but by the doctrine proofe and good example which greatly wanteth in your false Apostles I beleeue there is not any Christian Catholique a faythfull member to the Crowne but would earnestly desire that the King enriched with such store of vertues required in so great a Prince as he is shold likewise be a Christian Catholique to the end that as we ought to haue but one King so wee might also haue but one fayth and Religion wherein as in the feare of God our Prince earnestly labours to haue vs liue Heereof not only the Philosophers and Christian Doctors but also Emperours are assured witnesses by many constitutions recited as well in the Ecclesiasticall hystories as also in the bookes of Theodosius Iustinian who greatlie trauailed to maintain the vnion of the Christian Catholique Church When there is vnitie in religiō in an estate who doubts but al things do prosper the better We desire without offending our selues against them that are contrary to our religion that they would louinglie become partakers with vs and not pursued to the death by the animositie wherwith the Rebels follow both them and vs subiect vs together vnder one selfe-same detection or Categorie VVe desire I say that according to the good and holy custome helde of olde the King should be sacred and annointed at his Corronation and take the oath of a Catholique Prince that is to maintaine the Catholique Church all the rights franchises and priuiledges thereof We know well that since the raigne of Clouis Fraunce hath beene constantly maintained in the Catholique Religion which is the same as say the Emperours Gracian Valentinian and Theodosius that was giuen and taught by Saint Peter to the Romaines and vvhich both holy Emperours Bishops and Councels haue euer since followed for which cause it is yet called Apostolique and Romaine We are not ignorant although some call vs heretiques because that acknowledging the Princes authoritie according as God hath commaunded vs we haue withdrawn our selues to his side that many great personages haue shewen as much by authority of the holy Scripture that the ancient Fathers and Doctors of the Church both Greekes and Latines that the Catholique Religion is the onely and true Religion which hath beene from the Apostles vnto this present by continuall succession alwaies taught preserued in the Romaine Church But we are certaine withall that through the vices which haue slipt thereinto by fault of the Pastours the estate of that Church hath much more neede of reformation thē others We know likewise that we are admonished by Iesus Christ and hys Apostles to liue in concord and vnity with God as S. Paule witnesseth in these words The God of patience and of consolation giue you the grace to know one onely thing amongst ye according to Iesus Christ to the ende that with one sole courage and with one mouth you may glorifie God his Father Religion is a constant vertue teaching the true adoration of God which is done with an intire spirit and the vnity thereof is figured by the garment of Christ Iesus wouen without a seame that it was not to be cut or deuided This is in truth a faire assembly of such as are knit in one brotherly vnanimity consent as well in religion as policie whereof the Prophet Dauid singeth beeing assured that to such God wil send blessings and lyfe euerlasting To this effect Plato and Cicero albeit they were both Pagans haue written That there is nothing more agreeable to the highest God that gouerneth the whole world than the assemblies of men that associate and meete together in selfe same will and affection There is but one Catholique Church sayth S. Paule which frameth all Christians of one minde and spirite concerning the doctrine whereof it were in vayne to dispute after so many auncient Doctors of the Church and religious Counsels We desire nothing more then that the King according to the most Christian tytle of hys Predecessors and his people shoulde be vnited in Christian Religion as for preseruing peace in his Kingdome he is declared the Defender and Protector of the Catholique Religion with protestations so oftentimes reitterated so to preserue it as his proper life Nor is he ignorant what Cicero sayth That Religion beeing troubled the whole Common-wealth is troubled because the disquiet and change that happeneth therein dooth nothing else but cloy the spirites of men with disorder and confusion whence proceedeth contempt of Gods true worshippe and hee beeing offended punisheth and afflicteth with diuers woundes and calamities the Countrey that is fallen into such a miserie This therfore his Maiesty wold fore-see by his wisdome desiring that Religion shoulde bee preserued euen as before God the gouernment of the estate is put into his hande God hath giuen vs such a one adorned with so many heroycall vertues as makes him admirable to all Nations of the world Would you then haue vs goe ranging about and vrge a beleefe contrarie to that we doe beleeue Is it possible we should doe so Faith is the gift of God and is not imprinted in mens consciences by stroakes of swordes or any other weapons it is necessary that the spirit of God should be in quiet all the harts of men especially of vs that are his subiects would herein dye and be consumed Of necessitie is it that this grace commeth from aboue and we can do no otherwise but pray to God for his Maiestie and that he will graunt vs to be still mindefull of our dueties hee is our King wee ought to obey him and he ought to preserue maintaine vs according to the Laws statutes of the Countrey as all other Kings hys predecessours haue doone But what shalt thou gaine by desiring the thing thou doost I beleeue that if the King were such a Catholique as thou wouldest haue him and for one Masse he should dispose himselfe euery day to heare two yet the Rebels would say no lesse of him then they did of the late King that he did it for hypocrisie and to be quiet in hys estate What can we else iudge seing their intent is to exterminate his life with all the generous and royall linage of Burbon to follow the seruice of a Stranger But as I haue sayde GOD hath euer-more preserued that race euen for sixe hundred yeeres and more to this present and yet by hys holy will stil continues it for the good quiet of this poore distressed kingdome These Armes that you haue taken against him ô Rebels will turne to your owne ruine and confusion seeing God forbids ye so to doe what-soeuer pretence ye make of Religion Religion should moue ye to pitty and not to rage to compassion and not furie to loue regard of your King and not to rancour or hatred to a naturall French-affection of hys seruice and not to an obstinate will to wound destroy and take his life from him if ye could Now say my Lords
shee defends her-selfe by Martyrs by Fayth Humilitie Obedience yea all the other Vertues and not by mortall Armes The Church is millitant but with what warre hurts and woundes euen those of her Spouse CHRIST IESVS who so giues Religion anie other Armes then those that Christ Iesus gaue to hys Church in stedde of aduauncing dooth ruinate it The Armes gyuen by GOD to a Christian are iustice in sted of a Corselet the Helmet of Health the inexpugnable Target of Equitie the Shield of Fayth the Sworde of the Spirit which is the worde of GOD. Heere-vpon Saint Paule sayth Let vs which are of the daie bee sober putting on the Breast-plate of Fayth and Charitie and the hope of Saluation for our Helmet For God hath not appointed vs to wrath but to obtaine Saluation by our Lord Iesus Christ. And to the Ephesians he sayth Finally my Bretheren be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Put on all the Armour of GOD that yee may stande against the assaults of the deuill For wee wrestle not against fleshe and bloode but against Rulers against powers against worldly Gouernours of the darkenesse of this world against spirituall wickednesse in heauenly places For this cause take vnto you the whole Armour of GOD that yee may be able to resist the euill daie and hauing fynished all things to stand fast hauing your feete shodde with the preparation of the Gospell of Peace Aboue all taking the Shielde of Fayth where-with you maie quenche all the fierie Dartes of the Wicked Take also the Helmet of Saluation and the Sworde of the Spirite which is the Woorde of GOD. These Armes are commendable meete for a Christian and hee is forbidden to vse other materiall Armes where he goes for Religion and for hys conscience vvhich are no proper meanes to maintayne and defende them withall And nowe at thys instant comes to my memorie an example well worthie noting shewing that Religion ought not to be debated or prooued by corporall Armes The Hystorie is taken from the faythfull Corriualles of Spayne The Maister of Acantara D. Martin Ianes de la Barduba of the Portugall Nation entred in quarrell with the King of Granado about Religion and woulde make proofe of the trueth of his Religion by Armes Heereupon at the motion of a certaine Hermit vvho had promised hym victorie against the Infidell Moore King in despight of the King of Castile to whom he was subiect and had forbidde him to enter war on this occasion he brought an Armie to the Fielde gaue Battaile to the Moore King and there by the iust iudgement of God was worthily punished For there was he slaine and hys Armie vanquished driuen to flight by the Granadanes In thys case he vsed no manner of collour or pretence the trueth was that he tooke Armes for the maintenaunce of the Christian Religion and yet neuerthelesse was ouer-come Then thou that vnder cloake of Religion hast raised these Armes and perpetrated so manie sundry euils what thinkest thou will become of thee That it is not lawfull for a Subiect to Arme himselfe against his King for what pretence so euer it bee IS it not permitted thē sayst thou to bandie our forces against an hereticall Prince Albeit thou hadst such a one yet is it not for a Subiect to Arme himselfe against his King and that the Catholique Noble men which follow him may well gyue thee to vnderstand Tush this is nothing els but thy deceit it sits thee well to haue such a colloured pretext although thou hast no hereticall Prince For the good life and behauiour of his Maiestie with the desire hee hath to be better instructed without obstinacie if he were in errour as he is not exempts him from that infamous name and renowneth him wyth the most Christian King The tree is knowne by his fruite good reason then that thy barbarous actions shoulde shewe thee to be plunged in the bottomlesse depth of Atheisme For if thou didst beleeue in GOD or but loue him thou wouldest folow his word and obey thy Prince what euer he be in hys conscience he seeketh not to constraine thine He is a Christian most Christian King further of from the infidelitie and impietie that raignes in thee then thou or thy helpers are neere your tyrannous willes to despoile him of hys Crowne I would particulerly aunswer to all thy false inductions placed in a rancke vnder thys slye pretence if others better able then I had not doone it before mee wherein there is not anie thing forgotten This is to bee granted that a soueraigne Prince is not to be violate and hys Subiects are bound to obey him whatsoeuer he be without doing that which is contrarie to the honour of God If the King command me to goe to war in his seruice to mount my horse and to giue a charge vppon the enemies of his estate I will doe it most gladly and am bound in duetie so to doe If he commaund me to change my Religion I will not doe it neither is there any such duetie to be exacted on me But his Highnesse is so wise as he well knowes that his power tendeth not that way at his descretion and appointment remaines our bodies and goods the conscience onely appertaineth to God He can not force it and if perchaunce he should offer the meanes of constraint I would withstand him by sufferance and giue ouer force not resist againe by force I will change my Countrey to shunne this compulsion or I will dye in the defence of my Religion notwithstanding our good Kings thoughts are farre from this he wil not make warre against God to take from hym his kingdome which is our conscience soule he being inspyred with him and burning in the zeale of his loue Hauing deuided the French Empire with God thinkest thou hee will take from him his part or but enterprise vppon hys estate Hee is no Tyrant to doe so like thee that wouldest vsurpe and teare it altogether out of his handes but hee shall well enough defende thee thou hast a puissant and vnconquerable aduersarie against thee hee that with him hath part of this Empire And when thou hast presented all thy humaine forces those that thou hast gathered together of lost men and strange Spanyards equall in number with the Armie of Xerxes yet shalt thou not be able I will not say to fight but onely to hold head against our Alcides hauing hys Maister the most mighty King of Kings to be hys helper who holds him by the hand who in thys estate established him and the predecessours of hy srace for the space of sixe hundred yeeres and more commaundeth vs to obey him thou to thy extreame damage hast prooued hys force more then Herculean Hys Edicts and holy ordinaunces be obeyed and most expresly already proposed by manie pennes and sundry Doctors of diuinitie for our perfection which consisteth in the obedience due to
scattered in the vineyard of the innocent whose death shee had before sollicited Dyed not Athalia who put to death all the royall Children of Ochozias whereto withstood the high Priest Iehoiada that reserued Ioas in whom the reigne was afterward established and made peaceable But very true is it that when Ioas fell into forgetfulnesse of thys good turne hee consented to the death of Zacharia sonne to Iehoiada for which cause God suffered that he shoulde be slayne by hys owne proper seruants which notwithstanding none of the sacrificing Priestes nor Prophets woulde attempt or perswade considering that aboue all things the person Royall is to be reuerenced How many Prophets were in tymes past put cruelly to death by Kings who neuer excited any tumult against them but rather councelled and induced them to repentance Esay was parted through the myddest of the bodie with a Sawe by the commaundement of the King Manasses Ieremie was kept prisoner vnder Zedechias by the Gouernours of the Lande of Beniamin The three Children were cast into the midst of the fiery Fornace by the commaundement of Nabuchodonozer King of Babilon Daniel was two seuerall tymes cast out to the Lyons vnder the raigne of Pagane Kings Yet reade we not that these dyd so much as speake euill of the Princes Magistrates that gaue such sentence on them Looke then vpon our Sauiour Christ hymselfe the true example of iustice albeit hee knew the wicked intent of Pilate did he make any acknowledgement of hauing power from aboue Where dyd he commaund to force the cruell Magistrates albeit he could haue done it when himselfe pleased Moreouer did he not reproue the wish of S. Iames and S. Iohn who desired that fire might discend vppon Samaria because theyr entrance there was refused S. Paule albeit he were smitten before the Prince of the Priestes dyd he not freely say He knew not his greatnes when he reproued him For it is written quoth he Thou shalt not curse or speak euill of the Ruler of the people howe much lesse lawfull is it then to attempt any ill against hys person But still thou obiectest that the King is of a contrary Religion The late King whom thou dydst murder was not he a Catholique yet in thy bloodie passion hast thou not slaine him cōtrary to the will of God And shold it be that our King were of a contrary Religion and an enemie to the Lawes of God which hee is not but feares honours him cherisheth his subiects both of the one and other Religion would gladly pacifie hys Kingdome requires to be instructed if he were in errour is that sufficient cause for thee to kyll him whom GOD alone hath lifted to thys authoritie The contrary were more necessary rather as S. Paule sayth To ouer-come euil by dooing good so that our good works may serue to stop the mouthes of ignoraunt and foolish men whereby those may be confounded that esteeme Religion to be an enemy to the publique quiet For who doubts that Nabuchodonozer was not a man of pernicious opinion when hee destroyed the Temple ouerthrew the Altar pyld away the holy Vessels led captiue the people of Israell into Babilon and constrained many to worship the Image which he caused to be erected yet neuerthelesse so farre were these people from conspyring against him as Baruch the Scribe to Ieremie in the name of them wrote to the Iewes that remained at Ierusalem that they should pray for the life of Nabuchodonozer King of Babilon and Balthazar hys Son See Daniell himselfe was not he faithfull to Darius and Cyrus theyr successours Albeit he was a stranger and a Captiue found he not grace of thē for hys loyall seruice yet notwithstanding he was by nation a Iewe the other Gentiles he the seruaunt of God the other Idolaters he a Prophet of God the other blinded in al their doctrines I would haue all the Prophets alleadged find me but one that vnder any pretence whatsoeuer it were dyd at any tyme take Armes against hys Prince yet were they vsed but as vagabounds glad to lyue in Mountaines in sollitarie and desert places to escape and not to mooue persecution S. Iohn the fore-runner of our Sauiour Iesus Christ saw in his time Herode Idumean a counterfeit Iewe vsurpe the Realme of Galilee and Iurie he knew the Romaines to be Gentiles and Idolaters that they had by force not right depriued the people of Israel of theyr lybertie brought them to be tributarie ordained Gouernours after theyr owne minde and doone such things against the people of God as hee myght well complaine on and lament did he for al that purpose any thing to their preiudice or teach them to reuolt against theyr Empyre The Pharisies came to hym for counsell gaue he them any meane to mutinie against the Romaines The Souldiours and men of war came to hym sayd he any thing else to them but that they should remaine contented wyth their wages Dyd he say to them that the Romans ought not to raigne or because it was permitted that therfore they should rise agaynst them Moreouer Herodias molested him King Herode hated him because he was not a pleaser of theyr persons He knew wel that his death was plotted by Phillips wife dyd hee therefore animate his Disciples to sette themselues against her or Hered or dyd he practise any meane to escape Nothing lesse but willingly entred the pryson submitted hys necke to the Executioner offered himselfe to the death hauing good meanes by hys followers that day by day visited hym to rayse a mutinie among the people for his deliueraunce For how should hee haue prepared the Lords way if at that time and place hee had shewed himselfe impacient Hee was the fore-runner of hym that taught him to obey pay tributes doe the rest of hys dutie to the Princes of this worlde albeit they were Pagans and Idolaters That it should be so our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST dyd hee euer preach or permit that any one should styrre against Caesar he so much despised it as beeing demaunded if it were lawfull to pay hym tribute or no hee aunswered Giue vnto Caesar that which is Caesars and vnto God that which is Gods I say furthermore himselfe although he was poore yet paid he the Trybute for him and S. Peter commanding him to take out of a Fish a peece of money to dyscharge there-with his duetie Hee sawe the Publicanes and gnawers of the people to be exacters ransackers of poore soules vnder pretence of seeking the Romaine Princes right neuerthelesse he neuer did or would take occasion to murmur but himselfe haunted to the Publicans and dyd eate drinke wyth them He well noted the ambition of the Kings of the Gentiles saying they would stand vppon the tytles of gouerning yet did hee euer animate the people to chase them frō their seates He knew the cruelty of Herod the iniustice
vowed enemie in thy pretence to this Realme which pertaines not to thee neither canst thou gaine it by thy forces so often vanquished but heerein thou resemblest the bold-faced and shamelesse Woman iudged by Salomon who was contented that the Childe which neuer sprang from her body rather then it shoulde be deliuered to the rightfull Mother should be deuided and cut in halfes according to the discreet iudgement of the King who pronounced that sentence onely to know the true Mother well knowing that she would neuer condiscend to such a crueltie Thou canst not by right obtaine Fraunce wherein remaineth nothing of thine and therefore thou wouldest rather dismember it and giue it as a pray to the Spaniard our greatest enemie then we should enioy our true legittimate successour who shewes himselfe a Father of his Countrey the estate and as one rather desirous to loose then see it ruinate woulde by kindnesse call home the Rebels to repentance Heereto tended his so long siedge against Paris beeing certaine that if hee had not detested the spoyle thereof notwithstanding it was the fordge of all this rebellion hee had long since forced taken and possest it or layd it leuell with the ground in cinders Thys succour of the Spanyards which at at this present are thy Gods yet in the ende thou shalt finde them rauening Woolues is very conformable to thee but if by thy incantations and charmes thou canst call the deade from theyr graues or draw them out of the fire infernall call to thy ayde if thou wilt Don Pedro the first and onely of that name sur-named the cruell hee beeing the fourth King of Castile and the thirtie-fyue of Leon who began his raigne in the yeere one thousand three hundred and fiftie by crueltie and therein continued all his life tyme. In vnhappy houre hee espoused fayre Blanch of Burbon of that royall house which raigneth at this day in despight of thee whose life he shortened by poyson in the pryson of Medina Sidonia and her bodie was afterward taken vp by the French who on this occasion entred into Castile on the behalfe of Don Henry and so was buried at Tudela in Nauarre Rayse vp thys Python rayse vp this monstrous Tyrant if thou canst whose cruelties surpassed all other cruelties addicted to vnlawfull loues to murders massacres persecution of his Lords cruell to his Subiects and his owne proper blood a periured wretch a parricide an impious robber he will serue thee for a goodly guide to thy men of warre Call vp Erithia who vnder collour of Religion and holinesse in the time of the former Kings established and caused to be builded in Spayne a great and magnificent Temple in the I le of Tartessus nowe called Calis or Tarifa whereof she then changed the name caused it to be called Erithia To this Temple was due the tenthes of the pyllages and theeueries of the West parts by perpetual ordinaunce and very long time obserued because those Kinges of Spaine to couer theyr thefts and spoyles gaue part thereof vnto their false Gods Drawe foorth of Hell a most ambicious Cardinall of Spayne called Ximenes no meane enemy to them that were of greatest authoritie in his time for he could scant brooke any companion in the gouernment of Castile and therfore would deuide betweene the King and himselfe the authority royall Call the authours of the tumult of Medina Sidonia and those turbulent fellowes that forced and violenced the Courts of Parliament and Chauncerie in Vailledolid whereupon ensued a rigorous determination yet no more then the rebellious breakers of iustice had deserued Summon the sedicious people of the Cittie of Badaios to the Realme of Castile who reuolted from theyr King Don Sancho and yet neuerthelesse were too cruelly punished for the King hauing giuen thē assurance of their lyues suddainly caused them to be massacred without sparing man woman or child to the number well neere of foure thousand Send for the sedicious of Lisbone of whom I spake before Call for the rigour crueltie of the Spanish Inquisition Ayde thy selfe with the factious of Castile for the Bishop of Siguenca Draw to thee by thy sortiledges the conspyring Vailledolitaines in the yeere foure hundred sixtie foure who rebelled against the King Don Henrie the fourth who were accompanied with certaine of the chiefest personages beeing mooued with a kind of iealousie against Don Bertrand de la Cueua made Maister of the Caualierie of S. Iames because he was the Kings Minion yet defended they themselues with other reasons and made the desire of publique benefite a shadowe for theyr conspiracie Which was not punished when it might haue beene through the negligence and ouer-great compassion in the King who rather loued to shewe himselfe quiet then valiant Hee endured the peremptory speeches of the Byshop of Calorra without being moued and was betrayed on all sides but principallie by Aluaro Gomes whom he putting in trust with hys greatest affayres because from meane degree he had highly aduaunced him yet hee notwithstanding wrought the meanes wherby hys aduersaries warred against him and gyuing no credite to the coūsel was giuen him was betrayed to the Arch-bishop of Toledo depriued of courage was afterward disgraded ignominiously in Auila so deposed frō his royall seate But it may be these fellons are not bad enough to receiue thy prest-money because thy present companions surpasse them in villanie and treason for these rehearsed contented thēselues wyth chasing theyr King marie thy companions haue murdered theyrs Then call yet if thou wilt from Plutoes kingdome other worse Spanyards the rebellious Subiects of Phillip de Castro Prince of Arragon whom they kylled in Castile the Granadanes who slew Ioseph the seauenth and Ismaell the fift theyr Kinges The Valentians in the yeere one thousand three hundred and fortie-seauen because of the succession in the Realme of Arragon notwithstanding their rebellions were subdued by the King Don Pedro the fourth who gaue battaile to these rebellious confederates Sarragossa was captiuate and Valentia conquered albeit at the first the Valentians thought to make resistance and many skyrmishes past betweene them and theyr Kings but beeing many times vanquished and repulsed wyth losse they resolued in the end to surrender vp the Citty which the King beeing by nature sharpe and rigorous would haue rased that the plough might passe thereon and then haue sowed salt in the place in hatred of the dishonourable insolencies hee sustained by the Valentians Neuerthelesse he was disswaded from hys angry purpose by his Lordes that then were with him and contented himselfe with the execution of iustice on certain of the conspirators I see thee nod thy head and that yet thou hast neede of other kind of whelpes for these yet rehearsed thou wilt but place among so many Rebels as holding yoke with thee do yet trust to the clemencie of our Alcides wold be submitted to his mercie Then ioyne to all these
could alleadge so that Saule acknowledging his humanity by the demonstrations he had of Dauid at his comming forth of the Caue he fell into teares and thus spake vnto Dauid Thou art more righteous then I for thou hast rendred me good whereas I intended thee euill and thou hast shewed mee this daie the good thou hast doone me for asmuch as when the Lord had gyuen me into thy handes yet thou wouldest not kill me For who shall find his enemie and let him depart into a good waie wherefore the Lord will reward thee with good for that which thou hast done vnto me this day And nowe I beholde and knowe for a certaintie that thou shalt be King and the kingdome of Israell shall be stablished in thy hands Such were the words of Saule to Dauid beholding the humanitie Dauid had vsed towards him by which pardoning of hys enemy he aduaunced hym and was so farre of from beeing auenged as hee withdrewe himselfe from his right of raigning in the Kingdome which God had giuen him I cannot omit in thys case another deede of Dauid toward Saule The Ziphians being come to Saule in Gibea aduertised him that Dauid was hid in the Mountaine of Hachilah which was face to face before the Desert of Iesimon Then Saule renuing hys mortall enmity against Dauid accompanied himselfe with three thousand able men and pitched his Campe on the Mountaine of Hachilah Nowe Dauid dwelled in the wildernes and knew by hys espials that Saule was come neere him wherfore in the night hee came to the place where Saule had placed his Campe and hymselfe slept within the Fort hys Tents beeing pitched rounde about him and very neere him was Abner the sonne of Ner the chiefe Captaine of hys Armie Which Dauid perceiuing discended into that place with Abisay approched neere his enemy Saule when Abisay thus spake to Dauid God hath closed thine enemie into thy hand this day now I pray thee let me smite him once with my speare to the earth and I will not stirre a foote from thee wherto Dauid answered I will not haue him smitten for what is he can lay his hand on the Lords annointed and be guiltlesse And Dauid said furthermore So truelie as the Lorde liueth no harme shall be doone him but rather God shall smite him or his day shal come to die or he shall discend into battaile and there perish The Lord will keepe me from luying my hand vpon his holie and annointed but I pray thee onelie take hys Speare that standes at his heade and his Cruse of water and so let vs depart Thus Dauid contented hymselfe wyth thys brauado euer-more declaring hym to be no way excusable that should attempt any thing against the person of the King Let me say beside that Saule beeing slaine in the fight against the Philistines and Dauid hearing tydings of hys death was very sorrowfull and vsed meruailous lamentations commaunding him to be brought before hym that had cut off his heade who thought to delight hym with bringing the head of Saule saying that he had doone him to death when Dauid mooued with pitty and anger How is it quoth he that thou wast not afraid to lay thine hand on the Lords annointed Thy blood be vppon thine owne heade for thine owne mouth hath testified against thee saying I haue slaine the Lords annointed All the water of the Sea cannot then serue to wash the murderers of the late King neyther shall any of them be held excusable that pursue the life and estate of hys successour our vertuous and most valiant Prince But thou alleadgest the Prouerbe common among the barbarous Si ius violandum est regnandi gratia violandum est If right be to be violate for a kingdoms sake it is to be violate Wherfore then vsest thou the pretence of Religion and common-good to ouer-throw the most simple with these deceits Thys prouerbe is of Tyrants and Atheists who regard not that God is the reuenger of Kings and returneth euill to such as enterprise against theyr estates VVhat aduauncement receiued Absalon listning to the pernitious counsell of Achitophell and following it attempted against the person of King Dauid hys Father What happened to Adonia who thought to vsurpe the Realme against Salomon hauing deceiued the Mother of the King as very well it was made knowne vnto him afterward How is it chaunced to those who to the hard hap of Fraunce taking a morsell wyth the Spanish enemie and the trecherous League haue troubled thys estate Howe will it fall out with such who after beeing in fauour wyth the coniuration dyd by a Monke murder the late King let them not now stand doubting seeing that GOD is iust But to confute the colloured obiection of the Leaguers at thys day who say that the King is of a contrary Religion and thereby pretende an excuse for theyr conspiracie Haue they not read in the holy Scripture that Ieroboam king of Samaria had raiected the auncient Religion VVhat Prophet perswaded to make war against hym Hys Sonne dyed of disease because of hys sinne the ruine of his Realme was fore-told him but not executed by hys Subiects offenders against the Law of God Great euils befell to Achab the Realme of Israell for hauing brought in new Religion by the perswasion of Iezabell Daughter to the King of the Sidonites false Prophets were permitted the Altars were destroyed and the better sort of people put to death Neuerthelesse Elias the chiefe Prophet of that tyme albeit he was of wonderfull zeale yet did not hee cōmaunde that any one shoulde rise against the King The Prophets of God were hid in Caues an hundred in one place and an hundred in an other secretly nourished with simple breade and water the good men of behauiour afflicted on all sides and yet was none of them offended with the King or any enterprise prepared against hys person The Prophet onely shewed him his sinne and that GOD would punish it by drought three yeeres and a halfe but who euer read that hee incited any one to contend against his Prince Farre off from him was quae vim vi repelleret he willed none to repulse violence with violence and so to deliuer their Countrey but hearing that Iezabell sought for him to put him to death he referred vengeance to the hand of God only who sheweth himselfe a Reuenger when any one is vniustlie punished by the Magistrate whome no man is permitted to resiste with armes according as it happened to Achab and Iezabell For besides the death of many Prophets they caused righteous Naboth to bee murthered thereby vniustly to gette his Vineyarde and then our God who reserued the punishments heereof till conuenient time suffered Achab to endure such necessitie as hee ouerthrewe himselfe and was slaine As for Iezabell shee was throwne from the height of a Towre by her Eunuches rent in peeces with dogs her members
and remedie by the end and cutting off a Tyrant Likewise that it is more necessary to proceede against the crueltie of Tyrants rather by publique authoritie then by particuler wilfulnes or presuming But if any people haue right to prouide themselues of a King and that by them he is chosen for iust cause the King so established may by the people be supprest or his authoritie taken from him by them that created him King because so tyrannously hee abused the Maiestie royall Now are the people to bee iudged vnfaithfull in forsaking and subiecting thys Tyrant because before hee was neuer Gouernour of himselfe neither carryed that faithfull and honourable minde as is required in the office of a King Thus misleading and misgouerning his people hee deserues not that hys subiects shoulde keepe the promise they made and swore to him So the Romaines chased out of the Kingdome Tarquine the proude whome they had receiued as their King but because of the tyranny of him and his sonne they subiected thēselues to a lesser authoritie namely of Consuls In like case Domitian who succeded the most modest and debonnaire Emperours Vespasian his Father and Titus his brother because hee excercysed tyrannie hee was slaine by the Romaine Senate and by their decree were reuoked and annihillated all such things as he badly had established ordayned against the Romaines For this cause S. Iohn the Euangelist the beloued Disciple of Christ who was sent in exile by Domitian into the I le of Pathmos was recalled from thence and sent by the Senate to Ephesus But if any superiour Gouernour hath right to giue a King to the people he ought to regarde his dealing to yeeld remedie against the malice and wickednesse of the Tyrant Heereof Archelaus may remaine example who hauing begun to raigne in Iurie in the place of King Herod his father began to imitate him in wickednes and crueltie when the Iewes framed a cōplaint against him before Augustus Caesar then first his authoritie was deminished the name of King taken from him the moitie of his Realme deuided to his two brethren And because by thys meane hee could not bee kept from vsing tyranny Tyberius Caesar sent him in exile to the cittie of Lyons in Fraunce And if it bee not possible to haue humaine succour against a Tyrant let vs make our recourse to God the King ouer all who will help the oppressed in trybulation for it is in the power of God to conuert the heart of a Tyrant into mildnesse according to the words of Salomon Cor Regis in manu Dei quocunque voluerit inclinabit illud The hart of the king is in the hand of God he may turne it whether soeuer he will For he turned into meekenes the crueltie of King Assuerus who prepared to put the Iewes to death Hee likewise conuerted and changed the cruell King Nabuchodonozer that he became a Preacher of the diuine power saying Nowe therefore I Nabuchodonozer praise extoll magnifie the King of heauen whose works are al truth his wayes iudgement and those that walke in pride or arrogancie is he able to humble and abase But as for Tyrants they are reputed by him vnworthie of conuersion he will cut thē off or bring them into base estate according to the words of the Wiseman God destroieth the seates of proud Princes and setteth on them such as are meeke and humble in their sted Hee it is who seeing the affliction of his people in Egypt and hearing the cry of them ouerthrew the Tyrant Pharao with his Armie in the Red-sea It is he that not onely threw from the throne Roall the fore-named Nabuchodonozer who was become verie proude but also depriued him of the company of men and changed him into a beast Hys arme is no whit shortened but hee can and will deliuer his people from Tyrants For he promised to his people by the Prophet Esay that he would giue rest to the trauaile confusion and troublesome seruitude wherein they were before subiected And by Ezechiell hee saith I will deliuer my flocke from the mouthes of such sheepheards as doe nothing but feede themselues But to the ende the people may obtayne this mercifull benefit from God it is necessarie for them to leaue theyr sinne because that in vengeaunce thereof the wicked and vngodly by diuine permission get hold of the principalitie And God saith by the Prophet Osee I will giue thee a King in my furie and in Iob it is written that hee will suffer the hypocrite to raigne because of the sinnes of the people It is requisite thē to take way the fault to the end GOD may cease to punish vs by the meanes of Tyrants Hetherto Thomas Aquinus shewed the errour of such as lifted themselues against Princes albeit they were Tyrants and dyd intreate their Subiects cruelly Sayst thou then vnder this pretence of tyrannie that iustly thou mayst raise thee against the King to kyll him murder him by treason and so to take his estate from him For the first he is no Tyrant and though hee shoulde consent to make any tyrannous Act as therein thou saist most false yet thy wordes fauour of most abhominable errour and are condemned by the counsell of Constance who aboue all things would haue abolished and rased foorth such a pernicious doctrine That it shoulde bee lawfull to kill a Tyrant for any cause what soeuer it be They declared such people to be wicked erronious in fayth and manners reproouing and condemning them as Heretiques or scandalous preparers of the way to fraudes deceites dreames periuries and treasons Thys holy Sinode declared furthermore and ordained that such as obstinatly affirmed and maintained this doctrine were heretiques and ought to be punished according to the holie and Canonicall ordinaunces Then tell me Sorcerer art not thou an heretique hauing murdered not a Tyrant but a iust debonnaire lawfull King Art not thou an heretique to pursue the life and estate of his admirable successour whom thou art enforced to confesse account for a mightie generous and affable Prince gracious euen toward his verie enemies a conseruer of Religion although he make profession of that is contrarie to thee But thou fearest as it seemeth that beeing the heade of his Subiects hee wyll not change his Religion but rather his clemencie into rigour and seuerity thys proceeds but frō the fardle of thy malice As concerning the matter of Religion I haue thereto aunswered thee alreadie but for the alteration of his kinde nature into another more rigorous I am perswaded that he is established by GOD to doe iustice to the wicked Beside he is so soundly acquainted with mercy and gentlenes as hee will neuer from them degenerate but will pardon hys simple Subiects that gaue but consent to rebellion and were not authours or procurers thereof Dooth it then appertaine to thee to iudge thy Prince Men saith the
holy Scripture see the outward part but God onely regardeth the inward God reserueth to himselfe the examinations of the intents and thoughts of men wherefore presumest thou then to iudge the hart of thy Soueraigne when thou sayst he will doe but as such a King or such a Queene Art thou a Prophet or hath GOD reuealed to thee the minde thoughts of the King It is not for thee beeing a seruaunt and Subiect to iudge thy Maister but it appertaineth to the Maister to iudge his seruaunt thy offences are the cause of thys temerarious iudgement A man can haue no better censure of others then of himselfe for he is of this nature that he thinkes others doe erre in what himself erreth so because thou art a lyar and deceiuer of thy King thou iudgest his Maiestie after thine own affections and in respect thou art not capable of any good therefore thou attributest an euill end to all good works eyther because thou valuest them as nothing or for the enuious wyll thou bearest to the King The Sunne whose radiant beames passeth thorow the glasse receiueth his collour of the same glasse in like sort the iudgement which passeth the hart of a wicked man must needes be wicked because hys hart is painted wyth a wicked collour so thy euill opinion of the Kings deedes proceedes but from thyne owne euill disposition A wande thrust neuer so right into the water seemeth crooked and broken euen so thy broken vicious and rebellious hart censureth the sound actions of the King to be broken as the sicke-man that reiecteth good wholesome meates and imagineth them to be bitter because himselfe hath lost his taste The deuill seeing hee could not ouer-come by slaunder the good workes of Iob iudged wickedly of hym that what he did was doone to an euill end and therefore he sayd to God The good which Iob did was rather for his owne profit then his loue King Dauid wyth a holie intent sent to visite Ammon King of Ammon to comfort hym after the death of his Father Nahas but the people sayd incontinent that Dauid had sent priuie Spyes for inuasion of the Kingdome So Leaguer in like manner thou interpretest to an euill end the good endeuours of the King as also of hys followers and faithfull Subiects The better sort of people because they are well minded iudge euer-more the better way and wyll themselues excuse the bad dealings of theyr neighbours so much as in them lyeth to performe Ioseph in Egypt excused so much as he could the mallice of hys Brethren who enuiously had sold him into that Kingdome saying to them That God had permitted it for their profit and the succour of so manie people Saint Stephen excusing before God the mallice of hys persecutours that stoned him sayd they did it through ignoraunce so to make lesser the faulte of hys enemies Euen so the mallice or good inclination of each ones hart is cause of their iudgements good or euill The naturall heate in a man that is healthfull of good nature complexion consumeth all that he eateth and conuerteth it into good blood as by the like example the man that feareth God is enflamed wyth his loue turneth what-soeuer he beholdeth to profit therby but the wicked conuerteth euery thing to euill A good man giueth credite to all good wordes sayth Salomon and thys facillitie in beliefe is not to be blamed in him but rather commended Thys is the holy simplicity of the Doue which Iesus Christ commended to his Apostles wherein consisted that they should not be malicious they should iudge well of all and take in good part what-soeuer they saw doone by their Bretheren The Gabaonites came to Iosuah with an euill disposed will and betrayed the holy person and people of GOD by theyr falshood deceits and so long as Iosuah with his followers did well these Gabaonites woulde not beleeue but that they were come to beguile them Charitie thinketh no euill or misiudgeth of anie one A good man hath no eyes to looke on the faultes of another but thou that art wicked hauing lost both charitie and the vertue of obedience thou considerest rashlie thinking others to be sinners and thy selfe iust Our Sauiour reprooueth thee where hee sayth Hypocrite thou seest not the great beame in thine owne eye but thou well notest the lyttle moate in thy neighbours eye It is a great matter that not caring for thine owne conscience thou art become so busie an examiner and inquisiter of the deedes of thy Superiours as thou wylt see and pry into theyr thoughts wherein thou shewest thy selfe but a foole that hauing to correct so many faults by thee committed beeing a Subiect thou wilt presume to iudge of thy King Prince as also hys Seruaunts whose deedes imploied to a good end by thee are misconstrued and iudged after thyne owne fancie In the old Law God forbad the Priest to iudge presently of the Leper but to let 7. dayes first be past If then God wold not permit the priest to iudge so suddainly of the Leper whom he manisfestlie beheld thinkest thou he wyl suffer thee beeing a Subiect to iudge of thy King and of the mallice which thou sayst is in hys hart where-into thou hast no eyes to discerne Thou Leaguer thou examiner of the hart and thoughts of thy King remember the chastisement of God on the Bethsamites because they would needes so curiously looke search into the Arke of the Testament as it passed thorow their Countrey God smote to death three-score and ten men of the chiefest sort and fifty thousand of the common people The hart of thy King is as the Arke inscrutable much more interiour and secrete are the intentions of a Kings hart and his seruaunts then were the tables of the Law the vessels for the Manna or the rod which was within the Arke of Israell If then thou weenest so curiously to sift and examine the thoughts meaning of thy King being good and iust yet notwithstanding interpreted by thee to an ill ende thou canst not escape the punishment which God inflicted on the Bethsamites iudge not then rashlie nor detract thy King The Apostle saith detracters are abhominable before God then speake wee in general how much more abhominable are such subiects as dare detract against their King and Superiours All these detracters and slaunderers promise to themselues by their rebellion a high step into glory hauing hetherto lyued at theyr ease on robberies and spoyles made on the faythfull French-men But ô God! howe farre of are they from theyr account hauing in hatred the bridge of true repentance with solemne acknowledgment of theyr offences ouer which all sinners that are Christians must of necessity passe What-soeuer good the K. doth thou art in such sort possest with the spirite of dissention as thou sayst it is no more then a Dreame or fantasie Thou blamest the Catholiques that they
all detestation in the end wil set their feet on thy neck before they be swallowed in this depth altogether as already many of the better aduised are who find themselues drawne forth of thys Labyrinth euen as it were by the thredde of Ariadne An aduertisement to the small companie of Noble men that follow the League YOV Gentlemen of honourable minde byrth that make loue to thys deceitfull Courtezane good God! how are you abused Doe yee not behold that in promising she plucks from ye and in giuing she takes away Despoyling ye of your Noblesse renowne and honor See ye not that she cherisheth ye to the end to slack and weaken ye to your King and Countrey by making ye drunk with her vnlawful loue Know ye not the cunning of this withered Geryon that would separate and deuide ye in the end to triumph ouer ye Doe ye not yet discouer her mallice Haue ye yet your eyes sealed vp will ye not purge them of the powder of so many collours and false pretences as are thrown into them that yee might cleerelie discerne your selues to come into a good way The League you reuerence so much is like a Tree secretlie and subtillie planted in the midst of you the fruit whereof at the first beholding seemeth faire yet are they verie bitter and poysonable to poore Fraunce how happens it thē that they are so sweet and sauorie to you whose tastes are so fine delicate Know yee not that such Leagues confederacies and particuler associations of Subiects amongst themselues or with other Princes vnder what-soeuer pretence it be are forbidden by Monarches Yea the King of Spaine himselfe that thus beguiles yee hath by expresse Edicts inhibited his Subiects from thē yet shal this old Reynard by the same meanes spoile destroy you Are ye ignorant my Lords that there was no accusation more great against Lewes of Fraunce Duke of Orleance after he was slaine by the pollicies of the Duke of Burgundie then because he was allied and leagued with the English Duke of Lancaster Nor can yee defende your selues with the authoritie of the late most worthie Prince the Cardinall of Burbon whose integritie and holie zeale to Christian Religion the Maister whom you serue vnder the afore-named pretence of pietie and Religion abused And doubtlesse as much would he doe to this honourable vertuous religious Prince the Cardinall of Burbon his Nephewe if he did not well perceiue that so great a Prince and Prelate by his wisedome and most carefull fore-sight instructed by nature cōfirmed from his yongest tender yeeres by the vertuous documents hee receiued of Mounsieur de Bellozane a sharp sighted good Catholique most faithful Frenchman would discouer his fraude and coniuration and finde readie at his fingers endes what he entended to his King and all other of his blood It was not lawfull for that great Prince the late Cardinall of Burbon of praise worthy memorie so kindly and easily notwithstanding his authoritie to league himselfe or to giue any occasion or couerture of a League because it pertaineth to none but the King to doit or to commaund or consent to Leagues hee hauing the onely soueraigne authoritie But the enemies to the King the estate and his honour very easilie deceiue him vnder the colour of Religion the Weale publique You are capable of reason then conceiue what I say Forsake the error of thys vile kynde of people that are dulled and infected with this daungerous poyson defende your selues with this preseruatiue and consider that these Rebels haue their weapons in hande euen against you seeing they menace the estate which you ought and are bounde to maintaine and defende because thereon dependeth your Noblesse goods and liues The enemie hath diuers times receiued shrewd checkes but that your assistance and hostilitie relieued him had we your fidelitie with all the rest of this noble body soone should both the checke and mate be giuen him or rather this Hydra with so many heads shold be ouerthrowne and vtterly vanquished Abandon and giue ouer this Sorcerer vnwrappe your selues out of these snares if you bee wise and knit your selfe in a Gordian knot vnto your King our Hercules who holdes his armes wide open to receiue you courteouslie albeit ye haue so greatly offended Would ye by any badde deede of perfidie loose the name of Frenchmen heeretofore so admyred amonge strangers as that for the auncient Noblenesse of the French it was attributed by the Orientall Greekes before all the Latines and people of the West Can ye endure that the Spanyard who wold commaund euery where shall distaine your names and famous race Will ye let your selues loofe the naturall enfranchise and libertie so long time frequent among the auncient french before it was peece-meale rent by manners and opinions of strangers nowe when yee haue nothing left more deere then your honour and reputation Neuer thinke to make your selues great by that which you ruinate but think what shall become of you yours in such accidents The difficulties and occurrances that happen in an estate troubled with affaires of partialities are the moreful of dangers in that they depend on what may ensue and cannot easilie be referred to anie certain rule so that prouidence must there haue greater place thē knowledge But the humane spirit is so blinded with selfe-loue and dazeled with things present carrying shewe of delight as it imagines such pleasures ought alwaies to endure and little cares for ought may afterward come to passe the next way to vse speciall regard heereof is not to entertaine our thoughts with flattering desseignes or opinions So GOD who to himselfe hath reserued all power destributeth no otherwise his gyftes to men but that often-times hee ouer-throwes their determinations so soone as they are conceiued and some-times fore-seeing the scope of mens drifts conuerteth the enterprise to the ruine of the inuenter Then flatter not your selues concerning the part you take which is directlie against God against the estate and against your King and so cōsequentlie to the extirpation of al the French Nobilitie for the Stranger accompanied with a multitude of base peasants and groomes will loose and betray you to the Switzers If anie one of the wiser sorte that attendes on which side the winde will turne and now are halfe Spanyards nowe on the Kings side according to the occurrences shall say vnto me that I shew my selfe ouer passionate I aunswer him that in generall deuisions a man ought to take one partie for otherwise hee shoulde shewe himselfe to be faultie standing as a Neuter and so deserue the punishment ordained by Solon for such people As for me reason tels me that I faile not in taking and following the part of my King whom God hath lawfully and by the degree of succession giuen vs to gouerne and relieue this poore afflicted kingdome which doth nothing else but stagger beeing so extenuate and weake as if his Maiestie
assisted by God did not sustaine and restore it hardlie should she find any other to helpe her with recouerie of health albeit this is not the first time that Fraunce hath been deuided into Leagues and partialities after which it hath beene reunited and reconciled For the disease of this estate is so sharpe and violent albeit the cause thereof is well knowne to all as if it find not an aunswerable remedie by the admirable prescription of some speciall and no vulgare Phisition vndoubtedly immediate death will ensue Which were great pittie my Lordes that Rebels should so doe after they haue mangled dissipated and spoyled it vnder collour of reformation and pretence of Religion haue likewise brought in the Spanyard euen to the verie hart of the estate and then caused him to discend into Brittaine Prouince to enrich himselfe with the publique ruines and hauocke of French-mens goods Doe ye not already behold that the Spanyards are Maisters within Paris Doe yee not see them gorging the riches treasure of the Cittizens See yee not likewise how they handle the foolish people that when they come to acknowledge theyr fault they are so feeble and faint-harted as they easily chase driue them forth of their houses wherof they presently will haue the authority and disposing beside eyther by faire meanes or force deale with theyr wiues theyr daughters and their seruaunts It is easie as Pindarus saith for the rude base multitude to trouble and ouer-turne a great Cittie but to bring and re-establish it in the former florishing esttae requireth a little more paine and trauaile For such onely can doe that to whom God as the true Gouernour giueth the means and counsell how to performe it The King alone can re-establish Paris and the Spanyarde assisted with the Rebels both without within gapeth but for the generall ruine therof The King labours to preserue it as beeing his proper heritage and principall seate of the Kinges the Spanyard imployeth his daily paine for the losse therof accounts it best to vse it as a garrison a pernicious garrison a garrison which will be the miserable end of the greatnesse and excellencie of Paris for whose safety the King endured before it the discommodities of a long siedge desiring rather to recouer it by reason and reknowledging of offences past thē to take it by force and so commit it to sack the Souldiours spoyle Therfore thou needest not accuse the King because so long time he besieged Paris with no other intent rather heereby thou shouldest conceiue an argument of most wonderfull and debonnaire kindnesse or rather a princely fatherlines towards his Subiects who are as deere to hym as his naturall Children What man is he so foolish that will thrust fire into his house vnder shadowe that it is occupied by his enemies if he haue the meanes left to chase them away or to make them become hys Freendes VVhat Father is it beeing neuer so greeuously offended with hys Sonne will therefore immediatly worke his death or destruction Will he not rather vse discretion and tarry the time wherein by necessitie or other kinde of trauersing hee may bring him againe into the right way or acknowledgement of hys fault In vain were it to doubt otherwise marrie if the sonne perseuere long time stubborne and the Father be seuere in the end he will chastise him according to his deserts The King then hath proceeded like a good Father of a familie hauing vsed incredible pacience and kindnesse euen till the extremity when he might haue ruined and confounded all his enemies God therefore will permit him a double recompence and if heereafter the Rebelles be handled by his Maiestie more rigorously themselues thereof haue giuen him iust occasion It is harde to order or well guyde an aduice and deliberation for reducing a Kyngdome vexed wyth troubles and sedicions into a sounde assuraunce as the Pylot what-soeuer experience he hath findes it difficult for him to guide the Shyp when he is hindered with exceeding rough Seas and extraordinarie tempests when he shall be dryuen from hys right course of Nauigation and see the vessell begin to splyt and shyuer against the Rockes being vnable longer to man the stearne But GOD gyueth grace to the King as a most good assured expert Pylote to recouer the Barque of the Common-wealth of Fraunce so menaced and in danger of ship-wrack to the confusion of all his enemies And nowe to returne to you my Lordes loue yee better to lyue miserably vnder the tyranny of them that would destroy yee then vnder the sweete and agreeable subiection of the most gracious King on the earth Who makes no spare of himselfe but standes exposed to all daungers to winne you by his Armes and by the assistance of so many great Lords and Gentlemen to re-seate peace quiet and tranquillity As Pindarus writes comparing Peace to a fayre and mylde weather which causeth aboundance and fertilitie of all good things and is as he saith the soule of the spirite and thought the daughter of Iustice that conserueth and maintaineth the greatest Citties hauing the most excellent keyes of counsell and good deliberation VVyll not you then trauaile with your King to gaine thys fayre and precious Iewell Will not you followe him to chase hence the cruell dysquieters of your Countrey Loue ye better to consent to theyr inuasion to loose and bury your selues in theyr Conquests then liue vnited to your King in peace in your Houses and Castels wyth your Wyues and Chyldren Wyll yee suffer your selues to fall head-long into thys discorde which ingendereth nothing but confusion which in such sort dazeleth the very greatest spyrits as they shall not see and know what is good for them How soueraigne a vertue is it to counsell well and howe equall there-with is it to listen good counsell and follow it It is greatly to bee feared considering the mallice of these Rebels that it bee not saide of this estate as Cicero wrote of the Romaine common-wealth the shaddowe whereof to our great paine remaines in this kingdome Sedition is lightly mooued and oftentimes on very small occasion but suddainlie it engendreth dyuers troubles as raging stormes and tempests that sundry wayes tosse and turmoyle the Common-wealth and sometimes it falles out that the Author of these broyles dooth as the Bird who hauing got bird-lyme by chaunce into her winges the more shee striues to loose her selfe the faster her winges cleaue together with the lyme If then wee woulde haue the Common-wealth to liue and florish let vs liue in agreement with our King for concorde is the verie soule of the Common-wealth The vnitie which you haue followed vntill this present is contrarie both to your quiet and welfare of the state Perceiue yee not by the disorders heere engendred by the enemies of the Realme that their entrance was made onely to triumph ouer you And will yee forget your selues so much as
Oligarchia which is the gouernment of the most mightie and factious And in the ende by vnbridled libertie in many places and Citties where the Rebels are you shall beholde not any Democratia or populer estate wel pollitiquely gouerned by the Lawes but rather a most miserable Olocratia an insolent domination of the multitude or rather a many headed Anarchia the oppression whereof is most horrible and pernitious For you knowe that the people either serue humbly or commaunde imperiously and tasting a little of the bayte of libertie exemption of taskes subsidies and charges in furie they reiect and throwe off the yoke of obedience to the King Superiours and Magistrates themselues weilding and managing the highest authoritie Then pretending an equalitie they practise nothing els but seditions mallice robberies spoyles insolencies and destructions wherevpon Plato thus spake very notably The whole Common-wealth shall decay and perrish when it is to be gouerned by Brasse or yron that is to say by foolish men such as are borne rather to serue and obey then to rule and commaunde For albeit that men are both the one and the other composed of soule and bodie and that in the soule is bestowen the seed of the diuinitie which ought to be receiued tilled and husbandred by reason to the ende it may bring forth fruite according to the seede yet is not the culture or husbandry in all men alike but there is found a great difference betweene their spirits so that in some it appeareth that the diuine seed poured and thrown into a barren field is eyther smoothered and lost or taketh so weake roote that it cannot prosper and increase Such is the varietie difference among men as some for the exercise of reason and vertue are more noble valiant and â—orne as it were to commaund others againe for their rusticitie and ignoraunce seeme more proper or aptly disposed to serue Therefore Plato helde this opinion that God in the creation of man did so distinguish and seperate their natures that such as were naturally apt and proper to commaund them in generation he formed as it were of fine gold such likewise as were meet and conuenient for theyr aide and assistance hee constituted not of so precious a mettal yet of pure siluer the third sort as labourers and work-men to attende on the other of a more grosse matter to wit brasse and yron GOD established Superiours to commaund and made the other to obey the one estate worthy of honor the other not to presume so high as the Potter according to the Apostles words of one selfe same matter maketh a vessell to honor and annother seruaunt to meaner things You see my Lords the trouble dysorder and vniuersall confusion of your partakers yet will ye follow them and giue theÌ„ your voice Will yee imploy your courage put on your Armour draw your swords for the defence of theyr vniust cause and to aduaunce the Spanyards vsurping Where is the vertue and honor which Trogus Pompeius in his time attributed to the French Nation when he thus spake of them They are sharpe hardie and valiant the first of them next Hercules who therfore was admirable reputed immortal reached the height of the inuincible Alpes they beeing not passe-able by reason of the cold and managed sundry battailes hauing vanquished the people of Pannonia vvhich at thys day are called Austria and Hungaria Ah open your eyes my Lordes and come to your Prince whom you ought to acknowledge consider what before I haue declared to yee out of the word of God to bring again the strayed rebellious people in obedience to their King Heerein ye may perceiue that a Subiect cannot find or pretend any occasioÌ„ to rebel against his King notwithstanding any cause what-soeuer it be But perhaps thou wilt tell mee that in the warre for the Weale-publique against King Lewes the eleuenth certaine of the chiefest sort entred Armes moued with a discontent against the King because they were not honoured and recompenced as their deedes had deserued yet he gaue to such as were vnworthy men vtterlie vnknowne of small acquaintance They reconciled themselues to theyr King and did not as these Leaguers doe who vnder collour of reconciliation troubled the estate in the ende bereft the King of lyfe And that which is most horrible to speak and scandalous to men of sound Religion they practised wyth an vnhappy Iacobine Fryar making him the instrument and Executioner of theyr accursed conspiracie and monstrous crueltie As for the other thou talkest of they only were but Male-content as they wel declared by their appointment and reconcilement with their King but these Leaguers breaking all order and pollicie diuine and humane after they had proditoriously by a trayterous Fryer or rather a very deuill of the Cloyster massacred murdered the late King would change the estate or as the truth is they would transport a stranger out of one house into another Haue not these Leaguers despoyled the good nature of the auncient French Nation vnnaturally to participate with the treason of the Spanyards And if they tearme themselues good French-men looke on their pernicious damnable complots against the King and the estate of Fraunce Doe they not apparantly be-lie Iulius Celsus who thus speaks of the French-men in his fift booke The French saith he are men sound and plaine no deceiuers or troth-breakers and by custome they will rather fight for vertue then for fraud malice treason or such like How can these Leaguers then by any right attribute vnto themselues thys faire and excellent French title seeing they are Rebels enemies to the Countrey and Traytors to the estate they should most labour to preserue Doe not all Nations of the earth detest the perfidie of Rebels against the Maiestie royal which is the image of the Diuinitie the King being Lieutenant Vicegerent of God in the kingdome which he hath put into his hande Haue not the Allemaignes good occasion at this present to call theÌ„ Schellums hauing in such sort dispoyled the naturall fayth of true French-men toward theyr King coniuring against him atempting his estate life Can they be so ignorant as not to know that the K. hath the soueraigne power next vnder God and that no subiect of his can take it from him without full condemnation of Crimen lesae Maiestatis in the highest degree a most horrible Traytor and more to be detested then if he had murdered his own Father See yee not also my Lords that God who is iust doth dailie pursue them with vengeaunce and punishment by the fidelitie of so many generous and magnanimous Princes of the blood royall of the house of Burbon that onely remaineth heyre to the Crowne besides with so many great Lords of Fraunce so many GentlemeÌ„ and all the good and loyall French-men You likewise that are issued of Fathers so vertuous and faithfull to the Crowne who for the
treades your state vnder his feete but you drawe your weapons to helpe him to his enterprise Knowe ye not that alteration in all things but chiefelie in these publique affaires is most dangerous Without wandring for farre fetcht examples Phillip de Commines deliuereth one of the Realme of England where thorow the partialities betweene the Houses of Lancaster and Yorke each aspyring to the Crowne dyed in eyght and twenty yeeres more then four-score persons all of the blood royall with the verie flower of the English Nobilitie and infinite other valiant men the onely and best Souldiours in all the Land The other Lords were thrust in prison or banished passing the remainder of theyr liues very miserably in strange CouÌ„tries In the end the two Houses being vnited by the marriage of Henrie the seauenth with Elizabeth daughter to King Edwarde the fourth all these troubles ceased See the hurt that ensueth by such deuisions what more strange matter are wee then to expect in such a huge rebellion as this is of the Leaguers Find you it any way reasonable that the true and naturall successour of the Crowne shold endure any other to call his right in question by force of Armes to take it from him that is the most hardie valiant Prince on the earth and who hath learned to haue his Armour oftner on his bodie then the habit royall or the pompe and seruice that other Princes haue which lyue in quiet It is the common cause of all Monarchies to maintaine against the Subiects the estate of a iust and lawfull King and you beeing Noble-men that holde assuraunce of your noblesse goods and faculties of your King will not you maintaine the same against his Subiects and rebellious enemies The Lawe and custome of Fraunce receiued at the first establishing of the Kingdome dyd alwaies refer the Crowne to the next Male issue of the blood royall our Kings then heerin beeing giuen vs by nature mee thinkes there is no reason that any occasion shoulde remooue our estate The Crowne is seated in this so ancient illustrious and royall House of Burbon next succeeding that of Valoys discended of the linage of Orleance In the time of K. Charles the sixth thorowe the practises of the Duke of Burgundie who had made a League with the King of England against Charles Dolphine sonne to the King beside the exheriditation his Father made of him depriuing him of succession in the kingdome there was a certaine iudgment giuen against him in an assembly held at Paris wherby he was exiled banished the Realme beeing declared vnworthy there to succeede On this vniust iudgement he appealed to God and hys sword when the iustice of his cause beeing assisted by the inuincible power of GOD the Crowne was preserued for him and hee established with very wonderfull victories thorow all all his kingdome from whence hee chased the Englishmen beeing reconciled to the Duke of Burgundie and deceassed to the great griefe of all his Subiects leauing them in good peace quiet Whereby you may perceiue that albeit euery one was set against the true heyre to the Crowne yea the Father himselfe yet God in his admirable prouidence woulde not permit that the kingdome should be trans-ferred from the race and linage of S. Lewes neither is it to be doubted that his grace preuenting with the deuoire of all good and faithfull French-men but that it will be continued to all his posterity whereof this most famous and royall House of Burbon is the very neerest and onely heyre to the Crowne What cause then is there to prolong these ciuil warres troubles for the estate seeing we haue the legittimate successour Ah nothing els but absurd and monstrous ambition But some zealous Rebel tels me that he is an Heretique tush these are old stale lyes thys poynt if he were so seeing he demaundeth and offereth to be better instructed is not as yet discided To be an heretique as els where I haue said is obstinately to holde an opinion concerning Religion and rather to die then to forsake it Seest thou in our King any such headdie or obstinate resolution Howe many times hath hee giuen thee to vnderstand his ready will and intent Moreouer this is no argument and good consequent The King is not of our Religion therefore hee is dishabled from succeeding in the Crowne Thou argumentest very ill not like any good Logitian The debate thou vrgest for the Crowne makes a greater breach blemish into Christian religion then if willinglie thou didst consent giue him place as in dutie thou art bound to do seeing that right neither thou or hee can hinder from him to whom it appertaineth which thou hast neither eyes to behold or wit to conceiue If heerin thou mightst preuaile couldst thou be tearmed a good Christistian that flyes and abhors as a plague the ininfamous note of rebellion yea fosakes landes goods wife children and all to follow his King That tearme thou maist returne vpon thy selfe though now thou callest his Highnesse followers pollitiques and heretiques as pleaseth thee to baptise theÌ„ notwithstanding they are more assured of their fayth then thou art and better Chritians then any that take part with thee Of what Religion were our first Kinges of the Merouingians race vntill Clouis the fiâ—t king of Fraunce and first Christian King VVere they any Christians or knewe they what the name of a Christian was What were their subiects hauing receiued the Christian fayth Dyd they for thys cause refuse the obedience they ought in dutie Did they reiect chase or kyll them Ye shall not find one such poynt or anie History that maketh such mention But you Rebels that are too much at your case will not acknowledge your King who so many times hath protested to ye to preserue maintaine ye in your estates and in the Christian Catholique Religion vnder a shadow saist thou himselfe not beeing a Catholique Doost thou know the inward of his words purpose Is there any one can say that euer he falsified his fayth Hee hath sollemnely sworne to defende the Catholique religion as his proper life thinke then if it should be hindered although he neuer will goe against his owne commaundement thy selfe must be the onely cause therof Obey theÌ„ the King let the estate be brought againe into quiet and then thou maist assure thy selfe that when the King would alter any thing in Religion whereon I am perswaded he neuer so thinks he cannot do it nor is it any part of his intent You rather ought to pray to GOD with vs that he will graunt him grace stedfastly to embrace the Catholique religion to plant it heere mildly by reason and not force violence or fyre likewise to loue and esteeme so many valiant good French of contrary opinion that sell not as our zealous Leaguers doe theyr King and Countrey to the Spanyard It is not by blood and death to winne mens consciences
and Gentlemen if yet ye haue not sufficient manifestation that euen against Tyrants Religion cannot serue for anie cloake or collour The Spanyard hath not he declared so much who tearming himselfe in Fraunce Protector of the Catholique Religion hath not hee neuerthelesse suffered Paganisme in many places of Granado Andalozia and Arragon for the great profit hee got by it many yeeres together Will ye not yet bethinke your selues what good affection the Spanyards haue of old borne to the French Did they not no long time since kindly intreate theÌ„ at Florida where they pluckt out theyr eyes to make them die the more miserably Their drift is to bee Commaunders ouer ye and if you haue goods and faire wiues to put you and your heyres to death to possesse your wiues and your goods as they haue practised the like in Flaunders Naples Millaine and in euery place where they by force doe domineere It is the Crowne it is the Crowne that all this debate is for although we hauing as I haue proued a lawfull succeeder there cannot be gathered any occasion for such a debate VVhen heere-to-fore there happened anie such like strife they had recourse to the estates of FrauÌ„ce as it chanced after the death of Lewes the 10. called Hutin that the Crowne was adiudged to Phillip le Long his brother And after Charles le Bel to Phillip de Valloys his Cousin against Edward king of England who pretended the cause of his Mother the daughter of Phillip le Bel sister to the last three kings but there she had no right by force of the Salique Lawe which excludes the daughters of Fraunce from any succession It is now no question of holding the estates in this regard seeing no one maketh doubt but that the Crowne appertaineth to Henry of Burbon by whoÌ„ for his race admirable perfections with his happy fortunes in war amidst so many trauerses the estate receiueth more honor being gouerned by such a king theÌ„ the King dooth of the estate which comes to him by succession as beeing the very neerest heire to the Crowne Then you braue Lordes and Gentlemen of Fraunce whose famous Grandfathers defended this Kingdome by their vertuous strength and made their glorie wondered at through the world spend not your valiant noble blood to your eternal destruction but as your spirits are rockes of far more excellent perfection so seeke such waies as are more worthy and coÌ„mendable for ye To bring again this estate with the whole body of the Nobillity who haue euer stood with the King from whom through false impression your selues are dismembred into her former splendour honorable quiet Vnite your selues to your king your soueraigne Lord to extirpate this rebellion and chase hence your entertained euils the Spanyards your auncient and mortall enemies thereby to bring and re-establish this poore afflicted Realme into such peace and tranquillitie as all good mindes desire and is promised by your generositie force with the grace and blessing of God who I pray to open your eyes to let you wade no further in the loue of thys vnlawfull League that like a subtill Thais is prouided of a thousand baytes and sleights to catch yee withall But if ye continue in her seruice ye shall find your selues betweene two stooles wher-through as the Prouerbe is the taile falles to ground and too late repentance with most pittifull end will be the recompence of your pernicious pursutes and the dishonest pleasures you haue had with her Followe followe then the steppes of the most magnanimous and valiant Princes of the blood so many great Lordes Marshalles of Fraunce Dukes Earles Marquesses Barons and Gentlemen of marke the number wherof is infinite and innumerable al which expose them selues and their deuoire for the seruice of hys Maiesty the reliefe of the estate to preserue you if ye forget not your selues in your goods priueledges and immunities seeking nothing but the quiet and prosperitie heereof God giue them grace and you likewise to make some profit of this fore-warning to the end that wee hauing occasion more and more to bee thankefull to the King for his infinite bountie those faithful subiects that attend on him the celestiall fauour and assistance accompanying the Kings power your amendment and reconciliation may turne to the happie successe of these publique affayres the rest and re-establishment of thys disolate Kingdome FINIS A. M. * The King 〈◊〉 was 〈◊〉 by Iacobiâ— Fryar * Biaâ—â— a naâ—â— scorneâ— they 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 â—utward 〈◊〉 the â—â—tenance â—edition murder 〈◊〉 the exâ—â—ples Two Iacobines the procurers 〈◊〉 foure thoâ—â—sand and more to bâ— murdered Lisbone â—n obserâ—â—â—t Fryar â—â—â—swaded King of â—â—stile to 〈◊〉 sundry â—â—ristians â—eath â—â—ming 〈◊〉 Apoâ—â—â—â—aes * The dysâ—grace of 〈◊〉 begging Fryars by Doctor of Sorbonne Iesuits too â—roud to be â—eggers â—â—ey rather â—ake begâ—ers to â—aintaine â—â—emselues A Spanyâ—rd the first â—uthour of 〈◊〉 Iesuits â—lame â—â—ning 〈◊〉 proud â—â—nde of â—â—le that 〈◊〉 whole â—â—doms â—â—ther by â—â—ares * The 〈◊〉 counâ—â—â—naunce this 〈◊〉 vn-holie League * An othâ—â— bragge aâ— dissembliâ—â— shewe of these wickâ—â— CoÌ„federaâ—â— * The FreÌ„â—â— against 〈◊〉 French exâ—â—cute the bloody 〈◊〉 of the Spaâ—nyards And is â—â—â—ewise in â—â—glish by 〈◊〉 name of 〈◊〉 Spanish â—â—â—donie * A fitte â—â—â—ample of the Leaguers proâ—ceedings 〈◊〉 Fraunce â—â—at 〈…〉 to the 〈◊〉 black 〈◊〉 Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 3. â—ngland 〈◊〉 re 〈◊〉 thys â—â—â—lesse K. 〈◊〉 seate 〈◊〉 he had 〈◊〉 it * The Sâ—â—â—nyards 〈◊〉 coÌ„tinue deuotion their Goâ— * A Caâ—â—â—logue of honest 〈◊〉 Spanâ—â—â—ards such they 〈◊〉 still to thâ— day * Bloodie Spanyard murderer of Kings spoylers oâ— Commoâ— weales * No examâ—â—es alleadâ—â—d but 〈◊〉 of the â—â—â—cked Spaâ—â—ards * Parmaeâ— war but 〈◊〉 his owne profit and the King 〈◊〉 maister The holy 〈◊〉 is â—â—ll it selfe * The blâ—â—dished 〈◊〉 of y e 〈◊〉 wherby tâ— deceiue 〈◊〉 world â—â—hn 29. 〈◊〉 5. 〈◊〉 59. â— Thes. 5 〈◊〉 6. * True Râ—â—ligion noâ— to be decâ—â—ded by thâ— sword 〈◊〉 the examâ—ple * Religioâ— not to bâ— changed any constraint bâ—â— to be 〈◊〉 stood by 〈◊〉 sufâ—â—raunce God in iâ—â—stice righâ— the cause â—ath 10. 〈◊〉 23. 〈◊〉 13. â—ct 2 â—â—ou 8. â—hat we 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 our 〈◊〉 and â—â—â—rebell any 〈◊〉 of cause * Deut. 17 * 1. Sam. 9 1. Peter 2 * 1 Sam. 1 * 1 Sam. 2 1. Sam 24 1. Sam 24 〈◊〉 26 1. Sam. 24. â— Sam 26. 1. Sam 3â— 2. Sam 1 â— Sam 16 â— Kings 1. * 1. Reg. â—â— * 1. Reg. â—â— * 1. Reg. â—â— * 1. Reg. â—â— Kin. 19. Kin. 21. Kin. 22. Kin. 9. Kin. 22. * Epiphaâ—us in hys boâ—ke oâ— the lyues the Prophets * Dan 3 and 6. * Iohn 1 â— * Luke 9 Acts 23 Exod 23 Rom 12 â— Pet 2 〈◊〉 1 et 3. * Baru 3. * Heb 11 * Math 3. Iohn 1 Marke 1 Esay 40 * Math â— * Math â— * Luke ◠〈◊〉 18 â—ath 15 â—ath 10 * Iameâ—â—