of England and of the Treaties made by them with the said Prince and found that the said Instructions and Treaty had always been with the reservation of their Fidelity which they ought to the Crown It was said that this search was made that they might the better know how to frame the Kings Declaration which was soon after published and that some were of opinion that in the Preamble of it the King should alledge for cause of his Arms that Rochel had not only called in the English but also given themselves up to them but the said Keeper of the Seal refused it not judging it honest or convenient except they could make the truth of it appear whereas by all the Inquest that they could make as well as by those Publick Records finding the contrary the Declaration touched not at all thereupon But he gave order that as well the said Registers as all the other Instruments should be carried to Paris to the Chamber of Accounts where they still are The eighteenth was published thorough the ordinary Quarters of the City the Declaration of the King establishing the Order which he would have observed by the same he dissolves and abolisheth the Common-Councel of the City and all her Priviledges as the Dignity of Mayor the Prevote or ordinary Jurisdiction of the City uniting 1628. Novemb. them to the Chief Justiceship with an Intendant of Justice reducing the five Parishes to three assigning to every Cure three hundred Livers upon the Revenue of the Town-House the said Hall together with all other Edifices and common places being united to the Kings Demain discharged those of the City in general of all acts of Hostility whatever Negotiations in Forreign Countries and of all other acts without being liable to prosecution for the same saving in cases execrable excepted by the Edicts or Laws and such as may concern the Person of the King and in like manner discharge them for casting of Guns and Cannon Minting of Money seising and taking of Money as well belonging to the Ecclesiasticks as the King together with the levying of Souldiers and constraint used against the absent even by demolishing of their Houses willing that the exercise of the Religion to the Inhabitants which make profession thereof be left free to them within the City with prohibition nâ—vertheless to all others of the said Religion for coming to live there if they had not dwelt there before the descent of the English that the Taxes of the City shall in favour of Trade be limited to four thousand Livers that the fortifications both new and old shall be demolished and razed even with the ground except from the Port of S. Nicholas to the Tower of the Lanthorn joyning to the Port of two Mills which is on the side of the Sea and that the Policy be administred by two Councellors and four Burgesses which the King shall every year make This Order being established the King with all 1628. Novemb. his Court and a great number of Lords and Nobless took Horse the nineteenth for Paris betwixt seven and eight in the morning and left Monsieur de Vignolles with four Regiments to wit those de Chappes du Plessis Praulin Castlebayrd and la Meilleraye to remain there until the demolition of the fortifications were finished The Kings second Residence here was six Months twenty five days he held the City besieged from the fourteenth of August 1627. when the Duke of Angoulesme took up his Quarters at Estre until the thirtieth of October 1628. that the Marshal Schomberg and Marilac made their Entry being one year two months and sixteen days And thus ended the Siege of this so long Celebrated City of Rochel which for the space of about seventy years had given France so much exercise and drawn the Eyes of the greatest part of Christendom upon them THE EDICT OR STATUTE Granted by Henry the Fourth of France to those of the Reformed Religion of that Kingdom for the free Exercise of their Consciences in matters of their Religion c. called the Edict of Nantes because Enacted at that City with the Kings Declaration upon the precedent Edicts of Pacification HENRY by the Grace of God King of France and Navarre To all present and to come Greeteth Among the infinite mercies that God hath pleased to bestow upon us that most signal and remarkable is his having given us power and strength not to yield to the dreadful Troubles Confusions and Disorders which were found at our coming to this Kingdom divided into so many Parties and Factions that the most legitimate was almost the least enabling us with constancy in such manner to oppose the storm as in the end to surmount it reducing this Estate to peace and rest for which to him alone be given the honour and glory and us the grace to acknowledge our obligation in having our labours made use of for the accomplishing so good a work in which it hath
this Fort and furnishing it so much appeared sufficiently by the several Enterprises that had been made upon the City This was the occasion which moved the Duke of Rohan with whom the Peace of 1622 had been Treated to take Arms and give cause to the Duke of Soubize to make an Enterprize upon Blavet and to assure himself of the Isle of Re and the City and to joyn with them because that though they had not declar'd but sent Deputies to the King to obtain the justice of having this Fort demolished instead of the King 's effectual agreeing thereunto the Marshal Praslin was come against them in Arms committing Acts of Hostility That the following Peace having been made by the Intercession of the Ambassadors of the King of Great Brittain and of the States of Holland under divers Articles and above all apon the word of a King even given to the said Ambassadours in writing that within six Months the Fort should be demolished yet nothing of it had been observed That instead of suffering them to bring back their Goods the Sieur Thoiras had seized them and carryed away all their Salt and built a Citadel in the Isle of Re. That instead of reducing the Garrisons to the number agreed upon they had been increased in such sort that there was alwayes near eight or ten thousand men round the City That upon the passages to Maran and other places they had built new Forts which blocked the City and hindred the bringing in of Corn and Provisions That the Sieur Thoiras did 1627. Octob. the same by Sea by the help of Vessels which he contrary to the Treaty had lying in the Road at the head of the Bay That the Sieur Briel sent as Intendant of the Court of Justice had committed unheard of Injustice as the putting a Souldier to death upon suspicion of having broken a Crucifix in time of War which afterwards was proved false the Crucifix being found That contrary to the priviledges agreed to with the City by the King which was not of Grace but under Covenant given to France That they charged the City as belonging to the Domane establishing Offices for taxing the Corn and Wine of the Government sent Commands to Sieur Thoiras Governour of the City to build the said Fort and Citadel That besides these Injuries done them in particular those of the Religion in general were ill used thorough the whole Kingdom and their Edicts violated in all the heads That hereupon the King of England who on behalf of the King was to them Garrantee of the Peace which was so little observed having ineffectually imployed his Intercession resolved upon taking Arms and having sent his Army into these Quarters they sent Deputies to the Duke of Angoulesm who was in Arms so near to them as Maran to satisfie him by protestation That they desired to remain inviolable in their Fidelity and Obedience to the King and to beseech him to intercede with the King for their enjoyment of the last Treaty of Peace That instead of hearkening thereunto he declar'd War against them plundering their Houses building of Forts too near to them and committing openly all acts of Hostlity whilst they yet held themselves 1627. October in suspence In the end there fell into their hands the Kings Letters to the said Duke of the 13th of September where they found the Map of their ruine and the Order for besieging them both by Sea and Land That being reduced to this point they saw themselves forced to take Arms and to joyn with the English praying all their good Country-men and all good Kings and Princes to approve of their Design and to assist them therein under protestation nevertheless to remain alwayes in the duty of Subjection and Fidelity due to the King and that they should be ready to submit themselves to him when it should please him to receive them into his favour and cause the breach which had been made upon the Edicts to be repaired and to establish them in their ancient Liberties and Priviledges To this Manifest was published an ample Answer the sum of which was That if the Treaty aâ— Montpelier had not in all points been executed the Rochellers were the cause of it they having first broken it in that the Exercise of the Romish Religion ought to have been re-established fully and peaceably in their City which they would not suffer when the Commissioners of the King were sent nor suffer the publick practise of the Popish Ceremonies besides that the King by the same Treaty having ordered the dissolving of the new Order of forty eight Burgesses they would not do it adding that to their other disobedience which made his Majesty believe that it behoved him to stop that demolishment which they pressed so much for that they might be at the more liberty for a new Insurrection That the Armies levyed afterwards by the Duke of Rohan in Languedoc and the King's Vessels seized by the Duke of Soubize 1627. October at Blavet were Rebellious Attempts without Example and that the whole had been agreed with them who nevertheless was willing to amuse the King with feigned pretences of Loyalty but he did not think it reasonable to suffer himself to be so deceived by them As to the Treaty of Peace which followed it was false that Strangers had acted therein as Mediators that the King had given his word to them or consented to that Injury of their Master's being Garrantees to his Subjects as the Ambassadors of England have since told him That if after this Treaty the King thought good to build a Citadel in the Isle of Re and Forts in the Passages from the Isle of Maran it was no more than what was too apparently necessary for bridling a Rebellious City who then tampered with the English and further that it was contrary to truth that on that side they had committed any act of Hostility as all France knows but that the Passages for going and coming and bringing all sorts of Commodities was free to all As to the Offices established contrary to their pretended Priviledges and the Commands of the Governour given to the Sieur Thoiras that as these Priviledges were from the King's Grace and not as they say by Covenant so when they were fallen from their Duty it was most just to revoke them as in the time of Francis the First who dissolv'd their Common-Hall and gave them a Governour and never received them to Mercy until upon their Knees and with Tears they all made supplication for Mercy That the Judgment given against him who broke a Crucifix was judiciously done upon sufficient Informations That the Complaints of 1627. Octob. the generality of their Religion in the rest of the Kingdom was without Vouchers and refuted by the free and entire Exercise the King granted them and his protection under which they lived peaceably That the Invasions of the English and their descent in Arms in the Isle of Re made in full
Army should return into England The 15th the English sent a Fire-ship full of Fire-works in the fashion of Petars into the Kings Fleet to set fire on them but taking fire before its time the Fire-Ship and those that were in it perished miserably without any being saved The 18th betwixt two and three a Clock Afternoon the English Fleet set sail for England having been eight days in the Road at the Head of the Bay without making any attempt or Essaying to send any relief into Rochel which greatly dejected the Rochellers and put them in great pain and perplexity nevertheless they resolved to suffer the greatest Extremity before they would render and to that end bought one of another all sorts of Provisions and that they might hold out the longer retrenched their Ordinary to the moyety of that which they had accustomed to eat 1628. May. and above all the Bread which they began now to weigh This following is a Relation composed by the Sieur Gobert THe same day that the English Army set sail the Sieur Bragneau and Gobert 〈◊〉 â—n the morning the assembling of all the French Captains aboard Sieur Bragneau and upon the resoâ—â—tion that the English Fleet had taken to set sail foâ— Eâ—gland without being prevailed with to the contrary by all the Remonstrances Prayers and Supplications that they could make to give thâ—m their assistance for facilitating the entry of the Ships into Rochel with relief it was judged necessary and was agreed upon with the unanimous consent of all that the Sieur Gobert should prâ—sently take the Pinnace of Captain Guillet to carry him with all diligence into England to represent un oâ— the King the small endeavours that his Naval Army had made and the eminent danger that it lâ—ft Rochel in to the end that it might please his Majâ—sty to remedy it Sieur Gobert accepted of it and the Wind being favourable arrived the 22th present at the Isle of Wight from thence he went to Portsmouth and took Post for London where being arrived he immediately waited upon the Duke of Soubize to whom having given an account of what had passed in his Voyage and of the return of the English Fleet without having done any thing they went together to carry the ill news to the Duke of Buckingham who seemed to resent it very much and carried them presently to the King to whom Sieur Gobert giving a particular Relation of all 1628. May. he was thereat very much concerned and enquired what was the cause of his Fleet making so speedy a return before having first fought and relieved Rochel And then taking Sieur Gobert by the hand â—ed him to a Window and leaning upon his shoulder weeping reiterated to him the same demand in these words What cause have my people had to retreat and to abandon this poor City To which he answered that he knew none save a Panick Fear which seized them upon an uncertain noise of a Spanish Naval Fleet ready to come to those Coasts of France and the fear they had of running the adventure of losing their Ships His Majesty at this being moved more than before stepping three or four paces back said What are my Ships made to fear and not to hazard themselves in Fight and immediately commanded the Duke of Buckingham to call the â—ouncil which was presently done where Sieur Gobert being called and enquired of what day the Fleâ—t arrived before Rochel what Fight it had been constrained to make how many slain and what damage it had received there He declared that the Fleet arrived before the City the Eleventh and for Fights they had had none the King of Frances Fleet retreating near the Digue but that only from the Land and the Points which advanceth the Admiral had received from the Batteries which are there a Cannon-shot without so much as hurting any Person Upon which the King and Council resolved to dispatch a Gentleman with Sieur Gobert in the same Vessel that brought him to the English Fleet where-ever it should be with express Command to the Earl of Denby to return and come to Anchor in the Road of Rochel and to expect there the Aid that he was 1628. May. further preparing for the City and at the same time commanded the Sieur Gobert to write a Letter to those of Rochel advising them not to be astonished at the retreat of his Fleet without doing any thing for that he would prepare them a puissant succour which he assured them would relieve them In brief that he would lose the Moiety of his Kingdom rather than suffer them to perish which Sieur Gobert did write in the presence of all the Council and the King having signed it it was sent by an Express to those of the City After which the above-said Gentleman and Gobert took Post for Portsmouth where being arrived they imbarked in the said Pinnace endeavouring to meet the English Fleet as they did the fourth day after their departure from Portsmouth on the Coast of Cornwal but for the most part already dissipated there not being more than four or five Men of War with the Admiral all the rest being retired to the nearest Harbours in England nevertheless they went aboard the Admiral and presented to the Earl of Denby the Packet they had to him from the King and Council and the Commands of his Majesty to return to the Coast of France To which he answered that that was altogether impossible for him to do because his Fleet was dissipated and his Victuals for the most part consumed and continuing his course he came to Anchor betwixt the Isle of Wight and Portsmouth The English Fleet thus retreated and the Rochellers notwithstanding resolving to stand out they made choice of Sieur Grosetiere a Gentleman of Poictue to go into England to advertise the King of Great Britain and their Deputies of their condition 1628. May. and necessities and hasten relief He parted the 21th and was the Messenger of this Letter The Rochellers Letter to the King of Great Britain dated the 28th of May 1628. SIR WE are assured that the Image of our Miseries have prevented our Complaints and that your Serene Majesty having a sensible impression of them in your Spirit these cannot fail of a favourable Audience from a Heart so generous and great as yours Sir you have vowed us your Grace and promised us Deliverance you have also taken Arms to force them to keep the Publick Faith of Treaties that they have deposited with you but your People Sir have abandoned us contrary to your Magnanimous and most faithful Instructions your General not daring to breathe near nor look upon the danger of the glorious execution of your Sacred Word What sort of Excess or Prodigy can it be that hath â—o conspired against the Dignity of your Name and the Condition of our poor Country Sir we speak to you with Tears in our Eyes glaspâ—d Hands Hearts struck thorough with many Wounds whilst we have the Honour of
Mould It was published thorough all the parts of the City that all those that had Bullets proper for the said Pieces should bring them to the Master of the Artillery who should pay for them seven Livres ten Scus per quintal which furnished the said Pieces in some small kind because those that had any brought them to him The same day divers Seamen of the City went over to the Camp being debauched and had been sent into the City to pervert them This caused the Mayor to proclaim thorough the several quarters of the City that all Seamen that should be taken going to the Camp should be immediately hanged upon the place and after this we heard not of any that went away The ninth of August the Sieur Ferriere Councellor who commanded that day as Captain at the Port of Coigne as also with him Sieur Desmartes went very early in the morning as if they walked out and rendered themselves to the Fort Beaulieu Those that were on the Guard at the said 1628. Aug. Port perceiving them near the Fort could not do other than make some shot at them but did not touch them The cause of their retreat was this the Sieur de la Tourvert Son of Sieur de Fleura a Gentleman of Augoumois was killed in a particular Quarrel in the Castle yard as he walked there The Lieutenant Criminal upon the complaint made to him thereof decreed the taking of the Body and judging the case but the Mayor and Council of War being advertised thereof would have the Cognisance of the business because both the Murthered and Murtherer were people drawn thither by the War and Siege Upon this they contested and each made their Party but the Mayor prevailing the Assistant of the Judge Criminal with three or four others of the Seat of Justice gave a secret Sentence against him and the Council of War condemned them in twelve thousand Livres penalty payable by any one of them for the whole his remedy reserved against the others Of this Sentence there were four Exemplifications to remain by each one of them shut up and hid in a place the most secret they could devise reserving the execution unto the relief or change of the condition of the City It came to pass some time after that the Assistant upon some suspition though nevertheless could not be proved was made Prisoner and his Papers seized among which was found this Sentence which was the thing that moved these two Councellors to leave the City but it wanted little of bringing them into a Burning Fever for being presented to the Kings Council it made ill for them for that being Officers they remained in the City from whence it was concluded 1628. Aug. that they came away from necessity and not from affection to the service of the King so that they ran a great hazard of not having the relief that Monsieur Thoiras had promised them but having a great kindness for Monsieur Desmartes he obtained of Cardinal Richelieu the referring of them to the Marshal Schomberg who some time after took their Parol As to the fourth Judge who was John Ogier Sieur of Moriniers he left not the City finding himself supported by a number of Friends and Souldiers whom he had commanded as Camp-Master of a Regiment insomuch that without difficulty he made his agreement and as to the Assistant Criminal he remained in Prison until the reduction of the City This following Narrative is taken out of the Relation of Sieur Veronneau THe tenth of August the Sieur de la Fitte Serjeant-Major to Meilleraye's Regiment together with Sieur de Delon Lieutenant of a Company in the same Regiment sent out between eight and nine in the morning a Drum who demanded on the behalf of two Gentlemen without naming them if they might have half an hours discourse with Sieur de la Goute Honorary Advocate to the King and Sieur Peter Toupet The Guard of Maubec who received the Drum brought him to the Mayors House where the Council was assembled and the Drummer having told them the cause of his coming they demanded of the Sieur de la Goute and Toupet who those were that enquired after them and if they knew 1628. Aug. what they desired of them The one and the other finding themselves surprised by this question asked leave to go and see who it was and speak to them and to the end that the Council might be informed of all that might be said and done during their discourse they chose from among themselves of the Council Benjamin Veronneau Advocate to assist at the said Conference which being begun with imbracements made particularly by the said Sieur de la Fitte of the said de la Goute and Toupet with whom he had had long acquaintance Sieur de la Fitte began to speak in this sort Gentlemen the King being most well informed of your Fidelity towards him and that you have the Flower de Luces so impressed upon your hearts that you have rejected all the Propositions that men could make you for shaking off his Dominion to serve another Prince is the sole subject of our Message Cardinal Richelieu who knoweth that I have some Acquaintance in your City hath commanded me to endeavour to confer with some of you upon the subject of your misery to the end to prevent your ruine which you seem to affect by not seeking to your Prince who is altogether good for his Grace when he would never refuse it you if you humble your selves to him He knows that your Famine is great that your Houses are already full of dead Bodies for want of Bread that the voice of dying persons sounds in your Streets and that those that have been most provident are not furnished until the first of September it is your duty to save rather those that are remaining than to loose them because they which remain are the most considerable scarcity begun with the lowest sort most subject to Rebellion he had rather have your Hearts than your Walls and be assured that if you are once reduced to his 1628. Aug. service you will not any more depart from it You believe or suspect that the King will take away your Religion and that the Cardinal will perswade the banishing it the Kingdom you are mistaken the King would be most easie would you have confidence in him and desires to win you with sweetness without using violence The experience of times passed doth sufficiently demonstrate to France that Religion is not to be planted with the Sword and that it 's God alone that inclines the Heart and illuminates the Vnderstanding with his knowledge Think of it then whilst there is time and perish not expecting Bread from England those People think not of you and if they should have a desire to succour you they will not now be able to do it The King hath a powerful Sea-Army to destroy all the force they can bring and the Digue is in such a condition that the
English will not dare to hazard the breaking of it with their Ships I pray you Gentlemen have pity of your selves This Discourse being received with Applause by the aforesaid Sieurs de la Goute Toupet and Veronneau after a short Discourse full of Thanks they acknowledged their desire of entering into the favour of their Prince and that they were come thither to hear the Propositions and Overtures that would be made that they might report them to the Council and of their own good Intentions they might assure his Majesty the Cardinal and the Lords of the Council and most earnestly intreated the said Sieurs de la Fitte and de Delon to impart to them the Propositions To which they answered they could not do that having no order therein but if the Inhabitants of the City would enter into a Treaty it behoved them to do it with the Cardinal who would be at the Fort de la Fons 1628. Aug. when they should desire it and that he might be near at hand if they would give security for his coming within the Percullis of the Port Coigne he would not refuse it provided that as caution for his Person they would give a competent number of the most qualified Citizens to remain as Hostages during the said Treaty And after this the said Sieurs de la Fitte and de Delon delivered divers Propositions but as they said without Commission The first was that since the Rochellers would not upon any account whatever renounce their obedience to France according as they had testified to those that would have drawn them to it they ought to cherish the Honour of their Prince and treating with him give some marks of their submission to his Majesty That Subjects ought not in any time to think to treat with their King as Equals especially when he sees them at the last gasp You ought to think of some Overtures which may content both Parties such as may evidence the humility of the Rochellers and advance the glory of their Prince they should of themselves demolish the Bastion of the Port Coigne which being done the King will retire without entering the City with any of his Army either by that way or any other To which was replied by Messieur de la Goute Toupet and Veronneau that if all the inhabitants of the City would have as much confidence as they in the bounty of the King and word of his Principal Ministers their Proposition might be received but that the City being composed of persons timerous and fearful they had no hopes of perswading them that they could be in security against the Army that besieged them after there should be such a breach in their Walls 1628. Aug. and begged of them not to believe that they could be so simple as to make such a Proposition and much less to make it valid and strengthen it by alledging their reasons After this the said Sieurs came to a second Overture which was that the King should enter the City with two hundred persons by the Port Coigne without going into the Streets and going along the Ramparts return by the Port S. Nicholas This second as more sweet was better hearkened unto yet nevertheless not received by the Sieurs de la Goute Toupet and Veronneau who relying upon the knowledge they had of the said Inhabitants replied that to demand the entry of the King alone were as much as to demand the entry of all his Army for that there is not one in the City who seeing his Majesty in it would not think rather to humble themselves before him and to beg his pardon than to give order that there should but two hundred persons come in when upon such an occasion there may be some Lords with the King who against his good intentions exceeding the promise given would do that which he in no wise would have done perswading the people that they could not have any security in their diffidence of him This Exception being also judged reasonable they came to a third Overture which was that in all cases to shew as well to the Kingdom as to Strangers that the King had the advantage of his Subjects of Rochel they would demolish one of the three Towers upon the Haven of the City unto the height only of the Walls This Proposition was found so moderate that the Sieurs de la Goute Toupet and Veronneau answered that if his Majesty would be content with the demolishing of all the three Towers 1628. Aug. and would solely depend thereupon they would submit thereunto without expecting more After this Conference which was three hours at least both Parties retired resolving to report each to their Principals what had passed in this Interview endeavouring to bring things to an Accommodation and to ingage in a Treaty And indeed the Sieurs de la Goute Toupet and Veronneau having in general made report to the Council who continued sitting expecting them they approved of what had passed and appointed after Dinner to consider thereof when after having heard more particularly from the Sieurs de la Goute Toupet and Veronneau what had been propounded and their Answers they resolved of ingaging in a Treaty but the manner of it was found so greatly difficult that in the end by plurality of Voices they deferred it some days to give every one time to consider with himself of the best and convenientest method and means The day after by order of the Council of War Sieur Paul Mervalt caused to be put upon the Ports and the Detachments from the Port Coigne and upon the Casements of the said Ports upon the Port and Herse or Portcullis of Maubec upon the Ports and Bridge of S. Nicholas and of the two Mills 230 great Bullets of Battery that in case of any attempts to scale the Walls to cast down upon them that should storm them The 16th of August betwixt two and three a Clock in the Afternoon came within a Musquet-shot of the Port Coigne a Herald with two Trumpets to summon the Rochellers to render themselves to the King to whom no answer was given 1628. Aug. The 21th ditto in the night the Rochellers sent out by Land a Messenger with this Letter to their Deputies in England as followeth Gentlemen WE earnestly intreat you not to lose any time for Famine presseth us You know we have been long without receiving any relief the Digue is the most facile in the middle having nothing there but floating Vessels and some Engines The Enemies Navy consists but in thirty great Ships the others being small they have also one Gally and about thirty Shalloops but ill equipped not having in all six hundred Seamen To facilitate the passage our Fire-ships are good and the others for the Mire are better some men with Hatchets to cut are necessary We believe you will be courageous in undertaking the execution of the Commands of the King of Great Britain after God all depends upon you Be assured that for
our parts we shall do our duty who are Rochel Aug. 20. 1628. Gentlemen Your most affectionate Servants the Mayor Sheriffs Councellors and Peers of the City of Rochel and for all Guitton Mayor The Superscription Messieurs David Vincent Bragneau Dehinse and Gobert The 22th the Rochellers received advice that the Sieur Grossetiere who had been taken returning from England whither he was sent to hasten succours 1628. Aug. had been carried to the Kings Camp to be proceeded against by way of Process whereupon besides that from the first news of the taking him they had writ to the Camp demanding the having him treated as a Prisoner of War and to be used in his Quarters as had been hitherto practised by one to another declaring that they should do the same to the Sieur Fiquere their Prisoner as they should do to others belonging to them They writ also to Cardinal Richelieu by a Drummer who found him at Chatiliers Barlot whither he was gone for change of Air because of the Contagion that was in the Army and delivered him this Letter following The Rochellers Letter to Cardinal Richelieu in favour of Grossetiere My Lord IT is some time since we understood the taking of the Sieur Grossetiere a Gentleman gone from hence in the imployment of this City under our Commissions who passing thorough one of the Provinces of this Kingdom was taken arrested and brought into the Kings Army We immediately writ thereof to one of the Generals relying upon the Common Right of War and of the quarter that hath been always given hitherto by the one to the other but we now hear this morning that they pretend to draw up Process against him and deliver him over to the Court of Justice to condemn him to Death as if he were accused of some Crime as a man without Authority at which we are most justly concerned he not having undertaken either Voyage or any action since this War but with Commission from us by which he hath been Authorised It is therefore 1628. Aug. that we address our selves finally to you my Lord who knows perfectly the intentions of the King and to manage them with most excellent prudence and by your Authority to keep men within bounds contrary to the natural heat of particular persons to the end to supplicate your Greatness that the said Sieur Grossetiere may not meet with any evil treatment who hath not in his Comportment done any thing to be spoke against having had our Order and Commission for all his Transactions according as we now certifie you and let it please you that we dare from your bounty promise our selves that by the present Messenger who is an Express you will let us know that this Address will not be fruitless and that you will cure us of the perplexity we are in upon this occasion and of all troublesome Events which may proceed from this Occurrence Above all we remain Rochel Aug. 22. 1628. Monseigneur Your most humble and most obedient Servants the Mayor Sheriffs Councellors Peers Burgers and Inhabitants of the City of Rochel Guitton Mayor Cardinal Richelieu's Answer to the Rochellers by the same Messenger that carried theirs Gentlemen IAm sorry that your Actions beg not the favour you desire from the bounty of the King rather than your words but I am greatly astonished that hindering 1628. Aug. all the City where you are from receiving the effects of his Majesties mercy you seek it upon a particular account wherein the generality of your Citizens have not any interest you are not in a state or condition to treat as Equals with your Master and to desire it is Criminal Nevertheless not to augment by this way the number of your faults I do not know what is the Kings pleasure whose Bounty is infinite upon the subject of Grossetiere But this I know that he cannot receive any punishment that is not less than his demerits It is your duty to keep those that are in the City where you are within the Circuit of your Walls his Majesty being resolved not to suffer any longer that his Souldiers pass the Line towards Rochel nor those of Rochel approach the same bounds and pass unpunished I advertise you hereof to the end that none of you be taken by inadvertency In the mean time I pray you believe that I have with passion desired that you may give me cause to evidence my affection and that I am very glad of an occasion to let you know that I am From Chastellier Aug. 23. 1628. Gentlemen Your affectionate Servant Cardinal Richelieu The 24th ditto the Rochellers sent a Letter to their Deputies in England of this Tenure Gentlemen WE have expected three Months ago the effects of the excellent Letters that we received from the King of England but we do not hear by what disaster it is that we remain here miserable without seeing 1628. Aug. any succours appear Our Souldiers can do no more they die of Famine in the Streets and all our Families are frightened with groans sighs indigency and uncertainties nevertheless we shall hold out until the last day But in the Name of God stay not longer or we shall perish Rochel Aug. 24. 1628. Yours c. The 26th ditto about eight or nine a Clock in the Evening the Rochellers sent out by Land an Inhabitant of the City called Beron a Watch-maker as a Messenger into England to hasten their relief but being in the Kings Quarters at Estre he was discovered and as soon taken and having found by him a Billet in his Doublet behind betwixt the shoulders where he had hid it they condemned him to be hanged as they did also two others who went out at the same time SEPTEMBER The 4th of September the Sieur Arnault Master of the Camp of the Carrabines of the King came on behalf of his Majesty to the Port de Coigne to speak to them making his pretence to be the desire of treating for the exchange of Sieur Fequiere his Brother-in-law with the Sieur Grossetiere Immediately there was sent thither on behalf of the Mayor and his Council the Sieurs de Fiefmignou and Riffault for the Common-Hall and Defos and Moquay for the Burgers carrying also with them the Sieur Fiquiere They remained with him in Conference from eight in the morning until one in the afternoon and continued 1628. Septemb. the same Conference the ninth as also the twelfth thirteenth and fourteenth following and in the end after these long Debates it was decreed that the next day in the morning there should be Deputies sent to Cardinal Richelieu and to that end were nominated Sieurs Riffault and Journault who after having had Pass-ports of the King went to wait upon the Cardinal at Ronsay with whom they conferred until the Evening and then returned to their City with hopes of obtaining their Peace under Conditions good enough but the coming of two Natives of the City viz. Mesnier and Beaumont who arrived the same day from England
him 1628. October The said Sieur Fequiere accepted most willingly this Commission and presently writ accordingly Now I hold my self obliged in duty to impart unto the Publick a Narrative which came from Cardinal Richelieu's own particular Family a little after the rendition which is believed to have been composed either by one of his Secretaries or possibly by himself which may very well serve to illustrate that which follows touching the Conditions granted the Rochellers and shew the manner and grounds upon which they were granted the Tenour of which is as followeth Cardinal Richelieu understanding by Letters from Sieur Fequiere to Sieur Arnault his Brother-in-law that the Rochellers desired Pass-ports to seek his Majesties Grace which he was pleased with his first care was to give the King ready advice thereof who received it with great joy and immediately did the Cardinal the Honour to go to him to Sousay where he assembled the Council for to deliberate upon some Conditions under which they would receive the City notwithstanding their obstinacy in their Rebellion All agreed that they had merited a most rigorous Chastisement and that they ought to make them a Signal Example to all those of the Kingdom which might for the time to come have a thought of opposing the will of the King and making Revolts or Commotions in the Estate But when it came to be debated though all agreed that the King might in Justice take the severest way yet whether that would be most for his Grandeur and Glory and most agreeable to the true Maxims of State they were divided into 1628. October three different Opinions some for the â—igour of Justice others that the King should take this occasion to signalize his Clemency and a tâ—â—â—d sort were for a middle way betwixt both that after the punishing some of the greatest Mâ—tâ—â—â—ers to shew Grace to the rest The Cardinal gathering the sense of one and the other without giving his Opinion represented all to the King to the end that he should make a decision thereof yet nevertheless tempered his discourse so as his inclinations might thereby appear Beginning with those who were for making the City an Example of Justice he said their advice was very well fortified and possible that none can be rendered more deserving punishment considering her obstinacy the trouble it hath a long time given his Majesty and that the Ruines of no place which the King hath demolished to the Foundations cry higher for teaching the people obedience to their Soveraigns that this and that there is no Ramparts secure against Rebellion As to those which held the middle Opinion he extolled their Reasons and said that in such Rencounters the punishment of the most Culpable was an awe upon Mutineers and the pardoning others shewed the bounty of the Prince and hindered the obstinacy of a Community in like cases as is ordinary with those that despair not of mercy of which the Rochellers was even then an Example But when he came to the advice of those that concluded for a General Pardon he inlarged and insisted very much upon their Reasons And first he represented as most considerable that which 1628. October they had supposed that possibly there was never so Illustrious an occasion as this presented to any Prince to signalize his Clemency which is the vertue by which Kings approach nearest to God whose Image they are most in well doing giving life and not in destroying and exterminating it Further that the more culpable that Rochel was and had given the King cause of great irritation the more it would make his Magnanimity appear in after overcoming the City with his Invincible Arms reducing it to a naked submission to him to surmount himself in pardoning it in doing of which the Celebrated Name of this City would proclaim his Glory thoroughout the World and transmit it to Posterity shewing him thoroughout as an incomparable Prince be it in conquering or in the moderate use of his Victories In the second place he weighed the Reasons they had alledged drawn from Rochel it self who though it was culpable beyond what they could say nevertheless the lives of so many thousands as their faults had cost were sufficient Victims to the Justice of his Majesty and interceded for the remainder of the miserable People which might be left which may be judged of by those that are every day seen as Anatomies and Fantasmes about the Line and indeed true Images of Death the sight only whereof doth suffice to disarm his Majesty of all revenge and though he had had a design to triumph over and consume them to change all his Irritation and Thundering into pity He added that it seemed good that they should also consider of what had been alledged and that though their Crimes were most great and without 1628. October excuse yet they had not committed that offence which ought to exclude the people from all hopes of mercy as if they had shaken off the Authority of their Soveraign and submitted to another Scepter Indeed factious spirits made use of the danger of his Majesties forcing their Religion to deceive them into the adhering to the Arms of England for the preserving of their Priviledges but his Majesty knows that the Rochellers made use only of that pretence to the English and that there were other reasons which carried them to the undertaking of this War for that he was perfectly informed that the Rochellers never intended to give themselves up to them which he knew as well by divers of his Servants which he had secretly in the City as from his Confidents which he maintained in England who had constantly writ him that though they had every way assaulted the Fidelity of their Deputies and deferred relief to oblige them to offer themselves to them they would never hearken to it and the perfect Confirmation of this they received by the Packet which one of their Pinnaces coming from England threw into the water when at the passing of the Digue they thought they should be taken Their Treaty made with the King of England and all their Negotiations being deciphered it appeared that though the English had highly Courted them for getting Conditions to the prejudice of this Crown they would never be brought to it and defended themselves therein with all the constancy and firmness that their condition could bear And therefore though they are most Culpable yet since they have preserved their hearts and affections for France it seems to invite his 1628. October Majesty to mercy and not to use them as such who would have shaken off the Yoke of the Monarchy and offered the hand to another Master In the third place he insisted much upon reason of State upon which this advice was founded and pressed the present Constitution of Affairs to require that his Majesty by a Signal example of Clemency and an exact Capitulation mutually agreed upon should endeavour to overcome the Arms of the Duke of Rohan and
no effect and value XC The Acquisitions that those of the Reformed Religion and others which have followed their Party have made by the Authority of the deceased Kings our Predecessors or others for the Immoveables belonging to the Church shall not have any place or effect but we Ordain and our pleasure is That the Ecclesiasticks re-enter immediately and without delay be conserved in the possession and injoyment really and actually of the said Goods so alienated without being obliged to pay the Purchase-money which to this effect we have cancelled and revoked as null without remedy for the Purchasers to have against the Generals c. by the authority of which the said Goods have been sold Yet nevertheless for the re-imbursement of the Money by them truly and without fraud disbursed our Letters Patents of permission shall be dispatched to those of the Religion to interpose and equalize the bare Sums that the said Purchases cost the Purchasers not being allowed to bring any Action for their damages and interest for want of injoyment but shall content themselves with the re-imbursement of the Money by them furnished for the price of the Acquisitions accounting for the price of the fruits received in case that the said Sale should be found to be made at an under rate XCI To the end that as well our Justices and Officers as our other Subjects be clearly and with all certainty advertised of our will and intentions and for taking away all ambiguity and doubt which may arise from the variety of former Edicts Articles secret Letters Patents Declarations Modifications Restrictions Interpretations Decrees and Registers as also all secrets as well as other deliberations heretofore by us or the Kings our Predecessors made in our Courts of Parliaments or other ways concerning the said Reformed Religion and the troubles happening in our said Kingdom we have declared and do hereby declare them to be of no value and effect And as to the derogatory part therein contained we have by this our Edict abrogated and we do abrogate and from henceforward we cancel revoke and annul them Declaring expresly that our will and pleasure is That this our Edict be firmly and inviolably kept and observed as well by our Justices and Officers as other Subjects without hesitation or having any regard at all to that which may be contrary or derogatory to the same XCII And for the greater assurance of the keeping and observing what we herein desire We will and ordain and it is our pleasure That all the Governors and Lieutenants General of our Provinces Bailiffs Chief Justices and other ordinary Judges of the Cities of our said Kingdom immediately after the receipt of this same Edict do bind themselves by Oath to keep and cause to be kept and observed each in their district as shall also the Majors Sheriffs principal Magistrates Consuls and Jurates of Cities either annual or perpetual Enjoyning likewise our Bailiffs Chief Justices or their Lieutenants and other Judges to make the principal Inhabitants of the said Cities as well of the one Religion as the other to swear to the keeping and observing of this present Edict immediately after the Publication thereof And taking all those of the said Cities under our protection command that one and the other respectively shall either answer for the opposition that shall be made to this our said Edict within the said Cities by the inhabitants thereof or else to present and deliver over to Justice the said opposers We Will and Command our well-beloved the People holding our Courts of Parliaments Chambers of Accompts and Courts of Aids that immediately after the receipt of this present Eâ—ict they cause all things to cease and upon penalty of Nullity of the Acts which they shall otherwise do to take the like Oath as above and to publish and register our said Edict in our said Courts according to the form and tenour of the same purely and simply without using any Modifications Restrictions Declarations or secret Registers or expecting any other Order or Command from us and we do require our Procurators General to pursue immediately and without delay the said Publication hereof We give in Command to the said People of our Courts of Parliaments Chambers of our Courts and Courts of our Aids Bailiffs Chief Justices Provosts and other our Justices and Officers to whom it appertains and to their Lieutenants that they cause to be read published and inregistred this our present Edict and Ordinance in their Courts and Jurisdictions and the same keep and observe punctually and the Contents of the same to cause to be injoyed and used fully and peaceably by all those to whom it shall belong ceasing and making to cease all troubles and obstructions to the contrary For such is our pleasure And in Witness hereof we have signed these Presents with our own Hand and to the end to make it a thing firm and stable for ever we have caused to put and indorse our Seal to the same Given at Nantes in the month of April in the Year of Grace 1598. and of our Reign the ninth Signed HENRY And underneath the King being in Council FORGET And on the side VISA This VISA signifies the Lord Chancellors perusal Sealed with the Great Seal of green Wax upon a red and green String of Silk Read published and registred the Kings Procurator or Atturney General hearing and consenting to it in the Parliament of Paris the 25th of February 1599. Signed VOYSIN Read published and inregistred in the Chamber of Accompts the Kings Procurator General hearing and consenting the last day of March 1599. Signed DE LA FONTAINE Read published and registred the Kings Procurator General hearing and consenting at Paris in the Court of Aids the 30th of April 1599. Signed BERNARD PARTICULAR ARTICLES Extracted from the General which the King hath granted to those of the Reformed Religion and which his Majesty would not have comprised in the said General nor in the Edict which hath been made and framed for the same Given at Nantes in the Month of April 1598. And yet nevertheless His Majesty hath agreed that they shall be entirely accomplished and observed altogether as fully as the Contents of the said Edict And to that end they shall be registred in his Courts of Parliament and in other places where it shall be needful and all necessary Declarations Provisions and Patents shall be therefore dispatched THE FIRST ARTICLE THE sixth Article of the said Edict touching Liberty of Conscience and permission to all the Subjects of his Majesty to live and dwell in this Kingdom and the Countries under his obedience shall have place and be observed according to its form and tenor and as well for the Ministers and Pedagogues as all other Professors and Masters of School and generally for those who are and shall be of the said Religion whether Inhabitants only or others so long as they comport themselves according as is contained in the said Edict