of the league and resistance made by the heads Arrest of the Parliament of Chaalons against the Popes bull and assembly of the estates of the league Proceedings of the heads of the same Death of the Duke of Parma Attempts of the Duke of Maine after his death His declaration against the king 93. The king maketh answere to the Duke And his Councell offer a proposition to the estates of the league who are turned aside out of the way of peace by the Popes Legate and Spanish Ambassadour The king is solicited to go to Masse wherevnto the leaguers apply all their pollicies ouerthrown before by the Parliament of Parris The king maketh profession of the Romaine religion wherevpon ensueth a generall truce and new practise of the leaguers to withdraw the people from acknowledging him In the meane while the tragedies of Peter Barriere are a playing who desirous to haue a part in the league conspired against the life of the king and Duke de Nemours The leaguers turne themselues on euery hand for ther owne maintenance and to ruinate those of the religion Stratagems of certaine Polititians against the king who expresseth his good will to those of the religion and looseth that which he had conquered in Piedmont 94. He bringeth the league vnder subiection enforceth rebellious townes to their former obedience namely Parris where the Parliament opposeth it selfe against the Spanyardes After certaine goings too and fro to Rome the lesse desperate Leaguers are receiued to fauour Amongst others the Parisians who are woont to chase away the auncient enemies of France published a decree or arrest against the league and the Duke de Maine What ensued vpon a fauourable declaration of the king who in Picardie pursued the remainders of this vnion During this the Vniuersitie prosecuted the Iesuites Warre is noysed in Brittain and towards the lowe Countries About the end of the yeare a disciple of the Iesuites attempted to kill the king 95. Processe against the Iesuites and their secret complots discouered Warre proclaimed against the king of Spaine Leaguers of Soisson hewen in peeces Spaniards discomfited in the Dukedome of Luxembourg Warre in Franch-Countie Beaune surrendred to the king Memorable explopts both of one and other part Duke d'Aumale executed in his image and portrature The siege of Fere. The king obtaineth absolution from the Pope Estates of Picardie 96. Marseilles reduced vnder the kings obedience The Cardinall of Austria releeueth Fere and by force of armes taketh Callais and Ardes Neuerthelesse Fere is by composition deliuered into the kings hands Afterwards Marshall Biron made diuers incoursions into Artois And the amitie betweene the king the Queen of England and the vnited Prouinces of the low Countries was confirmed The king conuocateth the estates at Roan discouering briefly vnto them his intention Henry the seconde M. D. XLVII HENRY the second of that name and the 59. King of France Pharamond the only sonne of Francis the first that died vppon the 30. day of the moneth of March in the year of our Lord 1547. succeeded in the Crowne by order of succession according to the auncient salicque lawe of the land Hee while the Nobilitie were busied to prouide for the obsequie and funerals of his deceased father and staying for his sacrying anoynting in the moneth of Aprill following made and ordained an edict An edict against blasphemers to be published against blasphemers of the name of God which action made shewe of a notable and commendable beginning yet that so laudable a worke continued no longer in force then many others had done before it Neuerthelesse it wrought this effect that thereby it euidently appeareth that succession and not the sacrying and annoynting of a Prince is the chiefe originall of royall authoritie The 16. of Iulie the Court was much troubled by a contention and memorable action that happened betweene Messieurs de Iarnac and Chastegneraye gentlemen of great account that had defied each other by reason of certaine words vsed by one of them which had procured the other to giue the lie The King in steade of ending their cause by aduise of his Councell and to constraine the offender to satisfie the offended graunted them the combat wherevpon according to the Kings appoyntment they appeared vpon the day aforesaid at S. Germaines in Laye where in the presence of the King Princes Lords and others they entred into the lists There Monsieur Iarnac who by all the company was esteemed the weaker by reason he was newly recouered of a certaine sicknesse withall despised and litle fauored ouercame the other to whom before they entered into the combat euery man adiudged the victorie and wounded him in such sort that not long after he died to the Kings great griefe who vppon that occasion expresly forbadde all combats whatsoeuer in this manner hee beganne with a bloodie tragedie and ended with the like as heereafter you shall heare The King sacred at Reims The 27. of Iulie after hee was sacried and annoynted at Reims with all the auncient accustomed ceremonies therevnto belonging in the presence of twelue Peeres spirituall and temporall The spiritual were the Arch-bishop of Reims the Bishop of Langres Beauuais Noyon Laon and Challons the temporall the Duke of Bourgongne Normandie and Guyenne the Earles of Champagne Flaunders and Thoulouse Most part of the Princes Nobilitie of the Realme being likewise present with diuers Ambassadours of straunge nations But the Ambassadours of Florence Mantoue and Ferrare came not by reason of a controuersie that fell out between them concerning their preheminence of places and for that they could not agree therevppon they absented themselues till the cause was further debated The Constable exalted Anne de Montmorency Constable of France who certaine yeares before had been bannished the Court and secretly held at Chantilly as soone as Francis the first died was repealed againe and the new king committed the principall charge of the affaires of the Realme vnto him which at that time were executed by the Cardinall de Tournon the Admirall Annebaut who as then had good leisure to repose themselues yeelding their place to him whom the king termed his Gossep one that in times past had done him many seruices as afterward hee did Mesieurs de Longueual d'Espars de Boncour de Framezelle de Antipe the Barron de la Garde the Generall Bayard and others were narrowly sought and pursued for diuers secret causes in such sort that some of them were forced to saue themselues by the gilded Gate others by meanes of their friends Warres in in Scotland The king hauing made a Progresse into Picardie went further into the Realme and caused an Armie to bee leuied vnder the conduct of Monsieur D'esse to ayde the Queene Dowager of Scotland against the Englishmen causing her to be safely conducted into Scotland to the end to impeach the vnion of both those Realmes which might bee to the preiudice of France and thereby to
indure that any thing should bee done to preiudice his person that being iudged by thē al to be most reasonable iust euery man swore not to attempt any thing but onely for the good profit and moditie of their king and naturall Lord as also the beginning of the Articles of their accord was framed in these words Protestation made by the head The solemne protestation of the confederates and al his Councell not to attempt any thing against the Maiestie of the King Princes of the blood nor the lawfull State of France After all their consents giuen they determined vppon that which was most requisit for the execution where Renaudie hauing shewed them his minde sware and made all the company to sweare And among them it was agreed that vpō the tenth of March the apprehension of those of Guise should bee performed within the Towne of Blois where they presumed the King would still remaine Fiue of these Gentlemen of each Prouince with other forces were to accompany Renaudie vnder the conduct of the Barron of Chastelnau and others for the troupes of all the Prouinces They likewise prouided for many other things that might impeach this great and hautie enterprise The company beeing withdrawne euery man with his commission Order giuen for the execution and the place of meeting agreed vppon vppon the last of Februarie Renaudie hauing aduertised the Prince what had beene done at Nantes hee tooke exact order and that in great diligence and almost incredible for all that was to bee required therein on his behalfe and not long after beeing come to Parris there with more commoditie to effect his promise he laye in the subburbes of S. Germaine with a certain Councellor of the Court of Parliament named Des Auenelles that had a house furnished after the manner of Parris This Auenelles that made profession of religion perceiuing much resort of many seueral persons into his house Des Auenelles discouered the enterprise against those of Guise vnderstāding somwhat by their words in the end hee fully perceiued their intent so that he likewise promised them to imployed himselfe therein but hauing with himselfe apprehended the danger hee beeing poore couetous and desirous of aduancement thought to haue found the meanes to helpe himselfe and with another of the same humour went to one of the Maisters of Requests called l'Alemant Agent for the Cardinall and Milet Secretarie to the Duke of Guise to whom he shewed the whole pretence How the Guisians prouided for themselues The matter proceeding in this sort those of Guise the Chancellor and the Queene were made acquainted therewith and Des Auenelles hauing had some reward was sent frō Blois to Parris there to giue out false reports against those of the religion Besides that those of Guise sent letters in the name of the king and of his mother vnto the Admirall and his brethren to will them to come vnto the Court. They likewise gathered people on all sides and wrote vnto all Bailiffes and Seneschales to stay all men both horse and foote that should bee found bearing of armes and trauelling to Amboise Touching the Admirall hee beeing arriued made great protestation vnto the Queen-mother in presence of the Chancellor touching the great and extreame rigors vsed against those of the religion desiring her to cause those persecutions to bee ended till they might haue a holy and free councell Where vppon the Chauncellor did so liuely set down the Admirals aduise before the Councell the Guisians beeing present Edist of abolition touching religion that presently there ensued an edict of abolition of all forepassed ordinanced concerning the religion excluding out of that pardon the Ministers and such as should be found to haue conspired against the king his mother his wife the Princes his principall officers and the Estate also such as by force had rescued prisoners out of the Officers handes and taken the kings packets and slaine his messengers This edict was made in the beginning of March which notwithstanding la Renaudie left not off to pursue his enterprise although hee knewe it well to bee disclosed The Prince ryding vnto the Court to shewe the King and his Councell the information giuen against those of Guise assoone as they should be taken and to require a Parliament of all the estates being betweene Orleans and Blois hee vnderstood that all had beene discouered which notwithstanding he passed forward thereby to encourage his men And beeing arriued at Amboises those of Guise braued him as much as possible they might but hee making a shewe as if hee knewe not what they ment put them in no little feare The chaunging of place caused la Renaudie to stay in a place called la Carreliere The maruellous resolutiō of la Renaudie others Lignieres discouereth the enterprise about 6. myles from Amboise with the principall of his Councell the day of executiō was appoynted to be vpō the 6. of that month in such sort that those of Guise although they knewe thereof had found themselues in no small daunger with all their adberents had it not been for Captaine Lignieres who approaching neare Amboise to bee assistant at the enterprise instead of ayding them went vnto the Court and there particularly described the names of the Leaders their meeting-place with all the circumstances The Queen-mother alledging for his excuse that hee did it to saue the honour of the Prince whom hee perceiued to be wrongfully accused of treason and thereby in daunger of his life by which meanes the company was no sooner arriued at the place appoynted but that they were taken and ledde prisoners one after the other not once being able to ioyne themselues togither those of Guise in the meane time assembled men on all sides which fell out well for them discouered diuers Pistoles and other weapons brought in Trunkes which were presently ceased vpon and by that means they brought the prisoners by dozens and scores into Amboise wherevppon the twentieth of March all the kings guard were changed and the Gate where the companies of Renaudie and his troupes should haue entered was closed vp The Barron de Chastelnau and Captaine Mazieres beeing arriued in the subburbes of la Riche in Tours and there discoued What happened to the Baron de Chastelnau and his company were set vpon by the Counte de Sancerre but hauing resisted him as hee thought to cease vppon them hee was constrained in all haste to retire and yet without any hurt eyther to him or his from thence the Barron and his companie went to the Castle of Noisay where hee found the principall dealers in that enterprise Those of Guise hauing made the king beleeue that certaine rebells were assembled to murther him hee sent the Duke de Nemours with a troupe of men who hauing surprised Raunay and Mazieres walking without the Castle tooke them prisoners many of their men saued themselues some one way some an another Nemours
Lorraine A Gentleman one of their Participants and in time past very familier with the Prince was appointed by them to conferre with him He pronounceth warre against the Guisians as also to sound his full meaning and intent and therewith to seeke to abate his courage which hee pretending the Prince desired him to shewe those of Guise that for his part hee hadde receiued so many and great wrongs and iniuries at theyr hands that their quarrell could neuer bee fully ended eyther at the swordes poynt or else by Lanuce which if hee coulde not effect yet hee hoped before his death to make them manifestly to bee knowne and founde culpable of those faultes by them imposed vppon him This most haughtie resolution caused them to sende for the President de Thou Barthollomewe Faye and Iaques Violle Counecllours of Parris certayne Maisters of the requests Bourdin Attourney Generall They seeke to make his processe and du Tillet the Clarke to examine the Prince vppon high Treason and that if they coulde not finde him guiltie thereof they shoulde then examine him vppon the Artickles of his fayth The Prince aunswered them that it belonged not vnto them to put any such questions vnto him not specifying diuers causes of refusing them therein which hee might well haue shewed specially against de Thou whome hee most sharpelye reprooued and when they enterprised to proceede further in lawe the Prince appealed vnto the King But the next day being the 15. of Nouember the peale was declared by the priuie Counsell to bee of no force from which the Prince hauing once againe appealed hee was commaunded vpon paine of high treason to aunswere before those Commissioners He purgeth himself of treason and openly professeth religion which he did hauing two Councellers to helpe him And before them he clearely acquited himselfe of treason and boldly confessed and auouched the religion Not long after the Secretary Robertet brought him a certaine paper containing diuers speeches pretended to haue beene spoken by him at Amboise beholding the execution of certaine prisoners Hee therewith at large expounded his meaning vpon those speeches yet was there no witnesses produced against him for the same no nor Bouchart himselfe that had faithfully promised vnto the Cardinall by word of mouth to shewe him many wonderfull things touching the Prince but they proceeded so farre that vppon his aunsweres hee had iudgement of death pronounced vppon him and his head to bee striken off vppon a Scaffold before the Kings Pallace vppon the tenth of December then next ensuing at the entering of the Estates into the Parliament He is condemned by the priuie Councell and participants of Guise It is affirmed and published by writing that this iudgement was vnderwritten and sealed by all the priuie Councell onely the Chauncellour and Monsieur de Mortier that delayed it off as also by diuers great Lords and Barrons by the eighteene knights of the Order newly chosen and by diuers others participants of the house of Guise and by more Maisters of Requests and Councellours of the Parliament which the king sent for and caused to come thither that not once dealt in the cause The Counte de Sancerre refused to signe it desiring the King with weeping eyes rather to cut off his head then once to mooue him therevnto whereat the King much abashed dismissed the Counte not pressing him any further therein They likewise vsed many rude and hard dealings towards the Princesse of Conde who very stoutly and with a meruellous courage sued for her husband Meanes and subtilties vsed that no speech should be had in the Parliament touching religion At the sametime the Pope published a Bull bearing date the twentieth of Nouember wherin hee promised a generall Councell for the ordering and determining of matters of religion assigning it to be holden within the towne of Trent vppon Easter day then next ensuing On the other side the Cardinall of Lorraine had giuen order to write and Register the names of all the principail of the religion in euery Prouince throughout France which rolles were made and diliuered vnto him All those that held on the Princes parts and with religion were as then iudged to die thereby to cease all quarrelles and that no more speech might once bee mooued touching the reformation of religion seeing as then the affaires concerning the same were in that estate which those of Guise desired and for the execution of so high and haughtie enterprises as the assembly of the Estates whereby the libertie of France should wholly haue beene ouerthrown the forces of the Realme diuided into foure parts vnder the conducts of the Duke d'Aumale the Marshals of Saint Andre de Brissac and de Termes marched to clear the Prouinces of all suspected persons touching religion to furnish the charges thereof they tooke the third part of all Ecclesiasticall reuenues the Gold and Siluer of Relicques and the Treasures of the Temple with promise that the confiscations should restore it all againe For supply of Souldiers the Pope dispensed with all the Cleargie and promised to furnish them with a great number of men of that calling As touching the extermination of the Princes and Lords they proceeded therein with time and leisure The King of Nauarre was to bee confined vnto the Castle of Leches the Admirall into the great Tower of Bourges with all his children his Nephewes in another Tower within Orleans which after that was called the Admirall hard by that of Saint Aignan prepared for the chiefe Cittizens of the Towne Determination to kil the king of Nanarre marnellously preserued The Marshals of Saint Andre and Brissac beeing arriued at the Court were of aduise that the King of Nauarre should bee slaine without troubling themselues to set a guard to keepe him wherevppon they determined to poyson him at a banquet and then vppon an euening to kill him as hee went from the kings chamber which taking no effect the king was desired to do it and to stabbe him with his Ponyard and so to shedde his owne blood which Gods mercifull prouidence would not permit although it seemed to bee almost vppon the poynt of execution the King hauing the Ponyard readie vnder his Gowne beeing alreadie entered into certaine rough speeches against the King of Nauarre who in presence of those of Guise made him so sufficient and good an aunswere that hee escaped An other pretence was sought to get him to ride abroade to hunt and in hunting to kill him The Constable had not as yet entered into the Lackes but they were minded to constraine him therevnto hauing alreadie sent out commission to laye hands vppon Monsieur d'Anuille his second sonne As touching the Admirall and his two bretheren the declaration by them made specially the Admiral d'Andelot to bee of the religion was cause sufficient to condemne them Meanes vsed to intrap and extirpe all those of the religion Which to effect the king sent commission to all
to be dead although hee departed not his life till about fiue of the clocke at night not long before his death those of Guise went to shut themselues within their lodgings from whence in 36. houres after they neuer came foorth before such time as that they had a full assurance both from the Queene-mother and also from the king of Nauarre and before that they carried vnto their houses the summe of three or foure score thousand Frankes that rested in the treasor wherevnto no man resisted which made all men suppose that the Queene-mother suffered them to do it the better to maintaine her selfe in time to come A chaunge in the court Assoone as the king was dead the Queene-mother sent for the Constable vnto Estampes in all speed to repaire vnto the Court at his arriuall hee discharged the guard that were placed by those of Guise to keepe the Gates of Orleans the Prince of Conde continued prisoner in Orleans tenne ortwelue daies after the kings death he neuer hauing had the credit once to see him during his imprisonment after that he was sent with a guard vnto Han from whence hee went to Roye there to attend the issue of his proces in other sort then eyther his friendes or enemies once conceiued Deliuery of those of the Religion Those of the religion that had still remained in long continuall prayers in their most secret assemblies for certaine daies beganne to lift vp their heades being all prepared and readie to die if the king had liued but certaine weekes longer The king of Spaines troupes marching towards Bearn were countermanded and so retired without any exploit Monluc that was promised by those of Guise to be made Counte de Armignac and stayed for them in that countrie retired vnto his house as others adherents vnto them which did the like the most secret seruants that those of Guise could haue within the Court presented thēselues with al humilitie vnto the K. of Nauarre The inconstancie of the Court. discouering vnto him the certaintie of those affaires that should haue bin executed against his person But the Queen-mother would not permit that neither then nor at any time after such things should once be spoken of thereby fearing as she said some great trouble that might arise But it fell out cleane contrary for that for want of taking order therin whē time serued it grew to such an issue that both she and her sonnes hauing neuer seen any other thē mischiefs were deep sunck into them that before they died they neuer could find any certaine issue how to auoyde them The Admirall among the rest wheresoeuer hee came glorified the wonderfull workes of God Constancie of the Admarall who at that time had deliuered him out of the hands of his most mortall enemies euen at such time as they thought most to triumph ouer him Those of Guise besought the Queene to make him to bee silent yet he ceased not to offer and also to iustifie thē to be culpable of diuers poynts of treason if it pleased her to permit that iustice might bee giuen accordingly Shee not seeming to hearken therevnto desired him to thinke well of them and from that time to liue in peace assuring him to set good order among them His aunswere was that to shewe a good countenance vnto those that had purchased his death charged his honour procured the confiscation of his goods with the totall ruine and ouerthrow of his house his kinred and friends he could not do it without shewing a double hart which was a thing cleane contrary to his religion and not fitte for any honest man to do yet he remitted the vengeance vnto God that could well do it when hee should see his time seeing men would not permit him to haue iustice Those of Guise desiring not to bee farre from the assembly of the Estates wherein they feared some earnest matter would be propounded against them King Francis that had been so much mooued against those of the religion is buried after their manner caused the bodie of the dead king to bee conuaied by Sansac and la Brosse vnto Saint Denis where without any solemnitie or royall pompe it was buried The Duke of Guise as then great maister and hauing ceased vppon the last receipts of mony not long before the king died with whom hee kept companie in his life was much dispraised and euill thought of by reason of that great fault wherevnto his seruants aunswered that as then hee had no more neede of the kings helpe by whom he had serued his turne so wel but that thencefoorth hee was to looke vnto himselfe and to seeke to eleuate his house Such was the raigne of Francis the second that died at the age of 17. years lacking one month in the 17. month of his raigne the 17. day of his sicknesse and the 17. houre after midnight and because that during the short time of his raigne the seedes of ciuill dissention were sowen and scattered in France which hitherto haue endured for the space of twise seuenteene yeares I thought at large herein to declare all that had passed in this kings time the better to please the Readers mindes Heere endeth the troubles that happened in the raigne of Francis the second Charles the ninth M.D.LX. The Regencie confirmed to the Queen mother FRANCIS the second being dead without issue Charles his third brother succeeded in his place Son to Henry the second the second called Louys dying an infant borne the 27. of Ianuarie 1550. vppon the 20. of December in open Councell where the yong king was brought accompanied with the king of Nauarre and other Princes of the blood with diuers Lords and principall Councellours an order was established for the mannaging of affaires and the Regencie confirmed vnto the Queene The Parliament Two daies after the Estates assembled in a great Hall within Orleans where the Chancellor made an Oration wherin he shewed to what end an assembly in that sort was to be holdē why they had assembled what good would happen therby wholly confuting those that were in doubt to haue them meet painting them out in all their colours After that hee propounded the means to appease all troubles The Chancellors Oration shewing wherein they might relieue both the Estate and religion inclining to a Councell exhorting them on all parts to a perfect vnion and quietnesse of mind lastly he spake of the kings debts which done hee ended his Oration and so for that time the assembly came foorth The next day after certain disputations were holden to know if the Deputies might as then enter into a Councell after the kings death De Rochefort for the Nobilitie whereby it seemed all their Commissions not to bee of any force which beeing decided they beganne with Orations Monsieur de Rochefort speaking for the Nobilitie approoued the Regencie of the Queen-mother complained of the iurisdictions vsurped by the
inioyne all his subiects whatsoeuer to obserue and keepe it vppon such paines and penalties as hee and his learned Councell should thinke most conuenient There were other declarations made touching the wordes of Papistes and to liue Catholickely contained within the edict wherevppon those of the Parliament propounded many difficulties to the great hurt and detriment of those of the religion that were wholly and openly condemned and the Pope expresly named the head and Gods Vicar vppon earth This winde serued but onely with more speede to assemble and bring togither the tempests of ciuill warres which at this day as yet continueth Sacrying of the king The Cardinals complaints In the moneth of Iune the king was sacred in Reims where were present thirteene Peeres of France the kings eldest brother beeing the first and all the other Princes of the blood sitting in their degrees there the Cardinall of Lorraine made great complaintes against those of the religion wherevpon it was determined that a new assembly of the Princes Lords and others of the priuie Councell should bee made in the Court of Parliament in Parrris to take order therein Not long after letters pattents were sent vnto the Presidents de Thou and Seguier to assemble the particular Estates of Parris but vpon the opposition framed by the Councellour Ruze in the name of the Nobilitie those assemblies of Estates were broken vppe without any resolution onely in one poynt which was that the payment of the Kings debts should bee imposed vppon the Cleargie About the same time the act for the clearing the Prince of Conde of treason was newly published proclaimed openly in the Court by President Baillet the doores being open and all the Iudges and Councellors being present in their Scarlet gownes within the great chamber where were present diuers Princes and Noblemen A decree in the Court of Parliament to iustifie the Prince of Conde and others the Duke of Guise and the Cardinall of Lorraine beeing of the traine There the Prince was declared innocent in that which had bin imposed against him and free libertie reserued vnto him to haue lawe against all such as hee therein suspected to bee his enemies and false accusers and such recompence in that case to bee allowed him as to a man of his estate might appertaine The like Actes were read and pronounced at the same time for Madame de Roye Vidame de Chartres deceased Monsieur de Cany and the Councellour de la Haye Not long after the king the Queene his mother and the priuie Councell came into the Parliament and there after many and diuers opinions giuen foorth concerning religion in the moneth of Iuly The edict of Iulie an edict was published vppon paine of death forbidding al iniurious speeches words whatsoeuer on both sides to bee vsed all leagues and things tending vnto sedition all slaunderous words against Preachers and assemblies forbidden to those of the religion who neuerthelesse could not haue beene condemned to indure a greater paine vnlesse it had beene bannishment out of the Realme all which prouision vntill a full and ample declaration should bee made by a generall Councell or by the next assembly of the Prelates all faults past in respect of those of the religion to bee remitted with commaundement to punnish all such as should seem to delay them Bastionadoes forbidden but onely to men of qualitie In like sort the Prelates were sent for to bee at the conference and safe conduct giuen vnto all Ministers freely to come and dispute of their religion Practises against the King of Nauarre The place beeing assigned at Poissy while those of the religion were in good hope because the Cardinall of Lorraine and others protested to reason quietly touching the articles debated by the parcelles of the holy scripture means was practised wholly to diuert the king of Nauarre from the affectiō by him shewed to those of the religion and by the means of the assembly at Poissy to breake off the Parliament as then reiourned vntil the month of August next after ensuing because the Queene-mother knewe full well that the Gentlemen and the Commons would aske to haue Churches allowed vnto them which being agreed vnto would make the Princes part too strong which she doubted Such order therefore was taken in that poynt that Descars before that Chamberlin to the king of Nauarre and put from his Maister Descars entertained hauing discouered him to bee a Pensioner to those of Guise was restored to his place and became in more fauour then euer hee had beene Also the Duke of Guise being returned from Callais where hee had been with Monsieur d'Anuille second sonne to the Constable and a great number of other Courtiers to conduct the Queene of Scots widdowe to Francis the second solicited the Prince of Conde An agreemēt between the Prince of Conde and the Duke of Guise to bee reconciled vnto him at the which agreement made at Saint Germaines in Laye vppon the 24. of August with the king and the Queene-mother there were present all the Princes Noblemen Cardinals Councellours and Knights of the Order The king hauing spoken of the cause of the assembly commannded the Duke of Guise to speake who turning vnto the Prince spake and said Sir I neither haue nor euer ment to do or execute any thing that should bee against your Honour neither was I eyther author meanes or moouer of your imprisonment The Prince of Conde answered him and said I esteeme them both for wicked and mischieuous persons that were the cause thereof The Duke replyed and said I beleeue it well but that toucheth not mee which done at the kings request they imbraced each other with promise from thenceforth to continue good friends and the Queene-mother to witnesse the ioy shee then conceiued that day held a solemne Feast The Queen-mother practise a both with great and small to maintaine her Regency As touching the Estates reiourned vnto Pontoire in the month of August as then it was no longer time to deferre them but the Queene playing secretly on both parts to ratifie the agreement made between her and the king of Nauarre touching the Regencie and to the end it should no more bee spoken of first sent thither the Councellour du Mortier that was sent backe againe finding so many that spake against him Wherewith the Queene calling her wits togither she remembred that he had alwaies borne a good countenance vnto the Admirall pretending in some earnest matter to imploye his ayde and occasion as then falling out this Lord was sought vnto by all meanes and thousands promises were made vnto him for the ease and reliefe of those of the religion hee perceiuing that the King of Nauarre had no desire to deale therein and after the manner of simple men trusting to many and great protestations made and vttered vnto him concerning his future good vsed Clarklike meanes imploying himselfe vnto the Estates for the
of Dreux but God is with thee Hee made her aunswere and said Good wife pray to God for me The night before the battell beeing in his bedde and talking with certaine Gentlemen that were in his Chamber he said to Theodore de Beza that had said prayer before him I knowe wee are not to account of dreames yet I must tell you what I drempt the last night Me thought I had giuen three battelles one after the other and in the end I obtained victorie and sawe my three enemies dead before me my selfe being wounded to death and that causing them three beeing dead to bee layde vppon each other I layd my selfe vppon them and so yeelded vp my soule to God And being aunswered that the things which troubled his mind caused him to haue that dreame and that whether he liued or died hee could not chuse but bee victorious Hee sayd I pray God it may bee so But sure it is that time verified his vision for that his three enemies were all slaine one after the other as the Marshall de S. Andre the next day the Duke of Guise before Orleans and the Constable at the battell of S. Denis and he himselfe after all them slaine at the battell of Bassac A briefe description of the battell of Dreux The ninteenth of December the two armies approaching neare each other in that of the Triumuirat were nineteene thousand foote and two thousand horse And that of the Prince about foure thousand horse and lesse then fiue thousand foote the battell beeing very furious on both sides continued for the space of sixe houres Among other particularities thereof diuers things are to bee considered on that there was no skirmish giuen while the two armies stayed within a cannon shot one from the other for the space of two long houres as wel to range themselues as to determine vpon their fight Another the valiant courages of the Switzers that sustained foure charges before they could be broken hauing lost seuenteene Captaines and the third part of their troupes beeing aboue three thousand men As also the patience of the Duke of Guise who notwithstanding that the Constable had been taken the Marshal de S. Andre slaine and part of his armie ouerthrown yet he stayed to seethe end of his fortune and delt in such sort that before hee left the Prince was taken prisoner and in that fight were lost on both sides at the leaft seuen thousand men besides diuers prisoners and hurt whereof most part died The Princes armie lost aboue 2200. foote Notable circumstances of the battell and fifteene hundreth horse as wel Rutters as Frenchmen The Gentlemen of account that were slaine were Arpaion Chandiu Liencourt Ligneri la Fredonniere la Charliere Rongnac Mazelles Saint Germier and in a manner all the Cornet of Mouy who was taken prisoner at the last charge The Triumuirat besides his Switzers lost the most part of his horsemen the Switzers and a great number of other foote men The Gentlemen and men of name were the Duke de Neuers slaine a little before the first charge by one of his Domesticall seruants that had diswaded him from the religion Misieurs d'Annâ—baut de Giury with his Cornet and Harbinger La Brosse principall of the massacre of Vassy and one of his sonnes And Aussun a Noble man of Gascon hauing through feare fledde vnto Parris died of griefe There was likewise another notable thing to bee marked which was the taking of both the Generalles of the armies the one at the beginning the other before the battell ended whereby the field was left by both partes but in the end reentered by the Duke of Guise after his retrait and the next day reentered by the Admirall that againe offered battell Besides that the retrait of the Princes armie was done safely in good order being two Regiments of Rutters and one of Frenchmen all about twelue hundreth horse The armie Triumuirat weake of horse not desiring to leaue their foote hauing marched about sixe hundreth paces after them contentented themselues therewith The Duke of Cuise was esteemed to haue gotten the victorie because he stayed and lodged in the field where the battell was fought and the Admirall about a myle from thence The Duke likewise sent the Ensignes takeÌ„ vp in field vnto Parris and got the Princes Artillerie who the same night supped and laye with the Duke of Guise A maruellous thing to consider the estate of two such persons so neare vnto each other and eating and resting togither The Duke de Guise beeing declared Lieftenant of the armie because of the Constables imprisonment What was done by the heads of the armies caused seuenteene newe companies of Lanciers to bee raised besides the increasing of tenne others each wanting twentie horse and created twelue knights of the Order which done hee threatned the Rutters and Marshall de Hesse to slaye them all if they would not ioyne with him but the Marshall made him the like aunswere laughing at his boldnesse The Admirall keeping on his way marched towards Beausse taking certaine small places and so that yeare past ouer But to the end not to breake the thread of our discourse I meane to proceede with that which was done by both the armies vntill the pacification of the first troubles and then with a summarie discription of the estate of the Prouinces during those troubles The second of Ianuary The Admirals exploits after the battell of Dreux the Admirall besieged Selles in Berri within fiue daies after tooke it by composition The Counte dela Rochefoucaut entered into the Towne of Saint Aignan lying in the same countrie the prince of Portion with his troupes into Montrichard The Duke de Cuise marching towards Beausse Duras was constrained to leaue Estampes as also de Pluuiers so that there rested nothing else in that countrie for the Prince but the Towne of Orleans the custodie whereof was committed to Monsieur d'A'ndelot with foureteen Ensignes of Lansquenets and Frenchmen and foure of the Inhabitants of the Towne with a great number of Gentlemen The Duke of Guises campe beeing at Baugency his light horses ranne before Orleans And also of the Duke de Guise but Auaret issuing out vppon them slewe some tooke others prisoners and put the rest to flight Meane time the King and his mother were conducted to Chartres with all the priuie Councell and some of the Parliament of Parris to frame as they sayd the Princes processe kept by a company of Lanciers and three companies of foote D'Anuille the Constables sonne perceiuing the Duke of Guises meaning was to strike two blowes vpon one stone by causing the Prince to be executed and so those of Orleans in exchange to cut off his fathers head being their prisoner tooke so good order therein that that assembly was dispearsed The King going to Blois where the Prince was brought and from thence conueyed to the Castle of Auzin hard by Amboise
league And perceiuing himselfe to bee Maister of Douzy and Rocroy and by that meanes of the passage of the riuer of Meuze hee caused his troupes to enter vppon the lands of the soueraigntie of Sedan vexing the poore countrimen that dwelt in the villages with al kinds of warlike cruelties Mean time that famine plagued them within the towns the D. de Bouillon to diuert him from thence sent the Lord de Schelandre Gouernor of Iamets to make an attempt against Verdun which is the first towne lying in the frontiers of Champaigne and most tumulteously entered into the coniulation of the leaguers pretences The Duke of Guise followed him with the most part of his forces which his departure gaue time and leisure to the Duke de Bouillon to victuall Sedan and the Queene-mother in the meane time disposed the two Dukes to make a truce first for fifteene daies in the which time the Duke of Guise practised certaine souldiers more for gaine then for conscience to surprise the Castle of Iamets but the enterprise failed and the instruments therof were punished and from that time they began againe to renue their courses and spoylings more then they did before The Queene layde an other plaister vppon this sore by a second truce of a month which the Duke de Bouillon imployed in Alsace with foure hundreth horse and eight hundreth Harquebusiers therby to aduance the armie of Germains that were to meete in the plaines of Strausbourg there to bee mustred And the Duke of Guise had leisure to go vnto the King to receiue his instructions and commaundements vppon so great and vrgent an occasion Hee found him at Meaux where hee shewed him that since the Edict of Iuly and the resolution taken by his Maiestie to make warre against the Huguenots it had been so coldly begunne and pursued with so many wants that it was not to bee found straunge if the issue had been as vnfortunate as the cause iust and woorthie to bee done by a king of France that contrary to the edict they had let their hereticques continue in their houses enioye as in a publike peace their lands and goods that ought to be imployed for their destruction and to the taking away of the means that continued their crimes towards god and their rebellion against the estate That in stead of selling and confiscating thereof Borne in France and spaniolized in Rome the reuenues of the Cardinall of Pelleue were ceased vppon because in open consistorie hee had most vertuously sustained the iust occasion of the leuying of armes by the Catholicke Princes against Hereticques That in those warres the Cleargie had indured most and receiued least profit or aduantage hauing continued more for the aduancement of Mignons then for the ruine of Hereticques and that so great summes of money cut off from the possessions of the Cleargie from the nourishing of the poore from the reliefe of Pilgrims from the ransome of captiues and other necessities of the Church had serued to no other end then onely for the entertaining of the enemies of the Cleargie Hee complained of the contradictions of the edict and among other things in that the kings Councell the Court of Parliament in Parris the Iustices nor the Prouost in Parris had not sworne to the edict Of the hard measure shewed to the Townes that had desired the exterpation of heresies and the reuocation of the last edict of peace Of the ouerthrowing of the citadel of Mascon of surprising the of Valēce of the disgrace of the Sieurs de Brissac Crusilles Gessan and Antragues and of the countermaunding of the assignations giuen vnto him for the restoring of the charges by him made in that last raising of souldiers The king to the contrary had well considered how the insolent passion of the league could not finde a firmer footing within all the articles contained in the treatie of Nemours and that it aspired to some greater matter Hee knew well it had demaunded Townes for assurance against the Huguenots in the Prouinces where they had no cause to feare them neither in soule nor bodie That the surprise made by the D. d'Aumalle of the towns of Dourlan Pontdormy and the intelligence discouered at Bollogne were som of the operations of the medicine which they had takē to auoyde this monarchie of vigor strength That for to fortifie themselues with numbers of Townes and participants it had caused a Citadell to bee erected at Vitry le Francois therein to place an Italian in whose countrie a Frenchman cannot so much as obtaine the base office of a Sergeant That the Duke of Guise would not receiue the gouernment of Raucroy vntill his Maiestie had promised him they should hold it in his owne name That it had prodigally spent the 100000. crownes raised for the building of the Citadell in Verdun not desiring other fortresse thererein but the hearts of the people abused with pretences and goodly apparances of the intents of this conspiracie The contrarieties of the edict being well wayed and debated on both partes the Duke of Guise turned his pursuites vppon the meanes to assayle the Huguenots in the same places where they had receiued the foyle in Poitou Dauphine and in the countries of the Duke de Bouillon desired the king to cast his eyes vppon decaying religion if the armie of straungers should beare the triumph into Allemaigne both of France and of the Catholicke Church and to imbrace the conseruation thereof without esteeming any thing to bee difficult or daungerous for so memorable a victorie calling to minde that he was a king of a people that neuer feared any thing but the falling of heauen and assured thēselues to ouercome all whatsoeuer that durst assayle or set vpon them heere on earth The King whose intent was onely to liue and raigne could not consent to warre The Kings oath the 10. of Ianuary 1587. notwithstanding the oath hee made when hee instituted the order of the holy Ghost nor the last resolution sent to the king of Nauarre by Monsieur de Rambouillet that hee would not permit or suffer other religion in his Realme then the auncient Catholieque faith and abolish that which they called reformed yet he desired most earnestly to haue had a good peace therby to diuert the miseries which the armie of strangers would bring with it but when hee perceiued himselfe not strong ynough The kings resolution to make the King of Nanarre and the Duke of Guise to consent by reason of their differences and that hee could not sustaine the one without oppressing the other that hee had not the courage to bee indifferent between both without leaning to the one or to the other and to bee short that hee durst not vse the authoritie of a King hee was constrained to suffer all the heads of the league to counterfeit with him If hee consented to the libertie of reformed religion and restored them the Edict of peace hee thought hee heard
an armie vppon the frontiers of Lorraine against the returne of the Germaines that would come to haue some recompence for the cruelties by the league committed in the Counte of Mombeliard These articles were sent vnto the king mean time This warre continued till May 158◠the forces of Lorraine continued warres against the Princes of Sedan a warre that raised a thousand curses against the league the thing not beeing so well iustified as the consideration of an innocents case made it seeme execrable and detested such as enterprised the same for entering vpon other mens boūds The king stayed for a time to resolue himselfe vppon the intentions of the Princes of the league and made shewe to consent vnto them And to say the trueth he was not in estate to oppose himselfe against them for that in the beginning of the league hauing permitted them to strike their hatchet into the florishing tree of Saint Lois the blow entered and made so great an ouerture that all fell in peeces Hee acknowledged the perilous consequence of his first fault And that hee agreed to the treatie of Nemours and to the breach of peace so to approoue the league Prognostications of de Mesnil Aubri 1560. He verified that which the Cassandrian Huguenots had so often sung hee sawe that the great credit which the Duke of Guise had goten among his subiects to the great diminishing of his owne did more increase that since he had left disobedience vnpunished rebellion was auouched and that from it would proceed some straunge change to shake the estate As many sillables as hee pronounced in reading those articles so many times his heart beat and moued in his bodie with an extraordinary feare saying in himselfe Considerations by the King had touching the articles of Nancy The league will haue me to bannish my seruants that are most affected vnto mee So the wolues desired the sheep to driue away the dogges that they might worke their willes That I should binde my selfe to their deuises and why to serue them for a bridge to enter vppon the royaltie that I should hatch the vipers within my bosome that should knawe my enteralles and vnder the flower deluce I should couer the crosses of Lorraine that of a king I become Generall of an armie that the people may know that seeing I haue not the courage to bee a Maister it is reason I should bee a seruant that if I haue not the stomacke to punish such as enterprise vpon mee they neyther haue shame nor feare to proceed therein it will haue mee ouerthrow and destroy those great persons that I loue and that belong vnto mee which beeing done what aduauncement would it bee either to mee or to the Common-wealth what is a forrest when the fairest trees bee cut downe but onely a place full of fushes what is a Realme when the greatest houses are ouerthrowne and impouerished onely a desart That I should agree and consent with them to make warre against such as are not of their league Who euer heard that any estate could long endure when it is diuided in two parts that haue weapon in hand and what will become of mine induring three or foure and that these two words of leaguers and Pollititians shall be as contagious therein as those of Guelphe and Gibelin that first sprang out a little Towne betweene two bretheren and spredde all ouer Italie among all the Princes Who shall defend mee vnder his partialities from the same slaunders that our neighbours of England and Germanie haue receiued I will haue no other part but mine owne and finde there is no better nor fairer then to bee a king I meane a king of France That I should cause the Councell of Trent to bee published I am content but this publication must not bee made by sound of trumpet or noyse of Cannon-shotte Hitherto my soueraigne Courts of Parliament neuer counselled mee vnto it for the preiudice I might induce into the liberties of my Crowne and franchises of the Cleargie of this Realme and fortaine Princes haue not receiued it but as farre as it was conformable to their willes and haue taken out of it the thornes that pricked them That I should establish the Inquisition at the least in all my Townes this word breedeth a feare in euery man The Inquisition was not inuented but against Infidelles for that after my auncestors had reduced Spaine to the Christian faith and that Pelages King of Castille perceiued himselfe not strong ynough to constraine Infidelles in their consciences hee permitted them the libertie thereof for certaine yearely tribute Long after Ferdinand of Arragon perceiuing that by the patching of so many superstitions both of the Sinagogue and the Alcaron of Christian religion beganne to be corrupted he determined to constraine thē to be Baptized or to leaue the country such as to stay that made more account of their liuings then their consciences purged not themselues so well of their errors but that there rested some dregges of their first opinions which they held by succession from their auncestors and desired rather like the Duke of Friezland to go to hell with their sects then to Paradice without them For men do hardly forgo the religion by them learned from their cradles the more they are afflicted to make them leaue it so much the more they harden their mindes against torments the more the exercise is forbidden them the more they seeke it and the more they are mooued the more they stirre they began to informe against them whereof the Iacobins as then newly produced into the Church by Saint Domenicke ful of doctrine and religion had the charge who imployed prayers and exhortations and would not vse violent purgations thereby not to stirre vppe an aboundance of humours that might stop the heart or the liuer this peaceablenesse and toleration being daungerous in the Church they beganne to vse rigor against those miserable Marians vnder the name of Inquisition and since that it hath been exercised against such as are not sound in Catholicque religion The formes since that time added therevnto are very straunge as the length of proceeding to aunsweres the voluntary confessions of those that are accused the slaunders and boldnesse of their officers called Flyes the prison vnder ground soule obscure and fearefull the punishment with trochelles and wheeles the sinewes the water and the fron the yealow Casocke without sleeues painted full of diuels which they call Saubenite the myter gagge and the cord and that which is the last part of this pittifull tragedie the fire haue made this inquisition which I thinke necessary in Spaine so strange vnto the Flemmings and so detestable to the Frenchmen that the Frenchmen will rather a thousand times indure that which the Flemmings haue suffered then subiect themselues vnto it to establish this inquisition among the light toyes of the Frenchmen the liberties we possesse within these thirtie yeares and the curiosities that
Edict made whereby the king shall ordaine an intire and generall revnion of the same with his Maiestie where hee shall bee and remaine the head for the defence conseruation of the Catholicque Apostolicque and Romaine religion by his said Maiesties authoritie To the which end by the said Edict it shall bee promised and sworne as well by his said Maiestie as by his said vnited subiects to imploy their treasures and persons yea and their proper liues wholly to extirpe the heresies of this Realme and of the countries vnder the obedience of his said Maiestie Not to receiue nor shew obedience after his Maiesties descease without children to any Prince whatsoeuer that is an hereticque or fauourer of heresies what right or pretence soeuer hee may haue To defend and conserue the person of his Maiestie his estate crown and authoritie and of the children which it shal please God to send him with and against all men none excepted To protect defend and conserue all those that shall enter into the said vnion and namely the Princes Lords and other Catholicques heeretofore associated from all violence and oppression which the hereticques with their fateurs and adherents would vse against them To leaue all other vnions practises and intelligences leagues and associations as well within as without the Realme contrary and preindiciall to this present vnion and to the person and authoritie of his Maiestie his estate and crowne and the children that it shall please God to send him His Maiestie shall promise and sweare the obseruations of the said Edict and cause it to bee sworne and obserued by the Princes Cardinals Prelates and others of the Cleargie Peeres of France Officers of the Crowne Knights of the holy Ghost Councellours of his Maiestie Gouernours Lieftenants Generall of Prouinces Presidents Councellours of Soueraigne Courts Bailiffes Stewards and other his Officers Maiors Sheriffes and bodies and communalties of Towns of whom oathes acts and verball processes shall be taken made and registred by the Clarkes of the said Courts Baliages and bodies of Townes that when need requireth they may bee seene And to execute the said Edict and proceede to the extirpation of the said heresies his Maiestie with all conuenient speed shall raise two great and strong armies to send against the said hereticques one into Poitou and Xainctonge that shall be ledde and commaunded by whom soeuer it shall please his said Maiestie the other into Dauphine which hee shall commit to the charge of Monsieur de Maine The Councell of Trent shall bee published with all speed without preiudice neuerthelesse to rights and authoritie of the king and the liberties of the French Churches which within three moneths shall bee more amply specified and layde open by certaine Prelates and Officers of his Court of Parliament and others whom his Maiestie shall appoynt therevnto It shall bee agreed for the suretie of these present articles that the keeping of the Townes graunted by the Edict of Nemours vnto the said League shall yet continue for the space of foure yeares longer and more then the two yeares that rest to bee expired of the time agreed vppon before and likewise of the Towne of Dourlans The said Lords Princes and others that shall haue the custodie of the said Townes shall promise vppon their faiths honours and losse of all their goods altogither and euery one in particular to deliuer into the hands of his said Maiestie or to whom hee shall appoynt within sixe yeares without delay or excuse staying ordifficultie whatsoeuer for what cause or pretence soeuer it may bee the said townes and places that are giuen in keeping for the suretie aforesaid Further his said Maiestie for the saide securitie of these present articles and the said time of sixe yeares that if the Captaines and Gouernours of the Townes of Orleans Bourges and Monstreuil die during the said time his Maiestie during the said time of sixe yeares shall commit the gouernment of the said townes to those that the said Princes shall appoynt But the said time beeing expired the said townes shall no more remaine ingaged for the said securitie but shall bee left off and maintained in the same sort and manner as they were before The Towne and Citadell of Valence shall bee deliuered into the hands of the Sieurs de Gessans therein to commaund for the seruice of his Maiestie as it did before The Sieur de Belloy shall also berestored to his charge and Captains place of Crottoy to enioy it as hee did at other times His Maiestie shall cause le Bernet to issue out of Bullen giue the charge to a Gentlemen of Picardie such as hee thinketh good which being done the said Princes will cause their forces to withdrawe themselues from about the Towne and wholly dispearse their souldiers that are there and as touching the Townes that are declared and shall declare themselues before this present conclusion to bee vnited with the said Princes they shall continue in the protection and sauegard of the king as other townes and left in that estate wherein they are without any innouation nor putting of Garrisons or surcharges in considerations of things forepassed The Captaines and Gouernours of the places that haue beene dispossessed of their places since the twelfth of May shall bee reftored to the same on all parts and the Townes shall bee discharged of men of warre that haue bin placed in Garrison therein since the said day Processe shall bee made and executed touching the sale of hereticques goods and of those that beare armes with them against his Maiestie by the best readiest and certaine meanes that may bee deuised to the ende that his Maiesties meaning and intent may in that poynt bee executed according to the edicts and declarations aforesaid and that hee may bee better ayded with the monies that shall proceede thereof to make war against the hereticques then it hath beene heeretofore The Regiment of footemen of Saint Paul and of Sacremore late deceased beeing in armes shall be payde like others that shall serue and when they are in Garrison within the Prouinces assignation shall be giuen to the Treasurer of the warres from the beginning of the yeare to paye them for foure months at the least which may not bee denied The Garrisons of Thoul Verdun and Marsal when they are imployed for the kings seruice shall bee vsed as well for musters as for leadings in the same sort and like to those of Metz. When the king shall imploy his companies of horsemen hee shall imploy those whom the said Princes haue required to bee vsed and payde as others are Those who at this present execute the charges of Prouost of Merchants and Sheriffes of the Towne of Parris shall presently remit their said charges into the hands of the king who hauing regard to the declaration made vnto him touching the necessitie the said Town hath of their continuance in the seruice of the same shall ordaine that they shall bee reestablished and
of Beaulieu and Monsieur de Reuol their backs towards the king and their faces to the people and before them the Heralts on their knees and bare-headed on each side of this table stood the seates of the kings auditors of all affaires on the left hand Monsieur de Bellegarde chiese Gentleman of the kings chamber the Archbishoppe of Lyons Monsieur Miron the kings chiefe Phisitian on the left hand vpon an other banke Monsieur de Longenac an other of the Gentlemen of the kings chamber Monsieur des Escars Monsieur de Souuray Monsieur d'O three Commanders of the Order of the holy Ghost at the end of the bankes aforesaid there stood two banks one at the end of the other along on both sides that made an Allie about two or three foote broad vppon those of the right hand sat Messieurs of the Councel of estate of the long gowne Monsieur d'Espesse the kings Aduocate in the Parliament at Parris Monsieur de Chastelliers Monsieur Falcon Sieur de Riz Monsieur Marcel Receiuer of the Treasurie Monsieur de la Guesle Atturney generall for the king Monsieur Campigny Monsieur de Pont-carre Monsieur de Ville-roy Monsieur de Viart President of Metz Monsieur Petremol Sieur de Rosiers Receiuer of the finances Monsieur de Thou Sieur de Emery And vpon the other two bankes on the left hand sat the Councell of Estate of the short gowne Monsieur de Schomberg Earle of Nantueil Monsieur de Cleremont d'Antragues Monsieur de la Chastegneraye Monsieur de Rochefort Monsieur de Pongny Monsieur de Richelieu Monsieur de Liancourt Monsieur de Menneuille And vpon the other banke Monsieur de Chastre Monsieur de Grillon Monsieur de Birague Monsieur de Chemerault Monsieur de Manou all Commaunders of the Order of the holy Ghost except the Sieurs de Schomberg de Menneuille And these Lords were they that had the handling of cōmon causes for the ordinary of the Realme or other particular Gouernments of Townes Prouinces and affaires wherein the king onely might take order Behinde the bankes of the Councell of estate of the long gowne on the right hand of the king there stood eight great bankes before the scaffold for the Deputies of the Clargie on the other side vpon the left hand behind the Councellours of estate of the short gowne there stood nine great bankes for Deputies of the Nobilitie crosse hard by on the sides of those bankes was that of the Maisters of Requests and after them the Clarkes of the house and Crowne of France All these were inuironed and closed with great and strong railes of three foore high hauing but one entery that was right before the kings face Betweene the aforesaid third and fourth Pillers whereat the Deputies entered and within the inclosure of those Barricadoes round about were the bankes for them to sit vppon The space about the Railes without was in bredth betweene sixe or seuen foote for the better accesse and ease of the people to leane vppon them The Legate the Ambassadours the Lords and the Ladies of the Court were in the Galleries closed with latises vnder the which were erected diuiers scaffoldes eight or nine steppes higher one then the other thereon to place great numbers of people The Deputies according to the order were called a Hussier standing in a windowe that looked into the Castle-yeard such as hee called were receiued by the Heraults named Normandy d'Alencon and Valois apparrelled in their Coate-armours of purple veluet into the railes that stood at the foot of the steppes which they still shutte as the Deputies entered and from thence ledde them to the enterie of the railes of the Hall where the Herault Brittaine Dauphine receiued them and brought them to the Lords of Roddez and Marle Maisters of the ceremonies telling them of what Prouince they were Deputies and setting them in their places they beeing in that order ledde forward the Herault at the windowe called others which were receiued led and placed as the rest the order vsed in calling them was thus First the Towne-Prouost and Vicounte of Parris the Duchie of Bourgongne and Baliage of Dyon the Duchie of Normandie and by order the Baliages of Roane Caen Caux Constantin Eureux Gisors Alencon and Mortaing The Duchie of Guyenne and by order the Stewardship of Bourdeaux Bazas Perigort Rouergue Xaintongue Agenois the Countrie and Countie of Comminges the Stewardship of Launes S. Seuer Condounas High Limosin and the Towne of Limoges Lowe Limosin the Stewardship of Quercy The Duchie of Brittaine and her dependances the Earledome of Champagne and Baliages of Troye Chaumont in Bassigny Vitry Meaux Prouince Sesanne Sens and the Castle of Tyerrie The Earledome of Thoulouse and gouernment of Languedoc the Stewardship of Thoulouse Puy the Baliages of Velay Mompelier the Stewardship of Carcassonne Narbonne Beziers the Stewardship of Lauragais Vermandois Poictou Chastelleraut Fantenay and Niort the Stewardship of Aniou and of Maine the Baliages of Thouraine and Amboise the Stewardship of Loudunois the Baliages of Berry and S. Pierre le Monstier the Stewardship of Bourbonnois the Baliages of Forest and Beauioulois the Stewardship lowe countrie of Auuergne the Baliages of the Mountaines of Auuergne the Stewardship of Lyon the Baliages of Chartres Orleans Montargis Blois Dreux Mantes and Meulan the Baliages of Gien Percht Chasteauneuf Amiens the Stewardship of Ponthieu Boulonnois Peronne Montdidier and Roye the Baliages of Senlis Vallois Clermont and Beauuoisis Melun Nemours Nyuernois and Douziais The countrie of Dauphine and that which dependeth thereon the towne and gouernment of Rochel the Stewardship of Angoulmois the Baliages of Montfort Houdan Estampes Dourdan the Counte of Prouence Grasse Draguignan Marseille the Counte de la Marche both low high the Marquisat of Saluce and the Baliage of Beauuois in Beaunoisis So that to conclude the Clargie had 134. Deputies among the which were 4. Archbishops 21. Bishops two principals of orders the Nobilitie 180. Gentlemen and the third estate 191. Deputies The number of the Deputies all Ministers of iustice or of the short gowne The Deputies being entered and the Gate shut Monsieur de Guise sitting in his chaire apparelled in a roabe of white Satin the cape hanging backward about his shoulders with his eyes pearcing through all the assembly therein to know and distinguish his seruitors with one onely glance of his eye to strengthen them in the hope and assurance of his pretences greatnesse and fortunes and thereby without word to tell them that he saw them rose vp and hauing made a great reuerence to all the companie beeing followed by the 200. Gentlemen and the Captains of the guard he went to fetch the king that entered in great Maiestie with his principall order hanging about his necke When the company perceiued him to come downe the staires that went straight to the great scaffold euery man rose vp and stood bare-headed which done the king tooke his
for the space of certain time ther had bin some about him that most manifestly practised in his presence elsewher by their adherents to renue raise deuision to cause his actions to be disliked wholly to suppresse his authoritie neuerthelesse with great patience and calamitie hee had tollerated the effects of the euill will in those respects appeared to bee in them assaying by all the fauours and courtesies hee could deuise to mollifie their hearts and to drawe them vnto those things that concerned reason with the good profit of his estate and the conseruation of religion That this notwithstanding they not beeing disswaded from their pernicious deuises by the aforesaide effects of his good and holy intents neither yet by any other considerations his Maiestie had discouered that they had proceeded so farre as by new inuentions to enterprise against both him and his estate That to withstand the same to his great greefe hee had bin constrained to preuent their sinister dealings but that for the singular loue and good wil naturall in him and which hee hath alwaies continued and will continue vnto his said Catholicque subiects with like care of the quietnesse safetie and conseruation of their liues as much as any father towards his children Hee had therein vsed so much clemencie and moderation that hee had restrained and layde the paine and punishment onely vppon the heads and authors of the euill sparing their adherents and seruants and fauourably receiued admitted them among the rest of his good subiects vpon promise by them made from thenceforth to become his true and faithfull subiects That although not only by his actions past as by this last proceeding hee hath giuen and declared by euident testimonies of his holy intent and clemencie that no man ought to doubt neuerthelesse to make it more manifest to all his subiects his Maiestie declareth and protesteth that this which hath happened hath beene effected by reason of the preuentions vsed against his Edict of Iuly and since that time And in the execution of that which is contained therein his will and meaning is to keep and cause it to bee kept and to obserue and maintaine it from poynt to poynt for a lawe as it hath been established and sworne in the Parliament according to the forme and tenor thereof Forgetting and wholly remitting all whatsoeuer is or hath bin done against dutie and fidelitie by those that haue participated in the said practises vppon condition that heereafter they shall depart and wholly forsake all leagues associations practises deuises and intelligences with all persons whatsoeuer both without and within the Realme The practises against the Edict of vnion wherevnto the King referreth the cause and motion of the death of the Cardinall and the Duke of Guise are specified in the treatie written concerning the troubles that ensued this execution Causes of putting the D. of Guise to death The first that assoone as the edict of vnion agreed vpon within the Cittie of Roane was published in the Parliament-house the principall heades of the League in stead of causing their partakers to leaue their armes had entertained them with further hopes and meanes contrary to the Edict sworne summoning them to bee in a readinesse to effect a great exployt The second that they had determined to seize vpon the Kings person and to coÌ„strain him to dismisse his Councel whom they thought to be most faithfull vnto him and least affected to the aduancement of their intents and to bereaue him of his authoritie yea and of the name of a king The third their practises leagues and deuises to breake the libertie of the Parliament and to hinder them from consulting with the king touching the good of his estate and the quietnesse of his people hauing a great number of the Deputies so much affected to their pretences that they neuer assembled before they had first consulted with the Councell of the Duke of Guise touching their aunsweres propositions and resolutions The fourth the fained perswasions deuised against the good intents of the king to disswade him from the easing of the long oppressioÌ„s of his people the Duke of Guise on the one side counselling him not to imbase his authoritie so much as to depriue himselfe of the meanes to maintaine the glory of his Maiestie royall by reducing the tallages to a lower rate then was conuenient and on the other side hee perswaded and pricked forward his participants to craue it by that meanes to make his Maiestie odious among them by refusing the easing of his peoples oppressions or else to force him therevnto The sift the confirmation of the treaties and confederacies made with forraine Princes as the king of Spaine the Duke of Sauoy and Lorraine and the fiue small Cantons the leagues and intelligences with diuers Lords and Gouernours of Townes and Prouinces within the Realme all contrary to the Edict of vnion which they had sworne and promised so religiously to obserue A great person in our time in the second part of the Historie of the League Vulgus audacia turbidum nisi vim metuat The second discourse of the state of France noteth the vnrecouerable fault of the king after that action that busied himselfe to iustifie his pretence and to flatter the people who by lenitie become obstinate by seueritie are constrained This great tree ouerthrown saith he such as shadowed themselues thereby were for a time discouered and without doubt the Duke of Guise himselfe was all the League hee onely had more parts and valour then all his participants togither And if the king had beene resolute to go forward with his actions and not to doo them by halues as his maner was and if within two houres after the act performed hee had mounted on horsebacke and so had added his presence his forces vnto the feares of the townes that helde with the League abashed at that great accident it is very likely hee had auoyded the mischiefe which after fell vpon him But God that derided the vaine enterprises of the one mocked the remedies by the other prouided This Prince who neuerthelesse wanted neither iudgement nor courage had no sooner perceiued his enemie dead put presently perswaded himselfe to haue no more in all the world and certainly being among his familiars he vsed this speech saying This day I am king and yet to the contrary from that day forward his royall estate begane to decline Incauta semper nimâ—â— presumptio sui negligents Egesippus This presumptioÌ„ caused him to be so carelesse in his affaires that he lost Orleans which he might haue saued by shewing himselfe vnto it that he suffred the D. de Maine to come fortifie himself with men munitioÌ„ he laughed at those the moued him with al diligeÌ„ce to send for his armie that laye in Poitou hee was offended against such as counselled him at the same time to vse the ayde of the king that now is
and of the Huguenots and to conclude so much despised all things which neuerthelesse within one moneth after hee was constrained to do that within sixe weekes hee perceiued himselfe to bee reduced onely to the Realme of Tours Blois and Baugency The fourth of January 1589. And so after the death of those two Princes of Lorraine and the imprisonment of the rest that were most suspected despising all the aduise giuen him to enter first into the field and that doing so hee should haue a great aduantage vppon his enemies hee commaunded the estates to proceede with the Parliament They presented him the billes of the three estates and againe the third time the Edict of vnion was published by Monsieur Ruze and sworne by his Maiestie with most solemne protestation to obserue and cause it to bee holden for a lawe of the Realme The king of Nauar vnderstandeth of the death of the Duke of Guise the 26. of December Lachrymas non sponte cadentes effudit genitúsque expressit pectore lato His Councell besought him to reiourne the Parliament vntill an other time but hee was so much affected to heare and determine vpon their billes that hee forgot both the care of his person and estate and would not leaue off the assembly vntill hee heard that the Duke de Maine was alreadie before the subburbes of Parris and that hee went to ayde Orleans with all those with whom hee had practised to reuenge the deathes of his two bretheren The king of Nauarre receiued the newes of this execution beeing at Saint Iohn d'Angely by two Postes expresly sent from Blois on horsebacke to certifie him thereof And he that was neuer found to be voyde of great modestie in his most haughtie enterprises nor yet without constancie in all the greatest crosses which both time and men had wrought against him bewailed not so much the death as the euill fortune of the house of Guise it is the nature of those that are most couerteous not to behold the head of their enemie but with a sad and sorrowfull eye Antigonus bewailed Pyrrus Caezar Pompey Rene duke of Lorraine Charles Duke of Brurgongne and the Earle of Montfort Charles Earle of Blois It is true that hee knewe this accident would bee a great helpe touching his iustification that thereby hee was discharged from beeing cause of the mischiefe of ciuill warres and that the king hauing iudged and found the Duke of Guise to bee most culpable touching the troubles of the estate had punished him according to his desert He said that al the world he onely excepted imagined mischief of the house of Lorraine and would bee glad to see the indignation declarations and forces of the king his Lord bent against them But for his part hee could not doo it neither yet doth it but only that of two euils he is constrained to chuse the least Yet did he not refraine to pursue his enterprise against the Towne of Niort which was in this maner The troupes that were to execute the same vnder the conduct of Mousieur de S. Gelais giuing foorth that they went for Congnac by night marched within halfe a myle of the towne the lathers and other warrelike amunitions passing about a bowe-shot from the walles and because the moone shined very bright they were forced to stay till it was downe least the assaylants should be discouered who in the meane time slept vppon the Ice wearied with long trauell and troublesome way The taking of Niort The execution being followed in conuenient time Messieurs de Ranques Valiers Gentil hauing founded the ditches caused their lathers to be broght other instruments Wherein valour consisteth neare vnto the gate which they ment to assayle I would desire such as shall read this poynt to consider and note that notable enterprises are not executed without good order and discretion and that the honour of armes consisteth not in strength wherein many beasts haue great aduantage ouer vs nor in that kinde of furious assault which is more naturall to beastes then men neither yet in the hearts of the Actors which go where blinde conductions leadeth them but in the good order and pollicie established by the Leaders The approaching of those that bare the lathers was not so secretly done but that the Sentinel heard some noyse and presently cried Quivala Whereat if the assaylant had either beene fearefull or troubled the enterprise had bin discouered and so haue lost their labours But they stayed and stood so quietly that the Sentinell himselfe answered to the Corporall and saide I heard a noyse but I perceiue it is nothing and vppon that the lathers beeing artificially made to ioyne togither were raised against the walles about sixe and thirtie or fortie foote high Scaling Lathers set vp Galeati lepores Liuius 28. By this escalado the Sentinell was surprised and throwne ouer the wall and then the Court of guard wherein they found but seuen or eight poore artificers for that commonly within Townes the rich do watch by the eyes of the poore that saued themselues because they should make no noyse And although it had been determined to let as many of their men mount vp by lathers as possibly they might it chanced neuerthelesse that one of the small number that had entered perceiuing himselfe in some perill cried vnto the engenier and thought to spoyle all their enterprise for that crie made an alarme among all the Inhabitants and serued to the engeniers for a watch-word to play with their Ensignes being before the Rauelin which made an ouerture of the gate and at that instant the Engin wrought against the bridge of the Towne which brake but two plankes of the bridge and so the gate opened in two parts the entrie of the bridge was very straight where one man alone could hardly get in and yet hee must descend by one of the lathers into the ditch and then with the same lather go vp to the entrie of the bridge two men well armed had beene sufficient to haue kept it against them all In the end by meanes of that entrie and by their escalado the first that entered were Messieures de S. Gelais de Rambures and de Parabieries who with their companies met hard by the Towne-house where they beganne to crie Viue Nauarre and there among the people being in feare surprised and abashed they found so small resistance that in lesse then three or foure houres the assaylants entered vanquished became Maisters of the towne being put to the spoyle and yet without murther violence or iniurie done vnto the Cleargie that were not once touched the king of Mauarres intent beeing not to constraine them in their religion Hee receiued the newes of this surprise at S. Iohn d'Angely whereas then he remained the gouernment whereof he committed vnto Monsieur de S. Gelais Monsieur de Parabieres commaunded in the Castle wherein hee found fiue peeces for batterie and two long coluerins
decree made containing these words The Court hath repealed reuoked and disanuled and by these presents doth repeale reuoke and disanul all those bulles of the legation of Cardinall Caietan and those other buls brought from Rome the first of March proceedings publications excommunications and thundrings made by Marcillius Landriano the Popes aforesaid Nuutio as false scandalous seditious full of corruption and madde against the holy decrees cannonicall constitutions approoued councels and against all the rights and liberties of the Gallican Church Haue ordained and by these presents do ordaine that if any haue been excommunicated by vertue of the aforesaid proceedings they are absolued thereof and that the said bulles and all the proceedings made by vertue of them shall bee burned in the Market-place of this Cittie by the hands of the executioner Againe it is ordained that the said Landriano the Popes pretended Nuntio entering priuily into this Realme without the kings leaue or licence shal bee personally taken and conueyed to the kings prison in this Cittie of Chaalons there to aunswere to all such things as shall bee alleadged against him And if his taking and apprehention cannot presently bee there shall be three daies libertie giuen for the same according to the accustomed manner And to him that shall deliuer him vp to the lawe shall bee giuen tenne thousand pound Straightly charging and forbidding all person persons of what estate qualitie or condition soeuer they bee to keepe receiue succour or harbour the saide pretended Nuntio on paine of death And all Archbishoppes Bishoppes and all other Ecclesiasticall persons to receiue nor publish nor suffer to be published any sentences or proceedings comming in the behalfe of the foresaid Nuntio vppon paine to bee punished as in case of high treason Also it is declared and we do declare the Cardinals beeing at Rome Archbishops and all all other Ecclesiasticall persons that haue counselled and signed the said bull and excommunication and that haue allowed that most inhumane most abhominable most detestable parriside traiterously committed on the person of the foresaid deceased Lord Henry the third the most Christian and the most Catholicque king of France worthily cast off from the pocession of those benefices held by them within this Realme Inioyning the Atturney generall to seize them into the kings hands and there to establish good and sufficient Commissioners forbidding all other his subiects to carrie or send gold or siluer to Rome or to sue to the Pope for the obtaining of benifices vntill it shall bee otherwise ordered by the king And the act of appeale shall be by the Atturney generall deferred vntil the next Councell lawfully assembled by Pope Gregorie the fourteenth c. The Parliament at Tours proclaimed the same decree adding moreouer in theirs these words VVee haue proclaimed and do proclaime Pope Gregorrie the 14. of that name an enemie to the common peace to the vnion of the Romain Catholicke Church to the King and to his royall estate adherent to the conspiracie of Spaine a fauourer of rebels guiltie of the most cruell most inhumane and most detestable Parriside traiterously committed on the person of Henry the third of most famous most Christian and most Catholicque memorie Certaine months after and about the end of the yeare the parliament of the League at Paris condemned and caused all those decrees to be burned which were giuen out against the Popes bulles and the Ministers of that sea As for Landriano and the Legat they were kept close and secret Finally after they had beene well feed they got safely out of France through the kings mercifull fauour carrying away great booties whereof they had small ioy because that soone after their returne they died The most part of the prisoners of Blois who then with the Duke and Cardinall of Guise should haue beene done to death escaped away some after one sort and some after another But one of their principalll men remained stil vnder sure gard in the Castle of Tours that is to say the Duke of Guise whom the multitude of the Leaguers and diuers Parisians did greatly desire saying many times that if after the death of his father and before the comming of his vncle de Maine hee had beene within Paris that of a certaine they had carried him to Reimes sacred and crowned king of France But his keepers held him sure ynough from them for the kings Councellours would not that the seditious should haue so fit a subiect to worke vppon nor such store of wood and oyle to increase the flames of their sedition On the other side the Duke de Maine hauing obtained his new title to bee Lieftenant generall of the estate and Crown of France desired not that his Nephewe should bee at more libertie Neither was the royall throne and seat bigge ynough for two to sit in and hee which was alreadie setled would not come downe to suffer a younger then himselfe to ascend thereinto Diuers other of the principall men of the League willing to counterchecke the Duke de Maine did all that possibly they could to preferre his young Nephew but all in vaine When the Kings Councell saw fit time to thwart the Dukes of Maine and Nemours which by diuers slights did daily robbe the Crowne as also diuers other straungers did would notwithstanding set on them againe and seeke to destroy the one by the other they caused their affaiers to bee so disposed for the keeping of this person that the Duke of Guise escaped the fifteenth day of August by a cord which was giuen him The Duke of Guise escapeth out of prison wherewith sliding down out of one of the windowes hee went quite away There was but small running after him who hauing found all things readie for his conueyance tooke his way to the Lord de la Chastre who kept him in a sure place Those which iudged not but superficially of these things namely the Leaguers made bonfires for ioye of this escape supposing that this young Prince should be so well prouided for that he should bee made king for the holy vnion But the Lieftenant generall his vncle and certaine others pretending to beare away the best part in that peece were of an other minde Noyon besieged and taken by the king The King all this while slept not hauing the selfe same moneth besieged Noyon a towne in Picardie held by the league and hauing ouerthrown by foure assaults the succours which the League had sent them slaine the most resolute men of war on their side taken a great number of prisoners put the rest to flight and constrained the besieged to yeelde The Duke de Maine with the Lords of Belin Vitri d'Alincourt and others had a great minde to set vppon Mante thinking to withdraw the king and afterward assayed to force the Switzers of Soleurre lodged at Houdan but all in vaine as also was their comming to Noyon For the king beeing neuer mooued with their bragges followed
Iulian Forme stain The eighteenth of December Anthony de Minard President in the Parliament of Parris was slaine with a Pistole as in the euening he returned from the place to go to his house but it could neuer bee knowne from whence it came no more then of the death of Iulian Ferme Agent for the house of Guise slaine hard by Chambourg where the king laye and sound with certaine notes and memorials cocerning the liues of certaine notable personages some were imprisoned and in great danger for the death of Minard and among the rest one Stuard a Scot who although he was of the linage of the Queen as then raigning was cruelly tortured yet could they not drawe any thing from him that once might preiudice himselfe or any other About this time the Elector Palatin hauing sent his Ambassadour vnto the king to craue that the Councellour du Bourg might bee giuen to him to serue him in the towne of Heidelberg the Cardinal being greatly moued at the death of Minard wrote vnto the Court of Parliament that they should presently proceed with their proces against du Bourg but before it proceeded so farre expresse Proclamations were once againe made and published against bearing of armes Anne de Bourg executed for religion The 20. of December Anne de Bourg hauing constantly perseuered in the consession of the faith concerning those poynts which at this day are in controuersie and debate touching religion was degraded and the next day the Iudges caused to the number of sixe or seuen hundreth men as well horse as footemen and all armed to set vppe Gibbets and to carry wood into all the places of Parris there vnto appoynted And in this sort vpon the 23. of the same moneth du Bourg was led to S. Iohn in Greue and there hanged which done his bodie was burnt and consumed to ashes Presently after other were burnt in Parris and many other places for the religion and many meanes inuented to massacre such as passed along the streets not doing reuerence vnto the Images as then newly set vppe at all the corners of the streets and euery passenger was constrained to contribute their money to the boxes presented vnto them therewith to beare the charge of the waxe-candies Extraordinary rigors that were set vppe to burne before them otherwise it cost thē their liues They went likewise from house to house to gather mony for the maintenance of the officers and suings of proces against such as were found faultie therein and whosoeuer refused or delayed to put his hand into his purse sped but hardly for it The vsurpation of the insupportable dealings of the house of Guise awaked the French men These proceedings altogither vnsupportable the threatnings against the greatest personages in the Realme the putting backe of the Princes and principall Lords of the Realme the despising of the Estates of the land the corruptions of the Courts of Parliament adicted to the part of the newe and straunge Gouernours that ruled both the king and Queene the common treasors the offices and the benefices diuided and giuen at their commaundement and to whom it pleased them their violent and of it selfe vnlawsull gouernment against the lawes of the land and the order of the Realme mooued most great and maruellous hatreds against the Duke of Guise and the Cardinal of Lorraine and caused that diuers not being able longer to indure so great oppression beganne to vnite themselues to gither thereby to determine vppon some iust defence that so they might erect the auncient and law full gouernment of the land Whervpon counsell was asked both touching lawe and conscience of diuers Lawyers and Diuines wherof the greatest part concluded that men might lawfully oppose and resist against the gouernment vsurped by those of Guise and if need were take armes thereby to repulse and withstand their violences so that the Princes who in that case are borne as lawful Magistrates or ony one of them would take the matter vppon him beeing therevnto required by all the Estates of the land or else by the greatest part thereof The first that with earnest zeale determined vppon this matter of so great consequence were not all of one opinion for some of them mooued with a true zeale of seruing God the king and the Realme beleeued verily that they could not do a more iust and vpright worke then to procure the abolition of Ferrany and the reestablishment of the Estate and withall to open the way to some meanes of comfort and reliese to those of the religion There were some that were desirous of change and the rest prouoked by euill will and hatred conceiued against those of the house of Guise for hauing done some wrong and outrage eyther against themselues their friends or allies But in effect their onely and finall intent was to inforce themselues wholly to worke the meanes to cease that vnlawfull gouernment and that the Estate of the realme might bee established as it ought to bee But for that in this intent both generall lawfull and commendable there chanced diuers particular and defectiue discourses it is not to bee wondred at if that there happened a confusion in the pursuit and that if the euent fell out but badly for those that tooke it in hand specially such as mixed their particular passions with the consideration of the common profit of the land For as touching those that onely determined to release and free the Realme of France from the yoake of strangers although the greatest part of them are dead in the pursuite thereof as well then as since that time in the raignes of the two kings ensuing and that as yet that debate not being determined yet are they gon out of this world with that most singular contentment in their mindes to haue most couragiously sacrificed and yeelded vppe their liues to reduce their countrie into a true spiritual and corporall libertie Difficultie in a great enterprise In these first enterprises there appeared an other great and doubtfull difficultie which was how they should beginne to addresse themselues vnto the king for that besides his minoritie hee had no great vnderstanding and it was impossible to speake vnto himselfe about such affaires considering his whole affection desire was to bend himselfe vnto the counsel of those two whom they sought to withdrawe and separate from him To present the matter vnto his priuie Councell would be as much as to allowe their aduersaries to bee their Iudges and so euidently to worke their own confusion to haue recourse vnto the Parliaments it would lesse auaile and yet more daungerous so that in fine the surest way was found to bee by ceising vppon the persons of the Duke of Guise and the Cardinall of Lorraine by some deuise and vnder the name of some one or some number of the principall members of the Estate to demaund an assembly of a Parliament to the end that they two might there yeeld an account
been published hee knowing that the priuie Councell and the Parliament haue giuen consent hee moderated it by another edict wherin he exposed his reasons with such vehemencie great eloquence that those of Guise themselues that onely were the purchasers thereof The Duke of Romorantin breaketh the pretence of establishing the Inquisition of Spaine agreed to his aduise and certified it vnto King Philip that liked well thereof although his whole desire was to see the Realme of France disguised in a Spanish sute Wherevpon the edict of Romorantin was published and set foorth whereby the King committed the knowledge and inquirie of Heresies vnto the Prelates of his Reaime forbad all publike assemblies vnlawfull forces declared all the Ministers of the religion makers composers and printers of infamous libelles tending vnto the moouing and stirring vppe of the people guiltie of high treason this edict appeased not the murmurations and troubles but to the contrary rather doubled and increased them on all sides A Combat of Princes Against all the bookes published and set foorth against the vnlawful gouernment of those of Guise Iohn du Tillet Clarke to the Court of Parliament in Parris composed a booke intituled The Kings Maiorit wherein hee defended that in France the Kings beeing of the age of fifteene yeares might then command after that hee inueyed against those of the religion saying that with a false wrong title they termed their new opinions to be the Gospel of Christ naming their Ministers seditious mutinous and concluded that God would fauor and prosper the armes that should bee taken in hand and vsed against them Many strong and earnest aunsweres were made vnto it wherevnto neither he nor yet his brother the Bishoppe of S. Brieu durst once reply although by the Cardinall they were most instantly required therevnto for whose contentment at the request and solitation of a certaine Councellour named du Lyon a Printer of Parris named Martin l'Hommet was hanged for printing a booke The Tyger put two men to death intituled The Tiger made against those of Guise the like intertainment was made vnto a rich Marchant of Roane who beeing present at the execution and perceiuing the people most strangely mooued against l'Hommet desired some of them to vse themselues with greater modestie His proces was made without any further delay onely to please the Cardinall as du Lyon not long after in a great audiance openly confessed The Queen-mothers dealing and resolution of those of Guise in those difficulties The Queen-mother much troubled among so many waues hearing a speech of calling a Parliament and of establishing the Princes and the Constable whom shee deadly hated vnto their places and authorities which if it happened she should no longer haue the mannaging of the affaires resolued to hold and maintaine all things in the same estate wherein as then they were and vnder her authoritie to couer the imperfections of those of Guise who still continued in their grosse and high speeches protesting that they wold imploy the meanes both of themselues and of their friends that possible they could make to beate downe and represse the insolencie of those that sought to purchase the alteration of religion which from that time forward was their pretence thereby to abolish the other quarrell that onely concerned the State which was affirmed to haue beene wholly vsurped and now to bee most lawfully ruled and gouerned by them They thought likewise that hauing exterped those of the religion as their meaning was to beginne with it it would be a meanes to cut the sinewes of the Princes of the blood of whom thereby they should easilie bring to reason as also the Constable Counsell of some of the Nobilitie Touching those of the religion the first and principall in the rolle were certaine Gentlemen that made free and open profession thereof and although they had not in any sort beene priuie or once consenting vnto the enterprise of Amboise yet were they accused and summoned to come and iustifie themselues before the king But they perceiuing that nothing but their destruction was pretended concluded some to go vnto the Prince of Conde to incourage him the rest vnto all the Churches of the religion to giue them notice and intelligence of their destructions then readie to fall vppon them if each of them sought not to desend themselues The Prince of Conde escaped while his enemies consulted his death The proposition mooued in the priuie Councell touching the ceasing vppon the person of the Prince of Conde and to make his proces to the end that hauing begunne with him they might proceed against the rest made them to looke vnto themselues It chanced that vppon this proposition touching the taking of the Prince the Cardinall was resolutely of that aduise but the contrary the Duke of Guise had made a long discourse to shewe that they should not proceed therein and that it should bee wholly against his consent and desire Some at the first were much abashed that those two heads in one hood were of so different mindes but when they well perceiued that nothing was by them neglected where to find the meanes to laye holde vppon the Prince euery man then did knowe that this contrarietie was onely done of purpose thereby to drawe the Councell to giue their whole consents to the end that by those meanes they might fortifie and couer themselues against all chaunces whatsoeuer In the meane time the Prince looking on his owne securitie with good aduise deliuered himselfe out of their snares and got vnto Bearn where as then the king of Nauarre his brother was Resident they as the common saying is vsed to make bread of stones and to turne all things for their aduantage beganne to assure the king and his mother that without all doubt the Prince was culpable and that his flying made him to appeare as guiltie wherevpon commissions were presently made and sent for to leuie men to warre against Gascon whither the Mashall de S. Andre vnder pretence of going to see his bretheren was sent to discouer which serued to no other end but onely to cause the two Princes to stand more warity vppon their guard La Planche discouereth those of Guise There rested yet another threed to vntwine which was to know if that the Constable were not of the Princes Councell whom as they thoght they held alreadie within their fingers to this end they appoynted the Queene-mother to worke the matter who secretly sent for Lois Regnier Sieur de la Planche one of the Councell ours of the Marshal de Montmorency who beeing entered into her chamber the Cardinall standing behinde the tapistrie and desired very earnestly to say his minde touching causes and remedies of those troubles made a large and ample discourse the effect whereof was that those of Guise beeing straungers ought not to haue the gouernment of the Estate vnlesse some naturall Frenchmen were ioyned in commission
with them Hee likewise made a long answere touching the accusation made against the Prince of Conde shewing it to bee a meere falschood once to thinke or suppose that the enterprise of Amboise was thought or ment against the person of the king or for to trouble the Estate After that he desciphered the originall of those of Guise behauing himselfe in such sort in all his aunsweres like a good Politian and that with so good reasons that thereby hee escaped from the Court and nothing was done either touching him or against the Constable nor any of his Those of the religion next to God commit themselues vnto the protection of the Princes of the blood Those of the religion hauing vnderstood by aduises giuē thē by many Gentlemen in diuers Prouinces that their ouerthrow beganne to approach if with all speed and readinesse they prouided not for themselues Hauing recommended themselues by heartie prayers vnto God determined to cast themselues into the armes of the Princes of the blood as Fathers Tutors and Conseruers of the innocencies of the poore afflicted people and that by the natural lawes of the countrie were called vnto that charge during the minoritie of the kings And for the same cause certaine notable personages were appoynted among them to go vnto the king of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde at Nerac to whom with all their meanes he offered a large declaration containing a rehearsall of all the wrongs by those of Guise committed against the king and the Realme with a most humble supplication that it would please the said Princes to deuise the meanes to deliuer the king and his Estate out of their hands The explort of Monsieur de Mombrun About this time Monsieur de Mombrun a Gentleman well affected to thereligion beeing narrowly sifted by the Parliament of Grenoble and brauely escaped out of his enemies hands was desired by diuers of the Venitian Marchants to ayde and assist them against the violences and extortions vsed in their behalfes by the Popes Vicelegat contrary vnto their priuiledges and auncient franchises La Motte Goudrin Lieftenant for the Duke of Guise in Dauphine was likewise entertained by the Vicelegat to helpe him with all his forces And although Mombrun had very fewe men yet hee constrained his enemies to seeke for an accord which hauing but violated and broken in all the articles by the Vicelegat and la Motte Goudrin Mombrun raised armes againe and handled the Priests hardly that had slaine some of his men after the accord was made and sworne which done hee put a great number of la Motte Goudrins souldiers vnto the sword and vsed him in such sort that hee made him leaue his fence but hauing beene constrained to dispearse his little troupe and soone after betrayed by one of his domesticall seruants hee saued himselfe by flying out of the Realme hauing trauersed through many daungers and saued himselfe in the territories of Geneua and about the countrie of Berne The Princes counsels discouered by la Sagne wherof ensued the imprisonment of Vidame de Chartres To returne vnto the Princes they beeing much confirmed in the resolution by thē taken to discharge their duties touching the relieuing of the realme of France by the declarations and offers of those of the religion they began to deale therein and among other agents imployed in those affaires the Prince of Conde sent one named la Sagne vnto diuers great Lords to desire them not to saile him of their aydes La Sagne hauing receiued an answere from the Constable and Vidame de Chartres came vnto the Court where hee deliuered certaine letters and as hee stayed fro an aunswere hee was so vndiscreet that hee suffered himselfe to bee vndermined by one Captaine Bonual who hauing discouered it vnto those of Guise ranne after him and brought him prisoner to Fountainebleau where the letters of Vidame de Chartres beeing read wherein he promised the Prince to maintaine his iust quarrell against all men except the king his bretheren and the Queenes those of Guise sent to apprehend him within Parris and to keepe him prisoner in the Bastille where they vsed him with most great rigor vntill hee died They found not so good a baite in the Constables letters or at the least would make no shewe thereof because they would not trouble themselues with so many things at once La Sagne was well payed for his prating for that his nostrils were stretched in such sort that hee tolde all whatsoeuer hee knew and more then truth to prolong his miserable life Mean time his cōfessions made vppon the racke caused those of Guise in all haste to dispatch their affaires for first to their great dishonour and disaduantage of their kinswoman they agreed with the Queene of England prouided for the frontiers of Lorraine caused the olde troupes that came out of Dauphine and Piedemont to lye along by the riuer of Loire writing on both sides to their partakers A proposition in the Councell for calling a Parliament at Fontainebleau On the other side the Queene-mother that feared least shee should bee disgraced whatsoeuer might happen by the aduise of the Chancellor and the Admirall to whom as then she made shewe willingly to hearken she resolued to cause a motion to bee made in open councell that it were requisit that the king should assemble all the Princes Lords knights of the Order and men of authoritie in his Realme to take order for the pacifying of the troubles which they esteemed specially to proceed because of the persecutions against those of the religion Those of Guise found this resolution to bee good thinking thereby to finde a meanes to intrap both the king of Nauarre and his brother trusting likewise for that most part of those that should assemble were of their retinue that nothing should passe therein but for their aduantage and that this meeting would wholly breake off the calling of the generall States and by that meanes make a sure ground for their affaires Wherevppon they began to write into all places in the Kings name who desired euery man to bee at Fontainebleau vppon the 15. day of August for the causes aforesaid Those of Guise sent letters likewise from themselues full of all good promises and rewards The King likewise wrote vnto the King of Nauarre desiring him to bee there with his brother and all such Lords who as then were with him But couertly by the meanes of secret practises those of Guise dealt in such sort that the King of Nauarre resolued not to come and that against the aduise of the Constable and diuers great Lords who said and affirmed that as then the meanes presented it selfe whereby to put downe those of Guise and to reestablish the lawfull gouernment of the Realme And to conclude the Constable verilie supposing that the Princes would bee theee sayled not to come thither with aboue 800. horse which constrained those of Guise as then weake to flie softly
Princes of his blood But God shewed that he loueth not disturbers of the estate nor such as bath their handes in their owne blood that take courage by the indiscreet opinions of certaine pretences The enterprise of Amboise ciscouered in Ann. 1560. the enterprisors pursued by the Duke de Nemours The gate of Hugon in Tours by the which they assembled or of the first accords of the declaration of protestants made in Latin which are Huc nos venimus and that vse remedies crueller then the disease it selfe For that he ouerthrew this first enterprise and the actors thereof beeing taken vppon the suddaine obtained paine and punishment for reward and so were hanged in their bootes and spurs at the castle of Amboise But the sparks that issued out of this flint after that set fire to the ciuill warres of France and because the greatest part of those alterers of estates were of the new religion that as then were called Huguenots of the place where they first assembled themselues in Tours the Cardinall of Lorraine beganne to crie out against Hereticques and to make them more odious he caused it to be reported throughout the Realme that their enterprise was against the king wherein they induced the Prince of Conde who to iustifie his innocencie and to shewe the integritie of his heart to the seruice of the king in his presence and others the Princes Lords and Officers of the Crowne spake openly and said That his Maiestie excepted and with reuerence to the Princes his bretheren the Queene his mother and the Queene then raigning those that had reported him to bee of the enterprise of Amboise lyed falsely and if they would seeme to iustifie it hee offered to fight with them and that if they were not comparable vnto him for degree hee would imbase himselfe for that time and make them either by sword or launce confesse themselues to bee vilaines and traitors And thervpon this Prince not induring to liue among so many suspitions and distrusts as beeing the But and marke of his enemies left the Court and went vnto his brother the king of Nauarre whither such as professed reformation withdrewe themselues This disease increasing more more and the corrupted humors therof breeding to a dangerous and mortall palsie the Queen-mother that knewe better the disease then the cause thereof The assembly of Fontainbleau Anno. 1560. the 21 of August where the King the Queene and diuers Princes sat there the Admirall presented a Petition and said that he would cause it to be signed by 50000. men and the Cardinall of Lorrain said the King should oppose 100000. against it They were not permitted to alight as the manner is at the kings Pallace She said that no man euer bandieth against the blood of France with out repētāce Iustification of the Prince of Conde Agreement made betweene the Prince of Conde and the house of Guise the 14. of August 1561. La Popelimere saith that the king of Na. promised the am bassador of the K. of Dēmark to cause the religiō to be preached throughout France within one yeare after perceiuing that by sharp and bitter remedies it was nothing healed beganne to vse gentlier and more easie and to the same end she caused the most learned and wisest men in al France to be assembled at Fontainbleau there to debate the causes of religion Where the Admiral presented the request of those whō he supported which was to haue libertie of churches and freedome of conscience wherevnto the Cardinall opposed himselfe And the Lords of Monluc Marillac were of opiniō that the most assured means to stop those new sprung sects was to submit themselues to a generall Councell and in fine the conclusion of this assembly was that a Parliament of the generall States should be holden at Meaux in the moneth of December after and a nationall Councell the tenth of Ianuary then next after ensuing The Parliament was holden at Orleans and the king sent for the king of Nauarre to come thither and to bring the Prince of Conde his brother with him that there hee might cleare himselfe of the hard report that ranne against him to the which end they set forward and arriued at Orleans presenting themselues vnto the king that intertained them not as their qualities and nearenesse of blood required For the Prince of Conde was committed prisoner whose deliuerance was sued by the Ladie Renee duches of Ferrare neuerthelesse his processe was framed wherevnto hee pleaded not guiltie yet in fine hee was condemned to haue his head striken off before the kings Pallace and at the entrie of the States vpon the which iudgement he continually expected the houre of death But by Gods prouidence the death of the king procured both his life and libertie for king Charles iudged him to be innocent At the same time the Court of Parliament in Parris made an Edict the Parliament of Estate continued and the difference of religion was appeased by staying for a generall Councell Meanetime Messieurs de Guise being in hope that their greatnesse would still increase and spread abroad were much abashed to see it shortened by the death of the king their Nephewe and thereby to be constrained and put in minde to thinke that they were no more as they had been So that they yeelded their place to the King of Nauarre but not the opinion nor the hope to recouer it once againe By that means their great affaires left off but they forsooke them not seeking by all meanes to be reconciled to the Prince of Conde alwaies keeping their owne like the Maister of a shippe that hoyseth and pulleth downe his sayles as time serueth and alwaies stopped the holes wherein they foresawe the round world enter ceasing not to speake most assuredly and openly against heresie which they so much the more detested as that they perceiued the Princes of the blood to lend their helping hand towards the aduancement and establishing thereof and that the king of Nauarre that made account thereof began to like it hauing more desire to the Realm of Nauarre that was promised to be restored vnto him and to that of Sardaigne offered him if he would separate himselfe from the Princes reformed and the protection of the protestants Churches then to the consideration of the quarrell of his house The greatnesse of those Princes could not continue equall by reason of the vnequallitie of their houses Yet they sought to go all in one ranke whereby the kings fauor could no sooner giue countenance to the one but it mooued the other His fauour is like a faire Ladie euery man seeketh and courteth her and if she smile more vpon one then vppon the other it breedeth but iealousie despight quarrell she cannot diuide her heart in two without a a mortall diuision Euery man hath his turne and both Catholicque and Huguenot vnder pretence and zeale of religion seeketh to get the good wil of the king his
Maiestie and your estate against all men to obserue and inuiolably to holde that which is contained in your Edict of vnion at this present redde and published to the glory of God exaltation of his holy name and to the conseruation of his Church and this Realme of France The kings oath for the obseruation of his edict This Oration made the king spake and said My Lords you heard the tenor of mine Edict and vnderstood the quallitie thereof togither with the greatnesse and woorthinesse of the oath which at this present you are generally to make The oath of the Spiritualtie Ex consilio Triburienfi And for that I perceiue all your iust desires conformeable vnto mine I wil sweare before God with a good and safe conscience the obseruation of this my edict as long as God shall lend me life in earth and I will and command that it shall bee obserued in this my Realme for a sure and stedfast lawe and in perpetuall memorie and witnesse of the vniuersall correspondence consent of all the estates of my Realme you shall presently sweare the obseruation of this my Edict of vnion all with one voyce each Ecclesiasticall person laying his hand vpon his breast and the rest lifting their hands vp to heauen An act of the protestation of the oath And to the end that a memorie of so solemne an oath may bee more pithily set downe to all posterities hee commaunded Monsieur de Beaulieu to make an act thereof which done the ioy was so great that nothing could bee heard among them but crying Viue le Roy all the assemby followed his Maiestie into the Church of Saint Saueor wherein thanksgiuing they sung Te Deum Laudamus The kings clemencie in taking away the Barricadoes at Parris Mortales recidinae There the Prouost of Merchants in Parris vnderstood from the King that the Parrissians offence had beene very great but that hee hadde forgotten it that hee made his Edict for the common good of all French Catholicques and also the comfort of his poore people the miseries whereof caused him to remit the memorie thereof withall willing him to bee assured thereof as beeing spoken from the mouth of his king with commaundement to bee very carefull least the Cittie of Parris should fall into the like fault which vnto them would prooue both mortall and vnreparable A report running in the Parliament house And because the Deputies that came last thither brought newes that all the Countrie of France were of opinion that vnder pretence of that assembly there would be some publike and notorious vengeance wrought against the principall estates and that this report ranne from chamber to chamber it was determined among them to enquire thereof and to knowe the kings intent the Archbishop of Ambrun spake vnto him and gaue to vnderstand the great feare that diuers of the estates were in by reason of the report that ranne among them touching a tragedie as they thought to bee prepared confirmed by the aduise of strangers specially such as litle cared for the peace and tranquilitie of this estate Salus populi suprema lex est The king made answere that the safetie of his subiects would be his owne defence that hee cherished them as a father doth his children that he knew the suretie and libertie of the estates that they ought to bee assured of his word that the occasion of troubling them should neuer proceed from him that it was an open offence once to enter into distrust of their king and that reports were deuised by those that could not loue their King but onely seeke the meanes to cause him to bee hated of his people The Archbishop of Lyons of the counsell from the peace of Chartres Likewise the familiarities entertainments and shewes of amitie and good will by the King continued to the Duke of Guise and the Cardinall his brother and for the loue of them both to the Archbishop of Lyons that had beene of the Councell from the time of the peace concluded at Chartres caused those reports to cease and made the prognostications in that behalfe sent from all places wholly fabulous which were that the issue of the Parliament holden in Bloys would bee horrible and bloody And I beleeue if that the league for her part had vsed no means to kindle the ashes that as yet laye hotte within the furnace that the fire of the kings chollor had neuer been kindled The intent of the league The League therefore assured on that side set those on worke that were of her sect in that so solemne assembly to effect their secret pretences which was so to incroch vppon the king that they would leaue him but onely a vaine shadowe of royall authoritie vnder the conduction and direction of her tyrannie and withall to exclude the king of Nauarre from his royall succession The league declareth and blameth the kings actions The bridge to passe vnto the first poynt was to make his actions odious and intollerable to reproach him for his liberallitie his mignions his edicts his dissimulations and the long oppressions and troubles of the people to the end that consenting to the suppression of estates and offices hee might thereby procure the hatred of all such as had any interest therein that is the most apparant families of the third estate and not seeking to redresse it hee should bee dedeclared not a father but an enemie to his people not a King but a Tyrant in his Realme and that the people would presently confine him in a Cloyster The King was continually solicited with many petitions thereby not so much to make him see the euill but rather to threaten him that he shuld yet find it much greater if speedie order were not takē They set before his eies the extreame coldnesse of the greatest part of all the Catholicques in loue Petitions made to the king at the beginning of his raigne The king ought to reuenge the dishonours done against God and obedience towards him by reason they were most straughely oppressed with excessiue impositions and subsidies constrained to liue in company with such as had burned Churches prophaned the Altars massacred the Priests and robbed and taken away their goods They brought him to defend the Church not to esteeme so much of the wrongs committed against the state as of the iniuries done vnto religion not to suffer any feare to enter into his minde concerning the enemies of GOD which more and more increased by a certaine kinde of distrust which constrained him to shewe contumelious passions not breeding peace but rather seruitude and so to dissemble the iniuries committed against God which to preuent hee should reuenge himselfe like a King bannish those that counselled him onely for the aduantage of heresies and imbrace such as had strayed out of the right way and desired to enter into it againe to vse his sword of authoritie against the obstinate and to remember
and vnderstood his reasons The law to heare the accused leauing this infallible doctrine vnto vs that wee must not condemne any man how greeuous an offender soeuer hee bee before wee haue heard him and well examined his cause it was the naturall equitie of this lawe that caused Sicynius to oppose himselfe against the decree of the Tribunes pronounced vppon Cariolanus condemned without beeing heard this reason mooued the Ambassadours of Etrurie to perswade themselues that the Romanes would graunt them the repeating of Tarquinius Superbus because hee hadde beene banished and neuer heard speake in his owne defence and that great author of Romane eloquence complaineth that hee had beene banished without offence without accuser without witnesse and without permitting him that libertie which is neuer refused to enemie nor slaue And hee it was that cried out against Verres saying Crimen sine accusatore sententia siue consiliio damnatio siue defensione that in condemning his hoste Sthemius Termitanus without hearing him hee had forced and violated nature And this misgouernment of condemning men beeing absent was neuer induced but by the outragious enuie of Tyrants against the common tranquilitie of their countries it was neuer practised but by those furious Donatists that deposed Cicilia from his Bishoppricke of Carthage hee beeing absent and the holy fathers of Rome haue alwaies detested this practise Liberius saith plainely and boldly vnto Constant that he would neuer signe to the bannishment of Athanasius as being extreame iniustice to condemne a man that hath neither been summoned nor once heard to speake for himselfe Innocent the first excommunicated Arcadius and Eudoxia his wife because that without inquiring of the matter hee had condemned Chrysostome Pope Clement blasoned and reprooued the Emperour Henry because hee had bereaued Robert of his Kingdome of Sicile and proclaimed him traitor without hearing his excuse The King of Nauarres answer It may bee that if the King of Nauarre might haue beene heard to speake hee would haue giuen them to vnderstand that the Pope had beene deceiued or seemed in declaring him to bee an hereticque obstinate and relapsed into heresie hee would haue said that hee neuer knew nor vnderstood that there should bee any other trueth then that wherein the Queene his mother had brought him vp it is true that after the massacre committed vppon Saint Bartholomews day he was constrained to vse time as occasion then fell out and to submit himselfe vnto their tyrannies The king of Nauarres minde was not free in Anno. 1572. but so much against his minde that assoone as without daunger hee might once make it knowne that his conscience was at libertie he shewed thedesire hee had to bee instructed and to submit himselfe to the free and lawfull iudgement of a nationall Councell within the Realme of France hee wrote to all the degrees of France both Cleargie Nobilitie Parliaments common people that hee had nothing more liuely imprinted within his mind then a desire to see the revnion reduction of the seruice of God vnder one kinde of religion and therefore that hee could not bee called a Relaps for that to bee such a person hee must first haue beene condemned and iudged as an hereticque that hee had publicquely abiured his error and then receiued into the Church and that hee had returned againe vnto his first heresie But now hee is the man that neuer had beene accused of heresie nor neuer abiured the opinion which at this day hee holdeth for that assoone as he found conuenient means to depart out of the Court wherein he had bin stayed by the accusations that his enemies made against him vnto king Charles the ninth he retired into his countrie of Bearne where he made it known that hee had no other beliefe then that which hee had alwaies holden neuerthelesse as often as the king desired to haue him vnited to the Catholicque Apostolicque and Romane Church he alwaies desired to be instructed and to the same end that it would please his Maiestie to bee a means to assemble a free and lawfull Councell of the vniuersall Church or else to call a nationall Councell of the Church of France submitting himselfe to all discipline and to the free and lawfull iudgement of that holy assembly which his Maiestie acknowledging to be most requisite The king of Nauarre first king of all Europe next to the king of France granted both to him his partakers by the Edict of pacification made in Anno. 1577. These reasons being neither presented nor cōsidered of by thec largie the most affected to the aduancemēt of the league executed their pleasures vpō one of the greatest Princes in Christendome vpō the first prince of the blood yea the first child of the most ancient famous familie bearing Crown within this world which the heauēs borne and brought foorth capable to command ouer France when God shall see his time and to depriue him of the right that nature had affoorded him without summoning or once hearing what hee could alleage vnto the contrary So that in the end the kings aduise to cause him to bee summoned to sweare vnto the Edict of vnion was found to bee without reason and the Cleargie resolued that hee neyther can nor ought any more to resist This conclusion was borne vnto the Nobilitie by the Bishops of Chaalons and Champaigne and to the third Estates by the Bishop of Comminges the Archbishop of Ambrun companion of the 12. of each order that were appoynted therevnto declared the States mindes vnto the king which was not to vse other means to summon the king of Nauarre and that his heresie and incapacitie to the Crowne were sufficiently knowne But if the king knoweth not three things hee knoweth nothing hee raigneth without raigning hee cannot defend himselfe his familie nor the peace Hee suffereth himselfe to be bereaued of the vnseparable quallities belonging vnto his person that is power and authoritie hee suffereth them to declare those of his familie to bee vnwoorthie of succession hee permitteth them to take away the peace and tranquillitie of his Realme to giue it vnto his enemies so that to this proposition of the League hee answereth that he would satisfie the Deputies reasons and resolue vpon them But while they were busied to band themselues against a Prince capable of the Crowne of France and issued from the royall branch of Bourbon vpon the which familie God hath bestowed more particular blessings then vpon all others of the same tree and linage as Aniou Alencon Eureux Berry Bourgongne Angoulesme Orleans and Valois that are all gone and extinct God suddainly entered vpon the Theater and shewed that his iudgements are wholly contrary vnto the iudgements of men and that his spirit mouing eternally worketh continually to his glory and that hee can change the mindes of men when they thinke least therof cleane contrary to their desires For the king was aduertised by all his seruants