the permission of the sea Apostolike shall put them into some monasterie as Pepin dealt with Childeric And by this meanes the Crowne shall bee set vpon his head and so returne to the blessed stock of Charlemaine and he and his successors from thenceforth shall haue their kingdome of the Bishop of Rome and shall abolish the prerogatiues of the French Church Whilest these things were a working at Rome the Guises with their adherents fought by all possible meanes to breake the peace in France and by grieuous oppressions and wrongs to force those of the reformed religion to put themselues in arms to withstaÌ„d so iniurious proceedings Monsieur forsaketh the Protestants and goeth to the Court. And albeit they were but too forward to blow the bellowes of sedition before yet now vpon the returne of Dauid from Rome they went eagrely forward and with great earnestnesse endeuored to put those rules in practise which came from their holy father There wer leagues and associations made and those as strong as could be deuised The states were summoned and by the collusion of the King none admitted to be at that assembly but such as were vtter enemies to the Gospel Monsieur by the earnest intreatie of the Queene mother was brought to the Court and hauing made his benefite of the fauor of the Protestants left them when they had most need of him and associated himselfe with their sworne enemies The King likewise beganne to interpret his Edict after a straunge maner The complaints of the Catholikes and farre otherwise then was expected by the confederates Some articles were strained and racked out to the vttermost and other some snipped and curtailed that they seemed metamorphosed and changed into a new nature as farre differing from their former as might be imagined Many infamous libels were printed contayning most villainous matter agaynst the Protestants and a rumour was spread abroade that they had surprised sundrie Townes and fortes in Poictou Languedocke Guyen Xantoigne and Dauphine and therefore that it was impossible to holde in the Catholiques anie longer who with so manifold iniuries saide they were mightily incensed agaynst those of the reformed Churches Those of the Religion were exceedingly troubled with this strange kind of dealing and knowing that it proceeded of a mortall hatred and that it did euidently argue that there was a secrete purpose to catch them at aduauntage and then to make hauocke of them and to roote them and their Religion out of Fraunce they beganne to looke about them and to prouide for their owne securitie especiallie considering howe the Catholiques were leagued togither and were readie as it were at an instaunt to inuade them on all sides VVhereupon seeing that Monsieur after hee had gotten the Dukedome of Berrie Touraine and Aniou as is alreadie sayd had forsaken them and left them at sixe and seuen the King of Nauarre was chosen chiefe of the Confederates and the Prince of Conde seysed vpon Bowrage Marennes The beginning of the sixt ciuill warre and other Islandes beeing places of great importaunce and verie auaileable for the aduauncement of the Protestant affayres Thus the peace hauing endured but a small time the sixt ciuill war ensued immediately vpon the report that it was concluded by King in the assembly of the states that there should be no other but the Romane Catholike religion tollerated within all his territories and dominions for then began the warres to be open on all sides The Catholikes seysed vpon Du Pont S Espirit Merpin Tallemond Burdeaux and as manie other townes as they could get The Protestants surprised Pons Royan Reole and Cinray and making a counterleague among themselues couragiously withstood the attempts of their enemies and foreseeing the stormie tempest which threatned the ship of their safetie likewise Pilots and skilfull Mariners they stoutly stoode to their tacklings endeuouring by all possible meanes to saue their beaten barke from drowning and to bring it to some safe port and quiet harborrow Each side alledged sundrie reasons for the iustification of their actions the Catholikes layd all the blame vpon the Protestants saying that they were men that would not be satisfied with any indifferent fauor but espying their aduantage had forced the King to yeeld to vnreasonable conditions Besides that the Edict was but prouisionall and might be disanulled at the Kings pleasure and that it was now determined by the Estates generall that no other then the Roman religion should be tollerated within all the French Dominions The Protestants alledged that they were murthered and killed in euerie corner and no punishment inflicted vpon the malefactors The complaints of the Protestants That the Catholikes did dayly breake the Kings Edict which had beene made by the consent of all the noble personages of the land who had solemnely sworne the obseruation thereof and that if such Edicts were accounted prouisionall who would repose any trust hereafter in the Kings worde and promise seeing he helde it lawfull to breake his oath when hee lysted And as concerning the estates generall they sayd they were not lawfully assembled and therefore they protested of the nullitie of them and of whatsoeuer thing they concluded These and manie such reasons were obiected on both sides and they had not long contended in wordes but they fell to blowes and each endomaged other all that euer they might The King of Nauarre and Prince of Conde withdrew themselues to Rochell and hauing gotten some 3000. footmen and 400. horse they dayly enterprised vpon their enemies The D. de Maine The duke de Maine generall of the Catholikes accompanied with Puygallâ—ard Ruffec Roches Baritand and many others to the number of seuen hundred horse besides a strong power of footemen did continuallie vexe and molest the Protestants by spoyling their fieldes and burning theyr houses and beeing maisters of the Champaigne couped in the Confederates verie narrowly and hauing all things in a readinesse planted their siege before La Charitie which in the ende they gayned Yea Rochell it selfe began in a maner to bee besieged enduring maruaylous losses by the continuall roades of the Catholikes who wasted all without pittie or mercie La Charite The Protestants being so hardly vsed offered the like measure where they preuayled dealing verie rigourously with such as fell into their handes The Duke de Maine following his good fortune The prosperous course of the Duke de Maine tooke Tonnay Charentie and Rochford which yeelded vnto him vpon the first summance and so farre hee preuayled that he made himselfe Lorde of all the Riuer of Charente in lesse then fiue dayes and vsing great expedition got Marans from the Rochellors who were sore grieued with the losse of a place of so great importance Now as the nature of most men is to bande with the stronger and euermore to iudge of the end according to the beginning so many at this time began to slippe their neckes out of the Coller and to
warres caused it to bee secretly spredde abroade among the people that hee was descended from Charlemaine and therefore had some right and title to the Crowne of Fraunce And as though hee meant one day to put in his clayme had so ordered the matter that great numbers of the Nobilitie and sundrie of the principall Citties of the lande were wholie at his deuotion but hee was cutte off in the middest of his hope as is alreadie sayde before Orleaunce and all his deuices came to naught sauing that he left behind him a sonne as hautie as aspiring and as ambitious as euer was the father Henrie duke of Guise his ambitious turbulent nature and one that attempted greater matters then euer did any of that line This man beeing growne into great credite with Charles the ninth and likewise with Henrie the thirde so aduaunced himselfe by their fauours that he gaue the lawe to Fraunce and did euery thing as he lysted And practising those rules which his father and vncle had left him was euermore deuising howe to trouble the state and to holde the King at continuall strife with his subiects as the readyest and speedyest way to compasse that which that factious and turbulent house had so greedily gaped after for these many yeares VVhereupon hee pondering with himselfe that if this late reconciliation which was made betweene the King and his subiects shoulde continue that the King of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde with their adherents and associates would quickely growe mightie and so with theyr power and authoritie easily ouerthrowe all his councelles and that in such sort as hee should neuer bee able to accomplish and fulfill his intended purpose thought it best and most expedient for his aduantages to beginne newe broyles and sturres and with a sixt ciuill warre to bring France againe into a Chaos and confusion The better to effect this and to lay as sure a foundation as might bee for so badde a buylding it was deuised that the Bishop of Paris and a certaine Aduocate called Dauid as craftie as wilie and as wicked a fellowe as anie lyued in those dayes shoulde bee sent to Rome The Bishop of Paris the aduocate Dauid sent to Rome to haue the direction of the Pope and his Cardinalles howe it were best to beginne and afterwards most circumspectlie to proccede and go forwardes in so hautie and weightie an enterprise There were many bitter complaints and sharpe accusations framed agaynst Henrie the third the French King against Monsieur his brother the king of Nauarre the Prince of Conde against the race of the Valoises the Burbons Accusations against the houses of Valois and Burbon all the princes of the blood and the auncient Nobilitie of Fraunce they were all either heretikes or fauourers of heretikes and by their late pacification entended the vtter subuersion of the holie Church of Rome There it was shewed to make the King and all his Princes the more odious howe the house of Capet had alwayes withstoode the Bishoppes of Rome and had in olde time maintained the Valdensis and Albigeons and nowe were either Hugonots or else great fauourers and abettors of them But on the contrarie that the house and lynage of Charlemaine which was wrongfully dispossessed of the Crowne had a speciall grace giuen them by the Papall benediction to support and helpe holie Church and that yet there were some of that ofspring left and those stoute maintainers of the Papall dignitie meaning those of Guise and such as had alwayes like notable Champions valiauntlie defended the Romaine fayth and therefore it was expedient nay most necessarie for the preseruation of the Catholike Religion to roote out the houses of Valois and Burbon and to restore the ofspring of Charlemaine which was endewed with all excellent vertues and throughly furnished with most notable gifts requisite for the execution of all commendable and honourable attempts The Councel holden at Rome for the rooting out of the blood Roiall of France And for the more speedie accomplishment hereof it was resolued that the Guises with their partakers should procure newe commotions in the lande and nourish the warres by all possible meanes that might bee That they should league the Nobililtie by oath to persecute the Gospel and to choose for their heade and principall of their league Henrie Duke of Guise whom the King shoulde bee counsayled to let alone and suffer him to proceede as he liked best seeing he was a man of that iudgement that knewe well enough what hee had to doo The Queene mother likewise should bee sent to perswade Monsiour her sonne to beat the assembly of the States which should bee holden at Blois Whither the king shoulde solicite the king of Nauarre and Prince of Conde to come by all the faire wordes that could be deuised And in the meane while there should be sundrie cunning fellowes and such as were most deuoted to the league sent abroad into the seueral prouinces who should secretly labour that such Deputies might be chosen as would further the designements of the Leaguers all that might be During which priuie practises the Friers and Iesuites shall incense the people agaynst the Hugonots by their seditious Sermōs The priests in their parish churches shal secretly take the names of all the able men for the warres and in their shriuings shall charge them to prouide them of all such weapons as shal be appoynted them by their captaines The States shal sweare to obserue and obey whatsoeuer shal be concluded And if Monsieur the king of Nauarre the prince of Conde and the rest of the princes of the blood do not appeare at the said assembly they shall be condemned as rebels and likewise all other that shal any way oppose themselues against the proceedings of the said States who shal sweare their obedience to the Sea of Rome and to obserue the Councell of Trent and withall a request shall be made to the king that if any man shall resist and refuse to giue his allowance thereto that he shall appoynt the Duke of Guise his generall and giue him authoritie to pursue him to the death who hauing so great forces shall cause them to be in a readinesse to march towarde Blois assoone as the assembly of the states is begun All things being thus contriued there shall be certaine commissioners chosen to enquier of the life and deedes of Monsieur and certaine iudges appoynted to condemne him for ioyning himselfe with the Heretikes and so his processe shal be drawene forthwith after the godly example of the king of Spaine who put to death Charles of Austrich his naturall sonne As soone as Monsieur is condemned then shall the forces march to strengthen the execution and shall set vpon all the Hugonots and put as many of them to the sworde as they can come by and the Duke of Guise beeing so strongly appoynted shall seyze vpon the persons of the King and Queene mother and by
also considering the intollerable seruitude wherto they were likely to bring themselues and their posteritie if they should longer submit themselues to their Spanish protector and likewise seriously pondering the kings estate which was still supported by the cheefe Princes of the bloud the ancient and most honourable Nobilitie of France fauored by a number of valiant and wise personages and countenanced by sundrie mightie Princes abroade so that it still seemed to bee impossible to bring their purposes to passe but rather that they should hazard their owne estates their liues and liberties yea and in fine the whold kingdome by calling in the Spaniards their olde and ancient enemies who sought for nothing more then for the spoyle of the Flower de Lis. All these reasons with many other beeing well weighed they supposed it to bee their best to reconcile themselues to theyr king of whole readie inclination to peace The Leaguers seeke for peace though it were with hard conditions they nothing doubted wherupon they first priuily practised with sundry of the Papists which followed the king whereof there were no small number and hauing by their meanes made as it were an entrie vnto their pretensed purpose they sent their deputies to treate of a peace for three moneths wherto the king assented in Iuly 1593. and afterwards continued the same for two monethes more videlicet vnto the ende of the moneth of December following in all which time there was nothing doone otherwise then the sending of sundrie messages each to other with continual practising to draw the king to the liking of Poperie wherein there was such paines taken and so farre humane pollicie preuailed that this noble and famous Prince who had for the space of foure or fiue and twentie yeeres so valiantly and fortunately deâ—ended the Gospell and that with the hazard and perill of his owne life The K. enclineth to Popery freely exposing his royall person his treasor his friendes and all other meanes whatsoeuer â—oâ— the maintenance thereof beganne to waxe calme in the defence of his profession and to encline to that false and superstitious Religion of Rome to the high displeasure of almightie God the great dishonour of his princely Maiestie and to the extreme greefe and astonishment of all the Protestants Thus this noble and renowned Monarke the hope as it were of al that fauored Gods truth whom God had beautified with so many excellent graces and notable vertues as courage wisedom zeale and constancy in so many apparant dangers had made him the protecter and comforter of his afflicted church in France had deliuered him out of the hands of all his enemies 2. Sam. 12.8 and had giuen him his Lords house as the Prophet speaketh and if that had beene too little would haue giuen him much more making his proudest enemies to stoupe before h m and to the admiration and wonderment of all men continually protected him in despight of all those who sought his ruine and ouerthrow is another argument of the mutabilitie and interchangeable estate of all things in the world and that not onely the heauens the earth the sea the beasts of the field the fishes in the waters and the soules of the ayre are ful of varietie and change but likewise kingdomes countreyes and commonwealths Cities and townes all estates and conditions of men high and low rich and poore wise and foolish Prince and people are full of change and alteration Sundry principall Cities of France returne to the King In Ianuarie and Februarie immediatly folowing the Kings so apparant inclination to Poperie most of the principall Cities of France which had with so notorious obstinacy for a long while shaken off the yoake of their obedience beganne to bee reclaimed and as it were on the sodaine to bee arranged on the kings side Meaux Lyons Orleance Bourges Pontoâ—se with many other townes of speciall monument account opened their gates and willingly receiued the kings garrisons crying Vine Henry 4. roy de France de Nauarre expelling the Spaniards and hispaniolised French shewing great forwardnesse to withstande the outragious proceedings of the furious and desperate Leaguers The king had no sooner reduced these strong Townes vnder his obedience hauing by this meanes mightily strengthned himselfe and weakened his enemies but that hee was forthwith aduised by the Princes of his bloud the dukes and peeres of France the officers of his Crowne the Lords of his Councel and the most noâ—able personages of his courts of ParliameÌ„ts to frame himself to his corona ion and annoynting and that in such maner as all other kings his predecessors had done before him Which said ceremonious order of anointing is accounted the euident token of their royaltie and the publike approbation of the French nation Whereto the K. assenting as one now entending to obserue the ancient customs of his predecessors it was resolued that this solemne ceremony shuld be performed at our ladies church at Chartres for that the citie of Rheims where for the most part the king of France had wont euermore to be crowned still persisted in her rebellion and banded her selfe with the kings enemies All things beeing in a readinesse for the solemnizatioâ— of thâ—â—◠〈◊〉 magnificent coronation vpon the seuen and twentie day o◠〈…〉 the King came to the sayde Church attended with a great 〈…〉 Princes Earles Lordes and other States of Fraunce And by 〈…〉 some of the twelue Peeres as yet helde out agaynst the King and oâ—her â—ere sicke so that there wanted of the full and competent number to atteâ—◠〈◊〉 and to dootheyr seruice as the tyme then requyred the King 〈…〉 others in theyr steade to make vp the whole number whose names were as followeth Thâ— 6. peeres ecclesiastical 1 Bishop of Charters Representing the 1 Archbishop of Rhâ—mis the first peere Ecclesiastâ— all 2 Bishop of Nautes 2 The Bishop duke of 〈◊〉 3 Bishop of Digne 3 Bishop 〈…〉 4 Bishop of Mallefais 4 Bishop 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 5 Bishop of Orleance 5 Bishop Couâ—t of 〈◊〉 6 Bishop Angiers 6 Bishopâ— ouâ— to 〈◊〉 The 6 peeres temporall 7 Prince of Coney Representing the 7 Duke of Buâ—â—â—â—â—â— 8 County Soyssons 8 Duke of Norâ—â—â—â—â—â— 9 Duke Moâ—tpensier 9 Duke of Aqrâ—â—â—â—â—e 10 Duke of Rays 10 Count of Thâ—â—ous 11 Duke of Vantadon 11 Count of Flanders 12 Lord of Lupembourg 12 Count of Champaâ—â—ne The King was crowned by the Bishop of Chartres who for that day supplied the roome of the Archbishop of Rhemis and enthâ—onised him in his royall and Kingly seate in such maner and order as the rest of the Kings his predecessors had beene accustomed in former times Now began the Kings authoritie to waxe great and to enlarge it selfe euery day more and more and so farre it spread in a short time after that it was receyued into the heart of all Fraunce for the 20. of March following Paris the Metropolitan Citie of the whole realme Paris â—elleth to the 〈◊〉 which had continued in all kinde of rebellious disorder and that for many yeres togither omitting no kind of outrage that could be imagined against her natural and liege soueraignes their crownes and dignities by the vertuous and commendable industry of Brissac was likewise reduced vnder the Kings obedience who pardoning the inhabitants so many and so monstrous offences restored them to their auncient priueligieâ— rights grants Franchises and liberties with the reestablishments of his courts of Parliament and that in as large and ample manner as they had beene at anie time indued by any of the kings his predecessors abrogating all lawes decrees statutes ordinances which had passed in preiudice of theÌ„ as appeareth by an Edict bearing date the 28 of March 1594. So as neither the said inhabitants nor any of them should from thenceforth be troubled molested or disquieted in any maner of sort for their former disobediences imposing perpetuall silence heereof to his Attourneyes generall and to all other persons whatsoeuer commaunding withall all Dukes and Peeres of Fraunce all Officers of the Crowne all his Lieutenants and other Magistrates to cause the same to be proclaymed and published in theyr seuerall iurisdictions and resorts with expresse charge that the contents of the same should be inuiolably kept and obserued to the end that if it were possible the whole kingdome of Fraunce which for a long time had endured so manie calamities might nowe at length feele some ease and mitigation of former miseryes and the beaten barke of that distressed state which had beene so daungerously tossed in a vast Ocean of all kind of affliction might in the ende be brought to some desired hauen of peace and quietnesse and there be safely harboured to the eternall glorie of God the perpetuall honour of the King and the continuall ioy and comfort of the whole Common-wealth FINIS LONDON Printed by Thomas Creede 1597.