Greece Also among other the Ecclesiastical aunswers of the Patâ—iarkes of Constantinople is to bee seene this of Germanus to the Bishop of Ara who enquired how he was to proceed against a maiden that had bene blessed and corrupted before her ripe age also against the Priest that had ministred these ceremonies Whereto aunswer was made that the maid should be seperate and the Priest put from his charge 5 As in trueth in all well ordered Commonwealthes there haue euermore bene established a certaine age for the conioyning and mariage of the Citizens of the same because as saith Fulâ—entius the lawe of mariage is by the will of God ordeined fâ—r hauing of issue it is meete that it be contracted at lawfull age So as by the pollicie of some Citties it was considered that the tyme of generation doth for the most part by nature ende in the man at the 70. and in the woman at the fiftie yeere Aristotle is of opinioÌ„ that after that age mariage is not to be permitted Whereto seemeth to agree that which is found in the establishment of the Romaines Among whom those Citizens were not iudged to haue satisfied the lawe Iulia which was made for mariages who to the ende not to be subiect to the penalties limitted in detestation of vowed chastitie did contract matrimonie the man after sixtie yeres or the woman after fiftie For Iustinian also writeth that some accompted it almost a wonder in nature to see a woman with childe after she were fiftie yeres of age And it seemed such marriages were contracted not so much in hope of begetting children into the CommoÌ„-wealth as in respect of some wealth or other perticuler commoditie that the one hoped for of the other by which reazon wee reade that Antigonus perswaded his sonne Demetrius to marrie an old woman named Philla vsing the authoritie of Euripides which he altered to his purpose and in liew that the verse said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he sayd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the ende the sence might importe that for some benefite hee should not differ the mariage of a wife though of a contrary age As on the other side also ouermuch youth was neuer accoumpted meete for the coniunction of mariage because therein generation cannot bee but lame and vtterly vnperfect the mother in greater daunger at her childbirth the father more vndiscreete in the coniunction and so the more hindered from atteining to that perfection and force which Nature reserueth to their bodies wherevpon the auncients imagined that the Idoll of Apollo gaue the Trezenians warning when he had them beware of casting their seede ouer hastely vpon the fieldes of their countrey 6 Finally concerning this present argument although the sayd Lady Iane of Albret had offended in marying with the late Antonie of Bourbon Duke of Vendosme because she had beene afore married to the Duke of Cleue yet were that no let why the King of Nauarre now raigning should not bee borne of the lawfull mariage of the sayd Antony of Bourbon his father who doing amisse that vpon simplicitie vnder the authoritie and in the face of the Church with publicke credite did solemnize the said mariage in which cace there is no doubt but the ChildreÌ„ of a putatiue mariage as say the Canonistes are legitimate because in a doubtfull cace senteÌ„ce must passe in fauour of the marriage and of the children borne in the same the question depeÌ„ding vpoÌ„ the simple meaning conscience of him that meaneth to marrie a wife for by the lawes and decrees of the Church opinion hath the vpperhand of trueth so as by the common resolution it is enough for the legitimation of children that either the one or the other of the coÌ„tracters ment good faith in that coniunction beleeuing it to be a thing lawful for him Thus doe you briefly see how children borne of such mariages are legitimate In our cace wee haue moreouer aduowed that the pretended marriage of Lady Iane of Albret mother to the now raigning King of Nauarre was voyd and of no effect and for such by all reason iustly broken and disanulled by the iudgement of the Church with whose authoritie the sayd Lady Iane was permitted to marie where she pleased which was not done without president For wee reade in the auncient Chronickles that for the like cause the Emperour Ottho the fourth was diuorsed from Margaret Daughter to the Duke of Brabant Lewes Daulphin of Viennois sonne to King Charles y e sixt a litle before he dyed vsed as some say the like pretence to returne Catherin daughter to y e Duke of Bourgondy home again In later tyme King Charles the eight of Fraunce in the yeere 1480. was by his father Lewes the eleuenth before hee was foreteene yeeres old affianced by words present and so by indissoluble marriage vnto Margaret of Austrich daughter to the Emperour Maximilian who being then but two yeeres olde was conueyed into Fraunce and there brought vp for the space of ten whole yeeres after the which they were neuerthelesse diuorced by a dispensation from Pope Innocent the eight who also for the like reason dispensed with Lady Anne of Brittaine and gaue her leaue to marrie where she pleased notwithstaÌ„ding during her minoritie her father Francis Duke of Brittaine had matched her with the Emperour Maximilian by proxye had celebrated the sayd mariage Nicholas Duke of Lorrain while his father Duke Iohn liued did in the yeere 1460. by present words affiance Lady Iane of France daughter to King Lewes the eleuenth and yet comming to the age of foreteene yeeres he did through the Popes dispensatioÌ„ betroth Lady Mary of Bourgondy Daughter to Charles the last Duke of Bourgondy whom he was going to marrie when death euen during the preparatiues of the solemnitie of the mariage preuented him So the manifolde decrees and iudgements passed in like matters doe manifest vnto vs the exceeding malice of the enemies of the sayd Lord King of Nauarre 7 Their seconde obiection importeth that the sayd Lorde King of Nauarre is an Hereticke and therefore vnworthy to succeede in the Realme of Fraunce whose Kings are intituled most Christian in respect of the oath that they take at their sacring in the hands of the Archbishop of Rheimes which is that to their powers they shall defende the Catholicke Religion and faith which the sayd Lord King of Nauarre cannot doe as professing an opinion already condemned by the Church and so consequently can not pretend aught in the sayd Crowne neither may the subiects thereof obeye him according to the decree of the generall Counsaile holden at Roome vnder Innocent the third about the yeere 1215. repeated out of the auncient constitutions of Theodosius the yonger Valentinian the 3. and Martian all most Catholicke Princes vpon the confirmation of the general Counsailes of Ephesus and Chalcedon and afterward recited by Iustinian the first in the fifth Counsaile of
Nauarrre and all that be of his opinion by apparant reasons For the vnderstanding whereof assemble the Catholicke Church so consequently the Christian Princes of the same heare the parties cause the King of Nauarre to appeare at the least summon him to come in in al assurance In such an assembly denounce him an Hereticke excommunicate him or deale otherwise with him according as the holy Ghost shall thincke meete Vntill you so doe you are but theeues enemies to the Catholicke Church perturbers of Christian peace and very Atheistes in seeking to vse Catholicke Religion which you doe least respect to estabish your prosperitie withall 27 It is requisite saye you to roote out Heretickes That is a good godly and Catholicke Counsaile I am of your opinion But marke ye Frenchmen the meanes effects and purpose which these zealous persons these firme pillers of the Church and these bucklers of the faith doe goe about to take herein Weapons fellonie and depriuation of our King both of his Scepter life for if wee flatter not our selues this is their marke We must giue almouse to the poore but not by robbing the rich We must punish transgressors but we must not proceede therto by cutting the Magistrates throate whom we thinke ouerslowe in perfecting the proceducers We must relieue the people but neither wee nor you nor any other must deale therein or enterprize to do it chiefly by rebellion or warres against our King This is not the first tyme that the Commons haue complayned of the Kings exactions and yet did they not thereupon take occasion to oppose thēselues against their Maiesties good pleasures neither was there euer found Cleargie man being the seruāt of God who to the mutinous would become a trompet of rebellion against their Prince vpon such consideration as these perturbers doe represent vnto vs the Lord Cardinall of Bourbon the Popes Legat in France and which is more himselfe a Prince and of the race of the Kinges The Prophet Esay complayned of these too great exactions of his tyme. Ezechiel noteth them and discouereth the vices of Princes Amos calleth them oppressors of the poore cruell to the needie Micheas setteth before them the reproach that God will lay vpon them if they flay the poore Sophony doth bitterly reproue them yet doth it not appeare that euer these men of God embraced conspiraties or entered League to the ende vpon any such considerations to arme the subiects against their Lord. The King say our Censors must reforme himselfe but we must not tell him so with weapons reprouing and iniurying his Maiestie by worde writing and deede yea by captiuating his affections and forcing him to hate that which he loueth as if hee were not a man capable of the loue of those whom perticulerly hee acknowledgeth for his faithfull seruants This were a miserable state for a King to be forced to hate where he loueth and to loue where he would hate to bee able to doe what he would not and to desire to doe that he cannot to be briefe to be a slaue to the enuies strifes and diuersities of his subiects It is too much euen the greatest Aristarchians cannot like of it Whervpon I would fayne aske these reformers what made them so rich and mightie as now to vndertake to raise warre against their King but euen the excessiue benefites of his Predecessors him selfe What place doth or may the stateliest of them hold in France but of meane Gentlemen and such as it hath pleased the King to loue Were they not our Kings that haue aduanced them and mainteined them in their wealth wherefore then doe they so much enuie the good hap of those who haue no other beginning or aduauncement then such as vrged themselues on Why doe they so much mislike that the King should loue the Lorde Duke of Espernon or any other like as his predecessors fauoured their aūcesters Know they not that all things haue their time their beginning progresse encrease and end what further fauour doe they hope for at the successor whom they would cause the King to nominate by prouision sith in the meane tyme they suborne his subiects yea so farr to turne them from receiuing any Garnison on his behalfe and spread a brute among the people that there yet remaine some of the race of the aunciēt Gods worthy to rule ouer them To bee briefe they take the course too truely to fulfill the prophesie of the late King Frances our Kings Grandfather whom many honorable persons did many times heare saye that if they vsed the seruice of those who now set not a strawe by them they would doe their endeuours to strip his Children into their dublets and his people into their sherts and vnhappely these Mastiues haue so well learned to barke that now they seeke to byte their Lord. Call to minde ye Frenchmen a true saying of Sainct Austen importing that it is vnpossible for that Counsaile to bee blamelesse whose meanes ende and effects are vile vicious and reprehensible Neither is it Religion or pietie that stirreth them vp but a South winde and Spanish heate wherwith they be driuen that kindleth them For in troth it is of more importance for the King of Wisigotes wholy to subdue the King of Nauarre and to destroye him whatsoeuer it cost thē to lose all his low Countries which by that onely meanes hee might perpetually assure together with not onely the rest of whatsoeuer hee wrongfully nowe deteyneth of the Realme of Nauarre which seemeth to be already prescript but also generally of the whole Spaynes and most of his other Lordships whereof he might stand in great feare if GOD should permit him to haue so strong and mightie an enemie as the King of France Let not therefore the most Christiā Maiestie and the King of Nauarre flatter themselues but bee assured that the Piedmontain and the Pope with their partakers are determined to doe y t Spaniard that good turne and to employe whatsoeuer their habilities to assure him on that side Considering that withall the purse of the Romish Court which findeth great ease in the Frēch Crownes of the summe which often do passe the Mounts by reason of the Annates renewed in this Tridentine conspiracie might in tyme stray by the way as by the auncient Edictes of our Kinges and arrestes of our Courtes of Parliament they haue hetherto done haue interest therein For this cause none neede to maruaile that the Pope will not willingly forgoe so lickerous a morsell and the best dish on his table Besides it is most certaine that the subiects of Fraunce and others that are boūd to the Crowne and Maiestie of our King who haue risen and doe dayly rise are but the instruments and gates whereby to make way for the loades of golde which the Spanyard sendeth to doe his businesse in this Realme by the same meanes giuing them occasion to take holde of and vse the tyme to doe also
infected with the error of Eutiches Heraclius was a Monothelite The stories are ful of many Popes of Rome heretickes adulterers Magicians Scismatickes and men confect in a filthie quagmire of vice who all neuerthelesse did peaceably by Gods will sit in Moses chaire to the ende to punish and afflict his flock as he hath thought good by such Tirants whom with his owne hand he chose to be the executioners of his iustice and against whom the people neither ought nor might conspire for saith Panormitan sith they are not free but subiect they haue no power to transferre the iurisdiction or conferre the title neither is he accoumpted to haue giuen that hath no right to giue In an other place the same Canon Doctor writeth that the vassall cannot consent in the person of any other then his Lorde no not by prorogation of power to that purpose alleadging many other skilfull persons opinions Howbeit all good Catholickes doe to their great griefe knowe that most of the Ecclesiasticall persons and Clergie of Fraunce doe seeme to bee parties in the Conspiracie that long since haue bene deuised against the state of this Crowne which neuerthelesse I can hardly beleeue notwithstanding I heare our ordinary Preachers openly in the chaire of trueth and humilitie preach warre bloud weapons rebellion and contempt of y e King and the Princes of his bloud a matter detestable and abhominable before God 9 My Maisters ye Bishops Priestes and Doctors what weene ye to doe Is this the commaundemeÌ„t of God Is this the doctrine that ye are bounde to plant in the Christian Church Is this the light that you shewe to the flocke which God hath committed vnto you Is this y â— peace that you ought to teach and for the which the Church poureth foorth her daylie supplications What correction may the people look for at your haÌ„ds whiles your selues are the authors of euill Wil you doe or say as Lucifer I wil ascend into heauen and become like vnto the most high God Will you iustly haue the name to be the very enemies of God who commaundeth obedience onely to the Kings and powers that he hath established and who taketh no delight in any thing more then in peace hating all shedding of bloud Doth the way to cure the rage of poore mortall creatures consist in vnclothing them of all humanitie in thrusting into their fist the sword wherewith to make away them selues by the authorising of their furie with your decrees nay which is more by stirring them thereto through your Sermons May wee not reproach vnto you that which Ieremie prophesied in his tyme The Prophetes haue prophesied lyes the Priests haue approued theÌ„ and the people haue embraced them Must we needes say of you as Ezechiel writeth of your like I will stretch foorth my arme ouer their Prophetes that see lyes and those that tell fables or do not serue for discipline to my people whom they haue seduced saying The peace of God bee with you and yet it is not peace that they seeke My Maisters this is not the fruit of the spirituall doctrine that you haue in custodie beware it be not sayd of you that an euill tree cannot bring foorth good fruite you preach warre rebellion disobedieÌ„ce you contribute to Conspirators against your King and the Princes of his bloud you deliuer the Townes to them and doe put your flockes into their hands you seeke out straungers to rule ouer you and doe set them against your King where will you become Is this the Catholicke and Apostolick doctrine that you doe sowe Knowe you not that Iesus Christ is the foundation of the Church so that whosoeuer will lay any other shall destroye himselfe and whatsoeuer he dare vndertake Is not the doctrine of Iesus Christ peace humilitie obedience and clemeÌ„cie Is it not written of you Bee yee wise as Serpents and simple as Doues Are not you termed the sault of the earth which beeing shed abroade where may wee gather it againe I wote what you will say There be say you a number of heretickes which must bee rooted out with the sword because their life is repugnaÌ„t to Gods honor No no my Maisters you are yet deceiued for you must first shewe how they bee heretickes and for such cause then to be lawfully condemned which as yet you haue not done because in â—rueth your pretended CouÌ„saile of Trent whereby you haue condemned them was not lawful as the King of France confessed euen while it was assembled and therefore did not onely forbid the Bishops of his Realme your predecessors to go thereto but also by his Embassadour did protest that he could not accept it for a lawfull and generall Counsaile but onely for a particuler assembly gathered together for the profite and authoritie of the Pope and King of Spayne vnto whom they went about to giue the presedence aboue the most Christian Maiestie furthermore declaring that he ment not that he or his subiects should any way be bound to the decrees thereof but that contrariwise he was determined if neede were to employ all remedies necessarie which his predecessors had in like cace vsed to procure the disanulling of the same Besides I saye vnto you that weapoÌ„s are not the meanes to cure this mischiefe Know you not that the doctrine of Religion either the error thereof is a disease of the Soule and minde seeke therefore for your partes the spirituall Medicines wherewith to heale the same as admonitions prayer fasting amendment of your liues which are the true and onely Weapons of Gods Church But what are you not content with the extreeme diligence and care of our most Christian and Catholike Kings for the revnion of their people into one only Apostolick Romish Religion what haue wee gotten by so many fyers so much blood such battailes and destructions within this Realme for the same Those that nowe would rule you are they not the same persons that led the armies and practized y â— occasions of the passed wars haue they not sufficiently proued that neither ster nor sword are meete remedies for this euill that in one day of such troubles Gods Church is more hurt and offended through the disorder of one lewde Souldier then in a whole yeere of pacient tolleration whereby God may be deuoutly serued the King honored the Clergie assured the Lawe feared the gentry cherished and the people eased to bee briefe euery one by little and litle reduced into the waye of good life which to bee briefe are the effectes and glorie of the militant Church and of the good Shepherdes of the the same Wee haue burned them quick they haue quenched the fiers with their blood wee haue drowned them they haue Spawned in the concauities of the water we haue murdered them al in their sleepes within few daies they haue reuiued againe We haue fought with them and beaten them but haue not cast them downe To be brief if we consider how we haue
behaued our selues toward them we shall surely find that we haue left no more to doe but either to destroy our selues and perish all togither whereby the one shall not scorne the other either els to let them liue among vs one with an other in peace and libertie of conscience and neuer be so desirous to driue them into heauen with the edge of the Sword But will you haue me tell you the trueth your pompe your pride your ambition and the ignorance of yours is cause of al this mischiefe Notwithstanding you see the the Church on a flame who is there among you I will except some small number that endeuoureth to amend his life and to distribute y â— Church goods in such sort as he ought See wee not still the Kinges Courtes the Townes and Country full of superfluitie of our Bishops and other Clergie men such a number of Abbots called Commendatories who are of no professed order of Religion but doe neuerthelesse deuour the reuenues that belong to the poore so many beneficed persons with diuers Bishoprickes Abbayes Priories and Cures some in title others in commendam of the which they neuer see so much as one vnlesse it were to the ende to farme the same foorth You may see their Churches fall in decay and the Priestes whoÌ„ themselues haue annoynted begge their foode the rest of the poore dye for hunger at their gates And in one word to say all these Maisters haue no money to doe their dueties w tall no not so much as to procure preaching which themselues can not doe or for performing the deuine seruice either to instruct the youth For euery one doth sufficiently know that the late King Charles the nineth whom God pardon and King Henry the third now raigning visiting and comming to those Townes wherein the principal Vniuersities of their Realme are planted did ordeine that the Clergie of certaine Dioceses should contribute some small portion toward the salaries of the Doctors and RegeÌ„ts of the same yet was it neuer possible for these poore people who are the seedes of iustice and vertue to reape any one penny Our Maisters haue nowe money enough to helpe to maintaine warre against the King vnder an imaginary and false preteÌ„ce of defending the Catholicke Religion You deceiue your selues if you hope to conuert others before ye make cleane your selues no neuer looke for it for it will still be obiected vnto you that you can see a mote in other mens eyes but cannot take away the whole blocke that blindeth your selues Why follow you not the example of Moses who when he beheld and sawe Gods people offende the deuine Maiestie with Idolatrie did not take the sworde to put them to death but began to crye O Lorde this people haue sinned forgiue them or els blot mee out of thy booke which thou hast written Let vs liue well let vs reforme our selues and let vs not be so careful for the wealth of the world We haue so long cryed out against those of the pretended Religion concerning this poynt that now they can say of vs The Doctor is to blame who reproaueth other for the fault that himself hath Yea they will saye worse for still they stand vpon the defensiue you are the assailants They haue euermore acknowledged the Kings Maiestie for their soueraigne Lord and neuer contemned the Princes of his bloud as the King himselfe in his Edicts hath not sticked to confesse but you endeuour to enstale Straungers against the estate and dignitie of his Maiestie who both before he was King and since hath prodigally ventred his life and hazarded his Crowne for the glutting of your desires and putting of your ouer rude counsailes in executioÌ„ What reason therefore haue you now to match your selues with the meere enemies to the peace of the Church enemies to your Common-wealth enemies to your King and the Princes of his bloud I saye to your most Christian and Catholicke King one that feareth God and one who hath peraduenture done more then he ought for the getting by armes that contention which you do wish for I am moued so to say because in trueth I beleeue and experience hath taught vs that the more we stirre vp this euill the more it encreaseth wherefore herein the best counsaile that wise men haue left vs were to resolue our selues that if this pretended reformed Religion bee not by the decree and establishment of Gods worde it will without any warres perish and vanish of it self as haue done so many former heresies but contrariwise if it be according to the wil of the holy Ghost we may crye out at our pleasures but it will fulfill his worke 10 But my Maisters if you be not led by malice are you so blinde as to thinke that the authors of this conspiracie which they terme a holy League bee ledde by any zeale of Catholicke Religion If that were their drift wherefore haue not they also called into the same such Lords Princes of the bloud as stil continuing Catholickes and liuing according to the Romish Church were neuer so much as suspected to bee of the pretended reformed Religion We know very well that the Lord Cardinal of Bourbon whose yeres they haue seduced and whom vnder a vaine hope of smoke they make to weare the knife wherewith to embrue his hands in his owne bloud hauing wrested from him the fayrest and most of his Benefices whereof by their suggestion hee hath depriued his owne Nenewes before he altogether became vnnaturall when they bounde him to this peeuishnesse offering vnto him their fayned League to signe requested that his Neuewes the Lordes Cardinall of Vandosme Prince of Conty and Earle of Soissons might bee included in y â— same wherto these our Maisters could not intend Whereof doe they suspect the Lord Duke of MontpeÌ„sier and the Lord Prince of DoÌ„bes his sonne both being most Catholicke Princes onely that they bee of the house of Bourbon which they seeke to roote out and so doe make accoumpt to transferre the Crowne into their owne handes trying themselues onely vpon the sayd Lord Cardinall a man worne and of small continuance so contenting themselues to make him the standerd whereby to establish their armes neither would they auctorize the rest amoÌ„g their troupes fearing least they should haue better eyes then the sayd Lorde Cardinall to discouer their wicked entents besides that if it shoulde so fall out that they shoulde come to the drawing of lâ—ttes for the beane in the cake the people would rather haue recourse to these Princes as to the braunches and sprigges of their Kings and those who onely in their degrees and order are capable of the Crowne of France either els least the FreÌ„ch Nobilitie should blush for shame at the preferring of the tirannous dominion of straÌ„gers before their French Princes and lawfull Lordes This is not the first day that the house of Bourbon haue bene subiect to the enuie and malice of these Espaniolized
such writings as guiltie of treazon haue dissembled this meane and flatly disaduowed the miserable wretches who for the publishing of these vntrueths had hazarded their liues But returning into the path of their first entent since the death of Mounsier the Kings onely Brother they haue perswaded themselues that his Maiestie may one day happen to dye without issue But howsoeuer it be prouiding long before for their affayres they haue coasted and sought to winne one of the first Princes of the blood discended of the house of Bourbon the true and onely Heyre of the Crowne if it should please God so farre to punish vs as to depriue vs of our good King without issue male and haue gone about to perswade this Prince that it is he who ought to be the lawfull successor and therefore that he had neede presently and alreadie to cause the same openly and with effectual and stroÌ„g reasons to be published 6 Wherein both the one and the other doe highly offend the Kings owne person in that in his life tyme they dispute of succession which if it might please God to sende him a sonne to enioye it shall neuer fall to them besides that thus thei seme to coÌ„spire his death which in effect is as much as to league themselues against nature against good maners against Christian pietie against that good will which we owe to our King vnto whome we are bound to pray for good wish for good and prognosticate good and therfore to waite for such his hap and misfortune is repugnant to all lawes ciuill and naturall Neither can good men like that against the Kings will and during his life men should argue or call into questioÌ„ the doubt of his succession which is nothing so long as it shall please God to leaue him in the world Vpon this cause did the fifth Counsaile of Toledo in Spayne which was holden during the Popedome of Honorius the first about the yeere 622. in the tyme of Heraclius the Emperour and Chintillus King of Spayne by decree excommunicate all such as do enquire or seeme to haue any care or doe seeke to vnderstande who shal be their King after him that hath the Scepter Because then saith the text it is repugnant to pietie and daungerous to man to thinke vpon vnlawfull matters to come or to enforme themselues of the accidents of Princes or in respect thereof to prouide for the time to come for it is written It is not for you to knowe the seazons and tymes which the Lorde hath reserued to himselfe wee doe by this decree ordeyne that if there be any informer of such matters and who during the Kings life respecteth any other in hope of the Realme or that allureth any vnto him in that respect that the same be by senteÌ„ce of excommunication banished the companie of the Catholickes The same decree was reiterated in the sixt Counsaile holden in the sayd Towne of Toledo whereto was added a very conuenient reason whereby the Authors of such discourses are reproued as men curious of the tyme to come whom God will not peradueÌ„ture permit to attaine thereto Mark therefore how such people who would bee taken to be zealous of Catholicke religion and the Commonwealth do by making such questions offend God and his holy Church 7 Furthermore this good Prince of whom they seeke to make a buckler is if it please him to consider that these alterations are wouen for the subuertion of him and his famelie to the ende that beeing by the force of the same disunited and deuided the Authors of this faction may remaine Maisters of both partes and by the losse of the one may more easely disperce the other That this is so it appeareth by that Lybell that secretly they disperst abroade into our hands wherein is one of the most impudent maximes that they dare set downe namely That no one of the Princes of Bourbon and doe expressely name the person of the Cardinall vnder whom neuerthelesse they would shroud theÌ„selues is capable of the succession of the Crowne of FraÌ„ce because now they are growne beyonde the tenth degree of agnation to the royall house whereby onely enheritances and successions are by the Ciuill lawes deferred to the neerest and beyonde the which also the heritage beeing vacant shoulde come to the fisck which in this cace is the assembly of the Estates and Peeres of France who are to proceede to a newe election But herein they doe malitiously deceiue themselues because the royall title of the Crowne of Fraunce is not simply a patrimoniall enheritance or feudal neither runneth by simple enheritance ciuill but the neerest of the bloud royall is thereto called by succession and surrogation perpetuall without ende after the order of consanguinitie or masculine agnation whether he be or be not particuler heyre to the King deceased in his owne proper goodes Also say our Maisters this right of the Crowne is in deede not hereditarie but of the famelie and of whom soeuer appertaineth thereto notwithstanding no one of them might be heire to the deceased Wherevpon Balde others that haue particulerly written of the succession of this Realme doe vpholde that therein succeedeth the next of the Kings bloud being come of the male although he were 1000. degrees of and that by the right of bloud and perpetuall custome of the Realme therein bringing for especiall example the famelie of Bourbon which onely after the famelie now raigning is to succeede in the Crowne of Fraunce Besides that returning to our purpose all the reasons that may be alleadged in the behalf of this Prince or of any other whosoeuer except of the King of Nauarre haue so small likelihood that euery one may soone iudge that those that haue set abroach this matter are mere perturbers of the peace and lawes of this Crowne particuler enemies to the house of Fraunce but chiefly to the sayde Lord Cardinall of Bourbon in that they endeuour themselues to ship him in this so vniust a quâ—rrell and to perswade him to leaue such a blemish to his memorie that the posteritie maye saye that so great a Prince as hee wise and discreet a Clergie man euen from his youth being now come to y e Graues side should without reason bend hymselfe against his owne blood and peraduenture be an occasion or instrument to the enemies of his Family to depriue his blood of so faire great and mighty a realme which the lawes thereof hath prouided them if God should not send the King now raigning a sone 8 Now to the end to lay open mine intent I willl say no more but the trueth which is that among all such as professe obseruing of the estate and gouernment of auncient common wealthes this Realme of Fraunce will appeare to be one of the most assured and best ordered that euer was in the world which also through the Lawes and politicke gouernment thereof hath longer continued then euer did any other Monarchie howe
retourne to the line of Francis the Elder who maried Lady Mary of Luxembourg daughter to Sir Lewes Constable of France who brought great goods to that Famely in Picardy Artoys Flanders and other places Of these two issued diuers children namely Charles Frances Lewes Antoinet Loyse of Bourbon Charles the Eldest succeded in the Countie of Vendosme and procured it to be erected into a Dutchy and Pairry Francis had the Countie of Saint Paule and maried Lady Adriane of Touteuille daughter and heire of a great famely They had issue a daughter Lewes was a Cardinall Anthoinet was maried to the Lord of Guyze of whoÌ„ is discended the house of Guise now liuing Loise was abbesse of Fronteuault Now the said Charlâ—s the eldest maried Lady Francis of Alencon sister to the deceased sir Charles Duke of Alencon last deceased without children in the yere 1524. of this mariage issued Antonie Francis Charles Lewes Iohn Antony the Eldest and Heire of this family maried Iane of Albret Queene of Nauarre of whom came Henry of Bourbon now king of Nauarre who hath married Margaret of France Sister to the most Christian King Francis was named Lord of Anguien who gat the victory at the iorney of Serizoles died without issue Charles the third is Cardinal of Baurbon and Archbishop of Rouen Lewes was Lord Prince Conde who when he died left fower sonnes Henry Prince of Conde Francis Prince of Contie Charles Cardinall of Vendosme and Charles Countie of Soissons Iohn who after the decease of Francis was entituled Lord of Anguyen died also without Issue There were also some daughters of whom here we haue nothing to say as hauing in this argument to treate onely of the Succession of the house of FraÌ„ce which can not discend but to y â— Males of this famely The onely controuersie therefore and different that might through the Counsaile of the mischiuous be mooued resteth betweene Henry of Bourbon King of Nauarre sonne of Anthony the eldest of that famely and Charles Cardinall of Bourbon and Archbishop of Rouen his vncle by the father The end of the first part ⧠THE CONTENTS OF THE SEcond part of this Booke 1. Obiections moued against the King of Nauarre 2. The mariage betweene Lady Iane of Albret Princesse of Nauarre with the Duke of Cleue dissolued by the Ecclesiastical sentence the Popes dispensation auctorized in Parliament Also the marriage of the sayd Lady with Anthony Duke of Vendosme the eldest of the house of Bourbon from whom is discended the King of Nauarre 3. Marriage is by the Ciuill lawe voyde being contracted before age 4. The holy decrees haue inhibited the blessing of mariage of maidens before twelue yeeres of age of men before foretene the East Church haue proroged the Matrimonie of the man to fifteene and of the woman to thirteene 5. The honestie of Ciuill pollice forbiddeth mariage before age 6. Examples of mariages disanulled by reason of the noneage of the contracted 7 The explication of humaine pollicie wherefore hereticks are vncapable of successions 8. The right of Realmes is houlden immediatly of God by the continuation of the successiue lawes of the same Neither can the Estates depose a King vncapable or otherwise disabled Or the people transferre the right of their Lord vnto the person of any other to whom it ought not to be giuen 9. The office and duetie of the Clergie towarde Kings and Princes King Henry the second protested against the Counsell of Trent 10. Why those of the League would not take the Catholicke Princes of the blood therinto Those of the league haue sought to suborne those of the pretended reformed Religion 11. Kings are Stewardes of the Church goods The Church is in the Commonwealth not repugnant thereto Pollicie Iurisdiction and collation of Ecclesiasticall functions apperteineth to soueraigne Princes The Kings of Fraunce haue euermore preserued the state of the persons and goodes of the Clergie in their Crowne The Clergie were in olde tyme not capable to distribute Church goodes 12. The King neuer dyeth in France because of the successiue law thereof To what ende the Coronation of Kings was instituted The auncient maner of the Coronations of heathen Kings How long it is since anoynting was instituted and wherfore It is not necessary to annoynt or crowne Kings in one only place 13. Antiquitie is no necessary argument to auctorize common custome 14. The Church neuer disturbed the succession of Kings no not for heresie 15. Whether it be likely the K. of Na. wil force the conscience of his subiect 16. The estate of Bearne and Nauarre 17. The cause of the protestatioÌ„ that the King of Nauarre made the last yere at Montauban 18. The King cannot infringe the successiue law of the Realme The successor commeth not to the Crowne in the qualitie of heire to the deceased 19. The Popes reasons whereby he pretendeth aucthoritie to transferre Kingdomes The Popes haue euer exempted France out of their wonderfull power Gods lawe without polliticke confirmation is no sanction vpon earth Priestes haue no imperiall Iurisdiction Bishops and Popes haue acknowledged Kings and Emperors for their Lords The punishment of heretickes is executed by the seculer Magistrate 20. The opening of sundry places of Scripture concerning Ecclesiastical iurisdictioÌ„ Wicked Emperors were neuer deposed The Pope cannot excommunicate any body politick or Towne subiect to the King of France Appeales in cause of abuse from the Pope and other Clergie men obserued in France 21. The Church cannot excommunicate a Prince that is an euill liuer Subiects after the excommunication of their Lorde are not discharged of their dueties toward him 22. The sentence of the excommunication of a Prince cannot conteine any clause of depriuation from his Lordly rights 23. A Prince may lawfully arme himselfe against the Popes wrongful excommunication and appeale therefore as in abuse 24. The K. of Nauarres reason to proue him no Hereticke 25. The vsurpations of the Counsell of Trent ouer the Crowne of France 26. Most dauÌ„gerous drifts of y â— Leagued in the reformation of the Realme 27. The wicked entent of the Leagued Also what enuy they beare to the Duke of Espernon and others 28. The remembrances of Aduocate Dauid now put in execution by the Leagued The Kings duetie in matter of Religion 29. Forraine rule and gouernement is wretched FINIS THE SECOND PART OF the Cath. Apologie 1 SVch as mislike the king of Nauarres cause doe obiect against hym in this libell fonre principall points wherof three doe perticularly touche the qualitie of his owne personâ— the fourth concerneth the auncient controuersie betweene the Vncle and the sonne of the elder brother But we will endeâ—our to shewe that in all and throughout all they haue but a weake foundation Concerning the first they aleadge that the said Lorde King of Nauarre is not borne in lawfull matrimony of Anthony of Bourbon eldest sonne of the house of Bourbon because Ladie Iane of Albret mother to
conspirators for it appeared more euidently wheÌ„ the Duke of Vendosme father to the now raigning King of Nauarre maried the heire of Nauarre whom one of their predecessors was very desirous to match withall The said Lord of Montpensier should be very blinde if he could not by the welcome that the parrisans gaue him lately at Orleans with Cannon shot perceiue that it is not Catholicke Religion that they fight for but the rooting out of the royall famelie As also before wheÌ„ in his absence while he was gone to accompanie the late Monsier the Duke brother to the King into Brabant they procured the taking away of the gouernement of Brittaine froÌ„ him which now they clayme to be theirs some in the right of their mother and other of their wife But I hope the King shall be able notwithstaÌ„ding they endeuour to dispossesse him to make himselfe whole to y e and after to heare them in their petitions if hee finde the same reasonable Moreouer to returne to you my Maisters of the Clergie I will set you downe most pertineÌ„t demonstrations of their zeale to the Catholicke Church and will tell you that after they had fayled of their enterprise against the Towne of Straus borowe by the spoyle whereof they hoped for meane sufficient to demaunde Mets Thoul Verdun and therewithall together with other the Townes vpon the shore of Rhine which easily they would haue forced to haue prosecuted their purpose for the rest of the Realme of Fraunce they endeuoured to winne those of the pretended reformed Religion vnto whom they promised not only such free exercize of their religioÌ„ as y â— King now raigning had permitted them but also if neede were with greater libertie and assurance and to the same ende offered to send their male children and young Cousens for hostages into Germany vnder the pretence of learning the Dutch tongue perswading the French of the sayd Religion that they should neuer liue assured vnder the King that by that which was passed they might beleeue that he would enfringe his Edicts of Pacification vpon his first oportunitie that neither y â— King of Nauarre neither the Prince of Condy had authoritie sufficient to defend them to be brief that it was their best to offer themselues into their protection who had both the men of warre the Clergie and the gouernors of the Prouinces at their deuotion To the same effect they also sent the late Lorde of May to Duke Casemire to winne hym into this League and also to practize the same with those of the pretended reformed Religion offering to commit their forces into his hands besides setting before him that he was discended of the race of Charlemagne as well as they that they might make the one a great Emperour the other a great King that the Capetiâ—s had ouer long enioyed their inheritance and that they were resolued no loÌ„ger to suffer it As in deede about the time of the siege of Fere the sayd May practized all that he perceiued discontented to signe the sayde conspiracie vntill he was wouÌ„ded at the said siege whereof when the chief of this drift had notice he posted from Paris vnto him to get from him the Articles of the League as also after the decease of the sayd May hee sent to his house to make search amoÌ„g al the papers remeÌ„brances of the sayd deceased Beleeue not therefore my Maisters that it is the loue of God that leadeth them either piety of Catholicke Religion but say boldly that it is no other but ambition a wicked and abhominable entent to lose and alter this Estate and to get it into their handes and so to make you bondmen to their passions or executioners of their tyrannie Wherefore I beseech you to call to minde the saying of Ioel. Awake my Maisters you that are dronken with your Wine weepe and lament for all your ioye and mirth is gone farre from you Put on your mourning weedes ye Priestes that serue at the Aulter for our land is become miserable and our fieldes doe now weepe sith they are become barren our Wines withered our Oyle diminished and our labourers brought into necessitie And againe weepe ye Clergie that serue God and in liew of other weapons say Lorde forgiue this people and forsake not thy enheritance As for your liues direct them after the example of the Apostle who sayth Wee are as young children among you or as the nurse preserueth her little ones euen so we doe merueilously loue you and doe couet not onely to teach you but to offer our liues for your preseruation Put awaye all hatred mallice guile emulation enuie and backbyting feede vpon milke that we growe therein to our saluation for almightie God is mercifull My Maisters I pray you pardon me I knowe I might haue spoken more gently vnto you but to what purpose is it only with the fingers to touch the wound or to annoynt onely the outside thereof with too easie an oyntment when you see it is tyme to crush it throughly to expell all corruption that marreth the whole body What had I bene the better to haue ministred a tent of lint when it wanted a sharpe corosiue Take therefore in good parte this that I say vnto you for it is the doctrine y â— I haue learned in the Schoole of the Catholicke Apostolicke and Romish Church the greatest Doctors whereof without humaine passions will graunt that al the Sermons and Preachings wherewith you stirre vp the people to take armes and shed bloud are no other then the deuilles TroÌ„pets and Drommes as also surely if you seeke any other weapons then clemencie and Christian pietie doe teach and that with Tertullian you say not you had rather be killed theÌ„ kil I do foreshew vnto you the wrath of God vpon you and that vndoubtedly the prophesie of Malachie will bee verefied in you in these wordes My wrath is kindled against the Shepeheards whom I will visite among the flockes 11 Much lesse are we also to care for the complaint that some of the vnwisest of your men doe lay vpon the King for exacting some of your tenths and vsing sometimes as the necessitie of his Estate requireth the temporalties of his Churches wherein they are much to blame and do ouergreatly abuse the libertie that the conniuence of Princes haue tollerated in your predecessors in respect of their pietie and endeuours in the distribution of their meanes possessions and almoses giuen to the poore vnto whoÌ„ the Church goods doe appertaine and not to you Besides that I will by the way tell you that the wealth of the Church is the onely poyson thereof for that the greatnesse thereof consisteth not in temporall goodes and worldly pompe as the deuill hath perswaded most of our Clergie but in the holy and commendable life of our Pastors and in that heauenly foode that they giue to their flockes ouer y â— which they watch night day And as Chrisostome doth well
that Religion which with vniforme consent haue so many hundred yeres bene receiued in the Church especially considering that himself could not abide to haue his owne brought into bondage Moreouer with you ye trompets of sedition I doe agrée that then he should be no more able then now that such as would perswade him that the third part of the French are Huguenots are no good Arithmeticians also that for our preseruation in that estate wherein we now liue we neede no more but to set against him our walles I would therefore aske you what cause you should haue to feare that he would endeuour to force you to liue in any other Religion thē the same wherein he find you and your selues doe desire when in so doing he may happen to haue but euill successe and therewithall lose the loue of the whole worlde were not this as much as according to the Prouerbe to goe about to shaue an Egge 16 As also the obiection that they make namely that in the lands of Bearne and low Nauarre where he is soueraigne the Catholick Apostolick Romish Religion is not permitted is in trueth full of subteltie slaunder and enuie for hereunto he doth pertinently in my opinion aunswere that in respect of the land of Bearne it was not he that forbad it neither are his aduersaries able to proue any inhibition thereof in his name or frō him but contrariwise he assureth himselfe that it will appeare that immediatly or soone after the decease of the late Queene of Nauarre his mother his Maiestie by the Lord of Grāmont dispatched his Letters into the country of Bearne importing that his will was to restore and therein to set vp againe the exercize of the sayd Religion Vpon which commandement the States being assembled they denyed to put the same in executiō fearing such troubles and seditions as might ensue the people beeing haughtie mutinous and difficult enough to bee contented together with such small store of Catholickes in the sayde Countrey to prosecute the execution thereof if need should require What would you then haue him to doe more He did not the harme but wēt about to cure it there was none that desired to take his medicine What more can the Phisition doe to his Patient but prepare him the potion which may bee to his health and for want of the which if he lose himself is he not rather to blame his owne obstinacie then him that could not make him take his appointmēt For since that time the Estates beeing diuers tymes assembled in the sayde Countrey did nener require his Maiestie to restore the sayd Catholick Romish Religion which alwaies hee offered to doe and still so long as he liue wil if they doe require it As for lowe Nauarre the exercize of Catholicke Religion is there most free yea which is more throughout that Countrey there is no assembly of the pretended reformed Religiō but onely in two places as is most euidently knowne neither hath his Maiestie innouated any thing at his cōming throughout the sayd lands of Bearne or Nauarre But what is it meete for these feares and friuolous doubtes of a matter that neuer can come to passe to destroye this poore Realme with immortall warres and so make vs miserable before the tyme crye out before we be touched and to hasten and aduaunce the sorowes of our pretended mischiefes will you begin to crucifie and tye vs to a Caucasus for our whole life tyme or will you force vs here to begin our hell Is not the King thankes bee to God yong enough in good health and of sufficient dispositiō to see the raking both of the King of Nauarre and of the rest of the Princes of his age why thē should we mistrust the grace of God 17 As for the Protestation that the sayde Lord King of Nauarre made the yere 1584. in a Synode by the Ministers of his Religiō holden in the Towne of Montauban wherby he protested and declared that he would liue and dye therein and defend the same I wot not well why wee are so slye as for that cause to blame him or bee more vehement against him then before as in deede a number of persons too much ouerruled with vnreasonable passions haue misliked it and haue thervpon gathered some sinister iudgement of the affection of the sayd Lord King of Nauarre to the Catholickes whome most hartely I beseech with me to consider First that his protestation imported not the rooting of vs out neither together with vs the Religion of the Romish Church as the League doth him and his partakers so that his protestation is simply defensiue and could not therefore be more gentle for the which wee are rather to commend then to reproue him sith our selues are bound daily to make the like profession in the Catholicke Apostolicke Romish Church also that euery faithfull Christian is likewise bound by the Sacrament of Baptisme to make the like declaration especially Kings and Princes who ought to be mirors spectakles to their subiects yea the confession of their faith should serue for a publick example in the assemblies made for the Estate of the Church such as are y e Counsailes Sinodes and other like wherein it hath euermore bene noted that Emperours Kings and Princes thereat assistant did make profession of their faithes with protestation to defend the same Hereof wee haue for testimonie Constantine the Great in the Counsaile of Nice Theodose the Yonger in the Counsaile of Ephesus Martian in the Counsaile of Calcedon Iustinian the first in the Counsaile of Constantinople Charlemaigne in the Counsaile of Francfort with infinite other Christian and Catholicke Princes Sith therefore the King of Nauarre hath bene brought vp in that Religion which he holdeth and that the King by his Edicts permitteth the free exercize thereof throughout his Realme why should wee mislike that hee assisting at an assembly thereof protesteth to liue and dye in the defence of the same especially seing that it is no let but that when by a lawfull Counsaile either generall or nationall which the King and his Counsaile shall thincke most sufficient for that purpose we shall haue perswaded him not to bee caried awaye without reason hee may immediatly returne and protest that hee hath bene misled and that hee weareth not the sworde but for the defence of the Romish Church as now hee voweth the vpholding of his owne Moreouer I would that such as are offended at the sayd Protestation should know that the occasion that moued the sayd Lorde King of Nauarre to bee present at the sayd assembly at Montauban was not small neither of small importance to the reputation of him and his Estate for it is not vnknowne to all that his enemies had raised a speech aswell among al forraine Nations and throughout Europe as also perticulerly in this Realme that the sayde Lorde King of Nauarre had put from about his person the Ministers of his Religion that hee went to Masse to be
their owne and if they may to seaze vpon this Crowne which they haue leueled at euer since the decease of the late Henry the second without employing themselues in any other affaires then seeking the meanes to atteyne thereto yea euen partly they giue out that it were better to conquer the Realme of France then to goe to Hierusalem to seeke for the succession of Godfrey of Buillon I doe therefore most humbly beseech the Queene the Kings mother whom our Espaniolized Frenchmen doe call vpon for their succour to be ware of being deceiued in the faire pretences of these conspirators but to assure her selfe that notwithstanding whatsoeuer their flattering sweete tongue they will neuer bee satisfied but with the life and Scepter of her sonne her selfe Moreouer I beseech God to graunt the King the wisedome of SalomoÌ„ wheÌ„ his mother Bethsabe came to desire him to like of the mariage of Adonias with Abisag the Sunamite who had bene King Dauids Concubine in his latter daies vnder the pretence whereof he had vndertaken with the helpe of Abiathar the Priest Ioab and Semei to haue depriued the King of life and kingdome which this fountaine of wisedome speedely perceiuing after he had heard the petition of the Queene his mother in liew of graunting it and considering how this traytor vnder a false proposition had abused her commaunded to put him to death together with Ioab and Semei and depriued Abiathar of his Priestly office and function 28 Know we not the occasions of Dauid the Aduocates one of the wickedest men that euer liued iourney to the Pope and Court of Rome whose instructions these good Schollers doe from point to point ensue and those men that haue sene the same can tell whether their beginning and the course that still they take be not at large therein conteyned Who is he that perceiueth not the importaÌ„ce of the disputation holden at Sorbonne about three or foure yere since by a poore bachelâ—r draweÌ„ in who had dedicated his Theses to the Abbot of Cluny the late Card. of Lorrains Bastard Wherein hee did what in hym laye to prooue that it was lawfull for the people to depose driue out kill and murder tyrannous wicked euill liuing and Hereticall Kinges whereat the King beeing moued as at a most daungerous and detestable proposition this poore instrument of Satan was at the barre of the sayde Colledge of Sorbonne slaine by one who of late dayes haue withdrawen hym selfe loaden with Spanish Pistolets and Iewels and then cloked this goodly deede least the author of this so vnchristian learning and knowledge should by his mouth haue bene disclosed Might not we haue noted what seruants were procured to be placed abont Monsier the Kings brother and to what end amoÌ„g whom the forwardest had bene trayned vp in the Schole of these perturbers of our peace as being their creature witnesse that nowe he is with them and then vsed all his endeuour to plonge that yong Prince in all voluptuousnesse lechery and heate of youth yea hee did better his businesse for hee betrayed him to the King of Spaine sould the Spaniard to the States and the Huguenotes to all others Whereby hee made money of all with the price of the honor reputation and life of his Maiestie or rather of all France The like did also three or foure other bad parsons who all had bene brought vp and were giuen to his highnesse by one selfe hand to the ende to habandon hym for a praye to the first mischaunce that might happen among a greate number that night and day they deuised for the atteining to their entents yea they went so farre as to set him at debate with the King his brother and by meanes of some of theirs that were neere to either of them to cause nature and bloud to liue in mistrust of it selfe so to procure the ruine and losse of one or the other or of both togither and with them of this miserable Realme During which their sleightes they did neuerthelesse perticulerly thinck vpon the king whom when they found to be merueylous zealous in Catholike religion they began to practise some Spanish workemen to drawe vnto him and vnder the vaile of Religion to bewitch him and so wholy endeuoured themselues if they could to haue cast him headlong into some mishap as great as the same wherein they ê“longed poore King Sebastian of Portugall who by such meanes serued for a warme breakefast to the Spanish King and got hym a faire corner of lande through the subtelties of the Spanish Iesuites concurring with the Portingal Iesuites or peraduenture both coÌ„spired against the estate of that poore yong King so to cause hym desperatly to venture hym selfe whether he dyed with him the Scepter of Portugall which vndoubtedly God had long vsed to the great benefite blesse of all Christiandome These were the driftes of the good seruants of our Kings who thanked bee God was more circumspect and wary to put from about him such wicked spirites Certainly it is most necessary and expedient for a King to be Christian deuout zealous of Catholicke faith and to feare God but withall it is most daungerous for his person and Estate if hee become supersticious and an hypocrite First he thereby loseth all iudgement to discerne the enuious friends or enemies to his Scepter then he forgetteth the principall cause for the which he is a King which is the care and gouernement of his people for the exercize whereof onely he is bound chosen and bound to serue God in that ministerie lastly in the world that we liue in amoÌ„g the most corrupt soules that euer were the whole worlde doth mistrust and wonderfully suspect him whom they see make so great a shewe whether for enuy that euery one beareth to his more then common zeale either els for that in trueth it often falleth out that things of greatest apparance conteyne least trueth Now then these malicious persons haue but one onely subtile entent left which also it is meete for the people to knowe For yet they goe reasonably gently about their matters and doe giue out that they require onely abolition of the Edicts of pacification and to procure the exercize of one onely Religion in France to the ende vnder that pretence to embarke the King and almost to force him as aforetyme fearing least the ouer long peace of this Realme should close vp the passed vlcers they had done to breake off that amitie and good wil which it pleased him to shewe to the King of Nauarre and those of the pretended reformed Religion so that by such meanes they will cause him with the sworde that he should holde in one of his hands to cut off the other wherof must ensue the losse and sworne death of the sayde Lorde King of Nauarre against whose person perticulerly as beeing their principall mark they are determined to arme themselues After whose end also if the King of whom they shall then
stand no longer in neede will not in the meane tyme dye either through melancholy or choller so speedely quit them his roume they knowe in their Italian League Articifers enough to sende him into Abrahams bosome whereby they shall for so many good and commendable seruices done to our France bee thought more worthy to be crowned then now notwithstanding at this present they cause ouer loude to bee song their pretended merites by all the Spanish pentioners and feede Spyes in the Court at whose mouthes they set out their woundes receiued in the wasting of this Crowne after the maner of the auncient Romaines who exhibited themselues naked to the people in beggiug the Suffrages of dignities and offices Thus when through their wisedome they shal haue killed the King and the King of Nauarre who are y ◠two thornes that trouble their feete for the one they will procure the singing of a Deprofundis and for the other Te Deum laudamus whereby together with an absolution sealed in leade in the Cource of Roome they shall bee whiter then Swannes For of the rest of the Princes of the bloud they make no accoumpt neither doe thincke them subiect sufficient to put thē in any chafe about the rooting of them out so greate is the furie of Sathan in these daies This is the whole story which those that loue them are forced to confesse Neuerthelesse it seemeth that we sleepe our our mishap or ratherthat we make hast to this fire euen with our backe burdens of woode to kindle it in stead of water to quench it withall 29 Hereafter I pray you what dignitie or Maiestie may restraine from vice those that are so cruell to their King as to take armes against his person against the peace of his estate whose subiects they are and against the establishment of his Realme Neither Equitie Iustice Custome Lawes respect of land loue of their fellowe Citizens or reuerence to the Magistrate can permit those men that contemne the soueraign authoritie of the Maiestie royall and such as without respect to Iustice or publick honestie doe shew them selues more cruell and barbarous in procuring vnder pretence of reformation and zeale to Catholicke Religion the engendring in France of an immortall warre the mother of all impietie wrong reuenge ruine deformation and vtter subuertion of most mightie Kingdomes and florishing Empires to blush for shame What eminencie is the Church to looke for among the execrable blasphemies and infinite sacriledges that will be committed in the warres What power what authoritie what light may wee attend of Iustice when she is snared mastered become prisoner and ouerruled by the weapons of the most vicious and corrupt persons of this Realme What honour what degree what respect may the Nobilitie hope for beeing in perpetuall hazarde to loose life children wealth peace and free cōmandement ouer their vassals and subiects What ease what profite or what encrease may the ouertoyled laborer the venterous Marchant the quiet Burgesse or any other whosoeuer in this poore Realm buyld vpon Euery one must prouide for famine pestilence fire bloud and spoyle to be briefe for all the scourges that spring of the disorder barbarousnesse ambition and insatiable desire of those who if they maye finde assistance among the French will neuer lay downe weapons but either by an establishment of a perfect tyrannie proceeding out of their affections more grieuous and inspportable to those that shall remaine then warre it selfe or els by the selfe ruine and vtter extirpation of their wretched followers together with most of the good men that shal haue withstoode them Let vs not O Frenchmen perswade our selues that this mischiefe will be a matter of three or fower moneths onely For if it be Religion for the which they seme to bring you into the fielde your selues doe knowe that our Kinges haue not spared life state meanes or friendes for the remedying thereof within these fiue and twentie yeeres which notwithstanding what effect haue so many murders such plentie of battailes and such store of bloud spilt wrought Weene you that these who so long haue found meanes to defend themselues cannot withstand you but must so easely yeeld vnto you See you not the straunger that looke vppon you and doe prepare to hasten our destruction if we bee so foolish as to beate our selues The authors of this cōspiracie being now alone are no strōger then when they fought so sharply vnder the authoritie of King Charles the 9. and the King now raigning and were vpholden by the same meanes that now they assure them selues of out of Spayne Italy and other places You know they were chiefe of their Maiesties Counsaile Leaders of their Armyes or rather authors of all passed mischiefes enterteyning the King in that will and opinion wherein he then was namely that weapons were y e instruments to appease Gods wrath and to reunite vs in one onely Religion vntill his Maiestie vpon better aduice confessed the fruites and effects of the contrary and by the exāples of his neighbours did very wisely cōsider that the disease of Religion is so rooted in mans mynd that he were farre better to tollerate it sith we all agree in one belief and Creede of the Apostles then to hazarde his whole Estate by weening to heale vp a wounde which God willing maye by daylie conuersation bee suppled for vndoubtedly some diseases are of such a nature that it is more expedient for the Patient to beare the griefe thereof then for his cure to vse ouer daungerous and doubtfull remedies whose tryall is more sharpe and intollerable thē the disease it selfe With which counsaile truely royall fatherly and worthy a Christian and peaceable Prince these zelators of their own wealth rather then of Christianitie being offended doe now euidently shewe their bad mindes and do buyld their pretēces vpon the diuersitie of Religions vpon the oppressions of the people vpon the deformations of Iustice and vpon the distribution of Dignities notwithstanding all men knowe that in respect of the last they are better prouided and haue greater cause to praise the parting then to complaine of that honor that the King hath done them As for the rest themselues are the onely cause of all mischiefe engendred by ciuill warres which euer since the resolution vpon their forecast thei haue nourished in this Estate because it is certaine that peace is the mother of pietie establishment of Iustice and the true spring of mans ease Neither can we denie the good holy and commendable affection wherwith our most Christian and peaceable Prince set hand to the worke so long as it pleased God to let vs enioy peace whether in the example that he set vs in his Religion desire that hee shewed in reformation of Iustice or in the ease that so much as he might he procured to his good subiects What is there more to doe then fellowe countrymen but againe to sheath vp our weapons and deuoutly to pray to God to