or ten hours and now by the same mercy I am wholly freed from them I promise thee that in these great Feasts and Pastimes I will trouble none Once again Farewell Thy most loving Husband Chattillion About the same time their Counsels for the Massacre being not yet ripened the King with the greatest demonstrations of good will that might be thus accosts the Admirall My Father Remember what you have undertaken to me that you will be injurious to none of the Guises whilst you are in the Court they also have interchangeably given their faith that they will carry themselves honourably and modestly towards you And truly I put as great trust as may be in your words but I have not the same confidence in their promises For besides that I know that the Guises seek occasion of revenge I know their disposition to be bold and haughty and with what great favour and affection the people of Paris do follow them It would be a great grief to me if they who have brought into the City many men of Warre notably furnished with arms under colour of coming to the marriage solemnity should go about any thing for your destruction which would extreamly reflect upon me and therefore I think it fit if you be of the same minde to bring a Regiment of Praetorian Souldiers into the City under the command of such men meaning some that were least suspected who may not only be ready for the publique securiry but upon all emergencies if turbulent spirits should attempt any thing against you This friendly speech so prevailed with the Admirall that he gave his consent and so a Regiment was brought in without the suspition of the Protestants which afterwards helped to cut their throats Five daies after as the Admirall came from the Court where he had been all that morning accompanied with twelve or fifteen Gentlemen being on foot about a hundred paces from the Louure walking softly and reading a Petition just over-against the house of one Villemure a Canon and Tutor to the young Duke of Guise one shot with an Harquebush at him through a lattice window the Gun was laden with three brasse bullets one whereof brake his forefinger of his right hand the other two pierced his left arm He that shot it had a horse ready at the back door whereon being mounted he escaped through St. Anthonies gate where finding a Spanish Jennet held ready for him he posted away to the place appointed for his retreat The door of the house being burst open the Harquebush was found with a Lacquey and another servant who belonged to Challey Steward of the Kings house and a great dealer in the Duke of Guises affairs who also the day before had brought this Harquibushier to that house desiring that he might be well intertained the Lacquey also was sent that morning by this Harquebushier whose name was Maurevel to the Duke of Guises Groom of his Stable requiring that the Horse should be ready that was promised him The Admirall being brought to his lodging shewed singular piety and patience Chyrurgions were sent for and amongst the rest Ambrose Pareus the Kings Chyrurgion who began first with his finger which he cut off but his pincers not being keen he opened and pressed them three times before he could cut it off Then he lanced both those places in his arm which the bullets had pierced all which the Admirall bore not only with a couragious heart but with a constant countenance insomuch as seeing his Friends to weep which held his arm whilst the incisions were made he said unto them My Friends why do you weep I judge my self happy that bear these wounds for the cause of my God And withall looking upon Monsieur Merlin his Minister he said These wounds my Friends are Gods blessings the smart indeed of them is troublesome but I acknowledge the will of my Lord God therein and I bless his Majesty who hath been pleased thus to honour me and to lay any pain upon me for his holy name sake let us beg of him that he will enable me to presevere unto the end And seeing Monsieur Merlin to weep and lament he said to him My Merlin you should rather comfort me To whom he answered Indeed there can be no greater comfort then to think upon the honour which God hath done you in judging you worthy for his Name and Religions sake to suffer these pains My Merlin answered the Admirall if God should have dealt with me aâ—cording to my deserts or have used his power over me he must have deâ—â— far more severely with me but blessed be his Name who hath dealt so mildly and lovingly with me his unworthy Servant Then said another that stood by Go on with this your piety foâ— God ought to be praised by you who hath left the greatest part saâ— and untouched for which cause you have greater reason to admire hâ—â— mercy in these wounds then to complain of his justice especialâ—â— considering that neither your head nor your mind are wounded Thâ—â— said Merlin You do very well Sir that you turn your thoughts froâ— these murtherers to God for truly it was his hand that inflicted theiâ— wounds neither ought you at all to think upon the blâ—ody-mindednesse of your adversaries Truly said the Admirall I freely and from my heart forgive both him that shot at me and those also that set him on for I know assuredly that it is not in their power to hurt me no though they should kill me for my death is a most certain passage to eternal life Thâ— same words he shortly after spake to Marshall Danvill when he came to visit him And whereas Monsieur Merlin told him that the afflictions and calamities which happen to Gods Children use to quicken theâ— more in Prayer The Admirall thereupon with an audible voice and fervent soul poured out this Prayer unto God O Lord God and my heavenly Father have mercy upon me for thy tender mercies sake Remember not against me my former iniquities neither charge me with the sins of my youth If thou Lord shouldst strictly mark what is done amiss or shouldst impute to us our breach of Covenant what flesh could stand before thee or endure thine anger As for me disclaiming all false gods and worship I only call upon thee the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and worship thee alone for Christ his sake I beseech thee to bestow thy holy Spirit upon me and give me the grace of patience I only trust in thy mercies all my hope and confidence is placed on that alone whether thou pleasest to inflict present death upon me or to spare my life to do thee further service Behold Lord I am prepared to submit to thy will in either nothing doubting but if thou pleasest to inflict death upon me thou wilt presently admit me into thine everlasting Kingdom But if Lord thou sufferest me to live longer here grant O
Doctrine that calleth it heresie deserves no less lege Talionis then heresie which I speak not so much in regard of your weakness as in grace of the strength of the cause wherein though with the dim eye of mine own judgment I could see nothing yet I have cause to be confident in regard of their judgment whose shadows it would become you and me to give room unto yea and to run away from And I am verily perswaded that though some of your spirit may be found to judge it an Errour to hold That a bare Reading Minister is not a lawfull Minister before God yet that none that deserves the name of a man of judgment will push with such horns against it as you do that it is an heresie and that a gross and abominable one I would I might be worthy to know upon your better consideration of the point whether that heart of yours that set your tongue on fire so against this poor Heresie would serve to set fire to the pretended Heretick But blessed be God that Supream Authority keepeth the fire-brands from the hands of such furies else there were some cause to fear lest the Saints of God I give them no other title then your own conscience gives them nay then your own mouth in publick hath given them should find your hands as hot as they now feel your tongue for methinks in your Divinity to make but a question of any thing in Religion established by Law is no less then Treason and Heresie There must be some Mystery in it that every poor man must not presume to look into that one that is so full of charity towards Adulterers Drunkards Blasphemers and other sinners that swarm in the Church should be so fiery against these new Hereticks of your own making What Are they of all other past hope of repentance Or do not the mercies of God wherewith your mouth is so oft sugred of all other belong to them My self on the week-day am one of your Auditours and I hope none of the worst-minded and then you seem as oft as ever I heard you as if your soul did overflow with Charity towards us all You cannot be ignorant of the words that so often were in your lips That none that hear you but they are Gods faithfull Children That though they be foul grievous sinners yet they are repentant and Gods mercy belongs unto them That no man is without sinne but the best and holiest are unclean This hath been your tenor for this half year the Sermon is yet to come that ever with the least zeal you spake against lewdness of life And yet now how full of zeal are you against errours in Doctrine of this sort especially whereas considering the slanders that run of you for I call them so as I desire for the Gospels sake they may prove you could take no better course then to be most zealous in Doctrine against those sins that fame hath gone about to brand you withall and to condemn such with your own mouth to hell rather then to set open Heaven gates so wide unto them as you use to do as though your self were out of hope of Heaven except the lewdest of your Congregation go to Heaven I may be bold being the injured party and knowing you better then you me to take this leave to tell you thus much of your self who have so freely given leave to your self to speak to others worse things of me that if the Lords judgments should pursue me so fast that mine inward corruptions should break out into notorious crimes and yet should dare for all that to exercise an holy Ministry that then of all methods of teaching that ever I heard I would surely follow yours To keep you from advantage I acknowledge the Doctrine that you have taught in my hearing to be very sound and true But this is it that I affirm and you may keep it to your self if it please you that in dealing against sinne in all the Sermons I have ever heard you you have said no more in substance then what you shall have alwaies running in the wickedest mouthes That All men are sinners That the godliest do fall seven times a day That men must not despair of Gods mercy That they are sorry for it when they have done That it is their corruption of nature c. which are all very excellent and comfortable Doctrines to a broken heart but very poyson to an impenitent so that if a Minister should preach them to the stews he should have as many applauses and Amens there to them as any where else If therefore a foul life be as abominable in the eyes of God and man as false Doctrine if this zeal of yours against false Doctrine were of God you would blow as strong a blast against the other as you do against it and a stronger too considering that the other having borrowed the wings of fame is flying continually in your own face This if you could have let me alone would never have bitten you But to draw to an end if my bare deniall and the voices of them that with best understanding heard me and are best able to repeat the heads of that Sermon can perswade you that there was no such Doctrine then delivered I hope you will satisfie that Congregation whose ears you have abused with that report and especially the Gentleman to whom you related the particulars If you cannot be moved to this yet be contented sith you say the Law must proceed upon me to stay the proceeding of your tongue against me till you have tried me guilty or not If you tannot yield to this but have a purpose to pursue the matter let Religion over-rule you thus far to deal with me in the points by private writing But if you have resolved to go on in this indirect course openly thus to injure me do it I pray you in your weekly exercise that I may not trust to the report of others but may be a witnesse to my self of mine own abuses and then I shall know the better how to satisfie you It is the humour of most of your stamp under pretence of a zeal to her Majesties proceedings in matters of Religion to take your liberty of speech against some that are perswaded some things might and should be reformed if the State had leasure to look into them and you know it full well that such as you are shall find ears enough to receive your accusations against such else upon equall ground you would not be so confident thus hand over head to condem as good Subjects without any disgrace as your self of no less then Heresie and Treason As for my self I thank God I have had that care both of mine outward conversation and Doctrine that none of any civility I trust shall find a face to reproach me for the one nor any of any judgment in Religion will accuse me of the other And as for those Reports that are
upon Trent in the County of Stafford August 15. 1563. of honest Parents who were very carefull of his education both in Religion and Learning and when he was fitted for the University they sent him to Cambridge where he was admitted into Jesus Colledge under the tuition of Master Duport afterwards Doctor Duport and Master of that Colledge in that place he followed his study very hard and his Proficiency was very exemplary but after two years and an half the air not well agreeing with his constitution he removed to Oxford and continued there till he was Master of Arts. He was a good Logician and a very acute disputant The first place that he was called to exercise his Ministry in was about Oundle in Northamptonshire where he met with a people that for the generality of them were very ignorant and ungodly and much addicted to the Prophanation of the Lords day by Whitson-ales Morris dancing c. which sinnes Master Clark in his Ministry much set himself against endeavouring from Gods Word to convince them of the evil and denouncing Gods judgments in case of their obstinate perseverance in such provoking courses but they having been alwaies trained up in such practices and having their hearts hardened against admonition still persevered in their former courses and that the rather because they were opposed by the Word of God therein but the judgment of God found them out for this their wickednesse For shortly after on a Lords day the Leader of the Dance being a lusty young man in the midst of their prophane pastimes suddainly fell down and died Yet these obdurate persons though a little affected for the present soon shaked off their fears and returned to their vomit again Master Clark the Sabbath following took occasion from this sad dispensation of God to shew them the greatnesse of their sinnes and how highly God used to be displeased with those which took liberty to prophane his holy day withall quoting Jer. 17.27 If thou wilt not hearken unto me to hallow the Sabbath-day c. Then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof and it shall devoure the Pallaces of Jerusalem and it shall not be quenched opening urging and pressing it home upon their consciences yet still they kicked against these warnings and the evening following returned to their sports again Amongst these there was a Smith that was a chief Ring-leader But it pleased God the very next day that two Husbandmen coming to his Shop to sharpen their plough-shares a spark from the red hot iron as he beat it on the anvil flew into the thatch which both the Smith and his neighbours saw and stood gazing upon it and might at first with one of their fingers have pulled it down that thatch being low but God took away their power of moving towards it so that they saw it at first burn like a candle then like a torch and presently the whole shop was on a fire and the men running out both Shop House and all the Smiths goods were consumed in the fire and yet a Neighbours House that stood very near it escaped The second remarkeable judgment was again by Master Clark pressed upon their consciences yet nothing would prevail but as if they had made a Covenant with death and were at an agreement with hell they still persisted in their ungodly practises and God who threatens to walk contrary to them that walk contrary to him pursued them with one judgment after another and amongst others this was very remarkable That upon the Sabbath day which they had highly prophaned by drinking dancing c. in the night when they were retired to their several homes there was heard a great noise and ratling of chains up and down the town which was accompanied with such a smell and stink of fire and brimestone that many of their guilty consciences suggested unto them that the devil was come to fetch them away quick to hell This so terrified and wrought upon them that they began to give better heed to the Ministry of Gods Word and to break off their prophane courses for the greatest part so that there was an eminent reformation wrought amongst them at least sixteen of those poor souls being effectually wrought upon and brought home to Christ and some others that relapsed to their former waies God pursued them with his judgments till he had brought them to beggery During Master Clarks abode in this place he had experience of Gods gracious protecting him from the rage of some desperately wicked men and amongst others this is very remarkeable Master Clark having on a day pressed Gods judgments against some sins that he saw some of the people much addicted to there came the next morning a lusty young man a serving man to enquire for him as desirous to speak with him Master Clark being made acquainted with it sent for him up into his chamber and knowing his vitious life took occasion sharply to the reprove him and to tell him of the danger that he was in by reason of the same in case he persevered in his lewd courses This round and faithfull dealling through Gods mercy wrought so effectually upon him that falling upon his knees he intreated him to forgive him Master Clark answered that he should beg pardon at the hands of God against whom he had sinned for he knew not for his own part wherein he had offended him yea said the other I have not only offended God by sinning thus and thus against him but you also for I came hither with a full resolution to stab you with this dagger here at my back but God hath so overawed my spirit that I have not had power to move an hand to acccomplish such a wickednesse and this resolution of mine proceeded from the Sermon which you preached yesterday which so terrified my conscience that my whole body fell into such a trembling that I was not able to sit whereupon I rose up and set my back to a Pillar to stay me yet neither would that prevail to stay my trembling c. But now if you please to forgive me I shall by Gods grace never entertain any such desperate thoughts again Maher Clark freely forgave him and after some wholesome and seasonable admonitions dismissed him About this time the schism and errors of the Brownists began to spread in Northamptonshire and Master Clark had many bickerings and disputations with some of the chief of them whom he mightily confuted and through Gods grace reclaimed some of them Anno 1590. He was sent for by Roger Wigstone Esquire who lived at Woolstone in the County of Warwick by whom he was chosen to succeed Master Lord an able and eminent Divine in the pastoral charge in that place and having preached sometimes amongst them he was freely chosen by the People also Then having his presentation from Master Wigston who was a Gentleman of eminent Piety in those daies and
who suffer most in such Warres But they could get nothing at Court but scoffs and scorns whereby they perceived their lives to be in great danger which caused them to withdraw and to consult about the preservation of themselves and the Reformed Churches and hereunto they were earnestly solicited by many of the Nobility and by multitudes of honest Citizens who complained that they could no longer bear the manifold injuries wherewith they were daily oppressed by the Magistrates in every place These things being so the Prince of Conde and the Admirall knowing of how great Authority the Kings Name was through all France which caused the Guises in the former Warres to get him into their power communicating their counsels but with a few they resolved to go privately to the Court to see if by any means they could get the King away from the Guises and Queen Mother that so by removing him from his evil Counsellours they might the better establish peace but being betrayed by one of their Society this design was wholly frustrated whereby they were forced openly to prepare for War The Prince with five hundred Horse went to St. Denis where some others arriving in few daies made up the number of two thousand Horse and four thousand Shot and the Prince considering that the Parisians were not accustomed to fast hoped that if he could take their victuals from them he should either force them to fight or draw his enemies to a more assured peace Whereupon he sent Andelot with five hundred Horse to Poissy and Pontois to seize upon the passages of the Seine beneath Paris and other Troops to seize upon such passages as were above the Town Some others he sent to joyn with the Forces that were coming out of Guinne himself and the Admirall with about eight hundred Horse and a thousand two hundred Harquebushiers kept St. Denis to curb Paris on that side But the Constable who was the Kings Lieutenant Generall hearing that the Prince had thus divided his Forces issued out of Paris with about a thousand six hundred Foot and two thousand Lances and well furnished with Artillery and having chosen a commodious place for the Battell the next day he gives the Prince Battell wherein the Constable was wounded of which he died within a few daies after In this Battell the Admirall had wonderfull experience of Gods goodnesse in his preservation for riding upon a very fierce and head-strong Horse the curb of his Bridle being broken his Horse ran away with him and carried him twice through his enemies Army yet did not the Admirall receive any one wound though many Pistols were discharged at him and whenas his Horse had one Bullot shot into him he suffered himself to be easily reduced into his own Troop In this Battell many fell on both sides especially on the Prince of Conde's yet was the Kings Army routed and driven into Paris whereupon the Prince and Admirall thought best to retreat into Lorraine to meet those Horse which were sent for their assistance from divers of the Germane Princes for they again thought fit to oppose Forreigners against Forreigners In their march thitherwards they were eagerly pursued by their adversaries especially by Henry Duke of Anjou the Kings Brother afterwards King first of Poland then of France who taking all advantages to presse upon their rear put them to many inconveniencies When they came into Lorraine and met the Germans who were commanded by D. Cassimire the Son of the Elector Palatine they met with new troubles for the Germans began to mutiny for their arrears and to cry Gelt gelt according to their usuall custom but how to satisfie them or to raise the least part of that Money the Prince and Admirall knew not Yet in this strait our Admirall found out this remedy He advised that a certain Tax should be imposed upon every man in their own Army according to the rank and place which he held and for example himself disbursed five hundred Crowns and the Treasurers going through all the Regiments collected the Tribute Besides whatsoever Monies the Prince Admirall Andelot or others had was all put into the Treasurers hands so that in all they collected eighty thousand pounds which was given to the Lanceknets by which prudent advice of our Admirall they were extricated out of that great strait These Forces being thus united their adversaries hastily retired and by long journeys returned to Paris which the D. of Anjou looked upon as a great dishonour to him But the Prince of Conde's Army being much encouraged hereby went presently and besieged Caen. and having battered the Wals and made a sufficient breach just as Monsieur Andelot was ready with his Brigade to have given the assault the Kings Trumpeters came upon the spur and proclaimed that Peace was concluded for the effecting whereof Commissioners had been sent from both parties a few daies before to Paris whereupon the siege was raised and the Prince of Conde dismissed his Army But some daies before this word was brought to the Admirall that his Wife who together with her Children in the beginning of the War had betaken themselves to Orleance was taken with a violent disease whereupon he presently posted to Orleance and sending for the best Physicians he could get he performed the Office of a dear and loving husband to her yet it pleased God that she died This was a very great affliction to him and when many of his Friends came to comfort him being overwhelmed with sighs and tears he said Oh my God wherein have I sinned and offended thee that thou correctest me so bitterly and loadest me with so many calamities O that I could live more holily and be more exemplary in my life then I have been Most holy Father look upon me with the eyes of tender mercy and ease me of these pressures Then being comforted by his Friends he commanded his Children to be called to him and told them that by this losse of their dear Mother they might see the instability of all earthly comforts and that there was nothing here below which they could confide in and that Houses and Castles though never so strong were not given them for habitations but as Inns and that therefore they ought not to trust in any of these frail and fading things but only in the mercy and goodnesse of God and then they need not doubt but that they should find him alwaies ready at hand for their comfort and so two daies after calling Monsieur Grelleus his Sons Tutor he told him that he must needs return back to the Camp where he knew not what might befall him and therefore he required him to have a special care of his Sons and as he had often requested him to be carefull to bring them up in true Religion and the fear of God as well as to instruct them in other Arts and Learning His Wife had been
the way basely murthered the Nurse Infant and some other of the company with it Consider I pray you how great the wickednesse was and how Honourable yea how Glorious it will be to your name not to suffer such cruelty to escape with impunity Unto this Speech of the Admirall the King returned this answer That he had never called his loyalty into question That he reputed him a good Commonwealths man and a valiant and excellent Captain before whom he preferred no man in his Kingdom And said he if I had had any other opinion of you I had never done as I have heretofore About the Flemish businesse he answered never a word But for the third thing he answered that he liked nothing better then that his Edicts for Pacification should be holily and inviolably observed for which end he had sent his Deputies into all the Provinces of his Kingdom for the confirmation whereof he called the Queen-Mother to witnesse who turning to the Admirall said My Admirall there is nothing more true Commissaries and Deputies are sent into all parts Yea forsooth said the Admirall of those men who have imposed Fifty thousand Crowns as the price of my Head Then said the King My Admirall there is danger lest your earnestnesse may hinder your health it is better that you take your rest the harm hath befallen you but the dishonour reflects upon me but I swear by Gods death that I will so severely punish this wicked deed that the memory thereof shall continue to all posterities The Woman and Lacquy that were found in the house we have committed to safe custody Whom further do you require to be examined or whom would you have to exercise judgment To this the Admirall answered I leave this businesse to your Wisdom and Fidelity yet because you ask my judgment I humbly desire that Cavanneus and Masparrot may be employed therein for I think that the author of this deed is not farre off The King and Queen-Mother coming nearer to the Admirals pillow spake a while softly and at last the Queen-Mother said Although I am but a woman yet I perceive we must provide betimes The King at his departure advised the Admirall to be transported into the Kings Castle and the Earl Rhetius pressed the same divers times saying that he feared lest such a commotion should be raised amongst the common people of Paris as the King with all his authority should not be able to quell To this it was answered That the Physicians and Chyrurgeous would not allow of his removall lest the stirring of his body should inflame his wounds That if the King pleased to manifest his love and favour to the Admirall there was no more fear of the people of Paris then of a company of women That the authority of the Kings name was so great in France especially in Paris that were the common people never so mad and furious yet the mention of that alone would easily suppresse them Then did the King call for the brasen bullet wherewith the Admirall was wounded and asked him if he felt not very great pain when his finger and arm were cut To which receiving an answer he replied that there could not be a more constant and valiant man found this day in the world and so restoring the Bullet the Queen-Mother looking on it said I am glad that the Bullet is got out for I remember that when the Duke of Guise was shot in his Camp the Physicians often told me that though it were poysoned yet there was no danger when the Bullet was out But said a by-stander Madam we rested not upon that but we gave the Admirall Physick to prevent the danger if there were any poyson After the Kings departure came in John Ferrers Vidam of Chartres who comforted the Admirall with many words concluding that the enemies had betraied their great cowardlinesse in that they durst not encounter the Admirall but through a grated window but that the Admirall was an happy man who had lengthened out the praise of his vertue to so great an age Yea said the Admirall in this I account my self happy that the Lord hath been pleased to shew me mercy for they are truly blessed whose sins are forgiven and whose transgressions are covered The King of Navarr Prince of Conde and some other Christians of the Protestants being present they resolved to go down into a lower Chamber to consult what course to take for their present security At this debate Ferrers was very earnest that they should with all speed depart out of Paris assuring them that this was but the first act of a more dangerous Tragedy that would suddainly ensue Others on the contrary argued That it was enough for the present to require justice of the King desiring that judgment might be speedily executed In this opinion Teligni stood stiff affirming that he knew the Kings mind throughly and that they ought not to suspect his faith and good will Yet it was alleadged again that many seditious reports were scattered about That many Papists on the Wedding-day when the Protestants came out of the Church that they might not be present at Masse spake publiquely That within a few daies they should hear Masse Also some of the chief Citizens said that there should be more blood then wine shed at that Marriage Also the President of the Senate advised a Noble-man of the Protestants to go into the Countrey with his Family for a few daies Also John Monluc Bishop of Valentia when he was going Ambassadour into Poland advised the Earl of Rochfaucand not to suffer himself to be blinded with the smoak of the Court and its unsuall favours which are deservedly suspected by wise and wary men Therefore said he be not too secure cast not your self into dangers but withdraw your self and other Noble-men betimes out of the Court But these things could not be heard by reason of Monsieur Teligni's confidence In the mean time the Woman and Lacquy who were found in the house of Villemur were examined by the Presidents of the Parliament The Woman confessed that a few daies before Villerius Challius a retainer to the Guises brought a Souldier to that house commending him to her as if he had been the Master of the house but his name was concealed The Boy confessed that he had served this man a few daies who called himself one while Bolland and another while Bondol and that he was sent that morning to Challius to intreat him that the Horse might be ready as he had promised Hereupon Challius was sent for the more to delude the Protestants The King also wrote to the Governours of the Provinces wherein he detested the wrong done to the Admirall and required them to do their endeavour that all might understand how greatly it grieved him and that he would most severely punish it to the terrour of all others The day after some of the Admirals friends
of all your sins by the shedding of his blood for you Yea said she I do believing that he is my only Saviour and Mediatour and I look for salvation from none other knowing that he hath abundantly satisfied for the sins of all his people and therefore I am assured that God for his sake according to his gracious promise in him will have mercy upon me During all the time of her sicknesse she ceased not to continue in such fruitfull and comfortable communications sometimes intermixing them with most affectionate sighs to God as a testimony of that hope and desire she had of enjoying his presence often uttering these words O my God in thy good time deliver me from this body of death and from the miseries of this present life that I may no more offend thee and that I may attain to the felicity which thou in thy Word hast promised to bestow upon me Neither did she manifest her pious affection by words only but by her constant and cheerfull countenance so farre forth as the vehemency of her disease would suffer thereby giving a clear testimony to all that beheld her that the fear of death could not drive her from the stedfastnesse of her Faith The Minister also went often to prayer with her the usual tenor whereof was this which follows O Lord our God We confesse here before thy Divine Majesty that we are altogether unworthy of thine infinite mercies by reason of our manifold iniquities and that we are so farre from deserving to be heard of thee in our requests that we are rather worthy that thou shouldst reject both our persons and our prayers But seeing it hath pleased thee to make us a gracious promise of hearing and granting our requests we humbly beseech thee freely to forgive all our offences and to cover them under the obedience and righteousness of thy dear Son that through him our selves and our services may be well pleasing unto thee For Lord we acknowledge that all our afflictions are measured out to us by thine hand who art a most just Judge in regard that we have every way provoked thee to wrath by our infinite sinnings against thee yea by our rebellions which now testifie against us For alas Lord our life hath been no way answerable to that perfect obedience which thou by thy holy Law dost justly require at our hands which we from day to day do transgress and therefore do here cast down our selves at this time before thy glorious presence unfeignedly acknowledging our misery and wretchedness from the very bottom of our hearts Yet Lord mercy is with thee and because thou art our Father therefore thou desirest not the death of sinners but rather that they should convert and live For this cause we now fall down before the throne of thy grace with confidence of obtaining thy wonted mercy which thou hast promised to such as call upon thee in truth beseeching thee who art the Father of mercies to have compassion on all such as thou hast humbled under thy mighty hand but more especially on this thy Servant the Queen who lieth here before thee sick of a dangerous disease that as thou hast righteously afflicted her for her sinnes which she also doth with us acknowledge so it would please thee in pardoning them all to her for thy beloved Sons sake to grant that she may profit by this thy correcting hand for the time to come Above all O Lord give her a sweet sense yea full assurance of thy eternal joys that so she may with the greater patience take down this bitter potion ministred unto her from thy hand and that the sole desire of enjoying thy presence may cause her to forget all worldly greatness and magnificence knowing that they are nothing in respect of the glory which is now set before her Endue her also with meekness of minde to bear the tediousnesse of her affliction for though the spirit be willing yet the flesh is weak yea full of resisting and unbelief that so receiving all things from thee as from a Father she may the more willingly submit her will to thine And because O good God thou hast made her hitherto an happy Instrument for the advancement of thy glory and defence of thy poor afflicted people we pray thee if it may stand with thy good pleasure restore her to health again that so the excellent work that thou hast by her means begun may not be left unperfected but by vertue of this her deliverance she may with renewed strength undertake the same in better sort then ever heretofore especially for the well educating and training up the Children that thou hast given her But Lord if thou hast a purpose now to call her home to thy self who are we that we should contradict thy holy will Only we pray thee that thou wouldst confirm her more and more in the knowledge of thy blessed Gospel and thereby also in the certainty of her salvation which thou hast given her by Faith in thy Son Jesus Christ that thus she may not cease to sanctifie and call upon thy holy Name to her last breath And as touching our selves who are here by thy good providence gathered together about her being in bodily health give us to know the uncertainty and brevity of our life that so according to our duty we may behold the same in this mirror that thou hast set before us as knowing that even the greatest in the world are subject to the same calamities as well as the small that so our chief care may be to employ the remainder of our time to thine honour and service All which we crave of thee in the Name of Jesus Christ thy Son our only Mediatour and Advocate Amen During the time of prayer she ceased not with hands and eyes lift up to Heaven to fetch many deep sighs especially when mention was made of the mercy of God in Christ which he extendeth to poor sinners so that all present might evidently see that her heart and affections were joyned to the Prayer that was made by and for her And whilst she thus lay she still continued in her holy desires to depart hence that she might be with Christ taking great delight in the holy and Christian exhortations which were made to her by many godly and learned men who came to visit her to whom also she manifested no small testimonies of that faith and hope which she had in God touching the salvation of her soul by her holy and savory speeches which for brevity sake are omitted Yea although the Lord exercised her much with the sense of her inward disease yet could you not at any time discern any speech favouring of discontentment or impatience to proceed out of her mouth nay scarcely so much as a groan But if at any time she found any refreshings from the violence of her disease there being no malady so vehement which hath not some intermissions and breathing times
she declared her willingnesse to obtain the recovery of her former health and for that end she refused no good means prescribed for her by her learned Physicians Again when she perceived her sicknesse to increase upon her and that she grew worse and worse she was no whit appaled thereat but shewed her self to be armed with an invincible constancy to undergo the utmost that death could do against her preparing her self willingly for that last conflict And when she saw her Ladies and Gentlewomen weeping about her bed she blamed them for it saying Weep not for me I pray you for as much as God doth by this sicknesse call me hence to enjoy a better life and now I may enter into the desired Haven towards which this frail vessel of mine hath been a long time steering Yet she shewed her self grieved that she wanted opportunity to reward them and many more of her Family and Train which had done her faithfull service as she could have wished excusing her self to them and professing that it was not want of good will but her being prevented by this her suddain sicknesse But said she I will not fail to give order about the same to the utmost of my ability In the end perceiving her strength to decay more and more she gave order to have her last Will and Testament made and thereby setled her outward estate And the 8 of June which was the day before she died she called for a Minister and finding that she was drawing nigh unto her end she desired him to speak somewhat largely of the temptations which Satan is wont to assail Gods Elect withall in their last conflict To this the Minister answered Indeed that is the hour wherein the sworn enemy of all the faithfull doth most busily bestirre himself if possible to deprive them of the comfort of their salvation not sparing especially at that time to set upon them with might and sleight but yet even then the Lord is not nor will be wanting to his filling their hearts with such joy and comfort of the Holy Ghost as shall make them in the end more then conquerours His first Engine wherewith he would drive them to despair is by presenting before their eyes the innumerable heaps of their sinnes and pollutions wherewith they have been any way defiled in their whole life and then he presents to them Gods justice before which no flesh can be able to subsist unlesse it were pure and spotlesse whence he infers that such miserable sinners can expect and look for nothing but utter death and condemnation But against these assaults we must as David Psal. 52. set the infinite multitudes of Gods compassions which do infinitely surpasse the multitudes of our sinnes And as for the justice of God we confesse that no creature that is defiled by sinne can abide to be strictly examined by it if God should call us to a severe account but we know that God will never enter into judgment with those that believe in his Son but imputes unto them that righteousness and obedience which was accomplished by him which is sufficient to oppose against the justice of God therefore in it alone we must expect to stand before his face and not by our own dignity and worthinesse Indeed if we were to appear before the seat of Justice to receive there what we have deserved we had good reason to be overwhelmed in utter despair but turning our eyes upon him who being the eternal Son of God hath clothed himself with our humane nature to bear on him the same punishment that was due to our sinnes and thereby hath acquitted us then Gods justice doth no whit affright us but rather yields us assured comfort because God being just cannot require the same debt twice Having therefore received full and perfect satisfaction from Christ whom he hath ordained to be our surety and who hath paid our debts for us thence we gather assurance that he will no more require it at our hands To which purpose these sentences are to be well observed It is Christ who hath born our grief and carried our sorrows The chastisement of our peace was upon him and by his stripes we are healed That we all like sheep have gone astray and have turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all Christ is our peace and the propitiation for our sins The Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world Upon these considerations Gods justice need not terrifie such as believe in Christ of whose righteousnesse and redemption they are made partakers seeing that Jesus Christ who knew no sin was made sin that is an oblation for sin for us that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him I grant said he that these things belong not to all indifferently but only unto such as believing in the Son of God do wholly cast themselves upon the merit of his death and passion which as St. Peter saith is sufficient for their salvation Act. 4.12 Then did he ask her whether she placed her whole trust and confidence on Christ crucified who died for her sins and rose again for her justification To this the godly Queen answered that she neither expected salvation righteousnesse nor life from any else but only from her Saviour Jesus Christ being assured that his merit alone did abundantly suffice for the full satisfaction for all her sins albeit they were innumerable This being your faith Madam quoth the Minister you cannot come into condemnation but are passed from death to life neither need you fear Gods Seat of Justice since it is turned into a Throne of mercy and grace unto you and therefore the hour of death will be exceeding welcome to you being but a sweet passage into a far better life as also the time in which all tears shall be wiped from your eyes therefore I beseech you Madam think often of that sweet Text Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their works follow them Now the time approaches wherein you shall enjoy the beatificiall vision the society of your Husband Christ the fellowship of the blessed Angels and celestial Spirits with the holy Patriachs Prophets Apostles and Martyrs of Christ partaking with them in the same felicity and glory He also further said Madam If it should please God by this your sicknesse to put an end to this weary Pilgrimage of yours and to call you home to himself as by some evident signs it appears that he will Are you willing to go unto him To this she answered with much Christian courage Yea with all my heart Then said he Good Madam Open the eyes of your Faith and behold Jesus your great Redeemer sitting at the right hand of his Father reaching out his hand to receive you to himself Are you Madam willing to go unto him Yes I assure saith she most willing and much more willing
then to linger here below in this world where I see nothing but vanity Then he asked her if they should go to prayer with her which she desiring they performed it by her whilst this pious Lady manifested her ardent affection in calling upon God Prayer being ended the Minister discerning in her the undoubted testimonies of unfeigned Repentance and of the sorrow that she conceived for the offences which she had committed against God together with the assured confidence which she had in his mercies as a Minister of the Gospel and Ambassadour of the Son of God by the authority given to him having the word of reconciliation committed to him he assured her in the Name of Christ that all her sinnes were forgiven by God and that they should never come in account against her at his judgment seat yea that she should no more doubt thereof then if the Son of God from Heaven should say unto her Daughter be of good comfort thy sins are forgiven thee And to the end that troubled consciences might the better be quieted Christ hath used these words speaking to his Ministers saying Whose sins ye remit they are remitted c. And the reason is because the Word which they pronounce is not the word of a mortall man but of the immortall God being of no lesse weight then if himself uttered the same Then he asked her Majesty if she accepted of so gracious a message which assured her of the free pardon of all her sins Yes saith she with all my heart and make no doubt thereof Not long after came in the Admirall Coligni and with him another Minister to whom she gave ear a good space together his speech tending to prepare her for death and when he had finished his speech he also prayed with her which she attended to with great affection Then she requested that those two Ministers might stay all night with her in her chamber and that they would in no wise leave her The greatest part of this night was spent in holy admonitions which these Ministers gave to this gracious Lady one after another besides which she required them to read to her some Chapters of the holy Scriptures which were pertinent to her condition and so they read out of St. Johns Gospel from the fourteenth to the end of the seventeenth Chapter After which they went to prayer with her which being ended the Queen desired to take some rest but it was not long ere she commanded them to read again Whereupon one of them made choice of certain of David's Psalms full of ardent and affectionate prayers suting to this Princesse present condition by reason of her affliction and for a conclusion read Psal. 31. wherein the Prophet amongst other things doth commend his spirit into the hands of God Because saith he thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth Then the Queen willed them to pray with her again and thus was the most part of that night spent in such holy exercises during all which time the Ministers never discerned in her the least sign of impatience notwithstanding the violence of her affliction Yea whereas immediately before her sickness she had shewed how affectionately she was bent to provide things most magnificent for the day of her Sons Marriage according as the State of so great an alliance required yet it was admirable to observe that after this sicknesse had seized on her God wrought in her such a neglect and forgetfulnesse of all such matters that she never shewed to have so much as a thought thereof This night being thus spent and past by this Noble Queen she persevering in the expressions of such like affections and ardency of faith the next morning between eight and nine of the clock she departed this life to take possession of a far better sweetly yielding up her spirit into the hands of God June 9. Anno Christi 1572. being the sixth day after she fell sick and of her age 44. She had her perfect speech and memory even to the hour of her death shewing not only that staidnesse and soundnesse of judgement which ever in times past she had in the care about the salvation of her soul but also in the well settlement of her worldly affairs The King made as if he had conceived great grief for her death putting on mourning attire wherein also the whole Court followed his example lest by this suddain accident their Counsels and futurh desperate designs might be prevented Also to avoid all jealousies and suspitions of her being poisoned by reason of her suddain sicknesse and death her body was opened by sundry expert and learned Doctors of Physick and Chyrurgery who found her Heart and Liver very sound only some scirrousnesse on one side of her Lungs but her Head they might not open where the malady lay by which means the discovery of it was prevented Anonymus Soli Deo Gloria FINIS A TABLE OF The Principal things contained in this Part OF THE LIVES A. AFflictions profitable to Gods children p. 202 Antinomians practice 52 Apostacy plagued by God 25 Assurance to be sought 211 Astrologers are lyers 99 B. BIble is translated into English 4 Bishops enemies to godly Ministers and to the power of Godlinesse 1 2 20 21 28 29 30 41 46 48 53 58 61 63 89 106 109 146 148 149 162 163 185 189 191 201 223 A Bishop enjoyned to ask a Minister forgivenesse in his own Congregation 163 C. CHarity eminent 88 151 155 168 174 191 202 225 Charity of good Ministers 2 13 14 24 76 186 237 240 Comfort at death 142 Comforting afflicted consciences 16 173 202 204 Constancy 151 171 297 Contentation 55 177 171 Conversion 27 86 99 144 184 199 Conversion of a Jaylor 9 Courage 245 270 283 Courage of Gods Ministers 9 43 109 163 186 214 222 239 D. DEath desired 203 Death not feared 208 Devil dispossessed by Prayer 91 216 E. ENvy 46 Examples prevalent 294 F. FAith 86 180 205 207 267 285 Family cared for and well instructed 5 72 164 169 190 226 248 262 267 295 Fasting and Prayer 171 174 200 203 228 Fidelity 27 246 Flight refused in time of persecution 9 10 Flight embraced 12 Friendship sincere 391 221 Frugality 174 G. GRatitude 27 39 176 H. DAnger of unprofitable Hearers 81 Heretick burned 147 Hospitality 200 202 Humility 249 Humility of Gods Ministers 25 39 55 151 174 179 180 182 187 191 206 209 210 222 224 I. INgratitude 56 Joy unspeakable 25 202 L. Life exemplary 81 Long life why a blessing 303 M. WHat makes a compleat Man 81 What makes a compleat Minister 82 Meeknesse of Gods Ministers 25 174 207 Ministers cared for by God 5 6 10 11 Ministers dearly loved 195 Ministers falsly accused 52 Ministry of the Word successefull 21 25 30 67 79 87 89 147 158 164 167 186 201 213 217 231 P. PArents honoured 219 Painfulnesse in Preaching 1 5 14 22 41 46 56 157 164 173