a time and the yong Prince continued in verie good grace vntill at length by reason of newe occasions of suspition hee was forced to auoyde the Realme so exceedingly was the King his father incensed agaynst him and going to Philip Duke of Burgundie who at that present was a verie great and mightie potentate was most honorably intertained furnished with all things necessarie for himselfe and his retinue where hee remained for a long time notwithstanding the duke was very often earnestly solicited to the coÌ„trarie by the king his father At the last all the stormie tempests being blowne ouer and he vpon the decease of his father being called home to receiue the Diademe and crowne of France Lewis the 11. K. of France he departed from the Court of Burgundie where he had liued a stranger and vnder the coÌ„trolment of others towards his new kingdome and naturall Countrie which he found very peaceable and flourishing in all wealth and prosperitie where hee was no sooner quietly established but that remembring some olde iniuries Lewis the 11. reiecâ—eâ—h his faâ—hers old counsellors and disliking manie of his fathers most faithfull and trustie counsellers hee remoued sundry out of their rowmes and offices and imprisoned others electing new into their places to the great griefe of diuerse of his best affected subiects the exceeding discontentment of most of his chiefest Nobilitie wherupon ensued maruellous trouble to the common wealth and vnspeakeable care and vexation of mind to himselfe The Duke of Britaine and sundrie other of the nobility rise against the King For the Duke of Brytaine the Duke of Berry the Duke of Nemours the earle of Saint Paule the earle of Arminake Beauleu Albret and manie other great Lords and states being highlie displeased with the King and with his gouernement banded togither against him and calling to theyr ayde Count Charolois sonne and heyre to Philip Duke of Burgundie raysed a mightie and puyssaunt armie wherewith they approched Paris and held besieged the chiefest Cittie of the land The King vnderstanding the daunger wherein the towne stoode The K. marcheth toward Paris and the resolution of his enemies hasted by all possible meanes to put himselfe within Paris the safekeeping whereof woulde be most auayleable for the aduancement of his other affayres Wherefore hauing gathered a strong power marched forwardes on his intended voyage not purposing to hazarde his fortune vppon anie aduauntage that shoulde be offered but onelie to defende himselfe and to amuse his enemies vntill the tyme might minister some better meanes to accomplish his desyres notwithstanding The k forced to forsake the field through the rash headinesse of the Lieutenant of Normandie called Le Bressy who had the leading of the auauntgarde the King was constrained to fight and to aduenture to open his passage by force of armes But being valiantly resisted by his enemies after a terrible and bloodie fight hee was forced to forsake the field and to retyre towards Corbeile leauing the entyre glorie of that victorie to Count Charolois and his associates As this good fortune puffed vp the haughtie minde of the Conquerour making him proude disdainfull and highly conceyted of his owne valour which in the ende bred his owne confusion and ouerthrowe The King reconcileth his subiects and maketh peace with Count Charolois so did it teach the conquered to pull downe his spirits and with all circumspect diligence and care to prouide for his future safetie in the most politike manner that hee might and hauing though with much adoo made peace with Count Charolois an enemie that hee greatly feared and reconciled his discontented Nobles who were a long time as prickes in his eyes and thornes in his sydes and withall concluded a league with Edwarde the fourth King of Englande at Pikquennie to his great aduauntage there remayned nothing that might any way endaunger his estate but onelie the greatnesse of Charles Duke of Burgundie who though he were at amitie with the King yet for that hee had a most turbulent spirite and of all other could least abide to continue for anie long time together in peace the King thought hee had iust occasion to suspect him Charles D. of Burgundy slaine at Nancy and therefore howsoeuer in outwarde shewe he made much of him yet in heart hee wished for nothing more then his confusion and ouerthrowe which appeared most apparantly by his secrete practises agaynst the Duke and then coulde no longer be hidde when as hee heard of his discomfiture at the battaile of Nancy where the sayde Duke was slaine his armie put to flight and the glorie of that noble house of Burgundie which had flourished for the space of an hundred and twentie yeares in all pompe and magnificence was vtterly defaced and obscured For presently vppon the newes the King was so exceeding ioyfull that hee did not in a maner regarde how richly and bountifully he rewarded the Messengers of so glad and ioyfull tydings Nowe beganne hee to studie for nothing so much as howe to dismember this poore afflicted Dukedome and by all meanes possible to teare and rent it in peeces K. Lewis of France getteth a great part of Burgundie He first gayned by liberall rewardes and fayre promises the chiefest of the Burgonian Nobilitie and likewise the Captaines of sundrie strong Townes by which meanes hee gate Abbeuille Peronne Arras Hesdin Bollogne Dyion and manie other principall places so that it seemed that the better part of the Dukedome of Burgundie was nowe brought vnder the kings obedience and annexed to the rest of the Dominions of the Flower de Lis By which meanes the reuenewes of the Crowne were greatly augmented the lande exceedingly strengthened the same and honour of the king wonderfully encreased all thinges falling out in a manner as well as might be wished or desired But hee had no sooner attayned to so high a degree of happinesse but hee was presently crossed with newe miseryes and afflictions which in small continuance of tyme did wholie bereaue him of his former ioyes For beeing at dinner at a Village neare vnto Chynon hee was suddainlie stroken with so vehement a payne The King stroken with a sudden disease that hee lost his speach and sences for the space of two dayes togither not remembring nor knowing any that were nearest about him And albeit by reason of those great meanes which were vsed his bodie was somewhat recouered and his mynde much bettered so that he seemed to come to some reasonable vnderstanding and knowledge yet was hee so weakened and euerie parte of him so mightilie decayed that it was not possible to free him of his maladie so long as hee lyued Besides hee grewe so suspitious of all sortes and so iealous of his owne sonne and sonne in Lawe that hee was neuer at quyet but lyued in such continuall feare least that honour and reuerence which had beene for so long a tyme giuen vnto him shoulde now be
the one for Guyen Two armies sent against the Protestants commanded by the Duke of Neuers the other for Dauphiny vnder the leading of the Duke de Maine All these troublous stirs being now ended the K. and the Leaguers beeing made friends it was thought good to call an assembly of the state to reforme the pollicie of the Land and to take some finer course for the prosecuting of the warres against the Hugonots and to that ende the king sent his writs to summon all prouinces Cities and townes This Parliament was appointed to begin the 15. of August yet afterward it was deferred vntill the ninth of October following to send their deputies to Bloys prouided alwaies that they were good Catholiks and such as neither had fauour nor were any waies suspected to fauour the king of Nauarre nor his associats and the Duke of Guyse and the rest of the Leaguers so handled the matter in the meane time that not any one man in a maner was chosen to be sent to that assembly but such as they were assured did either openly or secretly fauor their proceedings At this great Parleament there was much adoo and many things talked of but especially of the Edict of Reunion made the one and twentie of Iuly which tended to the establishing of Poperie the rooting out of Heresie and the disinheriting of the Princes of the bloud prouoking the king with many bitter words vehemeÌ„t exhortations to embrew his haÌ„ds in the bloud of the saints and with fire and sword to roote them out of France All which was assented vnto by the king and his three estates enacted as a fundamentall law of the land which they all swore to see inuiolably kept and obserued in al the kings dominions to the vttermost of their powers The king of Nauarre was quickly aduertised of whatsoeuer had passed at Bloys The Protâ—stants assemble at Rochel and therfore assembled all his principall friends followers at Rochel the 16. of Nouember following whither likewise all the reformed churches sent theyr deputies where they resolued vppon the defensiue and the meanes how to withstand their enemies The king continued at Bloys all this while and albeit hee shewed a faire countenance to the Guyse yet in heart hee loued him not for that indignitie which was offered him at Paris besides many other saucie and audacious Pranks which hee plaide since did breed a reuenging minde in the K. which he meant to shew more apparantly assoone as any oportunity was offered Now as it vsually falleth out betweene late reconciled enemies each still suspected other and many tarres â—ell out betweene their friendes and followers which bred sundrie sturres and hurleburlies in the Court but there were two especially which gaue the â—larum to the Courtiers and made euerie man to stand vpon his guard The first quarrell arose among the Pages and lackies some holding with the Burbons and some with the Leaguers wherewith the Duke of Guyse was so affrighted Two sodainâ— vprares at Court that hee ran into his chamber barred the doores and kept himselfe as close as he could The second was occasioned by a souldier who beeing hurt ranne to saue himselfe in the Guyses Chamber whither hee was followed by the kings guard with their drawen swords in their hands whereupon once againe all the Court was in an vprore not without great feare least some dangerous euent would ensue About the middle of December the Duke of Guyse shewed himselfe more disobedient then at any time before and a great contemner of the king and his authoritie The Guyse a maâ—â—â—â—ter of murtherers and Rebels in maintaining a number of Ruffians murtherers factious seditious persons and such as raised a rebellion in August last and had attempted the killing of the Duke of Espernan at Engolesme These were lodged in the Court and flocked about the Guyse and were so countenanced by him that no Magistrate durst say a word to them besides the king being daily enformed of many trech erous practises against his person and estate called al his Nobles and willed them to sweare that they should neuer attempt any thing against him The Guyse refuseth to take his oath for the preseruation of the King the Duke most disloyally refused and said in his presence that he would not take such an oath and if hee did any thing otherwise then he ought there were good lawes to punish him spare him not no other answere could bee gottten at his hands and fearing that the â—ing would be reuenged as well for this as for other notorious contempts as also considering that all the drifts of his councellers were so discouered that there was no way to hide them anie longer and therefore that now with all speede hee must put them in execution hee called a Councell of his most trusty friends as Lewis Cardinall of Guyse his brother the Archbishop of Lyons and some fewe others in which it was concluded The Guyse and his associats vow to kill the king that the king must needes bee dispatched out of hand and that all delaies were dangerous and therefore the twentie foure of that moneth was appointed for that tragical execution binding themselues to see the same performed with a solemne oath Thus was this great french king discouered of a very auncient and noble race honoured for a long time of his owne subiects and reuerenced of his neighbour Princes condemned to die by the hands of most disloyall traytors who had all their aduauncement by him and his predecessors CHAP. XXIIII The King resolueth to kill the Guyse The death of Francis Duke of Guyse and of the Cardinall his brother The terror of the Guysards The death of the Queene mother THough the King knew not of this sentence of death which was pronounced against him The King resolueth to kill the Guyse yet the olde and new iniuries offered vnto him by the Guyse did sufficiently exasperate him and made him watch all opportunitie to seeke his reuenge and assoone as euer he could to be ridde of so desperate a traytor This determination of the king could not be kept so secret but that the Guyse hauing many friends about the king who suspected some such thing aduertised the Duke the two and twenty of December by laying a little bill vnder his napkin wherin was written Looke to your selfe for some are about to play a shrewd play with you Hee perusing the writing wrote this answere They dare not and so threw it vnder the â—able The same day the king receiued diuers aduertisements of this horrible conspiracie of the Guyse against his person The aduertisements of the Duke of Maine and Aumaile to the King touching the attempt of the Guyse and especially from the Duke de Maine who sent Alphonso Corse to him with this message That it was an easie matter to carrie beades about and to put on a counterfeit shew of holinesse but hee was
the King being at Ast where after some debating of the matter and cleering of sundrie doubts the king resolued to passe forward and so came to Pauia without any let or interruption from thence he went towards Sarzana being a very strong Castle and belonging to the Florentines which in the ende was taken and kept by the French The French Kings prosperous successe in Italy The Citizens of Florence being not a little amazed at the Kings prosperous successe thought it best to offer him all the fauour and kindnesse that might be humbly desiring him to come and repose himselfe in their Citie and to refresh his Armie in the rest of their territories as Pisa Lygournia Petrasancta and Librafacta Thus had the French gotten the whole state of the Florentines into their possession this bred a maruailous change in Italy and sundrie Citties being wearie of their gouernours rebelled and chose them new Lords The Florentines râ—bell against Peter de Medices their D. who in great misery fled to Venice The Florentines themselues considering that the French were growen strong became their vassailes and conspiring against their Duke called Peter de Medices droue him out of the City tooke whatsoeuer he had and reserued it for their owne vses The poore distressed Duke fled to Venice in very miserable estate where he had much adoo before he could be receiued Thus was the house of the Medices ouerthrown which had flourished in great wealth power and authoritie for the space of 60. yeares the King departing from Florence came to Sennes and so to Viterbium and from thence to the Castle of Brachana Although that Alphonsus King of Naples Alphonsus King of Naples prouideth to withstand the French was at the first but little moued with the comming of the French yet to preuent the worst hee had prouided two great and puissant armies that by sea was lead by his brother Frederik and the other by land by his sonne Ferdinando with whom were these famous and renowned Captaines Virgilius Vrsinus Petilian and the Lord of Treuoule Ferdidinando was gotten into Rome and hoped to keepe the Citie against the French King but the Pope being willing to follow the good fortune of the Conquerour suffered him to enter The Pope yeeldeth to to the French whereupon Ferdinando was forced to flie away in the night and with al possible speede to retire towards Naples His father Alphonsus beeing wonderfully terrified with this heauie newes and remembring the manifold iniuries offered to the Neapolitans both by his father and himselfe though hee had beene a very valiant couragious Alphonso yeeldeth his Kingdome to his son and flyeth into Cicilia and hardy Prince yet hee thought it best to yeeld to the time and giuing ouer the kingdome into his sonnes hand with a heauie heart and mournful cheere sayled into Cicilia with the Queene his mother in law who was daughter to Ferdinando king of Castile Before his departure he was continually tormented with sundrie imaginations often crying out that the King of Fraunce was comming and that the very houses trees and stones in the streets were all become French The great feare of Alphonsus and so with a passionate minde forsooke Naples where by the way wee may obserue one thing which Phillip de Comins noteth as a strange accident and that is that in lesse then two yeeres space there were fiue kings of Naples which were Ferdinando the father of Alphonsus Alphonsus Ferdinando his sonne Fiue Kings of Naples in lesse than two yeeres Charles the eight king of Fraunce and Frederik the brother of the saide Alphonsus The yong King Ferdinando made great preparation to withstand the French and hauing gathered a strong power encamped at Saint Germin in the frontiers of his territories resoluing to stop the passage of the enemie at that place Notwithstanding the French king marched on with great courage taking Castles and townes without any resistance all things seemed to yeeld voluntarily vnto him and to bende at his becke yea Ferdinando himselfe durst not abide him though he were strongly fortified and encamped in a place of great aduantage For assoone as he vnderstood by his espyals that the French were within two leagues Ferdinando K. of Naples flieth from the French he fled in very disordered manner towards Capua suffering the French King to enter at his pleasure and from thence hasted to Naples fearing a reuolt among the Citizens which indeede immediatly ensued vppon the approch of the French who comming to Capua entred presently vppon composition and before they came at Naples by three leagues the Citizens sent Embassadors to treat with them Naples yeeldeth to the French king being willing to receiue theÌ„ vpon condition that they should maintaine their ancient priuiledges which so terrified Ferdinando that he presently tooke sea and fled to his father in Cicilia Then was there a generall reuolt and euerie one made court to the French king who was receiued with great acclamation and applause of the people yea those who were in particular most bounden vnto the house of Arragon and such as had beene their especiall fauourites were now in an instant wholly turned French All Calabria Powilla Laurentia Turpia Encrenes Tarentum Monopolis set vp the Flower delis Thus did this yong King runne as it were through Italy without any stop or hinderance The speedy conquest of the French King neuer staying about the winning of any one towne the space of one day insomuch as from his departure from Ast vntill his entrie into Naples there were but foure moneths and ninteene dayes so that hee might say in regarde of his speedy conquest as Caesar sometime saide Veni Vidi Vici The French King beeing entred into Naples disposed of all things at his pleasure and seemed nowe to haue attained to his wished ende there was nothing to crosse him Charles of France crowned king of Naples or to stand in his way but like a conquerour hee commanded and it was obeyed wherupon he would needs be crowned King Which being perfourmed and the French not standing any longer in feare of any enemie they beganne to bee idle and carelesse and gaue themselues wholly to riot and excesse The pride of the French They seemed to contemne all others and scorned the Italians as men of no reckoning supposing that now they were able to passe through the whole world and that no man durst abide them So proude arrogant and disdainefull were they become by reason of this so prosperous and happie successe When as the King of France was growen to this greatnesse that hee had in a manner all the estate of Italy at his commaund that hee had gotten the Kingdome of Naples and was quietly possessed thereof and thereby was climed to the top of fortunes wheele so that it seemed that nothing was wanting to the full accomplishment of all his desired happinesse when as indeed he was most secure and carelesse
made verie great preparation both to with stande the French abroade and also for to finde them occupied at home and the rather because a third armie vnder the leading of their Admirall Chastillon gouernor of Picardy inuaded Artâ—oise wasting and spoyling the Countrey exceedingly Thus was the league which was so solemnly sworne and so necessary for all Christendome broken againe by the sinister counsels of the Guyse and the warres beganne afresh betweene these two mightie Princes King Phillip prepareth a great army to besiege S. Quintines King Phillip being highly discontented with the French King for so many iniuries and indignities offered hauing gathered a great army wherein was thirtie fiue thousand footmen and twelue thousand horse besides some eight thousand English vnder the leading of the Earle of Penbrooke purposed to besiege Saint Quintines in Vermandoise Chastillon putteth himselfe within S. Quintins which the Admirall Chastillon suspecting putte himselfe within the Towne with such power as hee hadde in a readinesse and fortified it as strongly as he could the French king likewise prepared to withstande the Spanish inuasion and hauing prouided an hoste consisting of eighteene thousande footmen Almaines and French The Conestable sent to releeue Saint Quintins and some fiue or sixe thousand horse sent the Conestable of France to front the enemie and to keepe him from entring into the fat fieldes of the Flower de Lis. But before this power could bee in a readinesse the prince of Piemont generall of the Spanish forces hadde inuested Saint Quinsines Saint Quintins besieged and planted his siege before the Towne which he watched so narrowly that it was impossible for any succours to enter without apparant daunger The Conestable notwithstanding espying a conuenient time conuayed certaine troups of footmen and horsemen into the Towne vnder the fauour of a skirmish maintained by the Duke of Neuers and the Prince of Condy The Conestable of France releeueth Saint Quintins and retireth which beeing performed hee beganne to retyre as not willing to hazard his fortune at that present which at the first was not discerned by the Spanish But after that the victuallers and pages of the French Campe perceiued the retrait of theyr Armie and howe farre they were engaged they beganne to runne after in great haste and with theyr yelling and crying gaue such euident proofe to the enemie of their exceeding feare so that the Count Egmond Count Egmond chargeth the Conestable who first discouered the French dismarch hauing aduertised the prince commaunded the trumpets to sounde Dedans dedans and with two thousand horse charged them on the side The Count Henry and Ernest of Brunswick each of them hauing a thousand beeing backed with the Counte Horne who hasted on with great fury did likewise assaile them at one instant who in their retiring turning head receiued them with equall valour While the French were thus assailed in the flanke the Count of Mansfeild Dostrate and Gueldres with three thousand horse ranne vpon them in the front and that with such a furious feast that hauing ouerthrowne theyr formost ranke the rest were soone defeated and compelled to flie away The Conestable is ouerthrowne and takeÌ„ prisoner with a great number of the French Nobilitie Iohn of Burbon Duke of Angolesme was dismounted at the first encounter and beeing horsed againe was slaine at the second Francis de la Tour vicount of Turin Saint Gelais and aboue a hundred and twentie Gentlemen of good account beside sixe hundred common souldiers died at that battaile The Conestable beeing wounded in the hippes was taken prisoner and brought to the Prince and so were the Dukes of Montpensier the mareschall Saint Andrew Lewis prince of Manfona the Ringraue Rochfaucont Saint Heran Burdillon Mouy Montsales and many other of the Nobilitie of great reckoning and reputation There were also aboue three hundred Gentlemen of Marke taken prisoners and many of the footmen beeing slaine the rest were taken to mercy and driuen away by troups as if they hadde beene flocks of sheepe and presented to King Phillip with theyr ensignes and colours as monuments of his glorious and triumphant victorie The King of France was wonderfully astonished with this ouerthrowe and the rather for that Paris the cheefe Citie of his Realme seemed to be straightly terrified that sundrie of the principall Citizens beganne to flie The great feare of the Parisians after the ouerthrow at S. Quintins and to withdraw themselues towardes the vttermost bounds of the lande fearing the comming of the enemie who had nowe libertie to doo what hee listed Howbeit hauing borrowed thirty thousand pounds of the Parisians he presently hired fourteene thousande Switzers and sent to the Duke of Guyse who was in Italy to repaire into France with all expedition and to bring with him all the forces hee could make Thus was the King driuen to an exigent and hee who not long before hadde sent the Guyse to anoy other men was nowe glad to call him home againe to defende himselfe The Hugonots tooke their name of a gate in the Citie of Tours called Hugon because thâ—se of the reformed religion being greatly persecuted did many times in the night assemble neere that gate where they had preaching and other exercises so that in the beginning in the way of mockage they they were called Hugonots which name being carried from one to another at length became a common name and vsed of al sorts who stood almost in a desperate state and lay open to the inuasion of his enemies In the meane time the King was earnestly busied in gathering of another Armie sending out his proclamations into all quarters fortifying Paris and appoynting the Duke of Neuers who by great happe escaped at Saint Quintins to bee his Lieutenant and to empeach the enemie from entering any further into France The number of those who were called * The Hugonots persecuted in France Hugonots began to increase and were dispersed in a manner ouer all the lande and because the affaires of the state went thus backward almost nothing prospered that was taken in hand one of the principall men about the king perswaded him that God was angrie and punished the land for that such sects and heresies as they tearmed them were suffered to increase and multiplie in a manner without controlement and that the King to pacifie the wrath of GOD must take a more seuere course in punishing such as were offenders heerein who hadde beene the principall meanes to pull downe the wrath of God vppon the King and the whole Lande Whereuppon there immediatly ensued horrible crueltyes towards the poore Hugonots and infinite multitudes were putte to death in a short time so that the rage of persecution grewe very great supposing thereby as by an expiation to turne away the hand of the almightie which was so heauie vppon France but they were exceedingly deceiued heerein for by applying a wrong medicine the disease dayly increased and
the inhabitants The Towers and the Bulwarks were ouerthrowne and the walles dismanteled and so in a short time one of the most beautifull and strongest holdes in Europe was vtterly rased and remained as a perpetuall monument of the Princes heauie indignation and displeasure The king of Polonia being aduertised of his brothers death by letters from the Queene mother and that he was now become heire to the Crowne of France albeit he was quietly established and a king ouer a mightie kingdome which was euerie way both very profitable and honourable vnto him yet as the nature of all men is to loue their owne naturall countrey more then another hee presently resolued to returne home againe and as shortly as might be to beholde the goodly and pleasant fieldes of the Flower de Lis but the great loue and reuerence which the Polonians bare vnto him who hauing vnderstood that the disease wherewith his brother Charles was afflicted was incurable and that peraduenture the Crowne of France would quickly intyce him out of Polonia made them watch ouer him with so vigilant an eye and to obserue him so narrowly that it caused him to doubt what course he should take to escape their hands and beeing indeede induced by sundrie strong presumptions to think that they would in no wise condiscend to his departure that it were but lost labor yea peraduenture much harme to acquaint them with his intended voyage determined to accomplish his purpose as closely and as secretly as he might and to leaue them his reasons in writing of so sodaine and hasty departure Wherefore hauing disposed of all things which were requisite for the furtherance of this proiect he first publikely dismissed Bellieure the French Embassador sending him home as one who seeing his maister was dead was nowe to be discharged of his office and with him hee sent the choysest Gentlemen about him and the cheefest and principall Iewels that hee had This being done hee made an exceeding sumptuous banket to all the great Polonian Lords and the Gentlemen in the Court which beeing finished and euerie man departed to his rest the king himselfe went likewise to bed as though he had purposed to haue slept vntill the next morrow but he had not rested long The king of Polonia stealeth away into France but rising againe putting on disguised apparrel he passed through the watch with Halde one of the Gentlemen of his chamber and mounted vpon his horse which was readie for that purpose and posted away from Gracouia with all speede and shortly arriued in Austria without any let notwithstanding all the extreme pursuite made by the Count Christophe the Count Tancy and many other Polonian Lords and comming to Vienna was royally receiued of the Emperour by whom hee was conducted to the territories of the Venetians who likewise entertained him in most honourable and magnificent manner and so passing by Padoua Ferrara and Cremona entred into Piemont and so into France where hee was no sooner come but he found all the countrey full of troubles tumults and dissentions and almost no corner free from cruell and bloudie warres The beginning of the fitf ciuill warres The Mareschall Danuill and his designes The Mareschall Danuill beganne to stirre coales in Languedocke and daily to enterprise vpon the Catholikes and to aduance the affaires of the Prince of Conde and his associats all that euer hee might The king finding such troubles in euery corner of the Land seemed to bee very sorrie and sought by all meanes to establish a peace and to that ende wrote to the Prince of Conde and the Mareschall Danuill who were the principall men among the Confederates that they shoulde signifie vnto him the causes of their discontentment and then he would as their king and soueraigne see them satisfied so farre foorth as might stand with equitie and iustice whereuppon both the Prince and the Mareschall sent their deputies vnto the king and Queene mother by whome their maiesties were certified of all their greefes and doleances The Prince of Conde and the mareschal Danuil send their deputies to the king and the reasons that moued them to take Armes which was saide they to defende their religion their liues and liberties and to maintaine themselues both against their owne enemies and the sworne aduersaries to the Crowne of France who beeing but strangers ruled all at their pleasure offering the greatest wrong and indignitie that might bee and that vnto the Princes of the bloud and cloking their actions with a colourable shewe of Religion set the whole Lande in a combustion intending indeede the vtter desolation thereof vnlesse they were speedily preuented and some good course taken to stop theyr turbulent proceedings The King incensed to wars by the perswasions of his councell The king seemed to giue them a fauourable hearing as one willing to make a pacification among his subiects whom hee would haue to liue in loue and amitie one with another vnder his obedience but by reason there were certaine articles propounded by the confederates which could not on the sodaine be agreed vpon the peace was deferred and the warres continued wherupon there were newe associations and leagues and both parties stood resolutely bent to annoy one another as much as might bee Those of the Religion were animated by the comfortable letters of the Prince of Conde who promised thē speedie aide and assistance hauing recouered Saint Iean D'Angely with sundrie other places of very good importance they gathered some fiue hundred pistoliers and a thousand two hundred harquebuziers led by the valiant La Noue wherewith they stopped the roades of their enemies who hadde a long while harryed and wasted tne Countrey without pittie or mercy The king as it seemed was of himselfe very inclinable to peace and in a sort contented that the protestants should freely enioy their consciences and haue publike places allowed them for their preachings but hee had no sooner entertained the councellers of the late king Charles but that hee was foorthwith cast in a newe mould for albeit hee were very earnestly sollicited by the Embassadours of the Queene of England the Duke of Sauoy and the Switzers to yeeld to some good agreement with his subiects yet would he not be drawen thither with all the perswasions that could be vsed but still maintained the warres and in all hostill manner inuaded those of the reformed Religion persecuting them with fire and sword with a full purpose to bring them to vtter ruine and desolation and being aduertised of the great leauy of Reisters which the Prince of Conde made in Germany which amounted to the number of seauen thousand and fiue hundred horse and three thousand footmen vnder the leading of the Duke Iohn Cassimer Duke Cassimer commeth to ayde the Protestants sonne to the Elector Palatine hee sent Mareschall Biron into Lorraine towardes the frontiers to stoppe theyr passage and to attend the comming of the Duke of
farre as Lancy in Masconois where by reason that manie principall Captaines were corrupted with money and fayre promises and the rest suffered great wants they concluded to returne backe so that hauing made their capitulation and gotten theyr Passeportes Sundry of the Germaine Captains corrupâ—ed by mony caused the whole armie to retire The death of the duke of Bonillon euerie man made all the speede home that might bee loden with miserie shame and dishonour with the losse of many Ensignes and Cornets besides their chiefest leaders and commaunders The Duke of Bonillon generall of that armie with the Lord Clerebant and Van being not able to draw them forwards by any perswasion returned to Geneua where they died shortly after The Count de La Marke brother to the duke of Bonillon was deceased long before at a place called Loyne Great numbers of this dispersed armie were inuaded by their enemies and slaine in their passage homewards contrarie to the promise which had beene made vnto them by the Catholiques The Colonels and Captaines of the Switzers the chiefe authours of the dissolution of that Armie were seuerely punished by their Segneuries so that this whole armie was maruellously afflicted and euerie one was scourged after one sort or other and hauing spent and spoyled infinitely did nothing but worke their owne calamitie and ouerthrow The King vndoubtedly had taken maruellous care to sâ—uer this mightie puyssaunce and by cunning handling of the matter The Guises slaunder the King had brought them to this extreame passe that vnder the colour of a Passeport hee exposed them to the butcherie and rage of their enemies And although that by reason of this politique dealing he deserued high commendation yet the Guise so handled the matter that all redownded to his further discredite and caused his subiects to speake worse of him then at anie time before For the Guise had caused it to bee bruited abroad that not onely the King had willingly suffered the Germaines to escape contrarie to the counsaile and aduice of the Duke of Guise but also had giuen them the meanes to retyre in safetie some into Germanie and others into Languedocke there to ioyne with the King of Nauarre and so to continue further troubles in the lande to the great and intollerable harme of the good Catholiques and the encouraging of Heretikes and such as were enemies to holy Chuch When the Friers and Iesuits in Paris and other principall cities were possessed with these newes they brake forth into very seditious speeches openly exclayming against the King and extolling the wisdome prowesse noble acts of the duke of Guise whereby they procured him much fauor among the multitude that knew nothing but what they heard by the Leaguers and their fauorites which made them think that the King had killed his thousand but the Guise his ten thousand All which treacherous dealings tended to no other end but this either to make the French beleeue that the K. was not indowed with such noble and heroycall vertues as were requisite for him that should gouerne so mightie and puissant a nation or else that he was a notorious dissembler a maintainer of Heretikes a secret enemy to the Catholikes And then what should they doo with such a King let theÌ„ make choise of another more valiant more wise more prouident more religious a more stout defender of holy Church and who should that be but the Guise who for the zeale courage valour and singuler dexteritie in the mannaging of matters of estate was not onely superior to the King The leaguers attempt against the yong duches of Bonillon but the paragon of all Europe The leaguers being assured of the death of the duke of Bonillon and that hee had left his sister Madame Charlate de la Marke a yong and tender Ladie heyre to all his soueraigne segneurie and principalitie of Bonillon thought it their best to let the king of Nauarre alone for a time at whose handes there was little to bee gotten vnlesse they payed deare for it and to enterprise somewhat aagaynst this desolate Ladie and either by hooke or by crooke as wee vse to say to get the Dukedome into their possession VVhereupon the Duke of Guise vsed all the cunning hee coulde to match his sonne the Prince Ienuill with her and the Duke of Lorraine was as earnest a suter for his sonne called Marthuis de Pont and Lorde Vaudemont But neither of them being able by all their deuises to winne that Ladies fauour they thought it best to ioyne together and to compell her to match according to their lykings With this resolution they entered the Dukedome of Bonillon with a great power burning wasting killing murthering rauishing and committing all other horrible and detestable villanies that coulde bee imagined The crueltie of the leaguers against the dukedom of Bonillon and besieged the sayde Ladie and her two principall Townes Sedan and Iamets where they continued a long tyme spent much Treasure and lost most of theyr men and in the ende with shame and dishonour beeing well beaten at a womans hand by the valiant conduct of the Lord Necuile were glad to giue ouer and returne home Whilest the dukedom of Bonillon was vexed and tormented with these troublesome sutors the principal leagers assembled at Nancie in Lorrain where there was a great consultation helde how they might aduance themselues and ouerthow the King against whose person and state they had for a long time bout all their endeuors There they agreed to present certain articles to the king which they would haue him agree vnto and those were such as tended to the vtter destruction of the King and the auncient Nobilitie of Fraunce and the safetie of themselues First they requested the King to ioyne more openly with the League and to put all such as they dislyked out of their offices The petitions of the leâ—gue to the king To cause the Councell of Trent to bee proclaymed throughout all his Dominions To establish the Spanish inquisition To put such Castels and strong Townes into their handes as they should name vnto him That hee shoulde sende an armie into Lorraine vpon the borders of G rmanie to let the entrie of strangers into the land and for the maintenance thereof should cause all the goods of those whome they tearmed Heretikes or fauourers of Heretikes to bee solde and the money to bee deliuered into theyr handes That the Catholiques shoulde pay the tenth of their reuenewes for the same purpose and that the surplussage shoulde bee to pay the most needfull debts of the principall Leaguers and that the life of no Heretike prisoner shoulde be spared vnlesse hee would abiure and put in good securitie to liue Catholiquely hereafter and to giue all his goods or the iust valew of them which hee hath then in his possession to the supporting of the League and to binde himselfe to serue three yeares wheresoeuer he should be commaunded The
THE Mutable and wauering estate of France from the yeare of our Lord 1460 vntill the yeare 1595. The great Battailes of the French Nation as well abroad with their forraigne enemies as at home among themselues in their ciuill and intestine warres With an ample declaration of the seditious and trecherous practises of that viperous brood of Hispaniolized Leaguers Collected out of sundry both Latine Italian and French Historiographers LONDON Printed by Thomas Creede 1597. To the right worshipfull Maister Iulius Caesar Esquire Doctor of the Ciuill Lawe maister of the Requests and of Saint Katherins and chiefe Iudge of her highnesse Court of the Admiraltie c. a namelesse well-willer wisheth all courses of happinesse that can bee named SIr this Collected Historie of the inconstant and mutable estate of Fraunce from the yeare 1460. vntill the yeare 1595. describing the great battails of the French Nation as well abroade with forraigne enemies as at home among themselues in their ciuill and intestine warres also an ample declaration of the seditious and trecherous practises of that viperous brood of Hispaniolized Leaguers during their bloodie mutinies and attempts from time to time with whatsoeuer else so serious a discourse can or may affoord I offer to your worshipfull and most kinde patronizing Your euer knowne affable inclination to studie and works of woorth makes me no way mistrustfull of gentle acceptance wherfore in one ballance poysing the Booke and in the other whatsoeuer remaynes in mee alwayes most readie at your worships seruice I cease from further troubling you with lines vrging no delight desiring that as your vertues are numberlesse so your ioyes both in this worlde and that to come may likewise be endlesse Though namelesse yet alwayes by your worship to be commaunded To the Reader AS in a briefe Chronicle or short compiled Historie gentle Reader euen so in this worke shalt thou behold the slipperie and vncertaine estate of a mightie Kingdome of France our neare neighbour whose warres strifes and most troublesome contentions as well at home in her owne bosome â—s abroad with forraigne and hostile enemies during the space of these many yeares from 1460 vntill 1595. the accidents of all which tâ—mâ— this present volume doâ—th truly acquaint thee withall for out of sundry both Latine Italian and French Histâ—riographers hath 〈◊〉 beene carefully collected and being for thy sake attired now in an English habit familiarly tels thee that Monarchies miseries which when thou hast aduisedly considered on and therwith compared thy owne Countries continuall blessednesse I doubt not but as in sorrowing for the one so thou wilt hartily pray for the other that the afflictions of France may be Englands looking Glasse and their neglect of peace our continuall labour and studie how to preserue it Fare ye well THE MVTABILITIE of France CHAP. I. Lewis sonne to Charles the seuenth King of France is driuen out of his fathers Kingdome He flieth to Philip Duke of Burgundie Returneth After his fathers decease is made King He falleth out with Charles Duke of Burgundie Is suddenly stroken with a sore disease and dieth miserably AS the wauering and interchaungeable course whereto euery thing whatsoeuer is continually subiect hath beene alwayes heretofore dayly obserued in the most auncient and renowmed Monarchies that euer were So hath it appeared in these latter dayes Kingdomes and states ful of change and mutabilitie in this age and that in a more liuely maner in the strange and wonderfull alterations of our neighbor countryes whose peace and prosperous estate as it was the common obiect of euerie mans eye so are their vnfortunate warres and wofull miseries the vsuall subiect of all mens speach and nothing is more lystened after then to what ende matters of so great waight and importance are likeliest to tend The most noble and renowmed kingdome of France which for so many yeares flowed with milke and honie and for the temperatenesse of the aire the fertilitie of the soile the ciuilitie of the Commons the loyaltie of the Nobilitie the dignitie and magnificence of the Prince was accounted the paragon of all Nations hath especially tasted of this vicissitude and change which so long as it was at peace with it selfe and not afflicted with any ciuill discention the subiect honouring the King with all dutifull obedience and the King tendering the welfare of the subiect with a hearty and louing affection and both concurring in one for the aduauncement of the Common-wealth flourished in most beautifull maner and appeared verie pleasing to the eye of all Nations round about but after that it once began to nourish turbulent spirits and to harbour strange and vnnaturall humours the Prince following the daungerous proiects of yong and corrupt councellors who rather sought their owne priuate gaine then the publike profite and vtilitie of the state and the people beeing easily drawne by the perswasions of their Gouernours to embrace in a maner any noueltie that was propounded then began the common-wealth to bee intangled in manie daungerous mischiefes and to bee encombred with sundrie cares wherewith for this long time it hath beene exceedingly vexed and tormented And albeit there hath often bin some mitigation of paine for a while and that by the great wisedome and skill of such as sate at the stearne and had the managing of the publike affayres the ship which was well neare ouerwhelmed with boisterous waues was safely preserued from the wracke yet as though there were a fatall destinie which could not be auoided it presently againe fell vpon the shelues and plunged it selfe a fresh into a vast Ocean of vnspeakeable miseries wherein it hath continued floting vp and downe for these many yeares and at this day is come to that desperate passe that although it be neither split vpon the sandes nor swallowed vp of the fearefull billowes yet doth it serue as a perfect glasse to viewe the vnstable estate of these earthly things and for an assured proofe of the variable change and continuall vicissitude in the most flowring kingdoms and common-wealthes Which albeit it doth euidently appeare vnto the eye of euery beholder yet will it be farre better discerned if wee consider the reignes of sundry French Kings in whose times there hath fallen out most strange and admirable accidents themselues being especiall occasions to prooue a mutuall and an alternatiue course in al things whatsoeuer Lewis the 11. K. of France rebelled in his youth against his father Lewis the eleuenth of that name King of Fraunce and sonne vnto Charles the seuenth was in his youth as Philip de Comins reporteth allured by the craftie perswasions of sundrie seditious heades to become chiefe of a rebellious faction and to beare Armes agaynst his father to his vnspeakeable griefe and the imminent perill of the whole lande but that vnnaturall warre not continuing long and the sonne being drawne to his obedience by the louing and wise perswasions of the King his father all things grewe verie peaceable for
anie wayes diminished or his former authoritie impayred that for the maintenaunce thereof hee vexed himselfe in most straunge and pittifull sort Hee woulde not at anie time come abroade nor bee seene but of some fewe in whome hee reposed a speciall confidence His Court Gates were continuallie guarded yea his verie Chamber Doore so surelye watched The miserie of Lewis the 11. as that it was impossible to keepe a prisoner in more strayte manner then hee kept his owne selfe And beeing a king that in former tymes had taken his delight in so manie rich beautifull and flourishing Cittyes and solaced himselfe in so manie stately Pallaces and pleasaunt Gardeyns was nowe to his vnspeakeable torment confined in a narrowe rowme sequestring himselfe from all companie and euerye other thing which might breede his delight or encrease his comfort and so continued in this miserable estate alwaies languishing in feare The death of Lewis the eleuenth King of France vntill his death which was in the yeere 1483. and hauing raigned two and twentie yeeres left behinde him a sonne who succeeded in the kingdome in whose dayes fell out many strange and admirable occurrences as shall appeare in the Chapter following CHAP. II. Charles the eight inuadeth Italy and conquereth Naples Alphonsus and Ferdinando flie into Cicilia the Venetians and other Princes leuying a great power driue the French out of Italy The battell of Tarro The French king dieth sodainely ALbeit that Lewis the eleuenth not long before his death Charles the eight succeeded his father Lewis in the kingdome of France had oftentimes and that very seriously aduised his sonne Charles who was to succeed him in the kingdome to maintain peace and amitie with all his neighbours rounde about and by no meanes to enter into warres with any forraigne Princes before hee were growne to ripe yeeres and that the Realme which had endured so many calamities and miseries wherewith it was greatly impouerished should be growne rich againe and better prouided to resist any violence that should be offered yet could not the graue and strong perswasions of so wise and well experienced a Prince take such deepe rooting in the heart of this yong King but that thorow his owne ambitious desire to make himselfe great and the manifolde reasons alleaged by sundrie of his aduisants partly to flatter him in his owne honour but more especially to serue theyr owne turne they were quickly plucked vppe againe and hee fully resolued to enter into a warre which of all other was thought most daungerous and which wrought as straunge effectes as much varietie and as singular alterations and chaunges as any other whatsoeuer All which to the ende they may bee the better vnderstood it shall bee verie conuenient to rippe vp the matter from the beginning and in as fewe words as may bee to shewe the originall of so great trouble as afterwardes ensued Charles the eight King of Fraunce pretending a title to the Kingdome of Naples as heire to Reynard Duke of Aniow Lewis Sfortia D. of Millan perswadeth Charles the eight to conquere Naples was no sooner settled in his kingdome but he was forthwith enduced by the colourable perswasions of Lewis Sfortia who had not long before vsurped the Dukedome of Millan to put in his claime and with might and mayne to assay to gette so noble so rich and renowmed a Diademe Notwithstanding for that it was a matter of no small importaunce it was thought good to haue it thorowly debated in Councell and to heare the opinions of the wisest and the best experienced in the lande who when they had with great maturitie of iudgement pondered euerie circumstance as the danger the king was likely to thrust himselfe into the infinite treasure that must bee expended as also what a multitude of valiant mens liues that would cost before so glorious a victorie could be atchiued and the difficultie that would be in keeping that beeing once gotten The Kings Councel disswadeth the King from the conquest of Naples they wholly resolued that it was an enterprise in no wise to be attempted Notwithstanding the king who was yong desirous to eternise his name by some memorable attempt could in no wise be diuerted being moued as it were by some diuine instinct and incouraged by sundrie remonstrances of two of his principall fauorites called Vere and Brissonet both which were but meane politicks and of all other most ignorant in militarie affaires These two were daily solliciters of the king Vere and Brissonet encite the king to enter Italy who otherwise was but too willing of himselfe to prouide all necessaries for his intended voyage and to set forwarde with as much celeritie as possibly might be The yonger sort of the French Nobilitie and such as had least experience were likewise exceeding desirous to enter Italy by force of Armes and to shew their valour and noble courage to forraigne Nations Al things seemed to concurre for the furtherance of this happy attempt saue that which was most necessarie and that was wise and wel experienced Captaines and store of siluer and gold which are accounted as the veines and sinewes of the warres There were men enough but such as were most fitte were most vnwilling the Kings Coffers were emptie and nothing could bee borrowed but vpon great interest and good assurance Thus the lets were many and the meanes to effect any thing with honour very small and in the end if the successe were such as was desired yet should there be nothing gotten as Lewis the eleuenth was wont to say but infinite trouble and imminent perill and that with the effusion of much French bloud The King resolueth to go to Naples contrarie to the opinion of his councell The King resoluing to passe into Italy notwithstanding whatsoeuer could be alleaged to the contrarie made a league with Ferdinando King of Spaine with Maximilian king of the Romanes and with Phillip Archduke of Austria and Duke of Flanders as also with the King of England least being occupied in his warres abroade he might happen to be molested at home by some forraigne enemie and deferring his iourney vntill the spring following which should be in the yeere 1493. in the meane while commanded that all things should be in a readinesse which were requisite for the maintenance of his Armie All men of vnderstanding wondered at this strange resolution of the King and the best affected towardes the Crowne of Fraunce did maruailously feare the sequel of so dangerous a iourney The more to encourage the King and to stirre him vp to prosecute his intended voyage The D. of Millan commeth to Ast to the French King Lewis Sfortia who vsurped the Dukedome of Millan as is alreadie sayde and had beene the first motioner of this warre did not onely promise vnto the King all the ayde and furtherance that might be by his embassadours but also came himselfe with the Duchesse his wife very nobly accompanied vnto
so gracious with their soueraignes that they did not only contend for the superioritie with the greatest Princes of the blood but at length as ambition hath neuer any end striued with their liege Lords and through their rebellious counsels and most trayterous plottes assisted by a multitude of Guysards and Hispaniolized French draue their soueraigne Lord out of his chiefe Citie and not contented to offer so great indignitie to so mightie a potentate neuer left practising vntill they had most wickedly murthered him whose life in all dutie should haue beene vnto them more precious then their owne and with their diuellish sorceries haue so bewitched and sotted sundry of the French nation that at this day to their perpetuall shame and ignominy they will not be reduced vnto any dutifull obedience vnder their most lawfull and liege Lord. Francis Duke of Guyse and Charles Cardinal of Lorrain the two fire-brands of France One of the most notorious plotters of so many mischiefes was Francis Duke of Guyse who with his brother Charles Cardinall of Lorrain as proud subtil and as ambitious a prelate as euer was grew to that height through the benefit of their good fortune that they commanded all France and brought the greatest Princes of that natiō to be their vnderlings and by reason of a mariage between Francis the second with Mary the yoong Queene of Scottes their neece they bare themselues so loftely and so egerly stroue to aduance their house that they turned all France topsy turuy so chaunging the gouernment and altering the state that it seemed in a short time to be a meere Chaos and confusion For after the death of Henry the secōd and that Francis his sonne was crowned King these two so craftily handled the matter that ioyning with Katherin de Medices the Queen mother of France who contrary to the auncient lawes and ordinances of that Realme which permit not women to rule sought to haue the gouernment of the yoong King and to exclude Henry of Burbon King of Nauarre and chiefe Prince of the blood after infinite troubles to themselues and vnspeakeable misery to their owne Country they gat the gouernment into their hands and swayed euery thing after their owne likings And albeit the state of that kingdome had begun long before to be much afflicted and through the horrible persecutions of those whom they termed Hugonots maruellously decayed and weakned by reason of a secret diuision bred in the hearts of infinit multitudes who once dissenting in Religion could neuer after well agree in matters of state yet was the land at peace within it selfe and euery one seemed to be enclinable to their princes pleasure choosing rather to endure any affliction then by seeking to defend their liues and liberties by force of armes to bring in any intestine warres the most deuouring plague and sharpest punishment of all other but after that the house of Guyse began to rule and that their factious deuises cloaked with a zeale of mainteining the Catholicke cause had once stirred the coales the flame presently brake foorth and finding conuenient matter to nourish it withall spread it selfe in a short time ouer the face of the whole kingdome of France to the consuming of infinite multitudes of all sorts and the extreame impouerishing of the whole land There were sundry and diuers meanes to hasten this so wonderfull and lamentable alteration in France but the principall of all other was the vnexpected death of t e late King The Queene mother the King of Nauarre and the Duke of Guyse contend for the gouernment during the noneage of the King who albeit hee verie seuerely punished all such as were accounted Protestants and that principally at the instigation of the house of Guyse yet did he so politikely carry himselfe that during his raigne he kept that ambitious monster in some reasonable good order and the whole lande from tumult and rebellion but he was no sooner dead but that all things beganne to hasten to a confusion and the whole common wealth to bee daungerously infected with sundry fearefull diseases the originall whereof arose in this maner In the beginning of the reigne of Francis the second being but sixteene yeares olde there grewe a controuersie betweene Katherin de Medices the Kings mother Henry of Burbon King of Nauarre and Francis of Lorraigne Duke of Guyse touching the gouernment of the young King during his nonage The Queene-mother alleaged many reasons to strengthen her claime as the lawes of Nature which would that the mother should haue the bringing vp of her children as one hauing a most tender care ouer them and most willing of all others to doo them good the customes and vsages of sundry nations and the auncient order of the lande which made the mother Gardien of her childe and so by consequent gaue her the Regency of the kingdome The king of Nauarre on the contrary affirmed that he ought in right to be gouernour of the young king for that he was the next Prince of the blood and nearest of kinne vnto him besides that there were fundamentall lawes of that nation which did not only shut out all straungers by whom he vnderstood the house of Lorraine and of Guyse but also disabled the Queene mother by reason of her sexe which the Salique lawe did expresly exclude from all regency and succession to the Crowne The Duke of Guyse had also diuers reasons for the aduauncing of his owne title as that hee was the kinges vncle that by his seruice the whole state had bene in a maner mainteined and the land from sundry imminent perilles deliuered Besides he excepted in a sort against the king of Nauarre for that hee and his brother the Prince of Condy gaue euident tokens of their liking of the Gospel and their hatred of the Romish Religion so that if Nauarre shoulde haue the gouernement of the King it was to bee feared saide hee that the whole lande would fall into heresie Thus did these three contende with might and maine for the superiorite each of them deuising al the reasons they could imagine for the furtherance of their cause But in the ende the Queene Mother and the Duke of Guise doubting that they shoulde not bee able nor sufficient to preuaile and also fearing least that the King of Nauarre by reason of the great preheminence and authoritie that the princes of the blood shoulde by right haue besides his iust tytle shoulde in the ende preuayle and get the better agaynst them both thought it best to ioyne togither agaynst the King of Nauarre The Queene mother and D. of Guise ioine togither against Nauarre and eyther by force or by policie and fayre meanes to winne him vnto their willes and by some deuise or other to make him surcease from his iust claime and interest The better to effect this the Duke of Guise seysed vppon the king whome hee conducted and brought to the Louure in Paris with the yong Princes his
thing This companie consisting of meere polliticks in the beginning and such as sought for nothing but a reformation in the common weale were in processe of time assisted by a multitude of those who were tearmed Hugonots as it is the maner of discontented persons how different so euer the occasion be to ioyne rogether in hope of fortunes accidents who allied themselues with the rest the more willingly for that it was in a ciuill cause and such a thing as tended to the honour of the King and generall good of the whole state Monsieur de Renaudy hauing acquainted many of good account with this great and waightie enterprise as the Baron Chastellnaw Captaine Mazeres Vaillay Bressay Chesnay Chiray S. Mary Coqueuille Chateaunef and sundrie others resolued with all possible speed in as close and secret maner as might be to draw neere the Court which was then at Amboyse and on the sodaine with some fiue hundred Gentlemen The enterprise of the Lord of Renaudy discouered to seise vpon the Guyse and the Cardinall of Lorrain his Brother and hauing once caught them to put them to death for an exemplarie punishment to all other seducers of the King and disturbers of the common wealth This enterprise could not bee so closely kept but that it came to the eares of the Guyses who vnderstanding after sundrie examinations the drift and scope of the whole proiect and howe that most of those who had complotted together hadde long since shaken off the Popes yoake deuised straight to publish so notable a conspiracie and to make it seeme as odious as might bee to the eyes of all men they declared howe that they of the reformed Religion had conspired against the king the Queene mother the kings brethren and Princes of the bloud sought to bring in their doctrine by force to ouerthrow the monarchie of France and to reduce it to a popular estate and gouernement and by depriuing the king of his crowne to pull downe the church to root out the ancient Catholike faith to infect the whole land with all kinde of impietie and irreligion and hauing by sundry proclamations declared the hainousnesse of the fact fearing that a matter of such consequence was not attempted without the priuitie of some great ones in the land they fortified themselues very strongly mustered souldiers gathered forces and gat all things in a readinesse to withstand any attempt that should be made vppon the sodaine Being thus prouided they foorthwith apprehended such as they suspected and proceeded against them with all rigour Many of them who were taken were executed and the rest committed to seuerall prisons sauing some few that by their good fortune escaped their hands At length diuers of the meaner sort were set at libertie fearing indeede that if all should bee punished so great seueritie would alienate the hearts of many who were nothing well affected alreadie And although that the King of Nauarre the Prince of Conde the Admirall nor Dandelot could bee charged with the maintaining or abetting of anie of these attempts yet did the Guyses strongly suspect them and especially the three Chattillons The three Chattillons of all other most hated the Guyses whom of all other they feared most notwithstanding they thought it good pollicie to giue them faire speeches for the time and to entertaine them in all plausible maner vntill they had gotten their forces about them and had prouided a strong armie in a readinesse which was no sooner performed but they began to speake bigge words and to deale more roughly and first of all they dealt with the Prince of Conde who was commanded not to depart the Court without licence while in the meane time they practised to catch matter against him and to that purpose sundrie with faire promises and rewardes were subborned to proue him the cheefe of that seditious tumult at Amboyse They daily whispered in the Kings eare The Guyses incense the King against the Prince of Conde that so long as Conde were at libertie and suffered to countenance such as alreadie were discontented with the present gouernement the whole land would neuer bee at quiet nor the kings person in safetie as appeared by the last rebellious and tumultuous practise The onely way to preuent so many and so great mischiefes was to bring the Prince to his answere and by apprehending the ringleaders to keep the meaner sort in order and due obedience Whereupon the king beeing by these sinister informations mightily incensed against the Prince commaunded La Trousse the steward of his house to attach sundrie of his seruants and to haue them in safe keeping and to commaund the prince himselfe to come vnto his presence the next morrow and to the ende there might be some matter found against him his house was searched and all his papers ransacked the Guyses hadde also sent to search the Chamber and study of the king of Nauarres Secretarie hoping that something would bee founde to minister matter against these great personages for nowe they might do what they listed seeing the king approoued whatsoeuer they did and did speake as it were with theyr tongues As soone as the Prince was informed of the kings pleasure The Prince of Conde brought before the king he readily obeyed and comming before him did so cleare himselfe and answered with such courage and alacritie that it was thought good to dismisse him for that present without any further triall whereupon the king shewed him very good countenance and the Guyses seeing the time serued not to accomplish what they had purposed cloked all in as couert maner as might bee and each departed from other as good friendes But the Prince seeing his life was sought for thought it wisedome to looke to himselfe and for that long since he fauoured the Gospel he supposed it to be best to go to his brother the King of Nauarre The Prince of Conde leaueth the court and goeth to the King of Nauarre where he should be out of all danger and might vse his conscience freely Many wondered at this strange dealings with the Princes of the bloud saying that if they could not liue without perill of their liues that it would shortly come to passe that all true and naturall Frenchmen should bee accounted enemies and no man bee in securitie but the house of Guyse and Lorrayne who being but strangers themselues durst notwithstanding attempt such practises against the kings best affected subiects as were in no sort to bee endured Heereupon great rumors were raised and infinite multitudes grew greeued with these iniurious proceedings To preuent the mischiefes that might ensue hereof the Queene mother with the rest of the Kings councell sought by amiable letters and smoth words to content such as most complained and where they did feare most danger thither did they send such as were most gracious with the people to keepe them in their obedience The Admirall who for his wisedome integritie and experience
in all politike affaires was not inferiour to any of that age was sent into Normandy The Admirall sent into Normandy to pacifie the Countrey where there was thought to bee the greatest number of discontented persons with a straight commaundement to consider of all good meanes for the quiet of the land and freely to signifie vnto the court the occasions of their dislike and the best way how to reforme those things which were amisse The cause of the discontentment in France which he from time to time very faithfully performed aduertising the Queene mother that the cruell handling of those of the reformed Religion and the iniurious dealing with all such as seemed to fauour them or any waies to countenance them and that vnder an vnlawfull authoritie vsurped by strangers without the approbation of the Princes of the bloud and the cheefe officers of the land and that while the King was in his minoritie to the great prejudice of the Realme and dishonour to the Crowne of France was the cause of so many mischiefes and was like still to draw on more dangerous consequents if there were not some speedie course taken to preuent them Many such aduertisements were sent from all quarters and sundrie euident signes appeared of ciuill warres Whereupon it was thought good to assemble all the Princes of the bloud the Nobilitie the officers of the Crowne and all men of place and authoritie to deuise of the meanes how to pacifie these troubles which were likely to ensue which when the Guyses vnderstood albeit they liked not to heare of the assemblie of the States The assembly of the States and therefore inwardly hated this motion of the Admirall and the Chancellor from whom it especially proceeded yet were they outwardly contented therewith hoping by this meanes to draw the King of Nauarre the Prince of Conde the conestable and others to the Court who otherwise could not so easily bee come by and then to rule them well inough assuring themselues that the greatest multitude of the Knights of the order and others of the Nobilitie which should bee there assembled were at their deuotion and therefore that nothing could passe in preiudice of them but rather that all should tende to theyr further profit and aduancement This resolution beeing taken sommonances were sent into all quarters and particular letters written to the king of Nauarre to request him to come to the Parliament which was assigned at Fountainbleau to bring his brother the Prince of Conde with him The trecherous couâ—seâ—â— of Descari Bouchart But when the Guises had with more maturitie of iudgement considered of this weightie subiect fearing that if Nauarre Conde and the Constable with all their adherents should meete togither they should bee ouermatched and not be able to make their partie good they practised with Descars the Lord Chamberlain Bouchart the Chancelor two of Nauarres principal seruants and those indeed vpon whose counsels he principally relied corrupting them with great summes and promising them mountaines if they would vse the means to disswade the K. their master from that assembly Which two put so many suspitious matters into Nauarres head and vsed such forceable reasons to diuert him from his intended voiage that notwithstanding the earnest intreaty of the Constable hee would not bee induced to be at the Parliament at the time appointed The King of Nauarre would not bee at the councel of estate which treacherous counsell of theirs gaue such a blow vnto the whole realm of France that it feeleth the smart therof vntil this day For Nauarre being withholden by this their wicked aduise the whole gouernement still remained in the hands of the Guises who fortified themselues more and more to their owne aduauncement and the extreame perill of the whole state The day prefixed being come there presented themselues most the greatest personages which had bin summoned so that the 21. of August 1559. this honorable coÌ„panie were assembled in the chamber of the Queene mother and euery one placed according to their degrees First the K. vnder his cloth of estate then the Queene mother the kings wife the kings brethren Next to these were the Cardinals of Burben of Lorraine of Guise of Chastillon The Dukes of Guise and Aumaile duke Memorancie Constable of France Monsieur d'Hospital the Chancellor the two Mareschals S. Andrew Bressac Chastillon the Admiral of France The order of the estates of France as they sit in their Parliament Marillac the Archbishop of Vienna Morbillier Bishop of Orleance Mouluc bishop of Valence Mortier and Auancon all of the Kings priuie Councell The Knights of rhe orders the masters of the requests the secretaries and the rest of the kings officers had likewise their places assigned them The order of the estates of France as they sit in their Parliament All things being disposed after this maner before any were commaunded to speake the Admirall rose vp and with a Supplication in his hand went to the king The Admirall presenteth the supplication of the protestants to the King to whom after due obeisance done hee declared that according to his Maiesties commandement at his going into Normandie hauing as diligently as hee could looked into the causes of these troubles which sprung vp dayly in the land hee in his opinion coniectured that such as found themselues most greeued intended no harme against his royall person or the state but that their greatest discontentment arose of the extreame persecutions of such as were termed Hugonots without any iudicial maner of proceeding especially seeing they offered to haue their doctrine tried by the scriptures and were willing to conforme themselues to the order of the primatiue church therfore he thought it a thing very agreeable to his maiesties liking to take their humble petition and present it vnto his highnesse to the end that he vnderstanding their grief might deuise with his councel in so honorable a presence somespeedy means to relieue his distressed subiects to set his kingdom in some better quietnes assuring him that in his opinioÌ„ there were infinit multituds in France that sighed after a reformatioÌ„ seeing ther were as he was told fiftie thousand in Normandie who would willingly haue subscribed vnto that supplication And so beseeching the King to haue some regarde hereof and fauourably to enterpret that which he had done with humble reuerence he returned to his place When as this supplication was read the contents vnderstoode whereof some were that there might bee publike places appointed for the Protestants to meet in and that their preachers might be permitted to teach the people without perill many wondred at this bold part of the Admiral considering the manifest daunger hee had cast himselfe into by taking the cause of such odious persons into his hande and present it vnto the K. who was so exasperated agaynst them The King seemed to take this action of the Admirals in verie good part
of the reformed and the dayly informations of such like pranks played in many corners of the land brought the Conestable who was a very deuout and a religious Papist into a maruellous dislike with such as were tearmed protestants especially when he saw them at Court eat flesh in Lent and that there were preachings in the Prince of Condes chamber and likewise in the Admirals and free accesse for al men to come vnto them Which when the Guises perceiued they likewise vnder the pretext of religion ioyned themselues vnto the Conestable exasperating him agaynst the Admirall his cousin for his embracing of the Gospel and set the Mareschal S. Andrew to whisper him in the eare that the motion which was made as touching the calling backe againe of those excessiue donations giuen by the late King was a deuise of the Admirals to keepe him being his vncle in awe and by that practise to cause him to chaunge his Religion Sundrie others as Madame Madalyne de Sauoy his wife the Dutchesse of Valentinois the Count Villiers put to their helping handes to whet him on who altogither alienated by these practises notwithstanding all the remonstrances of the Mareschal Memorancie his sonne banded against his owne kindred and associated himselfe with the Dukes of Montpensier and of Guise who with their leagues and confederations robbed the king of his subiects The league and brought into that noble kingdom all disorder and confusion The Guises hauing got the Conestable to ioyne with them began to lift vp theyr heades and secretly to spread abroade many infamous things agaynst the Admirall whose confusion of all others they most earnestly desired wherevpon many grudgings arose and it was vehemently feared that some tumultuous accidents would ensue for the preuenting whereof there was an Edict made at Fountainbleau The Edict made at Fountainbleu and sent abroad into all parts of the land whereby it was forbidden to vse any opprobrious words to any of the Kings liege people and especiallie that one shoulde not call another Papist or Hugonot but that all should liue in amitie togither and not alter any thing which was alreadie established before the king by the aduice of his councell had otherwise ordained The Guises could not endure that this peaceable course should bee taken The Guises labor to ouerthrow the kings Edict and therefore as those who thought it their best to fish in troubled waters they deuised with the Court of Parliament at Paris to frustrate this Proclamation and by many reasons to shew the inualiditie therof especially for that therby was tollerated two religions which said they was not to be endured considering that by this meanes the whole state was endangered nay that it was impossible for that cōmon wealth to endure long where there were such cōtrarieties considering that there can be no agreemēt betwixt god belial a kingdom diuided within it self could not continue for any long time Besides the Cardinal of of Lorrayn made many greeuous complaints against those of the Religion The Cardinall of Lorraine complaineth of the assemblies of the Protestants saying that their assemblies and conuenticles waxed greater euery day then other that there were foule and villanous disorders committed by them in their nocturnall meetings that they were people without order without conscience or any ciuill humanitie and that they neither feared God nor the King These and the like complaints much mooued the Queene mother gladly she would haue repressed these assemblies if shee had knowne how But the countenance of the King of Nauarre the Prince of Conde the Admirall Rochfaucont Dandelot and diuers other of the Nobilitie did encourage many to persist and drew on others by their examples with great earnestnes to embrace the gospel in so much as at length they finding themselues very strong and wel countenanced by great estates seised vppon sundrie of the Catholikes Churches and preached publikely in the view of all men and that in Paris the principall Citie of the whole land yea the Gospel preuailed so mightily in a short space that it was founde by the diligent enquirie of the Admirall that there were 2150. congregations that made profession therof 2150. congregations of the protestants in France which vexed the Guyses to the heart who by their cunning handling of the matter had by this time brought the Conestable in such hatred therwith and with his cousins the three Chastillons that both hee and the Guyses with all their fauourits departed the Court in a great chafe for that they sawe such fauour shewed to the poore Hugonots While the Protestants were thus graced at their princes hands and that all things seemed to go well with them there fell out a strange accident to crosse that happie course of the Gospel and a most deuilish pollicie was vsed to ouerthrow the reformed Religion well neere established in most of all the princicipall Cities and cheefest villages of the Realme and that was this The King of Nauarre albeit hee fauoured the Religion and countenanced the professours thereof in very good sort and that for a good while together yet beeing a man easily seduced and almost of no courage or resolution in any thing that hee tooke in hand was led by others and by faire words carryed hither and thither at euerie mans pleasure which the Guyses and their associats perceiuing practised sundrie waies to draw him to theyr faction assuring themselues that if hee might be gained theyr side would bee strong inough and that Conde the Admirall and all the rest of their confederates would bee made to stoope whether they would or not The better to effect this they practised with the Cardinall of Ferrara the Popes Legat and with the Cardinall of Turnon The Cardinals of Ferrara and Turnon turneth the K. of Nauarre from the Gospel who hauing by rich gifts and large promises gained two of his principall seruants did in the ende likewise win the maister by a notorious and deep dissimuled deuise They put into his head a phantasticall conceit assuring him that if hee would become a Catholike and continue in the Apostolike Romane faith that the King of Spaine would giue him the kingdome of Sardinia which was foure times so good as Nauarre and that the Popish and Spanish gallies should bee at his commaundement for the defence thereof against all men some also went about to perswade him to diuorce himselfe from his Wife and to marrie with the Queene of Scots a yong faire and beautifull widow The King of Nauarre councelled to deuorce himselfe from his Wife and to marrie with the queene of Scots the daily soliciting of such as were imployed in this businesse their manifolde remonstrances tooke such place that his whole mind was set vpon Sardinia whatsoeuer could be saide to the contrarie by any friend he had The Queene of Nauarre vnderstanding this sought by all meanes to diuert him setting before his eyes his many and
life too before the Admirall whom hee knew to be innocent should be so iniuriously handled which speech of the Princes with some other considerations was the cause that this pursute ceased for that time and a reconciliation was made betweene the Admirall and those of the Guyse at Moulins immediatly before the King was about to go in progresse to Bayon Albeit the Admirall was no further troubled at this instant yet it was a meanes to make him hated and detested of all the Catholikes and a principall cause of sundrie quarrelles betweene the Papists and the Protestants which in the ende prooued so great that they drew on a second ciuill warre for there grewe daily complaints each charging other with the breach of the Kings Edict and many accusations were broached on both sides The Catholikes complained that the strong Townes and fortresses were not yeelded to the kings obeysance that there were many preachers which were not allowed of by the Edict and that they preached in sundrie places expressely prohibited The complaints of the Catholikes and Protestants that they were disgraced with many approbrious and scandalous speeches and that there were secret practises for the leuying of Souldiers in Germany and other places which shoulde bee in a readinesse vppon the first sommance The Protestants alleaged that they were rigorously handled and could not haue iustice when they complained that the insolencie of the garrisons which were placed in sundrie protestant Townes was intollerable and could not be indured that there were daily murtherers of the reformed in euery corner of the Lande and nothing so common as robbing spoyling rauishing pilling and poulling the poore Hugonots and no punishment inflicted vppon the Authours and abbettors of such horrible and derestable villanies These and the like complaints beeing often reiterated on both sides and each faction nourishing their suspitions vppon euery small occasion their rancour grew greater greater and those smal sparks which for a while lay couered in ashes brake out at last into a furious and raging fire For the Catholikes had no sooner gotten all things in a readines exacted their cittadels into the protestant Townes placed their garrisons sworne their associations and leagues which were tearmed the confraternities of the holy Ghost and that vnder the colour of viewing the state of the Lande the king was gone to Bayon The league made at Bayon among the Catholikes there to make a confederacy betweene himselfe and the Spanish king and the Duke of Alua to roote out all the Hugonots but that a Million of iniuries and indignities were offered to the poore protestants There was an Edict made at Rousillon The Edict of Rousillon which was tearmed a declaration or an exposition of the edict of the pacification but this was so contrarie to those articles which had beene agreed vppon before that al men might see they had fully resolued to breake their promises with the Protestants Then did there follow immediatly after most barbarous cruelties and tyrannicall oppressions of all sorts which made any profession of the Gospel though it were neuer so little which when the Protestants to their vnspeakeable greefe behelde and that after so many iust complaints there was no redresse to bee hoped for by faire meanes but that their vsage was likely to bee worse and worse for that the sixe thousand Switzers were still retained in a readinesse to bee employed against them vppon the sodaine as they vehemently suspected they thought it high time to looke about them and to studie howe they might best preuent so imminent perils Whereupon they wrote letters The Protestants begin to prouide for themselues and sent their secret messengers into al quarters to aduertise their associats to vse al the speed that could be made to come and attend the Prince of Conde Rochfaucont and the Admirall Dandelot and others who were their principall cheefetaines This could not be so closely kept but the Queene mother hadde intelligence thereof who with the King lay at Meaux a place not farre distant where the saide Prince of Conde with his confederates were assembled and had purposed to hasten to the Court strongly accompanied Conde with his associats go towardes the Court. to see if they could bring their enemies to any better reason or more equall and euen conditions As soone as the Queene mother vnderstood of the dismarch of the Prince and that hee came directly towardes the King shee resolued at midnight to dislodge and to hasten to Paris The King flyeth to Paris leauing the Constable with the battailon of Switzers and some eight or nine hundred French horse to stop the course of the Protestants who seeing themselues ouermatched and that they could neither by faire meanes nor by foule be admitted to the speech of the King who was by this time gotten within Paris they retired towardes Clay expecting the rest of their forces which daily repaired vnto them out of Picardy Champaigne Poictou Guyen and sundrie other places of the Land where they stayed not long but marched towardes Saint Dennis which was a little village some two leagues distant from Paris Nowe beganne there to bee as it were a generall combustion through out France and the warres which had ceased for a time were foorthwith open on all sides The second Ciuil warres there were with the Prince of Conde the Cardinal of Chastillon the Admirall Dandelot Rochfaucont Ienlis Clermont Amboise Saux Bouchart Bouchauanes Piquigni Lysy Mony Saint Phale Esterny Mont-gommery the Vidame of Chartres La Noue Lauardin and all their retinewes These beeing assembled sent their humble letters to the King vnfolding theyr manifolde greefes and dolours beseeching his maiestie that they might bee heard and suffered to enioy their liberties and to haue the free exercise of theyr Religion according to the Edict of Pacification made before Orleance but answere beeing returned that the Edict was but prouisionable and made for the necessitie of the time and that the King to satisfie them would not fall out with all his neighbour Princes by tollerating any other besides the Romish Religion they determined to gather as great forces as they could and to besiege Paris It was not long before they had gotten some 2000. horse 4000. footmen The Prince of Conde besiegeth Paris with which power they first tooke Estamps Dourdan Orleance sundrie other places of good importance so that stopping the auenues and blocking the citie on all sides they determined either to obtaine a peace with better conditions then before or els to famish the Parisians who could not long endure without releefe from other places The Catholikes were not idle but daily enterprised vppon the Protestants fighting and skirmishing with them vppon euery aduantage and vnderstanding that theyr forces were seuered Dandelot and Mount-gommery beeing sent away with fiue hundred horse and eight hundred footmen to surprise Poysy and Ponthoise La Noue to take Orleance Rochfaucont Mouy to conduct
thing in shewe highlie tending to the honour of the Prince and the establishing of a perpetuall peace and amitie with the Confederates The Prince of Conde was marryed to Marie de Cleues The prince of Conde marrieth the youngest daughter to the Duke of Neuers the Admirall with the daughter of the Count of Entremont in Sauoy The admiral marieth and the young Teligny with Lois of Colligny the Admirals daughter thus was there nothing but feasting banquetting singing reuelling and making of loue throughout all the partes of Fraunce The king seemed to stande highly contented with this peace and began dayly more and more to countenaunce the Protestants For hauing once perswaded the Queene of Nauarre to come to the court The Queene of Nauarre goeth to the Court. both he the Queene mother the Dukes of Aniou and Alenson the Kings brethren did intertaine her in most louing and friendly maner making her the best welcome that might be imagined Count Lodowicke brother to the Prince of Orenge who attended her was likewise verie honourably receyued by the King who promised him to ayde the Prince his brother agaynst the Spaniard and for that purpose had commaunded preparation to be made both by sea and land as though he had entended to begin the warres with all speede so that the King desired nothing more then to aduaunce the affayres of the Protestants The marriage of the yong Prince of Barne and the conquest of the lowe Countreys were the things that the King seemed to affect most And because the Admirall was a verie wise man an olde Souldiour the best experienced Captaine of all Fraunce and most skilfull in warlike affayres The King sent the Mareschall Cossy to Rochell to perswade with him to come to the Court and to assist his soueraigne in so honourable an enterprise the Admirall at the first was very vnwilling of himselfe and had dayly aduertisements to disswade him from that voyage The admiral goeth to the Court. But after many perswasions vsed by the Mareschall sundry friendly messages from the King and his fatall mishap as it were leading him thereunto he suffred himself to be gained and to be wooed by those who indeed loued him but a little He was no sooner come to Paris but the people flocked togither to see him His entertainment as to see a wonder The King receyued him with much kindnesse giuing him great honour calling him father at euerie worde And when the Admirall kneeled the King arose and tooke him vp protesting that he was the most welcome man liuing and that neuer any day was more ioiful vnto him then that wherein he did see the end of so many miseries and the beginning of peace and quietnesse for the whole lande And among manie other speaches hee chaunced to vtter these words Nowe we haue once gotten your companie you shal not depart from vs and this hee vttered with great laughter as a token of much ioy and delight The Queene mother his excellencie the Duke of Alenson and all the principall Courtiers welcomed him with farre greater honour then he expected and that which was more all these curtesies were accompanied with the great liberalitie of the Prince who gaue him an hundred thousand pounds in recompence of his losses sustained in the former wars besides the reuenues of the benefices which were belonging to his brother Odet the Cardinal of Chastillon who was lately deceased in England He was also admitted into the Kings priuie Councell His sonne in law Teligny was verie much honoured Cauagnes was made one of the maisters of the requests and to be short all the Admirals friends tasted of the kings liberalitie to the great contentment of the Protestants and the maruellous grudging of the Catholiques This honourable dealing gaue great hope of the continuance of the peace and the encrease of amitie amongest the French Nation in so much as the most rested secure reposing themselues in the faythfull promises of their prince yet manie suspected that all was but holy water of the Court and alluring baytes to catch the poore Protestants and afterwards to dispose of them as should be thought for their most aduauntage following said they herein the olde maxime in pollicie which is that where the skin of the Lion will not serue there it is best to put on the foxes coat The Queene of Nauarre was earnestly disswaded by sundry letters from many other friends from giuing her consent to the mariage The Admirall was likewise aduertised by secret messengers that in no wise he should go to Paris nor come within the reach of his enemies but all would not serue so desirous were they of the yong princes preferment so maruellously blinded at that instant But whilest the Queene of Nauarre was at Paris busied in prouiding for the mariage of her son she suddenly fell sicke and died the 10. of Iune The death of Ioan of Albret Queene of Nauarre 1572. to the great griefe of those of the reformed religion who exceedingly bewayled the death of so vertuous and constant a Lady and one that had beene a most noble maintainer of the truth all her dayes CHAP. XV. The Massacre at Paris THe sudden death of this Queene bred a sore suspition that she was poisoned and withal brought some delay the to mariage but at length all doubts being cleared both parties agreed the time appointed for the solemnising of the nuptials being come the yong King of Nauarre and the Lady Margaret were affianced with great solemnitie in our Lady Church in Paris by the Cardinall of Burbon the 18. of August 1572. in the presence of the King The mariage of the King of Nauarre the Queene mother the Duke of Aniou and Alenson the Prince of Conde with all the principal protestants The mariage ended there was nothing but banketting chearing tilting and all the deuises that might bee to please the eie and delight the eare to set forth all things in most royall and magnificent maner All old rancour and malice seemed to be buried in the pit of obliuion by reason of this new alliance which confirmed the hope of a most blessed peace in the time to come But in the middest of all this ioy and solace there fell out a sudden accident which astonished some and made others to bethinke themselues and to suspect the worst and that was this The admiral shot with an harquebuz Vpon the 22. of August as the Admirall was going from the Court toward his lodging hee was suddainlie shotte with a harquebuz out at a window of the house where Villemus who had beene schoole-maister to the Duke of Guise did vsually lodge and sore wounded with three Bullettes as hee was going a soft pace in the streete and reading a Supplication which had beene deliuered vnto him a little before One of the Bullets stroke off his fore finger and with the other hee was wounded in the left Arme. The Admirall
body through the streets hung vppe his dead carcase on a gibbet at Mountfaulcon and this was the lamentable ende of this noble Gentleman The great commendation of the Admirall who for his wisedome pollicie courage and constancie in the profession of Gods truth and maintenance of the same was one of the most excellent and famous men that euer was bred and brought vp in France The same day that the Admirall was hurt the king aduised his brother in law the king of Nauarre to cause some tenne or twelue of his trustiest friends to lodge neere him the better to defende him if the Duke of Guyse whom he tearmed a shrewd boy should happen to attempt any thing against him These Gentlemen and some others who were lodged in the king of Nauarres outer Chamber after the death of the Admirall and that they were disarmed by Nancy hauing their swords and daggers taken away were brought to the gate of the Louure and there were murthered before the kings face Then were the king of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde brought before the king The k ng of Nauâ—râ—e and the prince of Conde brought before the king who tolde them that hee would not suffer any more Religions in his Land then one and therefore if they loued their liues they must nowe become Catholikes and go to masse for hee meant not to beare with them any longer The king of Nauarre made a very submisse and humble answere but the Prince of Conde who was of more stout and couragious nature replying otherwise then the king expected was threatned with the losse of his head if hee relented not within three daies and so was sent to prison beeing first called obstinate seditious and rebellious traitor and the sonne of a rebellious traytor Nowe beganne the Courtiers with the kings guard who were appointed to massacre the Protestant Nobilitie to kill and murther all sorts in most outragious manner The Count Rochfaucont Count Rochfaucont so greatly beloued of Henry the second for his conceited and pleasant humour adorned with so many excellent graces and noble vertues fit for a perfect courtier was forced to yeelde vp his life to these mercilesse wretches who saluted him with this pittious godmorrow Teligny de Montreuill Teligny the Admirals sonne in Law and for his humble and milde spirit graced with a singular dexteritie in the mannaging of all publike affaires very deere vnto his Wife and prudent Father was seene of many but no man was so hardy as once to touch him vntill at last a stranger that knew him not ranne him thorow with a Rapier as hee was bewailing the death of so many braue men The Barron of Pardaillon The barrons Pardaillon the Barron of Pilles Pilles Soubize Soubize and Puuiant Puuiant all very famous and worthie men hauing beene commanders in Cheefe and well worthie for their rare vertues of better fortune were there murthered after a most disloyall and trecherous manner The marquesse of Reuell The marquesse of Reuell was hotly pursued as hee fled in his shirt towards the Riuer side and there was slaine by Bussy of Amboise his neere kinsman Monsieur the kings brother at the request of Archan the Captaine of his guard who was amorous of the Lady Chasteneray sent certaine souldiers to kill La Force her father in law who had thought that they had likewise slaine both her brethren but there was but one founde dead and the other beeing very sore wounded escaped by reason he was couered with the dead body of his Father where hee remained vntill the euening following and then secretly conueyed himselfe into the lodging of the Mareschall Biron his kinsman which when his sister Chasteneray vnderstood being sorrie that shee could not be heire as she earnestly desired she went to the Mareschals house fayning that shee was maruailously glad that her brother had so escaped desiring to see him that shee might comfort him but the mareschall smelling her intent would not bewray where hee was and by that meanes saued his life By this time was the signall giuen to such as commanded ouer the common people to make dispatch of the rest of the Protestants who beeing in a readinesse and encouraged by the Duke of Guyse Aumaile and Neuers slew euerie one that fell into their handes yea they so greedily thirsted after innocent bloud that in a short time they had made such a maruailous carnage and butcherie The carnage and butchery in the Citie that the streetes seemed to be paued with dead carcases and Carts were laden with the bodies of men women and children which were throwne into the Riuer death and desolation walked about in euerie corner of this Cittie and that in most gastly and greeuous manner to the extreme horror and dreade of euerie beholder There was nothing but weeping wayling and lamentation and a most wofull and fearefull crie throughout the whole Citie About the breake of the day the Duke of Guyse Neuers and Aumaile brethren in euill The Protestants in saint Germaines escape by flying away and the cheefest authors in that pittious tragedie went to awake sundrie of the Protestant Nobilitie who were lodged in the suburbs of Saint Germain as the Vidame of Chartres the Count of Mont-gommery the Lord of Fountenay Caumont Columbiers and many others who beeing aduertised of that which had happened supposed at the first that it had beene some vprore of the people and therefore purposed to haue gone to ayde the King fearing there had beene some danger towards his person but on the sodain they discouered 200. armed men and those of the kings guard who cried kill kill shooting at them and that in the kings sight who also as is reported took a harquebuz and swearing and blaspheming in most heathenish maner cried out shoot shoot The king helpeth to murther the Protestants Gods heart they flie they flie As those of the reformed Religion saw this they fled with all possible speede leauing whatsoeuer they had behinde them being pursued by those three Dukes before remembred The Bastard of Angolesme and diuers others who wounded some and had killed many had they not beene hindred by the negligence of the Porter who mistooke the keyes of the gates where they shoulde haue issued foorth was the occasion that the Protestants had some little time giuen them to prouide for their better securitie They were no sooner gone but the Switzers of the kings guard and sundrie courtiers spoyled their houses killing whomsoeuer they found cruelly murthering both man woman and child all that day being the 24. of August 1572. was spent in massacring rauishing sacking so that there perished by this turkish and barbarous villany aboue 10000. persons as well noble men as Gentlemen The number of Protestants slaine in Paris presidents of courts councellers aduocates schollers preachers phisitions proctors marchants artisans women maides and children All places were full of dead
carcases the thresholds gates and posts of the kings pallace were painted with the bloud of the slaine yea the chanels ouerflowed therwith and the water in the Riuer was turned into a red colour such and so horrible was the slaughter and butcherie which was made vpon the poore Hugonots The king the Queene mother the kings brethren with many Lords and Ladies of the Court went out in the euening to view the dead bodies and among others the Queene mother would needes see the nakednesse of Soubize The shamelesse fact of the Queene mother for that shee had beene enformed that hee was notable to get any children The king not satisfied with the slaughter of so many braue men within Paris sent letters to the Gouernours of all his principall Cities as Orleance Tours Meaux Angiers Bourges Tholoux Lyons and diuers others that they should likewise kill all the Protestants within their iurisdiction which commandement was forthwith put in execution and a most horrible slaughter followed in all places The number of protestants slaine in other places which bereaued aboue a hundred thousand of their liues within the territories of France in so much as that it was verily thought that all that were of the Religion were eyther slaine or else fled into forraine Countreyes CHAP. XVI Rochel holdeth out against the King The beginning of the fourth Ciuil warres The siege of Rochel The siege of Sancerre The Embassadors of Polonia come to the campe before Rochel Monsieur raiseth his siege WHo would not haue thought but that now the Gospel had bin vtterly extinguished in France that the Catholikes by this execrable deuise should haue attained to the full period of their desires no man of name remayning to make head against them or to crosse their fortune which nowe seemed so mightily to fauour their designes and indeede the king was verily perswaded that at this present he might haue accomplished whatsoeuer hee would and that not any durst haue shewed themselues to fauour the refourmed Religion The K. deceiued in his expectation Wherupon he wrote letters to sundry Protestant townes commanding them to receiue popish Garrisons and to liue after the Catholike manner but they vtterly refused to satisfie the king heerein and would not bee induced to condiscend vnto any such thing by all the perswasions that could bee vsed but fortified themselues as strongly as they could purposing to die rather then to yeeld and abiure their Religion The King partly by threatening and menacing the king of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde and partly by faire promises but especially by the wicked ministery of Rosier Rosier being a minister and of great credit with the Prince of Conde had recanted his Religion and by his perswasions causâ—d the Prince likewise to denie his who of late was become an apostate had caused them to abiure their Religion and to conforme themselues to the rites of the Romain church and thinking them to be fit instruments to gaine sundrie strong Townes who otherwise would not open their gates but by force of Cannon caused them to write their letters to such as hee thought meete and to vse all the seasons that might bee to draw them to his obedience by which deuise some relented and were content to follow the example of those great Princes seeing they had no hope to maintaine their cause hauing lost all their cheefetaines and principall commanders But Rochel Sancerre Montauban Nismes and some other held out standing vpon their guards and prouiding to fortifie themselues in all defensible manner that might be Many perswasions were vsed to gaine Rochel Rochel and sundrie other townes hold out against the King which of al other was the place of greatest importance and that which the king most desired as beeing the principall retreat of the Protestants Diuers messengers were sent thither who promised golden mountaines and Mareschall Biron indeuoured by all meanes to put himselfe within the Towne but they vtterly refused to accept of any other Gouernor then theyr Maior purposing to maintaine their Religion customes and liberties and that with the losse of their liues When the king was aduertised heereof and that he euidently perceiued that faire meanes would not preuaile hee resolued to besiege the Towne and by force of Armes to bring them vnder his obedience Whereuppon hee commanded Biron to gather a great armie to inuest the Rochelers with al speed who did not onely by themselues crosse the designements of the Catholikes but were the occasion that many other townes in Gascogne Languedock Quercy Poictou Auergne and Dauphony beganne to plucke vp their spirits and to oppose themselues against the kings proceedings The beginning of the fourth ciuill warres Besides the forces that the Mareschall brought by land there was a great nauie of shippes appoynted to keepe the seas and to stop vp the hauen that no victuall or other necessaries should be conueyed in by water nor any be suffered to go foorth to giue any aduertisements to their confederates All things being thus appointed in a readinesse both by sea and land Rochel besieged the Duke of Antou the Kings brother and his Lieutenant generall throughout all his dominions departed from Paris the tenth of Ianuary 1573. accompanied with the Duke of Alenson his brother the king of Nauarre the Prince of Conde the Duâ—e of Montpensier the Prince Dauphin his sonne the Duke of Longauille of Bouillon of Guyse of Aumaile and of Neuers the marquesse of Maine the mareschals of Cossy Retts and Biron the Count Rochfaucont Chauigny Mouluc La Valetta Mauleurier Pauâ—y Puygalliard Clermont Du Gas Cosseines with many other Lords knights and Gentlemen who no sooner arriued at the Campe but they were saluted with a thundring peale of great Ordenance and all the battailons of footmen stood readie arranged who likewise welcomed him with their whole vollyes of small shot to the high contentment of his excellencie Monsieur vnderstanding that there were a great number of very valiant and resolute men within the Towne who were all commanded by the noble and pollitike chiefetaine Monsieur de la Noue La Noue of whose wisedome courage and valour hee had often times before made good experiment thought it best to assay if with smooth words faire promises mingled with some threats he could induce the Rochelors The Rochelors would not trust the faire promises of Monsieur to submit themselues wholly vnder the Kings obedience assuring them if they would so do the king would deale most graciously with them and requite their loyalty with such fauor as they should haue good cause to hold themselues well contented but if on the contrarie they stubburnely refused to condiscend hereunto and like a rebellious rable wilfully reiect and vndutifully contemne so great grace offered by their soueraigne then they should looke for no fauour hereafter but for all the extremitie that might bee and that hee would not desist from persecuting them both with
fire and sword vntil he had taken their towne seene such punishment inflicted vpon them as the nature and qualitie of so traiterous a fact required Those within being taught by other mens harmes to beware hauing learned by wofull experience not to trust any faire promises that came from the Court seeing the king and all his Courtiers hadde so notoriously falsified their words in former times thought it best to stand vpon their guard and not to be beguyled with such alluring baites which when his excellencie perceiued hee commaunded his armie to approach nearer the towne to entrench themselues to raise Mounts to plant their Ordinaunce and to annoy those within as much as might be The Canon was no sooner placed but that it forthwith played vpon the Towne very furiously and to the great terrour of such as had not beene acquainted with the like sport Those of Rochel were not idle but prouided all necessaries to stop such breaches as should be made and answering the Catholikes with such shot as they had often issuing out and skirmishing with their enemies with notable courage and alacritie Yea the women maydes and children would expouse themselues to al hazard The courage of the women and aduenture forth among the souldiers carying them wine comfers and such like maruailously animating such as fought with their cheerfull words hardy examples And one among the rest so farre aduenturing that in the hotest of the skirmish she seeing one of the Catholikes slaine ran vnto him and tooke away his sword and harquebuz which she caried into the towne with great triumph and reioying sayde that she had adorned herselfe with the spoiles of her enemies The third of March those within discharging a Minion from the Tower of S. Iohn Euangelist pierced one of the enemies gabyons and encountring Claud of Lorraine Duke of Aumaile peere of Fraunce and Lieutenant for the King in the Duchie of Burgundie The Duke of Aumaile slaine stroke him starke deade to the great griefe of sundrie of the Catholiques of whom he was verie much beloued for his many excellent and commendable vertues And being incensed agaynst the Rochellors for this fact seeing they could get nothing with open force thought it best to assay what they could do by a more secret meanes whereupon they fell to vndermining spent a long time in digging and deluing vnder the ground endeuoring to blow vp their walles and to ouerthrow their towers bulwarks with gun-powder But they within so nobly valiantly defended themselues and so politikely preueÌ„ted all their stratagems that they could not by any means accomplish their desires Yea they seemed so little to regard all their endeuors that vpon May day in great ioylitie and triumph they decked their walles and towers and with trumpets drums fluâ—ts and other musicall and delightsome instruments seemed to spend the day in myrth and solace as though they little or nothing cared for their enemies Many who secretly fauoured the religion seeing the great courage of the Rochellors and their happy successe in holding out so long a time again such a mighty power began to pluck vp their hearts and openly to shew themselues So that now great numbers were vp in Armes in Poictou Xanctogne Quercie 〈◊〉 Dauphiny and sundrie other parts of the land so that the Catholikes who thought that they had destroyed all the Protestants in their Parisian murthers found themselues maruailously deceiued and many signes appeared of newe ciuill warres and those as troublesome and dangerous as anie others before 〈◊〉 For now the King and all the French Catholikes were growne so odious both at home and among forraigne Nations that all the Worlde spake shame of their barbarous and straunge cruelties and such Protestant Townes as were stronglie fortifyed woulde not yeelde by anie perswasion 〈◊〉 distrusting in the kings worde who had so often and so notoriouslie falsified his 〈◊〉 to the great dishonour and staine of his princelie dignitie and perpetuall staine of the French nation Whilest his excellencie with a mightie power besieged Rochel the Mareschal Danuill lieutenant for the king in Languedocke The mareschal Danuill in Languedocke was sent to reduce all those quarters vnder the Kings obedience but he found it a matter of more difficultie then he at the first imagined for albeit he entred the countrey with a strong power purposing to besiege Nismes a place of the greatest importance of all the rest and by force to constraine it to stand at the deuotion of the Catholikes yet was he in the end after some losse at the least of thousand of his best souldiours before a pettie village called Sancerre compelled to giue ouer his enterprise and to disperse his men into garrisons the better to relieue them and with all diligence to muster new forces to repayre his broken troupes Which when those of Sancerre vnderstoode The siege of Sancerre beeing notably encouraged by the surpassing valour of their Confederates they resolued to endure the vttermost attempts of La Chastre and all the Catholiques and therefore whereas by reason of theyr long siege all vittailes beganne to bee scarce The great famine in Sancerre necessitie the mother of all fine inuentions taught them to make manie hard shifts and to deuise new and straunge meates For after that they had first eaten vp all theyr Horses Asses Dogges Cattes and such like they deuised to make meate of their Skinnes roasting seething and broyling them vpon Girdirons as if they had beene Tripes Mice and Rattes were accounted daintie delicates and well was hee that could get them And being still pressed with hunger they deuised to make meat of old shooes hornes horses and bullockes hooues which had lien hid in the dunghils for many yeares the little children would broyle and rost their girdles to to fill their emptie mawes Rootes hearbs and barkes of trees serued in steade of iunketting dishes whatsoeuer had any moysture taste sauour or smell were it neuer so vnholsome they eate it with greedinesse And albeit they were often shewed of the daunger therof yet would they not take heede for the belly had no eares Yea so intollerable was the famine that they eate the verie dung especially of horses which was accounted indifferent good and therfore raked it togither as a thing of much price The father and mother eat their own child The father and mother eat their own child which was pined to death with huÌ„ger for so horrible a fact were both burned It is incredible what misery was in that towne and yet they would not yeeld nor coÌ„mit themselues to the mercy of their enemies But at length the famin still increasing hauing not past 400. souldiers left and those for the most part sickly weake and wounded and seeing no hope of any succors froÌ„ any their confederates were content to hearken to a parle which was offred vnto them by La Chastre and so by composition to render the
the rest of their proceedings And hauing gotten sundry strong townes forts and castels into their handes they flatly refused those conditions of peace which the Rochellers had accepted fortifying themselues with a newe association and league began to annoy the Catholiks with open warre The mareschals of Memorancie and Cossy committed to prison The King being about this time incensed against the Mareschals of Memorancie and Cossy committed them to prison and suspecting the Mareschall Danuill to be of their confederacie depriued him of his Lieutenantship in Languedo ke and gaue it vnto the Prince Dauphin son to the Duke Montpencier Which when the Mareschall vnderstoode hee aranged himselfe with those of the Religion seizing vppon sundry strong townes as Montpellier Beucary Lunell and others Mareschal Danu â—l â—oyneth with the Protestants fortifying them with sufficient garrisons and all other necessaries There were also great numbers of the Catholikes who receyuing small fauour at the Kings hands neither were so rewarded for their seruices as they expected grew maleconts and seeing Monsieur the Kings brother was departed into Polonia they thought it now fit time to take their aduauntage and by leaguing themselues with the Protestants to reforme the policy of the land and to reclaim the king who said they was wholy misled by the wicked couÌ„sels of such as were strangers and enemies tothe Crowne of France They had also practised with the Duke of Alenson the Kings yongest brother to take part with them and found him not vnwilling to becom their leader and generall in this so hautie an enterprise And where as the Rochellers would not for a long time be drawne to ioyne with the rest of the Protestants Rochell ioyneth with the rest of the Protestants malecontents at last through the dexteritie and politike inducements of La Noue a man of great credit among them they were contented to bee embarked into that action and to prouide all necessaries for the maintenance of the future wars The Confederates hauing all things thus in a readinesse attended the departure of the Duke of Alenson The Duke of Alenson disswaded from going in the Protestants the King of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde from the Court and for their better safetie had sent some two hundred horse to Saint Germain in Lay but the King being made priuie hereof and his excellencie diuerted by La Moly the proceedings of the Protestants were mightily crossed for the time howbeit like men of courage and resolution they went forwards and openly inuaded the Catholiques both by sea and land Montgommerie who for a long while had beene in the I le of Gersey landed on the sudden in Normandie Montgommery landeth in Normandy ioyning with the Columbiers and incorporating himselfe with the Norman troupes made sharpe warre vpon the Papists getting many townes and fortresses which were very aduantagious for the Protestants Great preparation was made by the King to withstand these proceedings and proclamation was sent out into all parts to assemble the Bannes and Arierbannes and such was the diligence vsed herein that there was quickely gathered together a sufficient number to make two armyes which the King presently diuided sending the one into Poictou vnder the conduct of Montpencier against La Noue and the other vnder the leading of Mategnon into Bas Normandie agaynst the Count Mongommerie who preuayled mightily against the Catholiques seising vpon sundry their best townes and strongest holds and raunging euery where at his pleasure But at last the Count comming to Donfron was suddenly besieged by his enemies where he was taken prisoner being shamefully forsaken by his souldiers and so was led away to Paris and there had his head stroken off Montgommery taken beheaded the 26. of Iune to the great reioycing of the Parisians and the exceeding greefe of the Confederates CHAP. XVIII The King waxeth sicke Maketh a peace with his subiects Ordaineth the Queene mother Regent of France in the absence of the King of Polonia His death The end of the fourth ciuill warres The King waxeth sickly WHilest the Duke Montpencier besieged Fontenay the King who had now for a good while beene sickely and diseased began to waxe worse and worse insomuch as the Queene mother fearing that if he should die vpon the sudden there woulde be maruellous hurly burlies at court thought it best to sende for the Duke Duke Montpensier returneth to the Court. whom she comanded to repaire vnto the kings presence withall speed who thereupon brake vp his siege licensing his army to depart and he himself hasted to the Court. There he found a strange Metamorphosis for the king was now verie desirous to end the wars and to make a peace with the Protestants and would haue them fauoured and protected as well as his other subiects The king desirous to make peace with his subiects desiring and that verie instantly all sorts to put to their helping hands and to shew themselues furtherers of so laudable a worke Commaunding likewise his Lieutenants and gouernors in all his Dominions to cause his former Edicts to be diligently obserued to punish with all rigour and seueritie who soeuer refused to obey this his commaundement The Queene mother did likewise labour verie earnestly herein The end of the fourth ciuill warre and seemed desirous of nothing so much as to establish a peace and quietnesse throughout all Fraunce The King did still decay and death hasted his pace to ouertake him so that notwithstanding all the meanes that could bee imagined to escape so hote pursute yet there was no remedie but needes he must be arested and called to account for his former actions Which when with great perplexitie of minde and sorrow of heart he perceiued hauing ordained the Queene mother for Regent during the absence of the King of Polonia The Q. mother made Regent of Fraunce to whom the crowne of Fraunce as next heire did appertaine he yeelded vp his life the 30. of May at Bois de Vincens 1574. in the 13. yeare of his reigne and in the 24 of his age hauing bin the most bloodie and cruell Prince that euer did weare the French Diadem And as hee continually thirsted after the blood of the poore Protestants so did hee neuer cease vomiting and belching out of blood all the time of his sicknesse with most horrible swearing and blaspheming vntill his last gaspe after a most strange and fearful maner And this was the end of Charles of Valois and King of France The death of Charles the ninth King of France who beeing by nature wicked by education irreligious and by vngodly and wicked counsel easily drawne into all kinde of impious and barbarous actions began with iniustice continued with crueltie and ended in misery leauing that noble kingdome so torne and dismembred the Nobilitie so diuided and discontented and the communaltie so oppressed and impouerished that the whole state hauing lost the ancient splendor
and dignitie was mightily shaken and in a maner brought to a Chaos and confusion and hasted as it were a maine pace to a lamentable change and alteration CHAP. XIX Henry the third King of France and Polonia The Queene mother laboureth for peace which is concluded for three moneths The Prince of Conde goeth into Germany Lusignen dismanteled The King of Polonia stealeth away into France The first Ciu ll warres The Mareschall D'Anuill ioyneth with Protestants Cassimer commeth to the ayde of the Protestants The Duke of Alenson departeth malecontent from Court The ende of the first ciuill warres KIng Charles beeing dead and his brother Henry king of Polonia Henry the the King of France and Polonia declared heire to the Crowne during whose absence the Queene mother as is already sayde was proclaimed Regent the Catholikes beganne to insult more then euer before ouer the Protestants and to vse them in most outragious manner presuming vppon the accustomed good fortune of their new king and the resolute course of the Queene mother to roote out all those of the Religion and to expell them out of the territories of the Flower de Lis. The consideration whereof did maruailously dismay many of the Protestants and caused sundrie who inwardly fauoured their proceedings to plucke in their heades and keep themselues close and to expect what would bee the sequell of these newe occurrences There was great dissention at Rochell about these matters and long it was before they would fully determine what to do howbeit at length through the manifolde remonstrances of La Noue they fully resolued to continue the warres both by sea and land as they had doone in former times The Queene mother knowing that the best way to pacifie these tumults and to restraine the Confederates from any further proceeding in the warres was to vse them gently and by smoth words and faire promises to keepe them in vntill the comming of the new king sent the Abbot of Gadagny to Rochell with letters to La Noue The Queene mother writeth to La Noue in which among other things hee exhorted him to liue peaceably like a good subiect and not to vex the land with newe troubles in the absence of the king who peraduenture would bee reuenged thereof at his comming although shee knew that naturally hee was a very milde and mercifull Prince and one that would maintaine his subiects both of the one and the other Religion in peace and amitie so farre forth as possibly hee might had alreadie signified the same as well to her selfe and the principall officers of the Crowne as to sundry the greatest and cheefest Citties of the land These letters with sundrie perswasions vsed by the Abbot enduced the Rochelers to conclude a truce for three moneths The Rochelors conclude a peace for three monthâ— Mention was made before of the purpose of the Duke of Alenson and the king of Nauarre to depart the Court to ioyne with the Confederates which albeit they attempted not beeing diuerted there from by the councell of some of their friendes yet the late King had them in great ielousie and therefore kept them in a manner as prisoners setting spies to watch them and their actions and for that hee suspected the two Mareschalles of Memorancy and Cossy to bee of their confederacie hee imprisoned them in the Bastile within the Louure and discharged the Mareschall Danuill brother to Memorancy of his Lieutenantship in Languedock giuing it to the Prince Dauphin sonne to the Duke Montpencier and albeit the Prince of Conde Meru Thore the vicount of Turin Montagu and many others were secret fauourers of his excellency in this action yet for that they were not discouered the king suffered them to remaine at their libertie and sent the Prince of Conde into Picardy to looke to the gouernement of that Countrey The Prince of Conde sent into Picardy from whence he secretly conueyed himselfe into Germany who beeing aduertised of that which had passed at Court touching the Duke and the King of Nauarre and that there was a purpose to clap him vppe likewise secretly conuayed himselfe into Germany and forwith made profession of the Religion and so practised with the Princes and the rest of his friendes in that Countrey that hee leauied a great power of Reisters for the ayde of the French Protestants which when the Mareschall Danuill vnderstood hee beganne to drawe neere to those of the refourmed Religion then hee was accustomed to doo and finding many discontented pollitikes readie to ioyne with him resolued from that time forwarde to follow the matter with more earnestnesse and to further their cause all that euer hee might Henry of Burbon Prince of Conde accompanied with many of the Nobilitie of both Regions beeing at Heppenhem in Germanie and seriously busied in gathethering of forces to enter France for the releefe of his associats was enformed of all the Proceedings as well of the Protestants as of the Mareschall Danuill and the rest of the discontented pollitikes and vnderstanding that he was chosen generall ouer both sorts accepted thereof promising to employ all his credit power and authoritie to maintaine them against all their enemies vnder the obedience of Henry the third of that name King of Poland and of France Which when the Queene mother vnderstood shee thought it best to offer a treatie of peace and to holde all sorts in quietnesse vntill the comming of her Sonne out of Polonia whose presence shee supposed would bee a sufficient weapon to fight against all these practises and deuises Hereuppon she wrote letters to the Confederates and especially to the Rochelors to mooue them to embrace this negociation of peace whereby they themselues might liue in greater securitie The Queene mother moueth a peace and the whole Lande bee freed from ciuill and intestine warres They returned a dutifull answere desiring her maiestie to deale with the Prince of Conde who was elected the cheefe of the reformed Churches and to whome vnder the Kings obedience they hadde submitted themselues and in the meane while furnished their Citties with all necessaries for theyr better safetie With which answere the Queene mother beeing nothing well pleased sent the Duke Montpencier into Poictou with very great forces who hauing taken Maraus Noille Noue Charante and diuers other strong places planted his siege before Fontenay a Towne of very great importance which in the ende hee tooke by composition and so gained all base Poictou to the exceeding preiudice of the Confederates Hee likewise besieged Lusignen which beeing valiantly defended by the Lord of Fontenay held out for a long time yet yeelded at the last vppon reasonable conditions after it had beene besieged three moneths and twelue daies hauing lost some three and twentie Gentlemen and two hundred common souldiers Lusignen dismanteled the Catholikes spent seauen or eight thousande cannon shot and left some eight hundred of their men dead before the Towne to make satisfaction to
Guyse who was mustering of men and gathering of forces and that very busily for the same purpose As the king was thus deuising how hee might best withstand the Reisters new troubles ensued and a maruailous likelyhood of greater and more dangerous sturres then at any time before if they were not wisely and speedily preuented for the Duke of Alenson the kings onely brother and the second person of France sodainely departed from the Court The Duke of Alenson sodainly departeth from the Court to the aide of the confederates and went to Dreux beeing highly discontented with his straight keeping which he accounted no better then an imprisonment to whom theâ—e daily repayred great numbers of the nobilitie and gentlemen both Papists and Protestants and there openly shewed himselfe a fauourer of the Confederates * The king of Nauarre escapeth out of prison The king of Nauarre who had likewise beene shut vp for three yeeres hauing libertie on a time to go to hunt in the Forrest of Saint Germain in Lay accompanied with the Duke of Espernon and many other Lords and gentlemen so perswaded with them that they were not onely willing to suffer him to go whether hee would but many offering their seruice to bring him on the way neuer left him vntill he came to Samur where he continued not long but hee grew to that strength that he cared little or nothing for his enemies These two vnexpected accidents did maruailously astonish the Court and made the wisest of them well neere at their wits endes But the Queene mother who earnestly desired to see some good agreement betweene hir children The Queene mother reconcileth her children accompanied with some of the Princes of the bloud the principall officers of the Crowne and the two Mareschals of France Memorancy and Cossy who were now deliuered out of prison went with all speede toward Monsieur and neuer left him vntill she had first made a truce for nine moneths and afterwards hauing granted vnto him the Dukedomes of Berry Touraine and Aniou for his better maintenance besides many other things done in fauour of the Protestants the warres ceased and a generall peace was proclaimed thorowout the land which the Protestants hoped would be more permanent then any other of former times for that it was granted by the king who as yet had not violated his promise The end of the fift ciuill warres and therefore they had no cause to doubt of him especially considering that as one exempting himselfe from being culpable of the breach of the former pacification he commanded that this should be tearmed by the name of his Peace and therefore in all likelihood meant to haue it duly kept and obserued CHAP. XX. The ambition of the Guyses The house of Valois and Burbon condemned at Rome Monsieur forsaketh the Protestants The beginning of the sixt ciuill warres HItherto thou maist perceiue gentle Reader a maruailous strange alteration and as it were a continuall vicissitude in these French affaires The originall and progresse with the variable effect and incredible accidents occasioned through the continuance of these wofull ciuill warres are as it were in a glasse very liuely represented before thy eyes The due consideration whereof and mâ—st needes make euerie one in whom remaineth any piety to tremble at the secret iudgements of the almightie and to bee mooued with a fellow feeling and commiseration of the woful estate of our afflicted brethren in forraine Countreyes so ought it to worke an exceeding reioycing ioyned with most humble thanks in the hearts of those who enioy a quiet estate and blessed peace vnder a most gracious and mercifull prince with a continual inuocation vnto him who is the giuer of so rich a treasure not onely to poure downe and that in most plentifull manner such graces as are requisite for the beautifying and garnishing of so high a maiestie but also to assist her with such Religious wise and peaceable Councellers as abhorre a couetous humour wherewith many haue beene possessed for the enriching of themselues and detesting an ambitious and aspiring minde a vice oftentimes but too much inherent in the natures of great personages as are zealously adicted to the setting foorth of Gods glorie the seruice of his soueraigne and the peace and prosperitie of the Commonwealth The want whereof as it hath euermore beene the bane of many most flourishing nations so hath it been the principall motiue of such lamentable desolation as hath spread it selfe and that in most outragious manner ouer the face of that noble Kingdome of France where albeit that some of the latter Kings haue not beene so vertuously disposed as were to bee wished which notwithstanding may peraduenture in some sort bee executed in regarde of their mynoritie and want of good education by meanes whereof they haue the more easily beene enduced to giue their allowance to many most wicked and vngodly proceedings yet is it out of question that the gratest misteries which haue there fallen out haue beene hatched and brought foorth by the deuillish and pestiferous practises of sundrie Councellers who through the benefit of their good fortune and fauour of their Princes haue attained vnto great places and had the managing of the whole state The great ingratitude of the house of Guyse Among others the house of Guyse as it is notoriously knowne vnto the whole world haue faulted heerein in the highest degree that may bee who abusing those notable gifts which had made them commendable in the sight of their soueraignes and highly esteemed of the people and therefore ought to haue drawen on an honourable â—â—â—â—yage of themselues towardes all sorts but in more especiall towardes that house which had so honoured them aboue all families in France haue rendered euill for good and sought by all vnlawfull and trecherous meanes to subuert those who haue beene but too ready to procure theyr honour and aduauncement Which intollerable ingratitude of theyrs though it were prophesied on long before by the great King Francis the first of 〈…〉 saying The prophesie of King Francis That they would 〈…〉 into theyr dublets and his subiects into their shirts yet such was the carelesse securitie of the ofspring of that prudent Prince that they would not take 〈◊〉 vnto those aspiring heades but by giuing them countenance and authoritie haue mightily empaired their 〈◊〉 royall dignitie and 〈…〉 of this sharpe and bitter prophesie Francis Duke of Guyse assisted by the councelles of that 〈…〉 associate Charles his brother Cardinall of Lorraine Francis D of Guise aspireth to the Crowne of France had long synce layde the plot and cast in his minde how to effect this diabolicall deuice and to that ende had set all Fraunce in a combustion by sowing diuision betweene the King and the Princes of the blood and incensing the soueraigne agaynst his most obedient and dutifull subiectes And being growne verie gracious among the French by reason of his fortunate successe in the
warres caused it to bee secretly spredde abroade among the people that hee was descended from Charlemaine and therefore had some right and title to the Crowne of Fraunce And as though hee meant one day to put in his clayme had so ordered the matter that great numbers of the Nobilitie and sundrie of the principall Citties of the lande were wholie at his deuotion but hee was cutte off in the middest of his hope as is alreadie sayde before Orleaunce and all his deuices came to naught sauing that he left behind him a sonne as hautie as aspiring and as ambitious as euer was the father Henrie duke of Guise his ambitious turbulent nature and one that attempted greater matters then euer did any of that line This man beeing growne into great credite with Charles the ninth and likewise with Henrie the thirde so aduaunced himselfe by their fauours that he gaue the lawe to Fraunce and did euery thing as he lysted And practising those rules which his father and vncle had left him was euermore deuising howe to trouble the state and to holde the King at continuall strife with his subiects as the readyest and speedyest way to compasse that which that factious and turbulent house had so greedily gaped after for these many yeares VVhereupon hee pondering with himselfe that if this late reconciliation which was made betweene the King and his subiects shoulde continue that the King of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde with their adherents and associates would quickely growe mightie and so with theyr power and authoritie easily ouerthrowe all his councelles and that in such sort as hee should neuer bee able to accomplish and fulfill his intended purpose thought it best and most expedient for his aduantages to beginne newe broyles and sturres and with a sixt ciuill warre to bring France againe into a Chaos and confusion The better to effect this and to lay as sure a foundation as might bee for so badde a buylding it was deuised that the Bishop of Paris and a certaine Aduocate called Dauid as craftie as wilie and as wicked a fellowe as anie lyued in those dayes shoulde bee sent to Rome The Bishop of Paris the aduocate Dauid sent to Rome to haue the direction of the Pope and his Cardinalles howe it were best to beginne and afterwards most circumspectlie to proccede and go forwardes in so hautie and weightie an enterprise There were many bitter complaints and sharpe accusations framed agaynst Henrie the third the French King against Monsieur his brother the king of Nauarre the Prince of Conde against the race of the Valoises the Burbons Accusations against the houses of Valois and Burbon all the princes of the blood and the auncient Nobilitie of Fraunce they were all either heretikes or fauourers of heretikes and by their late pacification entended the vtter subuersion of the holie Church of Rome There it was shewed to make the King and all his Princes the more odious howe the house of Capet had alwayes withstoode the Bishoppes of Rome and had in olde time maintained the Valdensis and Albigeons and nowe were either Hugonots or else great fauourers and abettors of them But on the contrarie that the house and lynage of Charlemaine which was wrongfully dispossessed of the Crowne had a speciall grace giuen them by the Papall benediction to support and helpe holie Church and that yet there were some of that ofspring left and those stoute maintainers of the Papall dignitie meaning those of Guise and such as had alwayes like notable Champions valiauntlie defended the Romaine fayth and therefore it was expedient nay most necessarie for the preseruation of the Catholike Religion to roote out the houses of Valois and Burbon and to restore the ofspring of Charlemaine which was endewed with all excellent vertues and throughly furnished with most notable gifts requisite for the execution of all commendable and honourable attempts The Councel holden at Rome for the rooting out of the blood Roiall of France And for the more speedie accomplishment hereof it was resolued that the Guises with their partakers should procure newe commotions in the lande and nourish the warres by all possible meanes that might bee That they should league the Nobililtie by oath to persecute the Gospel and to choose for their heade and principall of their league Henrie Duke of Guise whom the King shoulde bee counsayled to let alone and suffer him to proceede as he liked best seeing he was a man of that iudgement that knewe well enough what hee had to doo The Queene mother likewise should bee sent to perswade Monsiour her sonne to beat the assembly of the States which should bee holden at Blois Whither the king shoulde solicite the king of Nauarre and Prince of Conde to come by all the faire wordes that could be deuised And in the meane while there should be sundrie cunning fellowes and such as were most deuoted to the league sent abroad into the seueral prouinces who should secretly labour that such Deputies might be chosen as would further the designements of the Leaguers all that might be During which priuie practises the Friers and Iesuites shall incense the people agaynst the Hugonots by their seditious Sermōs The priests in their parish churches shal secretly take the names of all the able men for the warres and in their shriuings shall charge them to prouide them of all such weapons as shal be appoynted them by their captaines The States shal sweare to obserue and obey whatsoeuer shal be concluded And if Monsieur the king of Nauarre the prince of Conde and the rest of the princes of the blood do not appeare at the said assembly they shall be condemned as rebels and likewise all other that shal any way oppose themselues against the proceedings of the said States who shal sweare their obedience to the Sea of Rome and to obserue the Councell of Trent and withall a request shall be made to the king that if any man shall resist and refuse to giue his allowance thereto that he shall appoynt the Duke of Guise his generall and giue him authoritie to pursue him to the death who hauing so great forces shall cause them to be in a readinesse to march towarde Blois assoone as the assembly of the states is begun All things being thus contriued there shall be certaine commissioners chosen to enquier of the life and deedes of Monsieur and certaine iudges appoynted to condemne him for ioyning himselfe with the Heretikes and so his processe shal be drawene forthwith after the godly example of the king of Spaine who put to death Charles of Austrich his naturall sonne As soone as Monsieur is condemned then shall the forces march to strengthen the execution and shall set vpon all the Hugonots and put as many of them to the sworde as they can come by and the Duke of Guise beeing so strongly appoynted shall seyze vpon the persons of the King and Queene mother and by
the permission of the sea Apostolike shall put them into some monasterie as Pepin dealt with Childeric And by this meanes the Crowne shall bee set vpon his head and so returne to the blessed stock of Charlemaine and he and his successors from thenceforth shall haue their kingdome of the Bishop of Rome and shall abolish the prerogatiues of the French Church Whilest these things were a working at Rome the Guises with their adherents fought by all possible meanes to breake the peace in France and by grieuous oppressions and wrongs to force those of the reformed religion to put themselues in arms to withstaÌ„d so iniurious proceedings Monsieur forsaketh the Protestants and goeth to the Court. And albeit they were but too forward to blow the bellowes of sedition before yet now vpon the returne of Dauid from Rome they went eagrely forward and with great earnestnesse endeuored to put those rules in practise which came from their holy father There wer leagues and associations made and those as strong as could be deuised The states were summoned and by the collusion of the King none admitted to be at that assembly but such as were vtter enemies to the Gospel Monsieur by the earnest intreatie of the Queene mother was brought to the Court and hauing made his benefite of the fauor of the Protestants left them when they had most need of him and associated himselfe with their sworne enemies The King likewise beganne to interpret his Edict after a straunge maner The complaints of the Catholikes and farre otherwise then was expected by the confederates Some articles were strained and racked out to the vttermost and other some snipped and curtailed that they seemed metamorphosed and changed into a new nature as farre differing from their former as might be imagined Many infamous libels were printed contayning most villainous matter agaynst the Protestants and a rumour was spread abroade that they had surprised sundrie Townes and fortes in Poictou Languedocke Guyen Xantoigne and Dauphine and therefore that it was impossible to holde in the Catholiques anie longer who with so manifold iniuries saide they were mightily incensed agaynst those of the reformed Churches Those of the Religion were exceedingly troubled with this strange kind of dealing and knowing that it proceeded of a mortall hatred and that it did euidently argue that there was a secrete purpose to catch them at aduauntage and then to make hauocke of them and to roote them and their Religion out of Fraunce they beganne to looke about them and to prouide for their owne securitie especiallie considering howe the Catholiques were leagued togither and were readie as it were at an instaunt to inuade them on all sides VVhereupon seeing that Monsieur after hee had gotten the Dukedome of Berrie Touraine and Aniou as is alreadie sayd had forsaken them and left them at sixe and seuen the King of Nauarre was chosen chiefe of the Confederates and the Prince of Conde seysed vpon Bowrage Marennes The beginning of the sixt ciuill warre and other Islandes beeing places of great importaunce and verie auaileable for the aduauncement of the Protestant affayres Thus the peace hauing endured but a small time the sixt ciuill war ensued immediately vpon the report that it was concluded by King in the assembly of the states that there should be no other but the Romane Catholike religion tollerated within all his territories and dominions for then began the warres to be open on all sides The Catholikes seysed vpon Du Pont S Espirit Merpin Tallemond Burdeaux and as manie other townes as they could get The Protestants surprised Pons Royan Reole and Cinray and making a counterleague among themselues couragiously withstood the attempts of their enemies and foreseeing the stormie tempest which threatned the ship of their safetie likewise Pilots and skilfull Mariners they stoutly stoode to their tacklings endeuouring by all possible meanes to saue their beaten barke from drowning and to bring it to some safe port and quiet harborrow Each side alledged sundrie reasons for the iustification of their actions the Catholikes layd all the blame vpon the Protestants saying that they were men that would not be satisfied with any indifferent fauor but espying their aduantage had forced the King to yeeld to vnreasonable conditions Besides that the Edict was but prouisionall and might be disanulled at the Kings pleasure and that it was now determined by the Estates generall that no other then the Roman religion should be tollerated within all the French Dominions The Protestants alledged that they were murthered and killed in euerie corner and no punishment inflicted vpon the malefactors The complaints of the Protestants That the Catholikes did dayly breake the Kings Edict which had beene made by the consent of all the noble personages of the land who had solemnely sworne the obseruation thereof and that if such Edicts were accounted prouisionall who would repose any trust hereafter in the Kings worde and promise seeing he helde it lawfull to breake his oath when hee lysted And as concerning the estates generall they sayd they were not lawfully assembled and therefore they protested of the nullitie of them and of whatsoeuer thing they concluded These and manie such reasons were obiected on both sides and they had not long contended in wordes but they fell to blowes and each endomaged other all that euer they might The King of Nauarre and Prince of Conde withdrew themselues to Rochell and hauing gotten some 3000. footmen and 400. horse they dayly enterprised vpon their enemies The D. de Maine The duke de Maine generall of the Catholikes accompanied with Puygallâ—ard Ruffec Roches Baritand and many others to the number of seuen hundred horse besides a strong power of footemen did continuallie vexe and molest the Protestants by spoyling their fieldes and burning theyr houses and beeing maisters of the Champaigne couped in the Confederates verie narrowly and hauing all things in a readinesse planted their siege before La Charitie which in the ende they gayned Yea Rochell it selfe began in a maner to bee besieged enduring maruaylous losses by the continuall roades of the Catholikes who wasted all without pittie or mercie La Charite The Protestants being so hardly vsed offered the like measure where they preuayled dealing verie rigourously with such as fell into their handes The Duke de Maine following his good fortune The prosperous course of the Duke de Maine tooke Tonnay Charentie and Rochford which yeelded vnto him vpon the first summance and so farre hee preuayled that he made himselfe Lorde of all the Riuer of Charente in lesse then fiue dayes and vsing great expedition got Marans from the Rochellors who were sore grieued with the losse of a place of so great importance Now as the nature of most men is to bande with the stronger and euermore to iudge of the end according to the beginning so many at this time began to slippe their neckes out of the Coller and to
for by reason that Captaine Rochmort who had surprised the saide Castle was slaine with a shot out of the Towne as hee was leaning in his chamber window the Castle was rendered again vpon composition made sure for the League as it was afore time The Prince beeing ignorant hereof passed the Loyre with all his troups which were some eight hundred horse and almost a thousand and two hundred harquebuziers on horsebacke conducted by the Lord of Nemours Lauall Trimouille Boâ—lay Saint Gelais Aubigny Ouches Rohan Touche Flesche and sundrie others The Lord Clermont had likewise gathered a great companie of horse and encamped himselfe with the Prince neere vnto Angiers These companies approching the Towne expected some signall from the Castle whereby they might vnderstand that it still held for the king of Nauarre but they were certified that the saide Castle was yeelded the day before into the handes of their enemies and therefore that it was lost labour to stay there any longer Which newes greeued the Prince exceedingly made him with the rest of his councell to fall to consultation how they might safely get backe ouer the Loyre and free themselues out of that danger which then appeared before their eies and for that they knewe well inough that both the kings forces and the Leaguers were vp in all quarters and hasted by all possible meanes to encounter them they retyred towards the Loyre with a purpose to returne the same way they came The Lord Lauell beeing the formost got ouer without any danger but before the comming of the Prince all the passages were seised by the enemie and the prince was aduertised by many messengers that either hee must resolue to open his way by the sword or else to hazard himselfe at al aduenture through the Countrey of Beause The Prince approching the danger The great distresse of the Prince and the rest of the Protestants that were with him and thinking that in either of these there was but hard choyse called a Councell but by reason of the diuersitie of opinions it was long before any thing could be concluded at length it was agreed to passe through Beause Then euery man prepared himselfe towardes that desperate iourney and marching toward Luche in Aniou purposed there to passe ouer the Loyre vpon the Bridge but the Riuer was so risen that there was no passage without imminent perill From thence therefore they went to Lude and so to Prillay Vandeloyre S. Arnol where they heard newes that the Duke of Espernon and the Mareschall Biron were at Boneuall in Beausse with great forces readie to fight with the dismayed multitude that the Duke De Mayne as on the other side of the Loyre neere vnto Bloy readie to cut off such as should fortune to passe that way and that all the Countrey was full of strong garrisons attending with great deuotion to make a pray of the Prince and that handfull of men which did accompanie him so that it seemed the further they went the neerer they approched their destruction and hauing with their long and laborious marches wearied themselues and tired their horses they did vtterly dispaire of any good successe In this great agony they iourneyed on and euerie day receiued more vncomfortable newes then other wherewith many supposing that all was lost secretly disbanded from the grosse of the Armie and repaired to such friendes as they had in the Countrey The Prince and the rest of the Nobilitie were wonderfully perplexed and knew not what course to take at length they resolued to diuide themselues into seuerall companies some going one way and some another the Lord Rohan with many Gentlemen in his retinew went towards Britaine Saint Gelais went towards Vandosme the Prince the Lords of Trimouille and Auantigny with some of their principall seruants betooke them to their fortune as well as the rest and hasted to get into some place of greater securitie The laborious and tedious trauaile of this noble Prince his wearisome courses his long Caualcados his great and perilous dangers hee escaped before he gat to that Iland of Gernsy would require a long discourse were sufficient for a whole volume As soone as the cheefetaines were thus dispersed the common souldiers were quickly scattered some tooke their way towards Orleance some towards Nomandy and some towards Mayne and to bee short euerie man went which way hee liked best trauailing in exceeding great feare hauing as they imagined neither meanes to escape nor force to resist but were readie euerie minute to fall into the hands of those who did wholly pursue them The Prince of Conde with the cheefest of hiâ— troupes arriued at Rochell much about one time and thirsted for nothing more then for their bloud but when all hope failed God did miarculously deliuer them and so deliâ—ered them in theyr iourneyes that hauing auoyded a million of more then apparent perils they all arriued at length at Rochell and that much about one time to the exceeding comfort of themselues and the wonder of all France CHAP. XXII The cruell Edicts of the King against the Protestants The number of the Popish Armies which were ouerthrowne in one yeere The villanous dealâ—ng of the Guyse The battaile of Coutras WHilst the Prince of Conde and the rest of his distressed Armie made this hard shift for themselues the Duke de Maine The Duke de Maine made captaine generall ouer the forâ—es of the Popish Clergy whome the League had procured to be appointed generall by the Kings authoritie ouer a mightie power maintained at the cost and charges of the Clergie of France bestirreth himselfe and seeketh to annoy the protestants as much as might bee but by reason the Vicount of Turin opposed himselfe against his proceedings with an army of sixe thousand men hee did no other harme but gat some fewe Townes which were of no great importance The League not prospering so fast as they desired by force of Armes caused the king who was nowe solde ouer to worke his owne confusion and the vtter ruine of his Realme and States The cruell Edicts of the king to make many cruell Edicts against those of the Religion notwithstanding all the pacifications and graunts of former times and they were commanded to auoyde the Realme within fifteene dayes otherwise there was libertie giuen to persecute them to death to seise vpon their goods lands and linings and to employ them to the kings vse The king of Nauarre knowing that all this was doone by the procurement of the League and the Popish Clergie seised likewise vppon all the Landes and goods of such as were either Leaguers or fauourers of that factious and rebellious multitude The seuere proclamations made by the king against those of the Reformed Churches wrought many lamentable effects in the Land Some who made profession of the Gospel recanted and turned to Poperie and because they would not bee suspected on any dissimulation they became earnest persecutors of
King did allowe of such of these Articles as did any way concerne the suppression of the reformed Religion The king refuseth to grant all the petitions of the league but considering that the rest did wonderfull derogate from his Crowne and dignitie and that they tended directlie to the weakening of himselfe and the strengthening of the league of which for a long tyme hee had verie hardly conceyued hee would not bee enduced to condiscend vnto them by anie manner of meanes or entreatie whatsoeuer Now as the Leaguers laboured openly by these and such like deuises to weaken the King so they practised secretly to destroy the King of Nauarre and Prince of Conde knowing that if they were once ridde of them it woulde bee an easie matter to accomplish the rest Heerevpon they set on worke certaine wicked and diuellish persons to bring these two great Princes to their deaths And assuring themselues that this detestable deuise woulde take effect they caused it on a suddaine to bee bruited all ouer the Realme of Fraunce that Nauarre and Conde were both dead But by Gods good prouidence Nauarre escaped that daunger and tooke no harme The Prince of Conde by the treacherous and villaynous dealing of some of his housholde seruaunts and amongest others of one Brillant and a page The prince of Conde poysoned two such as he had greatly fauoured and bestowed many benefites vpon was poisoned the third day of March in the yere of our Lord The great commendatiō of the prince of Conde one thousand fiue hūdred eightie and eight and died within two dayes after at Saint Iean d' Angely Whose death was greatly lamented of all good men for that hee was wise valiant zealous in religion true harted to his Prince a louer of his country and an irreconciliable enemie to the perturbers of the state and to all such as hee knewe to be aduersaries to God to the King and to the Crowne of France The Guises and the rest of the leaguers reioysed not a little at this newes for nowe they thought they were gotten one steppe higher and had greater hope to oppresse the Protestants then before who they knewe were mightily weakened with this losse And for that they supposed that in this conseruation of mens mindes they had oportunitie to attempt something which might still aduaunce their affaires they thought good that the Lorde Lauerdin who had scaped a scowring at the battaile of Coutras should assaile Marans a place of very great importaunce and if it were possible to make it sure for the league The Lord Lauerdin applied his businesse so diligently that he gayned the sayd Island of Marans in a short time Marans gained by the Lord Lauerdin by reason that the Protestants being amased as it were with the vnexpected death of the Prince did not prouide timelie enough for the fortifying thereof with such store of men and munition as was necessarie Albeit that the King was glad that the Lord Lauerdin had gotten Marans yet he liked not that it should be kept by the Lord Cluseaux whom he knewe to bee a fauourer of the League but there was no remedie he must beare with the time being indeede not able to doe as hee would for the most part of his Councell and those of the chiefest were leagers and the Duke of Guise the head of those monsters had caused such infamous rumours to be raysed of the Kings actions and by secret practises had so disgraced him among his subiects that he was almost growne into contempt among the communaltie and was imputed no bodie in comparison of the Guise This opinion the King would gladly haue rooted out and was verie desirous to gaine their good willes and affections if possibly he might The better to effect this he thought best to proclaime wars afresh against the Protestants The King prepareth to go into Poictou against the Protestants and to rayse a great power and to go in person into Poictou agaynst the King of Nauarre and all his confederates that so by some famous exploits against those of the reformed religion hee might regaine the loue and liking of his lost subiects The Duke of Guise who knew that he had stollen away the peoples hearts from the King thought it now good time to discouer his secrete meaning more openly and presuming of his fauourers at Court and the good wil of the countrey The Guise determineth to seise vpon Paris and to take the King concludeth to get Paris to seise vpon the king either aliue or dead to kill as many princes of the blood and other officers of the crown as he could lay hands vpon and by fine force to set the diadem of France vpon his owne head Now that he might be the more assured to accomplish all this he wrote secret letters to all his chiefe friends and followers to meete him at Paris as spedily as they might And for that the King should not be able to withstand him he had set the duke of Aumaile to warre against sundry townes and cities in Picardy and had giuen order that others should attempt as much in Normandy and other places knowing that the king would send thither his principall forces to keepe those countries in his obedience and then he might with more facilitie execute his intended purpose Vpon these aduertisements of the Guise to his associates there repayred vnto Paris great numbers of the most factious turbulent and malecontent persons of all the Land Many Spanish Captaines and Hispaniolized french were soone assembled in that mightie Cittie and that to the number of fifteene or sixteene thousand besides the Citizen Leaguers who were exceeding many and those as desperate and rash headed as any others whosoeuer the Duke of Guyse being diligently enformed of this and knowing how greatly hee was expected at Paris by his confederates resolued to post thither with all speede and the rather for that the king euen as he wished had now dispersed his forces sending some into Normandy and others into Picardy to maintain◠his authoritie in those prouinces the King had long mistrusted the Guyse for that he was now aduertised that hee was comming to Paris he vehemently suspected that there was some notable practise in hand to be performed against him by the Leaguers he therefore sent word to the sayd Duke whom hee vnderderstood to bee forward on his way by the Lord Belieure that in no wise hee should come to Paris at that time vppon paine of his displeasure and in case that he would notwithstanding continue his iourney that then hee helde him for a traytour and the authour of all those miseries wherewith the Land was so encombred at that instant Belieure did his message The Guyse entreth into Paris contrary to the Kings commandement but the Guyse did little regard it for he followed the said Belieure at the heeles and was at Paris almost assoone as hee accompanied not past with some
their poore brethren Others hid themselues in secret corners and liued most miserably and in great wants Infinite numbers fled away some into England some into Germanie others to Sedan The miserablee state of the pâ—rsecuted Protestants Geneua and such places as were free from persecution It was a most pittifull sight to beholde the dissipation of so many families who were nowe turned foorth of the doores naked and comfortlesse and forced to shift for themselues in strange Countreyes The Duke de Maine did all this while what hee could to any the Protestants and to gayne as many Citties and townes through very secrecie as hee could to ioyne with the League and to make that faction strong against the King by seducing his subiects vnder the colour of maintaining the Catholike Religion Which beeing suspected by sundrie his followers they disbanded themselues and some for want of pay refused to serue any longer The Duke de Maine by reason of these vnexpected crosses was not able to make head any longer and therefore wrote to the Guyse his brother in what bad tearmes things stood who fearing that if there were not new prouision that his brother the Duke de Maine would come shortly to ruyne and bee vtterly ouerthrowne aduised the king to make foure seuerall Armies Foure newe armies appointed to inuade the Protestants and to inuade the protestants in diuerse places at once which sayde hee was the onely way to weaken them considering that their forces should bee seuered and disioyned This pollicie was no sooner allowed as the best but the Mareschall Biron was appointed to go into Xainctoigne the Duke Ioyeuse into Languedocke the Lord Foynse his sonne into Auergne and the Duke of Espernon into Prouence La Chastre should bee readie with a fleete vppon the coast of Britaine to enterprise as time and opportunitie serued The king of Nauarre was foorthwith certified of this preparation which made him fortifie such places as were of importance as strongly as hee could and vnderstanding that the Mareschall Biron intended to besiege Browage with a power of one thousand two hundred horse foure thousand footmen he did so carefully prouide for the defence therof that after that Biron had bin long before the towne and had done little or nothing sauing that he was content to make a composition with the Protestants hee brake vp his campe and sent his companies some into Poictou and some into Aniou to refresh themselues and thus was this Army dispersed without dooing of any thing Duke Ioyeuse passed into Languedocke where hee tooke Lodere Saint Poure Montesquion and Marueiâ—lx and hauing committed infinite sorts of most horrible villanies and strange cruelties The armies of the Popish Leagueri ouerthrowne in lesse then one yeere after he had lost aboue thirtie of his best Captaines and fiue hundred others at the least before a palterie towne called Saint Puels brake vp his army and returned home in farre worse case then hee went footh The sauage rudenes of this rable made many of the Nobilitie who before fauored the League to forsake such an association wherein there was nothing but robbing spoyling whooring swearing and blaspheming and that after a most beastly and brutish manner the yong Ioyeuse following rather his pleasures then the wars made his progresse throughout Auuergna where hee did no other harme but spende and waste the Kings treasure and when that was doone retired to the Court to see if he could be trusted with any more And thus were all these armies brought to confusion vanishing away as a little smoke notwithstanding all their great brags The Leaguers considering that all these fiue Armies had spent great store of treasor and all other warlike preparation and yet had rather hindred then furthered their secret purposes for by reason they sped no better they were forsaken of many The Queen mother offereth a parly of peace growen into contempt with others deuised with the Queene mother whom they knew to fauour their designements that shee shoulde offer a parley of peace which shee did and sent to vnderstand of the king of Nauarre if hee would hearken thereto who tendering the good of his countrey refused not the motion wherupon there was an interuiew betweene the Queene mother and the saide King at Saint Brice the thirteenth of December where there was much adoo and many words spent to small purpose for the Queene would not condiscend to the excuse of the Religion and the king of Nauarre would make no peace seeing that was the principall cause of bearing armes howbeit in the end the Queene vnderstanding of the great leauie of Reisters that were comming to the ayde of the Protestants and growing in suspition that the Dukes of Guyse and de Maine and the rest of the Leaguers would enterprise somewhat against the King shee concluded a peace for three moneths and so returned to the Court. 1587 The Guyses trecherous dealing to discredit the King The Duke of Guyse intending to discredit the king with his subiects euerie day more then other sent abroade sundrie his supposts and caused them to spread a rumor how that the euill successe of all those armies which had beene employed against the Hugonots was for that the king beeing led by wicked councell would not permit that they should be sufficiently prouided for with money munition and other necessaries that hee had intelligence with the heretikes that hee had warre indeed in his mouth but in his heart he meant nothing lesse and that by such fraudulent dealing the good Catholikes were betrayed and the Heretikes encouraged and that therefore there was no good to be doone so long as there was such packing and false play The Domesticall enemie was first to bee ouerthrowne before the forraine enemie could be vanquished These and such like sinister informations were giuen out among the multitude by Friers Priests and Iesuites in their Sermons and manie busie headed fellowes were set a woorke to spreade these and such like defamatorie speaches with much vehemencie and earnestnesse in Alehouses Tauerns Markets and all other places of greatest assembly By reason of which sâ—aunderous and bad reports there grew much murmuring amongst the people with no small dislike of the present gouernment The King notwithstanding as a man bewitched with the deceitfull dealing of his mother and the treacherous practises of such counsellers as he most fauoured eyther vnderstoode nothing of all this or else was forced to winke at it as wanting leysure or meanes to sift the matter more narrowly For the rumour of the comming of the Germaines the fortunate successe of the Lord Digueres in Dauphinie and Languedocke the counter-league of the King of Nauarre the Prince of Conde and a great number of verie Noble and honourable personages of the lande with a full resolution to maintaine the reformed Religion did so occupie his minde that hee coulde not haue leysure to looke into the rebellious driftes of the Leaguers
who continuallie incensed the King agaynst the Hugonots and after the confusion and ruine of all his former Armyes perswaded him to assayle those of the Religion in Guyen with newe forces vnder the conducting and leading of Duke Ioyense for that it was thought that the Mareschall Biron was of too milde a nature and had dealt somewhat too fauourably in his late voyage Thus Duke Ioyense being armed with the Kings authoritie The Duke Ioyense sent against the Protestants and ayded with a mightie power inuaded Guyen where he tooke sundry townes as Mote Saint Cloy Saint Mexent Tonnay Charauty Maylezay and some others but the plague encreasing among his souldiers he was forced to breake vp his campe and to disperse his forces and hee himselfe posted to Paris to the rest of the principall Leaguers The King of Nauarre vnderstanding of his retreate set vpon his stragling troupes killed many tooke sundrie prisoners and in a short space recouered all that had beene lost Thus the Leaguers had caused the King to spend much money about nought intending thereby to weaken him and strengthen themselues for by this meanes they were still in authoritie and did in a maner what soeuer they lifted empouerishing their enemyes and inriching theyr friends as the readyest way to effect that which they had long before determined to accomplish About this time were the Germains readie to march towards France The great preparation of the King to withstande the Germans whereof the King being aduertised he prepared three seuerall Armies with the which he ment both to defend himselfe and to offend his enemies The duâ—e of Guise was made generall ouer the first wherin were 23000. French men besides 400 Launces 2000. Italians and sixe hundred light horse sent to him out of the low Countryes by the Duke of Parma All which were appointed to barre the Germaines out of Lorraine if it were possible or else to hinder them that they should not passe through Champaigne The King led the second army into Berry wherein was 88. companies of men of Armes ten thousand French footemen 12000. Switzers 4000. Rutters 12. double CanoÌ„s 2000. pioners with which power the King determined to keepe the Loyre The duke Ioyense conducted the third army against the King of Nauarre to keepe him occupied and to withhold him from ioyning with the Germaines The battell of Contras The King of Nauarre gathered as great forces as he could and being accompanied with the prince of Conde Count Soyssons the Lord Trimouille the vicount of Turen and many other honorable estates hasted to incorporate himselfe with his strangers vsing great speed gat ouer the riuer of Droune where the duke Ioyense had intended to stop his passage and so marched forwarde purposing to lodge at Contras The duke supposing that the aduauntage was his for that the king of Nauarre was weake in power inclosed between two riuers so that he could not escape without fighting as one desirous to do some notable exploit resolued to trie his fortune by some generall fight Whereupon hee tooke his place for the battell neare vnto Contras The King of Nauarre was glad of the Dukes resolution and hauing disposed all his troupes in very warlike manner wayted his best oportunitie to begin the battell About eight of the clock in the morning the Artillarie on both sides began to play And for that the king of Nauarres Ordinance was commodiously placed it did maruellously endomage the Dukes men of armes which stood at his right hand as also the regiments wherwith they were flanked for their better assurance wherewith when many were rent and torne in peeces the rest resolued rather to charge then to die so miserably without any further fight The harquebuziers came no sooner in reach each of other but they powred out their shot as thicke as haile each partie endeuoring to do well and to annoy one another to their vttermost The king of Nauarre had diuided his horsemen into foure squadrons the first was led by himselfe the second by the Prince of Conde the third by the Count Soysons who stood on the left hand of the king and the fourth by the vicount of Turenne who was at his right hand equally aduaunced with the formost These standing still beheld the skirmish of their footmen vntil the duke hasted to the generall onset then these three Princes of the blood euerie one in the front of their regiment began to change their pace into a trot and so into a gallop giuing such a furious charge vpon their enemies that they wholy defeated them and hauing killed a great number the rest betooke them to flight The footmen seeing their horsemen ouerthrowne lost courage and ranne away for company then was the mortalitie great for the Protestants pursuing them committed a maruailous carnage among them that fled There was slaine the Duke of Ioyense D. Ioyense slâ—ine and his army ouerthrowne generall of the armie and Saint Suuer his brother Bressay Rousay count Suxe Count Ganeto Count Aubiyon Fumel Rochford Neufny Gurats Saint Fort Tercelin maister of the campe Chesner and Vallade besides many other Lordes and Gentlemen of marke Bellegard Saint Luc the Marques of Prennes Count MoÌ„soreau Sansac Cipierre Santray Montigny Villecomblim Chasteaurenauld Parriere Chasteauueulx Chasteloux and Auuerdiere all captaines and commaunders were taken prisoners Diuerse Castels and strong holdes were presently yeelded vnto the king of Nauarre and a verie great feare possessed the hearts of the rest of his enemies CHAP. XXIII The great armâ—e of the Germaines ouerthrowne The death of the Duke of Bonillon The Guises slander the King The Leaguers besiege the Duchesse of Bonillon Their ouerthrow The Prince of Conde poisoned The Parisians rebel against the King The King flieth to Charteres The Guisards vow to kill the King THe French King 1588 The army of the Germains commaunded by the Duke of Bonillon and Duke of Guise were all this while verie busie in prouiding of all necessarie meanes to withstande the Germaines who still came on forwardes Their armie consisted of fiue thousand Ruttars fiue thousand Lancequenets sixteene thousand Switzers with whom were ioyned foure thousand French harquebuziers and three hundred French horse The Lord Mouy brought also two thousand French harquebuziers on horsebacke the Lord Villeneufe one thousand and the Lorde Louers one thousand The Lord Chastillon likewise ioined with them with one thousand fiue hundred harquebuziers and two hundred horses The whole number came to some thirtie fiue thousand besides the companies brought by the Prince of Contie They had sixteene peeces of great Ordinance with store of all warlike munition The general of all these was the Duke of Bonillon who commaunded as Lieutenant for the King of Nauarre This mightie and puyssant armie was the terrour of the League and the hope of the Protestants but the expectation of both was disappoynted for after that the Germaines had marched through Lorraine and were gotten into Fraunce as
fifteene or sixteene Gentlemen the better to couer his intended purpose knowing that he should finde a sufficient number of partakers to maintaine himselfe against all men Not long after his arriuall he went very confidently to see the king and with all humble reuerence with his knee to the ground saluted him but the king being highly despleased for that his comming contrary to his commandement gaue him a frowning countenance The Guyse stayed not long at Court but returned to his house in the Citie immediatly after the King being duely enformed of the great number of strangers that were in the same Cittie and that it was verie likely that they remained there for some dangerous exploit caused twelue companies of French men and Switzers to bee distributed into sundrie places to keepe all quiet and in their due obedience The Cittizens at the instigation of the Guyse his companies tooke the Alarum making as though they feared that they should be murthered and haue their houses sacked The Parisians rise a-against the King and kil his guard for diuers were sent about to disperse such reports armed themselues and beeing assisted by Brissac Borsdauphin Chamois and the rest of the Guysards set vpon the Switzers and the rest of the Kings guardes whereof some they killed and others they disarmed and such as remained they kept as prisoners and hoping nowe to attaine to the Period of their desires they made theyr approches and besieged the Louure entending to take the King either aliue or dead The king seeing all that great and populous Cittie in an vprore and that hee had not sufficient forces to oppose against such a rebellious rable determined to leaue the Louure The King lâ—aueth Paris and flieth to Chartres at the perswasions of sundrie his most faithfull councellers who aduised him to giue place to that desperate Rebellion to seeke his safetie some other where whereupon he incontinently departed from Paris and went that night as farre as Trappes and the next day to his Citie of Chartres Many great Lords Gentlemen of good place which were the kings friends went after him as fast as they could some on horsebacke and some on foote making as good shift as they could vpon so short warning wherein wee may note a maruailous strange alteration and vicissitude in the state of this great Prince who hauing beene so mightie a monarke and a king of two such noble and puissant countreyes as were Polonia and France a commander ouer so many great and honourable personages and had ruled such an infinite multitude of all sorts was now driuen out of his owne house and out of his cheefest Citie and forced to flie before him who was his vassaile and subiect to his intollerable greefe and vexation leauing his treasure and whatsoeuer precious things he had to be a pray for his enemies The Guyse vnderstanding that the king was escaped and had auoyded his bloudy fingers was maruailously greeued and cursed his ouersight knowing that hee should neuer haue the like oportunitie againe to effect his purpose and fearing that the King would seeke to be reuenged of so great an indignitie offered to his person thought that hee would prouide the meanes as wel as he could to defende himself and his therfore he seised vpon the Kings arsemall and vpon his treasor The Guyse seiseth vppon the Kings treasor whereof hee brought to his owne house aboue seauen hundred thousand Crownes which hee laide vp as an earnest for the rest Then did he forthwith alter the pollicie of the Citie remoouing Perrense the prouost of the Merchants from his office and the rest of the cheefest officers which he knew to be affectionate to the king and placed such as were the most factious seditious Leaguers in their roumes he wrote also sundry letters to his frieÌ„ds abroad and to the principall Townes such as he knew to bee deuoted to him requiring them to ioyne with him and to be in a readinesse when hee should haue neede and caused it to be bruted that all that which had passed at Paris was not against the king but to defend the Cittie which was in danger to bee spoyled by strangers and that the king by the counsell of the Duke of Espernon who had said he intelligence with the King of Nauarre and the Heretikes had caused sundrie gibbets to be set vp in seueral places of the Citie to hang diuers Cittizens and to spoyle their houses thereby to gather money and to warre against the Leaguers The Guyse seeketh to couer his rebellious action When the Guyse had taken the course to assure himselfe by all the deuises hee could hee wrote letters to the king seeking to disguyse all this action and to perswade him that hee had no euill meaning against his maiestie but had alwaies beene and still remained his most dutifull subiect and had in this tumultuous stirre happened at Paris shewed how hee respected the King and all his seruants in that hee had taken so great prayes euen with the danger of his life to saue sundrie his officers his Captaines and Souldiers and so farre forth as possibly he might to keep the people from murther and bloudsâ—ed which was then so likely to haue fallen out and that to the great and irreperable harme of the Kings best affected subiects After the alleaging of these and many other arguments to proue his fidelitie he besought the king to be his gracious Lord and to account of him as his most faithfull and loyall sâ—biect and for that hee had a guiltie conscience hee was continually in feare least the King would at one time or other bee reuenged howsoeuer peraduenture for the time hee might dissemble the matter and shew him a fayre countenance and therefore hee practised all meanes to make his attonement and to that ende made earnest sute to the Queene mother to stand his gracious Lady Such was his demeanor and so cunningly hee handled the matter that she was woon to be a mediator for him and to assay to bring him againe into the kings fauor The king reposing a maruailous confidence in his mother The Queen mother reconcileth the Guyse to the King who had bewitched him with an opinion of her loue and naturall affection towards him suffered himselfe to be ruled by her aduice notwithstanding all the perswasions of the Catholikes that were about him who exclaimed against the Guyses and their proude and rebellious enterprises and required the king to taâ—e condigne punishment proffering him their seruice their liues theyr goods and whatsoeuer meanes they had for the accomplishment thereof The king thanked them for their good willes but resoluing to make a peace sent them home againe and would not follow their counsels After much going and comming on both sides the reconciliation was made the K. the Leaguers became good friendes and intended to bend all their forces against the Protestants Wherupon two mighty armies were prepared