spoken with vnreuerēt speeches touching the presence of our Lord in his holy supper But he hauing in fewe words shewed the vanitie of the two first articles hee entered into a reasonable large discourse of the third wherein hee so well satisfied all the common questions of the Cardinall that hee said expresly vnto the Queene that hee was very well pleased to heare him speake and greatly in hope that the conference of Poissy wold proceed to a hat pie end with so courteous and reasonable disputation and with that speaking to Beza he said I am glad that I haue both seen and heard you speake I protest in the name of God that you shall conferre with me to the end that I may vnderstand your reasons and your minds and you shal finde that I am not so blacke as I am desciphered Beza thanked him and besought God to continue him in that good minde promising for his part to imploy himselfe for the aduancement of the good of Gods flocke as much as in him lay Madam de Crussul there vppon said as shee was alwaies bolde to speake that it would be necessarie to haue Inke and paper A pleasant and notable speeche of Madame de Crussull to cause the Cardinall to signe avow his saying For said shee in the morning hee will speake cleane contrary and she diuined right for in the morning a report was spread about the Court that at the first meeting the Cardinall had confounded and reduced Theodore de Beza In such manner that the Queene was costrained to tel the Constable who much reioyced thereat as thinking it to be certaine that hee was wrong informed Not long after the queen of Nauarre arriued at the court which made the assemblies to increase The second request of the Ministers The eight of September the ministers presented a second request wherein they shewed a reason of the articles propounded in their first requiring answere The Queene mother receiued this petition in the presence of the King of Nauarre the Prince the Admirall the Chancelor and one of his Secretaries which done she dismissed Beza and three others that accompanied him with good speeches and assurances that the Cleargie should not be their iudges The beginning of the conference at Poissy The next day about noone the king accompanied as his estate required entered into the great Refectorie of the noones in Poissy where the Princes and Princesses beeing set on each side and behinde him somewhat lower fat sixe Cardinals 36. Bishoppes and Archbishoppes and behinde them diuers Doctors and men of the Cleargie Right before him at the end of the hal stood his guard and behinde them a great number of men of all estates there hee made a short and small declaration touching the cause of that assembly commaunding the Chauncellour in larger manner to make it knowne vnto them The Cardinall de Tournon in the name of all the Prelates humbly thanked the king which done hee desired that the Chancellor might deliuer his proposition in writing and that leisure might be giuen them to consider thereof which was refused them Therevppon the Ministers to the number of twelue with 22. Deputies of the Churches in the Prouinces that assisted them The Ministers and deputies for the religion appeared before one of the greatest assemblies that euer was in our time and there confessed their faith being called and brought in by the Duke of Guise that had the charge with Monsieur de la Ferte Captaine of the guard were ledde vnto the barres where all bare-headed they stayed and Theodore de Beza being chosen by them all beganne to speake and first hauing made a briefe Preface vnto the king hee began his Oration with an humble and ardent prayer vnto God deuised and imployed to the time and occasion of that assembly which done standing vppe hee shewed the most singular contentment which al those of the relgion receiued at that time by hauing such recourse vnto their Soueraigne and lawfull Prince the Queene the Princes of the blood with all the Lords and notable persons at that time and in that place assembled that done hee shewed the sinceritie and good desire of all those of the religion which being ended he entered into the principal poynt making a most ample large collection of the articles of Christian doctrine not forgetting any poynt that is in controuersie but hee expounded it sufficiently withall saying somewhat touching the Discipline of the Church concluding that both hee and his companions with all those that were of the religion desired nothing but the reformation of the Church which onely desires to liue and die vnder the obedience and protection of the king detesting all those that soght the contrary praying to God for the prosperitie of the king his mother his Councell and the Estate and therevppon hauing made a great reuerence he pursued with his matter presenting to the king The confession deliuered to the king and receiued by him the confession of the faith of the Churches of France requiring that the conference might bee made vppon the same His long Oration was pronounced with a most acceptable voice to al the assistants and heard with a most singular contentment euen to the end where hee spake very openly to the Prelates likings against the opinion of the presences of the Lords bodie in the bread For this article put them in a great murmuration although before hee had spoken many other things that expresly condemned the Doctrine of the Church of Rome neuerthelesse hee proceeded and ended the king nor any of the Prelates not once offering to rise His Oration ended the king receiued the confession of the Churches by the hands of the aforesaid Monsieur de Ferte Captaine of the guard which hee deliuered vnto the Prelates The Prelates behauior after the Oration in the name of the Churches Among other Prelates that were in a hotte case the Cardinall de Tourno◠boyling in hotte chollour hauing desired the King to perseuer in the religion of his auncestor asked time to aunswere to that Oration saying that it should bee well aunswered and that hee hoped that the King hauing heard the answere would be reduced and remembring that word hee said not reduced but holden and kept in the good and perfect way the Queene sought to qualifie his chollor The next day Theodore de Beza wrote and sent the Queene an ample exposition of that which he had spoken touching the Lords Supper to the great misliking of the Prelates who beeing assembled to consult touching their affaires the Cardinall of Lorraine beganne with these words In my opinion I would that hee meaning Theodore de Beza had either beene dumbe or we deafe And after many opinions giuen it was determined that the Cardinall assisted by diuers Doctors The mean to be Iudges in their owne cause specially of Claude Despense that framed the answere and serued for a prompter vnto his Disciple should answere
mouthes crying out and saying that those of the religion sought to despise and not account of the kings authoritie To be short and euill shame caused them to receiue a peace in paper couerture of a bloodie war which stayed not long to shew it selfe The peace beeing published in the Princes campe Duke Iohn Casimeir speedily made haste to returne into Almaine with all his forces VVhat ensued of this peace The Prince the Admirall and all the Lords and Gentlemen of their side with their horse and foote in small troupes returned to their houses laying downe their armes leauing the places by them holden for the space of sixe months those of least consideration thinking their enemies wold do the like They coÌ„tented theÌ„selues only to promise it alleading according to the doctrine of their church that they are not to hold faith giueÌ„ to hereticks for so they esteemed those of the religion Presently therfore assoone as they had Orleans and other towns into their possession presently order was taken that those of the religion should not bee able to set soot in them againe their weapons neuer went out of their hands but beganne to keepe the townes to make war place Courts of guard and Sentinels as in time of open war to set Captains souldiers at the entries of bridges passages of riuers not suffering any man either on horse or foot to passe without examining him sacked and murthered in the fields and townes more men in the space of six weekes then they would do during the space of sixe monthes To be short before the end of the month of May Preparation for the third ciuill warre those of the religion for the most part found themselues inclosed within townes or betweene riuers expecting nothing else but when they should be murthered and some of them that had been so instant for the peace were then constrained to acknowledge but somewhat too late that they must of force drinke the cup of their owne follies The Prince had withdrawne himselfe to his Castle of Noyers a small Town weak and vnfurnished of men where from day to day he had intelligence from all places that the passages of all riuers were stopped that almost all the D. of Anious horsemen remained about Parris with fiue or six thousand foote vnder pretence of new guards for the persons of the king his mother his bretheren and their Capitall towne that Monsieur de Tauannes was sent with great forces to take him in Noyers which made him to knowe that his affaires went not well and that there was no remedie but of force to seek to saue himselfe in some place of better assurance The Admirall not daring to remaine in his house of Chastillon sur Loing being but three daies iourney from Parris went to lye at Tanlay a small Castle belonging to Monsieur d'Andelâ—t his brother from whence hee went to lye nearer to the Prince that they might cousult together what was expedient for them to do and as hee went there happened 〈◊〉 straunge and memorable thing vnto him which was that in the way to Auxerre hard by a village called Moulin there is a pond which the â—dmirall approaching a certaine olde man one of his ancient and faithfull seruants called Grippier a man that had made many great and long voyages at sea discouering a darke cloude driuen by the winde and that came towards thaâ— pond perswaded his Maister to make haste Anotable accident and with all speed to get into the next village otherwise he said a storme was comming that would ouerthrow both him and his companie which done and thinking hee would haue beleeued and followed him in great haste hee went on before And being scarse out of sight the Admirall hauing hardly past the end of the Causies that past ouer the pond he was taken with a tempest and force of winde that many horsemen were ouerthrowe and diuers horses stricken to the ground wherewith their fell a hayle so thicke and great that the force thereof hurt many of them The winde blew away the Admirals hat which they could not finde againe but one of his Gentlemen was constrained to send him his hat he himselfe was hurt but very lightly vpon the ancle of his foote with a haile-stone So that both hee and his company confessed that if the tempest had taken them in the middle of the Causie they had surely bin vtterly cast away The tempest past the Admirall incouraged his men giuing hartie thanks to God for his deliuerance adding these words Before long time be past we shall be inuiroued with many dangers but I trust God will defend vs. Being arriued at Noyers although both the Prince and be well perceiued that their continuance in the place was a means to sharpen the euill wils of their enemies What means the Prince vsed to staie the third ciuil warre notwithstanding to omit nothing of their duties they sent diuers messengers to the king wherby they shewed themselues to be assured certified that his M. sought to apprehend them humbly besoght him to haue pittie vpon his countrie of France sacked desolated by the two former ciuill wars without seeking by the ruine ouerthrow of his realme to quench the fire which those of Guise kindled therein as also that it wold please him wisely to preuent the danger then approching The Admiral likewise wrote to the Ladie Margaret of France Duches of Sauoye whom he knew to be beloued of the Queen-mother desiring her most instantly to oppose her selfe against the desolatioÌ„ of the realm of France The answeres from the Court were shadowed with excuses protestations The Admirals Letters to the Duches of Sauoy and promises mean time Tauanes an old seruant to the house of Guise not long after made Marshal of France ariued in his armie therwith at one instant to inclose both the Prince the Admiral within Noyers the Councels resolution being to besiege force them before they could procure ayde froÌ„ any place the passages being shut vp These vnfaithful deuises being discouered vnto the prince the Admiral by diuers of those that were of the same enterprise they determined with all speed to dislodge from that place in great hast to get to Rochel that wold not opeÌ„ their gates vnto the troupes which the Marshal de Vieleuille thoght to put therin the InhabitaÌ„ts being aduertised that they shuld be spoiled because of the religioÌ„ which they defeÌ„ded togither with their ancient rights and priuiledges The Prince and the Admirall readie to be taken saue themselues which wholly exempted them from all Garrisons and other warrelike forces wherewith kings helpe themselues to vse other townes at their pleasures which to doo they were to passe the riuer of Loyre beeing very high and about the beginning of Sommer the Prince was likewise constrained to take the Princesse his wife and sixe small children with him among the which one was of the age of
resolution to abiure his former impostures He did it not at randon neither as constrained by necessitie by feare of forraine vsurpation for the onely inioying of a temporall peace or Crowne of Charles but of a holy and most diuine inspiration which entered into his soule from the day and time that the death of the K. left the Scepter of France and yeelded it vnto him from that time he made knowne to our holy father Pope Sixtus the fift by M. de Luxenbourg to Pope Gregorie the 13. by the Marquesse of Pisani and since that to him who at this day sitteth in S. Peters Chaire called Clement the eight by the Cardinall de Gondy that as he was lawful successor to the Crowne he desired also that the succession of the Catholicke Apostolicke and Romane religion be obserued in his realme submitting himself to his authoritie and instruction touching the saluation of his soule And perseuering in his so holy resolution he banished from the Court those that had made him beleeue that the world had continued in darknesse from the death of the Apostle S. Paul to the time of Caluin and that the splendant sunne of the truth had been eclipsed touching the preaching of the Gospell and shut vp within the territories of Bohemia and Saxony vntil the seditious preachings of Iohn Hus and Martin Luther caused it to shine with greater clearenesse being instructed in the truth of our religion by the most learned Prelates in all the realme of France he presented himself in the temple of the chiefe Apostle of France euen in the middle of the shadows of his predecessors ther vpō their Tombs detested his heresies the only causes of his troubles originall of our mischiefes There is no reason what soeuer to be obiected that can deny this action to be most holie most admirable and most miraculous whether you consider the happie disposition and aboundance of the yeare the victorie against the Turkes or the suddain conuersion of our rebels For first you haue seen how God guided this Prince through the middle of so many laborinths dangers of fire and flame to the throne of royall Maiestie how this Ioseph persecuted by his own kindred and familie triumpheth in Aegipt and how this Moyses exposed and abandoned to the mercie of ciuill tempestes becommeth not onely Coronel of an armie of 600000. men but king of a great Realme and of so many millions of people And the king to giue a taste and feeling vnto his subiects of the contentment quietnesse that his soule inioyed by his new cōuersion therof to giue euident testimonie to all the world graunteth a truce euen at the verie instant when his enemies were readie to yeeld and sendeth the Duke de Neuers to his holinesse submitting himself to his commandements and offering his conscience the subiect of a goodly conquest giueth him to vnderstand thot hee desireth but one religion in his Realme that he knoweth well that the Church is one that faith is not diuided and that as the bodie can indure but one head the heauens but one sun and religion but one God so the Realme of France ought to haue but one Church which cannot bee one where God is diuersly serued So if our miseries are not incensible vnto him if it pleaseth him not speedily to imbrace the occasions offered and mittigate the rigor of formes not onely our religion but also the estate will bee a pray to long and cruell diuisions which continually afflist the countrie of France It is said hee is one of the most woorthiest successors of Saint Peter that for the space of one hundreth yeares hath sit in his chaire which increaseth our hopes and lightneth our mindes in a maner cleane abated for that one of the best comforts that man can haue in the middle of the waues and surges of the sea is when he is assured that his Pilot is an expert man and knoweth what to do And so we hope that to preserue this French vessel from ship wracke he will rise vp against the tempest which daily threatneth the same we know what winds and waues do blow push it forward and that he will imbrace the conuersion of so importunate a soule for the preseruation whereof all Europe ought continually to wade in teares vowes and prayers But when the delaies of the Popes Consistorie were perceiued togither with the oppositions and trauerses made touching the Ambassage of the D. de Neuers when it was well wayed and considered that it were very hard and impossible for those in Rome to iudge of that which is done in France that their opinions and wils were forced and constrained and that it was knowne that in the extreame necessitie of taking order for the Cōmon-wealth in so vrgent a cause they must stay and attend vppon processe peace beeing broken and the people longing after the first morsels of the truce they ceased not till they were wholly franchised from the tirannie of wars specially the townes that at the beginning were the first that tooke weapon in hand and from thence proceeded the reduction of the Citie of Lyons vnder the kings obedience being not able any longer to continue in her vnconstant estate nor to subiect her selfe any more vnder her ruines fenses distrusts as things most doubtfull and mischiefes most vncertaine so that she opened and vncouered her eyes to know what shee should do and vnder whose protection she might best be preserued Shee knew that the soueraigne and last remedie of her calamities was to bee vnder one and no more to slote vncertainly in the waues of diuers protections which haue been causes of these ciuil warres Shee found that shee ought to haue a king of France and in the familie of Saint Lewis from whence descendeth Henry de Bourbon king of France and Nauarre whom she had sooner acknowledged if it had pleased him sooner to make profession of the Catholick Apostolicke and Romaine religion as at this day he doth Lyons resisted against her king and ramped against the gate and will you haue it still remaine couered in the brakes that she should alwaies be at the poynt of death in the middle of the waues of her rebellions it was at the poynt to become a desart and the fable common marke to be laughed at by al her neighbours and in the end their conquest alreadie her trafficke which is her Indes or Perou her rents her pensions her principall reuenues were cut off and taken away And no other occupation bare sway or was in request with her but the art of souldiers her Citizens were slaine before the gates and her naturall forces began to faile wherein she seeketh for redresse and knowing no better Phisitian then hee that loueth his Patient she cast her selfe into the armes of her king and drowning the remembrance of her follies past in the seas of his great clemencie she desired him from thence forward to accept and
the light of the pietie of France son of that victorious Henry whose memorie shall liue for for euer and brother to those two Catholicque Princes Francis the second and Charles the ninth whom God hath taken to his mercie But But yet againe that which toucheth you nearest remember that you are that renowmed Henry that being but Duke of Aniou and brother to the king did so valiant an act in the defence of the Church wonne so many great battels and so many times daunted the enemies of the Catholicque faith that you haue filled al Christendome with the wonders of your victorious name And we think if that like your Grace that your M. hath not so soone forggotten that great and solemne oath that you made at your coronation not onely to maintaine christian and Catholicque religion but to aduance it as much as possible you might without tollerating any other And if euer any oath lid binde a Prince to maintain keep his faith this hath so straightly bound you to the defence of this religion that you cannot permit any other without breach of conscience and paraduenture make a doubt of the right you haue vnto the Crowne For you know well that you haue agreed and contracted with Iesus Christ that you accepted the Scepter vppon this condition to be defendor of his Catholicque religion and in that solemne oath as a gage and earnest-penny you receiued his holy bodie and dranke his precious blood And now fayling in this religious oath thinke you he hath not good cause to be offended against you knowe you not that all the euils wee haue suffered proceeded onely from his iust wrath and see you not that hauing giuen you this Scepter vppon such conditions hee threatneth to take it from you if you keepe not the holy promise you made so solemnely vnto him And euen as God summoneth you to the obseruation of the faith that you haue giuen him your subiects by the same meanes solicite and inuite you to obserue the conditions wherevppon you were made king and which you cannot infringe breaking your oath but if you must also loose the title of most christian King and wee doubt not that setting these things before your eyes that reuiuing the memorie of your predecessors continuing the first prudence and vertue but you shall haue that great good fortune in your time to see your people reduced to the sheepfold of the holy and Catholicque Church whereof you are as a father and protector By this meanes those great Kings of Ierusalem Dauid Salomon Abis losaphat Ezechias and Iosias obtained the blessings of God and a happy successe in all their affaires hauing with so great care dilligence restored the puritie of religion and reeftablished diuine seruice that was neglected And wee also hope that following their steppes you will reduce all France to the Catholicque religion and for the recompence of your holy intent you shall haue that blessing of God in your time to behold your Realm as flourishing as euer it was And as it shall bee most acceptable vnto God so will it be most honourable to you and to your Crowne and you shall sufficiently perceiue that at this day there is no King Prince Potentate or Common-wealth I except certaine Barbarians and the Turke whose detestable manners and customes ought to bee so odious that the onely name should bee a horrour vnto vs that suffereth their subiects to liue in any other religion then that which the Magistrate by the disvnion of the Church holdeth for onely good and holy And surely such are not woorthie to bee heard that will so much restraine the power of the Prince or Magistrate to say that hee cannot constraine his subiects to the faith but that hee ought to suffer them to liue in libertie of conscience as they say for this opinion hath alwaies generally been condemned and reprooued by all Christians but only by the Manickiens and Donatists that were of opinion that wee must not constraine any man for his religion but suffer euery man to liue in libertie and after his owne santasie and those which at this day in a manner by force pull from you this libertie of their religion permit it not to others For in the places of Christendome where God permitteth that they should bee Maisters and hauing the authoritie in their hands they are so farre from permitting Catholicques freely to liue in the libertie of their consciences that to the contrary the diuers sects that are among them for that alreadie they are banded and diuided among themselues an euident signe of their ruine at hand cannot indure each other And there where the Caluenist is Maister the Lutheriau dareth not liue freely yea and when they change Magistrates of diuers opinions religion changeth according to his pleasure as we haue seene sufficient of such changes in England and in many places in Germanie And what should not this bee a shame and too great a slaunder to a good christian and faithfull Catholicque to bee found lesse affected in his religion that is approued by so long and continuall succession then these new christians in their opinions that are as it were but one night olde It is then a generall and certaine maxime and approoued by the Church and by all Common-wealths that the Magistrate ought and may continue his people vnder one faith as it is sufficiently seene by so many godly lawes and constitutions of Christian and Catholicque Empires and by the kings your predecessors whose examples ought to bee holy and inuiolate vnto your Maiestie Such were the reasons of the League by the vehemencie whereof the king disposed himselfe to warre reseruing alwaies a continuall thought to rid himselfe thereof But the Queene that sawe so many accidents to hang like leade ouer his head that thought the great and proude Spanish armie would land in Brittaine and that all the territories of Italie would fall vppon him to defend the Catholicqueleague did so much that the king dissembled the wound in his heart and said that hee had no more remembrance of the hard dealings that had past that he had no other intent but that of the League which was to extirpe heresie Vppon this assurance the Duke of Guise caused his merchandises to bee liked and to bee more esteemed then they were woorth or then hee hoped Wherevppon hee entered into a treatie with the Queen-mother and with her resolued vppon certaine articles vppon the fifteenth of Iuly which the king approoued receiued and signed within three daies after which were as followeth THe Articles agreed vppon and signed at Nemours the seuenteenth of Iuly 1585 the kings edicts made touching them and the declarations his Maiestie hath since made vppon the edict shall inuiolably be kept and obserued according to their forme and tenour And to cease and for euer to take away the distrusts partiallities and deuisions betweene the Catholicques and the Realme there shall bee a perpetuall and vnreuocable
vppon them in the extremitie of their afflictions and then yeelded most hartie thankes vnto his Maiestie who shewing his power ordained from aboue to rule and gouerne this Christian Monarchie with all courtesie and princely inclination hath not refused to bend his royall eares to their most humble petitions to heare their greefes and complaints and withall to shewe a most singular and speciall desire to restore his people to their auncient force to whom as then there rested but the onely libertie of speech and that very weake and feeble to reestablish holy religion in her pristinate estate by the extirpation of all errors and heresies to rule and remit all auncient orders altered by the iniurie and alteration of times vnto their first forme and manner of beeing and to comfort his poore people protesting that therein their most humble and most faithfull seruices should neuer bee wanting euen to the last gaspe which Oration beeing ended the assemblie with a maruellous contentment ended the first day of their meeting The second day of meeting vpon Tuesday the 18. of Octob. 1588. The second day of their meeting beganne vppon the Tuesday after in the same manner as it did vppon the first day and because the King had been mooued by the Archbishop of Ambrun the Counte de Brissac and the Aduocate Bernard Deputies for the three estates to renue his oathes of vnion and perceiuing their pursuite to proceede from the distrust they had in him seeing that hee hauing once sworne it within the Cittie of Roane it was as then needelesse to renue his oath againe hee went neuerthelesse to satisfie the importunitie of the League and so beganne that seconde meeting with the same action The Kings proposition made to the Senate at their meetings Silence beeing commaunded by a Herault his Maiestie saide that at their first meeting hee hadde shewed what great desire and care hee hadde that in his raigne hee might see and beholde his subiects revnited in the true Catholicque Apostolicque and Romane religion vnder the obedience which it hadde pleased GOD for their partes to giue vnto him and for that cause hauing made his Edict in the moneth of Iuly last ordaining it to bee confirmed and holden for a The Edict of vnion made a lawe fondamentall law of his Realm therby to binde both himself and them with all their posterities his meaning was as then to haue it redde openly before them all which done euery man should sweare to obserue it accordingly And with that hee commaunded Monsieur de Beaulieu his principal Secretarie to read it togither with the declaration made vpon the same so to giue it the force and authoritie of a law of his Realme and yet without derogating the liberties and priuiledges of his Nobilite The reading thereof with the declaration beeing ended the king desiring that the woorthinesse of the cause should bee preferred with as much Maiestie as it deserued thereby to mooue the whole assembly better to consider the importance of the contract which as then they were to make with God crauing his horrible and most fearefull vengeance might fall vppon all those that disloyally should falsifie their faiths therevnto giuen as assurances of the obseruation of his said Edict of vnion he commanded the Archbishop of Bourges to make an Oration vnto the states concerning the same The oration of the Archbishop of Bourges touching the Edict of the vnion This learned Prelate saide that seeing it pleased his Maiestie that the instruction of so solemne an oath should bee giuen vnto the people by the mouth of the Prelates hee exhorted all the assembly appoynted for that great and solemne actions to humble themselues vnder the mightie hand of God and to acknowledge his Maiestie togither with the effect and quallitie of the oath which they were as then to receiue considering that God is trueth it selfe and all oathes whatsoeuer which are not grounded vppon that trueth are false and vniust That the cause of the oath as then presented was for the Church the onely spouse of God The Church is visible Vniuersall Catholicque visible heere on earth because it comprehendeth all the faithfull that are the christian communaltie Inuisible in heauen where it is said triumphant vniuersall for that it maketh no distinction of persons nations quallities conditions or sects One without diuision or schisme One for that of Alexandria Ephese Ierusalem Affrica and Aegipt are but one Church and her doctrine is one Romane doctrine not in regard of the walles of the Cittie of Rome but by reason of a speciall nomination and demonstration that is saide of it that therein Saint Peter and after him Saint Clement and others their successors haue preached and announced the word of God witnessing the true christian doctrine and many other Martyrs with the price of their blood which they haue freely shed for the name and honour of God The vnion of the Church That the vnion of this Church is so strong that it cannot bee broken nor separated in it selfe beeing placed vppon the firme rocke which is Iesus Christ so that the gates of hell cannot preuaile against it it is called the Lords vinyard and the Gods sheepfolde vnder one head and shepheard of our soules That to preserue the vnitie of his Church it is conuenenient that all the children thereof should be vnited vnder Christ their Sauiour and vnder the king whose faith hath continued from posteritie to posteritie euen vnto his person and neuer separated it selfe from the vnitie of this holy and christian religion Let vs vnite our selues then said this Prelate let vs vnite our selues togither as true faithfull Catholicques let vs renue this great and solemne oath due vnto God let vs ioyne our vowes and hearts togither and so yeeld them and confirme them vnto God Obedience due to the king Let vs sweare vnto our Prince the obedience submission due vnto him by all lawes diuine and humane let vs imbrace christian charitie let vs abandon hatreds rancors both open and secret with all suspitions and distrusts which hitherto haue troubled and diuided vs and which haue hindered yea and broken so good intents and had it not beene for them France had long since enioyed a happie peace Let vs lift vp our hands to heauen to yeelde vnto that great God the oath wee owe vnto him that it may bee a memorie for euer vnto the world that our posterities may beholde our faiths and constancie in our oathes and not our periurie by the good and holy effects that shall insue And seeing it hath pleased your Maiestie most noble Prince to bee the first that heere in presence of vs all shall performe this oath for an example to all your subiects all wee with one accord will lift vp our hands to heauen and sweare by the liuing God to serue and honour him for euer to maintaine his Catholicque Apostolicque and Romane Church to defend your
and obedience made to Henry the third That the same people might lawfully and with good conscience arme and vnite themselues raise money and make contributions for preseruation and defence of the Romain Church against councels replenished with all flagition and the force of the king or his adherents whatsoeuer In that affirmed they hee had violated publike faith to the preiudice of Catholicque religion the Edict of sacred vnion and the naturall and proper libertie of the three estates of the Realme The king first imployeth his pen before he draweth his sword The king perceiuing that the greater mildenesse he vsed in reducing these errants into the right way the more they took bridle in mouth to run whither soeuer their violent passions would transport them scoffing at him and attributing that affection which he bore to revnite them to himself rather to a feare he had of either retaining them as his enemies or loosing them as subiects vsed his authoritie publishing throghout all the Prouinces diuers declarations of his intention as well against the Duke de Maine the Duke and Cheualier d'Aumale heads of the rebellion as likewise against the townes of Parris Amiens Orleans Abeuille and other their adherents He therefore accused them of attempt against his person of fellonie and rebellion hee denounced those heads and members all disloyall rebellious attainted and conuicted of the crimes of fellonie rebellion high treason to their chiefest head and disgraded them togither with their posteritie of all honours if within the space of one month they rendred not thēselues vnder his obedience The terme set downe was the beginning of March but seeing that instead of repenting themselues they committed so many the more outrages taking vp armes on all sides and that they practised out of the land seized on his treasure vnder colour of Lieftenants general of the estate cōfirmed pattents commissions vnder a new seale oppressed by incredible violatiōs diuers prouinces stript into their shirts many of his most faithfull subiects which would not adheare vnto them without intreating much more graciously others who had so greatly desired and laboured the league In briefe that they had vsurped all poynts and prerogatiues of his royall Maiestie except the name and title of king which they reserued to an other opportunitie He then resolued also for his part to put in readinesse an armie to suppresse these insupportable attempters And for performance of this he dispatched letters pattents for conuocation and assembly of his Nobilitie and martiall power Not long after ensued an other Edict of the kings by which he translated to the towne of Tours such exercise of iustice as was wont to be performed in his Court of Parliament of Parris inioyning them of that Court to repaire incontinently to Tours there to execute their offices He made the like transportatiō of his chamber of accounts to the same place and depriued Parris with the other townes of all offices charges dignities and priuiledges whom he would willingly haue made afeard and won vnto himselfe before comming to armes But all this was but a casting of oyle into the fire Exployts of the king of Nauar who came afterwards to be king The king of N. recouered of a daungerous disease hee had a little after the death of the Queen-mother determined for testimonie of his fidelitie towards the king to crosse as far as in him lay the diseignments of the leaguers hindring them from defacing any thing in those places which hee had meanes to assure as well for seruice of the king as for the reliefe of those of the religion Thus therfore he receiued into his protection those of S. Maixent Millezay he safegarded against the league Chastelleraut Loudū I le Mirebeau Viuonne other places adioyning Afterwards he set forward euen into Berry and tooke ouer the leaguers head the Towne and Castle of Argenton And beeing returned to Chastelleraut hee writ in the beginning of March ample letters to the three estates of France full of serious admonitions that they should giue ouer the League and aduertising them that if they proceeded in their euill counsels and determinations he was minded if the king so commaunded him to take the field with his friendes and followers hoping that God would giue him the grace to breake many of their deseignments and to cut them off from their affaires inuentions He took into his protection and safegard all such towns personages as would ioyne with him against the league promising that in the townes he would suffer nothing to be innouated neither in pollicie or church-affairs except on such considerations as shuld touch the libertie of euery one hauing learned said he for conclusion that the true and onely meane of revniting people to the seruice of God and establishing pietie in an estate is mildnesse peace good example not warre nor disorders through which wickednesse and vices spring vp in the world At the same time the Towne and Castle of Angiers were assured to the king but the Duke de Mercoeur brought almost all Brittaine in subiection to the partie of the league with which Roane Thoulouse Lyons were now ioyned and Bourdeaux wanted not much of doing the like but Marshal de Matignon was faithful to the king so that the leaguers and Iesuites were constrained to remooue from thence During these commotions debatement was made of a truce between the king Nauar to the ende they might more commodiously make head against the league Debatement of truce betweene the two kings which augmented euery weeke more more The K. minding to vse Na. forces without which hee could not doo much of himselfe offered and yeelded into his hand Saumur for securitie of his passage ouer Loire by means whereof in attending ratification of the truces the king of N. caused all his troupes to passe ouer on this side of Loire to ioine with the forces of Normandie Maine and other places which attended him with intention to approach the Leaguers and thus to ease them of the labour of comming any more to find him out in Gascon and Xaintongne as before they had don Afterwards the 18. of April he proclamed wars against them if they deferred any longer to lay aside armes But they shewed themselues as little moued with this as before by the kings letters patternts by which he translated the iustice iurisdictiō of the Great-maisters Inquisitors and Reformers generall which was wont to be held in the Pallas at Parris at the bench of the table of marble to his Court of Parliament not long since established at Tours An enterprise on the kings person by the league frustrated by the king of Nauars presence About the end of the same month he published an Edict declaring that al the mooueable immoouerable goods of the Duke de Maine of the Duke and Cheualier d'Aumale and of those which voluntarily dwelt and remained in the Townes of Parris Thoulouse Orleans
oppose themselues by all means against the said Henry and in case they should resist him vnto death if it might be called martyrdome The seuenth of May in the third generall Congregation made for the decission of these articles in the great hal of the Colledge of Sorbonne all the Doctors of that facultie in generall and each one in particular which were by oath called to this Councell concluded and resolued with one accord vpon this that followeth It is by the right of Ecclesiasticall lawes forbidden and prohibited that Catholicques should receiue an hereticque for their king or a fauourer of heresie and a notorious enemie of the Church and more straightly forbidden to receiue one that was fallen away and excommunicated from the holy mother Church That if it came to passe that any one defamed with these faults had obtained by exterior iudgement absolution of these crimes that hee rested notwithstanding in an euident daunger of dissimulation and perfidiousnesse and the vtter ruine and subuersion of the Catholicque religion and the same partie ought neuerthelesse to be excluded and banished the realme by right of the same law And whosoeuer should bring againe such a person into the realme and either ayde or fauour or otherwise permit that hee should come againe If he might hinder it and beeing bound to do it according to his charge that person should doo open iniurie to the sacred cannon of the lawes and therevpon hee might bee iustly suspected of heresie and reputed a pernicious person both to the religion and Romaine Church and for this cause they might and ought to proceed against him without respect either of degree or preheminence And for as much as Henry of Bourbon is an hereticque and a fauorour of heresie a notorious enemie to the Church fallen away from the Romaine faith namely excoÌ„municate by our holy father and that there would be euident danger of dessimulation and parfidiousnesse and ruine of the Catholicque religion If hee should obtaine outwardly his absolution the Frenchmen are in conscience bound to hinder him to the vttermost of their power from comming to the gouernment of that most christian Realm and not to make any condition of peace with him notwithstanding his foresaide absolution Although euery other lawfull successour of the Crowne should surrender vp his right and all those that fauour him doo offer iniurie to the holy cannons are suspected of heresie pernicious to the Church and as such ought to bee diligently reprehended and punished And like as they which giue ayde or shew fauour in any manner whatsoeuer to the said Henry pretending title to the Realme are disturbers of religion and dwell continually in deadly sinne so likewise those that with all their might doo oppose themselues against him mooued therevnto by a religious zeale doth vndoubtedly merite great praise both of God and men And as wee may rightly iudge of those which by their false opinions established the kingdome of Sathan to haue eternall paine prepared for them in hell so may it bee saide with reason that those here mentioned shall bee rewarded in heauen with eternall glorie that persist euen vnto death against him and as defendors of the faith shal they beare in their hands palmes of martyrdome The Sorbonists cast oyle into the fire of sedition the chiefe of the leaguers being aiders thereunto Now although before this diuision the Parisians were of full opinion to keepe the gates shut against the King yet afterward they became far more obstinate and at the beginning assayed by often issuing foorth to indomage the kings troupes who contented themselues onely to repulse them hoping that the extream want of victuals which they perceiued to grow euery day greater then other would at length constraine them to repent their follie But oner and aboue the deceits before mentioned they were helde in hand with other subtilties for the chiefe of the leaguers hauing purposely set spies in euerie place to marke the countenance speeches of such as they held in suspition that is to say such persons as longed after peace shewing by their words that the flower deluce and the true Princes of France were not expelled out of their hearts So soone then as any one durst but speake of peace accord or communication of agreement without forme or figure of law they were presently killed in the place or drawne foorth and then throwne into the riuer there were aboue twentie seuerall persons thus vsed onely for saying that it were good and necessarie to make peace with the enemie On the other side the Duke de Maine being in the Duke of Parmas Court writ diuers letters to the borderers of Picardie that shortly they should see a puissant armie sent for the deliuerance of Paris Afterward the Duke de Nemours beeing the Popes Legat the Ambassadour of Spaine the Bishoppe of Vaine remedies sought by the Popish Câ—â—â—rgie Paris the Archbishop of Lyons the Bishop of Plaisance those of Renes Senlis and others Panigarole the Bishop d'Aost Bellermin and Tycens lesuites with many more of the Romaine Clargie caused solemne processions to be made double fastings brotherhoods visiâ—ations of Temples vowes and supplications and all to entertaine and hold the people in a vaine hope of deliuerance Likewise many Doctors Priests Curates and Friers girt weapons to their sides and made shews abroad with many fond ceremonies which caused the people both to laugh and weepe They trauelled without ceasing to the walles trenches and rampiers of the Towne The Iesuites and other Monkes being well stored with munition of victuals in their Colledges and Couents kept watch according to their turne The Ladies of Nemours of Maine of Guise of Montpensier and others solicited the people on their side with strong perswasions rather to perish by the famine then to speake or seek for agreement with the king But the famine grewe great for the Leaguers Captains hauing imbarqued their people and passengers without bisket they had no meanes for the space of three or foure months but to stay for the Spanish succours to bee assistant to the Parisians All their prouision of wheat and other graine which was broght in for publicke reliefe was spent consumed in the first three weekes of the siege Famin made war against the Parisians Those which had any reuertion left in their houses did most closely lay it vp in secret places from being found The others which put their confidence in the speeches of the chiefe Leaguers and seditious Preachers soone perished or indured infinite sorrowes The king kept them closed in on euery side beeing Maister of Mant Poissy Corbeil Melun and Montereau holding the riuer of Sein by that meanes shut vp both aboue and below Laigni and the fort of Gournay kept also the riuer of Marn stop from them Cempiegne Creil Beaumont other of the kings holds stopt the passage of the riuer of Oise So that al prouision that shuld come by water to the Parisians was
affaires the Dowries of the kings daughters and that of the late Queene Ellenor which as then the Princesse of Portingall enioyed the rest to be revnited vnto the Kings domaines ordinary receipts This reuocation was a Bowe to certaine Princes great Lords and notable personages who by such pollicie were defeated of their seruices and all rewards made vnto them by the late deceased King On the other side such as were in fauour with the house of Guise obtained other letters of exemption and by that meanes some were put out and others kept possession or else obtained some other new place The king of Nauarre solicited to come to the Court rideth thither The Constable perceiuing the King would die had sent vnto the King of Nauarre to counsell him with all speede to repaire vnto the Court and to ceise vppon the gouernment of the young King before any other This Prince not greatly desirous to deale with such affaires and as then somewhat distrusting the Constable stirred not giuing those of Guise the meanes leisure to thrust themselues into his place but certaine Princes Lords moouing him againe hee beganne to hearken vnto it communicating the same to foure of his principall Councellours being Iarnac the Bishop of Mande President of his Councell Descars his Chamberlin and Bouchart his Chancellour who were of aduise that without longer delay he should ride vnto the Court whereof those of Guise beeing aduertised promised hilles and mountaines to Mande and Descars if they could finde the meanes to staye him they mooued therewith staying till their maister was on horsebacke and onward of his iourney began to diswade him shewing him of certaine imminent daungers that were not to bee shunned by seeking to stand too much vppon his degree and that hee ought to proceede therein by indifferent meanes without seeking to hazard himselfe and to winne the good report and fauour of all men vpon this counsell beeing come to Poictiers where diuers Princes Noblemen went to meet him hee shewed many resolutions and gaue good hope and comfort vnto the Ministers of the Churches specially those in Parris Orleans and Tours desiring him that they might as yet bee ayded and assisted touching that which concerned the open profession of religion What entertainment hee had The first disliking shewed vnto him when hee approached neare the Court beeing at S. Germain in Laye was that his furriers found no place for him within the Castle and that the Duke of Guise said vnto his Marshall that it should cost him his life and tenne thousand more with him before any man should take the place and lodging which the king had giuen him to be neare vnto his person The second that not any of the Court went to meet and receiue him as the manner is specially to the Princes of the blood The third that being gone to do his dutie to the Queene-mother and after to the king those of Guise in stead of going to imbrace and bid him welcome stayed til he went vnto them and was constrained to accept the lodging of the Marshall of S. Andre who after the courtly manner had offered it vnto him not thinking to be so soone taken at his word The fourth that the next day in stead of being warned to sit in counsell no man was sent vnto him eyther to salute him or once to see what he did The fift that at the end of three or foure daies the king called him aside shewing him that his Vncle 's the Duke of Guise and the Cardinall of Lorraine had the whole charge of all affaires committed vnto them and that whosoeuer would seeke to please him must obey them in all things whatsoeuer But touching his pensions and estates hee confirmed them vnto him assuring him that whensoeuer he would come vnto the Court hee should be heartily welcome Diuers of the king of Nauarres traine perceiuing that he had quietly swallowed all those pilles withdrewe themselues or else claue to the surest side as Iarnac that ioyned with those of Guise Within fewe daies after this Prince went vnto Saint Dennis there to accomplish certaine ceremonies accustomed after the death of king Henry which done he went to Parris accompanied with his brother the Prince of Conde and some others but not many and beeing there hee sounded the aduise and minds of some whom he esteemed to be well affected vnto the Realme but he could not perceiue any thing by them Sacrying of the King as Reims Those of Guise following on their course vpon the 18. of September caused the king to be sacred at Reims and presently after the Queene-mother sent the Admirall and the Cardinall of Chastillon to the Constable to intreat him to resigne his place of Great-maister vnto the Duke of Guise to whom the yeare before king Henry had flatly denied it in exchange whereof she promised him one of the offices of Marshals of France for his eldest son The Constable resigneth his estate of great maister and the Admirall his gouernment which was giuen to Brissae The Constable resigned that office wholly into the kings hāds got the other with al speed to be giuen vnto his son the Duke of Guise was presently inuested therwith The Admirall being Gouernour of Picardie perceiuing that they sought to put him out and that for the same cause they had assayed to set diuision betweene him and the Prince of Conde and that they beganne to cut off some part of the mony that should bee imployed about the charges of the necessary fortifications of the Frontier-townes thereby to bring him in disgrace and so to thrust him out with shame preuented them and shewed the king that the same gouernment for many reasons belonged to the Prince of Gonde whose ancestors had long time held it He had no sooner spoken the word but they presently tooke him thereat as touching the resignation but not concerning the prouision for that in stead of giuing it to the Prince those of Guise got thē a new participant bestowing it vpon the Marshall de Brissac While in this sort Writings against the rule of strangers they vsed both the Princes and great Lords the meaner sort could not be content for that by diuers printed pamphlets whereof some were directed to the Queen-mother some in taunting verse and some in prose both by the behauiors past and present they fully discouered the intent of those of Guise A Target against those deuises whom they printed forth in all their colours they by those dealings perceiuing some secret matter working that their authoritie was but weakly built begā to think better vppō it which was the cause that at one time they made 18. knights of the order whereof sprang the common saying that the order of France is a collor for euery beast And because in those writings it was noted that to preuent such disorders it would bee necessarie to assemble and call a Parliament of all
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
and to shew a good countenance vnto the Constable and his Nephewes The Admirall presented a petition to the King in the behalfe of the religion The 21. of August they were assembled wherein there was not one of the Princes of the blood and before they began to debate of any matter the Admirall presented a request vnto the King for those of the religion in France whose desire was that it would please his Maiestie to graunt them libertie of Churches and free exercises of their religion in all places The King hauing hanked the Admirall for his vigilancie fidelitie and sincere affection caused the petition to be openly read and then hauing declared from poynt to poynt the cause of that assembly desired the assistance euery man in particular freely and without feare or passion to giue him counsell as occasion and necessitie therein should require that done the Queen-mother and the Chauncellour spake and the Duke of Guise and the Cardinall offered but in generall to render vp an account of their administration which finished that daies meeting the assembly beeing remitted vntill the 23. of August wherevnto Monluc Moruilliers du Mortier and d'Auanson al foure of the priuie Councel opposed themselues But hee that spake most to effect and that deserued most praise to bee a faithfull Councellour was Charles de Marillac Archbishop of Vienne Oration and aduise of Marillac who by notable reasons liuely desciphered shewed that it was requisite to assemble a nactionall Councell thereby to remedie the differences in religion and the third Estate to direct the gouernment of the Realme But hee liued not long after this Oration made and many spake diuersly of his death The Admirals Oration censured by those of Guise The next day beeing the 23. of the moneth of August the Admiralles turne fell out to speake whose Oration tended to the ordering of religion and the Estate before mentioned by Marillac but with farre more eloquent phraise wherevnto hee added a most graue and wise censure against those that by inuironing the king with double guardes learned him to feare his subiects and his subiects to hate their Prince desiring the king most certainly to be perswaded that all his subiects reuerenced him and bare most earnest and hartie affection vnto him The Duke of Guise much greeued and offended at that which the Admirall had spoken specially touching the new guards made a large discourse vnto the contrary in such sort that he shewed himselfe in great perplexitie with all the wit hee had to defend his broken cause His brother the Cardinal walked with some more deliberation vppon those pricking thornes assaying to refute the humble protestations contained in the request presented by the Admirall in the name of all those of the religion who from that time foorth was most extreamly hated by those of Cuise who neuerthelesse at that time made shewe not to dislike in any sort that a generall assembly of the Estates should bee assigned and that as touching religion they propounded an other aduise which likewise was allowed as in the articles following you may reade A Parlia-assigned the 10. of December And according to the resolution vpon the last of August letters were dispatched vnto all Bailiffes and Stewards signifying vnto them that the Estates generall were assigned to meete vppon the tenth of December next ensuing within the Towne of Meaux to the end they should take order to cause Deputies to bee chosen against that time But in this Commission there ranne a clause which was that during such elections the Gouernours and Lieftenants of Prouinces should seuerally visit the Townes to inquire and vnderstand the peoples griefes and to bring them vnto the King that prouision and good order might bee taken for the good of euery Prouince A Sinode of the Clargie the 20. of Ianuary By the same letters he assigned the Bishops Prelates and other Ecclesiasticall persons to bee at Parris vppon the 20. of Ianuary next after ensuing to aduise and take counsell what shall be fit and conuenient to be shewed vnto the generall Councell exhorting them in the meane time to reforme that which belongeth to bee reformed and amended by the Church further commaunding them to be watchfull ouer their aduersaries termed wicked spirits composed of the remnants of the rebellion and tumult of Amboise Gathering of troupes of Souldiers Those of Guise hauing by this means assured themselues against the Princes the next day sent letters in the kings name vnto all Bailiffes and Stewards for the assembly of men at armes or lanciers to be readie by the 20. day of the month of September the distribution whereof was done in such manner that the companies were all mingled the suspected inuironed with others that might set vpon them both before behinde the commanders hauing charge to take put to the sword al such as they once esteemed or suspected to march to ayde the Princes On the other side because the declaration which those of the religion had directed vnto the Princes in many points concerned those or Guise At the deniall of Iohn du Tillet a certain yong Councellour named Des Autels of Charrolois presented himselfe that vnder the title of an Oration vnto the people of France made an answere vnto it and with priuiledge from the King caused it to be imprinted But this Orarout was so well schooled by a replye made therevnto that neuer after hee durst hold vppe his nose and was disauouched by the Cardinall that onely had set him on worke saying that both time and his actions would soone procure him reason at the hands of his enemies And those of Guise hauing ioyned the forces Letters from the king to the king of Nauarre the prince of Conde with their answeres returned out of Scotland with the olde troupes of Piedemont Metz and Picardie they caused them to approach near vnto them with 1200. launciers reserued besides the deuisions made within the Prouinces sent a message in the Kings name vnto the King of Nauarre whereby the Prince of Conde was charged to haue enterprised against the Estate of France and to haue sought to cease vpon the least Townes to haue them in his possession for which cause hee desired the King of Nauarre to send his brother vnto him vnder strong and safe conduction which if hee refused hee said hee should in person be constrained to go thither with such a traine that it would not be for his commoditie The King of Nauarre and his brother made a graue and bolde answere which was that if their accusers would make themselues knowne and seeme to defend the accusation against them and beeing bereaued of that authoritie which they vsurped they with a small company would present themselues before the King where in his presence they would euidently shew him that such accusers were the parties guiltie to whose most false reports they besought his Maiestie in any sort not to giue
Clargie of the disorders happened among the Nobilitie and of the wrongs done vnto them set downe the meanes to gouerne the Spiritualtie and to maintaine them within their bounds spake for the comfort of the people specially concerning iustice shewing that the Offices for iustice oght to bee freely giuen iustice reduced to a certaine necessary number of Officers and that the Nobilitie ought not to be secluded from the administration thereof After that he spake touching the disorders vsed in confiscations against seditions besought the King to receiue and maintaine the Nobilitie in their priuiledges and withall presented a request wherein was required the vse of certaine Churches for the Nobilitie de l'Ange for the third Estate that as then made profession of the religion One named l'Ange speaking for the third Estate intreated principally against the ignorance auarice and carelessenesse of the Cleargie thereof inferring that such faults ceasing in them all troubles would soone be ended Iohn Quintin Autunois professor of the ciuill lawe in Parris appoynted to make an Oration for the Cleargie whom the Cardinal of Lorraine had preferred De Quintin for the Cleargie as also for the Nobilitie and third Estate but all in vaine spake much but with much dirision pronouncing nothing but by writing and that with smal grace hauing for his cōtrowlers diuers of the principall Prelates Cardinals of the Realme The summe of his Oration after many and great commendations vttered in the behalfe of the Queene-mother was to shewe the principall causes of the assembly of the Estates not to deale in any thing touching the reformation of religion which cannot erre but rather to solicite and commaund the Ministers of the same duly and truly to execute their charges and not to permitany other religion then that of Rome wherevppon hee made a long inuection against those of the religion such as had desired Churches saying that hee which had beene the messenger and presenter of their request in a manner openly charging the Admiral set right against and face to face with that Orator oght to be holdē declaredan Hereticque against him as be-being one they oght to proceed according to the rigor both of cannō ciuil lawes thereby to roote the mischiefe out of the heart of France Hee compared those of the religion vnto the Arians the Lords that fauored thē to the Traitor Gainas in the time of Arcadius vsed all his eloquence to prooue the antiquitie of the Romish religion and that those of the religion in France were dispersed people and such as sought to induce an Anarchie wholly vnworthie of any support or good intertainment requiring the prohibition of all bookes not allowed by the Doctors of the Sorbonistes concluding therewith to desire that all those of the religion might bee wholly rooted out and extinguished which done hee directed his speech vnto the king and his mother making request for the maintaining of the persons and goods of the Cleargie for their elections for the obseruations of the ancient Cannons for the exemption of Tithes contributions and cotisations wherevppon hee made almost a whole houres worke Lastly hee pleaded without request for the Nobilitie for the third Estate for the gouernment of iustice and to conclude made a long discourse of the institution of a king The next day the Admirall complained vnto the king to the Queen mother of the presumptious ignorance of de Quintin A payment for de Quintin Orator for the Cleargie that had so openly charged him touching the presenting of a request in the behalfe of the religion at Fontainbleau Quiutin excused himselfe vpon the lesson that had been giuen in writing and in his second Orarion denied his first to please the Admirall and not long after died of sorrowe and greefe perceiuing himselfe so well discouered by diuers answeres made vnto his Oration wherein his Apostacie his slaunders and his falsehoodes were fully set downe In the beginning of this yeare the Spiritualtie had commandement from the king to bee at the Councell of Trent and commission likewise was giuen vnto all Iudges and other Officers Order touching religiō that they should presently release both bodies and goods of all such prisoners that then were kept or holden in prison for religion defence beeing made to all men whatsoeuer not to iniurie them nor their religion vppon paine of death The States continued their conference at Orleans where the Cittizens of Orleans were much greened that in the last kings time those of Guise had filled their houses with souldiers that had fedde vpon them at their owne pleasures complaining that the Duke de Nemours held a great number secretly in diuers places to do some suddaine exploit The king of Nauarre and the Constable beeing appeased the Queen-mother caused all that complaint to cease contenting themselues that the Duke disauouched them all There rested yet another stoppe which caused the Parliament to bee reiourned vntill the month of May next after ensuing to be holden at Pontoise The King of Nauarre and the Channcellor desiring the estates to take order that the Kings debts might be paide The breaking vp of the Parliament offering to shewe them a particular rolle thereof The King of Nauarre saying further that if by accounts they founde that he hadde receiued any extraordinary giftes hee woulde freely restore them againe But those of Guise and others that coulde not saye the like did so much that those matters proceeded not any further in question hoping that time would cause them to speake of other things then restitutions Not long after the Prince of Conde recalled vnto the Court came from la Fere The King iustifieth the Prince of Conde to Fontainbleau and the next day after his arriuall entred into counsell vpon the thirteenth of March where in presence of them all the king declared that hee had beene sufficiently certified of his innocency permitting him to make a second declaration thereof at the Court of Parliament in Parris whither not long after the Prince went On the other side the King of Nauarre complained to the Queene-mother touching the Duke of Guise that was preferred both before himselfe and the Constable and proceeded so farre therein that both he and the rest of the Princes of the blood with the Constable and diuers Noblemen The Queen-mother assureth her regency began to prepare themselues to depart out of the Court but she perceiued that to be a blowe wherewith to abate her gouernment by the Cardinall of Tournons meanes shee sent for the Constable commanding him expresly from the King that he should not depart from the Court. Which done she stayed the rest and so brake off that matter to her no small contentment The report of this discontentment beeing spread into diuers places the Deputies for the assembly of the particular states of Parris began to speake therof and earnestly to agree of some order to be taken The particular states of
confirmation of the accord aforesaid The States forced to agree to a thing that ouerthrew a lawe of the Realme and to finish vp the matter the King of Nauarre himself went thither in person to certifie them that he had resigned his right title vnto the Queene which notwithstanding the matter was much debated many great personages partly perceiuing the great mischiefs which by that disorder would in fine growe vp in such sort that the Estates agreed not therevnto but with protestation to the contrary in their billes which they presented vnto the king at Saint Germaines in Laye where the general assembly was holden the Chancellour commaunded by the king by a long Oration perswaded the company to determine with themselues whether it would be necessary and conuenient that the assembly of the religion should bee holden or forbidden And after him Lieftenant Autun surnamed Britaigne speaking for the communaltie in a large discourse shewed the abuse both in the goods and iurisdictions of Ecclesiasticall persons their duties the great charges that spoyled and ouerthrew the people required that the persecutions should be ceased against those of the religion that promise should bee made vnto them of an assembly and that to the same end Churches might bee permitted vnto them also that their principall Ministers should bee called to conferre with them of the differences of religion Touching the acquitting of the kings debts and ordering of other affaires the third Estate made a large couerture proposing diuers means to cease diuision and to reduce the Realme into as rich estate as euer it was But because diuers matters propounded touched and concerned many of the greatest personages specially the Spiritualtie it was all but words which likewise were the cause to hasten the principals of such Sects to inuent their conspiracies The Cleargie desiring to get out of the myre made offer that to acquit the king of his debts for the space of sixe months they would euery yeare paye foure tithes at the same time likewise the Imposts of fiue sols vpon euery Alme of Wine entering into euery walled Towne was raised for the terme of sixe yeares and no more besides the eighth and tenth part beeing ordinary custome While the Estates were busied to dispute and determine of matters concerning the Estate The Popes deuise to hinder the assembly of Poissy Pope Pius hauing beene aduertised what had beene determined touching the assembly at Poissy sent the Cardinall of Ferrare his Legat in France with charge to remit all things touching religion vnto his Councell because that among other articles agreed vppon by the States it had beene decreed that the benefices of the Realme should bee conferred by the Ordinaries euery man in his iurisdiction and not by the Pope Also that dispenses should more be allowed There was likewise a question among thē touching the reception of the Legat who in fine made such meanes that the Chancellour was commaunded to seale his letters of authoritie which the Chauncellour did not but after many commissions adding therevnto that it was done without his consent the Court of Parliament would not approoue them and touching the Courtiers at the first the Legat was but hardly vsed by them but he vsed such meanes by his friends that in the end hee got the vpper hand hauing with his assistants in France frustrated the assembly of Poissy Assembly of the Cleargie for the conference at Poissy At the same time the Prelates assembled for the conference at Poissy and because some of them were wholly without learning and the rest little studied in the holy Scriptures they brought with thē a great number of Sorbon Doctors and others whom they appoynted to dispute in their presence thereby to learne what were best for them to say Touching those among them that had any learning they were suspected so that in their particular conferences many times there happened great strife among them and many times blowes whereat the Courtiers made great sport While they were in this debate among themselues diuers Ministers of the Churches in France to the number of twelue with 22. Deputies The Ministers came to Poissy and present a request vnto the king with the confession of the faith by the kings safe conduct and commaundement arriued at Poissy not long after followed by Pierre Martir Theodore Beza whom the king of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde had caused to come from Zurche and Geneua Those that first arriued presented a petition vnto the king vpon the tenth of August wherein they desired that commaundement might bee made vnto the Prelates to peruse the declaration of the faith of the reformed Churches presented vnto the king since the ninth of Iune then last past to the end that at the first assembly they might shewe what cause they had to deny it and vppon their obiections to heare the defences of the said Churches by the mouths of their Ministers and Deputies They further desired that the Prelates and other Ecclesiastical persons might not bee iudges ouer them seeing they were parties against them that the king and his Councell would bee present at that assembly that all the differences might bee decreed by the onely word of God that two Secretaries might bee chosen on each part that euery day might conferre the notes of their disputations togither and that those notes should not bee holden nor accounted for lawfull before the parties had subscribed vnto them The king receiued the confession and petition The Kings answere by the hands of Augustin Marlorat and Francis de S. Paul in the presence of his Mother the king of Nauarre and other Princes of the blood with diuers Lords of the Councell and with a good countenance said vnto them I will referre your petition vnto my Councell and you shall receiue an aunswere from my Chancellour The 24. of August 1565 Th. de Beza preached at the Court. And the 24. of August 1574. the Massacre was committed against those of the religion Conference betweene Th. de Beza and the Cardinall Theodore de Beza beeing arriued at Saint Germaines in Laye vppon the 24. of August he preached publikely the next day at the Castle within the Prince of Condes Hall where hee had a great and notable assembly without any noyse or trouble The same day about euening beeing sent for into the king of Nauarres Chamber there he found the Queene the king of Nauarre the Prince the Cardinals of Burbon and Lorraine the Duke de Estampes Madame de Crussol where hauing made a lowe reuerence vnto the Queene in fewe words hee shewed her the cause of his comming thither togither with the desire he had as also all his company to serue God and his Maiestie in so holy commendable and necessary an enterprise Thervpon the Cardinall of Lorraine beganne to speake charging Beza to haue been authour of the troubles to haue dispearsed infamous libelles about the Realme of France and to haue
onely to two poynts that is touching the Church and the Lords Supper not to dispute thereof but that it should not bee thought they were without reply For the rest that they should frame a confession of the faith opposite to that of the Ministers which if they refused to approoue sentence of condemnation should bee solemnely pronounced against them and by that meanes the conference would bee ended without any more disputation The Ministers aduertised of this resolution contrary vnto all Ecclesiasticall conference by request made their complaint vnto the King which being presented to the Chancellor A new inuention of the Cardinall to disgrace the Ministers hee according to his wisedome prouided for it in such sort that the Prelates proceeded in another manner Touching the Cardinall hee bethought himselfe of a new expedition in his aduise very fitte thereby to confound the Ministers and with mockerie to send them from the Court for the which cause hee wrote vnto Monsieur de Vieilleuille Gouernour of Metz that with all speede he should procure certaine Theologians to bee sent out of Germaine who touching the Lords Supper did not agree in opiniō with those of the Churches of France pretending to cause those Theologians to striue and dispute against the Ministers and hauing had some pastime to heare them at variance to send them both away without any further conference Vieilleuille vsed such diligence that three or foure Doctors of Virtemberg and two Theologians of Heidelberg went presently into France but one of those of Virtemberg dying of the plague within the Citie of Parris and the two Theologians of Heidelberg beeing of the opinion of the Churches of France the Cardinals expectation therin was frustrate yet they offered him faire for that they determined to aske him and the rest of the Prelates if they ment to hold with the confession of Ausbourg hauing called some of those Doctors and asked them when the Cardinall would giue an answere who in fine was constrained to seeke some other places of refuge The Cardinals Oration The 6. of September the Cardinall in presence of the King the Princes and the Councell made his Oration containing a long deduction of two poynts agreed vpon by the Prelates which were touching the Church and the Lords Supper that done they most instantly besought the King to continue in the religion of his ancestors to summō the Ministers to vnderwrite that which the Cardinal had propounded which done they wold confer vpon the rest of their articles that if they denied it they shuld wholly be refused to be heard and presently sent out of the Realme wherein there ought to be but one faith one lawe and one king The Ministers requests The Ministers as then required to bee heard what they could answere vnto the Cardinall but it was referred vntill an other time and although that from that time foorth they vsed many meanes to be heard in open audience they could neuer obtaine it onely vppon the 24. day of the same moneth Theodore de Beza in presence of the king and his Councell aunswered vnto the Oration made by the Cardinall where were present fiue Cardinals and fifteene or sixteene Doctors Despense and Desanctes made certaine disputations where vnto Beza made answere The Cardinall of Lorraine had summoned the Ministers to knowe if they would allowe of the confession of Ausbourg and they desired him first to signe it which done they would followe but there hee was at a nonplus which was done vppon the 26. of March where once againe Despense discoursed of the Lords Supper Diuers conferences betweene the Ministers and Doctors that spake for the Prelates The resolution of Sorbonne and after him Doctor Martir in a large and ample manner but because he spake Italian the Cardinall said hee would not deale with any but such as spake the French tongue A Spaniard general of the Iesuites wold likewise haue spokē whom de Beza haue refuted he entered into disputation with Despense The rest of the Ministers also answered vnto certaine obiections propounded by other Doctors of Sorbonne touching the interpretation of the words in the institution of the Lords supper After that all was changed into a particular conference wherein it was impossible for the Ministers to induce the Deputies for the Prelates vnto any orderly disputation neither yet to the conclusion of any articles That of the holy Supper was oftentimes intreated of and sometimes it seemed that the parties were almost at an agreement but the Sorbonne Interpreted that very hardly which by the Doctors of the Deputies for the Prelates had beene allowed of and made an inuection in writing against the Ministers desiring that they might be driuen out of the Realme if they would not approoue and allowe of the doctrine of Sorbonne touching the Eucharistie The Ministers to the contrary humbly required that the confessions and articles of the doctrine on both parts might bee examined by the order vsually obserued at all times in any Ecclesiasticall conferences but their aduersaries who in most bold and euident manner shewed themselues to be their Iudges would neuer consent thereto The 13. of October the Prelates hauing thanked and discharged their Doctors sent them away and in the end withdrewe themselues hauing first taken order touching their cannons which concerned not any Christian doctrine onely discouering certaine disorders in their Cleargie the reformation whereof they referred vnto the Pope and the Councell of Trent that did nothing therein because their Church cannot erre At the same time certaine letters were discouered written in the Kings name vnto his Ambassador in Rome named Monsieurde l'Isle others from the Queen-mother which shewed that al their conference was but a deuise and meere inuention thereby to intrappe the Cleargie which agreed vnto some Tithes to saue the rest of their stakes The intent of the assembly at Poissy Aduancement of those of the religion and that was it whereof they sought to bee resolued and not of the religion nor yet of any thing that concerneth the conscience wherein diuers of them had in a maner playd Banckerrupt After the departure of the assembly those of the religion by little and little beganne to preach openly and in some places without resistance ceased vpon certaine Churches whereof ensued an edict made by the King bearing date the 3. of Nouember which commanded them to leaue them which they presently performed in the same moneth Those of Parris beeing assembled to preach in a Garden without the Church-gate called la Cerisaye at their return there was some blowes giuē but the hurt was lesse thē it was thoght to be because the conference of Poissy had reduced no remedie that the parties were still at difference and that the religion openly aduanced it selfe throughout all the Realme Counsell giuen to assemble the chiefe persons of the realm to take order touching those affaires The Queen was counselled to assemble the most notable
persons of all the Parliaments in France with the Princes of the blood Lords Councellours and maisters of Requests therby to aduise and make some new edict touching the gouernment and order of those of the religion as also to answere vnto the demand of the States that had most instantly desired to haue allowances of Temples The chiefe of the Romish Church and among the rest those of Guise found this counsell not to bee expedient alleadging that they ought to bee content with the edict of Iuly and withall they complained of the Queenes leuite openly accusing the king of Nauarre the Prince the Admiral and his bretheren The Queen that sought to assure her Regencie would not hearken therevnto wherby those of Guise tooke occasion to withdrawe themselues from the Court leauing certaine seruitors and solicitors to supply their places The Queene willingly gaue them leaue to depart assuring them of her good will both to them and their religion and desired them to returne assoone as possibly they might They went from thence about the end of Nouember and at the time of their departure there rose a most horrible extraordinary wind aforeshewing as some affirmed of the tēpest that not long after ensued At the same time likewise were brought and sold in the Court three great Pictures most excellently wrought whereof one was bought by the Prince of Conde wherein was represented the bloodie and horrible massacres of the auncient Triumuiras of Rome true Pictures shewes of the cruelties exercised the yeare ensuing by the support and in the presence of French Triumuirat vpon those of the religion Not long before their departure the Queene of Nauarre discouered an enterprise An enterprise of the Duke de Nemours made to take away the Duke of Orleans the Kings brother and to carry him into Lorraine for which cause the Duke de Nemours in all haste saued himselfe and returned not againe vntill the ciuill warres beganne to arise The report also was spread abroad that the King of Spaine and other Princes adherents to the Pope made preparations to ayde their participants in France and to dispearse the assembles of those of the religion The Queen inquireth what forces the religion could make All these things mooued the Queene to make inquirie of the forces and means of those of the religion whereof were found 2150. Churches and more for the which the Deputies had required Churches offering all seruice and obedience vnto the King both with bodies and goods at their owne charges but shee desired to knowe it more at large which by many of the Churches was thought to bee superstitious and thereby they made no such certificates because of the diuersitie of opinions although some of them thought it both good and necessarie to shewe the Queene the number of the forces as well horse as foote which by those of the religion might easilie bee raised iudging that such a power as it after appeared to bee had beene the meanes to drawe the Queene and by consequent the Kings and all the Princes of his part vnto them which would easilie haue stayed those of Guise and their partakers in apparance haue wholly hindered the discipation of the Churches stopping the passage vnto all strangers other suspecting the Queens intent and fearing least so open a discouerie should bee the cause the easlier to expose for a pray vnto their enemies would not proceede so farre The commotion of Medard These things beeing thus imbroyled about the end of the yeare there happened a great mutinie in Parris raised by certaine Priests of Saint Medards Church in the Subburbes of S. Marceau which rang a bell while those of the religion were assembled at a Sermon from whence proceeded wounds murthers and imprisonments where those of the religion not beeing the beginners payed a fine and foure of them one beeing Gabaston knight of the watch were executed to appease the people of Parris and yet not presently done 1562. The Edict of Ianuary In the beginning of the moneth of Ianuary and the absence of those of Cuise that thought vppon other matters as also of the Constable that would not be present a great assembly such as the like had not beene seene in France was made there by to take order touching the Estate and to ordaine an edict wherein after each man had said and propounded his minde touching the which was esteemed by them to bee most conuenient and necessary for the good and quietnesse of the Common-wealth in the end it was agreed to make that solemne edict which vntill this time beareth the name of the edict of Ianuary which being a true meanes to preuent and stoppe the mischiefes which as then threatned the Realme of France was neuerthelesse in the end turned vnto an occasion of the greatest calamities that euer happened therein By it the edict of Iuly was abollished permission graunted to those of the religion to assemble without the Townes and sufficient order taken that eyther part might liue in peace and quietnesse with each other which was agreed vpon and signed at Saint Germaines in Laye the seuenteenth day of Ianuary Difficulties in the same The execution of this edict mooued great difficulties specially on the part of those of the Romish Church Touching those of the religion their Ministers and Deputies hauing resolued vppon certaine doubts that might be made they ranged themseluelues wholly vnto the Kings pleasure The Parliaments onely two or three made much difficultie to publish it that of Diyon would neuer do it and that of Parris made great question vpon it The chiefe President Bourdin the Kings Atturney held firme for the Church of Rome assisted by Merle Prouost of Marchants Marcell Sheriffe and diuers others The King of Nauarre seduced by his enemies The winds that made them turne blew from the Constable and those of Guise yet they had done little or nothing at all if at that time the King of Nauarre had not suffered himselfe to be seduced by his most deadly enemies that had for instruments of his ouerthrow the Ambassadour of Spaine the Popes Legat and the Cardinall de Tournon ayded by two of his principall seruants Descars and the Bishoppe of Mande Hee not being ambitious suffered himselfe to bee perswaded that if bee would but shewe him as newter and cause the Prince his sonne but once to heare Masse the king of Spaine would peaceably yeeld vp the Realme Sardagne vnto him which they affirmed to bee an Iland no lesse in valewe then that of Sicile and foure times as much as his Realm of Nauarre which was as much as a man may say to present him with nothing betweene two dishes and thereby to bereaue him of the certaine and honourable meanes to recouer his Realme of Nauarre if hee would haue hearkened therevnto and continued to haue fauoured and supported those of the religion as he had done vntill the edict of Ienuary neuerthelesse the pernitious counsell of
of the Crowne hee departed with his bloodie troupes and laden with spoyles tooke the way that led to Reims where the Cardinall of Lorraine stayed for him but not content to haue delt so cruelly with those of Vassy he becaused certaine informations to bee made against them wherein the principall murtherers were witnesses And eight daies after the Duches Dowager of Guise sent Monsieur de Thou thither that made search for their weapons and would constraine them all to go to Masse which notwithstanding those of the religion tooke courage comforting themselues and assembling euery Sunday and Festiuall day to praise the Lord vntill such time as ciuill warres dispearsed and separated them The prince of Conde beeing at Parris and receiuing newes of that massacre hauing consulted with diuers Lords and Gentlemen that kept him company with all speed certified the Queene and others in the Court Iustice demaunded but in vaine for the massacre of Vassy all was past ouer in words or notable preductions of troubles what had happened and fallen out who thereby tooke it for an alarme and counselled him to seeke the meanes of preseruation for the Realme and those of the religion whom he presently aduertised looked vnto themselues The greatest part as Frenchmen are alway full of hopes imagined nothing but quietnesse and troubled themselues to build Churches not much thinking vppon warlike prouision therwith to defend themselues But by the Princes aduise they were indifferently awaked Much more the Lords and Gentlemen of the religion dispearced throughout the Prouinces which beganne to make prouision of armes and horses staying for news both from the Court and Parris from whence in the name of the Nobilitie Churches of France Monsieur de Francourt and Theodore de Beza beeing sent to Monceaux to aske iustice of the king against the Duke of Guise because of the massacre at Vassy The Queene made gentle aunswere but to the contrary the King of Nauarre beganne to be offended saying that whosoeuer presumed to touch but the fingers end of his brother the Duke of Guise should haue to doo with all his bodie Theodore de Beza thervpon hauing most humbly shewed him that the Iustice which kings ought to shewe vnto their subiects is the worke and rule of God and that to demaund iustice was no hurt or iniurie vnto any man Hee replyed that they had throwne stones at the Duke of Guise and that hee could not staye the furie of his troupe and that Princes are not to indure the dishonour to be cast at with stones Wherevppon Beza very grauely and with all due reuerence aunswered that if it were so the Duke of Cuise might haue had iustice against all those that in such vile maner had despised his estate and dignitie and therewith speaking vnto the King of Nauarre hee said My Lord it is most true that it belongeth to the Church of God in whose name I speake rather to take then giue blowes but may it please your Grace to remember that it is an anuile which hath indured many and seuerall hammers The Triumuirat coaseth vpon the King and Parris From that time the estate of France might well bee resembled vnto a Sea that beginneth to rise and rage in euery place for that in euery Prouince great and wonderfull troubles beganne to rise whereof in the end of the Historie of the first troubles wee meane to speake for now wee must returne vnto the principall instruments of the most bloodiest Tragedie that euer was seene in France Presently after the returne of Francourt and Beza those of Guise the Constable the Marshall de Saint Andre and after the King of Nauarre openly holding with them arriued in Parris from whence they constrained the Prince of Conde beeing very weake with a Towne beeing his enemie and such as in short space might swallow vppe both him and his The Prince went to Meaux thē to Orleans if they had beene tenne times as many more to withdrawe himselfe vnto the Towne of Meaux with a good troupe of Gentlemen It was straunge that as then his enemies fell not vppon him but the haste they had to assure themselues of Parris and the king and the feare that at that entrance she should bee constrained to fight and to hazard them ouermuch caused them to worke by great The Prince beeing at Meaux wrote vnto the Admirall and other Lords sending them word that want of courage had not constrained him to leaue Parris but rather want of ayde and that with all speed they should meete him which they did all armed which those of the contrary part had alreadie opēly discouered and beeing in minde to withdrawe themselues and to retire men came vnto them from all places and the Prince determining to ride vnto the Court to the end that beeing strong about the king who as then laye at Fontainbleau hee might constraine his enemies to seeke to agree hee vnderstood that they had gotten both the king and the Court into their power in such sort that the Prince rode towards Orleans whereon hee ceased and there beganne to take order in his affaires while those of Guise ledde the King and Queene to the Castle of Melun and that in the most part of the Prouinces of the Realme they vsed those of the religion withall the insolencies and cruelties that possibly may bee deuised From Melun the King and Queene were brought to Parris where the Constable had ouerthrowne and defaced ihe places Beginning of the first and horrible troubles in France where those of the religion vsed to assemble The people beginning to mutin to assemble in great troupes in such manner that both there and in other places where those of the Romish Church were strongest those of the religion receiued such entertainment as the most cruell Barbarians would haue beene ashamed to vse it which likewise in some places mooued those of the religion whereby the Churches Images some Priests and others bare away the blowes But this was little or nothing in respect of all the mischiefe that those of the Romish Churches indured throughout France in those first troubles in comparison of the miseries which those of the religion indured in one of the seuenteene Prouinces as the Histories published by Iohn le Frere de Laual Belleforest Monluc and others of the Guises part do witnesse and thereat reioyce and make great triumph If the massacre of Vassy had not chanced the Prince and the Admirall had bin constrained eyther to loose all or to haue forsaken the Realme because that before that time they neuer thought vppon defence The euill committed at Vassy cause of some good nor of any thing that after happened and fell out much lesse to bee offensiue The edict of Ianuary and the Queenes promises staying their hands but when the Lords and great Gentlemen of the religion dispearsed throughout the Realme had once heard of that bloodie exploit committed by the Duke of Guise by little
haue violently broken so solemne an edict The Prince hauing demaunded permission of conference with his Councell in Orleans desired to haue the aduise of the Ministers who by three of their Deputiès gaue him at large expresly to vnderstand that neither the Queene nor hee by the lawe of God nor reason could in any thing whatsoeuer once derogate so solemne an edict made at the request and desire of the States and so notable an assembly of all the Parliaments of France and by them all sworne and pronounced The next day at his request all the ministers beeing to the number of seuentie two being assembled they made an humble request exhortation in writing vnto him touching the cause aforesaid withall The Ministers aduise added diuers good and necessary articles to make an assured peace as that those of the religion acknowledged by the King to bee his faithfull and obedient subiects might bee peaceably maintainted in the exercise of the religion the king declaring himself protector of their doctrine discipline against al Atheistes Libertines Anabaptistes Seruitistes and other Heretickes or Scismatikes that the Baptisme administred in their Churches might not bee reitterated and that the marriages therein celebrated might bee holden for good and lawfull that without other leaue it might be permitted by those of the religion to haue free exercise thereof in all places that the religion might no more bee called new seeing their Churches are founded vpon the ancient doctrine of the Prophetes and Apostles that euery man might peaceably enioy his estates offices and goods with perusing recalling of processes touching such as are interessed by suspect Iudges that all murtherers the eues spoylers exacters and others that without warre their massacries and other inormities beeing acts of hostilitie should bee taken and punished according to their deserts Notwithstanding so many declarations both by word of mouth and writing the Prince was in such sort perswaded by promises that after that Peace agreed vppon they would make another and better agreement for him making him beleeue that the conditions as then set downe were done only to please those of the church of Rome and by little and little to attaine vnto a full and perfect libertie withall that many of them desired nothing else but whatsoeuer it cost them to returne vnto their houses That he consented to the altering of the Edict of Ianuary suffering certaine exceptions to be added therevnto which hee caused to be read vnto the Gentlemen desiring that none but they bearing Armes should giue their aduise which hee spake openly before all the assembly in such manner that after that time the Ministers were neither sent for receiued nor heard speake or giue their aduise in any sort nor likewise the Admirall and his company knewe nothing more thereof then only the conclusion The Queene mother that was in great doubt to be reduced vnto the Edict of Ianuary and the Constable as much or more then she imployed all speedie meanes to conclude and set downe the Articles in manner of an Edict agreed vpon the 12. of March and fully resolued by the Kings Councell at Anboise vpon the 27. of the same month and the same day published in the Towne by sound of Trumpet The exercise of religion was thereby restrained to the houses of certaine Gentlemen and in some Townes besides those wherein it had bene vsed at the beginning of that moneth with a certaine confused remission and pardon for all forepassed matters Exploits of the Admirall To returne to the Admirall after the taking of the Castle of Caen he sent Monsieur de Colombieres to set vppon Bayeux who at the second assault wanne it vsing the inhabitants somewhat hardly because they had abused themselues The Captaine called Iulio a wicked villaine if euer there were a-any was hanged in Caen by reason of diuers crimes imputed and laide against him The next day after being the fift of March the Garrison of Saint Lo being in feare yeelded the place vnto the Admirall that sent thither the Counte Montgomimery who from thence marched straight to Auranches wherein he was receiued without resistance The thirteenth of the same moneth he tooke Vire by assault and punished the principall offendors And minding to proceed further the packet of the peace was deliuered vnto him About the same time that Bayeux was taken The Admirals forces march to Orleans Monsieur Mouy receiued Hondefleur by composition And as he minded to reduce Ponteau de Mer the Admirall sent for to returne to Orleans repealed to Caen from whence the Horsemen departed vpon the 14. of March diuided into two battells The Prince of Portien conducted the auantgard composed of foure Cornets of Rutters that marched towards Lisieux and the 18. â—ntred forcibly into Bernay where certain Priests were slain hanged that fought yet knew not how to make war The town of Aigle in the borders of NormaÌ„die was forced by the Vicont de Drux vpon the 20. of the same moneth al such as wâ—â— found in armes slain in the streets The same day the Admiral departed with the greater part of his forces marching by Falaise Argentan that yeelded hauing agreed for a ransome of a 10000. frankes from thence he went to Mortague a great borough Towne in Perche where certaine Priests moued the people to do him iniury whereby diuers of Mouies company were both hurt and slaine that marched in winges wherevpon the Borough was entered by force and the chiefe offendors specially the Priests rewarded for their paines Monsieur de Coignee likewise punished the Monkes of S. Calais who with their Garrison had cruelly handled his houshold seruants On the other side Mousieur de Coruoy tooke the Castle of Mezieres harde by Drux and slewe the souldiers that were in it The 23. of March the Admirall arriued at Orleans and vsed all the meanes hee could to remedie the Princes accord hauing agreed to the breach and abolution of the edict of Ianuary The Queene mothers praâ—â—â—ses vnder the shadowe and pretence of the Queenes promises who on the other side about foure daies before had caused Poltrot to bee executed with all extremitie that might bee inuented caused a funerall pompe to bee celebrated for the Duke of Guise in Parris and gaue his estate of high Chamberlin and Great-maister to his sonne Henry as then an infant both of yeares and vnderstanding but aster shewed openly vnto the third king in what schoole hee had been taught as heereafter you shall read The estate of the prounues and Townes Now I must shewe you a summarie recitall of the estate of the Prouinces and principall Townes in France during the first troubles from the moneth of Aprill 1562 vntill the peace Parris the principall Towne of the Realme during that time committed many great and terrible spoyles vpon those of the religion Parris diuers therein were executed not onely of the Towne but such as had beene
their Generall at his returne with the Rutters One of the greatest massacres committed vppon those of the religion was done in Sens a Towne lying vpon the riuer of d'Yonne whereof the Cardinall de Guise was Archbishoppe where one hundreth prisoners of all sortes were cruelly murthered and their naked bodies throwne into the riuer Sens. As many houses were robbed and spoyled and the Church for the religion defaced the Vines growing about it being all cut vppe This was done vppon Sunday the 12. of August and other daies ensuing in the which time those of Guise hauing giuen the charge of that murther vnto Hemard Lieftenant of Sens published in the Kings name at Parris and sent word to the Prince in Orleans that they wold haue the edict of Ianuary fully obserued in all places onely in Parris Those of the Romish Church in Auxerre cruelly massacred one named Cosson stabbed and cast the keepers wife of the Castle called Aualon into the water beeing a faire and comely young Gentlewoman Auxerre beate the Kings Atturney so cruelly that they left him for dead killed the Iudge de Corbelin and cōmitted diuers strange robberies pillings both within without the Towne by the conduct of Geolier and a brabling Rascall called Borgant In the moneth of October they were procured to issue out of the Towne by Monsieur d'Auignau a Gentleman of the religion accompanied with twentie horse who hauing slaine fourteene of them and hurt many others stayed their furie The fifteenth of the same moneth this Gentleman accompanying one of his companions that trauelled vnto Orleans with a packet of some importance slewe sixteene more of those murtherers and scattered the rest that sought to stoppe his passage The Inhabitants of the Towne of Saint Cyre S. Cyre about the end of the month hauing denied passage vnto the Rutters and Lansquenets conducted by Monsieur d'Andelot were set vppon by night whereof fortie beeing slaine the richest of the Towne were taken prisoners The Inhabitants of the Towne and Bourg of Issy prouoked by a Iacopin not beeing content to haue vsed diuers outragious words against Monsieur d'Andelot discharged certaine muskets at the Rutters but they for their paines had their towne spoyled and burnt by the Rutters and Lansquenets On the other side the company of the Marshal of Saint Andre ouerthrew and spoyled the houses of those of the religion within and about Auxerre Vppon Munday beeing the eleuenth of May Neuers 1562. those of the Romish Church in Neuers hauing taken armes brought in certaine Gentlemen of the countrie and among others Cheuenon and Chastillon that ceased vpon the Gates and within three daies after beganne to fall vppon those of the religion and one named la Fayette comming thither vppon the 23. of the same month beganne to forrage his Souldiers openly selling their Hostes goods Hee cast the Ministers in prison rebaptised the children reitzerated marriages draue out such as pleased him and cleansed their houses of all that could bee found therein Besides that hee and Cheuenon committed infinit pillages vppon the boates passing by it and vnder pretence of a certaine commission or iudgement giuen in Parris la Fayette ceased vppon diuers immooueable goods and being wel laden with a praye to the valewe of fortie or 50. Crowns he retired vnto his house in Auuergne At the same time three or foure of the religion were executed within Neuers and one of the Ministers died miserably but yet cōstātly in prison Corbigni or S. Leonard the other miraculously escaped away The like entertainmēt was giuen to those of the religiō in Corbigni called S. Leonard a towne in Niuernois most strangely forraged by Noysat Marshall of de la Fayettes cōpany Anthony Doyuet Lieftenant of Saint Pierre le Monstier Liefenant du Boys and the Knight of Chastillon in Bazois They slewe Monsieur de Mex a Gentlemā not farre from thence much affected to the religion as hee well shewed it dying most constantly beeing wounded with many Pistolle shottes Not long after those murtherers were surprised and the Towne taken of a scalade made by Captaine Blanay whose souldiers vsed the people very courteously but brake downe the Images and the Popish Altars reestablishing publike exercise of the religion which continued therein after the edict of pacification Those of the Romish Church in Antrain Antrain by the solicitation of a Priest named Estiene Blondelet had determined to doo woorse then their companions of Auxerre but vppon the twelfe of December they were preuented by Captaine Blosset who valiantly surprised the Towne and gaue such an alarme to those conspirators that the chiefe of them leaped ouer the walles some hidde themselues and the rest hauing discouered the enterprise which was to massacre all those of the religion Blondelet and another mutinous fellowe named le Dangereux were hanged A Bourguignon named Monsieur de Trouan that came into France to fish in troubled waters as others did thought to playe the warriour and to assayle Antraine but hauing lost part of his men hee retired with shame and not content therewith seeking to reuenge himselfe was slaine by Blanay in a certaine encounter Monsieur d'Issertieux called by those of la Charite professing the religion in the moneth of Aprill 1562. by common consent of all the Towne was established Gouernour thereof La Charite Cheuenon Achon and others did what they could to enter therein but they were alwaies driuen away but in the end la Fayette besieged it hauing the great Prior of Auuergne for his Lieftenant by means of a diuision that happened among the Inhabitants the Towne was yeelded by composition with sufficient aduantage for those of the religion but the first thing that the great Prior did was to take Issertieux by the bosome from whom was pulled the counterpaine of the agreement his armour and one of his horses Which was done vpon the 10. of Iune Certain daies months ensuing those of the religion were pilled and ransacked in so many and diuers kindes by la Fayette that they were notable to paye any more to whom nothing was either too hotte or too heauie as also by his company the Lieftenant and certaine Councellours of Saint Pierre le Monstier tooke their partes likewise In the moneth of February 1563. the Duke of Guise sent three companies of Lanciers thither to refresh them but those of the Towne and the theeues themselues doubting to be pilled shutte the Gates which put the Lanciers in great furie who to reuenge themselues vsed great cruelties about the Towne on that side that bordereth vppon Berry against those of the religion drawing some of them at their horses tailes The third of March Captaine Boys Blosset and Blanay scaled and tooke la Charite which the three companions aforesaid soght to relieue but they were constrained to retire Within three daies after Captaine Boys staying therein onely with sixtie seuen souidiers kept the Towne against an armie of three
or four thousand men both horse and foote and fixe field peeces where he sustained the siege eight daies togither without losse of any man hauing slaine aboue fourescore of the assaylants constrained the rest to leaue the siege to their no smal confusion in such sort that by the edict of pacification the exercise of the religion remained within la Charite Many small Townes in those quarters were much molested specially in respect of the religion as Bony Cosne Neufui and others Chastillon Sur Loire but most of all Chastillon Sur Loire which hauing withstood many difficulties and spoyled of all her commodities by theeues and rouers beeing but poore keepers of vines to defend themselues against the violences of such as desired the losse and extermination of their liues And hauing fortified their little Towne not hauing any ditches as well as they might vppon the fift of Ianuary they sustained an assault slew seuen or eight hundreth men of the Regiment of Monsieur de Prie Gouernour of Guyen that sought to put him to the sword hurting diuers others the men defending themselues by throwing stones and the women with hotte water which they cast vppon the assaylants In the month of February Monterud Gouernour of Berry besieged them and with cannon shotte beate downe their feeble walles yet could he not enter but by warlike means that vnder pretence of parley he withdrew his battery which lay in such sort that hee could doo little good therewith and hauing placed them in better order he commanded a new bridge to be made and thereat entered by force where no kinde of cruelties was spared neyther vppon women nor children olde nor young no not so much as against women great with childe and readie to bee deliuered The Towne beeing pilled and spoyled of all whatsoeuer it had euen to the boltes lockes barres and glasse-windowes of the houses which notwithstanding assoone as Manteruds armie was departed those of the religion that had escaped returned thither againe and reestablished the exercise of religion Guyen sur Loire The Towne of Guyen Sur Loire maintained it selfe long time in peace during the troubles onely by the meanes of those of the religion being the strongest part within the Towne but the disorder committed by diuers Captaines and souldiers sent thither from Orleans by the Prince to refresh themselues and the taking of Bourges reduced things to such a stay that most of those of the religiō forsooke both their houses their goods to go to Orleans where as thē the plague was very rife The campe of Triumuirat not long after arriued before Guyen and all the places bordering on the same vsing all the cruelties that possible might bee inuented among the which certaine Italians in hatred of the religion hauing cut the bodie of a yong Infant in two peeces cate his lieuer which was verified to bee most true yet iustice for the same could not be had Lastly those of the religion being returned from Orleans with Lanbert Daneau one of their Ministers they met another troupe of their friends that two daies before came from Chastillon sur Loin with the other Ministers called La Vallee and beeing entered into the Towne by vertue of the edict beganne the exercise of the religion Guyen beeing named for the balliage towne in those quarters The Monkes of Fontaine Iohn an Abbey neare adioyning vnto Chastillon sur Loin hauing abandoned their gownes to beare armes to robbe and spoyle the countrie with other souldiers vpon the seuenth of October were all set vppon by Monsieur de Dampierre and seeking to resist were all slaine onely some fewe that were burnt within the Cloyster from whence it was impossible otherwise to get them foorth Montargis belonging to the Ladie Renee daughter to Lois the twelfe Duches Dowager of Ferrare Montargis was the retrait of diuers families of the religion notwithstanding the threatnings of the Duke of Guise sonne in lawe to the sayde Ladie who sent thither one Malicorne a new Knight of the Order to cease vppon the Towne and Castle with foure companies of horse who being entered into the Towne mooued the people against those of the religion in such maner that at that time a poore man was slaine and cast into the water as before that time likewise they had killed a woman and committed certaine outrages and Malicorne continuing in his boldnesse proceeded so farre as to threaten the Ladie with cannon shotte to batter her Castle wherein were diuers of the religion whom hee pretended to ransome but the Princesse made him an answere saying I charge you looke what enterprise you take in hand for that there is not any man whatsoeuer within this Realme that can commaund me but onely the King and if you proceed so farre I will be the first that shal stand within the breach to trie if you once dare bee so bold to kill the daughter of a King and on the other side not so meanely allyed nor yet beloued but that I haue both the meanes and power to reuenge your boldnesse euen to the very infants of your presumptious race Which wordes caused Malicorne like a snaile to pull in his hornes and presently after departed the Duke of Guise beeing slaine as you redde before Those of the Romish Church within the Towne of S. Iohns de Nemours in the mouth of Iune S. Iohn de Nemours did so much that they draue those of the religion out of their Towne not permitting any of them to enter vntill the peace concluded raysing of extreame impositions vppon their goods that were openly solde for small prices Not long before they had vsed all the meanes they could by counsell of some Traitors to bring certain troupes of souldiers into the towne to massacre the people Monlius in Bourbonois but their enterprise tooke no effect Monsieur de Montare being come to Moulius in Bourbonnois with commission therein to vse all hard and extreame dealing towards those of the religion first without any forme of lawe or processe hee caused two Artificers to be hanged and perceiuing himselfe to be strong of men draue all such as hee any thing doubted out of the Towne which done hee gaue his troupes leaue to issue foorth and to slay all those that by any means were found in the fields vsing al kind of strange dealings and extremities vnto the houses and farmes lying about it Captaine Saint Auban that led certaine troupes out of Languedos to Orleans failed not much to take both Montare and the Towne of Moulius and as he determined to besiege it hee receiued letters that caused him to make haste way At his departure from thence the Townes-men issued vpon his rereward and tooke Monsieur de Foulet a Gentleman dwelling not farre from thence and his Lacquey with a Councellour named Claude Brisson that were all three slaine Not long after foure others were hanged in Moulius And in the month of Iuly after fiue others
houses of those of the religion eyther within the Towne or in the fields for 8. myles compasse round about but were all pilled and that by the neare kinsmen of such as had absented themselues Fiue hundreth Harquebusiers beeing appoynted for the guard of the Towne and other places bordering on the same exercised all kindes of cruelties vpon such as stayed behind as some poore people maides and men-seruants and certaine Gentlewomen of account in the Towne and other persons withdrawing themselues into their farmes countrie-houses and with their friends Presently the prisons were filled and by decree a iudiciall place was appoynted that neither kinsmen nor friends should solicite for the prisoners whom they termed rebelles and seditious The Steward saying it was sufficient hauing seene a man to enter into the Temple while the Images were throwing downe or bearing a sword at that time when they held the Towne to condemne him for seditious and a rebell Three witnesses beeing hired and appoynted for the purpose to performe the tragedie one called Chouan a bookeseller the second a Priest called les Anges and Bandoun an Apothecarie so impudent in their occupation that when their wages fayled to bee payd they said openly that they would meddle no more therein Further the accused were not allowed or permitted to refuse any witnesse in such manner that thereby they put two hundreth persons to death both men women and seruants as also foure young children whereof the eldest was not aboue seuenteene yeares of age and two men that were madde Such as were absent had processe made against them and their pictures executed confiscated the goods of those whom they knewe to bee dead in the warres disabled their children of all offices and estates depriuiuing them of all possessions or inhereritances that might by any meanes fall vnto them Not long before the peace they beheaded one called Rolandiere hung a Ioyner and massacred foure others by moone-light and beeing halfe dead threw them into the riuer In the Villages both farre and neare vnto it many murthers both of men women and children were committed to the number of sixe score and vpwards with particular cruelties and such horrible traiterous meanes that I am abashed to remember and ashamed to recite them One named Captaine Champagne hauing a fish-pond behinde his house cast aboue fiftie persons into it and with their bodies nourished Pikes His Lieftenant called Boi-Iourdan seconded him therein for that in two ditches neare vnto his house were found to the number of fiftie or sixtie dead bodies Those of the religion in Anger 's Anger 's beeing become strong within the Towne with the hurt or iniurie of any of their aduersaries about the fift of Aprill and within sixe daies after made an agreement to liue peaceably one with the other vnder the obedience of the King obseruing the edict of Ianuarie But about the 22. of the same moneth a Gentleman comming thither to demaund ayde of men and money for the Prince certaine souldiers that bare him company in the night time brake down the Images in Saint Sansons Church which moued the Priests although the Gentleman much condemned their action and had not any part of the spoyle Wherevppon diuers Gentleman and souldiers of the religion beeing gone to Orleans those of the Romish religion perceiuing themselues to bee strong first blinded their enemies causing the edict of Ianuarie to bee newly published and then beeing well assured of Monsieur de la Fancille that commaunded in the Castle Puygallard a Gascon Captaine sent by the Duke de Montpensier vppon the fift of May at night entered into the Castle followed by diuers souldiers and the next day his watch-word being Sathan did so much that hee ceased vppon part of the Towne and the more to blinde those of the religion and wholly to get them into his possession he graunted them free exercise of the religion and the next day caused the Gates to bee opened that they might go to heare the Sermon made within a house that stood vpon the ditch and to take vp the bodie of one of their Ministers named Charles d'Albiac called du Plesus who the day before had been slaine as he went to saue himselfe by leaping ouer the wall The next day their began a horrible tumult for that vnder pretence of disarming those of the religion they entered into their houses and because two of them among the rest whereof one was the receiuer of the talages had shune their Gates their enemies tooke occasion to ring a bell wherevppon presently those two houses were robbed and spoyled some of the seruants slaine the rest prisoners the kings mony taken and made prise partly by Puygallard and his companions Which done they cast both men and women of the religion and of all sons into prison In a Marchants house they found diuers bookes of the holy Scriptures which were burnt openly in the middle of the Towne and the souldiers of the Monke Richelieu hauing found a guilded Bible stickt it vpon a holbord and issuing from thence went in procession through all the greatest streetes and singing like Priestes said Behold trueth hanged the trueth of the Huguenots the trueth of all the diuelles behold the mightie God beholde the euerlasting God will speake And beeing come to the bridge they cast it into the riuer of Loire and with higher voyce beganne to crie and saie Behold the trueth of all the diuelles drowned Within diuers daies after and till the end of that yeare to the number of eightie persons were executed and put to death A Gentlewoman of the age of seuentie yeares was beaten dead with the stockes of their Pistolles then drawne in a sacke through the dirt and her bodie cast into the water with great ioy and laughter of all the people terming her the mother of the greene diuell that preached to the Huguenots The wife of a Councellour named Sigongue although shee lay bedthred was murthered children rebaptised and women to heare Masse by sound of drumbe some were abused in their bodies many maides violated and among the rest two yong maides rauished in their fathers presence whom those cruel villaines had â—yed at the foote of a bed that he might behold the fact committed About Anger 's diuers Gentlemen and others were massacred The Duke de Monpensier hauing licence to ring a bell and to kill all such as were suspected to bee of the religion which done they fell to pillage vpon whom the Duke de Montpensier most discharged his chollor was vpon Monsier de Marests a valiant Captaine who with twentie or fiue and twentie souldiers hauing taken and kept the Castle of Richefort against the Dukes forces and slaine aboue two hundreth men in the defence thereof in the end beeing betrayed by two of his owne men defending himselfe till hee remained without company and not hauing any more powder yeelded himselfe to Puygaillard who vppon his faith promised him to saue his life but
Villebon Bailiffe of Roan ceased vpon Pont de l'Arche the Baron de Clere took Caudebec the one aboue the other belowe the riuer of Siene Whereby it prooued great discommoditie for the Towne of Roan that by those meanes could get no victualls by water besides the ceasing of the Courts of iustice the staye of trade of merchandise and all sorts of handy workes these discommodities made the Citizens to looke vnto themselues In the beginning of Iune Villebon came with great troupes to besiege Saint Catherins fort where in a fierce skirmish he lost his cornet and fourteene men and they of the fort 8. mē Presētly after him came the Duke de Aumale Saint Catherins Fort besieged gaue an alarme vnto the Towne where presently he lost 25. of his horsemen But for renenge he assayd all means he could to impeach the Towne of Roan from necessary prouisions But not long after it was relieued by Monsieur de Moruilliers sent thither by the Prince from Orleans assisted by Monsieur de Languetot a gentleman of great wisdome The Duke d'Aumale dispersed the Churches of those of the religiō in Hafleur Montuilier and l'Islebonne where he hanged three auncients and three Gentlemen of the Religion And not long after besieged Saint Catherins fort with thirteene Cannons and two coluerins where Monsieur de Languetot had his legge shotte off with a great peece whereof hee died Many skirmishes beeing daylie performed between them till in the end the Duke left the Fort and fledde from thence and within fiue daies after beeing before Ponteau de Mer faining to parley with them within the Towne he surprised them vppon a suddaine and so entered by force where hee vsed all kind of hostilitie specially vppon the Minister named Brionne and the third day after hee besieged and tooke Honfleur The sixe and twentieth of August the Parliament of Roane being at Louniers made a declaration whereby those of the religion in Normandie were declared Traitors permitting all men Declaration of the Parliament of Roane against those of the religion that eyther would or had the meanes to spoyle and ouerrunne them wholly disallowing the edict of Ianuary established the Inquisition of Spaine and appoynted the Duke d'Aumale Lieftenant for the King And by that declaration and sentence this Court of Parliament executed many of the religion commanding all such as would not make profession of the Romish religion to depart out of the Towne of Louuiers within foure and twentie houres after vpon paine of confiscation both of body and goods On the other side they draue all the Friers out of Roane and hauing discouered treason pretended by some of their companions they tooke order therein from thence forward The siege of Roane giuing good eye to those of the Romish religion whereof they thrust out great numbers In August Monsieur de Moruilliers withdrew himselfe from Roane and kept himselfe peaceably within his house and so continued during the warres neuer forsaking the open profession of the religion In the meane time Monsieur de Montgommery was by those of Roane desired to assist them which hee presently did and arriued at Roane vppon the 18. of September within rennedaies after the Towne was summoned to yeelde it selfe vnto the armie of the Triumuirat whose campe wherein were the king the Queen and the king of Nauarre being composed of sixteen thousand foot and two thousand horse besides Rutters and Lansquenets came before the Towne where at their arriuall they had a hotte and fierce skirmish which continued all that day and three daies after successiuely The fixt of October the king armie hauing intelligence from Captaine Louis out of Saint Catherins Saint Catherins fort taken for they surprised it by force wherein they slewe al they found And Louis himselfe ayding the enemie to mount vp was slaine by one of his Souldiers another fort called Montgommery was taken by the like means where the Queene-mother ledde the king beeing but twelue yeares of age to see the dead bodies of the women and made him behold them bathing in their blood The thirteenth of October an assault was giuen vnto the Towne but they within repulsed the enemie where some couragious women bringing meate vnto the souldiers were slaine The next day they gaue another assault at the Rampart of Saint Hilary but were repulsed and for the space of 6. houres that the skirmish indured they lost to the number of eight hundreth of their best souldiers and they within foure or fiue hundreth accounting women and children that were slaine with the Artillerie The same day the king of Nauarre beeing visited by a certaine Lord told him Hurt and death of the King of Nauarre that if hee escaped safely from that siege hee would neuer beare armes againe for that quarrell but the next day he would go see the trenches where by fortune as hee made water he was striken with a Harquebushotte into the shoulder which done hee was borne by certaine Gentlemen to his lodging at Dartenal where the Surgians vsed all the meanes they could to get out the bullet but hauing deferred it ouerlong they could not one of the Phisitians named Vincentius a voluptious man entertained him with sports and companies of Gentlewomē among therest a Gentlewoman named Rouet came to see him which was some meanes to inflame his wound and hauing intelligence that Roane was taken he was borne thither where gouerning not himselfe as his wound and time required it began to growe to further paine and in the end a feuer tooke him wherwith he began to be faint and thē perceiued they had deceiued him Notwithstanding his seruāts had so great credit with him that they caused him to be cōfessed to receiue the Sacrament after the Romish maner The other of his Phisitians called Raphuel being of the religiō vttered many reasons vnto him so farre that he seemed to charge him with sin against the holy Ghost wherevnto hee answered nothing but lay still Not long after the Queen aduertised by his Phisitians that he could not liue being come to see him willed some of his men to read vnto him Shee being departed hee commaunded Raphael to take the Bible and to read the Historie of Iob which beeing done adding therevnto certaine wordes of the iustice and mercie of God the king beeing mooued in spirit lifting vp his hands vnto heauen and with teares in his eyes hee asked mercie of God making a large and ample declaration of his faith protesting that if it pleased God to graunt him life hee would cause the Gospell to bee preached throughout the Realme of France His disease waxing more vehement and Raphael continually attending vppon him hauing made his will hee caused himselfe to bee borne into a boate to go to Saint Maur des Fosses hard by Parris But not long after his entrie into the boate a great cold ceased vppon him and therevppon insued a sweate wherewith hee beganne to talke idly
and among other words hee said he would send Raphael to Geneue to bee a Minister And vppon a suddaine commaunded him to praye which Raphael did all that were in the boate namely the Prince de la Roche suryon kneeling downe the Cardinall de Bourbon the Prince of Mantoue and Monsieur de Losses withdrewe themselues apart standing vppon their feete and their heads couered The prayer being done wherewith the Cardinall could not finde fault Raphael added a certaine exhortation and with him was ioyned another that went like a seculer person but some say hee was a Iacopin who notwithstanding vsed no other wordes but such as any minister would haue done The last words the King spake were vnto a seruant of his chamber to whom he said serue my sonne well and bid him serue the King faithfully and so vpon the 17. of Nouember 1562. he yeelded vp his soule The 15. of October many parlies were made touching a composition wherin the Queen-mother vsed many hotte and vehement speeches vnto the citizēs that issued foorth saying that shee knewe howe to liue Parley of yeelding that they were come too late to teach her that they ought to content themselues to liue as the King did and that if they would not yeelld by faire meanes they should be compelled by force Shee desired two articles one that they shoulde bee wholely bereaued of the exercise of religion the other that they should receiue the King the Triumuirat and their troupes into their towne But they offered to receiue the King the Queene the Princes of the blood and theyr traine but for the rest they craued to bee remitted Desiring that the edict of Ianuarie might bee continued in force Which was flatlye denyed vnto them The 26. of October an assault was giuen vnto the Towne and in the end by meanes of a mine that wrought at the breach of S. Hilaries gate the towne was taken by force Roan taken by assault where the Kings souldiers beganne to kill and massacre all they met vsing all kinde of monsterous cruelties Montgommerie perceiuing no remedie entered into a Galley and with such as coulde saue themselues therein went to New-Hauen others that sought to do the like without boates were drowned such as fledde out at the gates were spoyled and robbed of all they had and some taken prisoners Diuers Ministers beeing within a strong Tower yeelded themselues vpon promise of safetie but contrary to promise they were kept prisoners yet escaped onely Marolart and president Maudreuille an excellent man that were betrayed by one S. Estene that had promised to saue them and for his paines he should haue had 2000. Crownes The Constable threatned Marolart but he indured it patiently many English and Scottish souldiers were hanged the rest being sicke taken and cast into the riuer of Siene Maudreuille Monsieur de Soquence and Berthonuille Councellors of the Towne with Marolart were condemned to die Maudreuille to loose his head Diuers notable persons executed the rest to be hanged which was presently executed with many opprobrious speeches against Marolart both by the Constable and his sonne They all dyed constantly in the profession of the Gospell The next day 5. Captaines and two others were likewise executed The spoyle and sacking of the Towne continued aboue 4. moneths togither and it is almost incredible to speake what great riches was taken and borne out of the Towne such as came from Parris Amiens Beauuais and other places to buy the spoiles in theyr returnes homewarde were eyther robbed of all they hadde or else neuer prospered in theyr affaires Touching Deepe Deepe those of the religion therein maintained themselues very well exercising many notable exployts against those that sought to molest them So that from the beginning of May vntill October their enemies lost to the number of one thousand or twelue hundreth men This Towne serued for a retrait to great numbers of the religion from diuers places nourished an infinit number of poore people ayded those of Roane with all the meanes they could but the succors they sent to help the town being cut off ouerthrown the Towne of Deep perceiuing it selfe not able to resist in fine by many threatnings promises and other meanes they yeelded the Towne vppon certaine conditions the woorst whereof was that the exercise of religion was taken from them the Marshall de Montmorancy establishing Ricaruille and de Baqueuille with foure hundreth men to commaund therein yet those of the religion lost not courage but made such sute vnto the Queen-mother that feared the Admirall and the siege of Orleans that they obtained licence to assemble in smal companies which they did hauing certain Ministers that escaped from Roane yet there was not one Priest in all the countrie that durst once venture to saye Masse within Deep although the two Captains aforesaid kept good watch yet they were surprised for the twentieth of December Monsieur Ricaruille beeing gone out of the Castle with one of his seruants to see his horses in a stable not farre from it was slaine by Monsieur de Chastiuille and Captaine Gascon who presently ceased vpon the Castle Deep taken from those of the Romish Church and hauing intelligence with those that were in it armed themselues and entered into the Towne where without hurting any man they tooke Baqueuille whom all men had forsaken that done the exercise of the religion was againe publikely permitted and the Gouernment of the Towne giuen to Monsieur de la Curee a Gentleman well affected to the religion There happened diuers exploytes of warre in many places of Normandy because of the Townes but because the most part of them were but surprises and ordinarie stratagems we will not speake of them but onely of that which seemeth woorthiest memorie The seuenth of Iune 1562. Messieurs de Houesuille and de Cequeuille Gilles Michant Phisitian Valongnes Iohn Guifart and Robert de Verdun Counnellours were massacred in Valongues for religion and the houses of such as made profession were filled with souldiers that did what they list therein for the space of eight daies In the Moneth of May Vire before Viere hauing been taken by Montgommery the Images beaten downe and the Reliques borne away the religion reestablished vpon the last of Iuly those of the Romish Church assayled those of the religion as they came out from the sermon whereof they slewe three men whereof one was stoned by the women beeing in the riuer and hurt diuers But about the end of August they were reuenged thereof by meanes of Monsieur de Montgommery that sent them ayde which did much mischiefe to all the countrie round about but not long after againe the Duke d'Estampes tooke the Towne by force and many of them put vnto the sword The Duke d'Estampes hauing gotten Vire Saint Lo. went to Saint Lo where hauing continued siege for the space of fiue or sixe daies in the end hee tooke it the Towne
determined to retire with a soft pace and to set his men in safetie Puch a valiant Knight was of the contrarie opinion saying that when two armies are neare vnto each other the first that retireth giueth aduantage to the other proouing it by that which happened vnto the French army vppon S. Lawrence day Burie and Monluc perceiuing that Duras began to retire made haste to ouertake him and gaue him a charge where in a maner no resistance was made whereby they entred so farre into Duras Campe that they seized vpon the artillery and their carriages and there the soldiers staying greedier of praye then of honour gaue such as had first fled to reassemble and so to passe the water throwing downe their arms to flye the easitier the ouerthrow was of about fiue or sixe hundreth soldiers and 2500. boyes and pages with all the artilerie some of those that were taken prisoners being hanged specially the Ministers who by the aduise of the Church had followed those cōpanies I will recite one particularly Among the prisoners there was a Captain called la Mothe that fell to Captaine Bazourdans lot Who not long after meeting with Monluc hee gaue him diuers stabbes with a dagger and thrust him through with his rapier saying these words Villain thou shalt dye in despight of God Neuerthelesse to prooue Monluc a lyer this poore man being in that sort borne away and healed although he had many deadly wounds woonderfully recouered his health and liued Laumosniere ouerthrown by Duras Duras hauing assembled those that past the riuer and made two retraits being aduertised that Captaine Laumosniere sent by Monsierde Sansac stayed for him at Embornet with fiue hundreth men to make an end of an ouerthrow not being once abashed marched right vnto the place where hearriued about the breake of day and behaued himselfe so well that Laumosniere and all his men onely three that bare the newes to Sansac were slaine in the fielde After this conflict Duras men beganne to leaue him so that hee arriued at Orleans with a very small companie where the peace being once concluded he dyed The 10. of March 1562. Mont de Marsan was taken by certaine of Monlucs forces those of the religion after many outrages Mont de Marsan being constrained to flie into some other place and to leaue both wines and children Not long after sixe of the principall of them being kept prisoners had their heads striken off and three or foure others executed in diuers manners And a Lancier beeing taken after the peace of Villeneufue de Marsan was buried quicke and at Caseras in the moneth of August a young woman named Ieanne de la Gora pursued to bee violated threw her selfe out of a Windowe and dyed thereof The Hystorie of Thoulouse and other places belonging to the Parliament of Languedoc is very long but I wil assay to make a breefe rehearsall thereof Thoulouse as of the rest The Edict of Ianuarie hauing beene published therein things were peaceablye handled vntill the second of Aprill when by an occasion of a Buriall those of the Romishe Church in the Subburbes of Sainct Michael Sainct Steuen and Sainct Saluador in Thoulouse assayled those of the Religion and hurt greate numbers of them Killing foure outright besides diuers more of them that were throwne downe into a well The Parliament fauoured this action but to the contrary the Capitalles sought by all meanes to represse the sedition and layde holde vppon some of the chiefe dealers therein but the tumult still increased and so continued vntill night both within and without the Towne The next day nothing was done but faire words to appease so great an iniurie neuerthelesse the Capitalles pursued the matter so well that foure of the seditious persons were hanged and two whipt But the fyer of deuision began to bee so houe that those of the religion alreadie threatned with that which after ensued seized vpon the Town-house and certain corners of the streetes which mooued the Parliament in such maner that presently they sent for al the gentlemē therabouts to be their aydes calling the commons to gither causing it to bee published throughout the Towne that all men should take weapon in hands to inuade those of the religion who by the intermission of the Capitalles assayed to appease that Tumult Monluc gaue the wheele good passage by writing to the Parliament that the Capital de Lanta new come from the Court lying without the Towne had promised the Prince to cause the Towne to hold for him The thirteenth of May the Presidents and Coūcellors comming forth in their Scarlet gownes caused it to be cryed throughout the Towne and in their presence that all good Catholicques and faithfull seruants to the King should take armes and vse them against those of the religion to take them eyther dead or liuing and to kill and spoyle them of all they haue without all mercie Besides that fiue or six Councellors went crying throughout the Towne that they should not spare to kill and spoyle being lisenced thereunto by the Court with permission both from Pope and the King The coppie of this proclamation was presently sent to all the Borrowes and Villages round about wherewith belles began to be rung in all the steeples of the Towne and presently after in all the Countrey round about for foure or fiue Leagues compasse Thoulonse is one of the greatest and most populos Townes in all France At which time there was within it at the least 25. or thirtie thousand persons of the religion and of diuers qualities ages Horrible Massacre in Thoulouse and then began one of the most horrible massacries that can be remembred The prisons were presently filled and many were knocked on the head at the entry into it because it would hold no more The riuer in short space was couered with dead bodies many were throwne out of windowes into the riuer from whence if they seemed to escape they were presently slaine with swordes and stones Those of the religion that had strengthned them within the Town-house and in certain other places defended themselues with great courage and made diuers sallies and if treason hadde not beene wrought against them by Captaine Saulx they had gotten the Pallace and driuen their enemies out of the Towne but he put them from that whereof presently ensued a totall ruine For the next day beeing the fourteenth those of the religion perceiuing that of force they must die resolued to defend themselues and besides the peeces that they hadde within the Towne-house wherewith they abashed their enemies they issued diuers times out of their fortes to skirmish with the enemie where betweene them much blood was spilt The Citizens fight The same day Bellegarde Lieftenant to the Marshall de Termes entred into the Towne with his companie of Lanciers Those of Terrides and Monluc stayed without to hinder such ayde as might arriue to helpe those of the religion that
held but one gate to whom about Euening was sent a letter into the Towne-house to make an accord where vnto they appeared onely demaunding assurance of their liues and the rest of their goodes with the obseruation of the Edict of Ianuarie which was refused them Whervpon each prepared themselues vpon the next day after to enter into a hotter fight then euer they did And because the cannon in the Towne-house did much hurt vnto the Towne the Councellours and the Court caused more then two hundreth houses to be burnt and in diuers other places many houses were robbed and spoyled and among others the houses of President Bernoy and Councellour Chauuet where two yong maides were rauished in their mothers presence Saturday the sixteenth they had a cruell skirmish and then those of the Romish Church asked a parley and had a truce which truce continuing it was agreed vpon that those of the religion leauing their armor and weapons in the Town house shuld withdraw thēselues with all securitie And according to that agreemēt made with the Captains the Parliament those of the religion hauing receiued the Communion with teares solemne prayers about euening came foorth where against the faith and promise made vnto them they tooke all they could lay hold vppon and committed them prisoners and those that got out at the gate called Villeneufue many of thē escaped were receiued into Montaubon other Towns that held for the religion The souldiers scattered about the fields and the Pesants killed and spoyled many of them The common opinion is that in this mutinie there died within the Towne aboue three thousand fiue hundreth persons as well on the one side as on the other The foure and twentieth of May Burie and Monluc determining to destroy Montauban marched thither with an armie of a thousand horse The first besieging of Montauban and fiue thousād foote wherwith they besieged it haning two fierce skirmishes within the Towne in one of them Captaine Saint Michell slewe three launciers and tooke a goodly horse The next day the artillerie came thither many skirmishes being made wherein Monluc had the woorst and hardly escaped with his life his horse hauing been slaine vnder him the next day the campe dislodged and made away in great haste but for what cause it was not known Monluc hauing lost about sixtie men but hee spoyled all the houses round about it and burnt the corne beeing halfe ripe Not long after Captaine Saint Michael and his brother beeing attainted of treason and robberie were slaine in the house of Marchastell within Montauban The enemies laye in the Garrisons round about it which caused those of the twone to erect certaine companies and a kinde of millitarie Discipline and then to make issues and courses in the countrie which fell out with good successe but not to those of Castres who in one recountre lost betweene foure score and a hundreth Souldiers in a manner all young men borne within the towne The three and twentieth of August Captaine Bazourdan sent by the Parliament of Thoulouse Other accidents in Montauban vsed all the meanes hee could to induce Montauban to fall to some composition and if they would not do it yet that at the least those that said they were their friends and could bring forces would exhort them to make peace The last words vsed by Bazourdon contained a certaine kinde of mockerie touching the confidence that those of Montauban put in the Lord but Constant their Minister tooke him vppe for halting The fift of September those of Negropelisse hauing beene surprised and hardly handled by Captaine Coulumbier and the Bishoppe of Montauban they sought to remedie it but all too late The Bishoppe causing sixe of his best prisoners to bee stoned and beaten to death with staues and their bodies cast into the riuer In a sallie made vppon the eight of the same moneth those of Montauban beeing discouered by a traitor were put to flight hauing lost one of the Ensigne-bearers two Corporalles two Gentlemen and tenne souldiers The same day Marchastel and Duras beeing entered into Montauban desired that they might take the companies and the Artillerie with them hauing lodged their armie within the Towne which constrained the Consuls to graunt to their desires But their arriuall fell out well for the Towne The second siege of Montauban for that within three daies after Burie and Monluc with nine companies of Lanciers great numbers of Gentlemen fiue and twentie companies of footemen foure companies of Argolitiers and three companies of Spaniards each cōpanie of foure hundreth men with fiue cānons three Coluerins and fiue demy Coluerins came to besiege Montauban the second time At their arriuall there happened a fierce and hard skirmish the issue thereof being such that the assaylants left the place which they had taken and withdrew themselues somewhat further with great losse Those of the towne left the Maister of the campe to Monsieur Duras a Sergeant of a band a Corporall sixe souldiers and certaine straungers with diuers hurt The next day beeing the fifteenth of September the skirmish began againe to the dammage of the assaylantes and foure score Spaniards that had set fire in a Mill vpon the riuer of Tar making good cheere in a farmers house were surprised and all put to the sword not one escaping The execution beeing done by fiue and twentie souldiers of the Towne that returned laden with armors and other spoyles in the face of the enemie wherevppon some made foorth to go on the other side of the water to ayde their companions but their boate ouerwhelmed and they were almost all drowned The next day Duras presented battell vnto Monluc which he refused and the next day raised his siege hauing lost about sixe hundreth men and the Towne thirtie The third siege of Montauban with diuers skirmishes sallies escalades and other warlike practises to the losse of both parts continued vntill the fifteenth of Aprill A third siege of Montauban that peace was proclaimed within Montauban and in that third siege the enemie lost as they themselues confessed two thousand souldiers foureteen or fifteen Captaines Lieftenants and Ensigne-bearers and diuers Gentlemen of companies besides a great number of hurt and maimed men that died in diuers places as they retired The Towne lost two Captaines two Ensigne-bearers some Gentlemen of companies and sixtie Souldiers at the most The pollicie in the watches hauing beene notably well obserued vntill the end of the Siege The fifteenth of March Carcassone one thousand fiue hundreth sixtie two those of the religion at Carcassone being gone out of the Towne to a Sermon at their returne found the Gate shut against them and the Cittizens armed that saluted them with Caliners and in that estate they continued vntill the nineteenth of the same moneth that those within the Towne hauing gotten a Leader and hauing mustered their men which they found to bee betweene foure or fiue
thousand they beganne to shoote off their ordinance and to sound vp drumbes in all parts of the Towne wherewith those of the religiō being in smal number were much abashed leauing the subburbs saued themselues as well as they might which those of the towne perceiuing made after them slaying some and hurting others On the other side within the base Towne were slaine Iaques Sabatter his sonne and three or foure others The 91. of May three of the richest houses therein were sacked and spoyled and vpon Whitsunday one of the religion beaten downe in the Subburbes beeing sore wounded they cut off his nose and eares and pulled out his eyes After that fiue prisoners were hanged many put to great ransomes and a Gentleman beheaded Those of Reuel liuing peaceably Reuel vntill the one and twentieth of May hauing receiued newes of the discipation of Thoulouse left their goods and houses to go to Castres and other places The Parliament of Thoulouse seeing that gaue out commission that if they appeared not in Court within three daies after their bodies should bee apprehended and committed to prison and for want of their bodies their goods of the Iudge and of one hundreth and twelue others of the religion to bee ceased vpon One of the number named Martin du Puits a man that was rich peaceable and without reproach or infamie was taken in a farme without the Towne and shortly after hanged his bodie cast vnto the dogs hauing first blacked his face hands and feete causing it to bee reported that he had the diuell within him Others beeing taken and ledde vnto Thoulouse were condemned to the Gallies or else put to great fines or banished Touching those that were absent the Consuls and others tooke their mooueables tooke notes of their immooueables tooke all they could find from the women and yet constrained them to lodge and finde certaine souldiers constrained with blowes to go to heare Masse and their children rebaptised Those of the religion beeing the strongest within Limoux vppon a Sunday beeing the first of March 1562. about euening there happened a sedition Limoux wherein two of the Romish Church were slaine and three more vppon the seuen and twentieth of Aprill after the tumult at that time being raised againe Wherevppon there fell open warre betweene both parts those of the religion beeing strengthed with fiftie souldiers that came from Foix withstood Pomas that came to ayde their aduersaries with tenne companies and eight hundreth Bandoliers most part Spaniards conducted by a notable murtherer called Peyrot Ioupian Presently after the desolation of Thoulouse the Parliament sent thither the Marshall de Mirepoix that besieged and battered the great Towne which was holden by those of the religion with seuenteen peeces of Artillerie but all in vaine Wherevppon hee deuised another meanes and vppon the sixteenth of Iune he entered therein by reason whereof he executed all kind of monsterous cruelties violating women and children most detestably without any description of religion The Minister was slaine two Gentlemen and 60. souldiers taken prisoners were hanged A widdowe of great account hauing redeemed her onely daughters virginitie with a great summe of mony the villaine that had sworne to defend her violated her in presence of her mother and then killed them both Those of the Romish Church were nothing spared for that some of them were likewise slaine The praye that Marshall de Mirepoix had for his share was esteemed to bee at the least aboue a hundreth thousand Crownes And the furie continued in such sort within that poore Towne that after the publication of the peace at one time fourteene of the religion comming thither were all slaine and one of Monsieur de Ioyeuses seruants hauing beene found to followe one of the iudges that was not well thought on was stabbed and rifled in the open streetes The fifteenth of March 1592. both the parties within Beziers were readie to come to handie-blowes Beziers and not long after the newes of the massacre of Vassy being published those of the religion prouided for their safeties and hauing brought certaine souldiers into their houses in the beginning of May the Images were throwne downe in all their Churches Monsieur de Ioyeuse allied to the Constable vsed all the meanes hee could to suppresse those of the religion but Monsieur de Baudine appoynted commaunder ouer the troupes of the religion in Languedoc while the warres continued interrupted him and withall ceased vppon Magalas a very strong place which much annoyed the Towne forced Espignan and there put most part of two companies of Bandoliers to the sword Ioyeuse followed by fiue thousand men foure Cannons two Coluerins two demy coluerins and foure field peeces went to besiege the Castle of Lignan neare to Reziers wherein were but twelue souldiers with munition onely for two daies Baudine gaue Ioyeuse so much to doo that they in the meane time saued themselues which done he went to Lezignan that held against the cannon shotte but at the second assault it was taken and hauing by composition taken two companies of souldiers that kept Montagnac with promise to saue their liues falsifying his promise hee put foure of the principall of them to the sword From thence he marched to Pezenas where Baudine met him and had ouerthrowne him if it had not beene for the treason of the Maister of his campe who set things in such bad order that Baudines troupes were thēselues in daunger to bee put to the sword and there hee lost one hundreth or an hundreth and twentie souldiers This Marshall not long after dying in Montpeslier confessed to haue receiued fiue hundreth Crownes of Monsieur de Ioyeuse before the encounter with promise of twise as much more This losse and the separation of the troupes being much more produced a parley wherin Ioyeuse made so many goodly offers that they suffered him to enter into Pezenas but beeing entered hee shewed them what hee ment killing certaine hurt souldiers and Inhabitants that could not serue in the warres His crueltie caused him to loose Beziers where when he thought to enter he found a face of wood and those of Beziers readie in field that forced and burnt Lignan hauing ouerthrowne two companies that kept it The warre beeing wholly turned against Montpeslier those of Beziers fayled to be surprised by night vppon the sixteenth of October their enemies hauing secretly gotten close vnder the walles But it chanced that a Drummer of the Town being drunke about two of the clock at night suddainly rose vp and thinking it had beene day beganne to sound the Diana or morning watch which caused the enemie to flie whose lathers in the morning were found in the ditches Wherevppon seuen or eight traitors were apprehended and being found guiltie were executed for the fact And within eight daies after the enemie came by day close to the Barriers but to their losse the principall of their troupe beeing hurt where of he died The second of
poore Nayle-maker of the age of eightie yeares because hee would not giue himselfe vnto the Diuell was drawne about his shoppe by the eares and after beeing layde vppon his anuile they beate his head in peeces with his Hammer And fire beeing set in one of the Gates burnt two and twentie houses Monsieur d'Achon made also the like spoyle among the Villages and about the latter end of December Monsieur de Saint Martin Lieftenant to Crussol in Viuarets beeing come to Nonnay repaired the walles and made it defenceable leauing certaine Garrisons therein vnder the Captains Prost le Mas and Montgros that were besieged vppon the tenth of Ianuary 1563. by 4000. men commaunded by Saint Chaumont who not beeing very nimble at forcing of places tooke another course presenting composition for the assurance both of the strangers and the Towne This composition accepted Achon would beginne with the straungers that withdrewe themselues and put them to the sword but beeing valiantly repulsed by Montgros hee went to discharge his chollor about the Towne robbing and killing all that hee met not sparing sects nor age And notwithstanding the promises giuen and sworne The second taking about euening Saint Chaumont let the footemen enter into the Towne to whom for their watch-word was giuen the double word of Gods death wherewith all crueltie whatsoeuer could bee deuised was then vsed Three of the chiefe of the Towne were cast downe headlong out of a Tower in the presence by the commaundement of Saint Chaumont diuers others were throwne downe to make sport among the which were two young laborours who not beeing able to furnish two Testons which the Souldiers asked of them made that deadly leape Some were burnt within their houses throwne out of the windowes others killed vppon the ground stabbed in the streetes The prisoners set to sale and if they found not any to buy them they murthered them in the place the houses burnt to ashes if none were found that would paye mony for them whereof they burnt sixe score women maids were must shamefully handled Extreame desolation a poore young woman being found hidden with her husband within a house was rauished in his presence and then compelled to holde the Rapier in her hand wherewith one of them thrusting her arme she killed her husband Whatsoeuer the souldiers could not beare away was broken and spoyled in such sort that many sellers ran full of wine let out of the vesselles the pipes being pearsed with Pistoll shotte Saint Chaumont caused the greatest part of the walles to be broken beating downe the Towers and tooke away the Gates which done went to the like to Bonlieu a small Towne about halfe a myle from Nonnay But in despight of all these furies the rest of the Inhabitants of Nonnay assembled togither and had their Minister and in Anno. 1564. the exercise of the religion which continued therein vntill the yeare of our Lord one thousand fiue hundreth ninetie foure when wee beganne to write this Historie the Towne being restored and people increased by the most singular and speciall fauour of God In the Counte de Foix Mousieur de Pailles commanded as Seneschall for the King of Nauarre who ruled his actions as the winde blew The Counts de Foix. and fedde those of the religion with faire words vntill such time as hauing receiued newes of the desolation of Thoulouse hee vsed subtill meanes to cause those of the religion to issue out of Foix whom hee feared his pretence was that they beeing known to haue broken downe the Images hee should bee constrained to cast them in prison which hee desired not to doo and as the wolfe hauing sent away the dogges entereth into the folde and deuoureth the sheepe so Pailles hauing made such as had both eyes and hands to go out of Foix entered presently into the Towne committed such as pleased him to prison and gaue such analarme to the rest that hee made them glad to inuent the meanes to flie Of those whom hee held prisoners two had their armes and legges cut off and then beheaded two others burnt and sixe hanged presently after two and twentie others were likewise executed and tenne condemned to the Gallies The goods of such as went out of the Towne were exposed and giuen for a pray vnto the souldiers these extreame rigors put all the other Townes within the Countie in such feare that they did whatsoeuer Pailles would command except Pamiers Pamiers a Towne wherein were great numbers of the religion who perceiuing themselues to bee exposed to the furie of the Pesants that were in armes determined not to depart from thence And while they expected some outcries and violences the plague happened in the Towne which freed them from their enimies the crueltie of death hauing surmounted the auarice of the most mutinous Touching those of the Romish Church within the Towne the richest and such as had most meanes and greatest forces to hurt them fledde out of it and the meaner sort was so much diminished by the plague that in short space there died three thousand in which number there was not aboue fistie of the religion and which is more other that had beene persecuted in diuers places came thither in such sort that they became Maisters of the Towne hauing death for a rampart to their liues for that the Queen of Nauarre to whom Pamiers belonged was much troubled to looke vnto her selfe in her chiefe countrie of Bearn But they did so well that after the ouerthrow of Duras they sent sixtie souldiers vnder the conduct of Captaine Honorat to ayde those of Castres about 2. daies iourney from thence Honorat marched in safetie vntil he came within three leagues of Castres and beeing pursued and hardly charged hauing lost tenne or twelue of his men in fight hee tooke a house standing in the fields where hee held himselfe from eight of the clocke in the morning till three in the afternoone that ayde came vnto them from Castres whither one of the companie ranne in all haste to certifie them Hauing behaued themselues valiantly within Castres about sixe weeks after they returned to Pamiers which Pailles beganne to threaten and brought a companie with them from Castres to strengthen the Towne which was about the eight of December and hauing trauersed many daungers in the end they got into the Towne All the moneth of Ianuarie passed ouer in deuising of meanes to surprise and intrappe them where the end bredde mortall warre Wherein Honorat accompanied by two valiant Gentlemen surnamed les Lombats and eight and thirtie others made an enterprise vppon Tarascon in Foix. Tarascon in Foix. The Viscount de Seres and his brother with three hundreth men set vppon them constraining them to take the Mountaines wherein they that followed them where themselues intrapped in such manner that not onely the Vicount and his brother were slaine but the most part of their men the rest beeing scattered in
such sort that Honorat returned quietly to Pamiers leauing the Lombats in their ordinarie place called les Cabanes where not long after because they had forsaken the traine companie of Bandoliers yeelding themselues vnto the religion by the means and instruction of two maides rauished by them at the sacking of Montsegur and after married vnto them they were cruelly pursued by those of the Romish Church and in the end saued themselues in Castres The Priestes of Pamiers for their parts vsed all the meanes they could to ouerthrowe and spoyle those of the religion diuers enterprises beeing made whereof the principall being discouered by interception of letters the mischiefe sell vppon the inuentors for the souldiers entring into the Cellers of foure Fryers that shoulde haue lette in Pailles and others dispatched as it is very likely whatsoeuer they founde therein for after that time they were neuer seene nor heard of any more This report put the Priests and Chanons in such feare that they fledde to the Towne of Foix their houses as also the Bishops Pallace beeing sacked and spoyled whatsoeuer the Ministers and the Gouernour could saye or doo Wherevppon the newes of peace ensued and in the beginning of Maye there fell so cruell a hayle that came three times euery eight dayes and beare the Countrey in such sort specially about Foix that there could neyther fruite nor green hearb be seen in all the Countrey no more then in the middle of winter The Chanons of Pamiers to whome the common people imputed the cause of that hayle were constrained to shun the Commons to goe out of Foix and to remaine at Maugansy where we will leaue them to come to Lyonois About the thirtieth of April Monsieur de Tauanes came out of Burgongne Lyonnis and stayed within three miles of Lyons making account to assayle the towne but it fell out otherwise although as then hee hadde aboue fiue thousand men besides three thousand Italians conducted by the Counte de Anguesole and paide by the Pope Those Italians beeing the greatest Brigands then liuing brought with them diuers Goates and vsed the carnall companie of brute Beasts which was the cause that in euery place where they came men detested their abhomination All the Goates being killed and cast vnto the dogges Lyons besieged by the Country Pesants for the space of a moneth while Monsieur de Tauanes had that great company togither he had many braue skirmishes about Lyons whereby the inhabitants durst not sette their vines but in Gardens bordering vppon the Towne But because Tauanes pleased not the Triumuirat they sent the Duke de Nemours for Generall of the Armie with a great number of horses and the Rutters of the Counte Rockendolfe Tauanes not knowing how to discharge himselfe of the displeasure he had procured by his affaires about Lyons was exceeding glad of the arriuall of the Duke de Nemours and therevppon vnder a fained discontentment presently withdrewe himselfe into his gouernment of Burgongne Nemours with all his forces went into Vienne which hee hadde by intelligence and while hee soiournied there victualles beganne to bee scarce with them of Lyons Wherevppon Soubize called Des Adrets and the Prouinceaux that thereby hee might bee strong inough to keepe the fielde But because the hope hee expected else-where failed him hee sent Des Adrets to fetch more ayde out of Dauphine Which hauing done and bringing his troupe beeing of foure or fiue thousand foote and foure hundreth horse was sette vppon by the Army of Nemours hard by Beaurepaire and put to flight but yet with small losse which was done vppon thee nineteenth daye of October whereby his troupes reassembling thither mette altogither and not yet beeing pursued by the Duke de Nemours hee at that time slipt an occasion of some greate importance Des Adrets incamped himselfe within two myles of Vienne and for the space of three weekes that hee lay there hee entertained the Duke de Nemours with skirmishes meane time Soubize got victualles from diuers places About that time it chaunced that a souldier bringing a packet from Orleans vnto Soubize deliuered it into the handes of the Marshall de Brissac who therein hauing found a letter from the Admirall where among other thinges hee said that touching Adrets as much as hee might he must indure the light toyes of his braine and entertaine him least of an insolent person they should make him to become madde and without sence wherevppon in all haste hee sent Saint Sernin a Gentleman of Dauphine vnto the Duke de Nemours and des Adrets to practise somewhat between them By what meanes Adrets left the partie of the religion which at the first was secretly handled but Soubize going to the campe the next day after that S. Seruin had spoken to Adrets presently perceiued some alteration which in time he prouided for and from that time setting some to watch Adrets they presently discouered his intent who by messengers hauing cōmunicated with the duke de Nemours and then speaking with him personally brake vp his armie Nemours who alreadie made account to possesse Lyons Dauphinois went nearer vnto the town and by skirmishes sought to impeach the Towne of victuals vpon the mountaine of Tarare hee ouerthrewe 80. horse that came from Orleans to Lyons and on the other side stretched foorth his armes to gripe Romans and Valence But because it was requisite to beare all his bodie thither thinking to come time ynough to intrappe Lyons seeking to gripe ouermuch in one hand he lost that hold hee had For marching straight to Vienne with all his armie Soubize that slept not presently made so many men to issue out to fetch corne from Dombes that hee recouered great store Those that Nemours had left for guard forsooke keyes places and barnes except fortie that kept the Castle of Treuoux who thinking to saue the honour of their companions by keeping a tower nor being able to defend themselues neither yet yeeld it vppe their obstinacie was punished by a traine of powder that made them all leape higher then ordinarily they vsed to do and to burie their carkasses within the olde ruines of that broken Tower On the other side Soubize caused Adrets to bee taken and by that meanes the affaires and pretences of Nemoures touching Dauphine conuerted into smoke But thinking to bee more fortunate by Atturneys then in person he sent to the Bishoppe du Puy Escaladoes presented but in vaine to take Lyons and to Saint Chaumont saying that seeing Lyons wanted souldiers their men of warre beeing turned to bee marchants of corne they should assay to enter by scalado into the towne But Soubize that spared not mony to entertaine spies in euery place beeing well aduertised thereof tooke such order therein that Saint Chaumont in steed of approaching was forced to retire Nemours determined to supply their default and at two seuerall times with all his forces vppon hope that his participants within Lyons would assist
him hee presented the Escalado in diuers places but hee was but badly serued by his men both within and without the Towne and hardly repulsed by Soubize that gaue him occasion to seeke other meanes to get Lyons He holpe himselfe with the newes of the battel of Dreux and about the end of December caused the King and Queene to write vnto Soubize to desire him to yeelde the Towne of Lyons to the Duke de Nemours While Soubize made answere therevnto one named Marc Herlin one of the Kings receiuers within Lyons hauing for a time entertained certaine souldiers in the ende vsed to ride out well armed and horsed and to skirmish with the enemie In the moneth of Februarie 1563. hauing beene taken in a skirmish thought vppon a deuise both to saue his life as also to deceiue the Duke de Nemours desiring Lignerolles whom hee knewe to get him licence to speake with the Duke A deuice wrought against the Duke de Nemours to whome hee was to vtter some matters of great importance Men that are desirous of newes doo in a manner beleeue whatsoeuer is told vnto them which in any sort may bee any shewe of the effecting of theyr purpose and so it chaunced vnto Nemours who by the discourse that Herlin made beleeued that Lyons should bee taken and surprised at Sainct Iusts Gate which Herlin promised to keepe open for him Wherevpon Herlin was sette at libertie as if he had escaped away and beeing in Lyons hauing discouered all that had past betweene him and the Duke de Nemours vnto Soubize hee hadde more recourse vnto Nemours with whom the day of execution was appointed to bee vpon the 7. of March 1563. about eight of the Clocke in the morning Three thousand footemen according to the signe giuen vnto them entered without impeachment into the Subburbes of Saint Iust which they found not strange because they were well aduertised that no watch was holden in those Subburbes beeing entered and marching towardes the Gate Herlin that ranne before them and was their guide hauing entred at the wicket presently shut it against them and presently therevppon all the great Ordinance was discharged vppon them besides two or three hundreth Muskettes which in the night time hadde beene brought into the Bulwarkes and placed along vpon the walles with three or foure thousand Harquebusiers discharging all togither vppon that fearefull troupe and the more to spoyle them they sent sixe hundreth Caliuers of the best shotte out of the Towne ledde by Blacons Poyet Andefroy and Entrages that made an ende of dispersing of all them There you might haue seene a meruailous spoile and all kindes of death some being slain others smothered and beaten down the rest throwing themselues off from the walles or else intrapped in the snares so that if the horsemen conducted by Poncenat had made haste to issue at the Gate assigned vnto them and had marched thither not one of all those three thousand had hardly escaped But howsoeuer it fell out there lay foure hundreth of them dead within the Subburbes besides those that dyed without the hurt men beeing in greater number which dyed as they stedde away eyther to the Campe or to Vienne or else were borne away in Waggons Nemours was not onely auditor but an eye witnesse of this Tragedie whereby he conceiued such displeasure that he thought he should haue dyed with greefe whereby he stirred not out of his bed in two moneths after Meane time peace was concluded by the which those of the religion had the exercise of the religion within the towne wherein they made two Churches the armie being within and about it retiring Now let vs consider the estate of Dauphine about the beginning of the moneth of March 1562. the Parliament of Grenoble began to weakē the Edict of Ianuarie as much as it might Dauphine And not long after Des Adrets before being Colonel of the troupes of Dauphine Prouence and Languedoc beeing by the gentlemen and notablest Personages assembled in Valence established chiefe commander in Dauphine with prouision till they shoulde receiue some further and more certaine commaundement from the Prince Des Adrets made head commander in Dauphine Presently newes came that the Images were brokē down in many prouinces of France which was the cause that they could not be warrented within Dauphine Des Adrets aduertised those of the religion in Grenoble and by letters full of authoritie cōmanded the Parliament to driue certaine seditious persons out of the Town which he named vnto them and among other the second President the Attourney Generall the Aduocate of the Towne and the fourth Consull whome he threatned with death they neither stayed commandement nor executioner but presently retired only to execute an enterprise which they had vndertaken thereby to make themselues maisters of the town vpō the next night ensuing neuerthelesse their intent beeing discouered they saued themselues in good earnest Which knowne vpon the first of Maye those of the religion seized vpon the Gates of Grenoble and by consent of the Deputies of the Parliament of the Chamber of accounts and of the Councell for the towne entred into the Fryers Church which they cleansed of all her Images and Alters therein to vse the exercise of religion not dooing any other hurt vnto the Fryers After that by common consent they prouided for the safetie of the towne wherein Des Adrets sent a company of footemen led by Captaine Commung and after came thither with other troupes both horse and foote thereby to resist Monsier de Maugiron that termed himselfe Lief-tenant Generall in Dauphine Against whom he published a decree to seize vpon his body terming him a seditious person and one that violated the Kings Edicts All those Souldiers assembled within Grenoble first made warre against the Images and then entred into the fielde and tooke the Castles of la Bussiere and de Mirebel Des Adrets hauing made a course to Lyons vpon the fourth of Iune returned to Grenoble where he seized vpon the reliques causing an inuentory thereof to be made al being waied and valued amounted to 260. Marks of Siluer which was sent to Valence and the next day the great Charterhouse lying three miles distant within the Mountaines in a huge and very strong place was taken and burnt Massacre at Auranges Meane time those of Aurange were Massacred in this manner after the Massacrie at Vassie Those of the religion perceiuing Fabrice Serbellonne the Popes kinsman to lye with his forces within Auignon beeing but a small halfe dayes iourney from thence seized vppon the Towne On the other side in the ende of May the troupes of Prouence ioyned themselues with those of Fabrice at Cauaillon staying the commoditie to enter into Auranges where they had intelligence which those of Aurange sought to preuent strengthening themselues with sixe hundreth souldiers Thervpon it chaunced that the President Parpaille comming by Boate with prouision of Armes which hee hadde brought
minded and not passionate to inquire of the fact But in stead of keeping promise at the same time an edict was made forbidding the exercise of the religion in the kings Court An edict derogating that of pacification and that in the Townes wherein by the edict it was permitted the Ministers should not preach as long as the kings should remaine therein all eadging for reason that his presence might not indure the exercise of any other religion then that which he vsed who as then was taught to rule and Court Ladies hauing Maisters appoynted for the purpose the Court as then beginning to bee an example of all dissolution They likewise draue al ministers out of the realm that were not natural Frēchmen The king being gone from Lyons went to Roussillon wher he staying for a time was visited by the duke d'Sauoy Ther they erected another dismēbring of the edict of peace Another derogatiue edict forbidding all iustices to vse the exercise of religion in their houses freses or Castles other then in those that are appoynted in the edict That the Ministers which should haue exercised their charges in places not comprehended in the edict for the first time should bee banished out of the realme and beeing found therein againe to bee corporally punished That Priestes Monkes Friers and Nunnes that are married should bee constrained to leaue their wiues and husbands and to returne againe into their Monasteries and Couents or else to go out of the realme That it should not bee lawfull for those of the religion to hold Sinodes accusing them vnder that pretence to haue made conspiracies and raised the greatest part of the realme This edict abated somewhat of the edict of pacification From Dauphine the king went into Prouence and Marcèllis and in the beginning of winter hee entered into Languedoc and being in Montpeslier about the end of December prolonged the redeeming of the spirituall goods for the space of sixe moneths more This winter was extreame colde through all the realme of France The Cardinall of Lorraine pretending to enter armed into Parries is repulsed by the Marshall de Mont morency At that time the Cardinall of Lorraine newly returned from the Councell of Trent hauing stayed a certain time in Champagne rid to Parris with his guard openly bearing armes contrary to the expresse commaundement of the king beeing accompanied by Henry Duke of Guise his Nephewe as then but a child but yet inuested with the estate of Great-maister of France His brother the Duke d'Aumale lay not farre from Parris with a troupe of men The Marshall de Montmorency Gouernour of the Isle of France beeing a wise Gentleman and a friend to peace hauing discouered that diuers mutinous companions attended the Cardinalles arriuall in that manner to commit violence against those of the religion that daily increased and foreseeing that so bolde an attempt openly to ride in armes would breed some horrible tempest if it were not preuented sent word to the Cardinall that hee should not presume to enter into Parris with such a traine nor in that manner And because he made no account of the kings Lieftenants commandement the Marshall sent him word that hee forbadde him to enter into his gouernment with armed troupes which if hee did hee would vse his authoritie But the Cardinall not letting for that about the beginning of Ianuarie assayed to enter armed into Parris but hee found the Gouernour and Soueraigne Magistrate with thirtie or fortie men readie to resist him all men of account as Lords and Gentlemen and the Prince of Portian But in stead of beating down the Cardinall and his men hee contented himselfe to put them in feare The Cardinall his Nephewe and diuers of their followers saued themselues in the first shoppes and houses they could get into Their men of war shunning the danger with all the speede they could but not once pursued This chance made the Cardinal wholly confused and hauing stayed for a time within the Towne hee returned into Champagne staying the Kings returne from Bayonne The Duke d'Aumale his brother made more shewe and for the space of certaine weekes no other report ranne abroad within Parris and all the Isle of France but onely of leagues and associations made to bee reuenged vppon the Marshall de Montmorency who being assisted by the Admirall and other Lords held the Parisians in peace and caused his action to bee approoued both in the Parliament and by the kings Councell But this blowe renued the despight of the house of Guise against those of Montmorency and Chastillon and because the assemblies made by the Duke d'Aumale and the league hee made with the Duke d'Estampes Martignes Chauigny and the Bishoppe of Mans had constrained the Marshall the Admirall to assemble certain Gentlemen to withstand those pretended leaguers The Queen fearing least that beginning wold breed some mischiefe that might breake the voyage of Bayonne and other expedients which shee esteemed to bee most fit and necessarie for the effecting of this Councell presently dispatched letters pattrents whereby the king commauned those that as yet were not entered into Parris to approach no nearer and such as were therein to depart from thence referring the ending of this quarrell vntill his returne out of Gascoigne The Cardinall offended that no better remedie was taken in his behalfe touching that disgrace beganne another enterprise making warre against Salcede Bailiffe de Vic The Cardiwalles warre and Gouernour for the king in Marsault that had ceased certaine places appertaining to the Cardinall alleadging hee had reason to doo it because the Cardinall had put himselfe into the safegard and protection of the Emperour and had caused it to bee published without the commandement and licence of the king his Soueraigne But Salcede beeing ouerweake for so puissant an enemie fauoured by the Queene in the end was constrained to leaue both Vic and Marsault The ninth of Iune Henry duke of Orleans brother to the king departed from Bayonne The comming of the Queen of Spaine to Bayonne where not long before the Court arriued and went to lodge at Saint Iohn de Lus from whence the next day after he road to Iron the first place in the frontiers of Spaine scituate vpon the riuer of Marquery which diuided the lands of the Kings of France and Spaine And hauing past that riuer he went to meete with his sister the Queene of Spaine beyond Aruany where after the ceremonies and salutations ordinatily vsed at such meetings they tooke their way to S. Sebastians wher the Duke of Alue stayed Not long after the king went forth to meet his sister accompanied by diuers Princes Noblemen conducting her vnto Bayonne where she stayed along time The Duke d'Alua with many of the Couucell of Spaine had diuers secret conferences with the Councell of France There resolution beeing as Monsieur de Noue saith in his discourse Councels holden in Bayonne betweene the Spantards the
of Cleremont died who by his will bequeathed them great gifts those legacies by them recouered happened the first troubles at the beginning whereof the conference of the French Church was holden in Possy From that time they began to breake their long silence and againe presented a request to the Court of Parltament to be receiued and approoued if not in sorme of religion yet as a simple Colledge Their aduancement The Parliament made account that this request touched the superiors of the Church wherevpnon they referred it to the assembly at Possy where the Cardinall of Turnon was President as the eldest Prelate who had founded a company of their name within the town of Turnon by his means they obtained licence to be receiued in forme of a societie a Colledge What they obtained at the first with charge to vse some other name and title then that of Iesuites and to conforme thēselues wholly to the canonicall order without enterprising any thing either spirituall or temporal against their Ordinaries and that likewise they shuld expresly renounce those priuiledges that had bin granted them by their buls otherwise for not performance therof or that thereafter they obtain any others this approbation should be voyde and of none effect This decree was set downe word for word in the registers of the Court Not long after they bought a house within Parris in S. Ieames street called the house of Langres which they diuided in two habitations the one for the religious the other for Schollers In this cōpany were diuers learned persons among the rest Fryer Edmond Anger Maldonnat the first a great Preacher the second one that had bin instructed in all kinds of learning and languages Their supports a great Diuine and Philosopher They being sent to anounce their doctrine were wel accepted and by that means drew great numbers of Schollers vnto them and perceiuing the wind to blow with them they presented a request to the Rector of Parris to be vnited and incorporated into the vniuersitie whervpon a Congregation was assembled at the Mathurins where it was concluded Who stroue against them that they should certifie before they passed forward whether they bare the name qualitie of regulers or seculers which reduced them to great perplexitie For that to denie themselues to be regulers was as much as to falcifie their vow and to affirme it Their deniall would be a contradiction to that which had bin inioyned them at Possy whervpon for that they tooke no precise quallitie vpon them the Vniuersitie denied them their request yet for all that they yeelded not but had recourse vnto the Parliament to the end that by force they might constraine the Vniuersitie to grant that which otherwise they would not once consent vnto And it was agreed that the parties shuld plead vpon the first day of the opening of the Court These are the words of M. Stephen Pasquier adding thervnto The vniuersitie vouchsafed me the honor The Vniuersitie pleaded against them to chuse me for their Aduocate The cause was pleaded two forenoones with such contentiō as the greatnesse of the cause required M. Peter Versoris pleading for the Iesuites and I for the Vniuersitie Lowing the plea made by M. Pasquier I will set downe some chiefe and notable poynts The Iesuites cause saith he is ful of dissimulatiō hypocrisie their sect is hereafter to be but a semenarie of partiallities between the christian the Iesuite the purpose and intent tendeth only to desolation and surprising of the estate both polliticque and Ecclesiasticall They bear the name of Iesus but with a false title I am of opinion that there is not any faithful christian or good and loyal Frenchman but that wil find the reasons and conclusions of the vniuersitie to be both iust and good which is Certain allegations to be noted in the declaration of the vniuersitie that not only this new world which by a title partiall arrogant and ambitious affirmeth it selfe onely to bee of the societie of Iesus ought not to bee adopted nor incorporated into the body of our Vniuersitie but that it ought wholly to bee bannished tooted out and exterminated out of France These new bretheren vnder a beautifull title exterior shew wold enter make a breach into our peace quiet estate Ignace a maimed souldier not for the zeale and deuotion that hee bare to any new austeritie of life but perceiuing himselfe to be impotent and vnable anylonger to beare armes entered into familiaritie with certaine persons and among others with one M. Pasquier Brouet borne in Dreux a man certain exterior quallities excepted that had no learning either in humane or diuine laws These two with some others for a time kept themselues in Venice a town by certain Italian authors well knowne and acknowledged to be the receptacle of diuers and peruerse things There for a time they vsed a certain hypocriticall austeritie of life perceiuing that their superstitiō begā to be followed they were so bold as to transport themselues to Rome wher they began to publish their sect And althogh the greatest part of them were neither seen in tongues nor diuinitie yet they began openly to promise two things The one to preach the gospel to the Infidels so to cōuert them to the faith the other to teach doctrine vnto al christians without any reward For that cause taking vpō them the name of religious people as if al those that cleaued not to their sect were separated from their societie Epithetes of the Iesuites In the same plea they are quallified with the titles of Subtile Authors of a superstitious sect vnhappy weed A sect condemned by the facultie of diuinitie as being replenished with all superstition and damnable ambition inuented and admitted for the desolation of all estates either seculer or reguler men in state to grow great by other mens falles aduanced by the ambitious vnwoorthie practises of the Cardinall of Turnon their supporter impudent irreguler disobedient hypocrites ignorant Teachers and wanderers deceiuers pardoners new men patched togither of many peeces full of ambitious superstitio Then doth he proceed to lay opē their stratagems whereby they haue deuised in short time to incroach infinite wealth yea euen whole kingdomes countries Their practises to grow great that their pretended societie consisteth of two manner of people whereof the first terme themselues to be of the greater obseruance the other of the lesse The first besides the three ordinarie vowes of the Monkes doo also make a fourth and that is that they doo acknowledge him to bee Soueraigne in earth ouer all thinges without exception or reseruation in whatsoeuer it shall please him to commaund The others of lesser obseruance are bound onely to two vowes the one respecting their fidelitie that they promise to the Pope the other their obedience to their superior These latter sorts do not vow pouertie but may lawfully
enioy benefices without dispensation succeed their Parents and purchase lands and possessions as if they were seculer persons This is the course whereby they haue at chieued such wealth riches in this new order for al that falleth to these lesser obseruantiues by succession purchase chace or any other practise is incorporate into the whole bodie of Iesuites without repetition or reuocation for euen they to whom it falleth haue vowed obedience We are moreouer to note another especiall vow of these men which importeth that they shall in all cases in all places obey their Generall superior who alwaies is a Spaniard chosen by the K. of Spaine as hitherto it hath alwaies fallen out for among other the wordes of this vow they haue these that setting their eie vpō their Geneneral they are to acknowledge in him the person of Iesus Christ as present From these vows distinctions haue proceeded terrible enterprises year euen most heynous attempts against the liues and persons of Princes kings and Queens as the Histories of the low Countries England and Rome do plainly testifie wherof also we wil speak somewhat toward the end of the raigne of Hemy the third As touching the disorders happened in the two orders by thē deuised which are termed the one the great obseruants the other the Iesse Two decrees in the Iesuits sext in fauor whereof they may subdue all the world to the king of Spaine their Soueraigne Maister Pasquier discoueret it at large and time hath veresied it adding these words Seeing it is so said he that in their lesse obseruance there is neither vowe of virginitie nor prouerbe and therinto they receiue all kinds of people indifferently both Priests and Lay-men married vnmaired are not bound to be resident with the great obseruants but permitted to dwell among the commō people only that at certain fixed daies they assembled at their cōmon-house to be participants with their outward cerimonies so that according to this lawe and rule it is not impertinent to see a whole towne to be Iesuites The communication which they haue togither by means of confessions serueth to find out their booties to discouer the secrets both of great and small and because they are particularly affected to the king of Spaine their chiefe founder for whom also they make particular expresse and ordinary prayers it is not to be wondred at if since that time these new brethren both in France and elsewhere haue sought and trauelled so much to make him Monarch of all the world Besides this Maister Pasquier addeth that the Iesuites alluring vs with faire promises are ordained to gripe lay hold vpō our goods and to fil thēselues with our spoiles that they are Sophisters the are entred like fearfull foxes in the middle of vs therin by proces of time to raigne like Lyons that as the auncient Orators and teachers of the people by a kind of pleasing speech by litle litle got credite in Rome so by litle litle they ouerthrew the estate as all Pollititians iudged we must attend expect no lesse of the Iesuites if in the beginning both their race and roote be not extirped The aduise and decree of the Sorbonnists against the Iesuites In the same plea he doth also insert the aduice and decree of the facultie of diuinitie of Parris in the Colledge of Sorbonne of the yeare 1554. importing as followeth This new societie after a new waner attributing to it self only an vnaccustomed title of the name of Iesus so licentiously admitting all people howsoeuer criminall illegitimate or infamous vsing likewise no difference from secular Priests in their outward habit in their tousure in saying their canonical hours either priuately or singing the same publikely in the temples in Cloyster or in silence in choise of meat daies in fasts or in other the seuerall laws ceremonies that do distinguish preserue the estates of religions hauing attained so many diuers priuiledges intelligences liberties especially in regard of Masses confessions without distinction of place or persons likewise in the question of preaching reading or teaching to the great preiudice of ordinaries Curats all other orders of Monks and Fryers yea euen of Princes temporal Lords contrary to the priuiledges of the Vniuersities and to the great oppression of the people do seem to pollute the honestie of monasticall religion to weaken the studious deuoute and necessary exercise of vertue abstinence cerimonies and austeritie yea euen to minister occasion freely to shrink from al other religions to substract and draw away all obediēce subiection due to ordinaries doth wrongfully depriue both temporal Ecclesiasticall Lords of their rights breedeth troubles in al estates eyther pollicke or religious and many quarrels among the commons as suites strife discention enuie rebelliō sundrie schismes Al these considerations with many others diligently wayed and examined this societie seemeth dangerous to the estate of religion a disturbance to the peace and vnitie of the Church and subuerter of all mockerie and an inuention tending rather to destruction then edification Now let vs see what followeth A bitter censure against the Iejuiticall sect There neuer was faith M. Pasquier who protesteth himselfe to be of the Romish church in the faith wherof he voweth to liue die inuented so partial ambitious a sect neither any whose propositions imported more pernicious consequence then the Iesuites In her principles she is a schismatick cōsequently an hereticke Then doth he compare Ignace with Luther so cōcludeth that Ignace is more to be feared them the other for saith he mens consciences may easily be surprised made drunken with the poyson of the Ignatians and Iesuites in that they account them to be the principall protectors of the Romish religion against all hereticques whereof neuerthelesse they are the chiefe subuerters Vnder pretence of supporting the church of God they do subuert it wil at length vtterly ouerthrow it Soone after proceeding in his speech to the whole Court he saith I hope plainly to let you vnderstād that this sect in all their propositions worketh nothing but diuision between the christian and the Iesuit between the Pope the Ordinaries between all other Monks thēselues that so long as they be tollerated no Prince or Potentate can assure his estate against their attempts This sect was founded vpon the ignorance of Ignace euer since maintained and vpholden by the pride arrogancie of his secretaries After that he reproacheth thē terming thēselues Iesuits do degrade the ancient christians and blaspheme against God Further that in Portingal the Indes they term thēselues Apostles saith that as certain sectuaries in An. 1562. surnamed Iesuits others such proud persons were ouerwhelmed by the iust iudgement of God so we are to expect no other thing at the hāds of this mean sext of Iesuits what shew soeuer it maketh that these Ignaciās
some rumours whereby the Duke de Montpensier and Martigues may bee aduertised of our departure in manner of a flight euery man seeking to saue one for this will easilie bee beleeued In the mean time let vs prepare and encourage our men to the field so that if they drawe after vs as vndoubtedly they will in hope rather of spoyle then of battell we may valiantly encounter them so shal we giue them such an ouerthrow that wee shall not need to feare any troupe that may dare to meete vs for one months space but that we may at ease either passe the riuers or get into Germanie Martiques by this passage purchased great honour but d'Andelot more commoditie by his by bringing himself all his troupes into safetie wherby within eight daies hee ioyned with the Prince Then was there sundrie consultations about their affaires how to imploye both men and the time whilest they leuyed a mightie armie for the duke of Aniou and that the duke of Montpersier assembled diuers troupes in Anion and the countries thereabout to go to it in earnest The Prince bringing some cannons out of Rochel set vpon such townes of Poitou and Xaintongue The Princes first exployts as were but weake and meanly furnished with Garrisons seizing vpon Nyort Fontenay S. Maixaut Saintes S. Iohn d'Angely Ponts and Coignac Depuys Blay and Angoulesme whereof some were gotten easily and others by force and assault To be short within two months space the Prince and his partakers of poore vacabondes as they were at the first became so wealthie that they were able to continue a long war In al these places they lodged some thirtie companies of footmen and seuen or eight cornets of horse which was a great sauing for the fielde and they formed a most pollitieque militarie order as wel for the French as for the conduct of their armie Thus throgh necessitie togither with occasion they of the religion found meanes to make vse of both and the Admiral was wont to their aduenture to attribute the ancient prouerbe of The mislocles saying to his familiers Had we not been lost we had been lost Meaning that had they not committed an ouersight they had not had so great a recouerie as that which did farre surpasse their former condition The delaies of the Romish Catholieques stood the Prince in great stead But if in time they had foreseen that those whō he had caused to dislodge in so great hast went to settle themselues farther off The delay of the one serued for the others good and made speede to impeach them by all apparance the Prince had remained inclosed within Rochell and the wars had not cōtinued But god by those obscure beginnings made an entrie into the notable iudgements which after that appeared It may be that the ioy they had at Parris to see the Townes and Prouinces left which had made so long and hard war against the Parrisians during the first second troubles made diuers of their harts so much in flamed that they disdaind their enemies that were so far off esteeming that Rochel alone could not resist them but y◠within 3. month after they shuld be inclosed therin which discourses are commonly made when our prosperitie is geater then we expect The Q. and her Councelors presently caused an edict to be published at Parris Edicts against those of the religion by y◠which after a long declaration made touching things happened to the realme by of the religion the king among other things declared that the Edict of ianuary by the which he promised the exercise of religion was but prouisionall vntill his Maioritie and that hee was not determined to haue the Edict made before that touching the religion should be any more obserued For which causes beeing atiained to the said age of Maioritie hee fore bad all exercise thereof in the countries of his obedience commaunding without reuocation that there should be no other exercise of religion but onely that of the Romish Church vpon paine of losse of bodie and goods And vppon the same paine commaunded all the Ministers of the religion to depart out of the Realme within fifteene daies after the publication thereof commaunding neuerthelesse that those of the religion should not in any sort be troubled for their consciences so they would liue peaceably in their houses At the same instant an other edict was published certifying that from thencefoorth the king intended not to bee serued with any offices beeing of that profession from that time forward discharging them of all their offices commaunding them to yeelde them vpto him within fifteene daies after otherwise hee would take some stricter order therein These Edicts had been long hatching but their hope was to intrappe the Prince and the Admirall The effects of such edicts wherein hauing failed to get mony of the Cleargie and the third estate the Queene and those of Guise serued themselues with this deuise which was to no great end For that besides the great charges of the Duke of Anious armie wherewith the most dearest Catholicques were twise greeued and offended before the warre was halfe ended diuers of the religion entered into the field who otherwise would haue stayed the rest and quietnesse promised them by the king and not haue left their houses But at this alarme they assayed to ioyne with the troupes further the commaunders sent certaine declarations into England and Almaine to shewe that they were not pursued as seditious persons or such as desired a Crown as their aduersaries reported but onely because of the religion which the Romish Catholicques sought to extirminate France which serued thē well for the furtherance of the leuie of Rutters which the next yeare came into France vnder the conduct of the Duke de Deux Ponts Also there were many about the king the Queen and the Duke of Aniou that desired nothing else but to see all the countrie flaming with fire some to robbe and spoyle without punishment others to execute their vengeances and reuenges the Pensionaries of Spaine to cause the Frenchmen to cut each others throat those of Guise by litle and litle to attaine to the aduancement of their deseignments which discouered themselues in the end of the raigne of Henry the thrid as you shall read After these Edicts the Duke of Aniou made preparation for all things necessarie for his voyage and so puissant an armie whereof by the king hee was made Lieftenant generall That which increased the Princes troupes was the Regiment of foot which Monsieur d'Acier brought out of Dauphine Prouence and Languedoc not long before the Prince had written vnto him as also to diuers Captaines in those Prouinces that they should vse all the means they could to prouide him a certaine number of men therewith to withstand the armie royall that came to assayle him that the Princes Lords and other commaunders might not indure so great disaduantage to bee assieged within a towne
Court of France with all their principall seruants and there to giue them that entertainment which after fell out In March the Romish Catholicques at Roane murthered diuers protestants as they returned from a Sermon and beate others shrewdly meaning to haue proceeded further had not Marshal Montmorencie whom the king sent made the more haste to suppresse the violence of the seditious who after many pursuites hanged vp three or foure the rest escaped albeit 400. were guiltie of innocent blood Sixe weekes before the protestants had been most cruelly murthered at Aurange by their enemies whom Berchon soone after made Gouernour by Countie Lodowic found means to intrap and punish accordingly Not long after by the kings consent those of the religion were taxed to paye the 5. part of their reuenue towards the payment of the Rutters which produced much discontentmēt About the same time the king and the Queene made their enterie vpon seuerall daies into the capitall towne of the Realme with great pompe The protestants also held a Sinode nationall at Rochel wherein they confirmed the articles of the confession of their faith and discipline of their Churches in the presence of the Queene of Nauarre the Princes and many other of the Principall among them The king hauing made his entrie the eleuenth of March the Queene beeing crowned the 25. of the same moneth at Saint Deunis and the 29. receiued with great magnificence into Parris hee went to sit in his place of iustice in the Parliament where hee made a long Oration to his officers of the Court for the obseruation of his Edicts In witnesse whereof in the moneth ensuing the people of Parris beganne to mutine against those of the religion sacked certaine houses and began to proceed further prouoked by their Preachers because of a certaine Crosse placed in S. Dennis street in a place where in times past stood the house of Phillip de Gastines rased to the ground because that certaine sermons and the Lords Supper had beene made and celebrated therein Gastines for that cause hauing been executed to death during the troubles that had beene carried into S. Innocents Church-yeard This mutinie appeased the king that shewed great fauor to Teligny his companions sent them to the Q. of Nauarre the Princes in Rochel to assure them that all his desire was to maintaine the peace that for his owne part he bare them great affection procuring that the Q. his mother the Duke of Aniou his brother should from day to day leaue off their rigors And at their departure gaue them diuers presents giuing them likewise to vnderstand that his minde was to proceede with war against the Spaniard in the low Countries and to marrie his sister to the Prince of Nauarre Biron was sent after to certifie the like and men began to speake of that marriage in diuers sorts their opinions being diuided some esteeming it to bee a snare to intrap those of the religion others deeming the contrarie The king caused certaine consultations to be made in Rome because of the alliance between both the parties Pope Pius the fist seemed to bee much troubled about the same for that effect sending Cardinal Salutati into France who hauing had certaine conference by word of mouth with the king returned satisfied The effect of that the king said vnto him was that the king would alwaies shewe himselfe to deserue the name of the eldest sonne of the Romish Church and that all his intents tended to no other end but only to the suretie honour and aduancement of the Catholicque religion whereof the Pope should receiue great testimonies before long time should passe But notwithstanding that diuers maruelled much at this suddaine alteration of the king the Queene of Nauarre much sought vnto by diuers great persons of both partes went to the king followed by the Countie Lodowicke great numbers of Nobilitie The king and the Queene his mother were at Blois where they receiued and welcommed her with great ioy and good countenance and after many disputations touching diuers particular poynts specially the cerimonies the agreement vpon the marriage of her sonne with the kings sister was concluded and the place of the espousals assigned at Parris Not long after the Prince her son accompanied with fiue hundreth Gentlemen came to Blois where the marriage of Nenry de Bourbon Prince of Conde with the yongest daughter of the house of Neuers was agreed vpon During these parleyes of mariages with the Princes the Admirall that had buried Ladie Charlotte de Laual his wife a woman of excellent pietie that died at Orleans in the second troubles beeing in Rochel married the Counties of Ancremont in Sauoy and gaue Louyse his daughter in marriage to Monsieur de Teligny At the Court one named Lignerolles a simple Gentleman made knight of the Order Captaine of a company of launciers Gouernor of Bourbonnois and one of the Duke of Anious mignions was slaine openly in the Court for discouering certain of his Maisters secrets Lignerolles slaine by the D. cōmitted vnto him touching the enterprise that was ment against those of the religion On the other side Death of the Cardinall of Chastillon the Cardinal of Chast being readie to depart out of England to go to his brother the Admiral was poysoned by one of his Chamberlains and died to the great great griefe of all his friends and seruants The prisoner that did the fact beeing after taken at Rochel was executed Articles of marriage betweene the Prince of N. and the kings sister This is the yeare wherein is set downe the arriuing of the Queen of Nauarre the Princes and the Admirall in the Court the articles of the marriage of the prince of Nauarre and the kings sister were made at Blois the eleuenth of Aprill The Countie Lodowicke at the same time trauelled with the king touching warres to bee made in Flaunders to the which ende preparations were made at sea by Strossy and the Barron de la Garde but at the end of three moneths Flaunders was found to be Rochel Long before the king had caused the Admirall to bee solicited to come vnto the Court and to drawe him thither hee caused those of Guise to retire who thereat counterfetted to bee discontent The Marshall de Montmorency by letters assured his Cousin the Admirall that the king was fully determined to make them friends and to reconcile him with the Duke of Guise the better to be serued by him and his Councell touching the affaires of his Realme and beganne to fauour those of the religion and to put the Admirall out of all distrust the king sent him letters that he might bring fiftie Gentlemen armed with him vnto the Court whither in fine the Marshall de Cosse conducted him with diuers Gentlemen At his comming hee was honourably receiued and welcommed by the king that called him his father Welcomes to the Admirall and others of the religion in the Cout
this imaginarie flemish war but rather with speed to return to their houses telling them that they had no great cause to relie too much vpon the faire shewes of the Court neither to soiourne long there considering the enuie and mallice that most of the greatest and generally the whole cittie of Parris did beare them but God would not suffer them as then to hearken to this good counsell In the meane time the Barron de la Garde posting from Brouage to the Court The Rochelers stand vpon their guarde returning in great haft wrote the 14. of August to the Rochelers exhorting them to giue credite to the king to his mother and to the D. of of Anion not to mistrust the soldiers that lay round about withal promising them for his part al fauor intreating them to intreat his men well that came to their Towne for their necessaries Heerevpon they grew the more warie and with like quoine and as good speeches payd this spie who writ himselfe their most assured friend The 17. of August Henry king of Nauarre and Ladie Margaret of France sister to the king in the euening were conducted to the Louure The espoufals and mariage of the king of Nauarre and Lady Margaret and the next day married by the Cardinall of Bourbon in the sight of all the people vpon a great scaffold made before the gate of the great Church of Parris That day passed ouer in banquets daunces and maskes with strange mixsture of those of the religion with the Catholicques wherat diuers were no lesse mooued then at the bloodie butcherie which alreadie they began to doubt and that happened not long after While euery man imployed himselfe to bee merrie and make good cheare diuers that were sent for by the King the Queene-mother and the Duke of Guise that they might bee the stronger part arriued in the town The conclusion hauing beene made not long before and then fully performed as well in Parris as at S. Cloud wherin the Dukes of Anion and Guise were the principall actors not to suffer the Admirall to depart but rather to dispatch him in Parris with al such as wold defend him The Queen-mother with two or three of her most faithful and secret seruants had a counsell a part the end whereof tended not onely to kill the Admirall Counsell against the Admiral and his adhereÌ„ts but also to set other at strife that they might rule with more ease Those of Guise pretended to extirminate the Admirall and causing those of the religion to be massacred by the people in the kings name to saue such as they might to make the king his mother his brother so much more odious so by little and little to aduance their desires The Marshall de Montmorencie beeing come to the wedding perceiuing such confusion and doubting the Ambuscadoes of the house of Guise mortal enemies both to him and his vnder pretence of riding out to hunt went home to his house which fell out well for him his absence beeing cause that his bretheren were not slaine The 22. of August as the Admirall came out of the Louure where all that morning hee had beene with the Marshall de Cosse Vpon fryday the Admirall was hurt and Tauanes to end a quarrell between two GentlemeÌ„ going to dine in his lodging accompanied with twelue or fifteene Gentlemen being on foote about one hundreth paces from the Louure and reading a petition one shot at him with a harguebuze the bullet whereof tooke away the forefinger of his right hand and hurt him in the left arme He that shot it had a horse readie at the back-doore of his lodging whereon being mounted he escaped at Saint Autâ—omes gate where finding a Ienet of Spaine held readie for him he tooke poste and got him to a place before appointed for his retrait The doore of the house being burst open the harguebuze was found therein with a Lacquey an other seruant it was knowne that one Chally a Steward of the kings house and a dealer in the Duke of Guises affaires the day before had brought that harguebusier into that house belonging to Villemeur Tutor to the Duke recommeÌ„ding him most earnestly vnto the Hostes that the same Fryday in the morning the Harguebusier naming himselfe Bolland one of the kings guard but it was Maureuel sent his Lacquey to desire Chally to prouide that the Duke of Guises Groome of the stable should prouide the horse that hee had promised The Admirall brought to his lodging shewed most singular pietie constancie patience vnder his Surgeans hands was visited by diuers Lords and Gentlemen of the religion the king of Nauarre and the Prince of Coude asking licence of the king to depart as beeing but hardly assured within Parris The king complained to them of the mischiefe happened swearing and promising to vse and execute such iustice vppon the offender that the Admirall and his friends should thinke themselues satisfied In the meane time he stayed them with promise shortly to take order therein and presently commaunded pursuite to bee made after the offendor on the other side willing the Prouost of Merchants in Parris to appoynt certaine men to bee readie prepared to execute what should bee giuen them in charge by the Duke of Aniou caused all the gates to bee shut swearing and blaspheming as his manner was that hee would not that they which had done that fact should so escape suffering two gates to stand open for such as passed out and in where a great watch was holden that no man might passe through without licence and faining to take order for all things touching that search caused all the towne to rise in armes As also hee appoynted sundrie Lords and Gentlemen Protestants to bee lodged in the Admirals quarter and round about him for feare said hee least lying scattered abroad in the Towne they migh encur some danger but there should be defended by the soldiers of his guard Maureuel was but easily pursued and Chally went to the Duke of Guises chamber where no man sought for him Two houres after noone the king went to visite the Admirall to whom in presence of the Queene-mother the Admirall made a long declaration wherein hee forgot not to maintaine his fidilitie to the seruice of the countrie of France of others miseries of the same by reason the peace could not bee well obserued specially touching those of the religion whereof he specified some particularities desiring the K. to do iustice vpon the offendors to haue regard vnto his faith and promise and to the quietnesse of the realm The king made aunswere that he accounted him an honest man a good Frenchman and one that loued the increase of the Crowne that he esteemed of him as of a most discreet excellent Captain and that vpon that opinion he had so farre entered into his former resolutions that his whole desire was to haue his Edicts of peace fully
priuiledges disanulling all Edicts made against them approouing their defensiue war and consenting that the keeping of their towns towres and fortresses should remaine vnto themselues according to their auncient priuiledges receiuing such gouernours as were not by them to bee suspected And by vertue of this Edict vpon the tenth of Iuly about tenne of the clocke in the morning Monsieur de Biron entered into the Towne at Coigne gate with a Herauld at armes and four of the kings trumpets at which time hee caused the peace to bee published in the principall places accompanied by the Lieftenant of the Towne and of Monsieur de Villiers and then dined at the Maiors house which done presently after hee returned conducted out of the Towne End of the siege of Rochell The same day diuers barkes and other vessels laden with bisquet corne meale fish and other ammunitions entered into the Towne as they did before the siege which we haue briefly discribed in the principal circumstāces thereof The enemie had both by sea and land between fortie and fiftie thousand men whereof more then the halfe of them died before Rochel as well in skirmishes encounters surprises and assaults as of wounds miseries and diseases sixtie peeces of artillerie great middle and small shot into the Towne and against the defences rampiers and wals thereof at the least two and thirtie thousand times The bulwarke of the Gospel because of the surname was least spared The enemie lost therewith the Duke d'Aumale Cosseins Maister of the field that entered by force into the Admirals lodging in Parris and began the massacre Ligardes his brother Goas and Poilac Maisters of the campe diuers great Lords and Gentlemen aboue 60. Captaines and cōmanders as many Lieftenāts Ensigne-bearers most part of the massacres of Parris other places being come thither to receiue their reward either present death or woūds which speedily cut off their daies The cōming of the Polish Ambassadors was the means the defended Rochel which began to want both victuals ammunitiō of war that had lost many hundreths of soldiers in the skirmishes breaches Another means serued which was the diuision in the Duke of Anious campe the friends which the Rochelers found therin from whom they receiued many good aduertisements which greatly relieued them during the siege the end wherof made the king to call to minde many great faults by him committed which hee had beene aduised and counselled vnto and to inuent the meanes to preuent them but too late for beeing imbarked and in the middle of the sea then when he discouered a desire to see the port of his arriuall not long after hee found himselfe to bee fallen into the deepe gulfes of death with most great grief vnto his heart was constrained to behold the fire in his Realme which some perswaded him to be quenched and to haue recouered an euerlasting peace vppon Saint Bartholomewes day But in his mischiefe hee sound this comfort that many others that thoght themselues very nimble in their turnes found themselues no lesse deceiued then they wickedly abused the youth boyling passions of this poore Prince I must not forget to set downe the prouision of victuals that God sent vnto the besieged in Rochel which was an infinite number of small fishes neuer before that time seene within that Hauen and that euerie day came in and as it were yeelding themselues to the mercie of the poore people of the Towne And presently after the publishing of the Edict and libertie graunted to Rochel at the comming of the Polonians retired againe Now let vs see how sundrie others of the religion in other parts of the Realme The estate of the churches in Quercy Langucdoc and other places bare themselues this yeare 1573. The Barron of Serignac with other Lords and Gentlemen both of Quercy Foix and other Prouinces adioyning beeing aduertised of the intent of the Romish Catholickes repaired to Montauban where they held a common Councell and after sundrie conferences resolued as well the Inhabitants as strangers refugied to take armes which they did in warre like manner and thereof aduertised those towns where the religious were any thing strong The Inhabitāts of Chastres in Albigeois slacking and refusing the succours of Vicountie Paulin and the Barron of Panas were surprised and some slaine and the Towne brought into the subiection of the Romish Catholicques They of Montauban sent foorth their troupes into the field vnder the leading of the Lord of Serignac a man zealous in religion discreet and vertuous and a wel-willer to millitarie discipline They placed a Garrison in Terride whereof Serignac chalenged the Barronage and by escalade tooke Buzet vpon Tar within three leagues of Toulouse They also strengthened Villemur surprised diuers other places fortified such as they held in the former troubles placed garrisons at the passages and appoynted a day of meeting at Realmont in Albigeois to consider of their common affaires There made they a diuision of their gouernmēts Vicountie Gourdon had one part of Quercy toward Cadenac Terride or Serignac had the other part towards Montauban and Gascon To Vicountie Paulin fell Lauragais and in Rouergue they established the Vicountie of Panas with his brother the Barron The Counte of Foix with the hilly countrie was alotted to the Vicountie of Canmont There they decreed that if one stood in necessitie the other Generalles should repaire to him with all their forces and be vnder his obedience so to auoyde all iealouzie that might otherwise take hold of such as were of like authoritie Sundry warlike exploits euery man returned into his gouernment Serignac by compositon tooke Villedieu Chasteau Vasin and the Towre of Orgueil places neare to Montauban encamped with two thousand small shot and some horse before Mōricou maketh a breach giueth the assaults one escalade but taketh the repulse as also from before Real-ville and Vioule at which places many of his men were hurt and slaine In his return from an other assembly holden at Realmont for aduise vpon the Rochelers affaires who craued succour but could haue none in regard of such difficulties as befell them Serignac passing by Puylaurence vnderstood that Captaine Angely with eightie souldiers was besieged in a village three leagues of and therefore with all speed marched thither with one hundreth and sixtie men and thus hee on the one side and the besieged on the other so charged the enemie that they slew two hundreth of their men and scattered the rest About this time the Inhabitants of Bearne sent to Nismes and Montauban a coppie of the letters sent to them from the Court in the name of their Prince to recall them to the Romish Church togither with their excuses and aunsweres to the same protesting to perseuere and abide in the religion In Aprill the Countie of Villards newly made Admirall of France Admirall Villards warreth vpon the Protestants with small success◠and Generall of an armie against
the protestants in Quercy and the countries round about gathered his troupes dispearsed in Garrisons besieged tooke Saint Gemmes in high Quercy The Lord of the Towne notwithstanding his composition for life and goods was carried prisoner to Cahors and there executed at the instance of many his enemies whom hee had hardly intreated His men saued themselues in a rocke where they could not possibly bee indammaged and after ioyned with succours that came from Montauban A fewe weekes after the Admirall besieged Brifenel a small Towne in high Rouergue wher Montilliere gallantly withstood him and slew some hundreth of his men but at the last departed with life and goods Albeit in exchange the Adm. in May lost Soreze surprised by escalade Montesquiou within two leagues of Thoulouse Also toward the end of Iuly the BarroÌ„ of Fougeres took Lâ—desue a Bishops sea and a rich Towne scituate in the mountaines of Languedoc at the same time that Captain Graue seized vpon Mas Sainctes Puelles within one league of Castelnau Darry The Duke of Aniou had before solicited those of Montauban to send him their Deputies with articles for peace intreating them in the meane time to desist from all hostilitie This was one meanes to disvnite the Prouinces and so to get them one after an other At the first this seemed to grow to some course but it was easily remedied and the siege of Rochel togither with the election of Poland made voyde many of their deuises Marshall d'Anuille Gouernour of Languedoc tooke armes also against the protestants assembled six Cornets of horse Marshall d'Anuille besiegeth Sommieres wher he looseth his Armie fiue thousand harguebuziers besides the companies of Lyonnois and Volunatries his footemen amounting to ten thousand that led foureteen battering peeces wherewith hee pretended to besiege Nismes But Sommiere a small Towne neare to Bezieres and Montpeslier wonne from the Barron of Ioyeuse by Captaine Gremian brake this purpose and an other enterprise of the Marshals against Vzes so that seeing himselfe frustrate before hee came to Nismes hee besieged Sommieres both the Towne and Castle made a reasonable breach and gaue an assault repulsed by the besieged who slew aboue one hundreth of his men and wounded many more But in his second assault hee had yet woorse successe Herevpon came to him his brother in law the Countie of Candale with his company of one hundreth horse and twelue companies of Gascons who gaue the third assault wherein three hundreth of the hottest left their liues The besieged stood in want of many things but their neighbours sent one hundreth and twentie souldiers who with much ado got in brought all that they could to succour and strengthen them One of the hundreth and twentie beeing lag was taken and brought before the Marshall to informe him of all that he knew Albeit they racked and tormented him that he grew as bigge as a tunne and so died vppon the torture yet could not his tormentors wrest out of this souldiers mouth any word preiudiciall either to the besieged or to the protestants The besieged hauing holden out foure months suffered fiue thousand cannon shot that had beaten downe all their defenses and layde their wals in the dust craued composition but the Marshall would haue them by force and to that end gaue foorth a general assault committing the leading to Candale whom hee exhorted to reuenge the death of his Captaines and souldiers This young Lord who before had seemed desirous that matters should haue been otherwise ordered marched resolutely to the breach where hee performed the dutie both of a valiant Captaine and couragious souldier but after a little fight wherein hee saw a number of his souldiers ouerthrowne himselfe was slaine in the place The besieged hauing performed all that was to be desired in valiant men in Aprill did accept of composition for life and goods and so the Marshall sending hostages to Nismes for their safetie they came foorth with the drum sounding the Ensignes displayed their matches lighted and in the cock hauing seuen daies respite to carrie away their goods and to retire where they list The Marshall vnderstanding that Mismes in great resolution expected his comming and withall considering that hee had lost two thousand fiue hundreth of his best men cashiered the rest of his troupes who scattred euery way The Admirall warring in Gascon had other successe for he took Terride Flaugnac and all that the protestants had gotten in Gascon beyond Garonne Then did hee besiege Caussade a small towne kept with sixe hundreth small shot Caussade subuertech al Admirall Villars purposes vnder the coÌ„duct of Puiols who forced the Admirall after great losses to forsake the place after which repulse he did nothing woorthie memorie The Vicountie Gourdon vnderstanding that part of the Adm. troups after this siege marched towards Rochel watched them at the passage ouer Dordogue cut in peeces one company and made the rest to runne On the other side the Barron of Grandmont whom the king of Nauarre had sent into Bearne to replant the Masse was taken and most of his men defeated by the countrie people The estate of Viuaretz and Dauphine In the meane time the estates of Languedoc met at Anduge where they formed an order and rule for the warre and administration of iustice In May the protestants chusing the Lord of Saint Romain for their Generall surprised Villeneufue in Viuaretz Marshall d'Anuille vnder colour of iustice seizeth and selleth all the protestants goods that he may In Dauphine the protestants took Orpierre Serres and other places in the Bishoppricke of Die also Meuse and other villages in the mountaines vnder the leading of Mombrun who with his courses exploiâ—s driue his enemies to feare him The K. hoping by the peace granted to Rochel Montauban Nismes to take some rest hauing reuoked the edict of 1570. sent his brother into Poland found al new to begin for those of Quercy Lanquedoc their neighbours did immediately protest against this edict Complaints against the pacification granted before Rochel which they termed captious a preamble into new massacres considering that their capitall enemies authors of all disorders remained sole Councellours and Gouernors of the K. and his estate that all the French Churches were debarred the publike exercise of religion to them so solemnely graunted by the Edict of 1570. that al the contents of this pacification of Rochel and whatsoeuer was otherwise promised was but a collection of words without effect that there was no speech of iustice against the massacres but an abolition of all that was past which was the absoluing of the threatned that all Ecclesiastical discipline was taken froÌ„ the protestants whom thereby they ment to plunge in all Atheisme that this treatie was formed with some particulars without their commission whose aduice could not preiudice the generall cause of al the Churches to whom they had promised not to do or graunt any thing without
the common consent of all After these protestatioÌ„s with the consent of the new king of Poland whom his brother and the Ambassadours hastened into that farre countrie they assembled at Millaud in Rouergue after at Montauban where they diuided Languedoc into two gouernments the one at Montauban the other at Nismes to serue for the bordering countries of Seuenes and Viuarais For the gouernment of the quarters of Montauban they chose Vicount Paulin and Saint Romain at Nismes who had the charge of all mattters of warre yet were accountable to the estates of the countrie that furnished theÌ„ with counsell quoyne These estates in euery gouernment were coÌ„posed of the chiefest of the prouinces yet so as in matters of importaÌ„ce ther were particulare states in euery Dioces that ment to confer by one or more of the Deputies with the estates of the gouernment by whose aduise the gouernor was to take his directioÌ„s at their haÌ„ds to receiue his pay For the countenance of this order they decreed the the souldiers contenting theÌ„selues with their pay shuld not forrage nor waste the plain countries to that end they taxed the aduersaries Townes and villages forcing theÌ„ to contribute toward the maintenance of the garrisons Such as voluntarily payed were eased as in time of peace in many places the Pesants followed their labours without daunger which caused many townes and boroughs otherwise enemies to the protestants to paye the contributions for feare of woorse Besides this order to furnish the maine charge and at all times to haue a stocke readie for all accurrences The want of discretion in the kings Councell they seized vpon the Church reuenues establishing their commissaries to that effect and all this had they leisure ynogh to do whilest the kings their Courtiers were busie in their bankets dances other vaine pastimes for the K. of Polonds farewel Thus in Languedoc in a short time they furnished many places from whence they might bring to the field vnder the conduct of their Gouernors very neare 20000. persons still weakning their aduersaries with the collection of the reuenues of the benefices contributions that they gathered in euery quarter Likewise following their example sundrie of the Romish Church otherwise discontented grew to be more affable to the protestants and to take their parts so to procure some quiet in the state of France The protestants in the gouernment of Nismes twise assembled togither resolued to craue at the kings hands a more sure peace and vpon better conditions then the edict of Rochel which they found very faultie and not to be admitted in many the articles They sent therefore their Deputies to giue him thanks for the good affection that he protested to the restoring of peace adding that the same is the most necessarie remedie for the reforming of the estate alreadie decayed lost without speedie prouisioÌ„ The magnanimitie of those of Languedoc That in hartie good wil they are most affectionate to yeeld him al obedience but that the massacres do euidently declare the daunger where the Prince is gouerned by the pernitious aduice of his wicâ—ed Councellours They besought the king not to mislike that they hauing an interest in this action had assembled themselues to the end with deliberation to consider of the surest meanes to establish a sound and good peace That through the pollicies of wicked Councellours the king was induced both by word and publicke letters paâ—rents to declare himselfe to be the author of the massacre at Parris which some fewe daies before hee had disaduowed wherin his reputation was greatly impaired with forraine nations That they could not thinke his will to concurre with such bloodie effects as lately appeared yet they feared least his wicked Councellours were still like affected and therefore they could do no lesse but take order for the safetie of Languedoc and themselues and by the example of their fellowes so hardly intreated looke to themselues They did therefore for the establishment of peace desire that the protestants might in their townes haue their Garrisons maintained at the Kings charge Their petitions that besides those Towns the king in euerie Prouince of his Realm should deliuer two such as by soure Deputies should be chosen which also should bee kept by the Protestants at the kings cost That the free and publicke exercise of religion should be permitted in all parts of the Realme and to all that would require it That for the admistration of iustice to the Protestants there might be in euery Prouince erected a new Court of Parliament composed of protestant iudges That the protestants for the maintenance of their Ministers might be discharged of such tenths as the Priests did demand That the authors Councellours and executioners of the massacres might bee punished as theeues and disturbers of the common quiet Those of the gouernment of Montauban sent likewise their Deputies to demaund besides the premisses that the Admirall and all the Protestants murthered the foure and twentieth of August 1572. as also they that yet liued might be deemed to haue been and to bee most faithfull subjects to the king and his estate and innocent and cleare of all spotte of rebellion That all arrests edicts and deedes to the contrarie since published might be reuoked and declared to bee of no force as slaunderously graunted defased and rased out of the records the goods honours and offices restored to the heires of the murthered all defamatorie monuments taken away and all processions instituted in honor of such cruelties abolished They farther also demaunded free exercise of their religion and Ecclesiastical discipline in all poynts Buriall without limitation of time or Church-yard exemption from all contribution to the ceremonies of the Romish Church admission of their children vnto Colledges vnder protestant Regents and legitimatioÌ„ of Priests marriages to such as should frame themselues to their religion Many other articles they propounded concerning gouernment and sent their committies toward the end of August with whom neare vnto Lyons ioined the Deputies of Prouence Dauphine and Nismes who all by the mouth of one propounded great declarations vnto the king who returned them to conferre with certaine his commissioners promising after he had broght his brother the king of Poland out of the Realme to take aduise for all that should bee requisite for the satisfying of his subiects Vppon the Deputies report in the beginning of Nouember the protestants renued their association throghout the Prouinces aforesaid where they held many places as also a very exact course for their conseruation The Ambasladours of Polonia beeing entered into France about the end of Iuly to fetch their king they bare him companie from Rochel to Parris What passed since the comming of the Ambassaders of Polonia vntil their departure where vpon the foureteenth of September he made a roy all enterie nothing wanted to make him happie but the prosperitie of the Rochelers that had slaine part of his
wounded in two places on his sace but slightly He was also strucke with a harquebuze vpon the right arme near the shoulder which throgh the goodnesse of his vambras prooded but a bruse Thus hauing obstinately cōtinued the fight on both sides the assailants were putto retire with the losse of Doily S. Colombe and sundrie other Captaines Gentlemen souldiers slaine in the breach to the number of 60. about 100. led away hurt maimed On the Counties side were also slaine Brossay Tere Mesnil a Minister Vandore Saussey Nohe 6. soldiers 12. wounded namely the Countie Villeneusue Riutere Ousse Gros a Minister Maimberte and Courton captains 5. soldiers Two daies after seuē or 8. of the besieged got forth fled to the camp The 26. of the month Vassey thrise spake to the Countie inducing him to enter into compositiō as also they had done the day before Loth he was to consent as knowing the hatred of his enemies accounting it an honor to die vpon the breach with weapon in hand but seeing his men thus cast away themselues leauing him in maner alone with the wounded a few others the likewise fainted withal that al munition of war water failed he was inforced to hearken to composition rather to saue the remainder thē of any regard to himself yet making of necessity a vertue he held off obtained the himself with his assistants shuld depart with their liues some garments but no weapōs but sword dagger That himself shuld remain in the hāds of Matig Vassey but with good entertainment safetie of his life This cōpositiō they sware to keep inuiolably Vassey who was his kinsmā made great protestatiōs therof Some hours after towards midnight these 2. Cap. went for the C. who came forth in the cōpany of Chauuiny And about 7 of the clock in the morning Mat. returned to bring forth the rest With him entred the soldiers lodged in the town the camp by the breach The cōmposition was so holdē that in the presence of Ma. they slew part of the besieged stripped the rest offring them great indignities forced them to fine pay ransome Three or 4. that fel into the hāds of a Lord that made accoūt of the law of arms escaped safe A Mini. named Bute they put to death hāged Cap. Touche the yonger The Co. was soone after cōtrarie to faith promise broght prisoner to Paris lastly put to death as we wil more at latge note in due time order The D. of Montp very affectionate to the Ro. church with anarmie took the field in April to war against the protestāts in Poictou Warres in Poictou against Protestants frō whō the L. of Biron had practised to take Tōnay Charante but could not archieue it In May the D. besieged the castie of Talmōt which yelded but in the mean time his cōpany was surprised in a village near to S. Hermine many slain 12. or 15. Gentlemen caried away prisoners som 60. horse much baggage the D. cupboord of siluer plate by Cap. S. Stephen who lay in garrison in Fontenay which the D. immediately besieged gaue two assaults wher he gained nothing but lost the most resolute of his troups Wherevpon hearing of the kings mortal sicknesse he retired attending new supplies commissions At the same time the Prince of Conde beeing gotten from the Court and retired into Picardie receiued aduise of diuers practises wroght to seize vpon his person Retrait of the Prince of Conde into Almaine but notwithstanding the the snares that were layde for him hee got into Almaine followed by Thore whom they likewise sought to intrappe because of the Marshals of Montgommery and d'Anuille his bretheren and for his counsels giuen to the Duke of Alencon This retrait was diuersly spoken of some esteeming that the Prince was let go to keepe the water in trouble and to finde other practises others accounting it a great deliuerance of those of the religion Time made knowne what fell out thereby but whatsoeuer it was the Prince arriued at Strasbourg and hauing acknowledged his fault in the French Church there assembled touching his conuersion after the massacre to the Popish Church hee detested it resoluing to imploy himselfe to maintaine the estate of France as his father had done and there finding the Deputies of Languedoc practising a leuie of Rutters wrote vnto the churches exhorting those of the religion to bee couragious and to make account of his good will for their comforts By the same messenger Thore writ to his brother the Marshall d'Anuille perswading him to looke about him and to take the offered occasion This Marshall was the same time at great strife in himselfe seeking to assure himselfe on both sides on the one side hee doubted the king and Queene-mother on the other the protestants meanes to ouerthrow him if hee should intreat them hardly Heerevppon hee resolued sometimes to haue an eye to the Court sometimes to the contrarie and according to the Prouerb to watch how the market went On the one side writing to the chiefe Captaines of the protestants on the other sending the Lord of Rieux to Boisde Vincennes to the king with ample instructions dated the eighteenth of May therein protesting of his affection declaring his former seruices intreating after account yeelded of his administration to bee discharged of his office and to withdraw to any place that the king should appoynt The same day hee wrote to the Parliament of Thoulouse to excuse himselfe of that he was accuse of a desire to rebel against the king and to surprise Narbonne These proceedings stayed the Queene-mother and her Councellours who did well perceiue that d'Anuille would set them worke ynough if they should deale otherwise then well or touch his brother Montmorencies life whom in the meane time they caused to bee kept so to bridle d'Anuille and to take some course in their affaires as heereafter wee shall well perceiue The kings sicknesse The sicknesse wherewith the king was troubled not long before the departure of his brother to go into Poland had a little rest for the winter time but the hidden disease about spring time beganne againe to reuiue in such sort that hauing bin sicke in the months of February March and Aprill hee was counselled by his Phisitians that hee should bee purged and let blood which were meanes altogither vnprofitable because it was openly seene that hee began to fade euen in the flower of his age to the great astonishing of the ignorant Those of least iudgement esteemed that hee had eaten or drunke somewhat that disiested not Some superstitious persons imagined some witchcrafe or coniuratiō because la Mole had bin found seized with a litle image of wax about him which he affirmed to be the picture of a Gentlewoman pricked in two places by a witch they made certaine reports to be spredde abroad that it was a
mother and his bretheren But the freedome of the Ministers being impatient to staye the resolution of a Councell made them to preach openly whereby they so much tempted and altered mens consciences that suddainly the ceremonies traditions of the Church were abated and the temples seased vpon destroyed And the Constable beeing descended of the first Barron and first Christian in France opposed himselfe against this diuersitie of religion in one realm The Edict of Iuly made at S. Germains in Laye 1561. The assembly at Poissy The murther of Vassy the 1. of Mars 1562. The battaile of Dreux the 19. of Decēber 1561. The Constable was first taken then the Prince of Conde The king of Nauarre was slaine at the siege of Rouē 1562. The Duke of Guise slaine before Orleans the 24. of Febru 1563. 1. Edict of peace Anno. 1563. Reconciliatiō betweene the D. of Guise and the Admirall 1566. Counsell of the Duke of Alue The enterprise at Meaux at the feast of S. Michael 1567. The battaile of S. Denis on S. Martins euen 1567. VVhere the Constable was slaine The second Edict of peace at Lōiumeau which from the time of king Clouis had bin holden maintained in paritie and integritie vnder the ancient faith of their forefathers The Cardinal of Lorraine on the other side tooke the matter in hand and counselled the king to make an Edict against those of the religion the presumption of certain men was such that they cōsented to the disputation at Poissy wher in place of remedie we found but an increasing of our miseries After that the Edict of Ianuarie so much renoumed in all the troubles and solemnized by the Huguenots folowed the breach whereof by the means of Vassy caused both parts to fall to armes vpon the plaines of Dreux which gaue the name to that me morable battell not onely for the number of men there assembled being 1900. foot 2000. horse for the kings part 4000. horse called White-coates 6000. foot of the contrarie as for diuers other accidents that therin were marked besides the taking of two of their chiefe leaders For the Prince of Conde that imputed the first motions of his imprisonmēt of his separatiō frō the fauor and presence of K. Francis the 2. to the practises of the Duke de Guise that euening of the battell was his prisoner accepted the halfe of his auncient enemies bed that was offered vnto him a right discription of this variable world wher you see one triumphing the other captiue Among so many prosperities that inuironed the Duke of Guise by the death of the king of N. Generall of the kings armie followed by all the Catholicque Nobilitie Tutor cōductor of the king Queen-mothers whole affaires death being iealous that the Capitall citie of the realme at his arriuall had cried Viue Guise Viue Guise with as great ioy gladnes as euer they cried Viue le Roy dispatched him out of the way by Poltrots means that slew him at Orleans therby finished the first ciuill war at which time the Prince of Conde was deliuered out of prison the Constable brought the first Edict of peace By this peace France had means to breath and her subiects to liue in some assurance but the corrupted humours that caused the disease of the estate were not so wel disiested but that ther rested some remnants whereby it might be feared it would fall into a much more dangerous sicknesse which happened 3. years after whē the most troublesome alterers of estate renued the fire which although it were not vtterly quenched yet it was half cōsumed The Queen hauing performed that generall visitation of all the kings Prouinces at Moulins taken vp the quarrel between the houses of Guise Chastillon and made thē friends caused 6000. Switzers to be sent for vndera fained sear of the D. of Albes passage throgh France with whom she had conferred at Bayonne wher they concluded that to liue in peace it was best for her to fish after great Samons to leaue the frogs The Admiral perceiuing it determined rather to saue himselfe by his armes then with his legs and went so near vnto the king that he had almost taken him at Meaux and so caused him to retire to Parris being conducted by Pfiffers regiment And the Prince of Conde tooke the town of S. Dennis assieged Parris burned the milles And in fine the two armies met fought before S. Dennis wher the Protestants retired the K. had the victorie but it cost him the life of the Constable beeing one of the valiantest Captains in al Europe who hauing commanded in 7. battels died in the sight of the citie of Parris and of his king at the head of an armie victorious by his cōduction hauing cut his enemies in the cheeks that had wounded him in the face he was by a Scot shot into the raines with a Pistolle so died of the seuenth wound he had receiued in that seuenth battel being of the age of 60. and 7. yeares This death procured an other little peace cōmonly called the lined peace which continued but 6. months and made a war that The Prince of Conde slaine at Bassac the 21 of March 1569. The battaile of Montcontour the 3. of October 1569. The 3. Edict of peace An. 1570. indured for the space of 2. whole years wherein the Prince of Conde died and where the Princes of Nauarre and Conde the Dukes de Guise and Maine were Captains the one of the protestants armie vnder the conduct of the Admiral the other for the defence of Poictiers vnder Monsieur the kings brother General of his Maiesties armie whereby the battell of Moncontour happened where all the protestants footemen were slaine and the Rutters spurs were not sharp ynough to make their horses flie but Monsieur not pursuing his victorie suffered his enemies to range meet togither again who in short time were foūd strong ynough to constrain him to the wars or else to make another Edict of peace with more aduantage then the two first This peace being sworned by al those that had any publike authorite therin caused the Frenchmen to feele the sweetnesse of tranquillitie to be much different from the sharpnesse and bitternesse of ciuill diuisions Therein the king the Queen-mother his bretheren and the Princes did nothing but breath and aspire vnto contentment nothing was spoken of in France but only assurance and of remoouing their wars vnto the frontiers or within the bowelles of forrain countries and euery place was filled with marriages bankets c. But this goodly shew was put only a presaging of the torment that ensued and Saylers iudged that those great calmes would in the end cause some great tempest For presently after ensued the great and terrible day so full of blood teares and sorrow where without respect The massacre vppon Bartholomewe day Ann. 1573. so many
haue one eye thrust out the other the greatest Princes in the world are much troubled thereby and yet constrained to indure it The Princes of Almaine haue this diuersitie in one Towne yea in one Host and in one familie without either trouble or diuision The interim of the Emperour Charles the fist 1530. Confirmed 1555. The Emperour Charles the fift was constrainsd to passe that path and his brother Ferdinand a man most affected to the Catholicque religion consented to the same libertie in his kingdomes of Bohemia Hungaria and Austria Pietie is the foundation of all estates which cannot be in all places where God is diuersly serued It is so and you finde many that complaine thereof but fewe that seeke the remedie we knowe but two that is rigor and peaceablenesse either by a generall Councell or by armes For the first it needeth not because the trueth once knowne and determined ought not to be brought in question or disputed of againe The latter is altogither straunge and it was neuer heard that men were put to death to force them to beleeue To kill burne and massacre are words neuer vsed but in seditious enterprises those of the new opinion that liue among the Catholicques without preaching or open exercises are content to seeke no further freedome then the libertie of their conscience without being troubled A King cannot refuse his subiects the libertie of not speaking for that mens tongues and consciences are not vnder the Soueraigntie of his Scepter Tacere liceat Nulla libertas minor a rege Petitur Senec. O ed. Lictance li. 5. cap. 14. God is the God of mens soules Kings may constraine mens bodies and force them to say that outwardly which inwardly they deny For as he that is called the Cicero of Christians saith Who can constraine me not to beleeue that which I will beleeue or to thinke that credible which seemeth incredible there is nothing so voluntarie as religion but if the minde be separated from it it is no more religion but hypocrisie and dissimulation force will do that Purpure cultores efficies non Dei. which should be done onely by loue for by it men respect more the penalties of the lawe then the lawe it selfe they will reuerence the Iudges scarlet gowne not for the loue of the Iudge but for feare of the executioner that attendeth on him â—ides suadenda non imperanda Bernard and when they are gone their courages are found to be strongerthen their torments their constancie greater then their cruelties peaceablenesse is more conuenient and hath more force Faith commandeth not but is taught the strongest or roughest bits are not fit for good horses Our coÌ„sciences are the like for force breaketh sooner theÌ„ bendeth theÌ„ If the Lute bee not well tuned or if the Meane do not agree with the Base we must not therefore breake it About the end of Iune 1574. the king called him his father but winde it softly vp and you shall make them accord The Emperour Maxemilion that said that no sinne could be greater then to violate mens consciences answered the king of France returning out of Polonia proposing the ruine of the Huguenots the restablishing of the only religioÌ„ of his forefathers in his realm that those wich seek to rule ouer meÌ„s consciences supposing to win heauen do oftentimes loose their possessions on earth To obey God and serue the king Two religions cannot command in one Realme It is true but that is no consequent why there should not be two for the subiect is not bound to follow the religion of his Prince as long as he permitteth him the libertie of his own he must obey and serue hee giueth to God that which is Gods and to Caezar In the time of Clouis a Pagan there was Christians in FraÌ„ce that which is Caezars and confoundeth not the difference between those two seruices and duties He that hath one religion cannot haue two and hateth and detesteth that which is the contrarie Clouis our first christian King being a Pagan tollerated christians in his Realme and so did our King being in Polonia permit Latin and Greeke Churches with the confession of Ausbourg Lutherans and Caluenists to liue togither in Muscouia and other countries belonging vnto the Emperor the prince of Greece a great part of his subiects are different froÌ„ him touching religion And although the Turke receiueth not the Crowne yet he constraineth them not to leaue their christianitie The Frenchmen could not indure Iewes in France They bannished them not because of their religion but for their Barbarous cruelties wherewith they crucified young children in dispight of the sonne of God and for their extreame vsuries wherewith they consumed the common people The king suffering Heretickes doth wrong to the Catholicques The king is Common-father to them as well as to the others Iewes banished out of France and for what cause as there is no reason to prooue the ingratitude of the sonne towards the father so all lawes detest the inhumanitie and impietie of the father against the son Those whom the king so oftentimes proclaimeth rebelles and his enemies are his children his subiects and his seruants God neuer prospereth the enterprises of the subiect against his Prince very sildome haue kings had great triumphs by wars ouer their subiects It belongeth to a Vittellius and not to a king of France to walke along the fieldes his garments all died with the blood of his subiects Vitellius said that the body of the enemie slaine sauoureth well but that of the citizen beeing dead is better Tacit. lib. 17. Suet in the life of Vitellius Cap. 10. The people neuer die The 5. Edict of peace An. 1577. made at Poictiers in the moneth of Septemb. Conference at Nerac the last of Februarie 1579. The 6. Edict of peace in An. 1581. and to delight in the sauour of their dead bodies lying slaine vppon the ground VVhen the Huguenots shall be ouerthrowne and consumed the king shall liue in peace Suppose he putteth them to death and that at one time hee cutteth off a hundreth thousand heads The General seed is immortall by the succession of euery particular familie kindred and seuerall man which still increaseth one after the other although euery particular man of himselfe is mortall the bodie of the people in general neuer dieth The K. may wel destroy al the particulars of this new opinion but they will leaue as many children whose innocencie God and nature will not permit to touch that will succeed not onely in their goods but in the humors quarrels and passions of their fathers In fine those that perswaded peace by their reason alleadged got the vpper hand of those that desired warre and there vpon it was concluded with great concontentment on both both parts that the Prince of Conde the same night he receiued it caused it to be published by torch-light although with lesse aduantage on
And put both liues and goods in straâ—ngers hand And to our countrie furious Tigers seeme If leaguers lawe hath so ordained it To drowne my selfe I rather would desire Then for to liue an Vtheist in my heart And outwardly shewe a christian Although this age hath much abridged the libertie and freedome of writing which appeareth in our ancient Hystoriographers Prossart Monstielet Phillip de Comines yet wil I neither for feare nor flatterie two Historicall plagues seeme to couer the trueth of this discourse I confesse that in such places as of themselues are discommendable I haue added of mine owne to make them more notorious and in such actions as are woorthie praise wherein vertue coÌ„science valor consisteth Ispare no coÌ„mendation but in things indifferent I am constrained to suspend my iudgement rather then to enter into many vntrueths wherin if I should vse partiallitie I could not chuse but varrie from the matter My squadron is the trueth Plato and Socrates are my friends but I esteeme trueth before all things This Historie is a plea neither with not against the league I will not set roses among thornes there is neuer any vniuersall plague but some escape it and among so many and diuers actions it is impossible but there must be seuerall colours I will report the problemes debated on both sides I will shewe you their propositions which are neither so cleare nor apparant but there is alwaies some contrarietie I will set foorth in open shewe the occasions of the league the kings reasons and the king of Mauarres defences which I will declare without choise or difference and you shall consider of them without partiallitie hatred fauour or selfe will and esteeme them as a meate rather prepared for your health then for your taste Two things gaue a hotte alarme to the league one the assembly at Mâ—â—â—auban the other the voyage of the Duke d'Espernon to the king of Nauarre which it tooke as brands to kindle her fier and beganne to send out commissions in all places in the kings name who disauouched them and prohibited the raising of souldiers The first poynt of their dislike The kings Edict of the 28. of march 1585. against the raising of men shewed the reason which mooued the Cardinall of Bourbon the Princes Lords Townes and common people beeing Catholicques to oppose themselues against the Hereticques Secondly because they were offended that the Parliament which they would haue had to bee holden concerning warres to be made against the Huguenots had been reuoked Thirdly to breake the Edict of pacification Fourthly because they stood in feare that if the king should die without children there would rise great trouble for the succession of the Crownes Reuocation of the edict of peace whereof the king of Nauarre had great hope since the death of Monsieur the kings brother by the practise of his friends and fauourers about the king Fiftly because of the great preparations for warre made both within and without the Realme that should bee readie by the fifteene of Aprill then next ensuing Nominating of associates to the crowne beeing in Anno. one thousand fiue hundreth eightie fiue to execute that which they said had beene concluded in an assembly at Magdebourg the fifteenth of December one thousand fiue hundreth eightie foure agaist religion the king and his subiects by the which it was agreed that the Queene of England should furnish fiftie thousand Rutters foure thousand Switzers and twelue thousand Englishmen The Counte Palatin Prince Casimir and the Duke of Pomeranie each of them foure thousand Rutters The Langraue of Hesse two thousand and fiue hundreth The Duke of VVitemberg two thousand The Lords of their league besides the Queen of EnglaÌ„ds forces fiue thousand Switzers The kings Protector and Councell of Scotland two thousand Scots The king of Nauare the Prince of Conde and their associates fiue and twentie thousand Harquebusiers and foure thousand horse that had sworne neuer to make peace with the king of France but with all their consents to maintaine the Prince of Orange in the lowe Countries against the king of Spaine to helpe the Emperour by all the meanes they could to get the Demaines of the Empire witholdeÌ„ by the Pope and to send their deputies from all places in the month of March to Basill and Switzerland thereto determine the differences concerning the Lords Supper Sixtly because those of the religion wold not yeeld vp the townes by them holden for the assurance of that execution of the edict of peace Seuenthly because of 〈◊〉 vniuersal abuse suffered in placing of officers in leuying of monies by inuention of excessiue oppressioÌ„s laid vpoÌ„ the coÌ„mon people And lastly against such as abusing the K. fauor authoritie had in a maner ceased vpoÌ„ his person impeached the ordinary accesse of honest meÌ„ vnto him by that means to keepe from him the knowledge of disorders that are in them disposed gouernments to their fauorers consumed the kings treasures molested the commoÌ„ people braued the Nobilitie cut off the libertie of Iustice spoyled the Clargie of their tithes extraordinary benefits perswaded the king that it was necessarie for his seruice to weaken dimininish the authoritie of the Catholicke Princes Lords Vpon those iust occasions they sayd they were forced to meet in armes not hauing meanes by reason of the suddainenesse of the thing togither with the little credite they had with his Maiestie to stay for his Commission neither yet to proceede by any other waye to make him knowe their greefes assuring him that the ende and purpose of their pretence of raysing of armes was onely for to reestablish the Church of God in her true and ancient dignitie vnder the exercise of one religion throughout all his realme to restore the Nobilitie to their honor and franchises Pretence of the League to ease the common people of the impositions inuented and deuised since the raigne of Charles the ninth not to imploy the treasures that shall be leuied but for the kings seruice to procure that from thencefoorth the Parliament should bee holden euery three yeares to desire the king to take order touching the differences of the succession of the Crowne to the end his realme shuld not be diuided into as many factions as their are titles pretended For the suretie preseruatioÌ„ of their own persons among so many publike and priuate calamities to bannish from the Court such as abused the fauour and authori-of the King protesting not to do any thing against the seruice of the king neither yet to leaue armes before their intents were fully executed and that his Maiestie had procured meanes to shunne the daunger which to auoyde they had taken armes with promise likewise that their souldiers should bee payde The king thinking by faire meanes to retaine them in their duties and to exhort them to an vnion The Kings letters to the king of Nauarre wrote to the King of
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
both that of force he was constrained to take part with the one The king resolueth to be reuenged of the Duke of Guise because hee had been so imprudent to suffer them both and that of a King hee must become the Generall of a faction And in this manner beeing driuen heere and there by the incertitude of his conceptions feeble vnresolued and inuironed with so many distrusts by the apprehension of the mischiefe he suffered his minde to bee ledde away from the boundes of his nature And beganne to be very chollericke against the Huguenots to haue the League on his side so to ayde himself with their forces against them But those in whom hee ought to put most credit that lamented the diminishing of his authoritie and the weakning of his forces and that perceiued him bent to procure his owne destruction counselled him to make peace with the king of Nauarre Councels of peace An edict of peace 1576. and not to breake the edict of pacification which he had worne not in the field by force or imbecilitie of infancie as king Charles his bother did but after so many victories in the flower of his years in the strenth of his wit in presence of all the Realme of France putting his faith into the handes of God who is a iust reuenger of such as breake it although it be giuē vnto their enemies They propounded the same reasons wherewith in the yeare 1577. they defended the libertie of consciences inforcing them with diuers examples most certain arguments Others that for the most part are creatures of the league cōdemned the counsell at euery word they spake crying Set vpō the Huguenot religiō the church the truth wil alwaies remain The league will haue warre they braued in their discourses they perswaded the K. to continue wars to acknowledge that God had sent him those Machabes of Lorraine to resist Infidels those Herculeses against monsters that race of Monfort against the relicques of Albigios Sir said they you shall loose the name of most christian king if you yeeld vnto these heresies that draw the sap out of religion You shall be the only king among 60. of your predecessors that hath so faintly permitted suffred so pernicious detestable a mixstur of truth lies it wil be said that vnder your raigne Temples were without Altars Altars without sacrifices Churches without Ministers and God without seruice The gainsaying of those of the league Godlinesse desireth not warres The others knowing well that those faire and goodly couertures hide and keepe close most infamours rebellions and to put both fire and sword into the deepe woundes of the League said That as then it was no more requisite to decide religion by armes pietie is not ioyned to weapous men speake not of God but in blasphemie and cursing they worshipped him not but in vanities entered not into Churches but to prophane them laye hand assoone vpon the Priest and religious persons as vppon the Minister or Deacon and the fury and blindnesse of the souldier doth not distinguish that in his eye which in heart hee well discerneth And to bee short warre vndermineth religion as woormes consume trees rust eateth Iron and a feuer weakeneth mans body it ingendreth Atheists Libertines and Epicurians it maketh Cittizens of one Towne such as drinke of one fountaine and that liue vnder one ayre to become so wilde and vncourteous each to other that of men they become wolues Tigers such as desired that the leaguers sword should driue away the Huguenots as the Englishmen were driuen out of France Zozomen lib. 3. Hist tripart chap. 11. say to the contrarie that there is no warre more iust holy nor necessary then that which is vndertaken onely to procure the seruice of God by one religion saying that Constantine with weapon in hand ouerthrew the Paganisme of his Empire extirped the assemblies of hereticques Nouaciens Valentiens Marchionists and Paulianists not leauing them any means whereby they might offend the libertie of the religion that hee held Theodozius the elder made warre against the Arrians Theodozius his son against the Nestorians Marcians and Manicheens And that our kings had not attained the name of christrian Princes but by most vertuously sacrifising their liues for the defence of religion You take not the Historie said the defendants as it is to be vnderstood Warre was not made against heretiques til after they were condemned of heresie you read not that wars were made against the Arrians Nouatians Manicheens and other hereticques vntill the Councels of Nice Ephese and Calcedonia had confuted their errors and condemned their opinions Wee haue not to doo with such people they are called members of one church like vs they confesse one redemption with vs hoping for their saluation therein as we do there is neither Infidelitie nor Idolatrie in their maner of seruing God they blaspheme his name lesse then we do punishing such as offend his lawes more then we and there is nothing in their doctrine that shaketh the foundations of our faith You call them heretiques it is long since they affirme this word not to be agreeable to their doctrine ther is no sentence nor iudgemēt pronoūced against thē such as er are not therfore to be accounted heriticques heresie is the folly of an opinious minde so that false opinion and obstinacie are the two poynts that make an hereticque the one depēdeth of the vnderstāding carried away with errors and falsehoods the other of the obstinate minde perseuering in those errors If the Huguenots knew they erred or if they were wilfull in their ignorance why would they haue suffered themselues to bee slaine and massacred in that hotte caniculer month of August in the yeare 1572. If they were obstinate would they so often aske Councels eyther generall or nationall to instruct them as for vs that haue this blessing of God to be christians instructed in the Catholicque Church which wee beleeue to be Romaine we know that Huguenots haue more need of pietie thē paine of doctrine then destruction and of Catechising then imprisonment Wee take compassion vppon such as wee perceiue to bee out of their wits and that runne headlong into mischiefe and why should not wee haue the like feeling towards those that are mortally wounded with those errors that in a whole and liuely bodie beare a weake and paste soule lanquishing and spoyled by the poison that hath so long consumed it The Catholicque calleth the Huguenot an hereticque because hee beleeueth not ynough the Huguenot calleth the Catholicque hereticque because he beleeueth too much The Hoguenot beleeueth not euill in that wherein hee agreeth with vs but he beleeueth not ynough and wanteth in that which he beleeueth not hee hath nothing but it commeth from vs but there is a fault committed in the alteration and not in the essence and I say following our instructors that heresie is rather a want of
good then possession of euill The difference in religion should mildly be agreed vpon Hee is not euill instructed in the principals of faith but hee is not sufficiently informed touching the Ceremonies he beleeueth constantly in the onely word of God contained in the booke called cannonicall the Catholicque taketh the interpretations of the word of God made by the Church for an infallible rule of his saluation and not like the Huguenot by the particular sence but by the vniuersall consent of the Church assembled togither vnder a legitimate head which is the Pope accord these two tunes make them beleeue in the traditions that since the time of the Apostles haue beene brought into the Church our Ceremonies in the administration of our Sacrament and in the election of Ministers and they are pleased and wee shall haue no more neede of warres If they say they will haue no other Iudges to determine their differences but the holy Scriptures which of it selfe is easie ynough without interpretations or Commentaries and that if it bee darke in one place it is opened in another tell them that it is not so easie plaine nor open but that diuers men do stumble in the vnderstanding thereof that it is not so cleare as that without interpretation it can discide all the controuersies of our faith that as God in the old lawes would haue a Moyses to iudge the law so he wold haue Ministers his successors that they shal determine difficulties of the doctrine of the Gospell Make them to agree with vs therein your difference will soone be ended and you shall bannish wars schismes in France To those reasons the league opposed theirs and said Your arguments are of no consequent you say that the Huguenot is not to bee pursued by armes because hee is not declared hereticque by cannonicall proceedings that hee is no hereticque because hee is not stubborne that hee is not stubborne because hee desireth instruction turne ouer the lease and you shall finde that the Huguenot ought to bee pursued by armes in that he hath beene condemned for an heretique by all the Councells specially of that of Trent that all nouelties are odious to the Church that he is an heretique for that knowing as it wer with his finger touching his error he staÌ„deth stubbornly in defence Obstinacy sence reprooued is the punishmeÌ„t of his infidelitie it is then to no end that he should aske instruction when there is no hope of amendment it is a tree without fruite and good for nothing but to bee cast into the fire To this poynt those that loued peace The warres for religion consâ—steth of a great number of Catholiques how deare soeuer it were cried out and said Will you then haue a new recourse to fiers punishments and remedies which wee haue alreadie tried to bee more proper to kindle and spread abroad then to quench and stop the euill Do you not as yet perceiue that God detesteth the terrible persecutions vsed against them in all the Courts of Parris that the Princes Gouernours of Townes Magistrates and officers of iustice haue with their owne bloods payed vserie for the vnmeasurable shedding of Christians blood that since the Magistrate left punishing and that the Prince hath pursued them by armes there hath died at the least a thousand Catholicques to kill a hundreth Huguenots The king is become a Captaine at his owne costs in the battels of Iarnac and Moncontour hee hath continued for the space of tenne or twelue yeares togither to make warres against them and in the ende after hee had vsed all meanes and attempted all extremities hee perceiued it was in vaine for him to kil to make men beleeue that the Gospel is not planted with other tooles then the word and peaceablenesse that it increaseth by suffering and not by persecution Iesus Christ planted his Church by miracles Mahomet by force and violence Religion is not the cause but the pretext of the warre The Talmud with her toyes and the Alcaron with her impostures detest the Christians furie that kill each other the first saith that Iesus Christ increased the Church by vertue of miracles and Machomet by force of armes Wee know well and if wee confesse it not wee are traitors to our countrie and of all others the most incencible that religion is not to be preached by drumb and fyfe and that of a hundreth that beare armes there is not tenne but haue an other intent then onely religion We know that this warre is a meere war against the estate that nothing was said touching the king of Nauarres conscience vntill it was euidently seene that by the death of Monsieur the kings brother hee was the next in succession to the Crowne and that it is most certaine that the League buildeth the assurance of things present by those that are to come that vpon the imaginatiue feare and of the succession of a Prince of an other religion the king beeing in the flower and strength of his age they dispute of the right possession and establish their vsurpation The Monarchie passeth to an other branch of the blood royall The Cardinall of Bourbon because the king hath no children because we should haue some they present vs an olde Prince an olde tree without fruit a hollow oake which serueth but for a support to the iuyce of the League and to the hopes of the Duke of Guise that climeth vnto the royaltie by his meanes Duke of Guise who vnder colour to powre water vppon those flames to place order in disorder and reformation inabuse suffereth men to burne in flame and ouerthrow all things Wherefore from hencefoorth the king must looke vnto that which as yet resteth whole and intire within his Realme that hee should make peace with the Huguenots that he should help himself with their forces which are Frenchmen against those Hispaniolized mindes that will eyther vsurpe the Soueraigntie of this estate or else conuert it into cantons like the Switzers To giue peace to the Huguenots to ayde himselfe with their forces to ouerthrow the Catholiques to stirre vp the Pope the king of Spaine and all Italy and in a word to constraine France to reuolt The king ought not to doo it and it is too much perill for himselfe Obiections against the League too much miserie for his people too much iniurie to the Church whereof hee is the eldest sonne hee should call wolues to helpe which in the end would deuoure the sheepe hee should serue himselfe with foxes that in fine would kil thee geese the king should bee Lent and the king of Nauarre the enterance into Lent or as we say Caresme prenant and then Huguenots would be ledde in triumphs through the Realme If the king should do it it would bee openly said that hee supporteth and aduanceth hereticques that seeking to do for himselfe hee doth for them hee will put Catholicques in dispaire and his crowne in hazard
vnto their libertie hee would destroy and ouerthrow all the Catholicque Churches in Italie The feare of this mischiefe caused him to tollerate an euill otherwise vntollerable pernicious necessitie to haue peace is the most straight band of humane commodities thereby to shunne warres that maketh fathers without childen children Orphans women widdowes Churches without exercise of religion or godlinesse and the world without God without lawe or without faith to bannish warres that change a most christian Realm into a Commōwealth of Atheists Frēchmen that are peaceable and tractable into Scithians and Canibals liuing only by blood this bloodie ciuill warre that maketh the earth a hell and men the diuelles it is most iust and reasonable to appease the differences of religion by peace seeing warre cannot effect it That ancient world of the church which in respect of ours beeing of Iron and brasse might iustly be called golden permitteth this libertie Peace accorded such false concords and made good musicke diuers Princes and Estates which at this day flourish in great honour suffer euery man to liue according to his conscience and manner of religion without any alteration of their estates by such discipline Detestation of massacres They consider that the schisme is begunne that the greatest part of Europe is diuided that diuers good Towns in France make profession of this religion there is no more remedie that wee must leaue this conuersion to the prouidence of God They content themselues that their subiects obey them and that they vse their religion according to their mindes they doo not therefore make a barbarous galemawfre of the members of their subiects they massacre them not they kill them not and beleeue that whatsoeuer wee haue done heretofore is not lesse horrible to the minde then cruell to the will the League replyeth and said Trouble not your selfe so much with tying these examples togither they serue for nothing there is no proportion of one Realme with the other in this poynt that which is good for the Frenchmen is not good for others We must not so much stand vpon the consideration of things that are alreadie done as of those wee should doo France neuer had two religions shee could neuer indure them Arians could not dwell therein the Alligers were not tollerated with them and the Lutherians and Caluinists would not long continue among them if the League bee in force Let your Grace remember what a Chrisostome of France said vnto you at the last Parliament holden in Blois and now giue the like authoritie to his arguments that they then had when they made you take armes to purge the heart of Europe of the poyson of heresie France said hee hath beene such that after it had publicquely receiued the Christian faith vnder Clouis it hath alwaies maintained it in one course immutable iuuiolable France neuer indured the peruerse opinions of faith within her brest France while all Christendome was moued by the pernicious diuisions of so diuers opinions and with so many and different sorts of heresies that vntill this time haue raigned hath alwaies continued constant and vpright not once bending it selfe to any false doctrine France hath been the succor and defence of christian faith and the terror of the enemies thereof And to conclude France hath beene like a rocke or vnexprignable sort of christianitie And how much should it now bee fallen from his auncient honour how much reputation should it loose how much should it want of her first fidelitie towards God if changing her firmitie constancie touching faith it should liue long in such diuision and indure before her eyes in times past so iealous of the vnion of christian beleese and libertie but rather an intollerable libertie to liue vnder diuers religions Your Maiestie looking into the memorie of things past may sufficiently perceiue that as long as France hath been vnited vnder one christian religion shee hath made her glorie and renowne spred through all countries shee hath caused her valor in armes to be prooued felt in all places of the world shee hath alwaies beene victorious ouer all the enemies of Catholicque religion and hath done so many honourable actions achieued so great and happy conquests against Insidels that it wanne such glorie among the Asians Africans Indians Persians Tartarians Moores Sarrazins and others that all the christians in Europe are by them called Frenchmen for that because those strange nations haue onely felt the armes of Frenchmen they haue also comprehended all the Latine churches vnder the name of France Frenchmen But since France hath been diuided rent with two religions let vs see how much it hath loft of her auncient renowne shee that commaunded a great part of Europe that conquered countries farre distant from her that at her onely name made diuers warrelike nations to tremble is found since this vnhappy and vnfortunate diuision to bee reduced into such extremitie that in the middle of her brest she hath receiued forraine powers shee hath in a manner receiued the lawe of her neighbours and of her enemies and that cruell turning her sword against her owne intrailes and although shee was inuincible in respect of all other nations she is now her self so imbased vanquished and ouerthrowne which is the fruit that this venemous plant of new opinion hath induced which seemeth to be at the poynt readie to giue more daungerous thrusts if according to the expectation which your obedient people haue conceiued of your wisdome pietie it pleaseth not your Maiestie speedily to take order therein Remember that your Grace beareth the Scepter of the great king Clouis that first ruled this Monarchie vnder the publike profession of this religion which at this present is put in question within this Realme Remember that you are successor to that great Childeberg that being able to indure such persons about him that had any wrong opinion of christian religion made wars vppon the Visigots that were infected with the heresie of the Arrians and in the end constrained them to ioyne and vnite themselues to the holy and Catholicque Church Remember that you beare vpon your head the crowne of that Charles who for the greatnesse and valor of his actions deserued the name of great and by the vertue of his armes aduanced christian religion and defended the authoritie of the Apostolicque sea against such as persecuted the same Remember that you hold the place of that most woorthieking Philip Auguste who with so much zeale affection imployed his armes against Albigeois hereticques that had sequestred themselues from the Catholicque vnion Remember that you sit in the seate of that renowmed Prince Saint Lewis that spared not his treasures his forces nor his own person for his desence and aduancement of the faith of Christ and by his christian actions deserued the crowne and surname of Saint and without prolonging time to rehearse them all Remember that you are Nephew to that great king Francis
in Citties and Townes in which cases they are vnited by well gouerned lawes and ordinances euery one according to his charge and necessary function but that the mischiefe was that in these daies lawes are nothing else but written papers hee set downe the vnexcusable faults committed in obseruation of lawes pollices and ordinances made for the punishment of swearers blasphemers players idle persons vsurers vnlawfull exacters cousoners wicked liuers men vsing prohibited and vnlawfull places with all such kinde of vices Idle Schollers the libertie of liuing idlely and desolutely without pollicie or gouernment but only by bad and disordered meanes causes and originalles of troubles and seditions which ouerthrow and subuert all kingdomes and good Common-wealths adding therevnto a most earnest exhortation to seeke remedies to all those michiefes The kings debts Lastly hee shewed the great debts the king hadde fallen into his great diligences and hazards by making warres against the hereticques his pietie religion and deuotion to the Romish Church with the rare behauiour actions and counsell of the Queene his mother Ending his Oration with the vnitie and concord that ought to bee as a most necessary thing in that assembly thereby to holde the Catholicque Apostolicque and Romane Church with general and particular estate of all that are comprehended therin in true obedience to the king in all vnion and concord which doing this Monarchie would bee found to be inuironed with all happinesse vnder the authoritie of the most christian king and to the contrary dooing otherwise they should feele a continuall greefe and remorse of conscience within their mindes for disobeying God their King and countrie The Archbishop of Bourges Oration The Archbishop of Bourges Patriarch and Primate of Aquitaine thanked the king in that it pleased him to shewe his great good will towards his subiects saying that thereby the poore and miserable countrie of France which for the space of eight and twentie yeares hadde beene so much tormented beganne to receiue some strength and to take courage hearing the sweete and pleasing voyce of her king witnessing his more then fatherly affection towards his subiects which would cause him to bee honoured and belooued within his Realme as much as in auncient time the world worshipped Herculus Theseus and other valiant men that eased and relieued them from the burthen of oppressions and violences vsed in those daies by Tyrants and monstrous Gyants Saying that as God when his people were afflicted raised Moyses Iosue Dauid Manasses Iosaphat Ezechias and other good kings so by his prouidence hee hadde sent into this desolate kingdome a King who from his young yeares hadde beene guided by the Spirite of the Kings beloued of God wisedome of God to gouerne his people and as the young Eagle a celestiall bird comming out of her nest his Maiestie pricked and prouoked by the vengeance and generositie of his Predecessors hath throwne the thunder of the eternall GOD vppon the faces and heades of the enemies of his diuine Maiestie not once sparing his owne life for the honour of God and tranquillitie of his Realme who in his voyage to Polonia His voyage to Polonia passing and repassing through so many and diuers Nations hath hadde and gotten so much experience in all actions that by the onely wisedome and eye of his vertues hee hath dispearsed a great and puissant armie of straungers Rutters and Switzers A happie houre of his raigne Concluding therewith by so certaine a hope that vnder so good and so mightie a king they should see heresie suppressed and repulsed peace assured the seruice of God established all the Churches restored and reedified Townes franchised and freed from caliuers and drummes the Temple of warres closed and shutte vppe and that of peace opened vnto all men iustice and peace imbrasing each other lawes flourishing charitie abounding among men and by one consent and vnion of religion vnder the obedience of God and the King who representing the person of GOD beareth the sword of Gods iustice heere on earth the kingdome of Christ would thereby beginne to flourish as an example of all goodnesse in the world to come wherevnto wee all aspire Great ioy made by the estates And therewith in the name of them all adding this exclamation Viue Rex in sempiternum Liue King liue and liue eternally and for the gracious vertues and notable inspirations wherewith God hath touched your Princely heart all your Realme of France singeth Benedictus Deus qui misit talem voluntatem in cor regis Blessed and praised bee God that hath inspired so good and notable a desire into the heart of our King which wee beseech his diuine Maiestie to assist fortifie and conduct to a most happie and prosperous end for his honour and glorie The Earle of Brssac his OratioÌ„ made in â—ame of the whole Nobilitie After the Archbishop of Bourges sat downe the Earle of Brissac stood vppe and for a congratulation of those of his order hee shewed the King that the Nobilitie in generall hadde giuen him in charge to thanke his Grace for the good and honour they receiued beeing by his commaundements called and conuoked togither by an assembly of the generall estates and in his royall presence there to heare and vnderstand his holy and good resolutions assuring themselues that the effects would bee as prompt and certaine as it was a naturall and iust thing in him to be a true king acknowledging that by that meanes onely it would make them such as they ought to be The affectioÌ„ of the French Nobilitie in the seruice of the king and state touching the reestablishing of the honour of God the Catholicque Apostolicque and Romane religion and of other things profitable to his estate and necessarie for his poore people Promising for their partes to vse the fidelitie zeale affection and generositie that hath allwaies beene naturall in the Gentlemen of France towardes their Kings and soueraigne Princes Offering vnto his Maiestie the most humble seruice of their armes persons and liues to cause him to bee obeyed honoured feared respected and acknowledged of all men as both diuine and humane lawes haue constituted and appoynted And withall to restore his Realme purged of heresies the spring and cause of all diuisions to her first and ancient dignitie wherevnto they would expose themselues freely generously and liberally vnder his authoritie euen to the last drop of their blood The Crati of the third estate The Prouost of Merchants within Parris President for the thirde estate fell on his knees and for those of his degree spake and sayde That seeing it had pleased his Maiestie so to open his minde and to declare his holy intents vnto his people thereby assuring them of his great charitie truely named most fatherly in their behalfes his most humble most obedient and most faithfull subiects of the third estate first praised God that it had pleased him to cast the eyes of his mercie
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
himselfe and the meanes hee vsed to attaine vnto the same I will put this proposition that this Prince is bound and a neighbour vnto France and in that case neither ought nor may bee an enemie vnto it Hee is the sonne of that great and polliticque Prince Charles Philebert duke of Sauoy who so wisely found the means to recouer that which his father had lost The praise of Charles Philebert Duke of Sauoy The principall glory and truely as I thinke the most necessary for a Prince of his quallitie was that among so many troubles and betweene two great Monarchies striuing togither hee could behaue himselfe so well that neither the one nor the other once touched him maintaining his countrie in peace affectioned to the seruice of our kings as hee that had receiued that honor to marrie the sister of king Henry the second a friend to the King of Spaine in whose Court hee had passed ouer the most part of his greefes for his forepassed losses a good neighbour to the Switzers and other Princes of Italie to liue in peace hee permitted the free accesse of Huguenots into his Townes of Thurin and assured them a retrait into the vallies of Angrongne Lucerne Saint Martin Pragela and la Perouze without constraining them as hee might well haue done to vse the Catholicque religion and looking into the depth of diuers things hee made meanes vnto the king of Nauarre for a match to bee made betweene the Lady Margaret the Kings sister and his sonne and what hee practised for his owne benefite the same he counselled vnto others for when hee perceiued that Henry king of Polonia threatned to renue the warres assoone as hee should set foote within his realme hee disswaded him from that resolution setting before him the incertitude of warres which most commonly are sweete in the beginning but difficult to bee pursued and most bitter and hurtfull in the ende See the order of Montagu Hee desired rather to leaue some parte of his Landes vnto the Switzers then to seeke to winne them by armes Hee behaued himselfe so well in his counselles which our kings reiected and imprinted such an opinion of his wisedome greatnesse and felicitie within his subiects mindes that the Sauoyen not knowing nor beeing able to imagine any greatnesse more eleuated or happyer then that of their Duke that they said that if the king of France could haue guided his affaires in as good sorte hee hadde beene man sufficient and fitte to haue beene Great-Maister of the Duke of Sauoyes house Charles Emanuel Duke of Sanoy Charles Emanuel his sonne perceiuing that the wisedome and pollicie of his father had left his estate in good securitie with a reasonable great quantitie of treasures and yet not so much as would suffice to make any forraine warres determined to imploy that generositie naturally ingraffed in him in some goodly enterprise hee threatned Ceneua and made shewe of doing some great exployt against it but acknowledging the insufficiencie of his forces for his so high an enterprise they determined vppon a marriage and married the King of Spaines youngest daughter and with her the passions of his father in lawe The Duke of Sauoy cannot liue in peace if the king of Frāce be his enemie At the beginning it was thought hee would haue contented himselfe to haue beene friend with France allyed vnto Spaine that vppon the apprehension of the fall of our estate he would neuer pretend any thing against vs that hee would staye himselfe more vppon thinges certaine then vppon vncertaine and variable that knowing that vppon the one side hee hadde the Almaines on the other the Switzers on the third the Venecians and on the fourth the Princes of Italie hee would become friend to the Frenchmen their friends It was thought that if hee had ambition in his minde it would vanish vnder a more iust title that feeling himselfe weake hee would enterprise any thing against a mightie King nor would not breake the bond of amitie for his part due vnto him holding his estates from this Crowne which of late of meere courtesie hadde restored Sauignan and Pigneroles vnto him yet without apparant necessitie and without any reason whatsoeuer hee vndertooke the vsurpation of the territories of France bordering vppon Piedemont And yet it was not done without pretence declaration and excuse for first hee wrote vnto the Pope that the feare hee had least Monsieur de Desdiguieres should cease vppon certaine of his Townes and so in the middle of his countrie make a retraict and refuge for the Huguenots had constrained him to diuert that mischiefe generally from the Church and particularly from his owne estate which hee desired to continue in the puritie of the auncient religion vnder the obedience of the holy sea of Rome The duke of Sauoyes pretence why he inuaded the Marquisat of Saluce Hee excused himselfe vnto the King touching this breach of peace saying that the onely zeale of religion togither with the feare of the contagious neighbourhood of hereticques had constrained him ther vnto sending an Ambassador to giue him notice thereof and so to disguise that iniurie with the fairest and most counterfeit hee could deuise At the first he made shewe as if he would not hold those places but vnder the kings authoritie and by little and little he vsurped all soueragne power degrading the kings officers erected the Sauoyan crosse and threwe downe the flower deluces of France Ann. 1481. His officers couered this vsurpation with an other title and maintained that the Marquisat of Saluces is holden infest of the Duchie of Sauoy and that one of the Marquises thereof beeing a braue and valiant Gentleman disdaining in person to doo homage to Charles the sixt Duke of Sauoy being very young was for his misprision declared a traitor driuen out of his Countries and his Marquisat confiscated The Marquesse of Saluce infested into the countrie of Dauphine But the truth is that this countrie hath alwaies been infest to the principalitie of Dauphine contained in the gift that Prince Humbert made vnto the Crown of France namely that the Marquesse of Saluce had recourse vnto the king of France who receiued homage and fidelitie of him and euer since his successours did continue the dutie of vassalles vnto the Kings Charles the eight Lewis the twelfth and Francis the first From thence it proceedeth that hee which enquired and gathered into a great volume the causes and reasons of the raising of armes in the moneth of Ianuary reporteth this surprising of the Marquisate of Saluces to bee deriued from principalles of the League that dismembreth thier Crowne and Common-wealth perceiuing that neither of them could preserue it whole and intire and these are his words ABout that time the Duke of Sauoy supposing the king by reason of his departure from Parris to bee wholly ouerthrowne sent to speake with Monsieur de Guise minding to enter into League with him vppon
King that it would bee necessary for him to make peace within his Realme and to reuenge that iniurie to driue away the Goate that eateth the colewoorths while the Good-man is fighting with his wife to chase the wolfe that assayleth the sheepfolde while the Sheepheards are quarrelling togither For so the Romanes agreed togither when they perceiued the enemie before their Capitoll so the Spaniards left of their mutenie when they beheld the white crosse before Fontarabie so the Frenchmen appeased their debates to ioyne togither for the driuing of the Englishmen out of Normandie They tolde the King it would bee accounted a poynt of great cowardise in them if they should seeme to bee offended thereat if they should indure the pride and ambition of their so weake an enemie if they should suffer the Crowne of France to bee dismembred specially the places which are particularly allotted vnto the eldest sonne of the King The king is resolued to folow strange wars and to pacifie ciuil broyles To suffer that a meane Prince should in a brauado take away from a King of France that little plot that rested vnto him of the territories of Italie togither with foure hundreth peeces of Cannon-shotte the Frontiertowne of France lying beyond the Mountaines that place that was able to withstand the most proude forces of the Spaniards which onely rested vnto vs as an assured pawne therewith in short space to recouer againe the countries of Naples and Milan The King beeing in flamed with iust greefe was fully mooued at this tyranny and iudged this branch of mischiefe to spring out from the bodie of the coniurations of the League for the which cause he said hee would make peace with the Huguenot to serue himselfe by their means against such as sought to pull off his cloathes before he ment to go to bedde minding to quit himselfe from the rule of such as like maiors of the Pallace sougt nothing but his subiection vnto their passions The Duke of Guise excuseth himselfe The Duke of Guise perceiuing that all the assembly the whole Parliament all the kings seruants iudged this inuation to be done by his means and to bee the onely effect of the League and that it bred hatred and repentance in the hearts of those that esteemed his proceedings to bee most iust he besought the king not to bee mooued thereat assuring him that assoone as his Maiestie should haue quenched the fire which the Huguenots had begun to kindle within his realm he would be one of the first that should passe the Mountaines to make his forraine enemies yeeld their praye desiring his Maiestie to giue him that commission but first he said hee ought to assure his people of that hee had promised them by oath touching the holy vnion and the good resolution of the Parliament The king that could not well disiest this aduise receiuing it as from the heart of him that had giuen the spirit motion to the mischiefe by his continuall practises with straungers perceiuing that neither his Edict of vnion nor yet the obligation of the oath which he had taken concerning religion of all the Princes of the League to make them depart and leaue their secret associations as well within as without the Realme had not wrought that effect which hee expected hee determined from that time forward to bee reuenged of all forepassed offences perswading himselfe not to bee bound to obserue the Edict of vnion seeing the League had first begunne to breake it consenting to the pernicious intents of strangers Reade the wars of Geneua in the booke following not withdrawing themselues from the mutuall intelligences it had with him but in the meane time while hee dissembled his displeasure against the Duke of Cuise hee vsed another meanes against the Duke of Sauoy which I will shewe heereafter That the king of Nauarre was not much greeued at the iniurie which a meane Duke had done vnto a mightie king it is not to bee doubted yet he reioyced thereat being in hope of some good fortune that might thereby ensue and that it would be occasions to end the diuisions partiallities within the Realme of France At such time as this new trouble sprang vp among the assembly at Blois hee was in Rochel where hee called an other assembly of the Churches of his religion seeing the artificiall deuises of the League had shut the gate against him where hee ought to holde the principall place as the first Prince and chiefe Magistrate of France An assembly at Rochel This assembly began the fourteenth day of Nouember in the Town-house of Rochel the King of Nauarre beeing present assisted by Moniseur de Turenne Monsieur de Trimouille and other Gentlemen of his house and Councell as in a manner there is not any Prouince in France wherein this religion hath not purchased some acres of land and by that meanes there were Deputies from all places By whose aduise and resolution sprang the request presented vnto the States at Blois The Protestants demaundeth a Councell vnder the name and title of the Frenchmen exiled for the religion beseeching the king to restore them vnto the libertie of the first Edict which from the name of the moneth wherein it was published was called the edict of Ianuary to ordaine that a national Councell might be assembled where the Doctors on both parts with good securitie in presence of his Maiestie and all the assembly might peaceably debatetheir differences and holily decide and resolue vpon the same to graunt them the free libertie of possessing their goods for supplying their necessities to permit the registring of their supplication together with the consenting therevnto by his Maiesties pleasure to the end that nothing might bee done in that assembly to preiudice them This petition was badly framed at that time as beeing wholly contrary to the principall intent of that assembly which beeing for the most part composed of men chosen and purposely taken out from among the most passionate aduancers of the League desire rather to destroy then instruct such as had strayed aside and sooner to drowne then to wash the infected And therefore not beeing satisfied with the Edict of vnion the right destruction of the Protestants they ceased not vntill both from the king himselfe and all the assembly they had procured a declaratiō of the perpetual disabilitie of the king of Nauarre to the succession of the Crowne Yet their artificiall poysons do not so fully infect all the body of that assembly and their mindes were not in such manner tyed vnto the opinions of the League but that there were some persons both of dignitie reputation that would not permit that the means should bee taken from the king to revnite his subiects in one religion seeing that the intent of the Parliament ought onely to tend vnto a publike peace and therefore they counselled him to procure a lawfull Councell against this schisme of conscience
in that imbarking he thought not vppon the stormes and tempests how hee might shunne them hee would thinke vppon them but too late when they might not bee auoyded when all the owers would bee broken and the waues strike against his vessell when danger shuld vanquish his art and necessity force his wisdome that of the wind of the peoples fauour which of long time hath bin disposed vnto rebellion and troubles maketh his sayles blow full that furiously he would thrust his pretences into the maine sea that neuerthelesse he oght to consider the vncoÌ„stancie lightnesse of the people who hauing shakeÌ„ off the yoak of the Vulgus infidum bonis Horat. Vnum imperij corpus vnius animo regendum videtur Tacitus kings obedience would do as much vnto a Prince to whom it shall not be bound but as to Proctor of their mutenie That there is nothing more vnconstant nor more disloyall then the common people traiterous to the good and dutifull to the wicked and that rewardeth those that do it good with ropes exiles and publike execration that in the ende after many attempts prooues of all sorts of principallities it wil alwaies return againe vnto the royaltie France not beeing able to indure the gouernment of two kings no more then the body two heads nor a ship two Pilots that France no more then the whole world without a generall consuming cannot indure two sunnes that the people continueth not long in their furie it loseth breath in the first setting forward Si duo soles velis esse pericuâ—um â—e in cendio omnia perdantur Serenus like a reed that beginneth with a long and straight pipe and suddainly it windeth and is crooked loosing the vigor that it shewed in the first part thereof The Duke de Maine beeing as then Maister either of his good fortune or ouerthrow held the conduction of the Leaguers affaires at his disposition and by a good resolution could revnite the Catholicques by his brother led astray but his passion leading him at her pleasure and that it represented vnto him the aduantage hee had to succeed in the fauours credite and authoritie of his brother and by consequent vnto his hopes hee reiected the aduise of good counsell and thinking that they sought his life determined the same day in all haste to depart from Lyons and went to Mascon and from thence to Chalons where hee assured himselfe of the citadell from thence he got to Dyon where he receiued letters from the king by the which the king assured him that hee desired to continue him in his fauour staying the punishment of things past vppon the death of his bretheren whom hee had put to death to saue his life whereof hee had aduertised him The Duke de Maine attributing the clemencie and fauour of the king to an affection languishing feeble and faint and to a feare he had to haue him for enemie or to loose his friendship not beeing able to moderate his chollor nor to incline himselfe vnto a generall and good ende hardened himselfe in his resolution receiued the pestilent breath of those mindes that bad framed themselues to tyrannie feared not the king and made lesse account of him then of the chaine of Tartaria While hee continued at Dyon he gaue out commissions to assure himselfe and to seize vpon diuers places and among the rest one of the Messieur de Rosne and de Saint Paul to commaund in Champaigne and Brye He had no great trouble to constraine them of Dyon to reuolt against the king bridling them by the Castle there was none but the Court of Parliament who perceiuing that they could not shine without the light of the authoritie royal that would not consent to that rebellion therfore the principal officers were driuen from thence the rest imprisoned some poore people fearefull for the discommodities they might reape remained in miserable slauerie vnder the confused and disordered democratie The kings Letters to the Duke de Maine From thence the Duke de Maine went to Troye a Towne long time before spoyled and corrupted by the participants of the Duke of Guise where hee was receiued with honours due vnto a king The king perceiuing that the league caused al the townes beyond the riuer of Loire Chalon sur Saone Dyon Troye Parris and Orleans to rise against him and that if hee sat with armes crossed it would not ease him was constrained to leaue the affaires of the Parliament vnperfect to prouide for the safetie of his person and to remedie the violent intents of his enemies and before the Parliament brake vp vppon the fifteenth and sixteenth daies of Ianuarie he heard the declarations of the Deputies of the third estates wherein may bee found the examples of the disorders which at this time trouble the Realme of France The Oration of the Archbishop of Bourges The Archbishop of Bourges President for the spiritualtie in the Parliament after the death of the Cardinall of Guise made a long discourse of the miseries and calamities that had continued for the space of eight and twentie yeares within the Realm of France touching the causes thereof assuring them that the despising of the name of God is the cause of our euil hauing broken the band that tyeth and vniteth vs vnto God that is religion which is the signer the band and foundation of all Monarches and Common-wealths Difference in religion That the diuision happened in the vnitie of this religion separating the hearts and minds of families and then of communalties hath produced this disorder that thereby they should haue seen nothing but fire and weapons throughout France nourisheth this long ciuill warre which to entertaine hath beene the meanes to seeke out so many prodigious inuentions to ouerthrow and spoyle the people by so many subsidies sale of offices belonging to iustice and treasures with the alienation of the sacred patrimonie of the Church The kings zeale to his religion That the king in his youth being adorned with so many victories obtained against schisme and heresie had giuen to vnderstand that the honour and glory of God and his religion was dearer vnto him then his own life ought not to permit that heresie should oppose it selfe against the true religion of him and his forefathers a new against the true alter and a king against his authoritie royall That hauing reestablished the assurance of the franchises of religion he ought with a care woorthieof a royall name to purge the disorders and the abuses which the corruption of this world hath induced into all estates Abuse in the Church in the house of God in the church in the Nobilitie in armes in Magistrates in iustice and in the people and on the one side shewing the disorders on the other hee applyeth the remedies and because the libertie of these last troubles hath increased them wee will present them like euill vlcers which spoyle this polliticque bodie and that will
saued but increased not flourishing but eleuated aboue all nations and that from this triumph so much desired his Maiestie shall reape the honour his estate the principall good and all the people of Europe bee participants to this happie chance it beeing an assurance vnto his Crowne the most assured stay of all Christendome The memorable victory of the â—ing against the Rutters That the victories which France desireth to see his Maiestie obtaine shal be but a continuation of the ouerthrow by him giuen to that great and searefull armie of Rutters Switzers Lansquenets and French Huguenots which by the good conduction vigilacie of his Maiestie receiued more shame and losse then it hoped to reape in riches honour and the Switzers found more fauour and mercie then before they had shewed boldnesse and desire to doo him iniurie those that were saued returning like trumpets of his renowne publishing the honours praises and victories of his Maiestie That now the prayers teares and trauels of auncient Frenchmen seemed to aske vengeance against those that after so many religious times haue violated the Sepulchers of their fathers and ours who by fire furie and rage would pull from among vs this onely religion which those holy fathers had planted throughout the world That of all reprobates there can bee no sect found that is so dangerous nor abhominable as that of the Hugunots and as their impietie is extreame so ought their punishment to bee the like That it is knowne whether the furie of the enemie be greater then the disorders are deplorable which are found to bee in the Church by negligence ignorance confidence and abuse And proceeding to shewe the affection and zeale which the Nobilitie continueth in the assistance of the King to remit religion and the state in their first splendure and with the price of their liues following the example of their elders and the hereditary generositie of such as haue driuen out and vanquished the Gothes Vandales Arrians Albigeois Lombardes Sarazins and Pagans that haue pursued the defence of the faith and victories of the kings of France from the furthest parts of the Ocean Seas farre beyond the Westerne and that haue not left any place for the reputation of their honours within the compasse of the circle of the sunne hee besought his Maiestie to fauour the antiquitie of the priuiledge right belonging to the Nobilitie in them to acknowledge the seruices done vnto his predecessors The prowesse of auncient Frenchmen to reforme the rules and militarie ordinances of the Kings his auncestors not to permit that any by mony or fauour may attribute vnto himselfe the name of a Gentleman to maintaine the priuiledges of the order of the knights of Saint Iohns of Ierusalem to cut off the superfluities in iustice to moderate his subsidies order his treasures reestablish the Magistrate ordaine an order and pollicie among souldiers cause the Church to bee reformed and to punish the enemies of our holy religion And so wishing a thousand prosperities to the king and peace vnto his subiects hee ended his Oration The complâ—â—â—ts of the third estate The agreement of subiects to the kings obedience Heresie and schisme Monsieur Bernard Councellour of the Parliament in Dyon presented the complaints of the third estate beginning his Oration with a solemn thanksgiuing for the promise made by his Maiestie fully to execute the holy Edict of vnion written marked pointed vnto by the finger of god by the which heresies shall bee driuen away as cloudes that are dispearsed by the sunne exhorting all the townes and subiects of this Realme besides this vnion in one onely religion to enter into an other vnion good intelligence for the seruice of the King continuance of his dignitie and in defence of the good of the estate euery man remembring that the Prince is giuen of God to commaund and the subiects to obey Hee discouereth all the infirmities of this polliticque bodie which beside the vlcer of heresie and partiallities haue most straungely corrupted this Realme Blasphemies are naturall and ordinarie speeches among diuers Frenchmen adulterie is a sport coniuration is a subtiltie of spirit curiositie honestie and simonie a common trade of marchandise Simony Simony is not onely a spirituall Leprosie of the Church but a poyson which innisibly is tasted by the Nobilitie and a contagion which intecteth the third estate The Gouernments of townes places and Castles are committed to meane Gentlemen the suretie of the Inhabitants of a place of importance is exposed to the hazard of the meanes and riches of a Captaine euill affected The most ignorant beeing rich obtained the chiefest places within this Realm meÌ„ are rather known by the goldennesse of their estates then by their vertues knowledge and wisedome and haue nothing but an officers gowne to hide and couer their ignorance So the beautie of Iustice is darkened the elections of benefices and offices violated good customes peruerted vertue banished exiled vice in authoritie and rapin marcheth throughout the Realme with Ensignes displayed The disorder in warres The insolencie of horsemen the violence of souldiers who like mad men and patrticides haue pilled torne murthered violated and sacked this countrie of France our Common-wealth haue spoyled the villages with so barbarous hostilitie that most part of the lands are vntilled firtile places become desarts houses voyde and the flat countrie vnpeopled and all things reduced into a most fearefull disorder The Partisans Warre is not onely made among the people by souldiers inrolled and prest by the kings coÌ„missioÌ„ but also by another sort of enemies that haue no lesse troubled his subiects then an armie of Rutters which are the partakers such as by importunitie gifts and inuentions of new tallages haue drawne the treasures of this Realme into their coffers and made the people readie to begge those are the deuisers of sibsidies and new Edicts the executors of extraordinary commissions buyers and fellers of offices vermine of men hatched by harpies bred vp in one night who by their deuises haue fretted this Realme euen to the very ashes of houses They march proudly incredite with the Seargent at their heeles at their word to execute the kings subiects with summons in their hands to constraine the consciences of the good and to violate the authoritie and religion of soueraigne Courts by crosssing of payes and interdictions of entries Many Edicts haue been verified and registred with these words by commaundements diuers times reiterated in good and iust Edicts the commandements of the soueraigne Prince is not necessarie Treasures euil imployed That if such and so great nouelties and oppressions neuer seen nor heard of in France had been deuised for the profit and commoditie of his Maiestie the complaints against them were neither iust nor reasonable but the souldiers haue bene without maisters and not payd the wages of officers lessened and the treasures spent and consumed And yet they go about to
Chartres Amiens Abeuille Lyons Mans and of all other maintaining their partie forfaited coÌ„fiscated minding that the mony rising of the sale therof should bee imployed in the charges of the war Notwithstanding all this aboue declared the D. de Maine and his confederates hauing their armie in readinesse made a selection of their resolutest men and marched into Vendosmois with an intentioÌ„ to surprise the K. in Tours were he was weakly ynough garded besides this they had secret intelligeÌ„ce both in the court town The king of Nauarre beeing aduertised that this armie was in Vendosme and in the confines thereabout determined to go to see them and for this purpose departed the eight and twentieth day of Aprill with 400. Maistres and a thousand Harguebuziers on horsebacke going ten long myles at one march But beeing in the way to haue gone further forward hee receiued newes that the king called him backe to his owne succour wherefore with all speed hee turned head and came to lodge at Maille vpon Loire two miles from Tours after hee had remained by the space of 24. houres on horseback A peculiar order of Cauallere The king presently hearing of this arriual was much eased at heart for it was mightily seared least the Duke de Maine hauing taken S. Ouyn near Amboise which he battered with two coluerins wold haue come to ledge in the subburbs of Tours the which so falling out the K. had bin in euident danger of his person On Sunday being the last day of the month the two kings viewed each other in the passage from Plessy Parke to Tours with mutuall demonstration of all contentment Free resolution of the K. of Nauarre The K. of Nauarre this day shewed a free and absolute resolution which was wont with him to bee ordinarie For Marshall Hautmont being come to finde him out and exhort him in the behalfe of the king that he would come to him incontinently he determined to go laying aside all suspition and reiecting diuers adnertisements which had been giuen him for slacking of this enterview thrise pleasing to the people profitable to the king Truce between the two Xings After that the two kings had for the space of some daies coÌ„municated togither Vauar returned ouer to Loire lodged himself in the subburbs of Saint Saphorin afterwards the truce accorded betwixt them was published throughout the town of Tours after it had bin promulgated in the Court of Parliament as was also the second Edict or proclamation of war against the heads of the league and their adherents who in the beginning retired themselues towards Vendosme afterwards iudging the the K. of N. was far off about the 8. of May they set euen vpon the subburbs of Tours drawne therevnto by their intelligence fastned skirmish their suddain arriuall made an alarme in the twon wherin there was great trouble at the first and with all speed they sent toward the king of Nauarre who was somewhat remote willing him to make haste Cheualier d'Aumale arriuing there after the skirmish lodged himselfe neare the Prouost hard by S. Simphorian where in searching throgh the house three or foure houres after they found certaine souldiers which they broght vnto him al whom before his own eyes he caused to be stabbed Acts and Catholicke carriage of the leaguers At the same instant wer 40. or 50. womeÌ„ maids fouÌ„d hiddeÌ„ in a caue who were all forced as like wise they were in the rest of the subburbs yea euen within the Church of S. Simphorian som womeÌ„ yong maids fled thither as to a place of securitie were violated in the presence of their husbaÌ„ds fathers mothers whoÌ„ these Catholicke leaguers caused to be assistaÌ„t to so horrible spectacles the more to outrage oppresse them The day following vpon the pauement of the Church were seen the beds wheron the Vicar protested to haue seen theÌ„ hale womeÌ„ and virgins They broke opeÌ„ the chests defaced the windows of the temple stole away whatsoeuer there was after they had beaten flatling with their swords the Vicar chaplain whom they kept bound all night they cut the cord that sustained the pixe to see whither it were siluer and gilt or no but finding that it was but brasse they threw it in despite against the ground In pilling stealing they light vpoÌ„ two chalices whereof the one was of siluer the other of copper the of copper they left saying in mockerie that it belonged to the league or vnion made a conscience so much as to touch it but that of siluer was denounced royall or appertaining to the king hereticall and therefore consequently of good price The Church-boxe wherein there was some siluer the Copes and or naments of the Altar with the Vicars robes and vestments were also found hereticall and in this nature were carried away This Knight tooke for his spoyle a verie young virgine of an honest sâ—â—â—lie which was scarcely eleuen yeares old being found within a barne whom hee forced holding continually his poniard at her throat by reason of her resistance sending her afterwards to his officers to bee abused in the like manner The day following in the morning these leaders perceiuing that some bodie would quickly come to vnnestle them that the kings succors approached made themselues readie to dislodge and euery man to pay his Hoste set fire on his lodging so that all the whole subburbe had been brought to dust and ashes without the present succour that thereto was giuen Other stimulations of the leagues exploits against Romain Catholicke religion where of they termed themselues to be protectors Now seeing I am entered into this discourse I will yet make a step or two out of the way and returne afterwards to the prosecusion of this my collection It is therefore to bee obserued that after the taking vp of armes the league shewed no violence but against the townes and boroughs of their owne partie wherein persons Ecclesiasticall noble and vpright men suspected to fauour the king neuer so little were in all sorts offered violence that is to say at Thoulouse they cruelly killed the President Duranti and Dafis the kings Aduocate both of them well affected to the Romaine Church Those of the religion in Guyen and other places had neuer more peace then during these outrages of the League And it was then a common prouerbe that the sheepe then fed most securely when the wolues were at warres amongst themrelues It is impossible to set downe the sacriledges violations blasphemies against God mockerie of all religion but namely of the Catholicque Romaine perpetrated in the leaguer Townes and in the countrie by their troupes their souldiers wherof a part were Priests and Monks all the time of Lent in contempt of the Popes ordinances whom they call the holy father eate flesh yea euen in those places where they had aboundance of fish Diuers of them constrained Curates and
the place was won for the King In Poictou the Barron de la Rocheposé the Lords of Preaux of Parabere and others for the King fought oftentimes with the Leaguers The Duke of Nemours after certaine sallies in and about Langres put himselfe within Lyons As for those of Chartres they defended themselues most couragiously for the space of two moneths and a halfe without beeing succoured by any in the end whereof perceiuing that the bridge which was made by the pollicie of the Lord de Chastillon to come vnto blows with them would be their ruine they entered into conditions of accord the Fryday before Easter the which contained that if within eighteene daies they were not assisted by the Duke de Maine who was then at Soissons three smal daies iourney from Chrartres they would yeelde themselues to the king Then they sent Deputies in post toward the Duke who for prouision dispatched a Maister of his housholde and two Maisters of the campe with tenne or twelue horse to trie if they could enter into the Cittie with charge to confime the Townesmen in their obstinacie But all the succours being taken on Fryday the ninteenth of Aprill about foure of the clocke in the after noone the king with his armie entered into Chartres where hee stayed Saturday and Sunday following The morrow after his enterance the Leaguers of the Cittie to the number of sixe or seuen hundreth went foorth of the Towne with their armies and suddainly the Marshall de Biron entered being followed with 1200. harguebuziers and about 300. horse the garrison assigned to him and the gouernment giuen againe to the Lord de Sourdis who before commanded ouer them They dislodged from thence certain Ladies and Gentlewomen of the leaguers in Coches and Chariots which they caused to be safely conducted to Orleans The K. being Maister of so faire strong a place leuied certain monies of the Inhabitants which had submitted themselues to his mercie Then hauing brought Aulneau and Dourdan to his obeysance hee returned to Senlis Leaguers ouerthrowne at Esperron At this time when Chartres was yeelded vp the Leaguers armie in Prouence consisting of a thousand Chieftaines and of sixteene or eighteen hundreth harguebuziers as well Prouencieux Spaniards as Sauoyans were othrowne at Esperrond de Pallieres by the Lords de la Valette and Diguieres who did the king excellent seruice For the league lost at that time near hand foure hundreth Chieftaines and fifteene hundreth shot leauing a great number of prisoners fifteen tents an infinit companie of horses baggage which were equally diuided among the victors they lost among the rest young Buous a braue and gallant Gentleman twentie souldiers and there were an hundreth hurt At Poictou also In Poictou certaine weekes after the Vicount de la Guierche commanding ouer certaine Regiments of footemen and horsemen and where hee found neare a thousand natural borne Spaniards newly come from Brittaine hauing an intent to do some great exployt they were charged to so good a purpose and with such high resolution by the Barron de la Roche posé and other of the kings chiefe seruitors that after they had giuen them a certaine fight la Guierche seeing on the cold earth more then three hundreth Gentlemen and his most assured fauourites tooke his flight toward the next riuer where finding the ferrie and thinking to go ouer easilie the throng was so great that the ferrie-boate and all the passengers suncke to the bottome La Guierche was there drowned with a great number of others There perished in the water and in the fight more then seuen hundreth Spaniards Some supposed this losse of the Leaguers to bee little lesse then that of Coutras by reason of the great number of the Nobilitie which died therein As for Guierche hee was but little lamented in respect of his vngodly life and disordered behauiour Chasteauthierri yeelded to the League The Duke de Maine hauing thus lost Chartres followed his intelligence vppon the Towne of Chasteauthierri the which was yeelded vnto him with the Castle by the Pinarts the father and the sonne who were commaunders of the same place The Spaniards sackt both the Towne and Castle spoyling in like sort diuers Gentlemens houses round about neuer caring of whole part or religion they were of After this exployt those of Guise beeing at Reims made there a new Archbishop dispatching Ianin sometime President of Diion to go into Spaine to the intent hee might there looke vnto their affaires The kings Edict for upholding the two religions in his kingdome On the other side the Princes and Romaine Catholicque Lords which were the kings partakers perswaded with him to frame himselfe to the exteriour profession of their religion and by the Duke of Luxenburg who had before made a voyage vnto Rome in their name they practised with the Pope to that end On the contrarie side the Protestant Lords beseeched the king to haue them in remembrance who were so faithfully constantly imployed for him Other of his Councel pressed vpon him to prouide for his peaceable subiects as well of the one as the other religion Also that hee would preuent the new attempts of the Pope and his adherents against France And these solicitations begat two Edicts which were brought foorth at Maâ—te in the beginning of Iulie The one established the decrees of pacification made by Henry the third deceased vpon the troubles of the Realme repealing abolishing that which had been made in Iuly 1585. and 1588. in fauour of the league The other contained in forme of letters pattents an ample declaration of the kings intent to maintaine in France the Romaine Church and religion which was surnamed Catholicque Apostolicque togither with the rights and auncient liberties of the Gallican Church An act made by the high court of Parliament at Chaalons at Tours against the Popes bulles his Nuntio and his legat in France It hath beene said before that the new Pope called Gregorie had sent Marcellin Landriano his Nuntio into France with monitarie bulles against the king The Court of Parliament of Paris sitting then at Chaalons in Champaigne hauing receiued and verified the two Edicts aboue mentioned added at the last making mention of the conseruation of the liberties of the Gallican Church that she admitted the Atturney generall to appeal touching the abuse of those bulles published by the Popes pretended Nuntio the thundring and execution of the same held him to bee wel relieued giuing him audience for the first day that commission should bee deliuered vnto him to informe against this pretended Nuntio and his adherents which information beeing made and brought throughout the Court and viewed then they wold decree that which should bee reason moreouer that the same Atturney should haue an act of protestation by him made to prooue himself for the counsell to come This Edict was giuen the first day of Iuly In the montth following there was a second
the 25. of Aprill insuing Bullen was deliuered into the hands of the king of France who made his entrie into it vpon the 25. of May after About that time died Claude de Lorraine first Duke of Guise and Iohn Cardinall of Lorraine both beeing poysoned with Humieres the Cardinall of Amboise and Iohn of Caracciol Prince of Melphe Lieftenant generall for the King in Piedemont and Marshall of France after whom succeeded Charles de Cosse Barron de Brissac in his time a most valiant Captaine Now wee enter into warres Occasion of warres begun betweene France and Spaine as hotly begunne as euer they were betweene the Frenchmen and the Spaniards The king from time to time casting his eyes vppon the Duchie of Millan and withall remembring the titles therevnto pretended by the house of Orleans wherevnto they neuer renounced beeing no lesse sorrie for that which had happened in Plaisance in regard of Pierre Louis sonne to Pope Paul Fernese who therin had been slaine by his houshold-seruants For besides that the report went that it had been done and practised by the subtill meanes of Ferdinand de Gonzague Lieftenant for the Emperour in Lombardie thereby to aduance his maisters affaires he had ceased vppon Plaisance The Pope desirous to reuenge himselfe and hauing not an arme as strong as his heart had sent Camille Vrsin to keepe and defend Parma and accepted the offer by the king in ayde vnto him which was to receiue the familie of Farneses and al their lands and goods into his protection The Pope had giuen Parma vnto his Nephew Octauian who not long after was inuested therewith by Iulius the third successour vnto Paul but the Emperour pretending that the Title of protector belonged better to him then to the King that had nothing to doo in Italie and perceiuing that accord between the king and the Pope to be as a thorne within his foote determined to assure himselfe of Parma wrought in such maner that Pope Iulius abandoned his vassall Octauian that had espoused the Emperours Bastard-daughter Octauian repaired to the king that named himselfe Protector of the lands of the Church and of the Ferneses and Pope Iulius being solicited to take order therein made no account thereof wherevppon the king determined to ayde Octauian and not long after Gonzague besieged Parma which caused the king to commaund the Marishall of Brissac his Lieftenant in Peidemont to fortifie and strengthen Mirandole but Gonzague hauing discouered the enterprise surprised the Soldiours that Marshiall Brissac sent thither and caused them to stay On the other side the Pope began to threaten the king because hee had receiued Octauian into his protection and said he would excommunicate him and all the Realme of France To coole the Popes chollor the king expresly forbadde all his subiects not to carrie any mony to Rome neyther yet to go thither for any cause whatsoeuer ordaining the Metropolitans of his Realme to supply their default therein vntill further order should bee taken This was no small blowe vnto the Court of Rome and surely if the king had still continued in that mind the Popes had neuer pilled France in such maner as afterward they did but thereby they had beene taught to become wise Which had surely beene a beginning of reformation throughout Christendome but it being grounded onely vppon temporall considerations and commodities it proceeded to no good end Octauian was declared a rebell vnto the Sea of Rome and presently war was proclaimed against him Gonzague entering by armes into the territories of Parma Beginning of warres beyond the Mountaines On the other side the king dispatched newe forces into Piedemont commaunding the Marshall of Brissac to ayde those of Parma and Mirandole From whence proceeded the taking of Quiers S. Damian with certaine Forts Castles in the Marquisall of Montferrat Whereby Gonzague was constrained to leaue Parma to defend the Millannois At that time the Emperour found himselfe much busied with many important affaires hauing to doo both with the king of Fance the Turkes and Affrica besides the troubles which as then were not fully ended in Almaine The Histories are very diuers touching the breach of this peace betweene the Emperour and the king but it must bee vnderstood by this newe commotion happened betweene two so puissant Princes for asmall matter as it outwardly appeared that they sought some former quarrell whereinto both of them most willingly entred vnder pretence of their new warre for Parma but aboue all things the iust iudgement of God minding to scourge Christendome as then filled with all disorders and culpable of greeuous crimes was the onely cause thereof Preparation for warres in Picardie In the beginning of the yeare 1551. Marie Queene of Hungaria sister to the Emperour and Gouernour in the lowe Countries made great preparations for warres both by sea and land And vnderstanding that the Marshall de S. Andre was readie to sayle into England to beare the order of France vnto Edward king of England sent certaine shippes to lye betweene Douer and Calis to take the Marshal who taking shippe at Deepe held an other course and so performed his voyage And for his securitie hee caused certaine Flemish shippes to bee stayed at Deepe which were presently released assoone as they vnderstood of his arriuall in England On the other side Queene Marie caused an arest to be made of all French Marchants shippes that as then were in any Port within the lowe Countries wherewith diuers Marchants were not very well pleased by reason of the disorders and losses that commonly happen by such arrests Monsieur de Villebon minding to refresh Turouenne wherein hee commaunded with new victuals Monsieur du Reux a great aduersarie to France sent certaine Souldiours to lye in Ambuscado and to impeach that enterprise but in the end hee was constrained to retire without effecting that they went for Irons in this sort beeing heated commaundement was giuen to the Ambassadors on both parts to depart The Queene of Hungaria stayed the Ambassadour of France prisoner in a certaine Castle with a great guard where hee stayed for a time The kings proceedings towards the Pope the Emperour and the Councell of Trent But before further proceeding vnto warres the king sent Monsieur de Termes to Pope Iulius to excuse himselfe in respect of that which he had done in the behalf of Octauian Fernese hee likewise shewed vnto the Emperour what reason mooued him to take armes and sent the Abbot of Bellosanne to signifie vnto the councel of Trent that hee could not send the Bishops of his Realme vnto such a Councell neyther yet esteeme that assembly to bee a generall Councell that they should respect the animositie of the Pope against the Realme of France and the eldest sonne of the Church and therefore that they should not finde it straunge if hee seemed not to shewe obedience to that assembly not made for the common benefite of Christendome but onely for
the particular profit and commoditie of some speciall men not that thereby hee pretended to leaue or forsake papisticall religion but protesting onely to doo it that hee might not bee surprised by such as vnder pretence of religion and reformation of abuses sought to imbase his kingly estate and dignitie which hee hoped to impeach by all iust and reasonable meanes that possible he might An edict against small dates and other abuses in the Court of Rome After this protestation hee published an edict made the yeare before touching the obtaining of Benefices against the deceites of pettie dates and other abuses vsed the Court of Rome and also touching the auncient arrests and edicts made against Annates and abuses of reseruations and exactions inuented by the Popes forbidding his subiects not to go to Rome for Annates nor any other occasions touching or concerning Benefices appoynting them to bee disposed and ordered by the ordinaries certifying into all places what wrong Pope Iulius did both to him and to Octauian Fernese Duke of Parma whom hee depriued of the place wherein hee had beene solemnly inuested The Cardinals and others of the Popes creatures in France fearing least this edict whervpon Charles de Moulin a Councel of great vnderstanding wrote a most learned Cōmentary in the which he discouered many terrible practises in Rome wold giue a hard push vnto the Papasie with earnest sute procured the King to publish and ordaine farre straighter and seuerer edicts then euer he did against the religion to the end that Iules the Cardinals on the other side of the mountaines might assure themselues of him to bee their friend as long as they seemed to agree with him Those ordinances were followed by diuers cruell and terrible executions in many places of the Realme against great numbers of the religion that were burned for most boldly confessing the truth of the Gospell reiecting mans traditions induced and brought into the Church and seruice of God Those that were assembled at Trent wrote vnto the king to induce him to accept and allow the decrees of their councell and to send the Bishops of his Realme vnto them as also to intreate him to be a meanes vnto the Switzers to send thither likewise but warre beeing open in all places and the Emperour hauing sent for the Spaniards that were in Almaine to make warre in Italie against Parma the pursuit of the Councell of Trent hung still vpon the field Preparation for warre in Lorraine Warres in this sort beeing kindled the King determined to assure himselfe of Lorraine beeing in some suspition of the Dutches that as then was Dowagar and hauing sent certaine companies into the frontiers the Emperour also strengthened all his fortes and places the one beholding the other with seuerall intents whereof in time the effects appeared The Princes of Almaine take counsel to deliuer themselues from seruitude Because the Emperor proceeced with the Almaine Prince in such sort as seemed inconuenient they not being acquainted with any such kinde of seruitude much lesse to bee in subiection of the Spaniards perceiuing that the King made preparation to set vpon the Emperour esteemed it a most fit good occasion for them to serue their turnes which King Henry of France thereby to abash the Emperour Charles and so to procure the meanes of better and more friendly vsage towardes them on his behalfe or else wholly to leaue them And therevppon entred into secret conference with the King to beseech him that it would please his Maiestie to imploy his meanes to procure the auncient libertie of the Germaines He thinking to haue found an entrie and means to attaine vnto most high and hautie enterprises thereby to abase the greatnesse and pride of his most glorious enemie and by that meanes to erect the honour of France willingly gaue eare vnto the Almaines and to the same end about the beginning of the yeare he sent the Bishop of Bayonne Tho Kings letters to the Protestant Prince vnto the Princes Electors with letters importing many protestations and offers of amitie as also shewing and declaring the many and great wrongs by the Emperour done vnto the Princes and towne of Almaine protesting that hee was fully resolued for their cause to imploy both his forces and his person to defend their rights and priuiledges not exspecting any recompence but onely honour to haue thereby deserued the good will and liking of so puissant a countrie as that of Germaine And therewith assuring them by the faith of a Prince that his only intent and meaning was to deliuer all the estates of Germaine from the oppressions of the Emperour and his Spaniards which hee likewise meant to do particularly in the behalf of his louing Cousin Iohn Duke of Saxon Philip Lant-graue of Hessen as then detained kept in miserable seruitude by the Emperor contrary to his oath promise And in the end of the letter he added these words We wil promise you likewise by the liuing God and before all the Kings Princes and Potentates of Christendome that our intent is not in any sort whatsoeuer to permit that either you in generall or any of you in particular of what estate or condition soeuer he bee shall suffer or endure any wrong or iniurie and much lesse will wee that beare the name of most Christian king permit that any damage or hurt shall be offered or committed either to the persons or goods of your most reuerend Prelates Abbots and other Ecclesiasticall persons as our aduersries haue most wrongfully giuen foorth but rather meane to take and receiue you into our protection and sauegarde so you will acknowledge it both vnto vs and to our allies and therein certifie vs of your whole and full intents hoping for the good and revnion of the Churche whiche is to bee expected by the recouerie of publique and auncient libertie wherein GOD willing wee will imploye all our force and meanes whatsoeuer Which most reuerend Prelates most noble Princes and other estates of the holie Empire we thought good to certifie vnto you to the ende you should not be ignoraunt of the cause of this our warres whereby we meane to pursue the Emperor both with fire and sword and although to our great disliking to cut him off as a putrified member from the bodie of the Common-wealth or at the least constraine him from henceforth from further molesting or troubling of your estate Effects contrary to words While the king in this sort termed himselfe the Protector of Almaine and defendor of the Countrey and nation of the holy Empire giuing a great hope of the revnion of the Church his Officers in many places of the realme burnt such as they called Lutherians and that agreed and consented to the doctrine holden and beleeued by most of the Princes Townes of Almaine open enemies to the traditions and ceremonies of the Pope On the other side he made great preparations for a voyage