of the Prince of Orange in Belgie Mountes receyueth succours Mechgeline yeelded by the Prince of Orange to duke of Alba. The calamitie of them of Narden Harlem persisteth in defiance of the duke of Alba. Succors sent from the Prince of Orange intercepted by the Duke of Alba A monstrous Calfe A new Star. Cassiopeia is a signe in the fyrmamente whych hath twelue stars and is figured like a woman sitting in a chaire Commandements to beseege Rochel Preparation for the seege They of Rochell are assayed by letters An irruption by thē of Rochell Another eruption Treason practised against Rochell Mons le Noe general of Rochell The fort called le Eguille 41. The fort called Corceille 42. The fort of the new hauen 43. The Duke of Aniou vseth subtill perswasions to peace Backslyders frō the kings power A violent assalt by them of Rochell A legion cōmonly conteyneth 6000 footemen and 732. men of Armes A band conteineth sometime more mē and sometime lesse Letters hortatorie frō the Duke of Aniou to peace A topographicall descriptiō of Rochell Salte maryshes 16. Cogne fort 10 The tower Moreille 13. Sannicolas tower 18. Sannicolas forte 19. Sannicolas gate and the bulwarkes 20. Sannicolas tower 21. The tower of the hauen 22 The Lantern tower 23. The Citadel 1 The tower of Gayor 2. The newe gate bulwark platforme 3. The forte of the Castel 4. The place of Cockslem 5. The bulwark le Euangile 6 Cogne bulwarke 9. Mons Grandrise skirmisheth wyth the kings campe Mons l Noe hardly escapeth death Another assaulte The kings souldiers begin the assaulte Duke D'aumall slayne Truce taken for a parley The siege of Sommiron Monsieur Candale slaine Sommiron yeelded vp vpon good conditions Villeneufe in the territorie of Viuaretz is taken by them of the Religion D Anuil abstaineth frō war. Diuers cities in Languedoc takē by policie Pusis taken Mons Sanroman chosen to be generall by them of the religion Monbrune armeth himselfe in Dauphine The securitie of monsieur de Gordes Of the affayres of Sanserre The negligence of them of Sanserre The seege of Sanserre The courage of the Sanserreans in defēding thēselfs An Engine was a foure square thyng made of boordes and quarters for men to goe vnder to defend thē selues from stones shot The Sanserreans send for succors Concerning the affayres of the lowe countrey The Prince of Orange vittayleth Harlem A famine in Harlem Harlem surrendred vp to the Duke of Alba. Crueltie shewed at Harlē MARCHE Palereau An earthquake April The extremitie of the kings campe The Cazemates taken and forsaken againe A signe in the ayre Smoke made in the Citie The scaling ladders are ouerthrowne The victorie gotten by women Mongomeries nauie within sight of Rochel Maye Mons Cossine slayne The forte l'Euangile almost wonne Letters concerning peace Iune Letters of Mongomerie to the Rochellians A new kinde of fishe in the time of the siege came to Rochel Duke of Aniou chosen king of Polonia Occasion of peace The Duke of Aniou is in peril of his lyfe Truce broken Peace concluded betweene the king and thē of Rochel The Edict proclaymed The Edict of peace made the .11 of August An. 1573 Euery souse is .i. peny ob Englishe The pounde Turn ys is about two shillings sixe pence English A Franke or pounde is about two shillings sixe pence English A Liard is the fourth part of a souse A Deniere is the twelfth part of a souse The Sanserreans come to composition Preparation for the viage into Polonia Nantoilet robbed by the new king of Polonia The affayres of the lowe Countrey The Ramekeins Castell taken by the Flissinners Bycause the countrey of France was called in olde time Gallia or Gaule and was afterward by the Francones of Germany cōquered he caleth it here by the name of a compounde word Francogallia and the people Franco Galli that is to say French Gaules The Coronation of the King of Polonia Two noble men beheaded The death of king Charles ¶ TO THE READER FOrsomuch as in this historie we haue in diuers places briefly touched the affayres of the low countrey wee thought it necessary to adde to the ende of this worke this Epistle following which contayneth a summe of the tumults of the low countrey The same being at the first published in the Dutch tong in the yeere of our lord M.D.LXXIII in the moneth of September afterward by a certaine Dutchman turned into Latine and sent vnto vs with this title as followeth ¶ A Supplication to the Kings Maiesty of Spain made by the Prince of Orange the States of Hollande and Zealand with al other his faithful subiects of the lowe Coūtreyes presently suppressed by the tyrannie of the Duke of Alba and Spaniardes By which is declared the original beginning of the commotions and troubles happened in the saide lowe countrey MOst Soueraigne Lord your Maiesties most obedient and lamenting subiectes of the lowe Countreyes as they haue often pondered with them selues the natural affectiō and fatherly good inclination whiche your Maiestie hath since the time that your grace by the power of almightie God receiued the dominion and regiment of the sayde countries alwayes and continually shewed so haue they had a sure hope and vndoubted affiaunce that your Maiestie as well vppon their daily complaintes and lamentations as vpon the pitifull declarations and remonstrances of some christian Princes and Potentates vnto your Maiestie mercifully haue considered of our pitiful and most miserable suppression wherwith wee by reason of the great and vnsupportable force arrogancy and wicked regiment of the Duke of Alba are suppressed and mercifully haue regarded the most miserable ruine and destruction of these your natural lowe countreys who alwayes haue bin most faithfull and obedient both to your Maiestie and also your Graces predecessours Not doubting but that your Maiestie woulde greeuously haue been moued that hee vnder pretence of protecting and defending the Romish religion vnder the colour of your Maiesties name shoulde presume to frustrate and breake all the priuileges customes rightes wherunto your Maiestie and your predecessours haue sworne persecuting your faithfull subiectes in body and goodes and destroying your countries in none other sort but as if he had declared himselfe to bee an open enemy of your Maiestie and the subiectes of the same Therefore haue they alwayes earnestly attended that your Maiestie no longer suffering the sayde force woulde haue prouided some conuenient meanes for the safegarde of your countreys and deliueraunce of your poore and suppressed subiectes and haue a respect to the duetifull office of a king whom the almighty God the king of all kings hath placed and ordeined as a protectour of the righteous and a fatherly pastor of the people vnder your subiectiō to defend and preserue them from all force and violence and likewise to remember the manifolde and faithfull seruices which your saide countries and subiectes haue from tyme to time most faithfully don to your Maiestie and your
body reported that she dyed of a pleurisie the more secret cause which was the poysoning of the brayne being not found for that they did not search the head Therefore to stop the rumour hir death was spread abroade in publike writings and billes Hir body was caryed to Vendosme and there sumptuously buryed according to the maner of the religion The King and Queene to declare their sorow and griefe put on mourning weed and commaunded all the court to doe the lyke The Queene of Nauar being thus deade the King so dealt with hir sonne Henrie with the Admirall and with the rest of the noble mē of the religion that hir death seemed to hasten forward the marriage Therefore within fewe dayes the mourning for the Queene of Nauar was layde aside in the court The King practized another subtletie to appoint the day of marriage for the which so many delayes had bene hitherto made He sayd oftentimes to the Prince of Nauar and to the Admiral that this time was differred by a certaine superstitious care of his mother of his sister and of the Cardinal of Borbon who mynded to marry them looking for the Popes dispensation by which they were to haue leaue to marry He fayned therfore that he had receyued letters from Rome from his Ambassadour by which he gaue them to vnderstande that the cardinal of Lorhain by his diligence had obtained the Popes dispensation which he would send with al speede possible and that he had sent him worde hereof out of hande that the King might not thinke the same long a comming Therefore the King shewed these letters vnto his mother to his sister and to the Cardinall of Borbon The Queene reioyced and sayde that the same was sufficient to ende the matter euen as if she had not knowne that they were fayned letters and that there was no impediment nowe but that the marriage might be solemnized Therfore it was agreed by consent on eyther part that the marriage day should be the .xviiij. of August THE towne of Mountes was besieged by the duke of Alba Lodowic Nassau was in the town with a great number of the nobilitie of Fraunce M. Genlis a noble man came with 500. horsemen and .4000 footemen with the kings consent to succour the besieged But the duke of Alba hauing priuie intelligence from the king of the cōming of M. Genlis of the which he suspected nothing encountred with him and distressed verie sore many of his souldiers being slayne some wounded and some taken prysoners Also monsieur Genlis and La Noe generalles of that armie were taken prysoners The rumour of this ouerthrowe seemed to be verie grieuous vnto the Kyng and to the whole court And by and by the King sent his letters vnto mons Monducet his Ambassadour in the lowe countrey which was with the Duke of Alba to see that no iniurie nor harme were done to mons Genlis and to the reste which were taken in battell ▪ Monducet did the kings Ambassage diligently to the Duke of Alba. The Admiral being certified of these commaundementes of the king and also of the diligence of Monducet with the Duke of Alba was wonderfully persuaded of the kings faythfull meaning to take warre in hande whome he heard oftentimes to say that he woulde one day be reuenged on the Duke of Alba and on the Spaniardes In the meane time the king gaue commission to the Admirall to leuie a newe armie that with a freshe supply of souldiers he might succour the besieged The myndes of them of the religion were greatly ioyous bicause of the marriage at hand Notwithstanding pitiful rumours went abrode dayly which they for the most part wold in no wise beleue construing al things to the best It is most certaine that many wise men after the death of the Queene of Nauar suspected that there was some fraude coloured vnder the pretence of matrimony and that the same deceit was specially practized to insnare the Admirall And it is certainly true that the Admiral was oftentimes admonished both by wordes and also by letters not to aduenture him selfe in so great an assembly and that too within the walles of Paris where the Guises were in great fauour and estimation And amongst other admonitions one deliuered vnto him a book the summe scope wherof was this Remēber that this is a decree of the Catholikes confirmed by authoritie That there is no faith to be kept with Heretikes by which name they of the religion are specially called Remēber that there is euerlasting hatred kindled against those of the religion by the enuie of the former warres so that there is no doubt but that the ful purpose and intent of the Queene is to destroy by all manner of means those of the Religion That an Italyan woman of the Popes progenie and of a subtile and craftie wit can not but seke all extremities against hir enimies consider in what schole the king hath bin trayned and brought vp that for this 12. yeeres space he hath learned of his scholemasters to sweare to blaspheme to forsweare to ioyne him self with whoores and harlots to dissemble his fayth his religion and his thoughtes to chaunge and frame his countenaunce and to reioyce in bloud that he might suffer his subiects to be slaine like beasts Thou knowest that the King is persuaded in the doctrine of Machiauel howe that he ought not to suffer in his realme any other religion than that vpon the which his state standeth and that he hath often learned this that it is not possible for his kingdome to be quiet so long as there are two religions at once in the same And it is certaine that hatred is planted in the kings mind being a yong man and he hath bin often times persuaded by false argumentes that they of the religion haue gone about to spoile him both of his kingdome and also of his life Thou art deceyued if that thou thinke that the king or any other such prince as he is will at any time suffer those subiects which shall by warre rise against him though vpō neuer so iust a cause to vse and enioy the benefite of his lawes But be thou rather persuaded of this that this is naturally ingrauē in the myndes of kings and princes to reuenge that by force of armes which is done against them by like force And that a Kyng and Princes will freely breake those couenants which they haue made eyther for feare or for necessitie so soone as those causes shall ceasse And that they holde this for a lawe That those conditions which the Prince hath made with the subiectes ought not to be kepte specially when he made them in warre the fayth ought to be broken for the kyngdoms sake That they make no conscience to deceyue the subiectes vnder the colour of a solemne othe These are the subtile sleyghts of Princes this is the discipline to preserue kingdomes Antonius Commodus at the last ceassing from his pleasures
Notwithstāding he sayd he would forgiue matters past and done for their ages and consanguinities sake deeming that they were not so much to be blamed as the Admirall and other moste mischeuous persons theyr counsaylers who eyther already had bin punished for their desertes or else were now vnder the same These thyngs therefore he sayd he would pardon vpon condition that they wold euer after amend their former faultes with more faythfull obedience and woulde returne to the Religion of the Catholique fayth that hauing renounced the doctrine of prophane superstition whiche had already caused so great troubles and warres they woulde wholly imbrace the auncient Religion and returne to the lap of the Church of Rome That he would euer after haue but one onely Religion imbraced in hys Realme and the same which he had receyued from hys auncetors Therefore he willed them to consider whether they would obay in these things or else suffer such punishmente as theyr fellowes had done The King of Nauar being abashed with these sharpe speeches aunsweared humbly vnto the king that hee remembred his fayth and the consanguinitie lately entred with hys maiestie and that he would do those things whiche might please and content his minde most hartily beseeching him to consider how great a thing a mans conscience is and how hardly he could renounce that Religion whiche he had learned and in the which he had bin trayned vp from a childe Notwithstanding he spake these things with great submission feare The Prince of Conde perceyuing the present perill answered the King but not without feare of mind that his maiestie had so solemnly giuen his faith to him and to the rest of the Religion that he could not perswade him selfe that he would breake so faithfull an oath nor harken to the counsailes of his aduersaries And as touching that obedience which his maiestie required of him and which he had euer hitherto faythfully shewed to the same he minded neuer to forsake it during life But as touching the Religion he had free leaue of the king to exercise the same and from God the true knowledge therof to whom he knew he shuld giue an account for the same Adding that him selfe and all that he had was in the kings power And he willed him to do what soeuer pleased him both with his life and also with his goodes yet neuerthelesse he was fully determined neuer to depart from that Religiō which he knew for certain to be true though it were to the present perill of his life The King was sore offended with this aunsweare of the Prince of Conde and calling him obstinate seditious and the sonne of a seditious person telleth him that if he do not repent him within three dayes he should suffer death for his peruerse obstinacie There were spared also certayne of the houshold seruantes of the king of Nauar which were gentlemē mons Grammōts Durase and certayne others which promised that they woulde do whatsoeuer the king commaunded them These being neuer earnest louers of the Religion were pardoned that they might be instruments afterward to withstand the same This garboyle and bloudy sturre being thus made in the Citie and in the Castell there were left as yet those whyche dwelt and aboade in the suburbes and some of the nobilitie as M. Chartres Mongomeri Briquemauld Bellouez Fontene and diuers other noble men Commaundement was giuen by the king to the Prouost of the marchāts to haue a thousand armed men in a redinesse to intercept those of the religion whiche were in the suburbes of Sangerman And hee had giuen the whole charge of this matter vnto M. Marcell one of the chiefe Magistrates of the citie Notwithstanding the prepared souldiours came not at the hour apointed through the negligēce of the said magistrate The king had appointed M. Mongeron chiefe ouerseer of the execution of his purpose He looking for his souldiors and seeking for the Duke of Guise to complayne to him of this matter certaine houres were spente In the meane tyme one of the Religion seing the citie all on a roare running vnto the riuer got in conuenient time a boate and so cut ouer the riuer and certified Mongomerie of the trouble in the citie This was about fiue of the clocke Mongomerie gaue M. Chartres to vnderstād hereof and so by opening the matter from one to an other it was generally knowne by and by to all that were in the village or suburbes Notwithstanding it seemed almost incredible The greatest part beleued that the king was not priuie to so great wickednesse so farre they were from thinking that it should be don by his commaundement othersome beyng as yet persuaded of the kings good will thought that the kings owne person was assaulted by the Guyses for the hatred that they bare to the Religion whiche he seemed to fauour Therfore amidst this varietie of opinions they knew not themselues what waye they were best to take Some thought it beste to goe oute of hande to the kyng to the Castell of Lowre least they myght be deceyued of the kynges will other some sayde that it was needfull and necessarie for them to goe and ayde the kyng The thyrde and wyser sorte nothing doubting but that this was doone by the kings commaundement betooke them to flight But while they made delay they might easily haue bin taken had not an other impediment happened The Duke of Guise seeing that he coulde not haue a band of souldiours of the Parisians they following the praye and spoyle deuised a newe way whiche was that he woulde goe himselfe with certaine souldiours to the suburbes of Sangerman whyle the shot and spearemen of the kings garde gaue an assault from the riuer vpon the whiche stoode the suburbes ouer against the castell of Lowre But his purpose and deuise tooke not effecte For when the Guise woulde haue gone foorth with his souldiours he was constrayned to staye the porter of the gates hauing deliuered the wrong keys the other not to be founde Before therefore the keyes coulde be brought suche delay was made that M. Chartres Mongomerie and others escaped away and yet not without further perill For they sawe on the other syde of the shoare bandes of souldiours approching to shippe and hearde cryes made from the Castell that they fledde and sawe also greate stoare of shotte discharged at them bothe from the Castell and also from the shippes Also it is sayde that the kyng hym selfe stoode vpon the top of his tower crying and swearyng and dischargyng shotte Then they whiche were in the suburbes leauyng all theyr goodes roade away without bootes and spurres wyth as muche speede as possible they coulde They were scarse out of sighte when the souldiours were landed on the other syde who brake into the houses and tooke their pray Neuerthelesse they whiche fled were pursued by the Guyse by Duke d'Aumale by the Earle of Engolesme and others to Monfort which is distant from Paris the space of
order who bare about them the order of S. Michael fighting with the diuel At this feast were many noble men and amōg the rest the king of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde THE xxvij day of October the Senate of Paris pronounced a sore sentence agaynst the Admirall being dead and agaynst his memorie and children He was condemned as one guiltie of treason as an enimie to peace and a common troubler of the state as the authour of a conspiracie agaynst the king and against the state His memorie was condemned to euerlasting ignominie And to the ende there might remaine some monument of those faults it was decreed that his bodie if it could be found should be drawne through euery streete of the citie after it had stood in the Market place foure and twentie houres and if the same could not be found then his Image should be made stuft with straw and so be drawne in stead of the same as aforesayd and so to the place of execution called the Forkes of Montfalcon It was also decreed that his Armes Crest and Shield should be drawne in like maner to the fore named place And that in what places soeuer they were found they should be broken downe by the hangman as a token of his euerlasting ignominie Also that all his goodes that either he or his aunceters had receyued by the benefite and liberalitie of kings whether they were moueable or immoueable should come vnto the crowne His children were pronounced vnnoble and base and vnworthie to haue anye publike office or to enioy their goodes which if they had any within the Realme they were confiscate to the king His chiefe house Chastillon was beaten downe to the ground that neuer any thing might be buylded there againe The trees of the Orcharde were cut downe and the Gardens about the sayde house turned vpside-downe and it was decreed that a brasen pyller should be erected where the house did stande with this decree of the Senate in the same It was also decreed that the xxiiij of August euery yeare there shoulde be a generall procession about the Citie to giue thankes vnto God and to celebrate the memorie of that day in the which that cruel murder was committed AMIDST these troubles many of the Religion whiche sought to prouide for the safegard of their conscience and life fled into forraine nations Some into Englande Germanie Strausburge and Heidelberge also othersominto Switzerland to Basile and to the townes of Berne to Lausanna and to other Cities and the greatest parte to Geneua Also Rochel Mountauban Nismes and certaine Cities in the Countrey of Viuaretz and Seuenatz were left as places of refuge as wee will declare hereafter The two sonnes of the Admiral by the singular prouidence of God escaped imminent destruction and the Countie Laual the sonne of D'andelot with the daughter of the Admirall which was Thelignies widow came to Geneua after that to Berne and tarying certaine monethes at Basil they returned to Berne againe being very louingly enterteyned of the people ¶ The eleuenth Booke of Commentaries concerning the temporall and Ecclesiasticall state of the Realme of Fraunce in the raigne of Charles the ninth WHilest the whole Realm of France was woonderfully distract and confounded by that horrible and butcherly murder committed and amiddest the violence of contrarye motions when as some triumphed as conquerers and other some being ouercome were ouerwhelmed with sorowe and griefe all men for the most parte whether they were Catholiques or of the Religion were sore afeard and astonyed Yea the fyerbrandes of furies dyd burne euen in the very tryumph of victorie the authors and chiefe instruments themselues of that detestable slaughter in somuch that they being as it were out of their wittes at these fyrste beginnings pretermitted many occasions by whiche they mighte haue brought their purpose about conueniently Notwithstanding the outrage to bryng their cruell purpose to passe pricked them forward that the Religiō might be vtterly destroyed and extinguished in the kingdome of France But their diuelish counsayles had quite contrary successe afterwardes diuers practises also were vsed on both sydes as we will declare hereafter in order Furthermore the horror and feare of that garboyle was spread to all those countreyes bordering vpon France Strasburge very carefully held watch and warde In Switzerlande the Cities of contrary Religion shewed them selues playnely to stande in feare one of another and there were in dyuers partes musters made and rumors spread abroade for trueth That if the Kyng made a perfect conquest of hys subiects he woulde sowe ciuill discordes in Switzerlande that a nation not onely excelling heretofore in ciuill concorde but also hauing gotten great authoritie and credite with the kingdomes bordering therevppon and selling their friendship for greate stipendes and summes of money shoulde contende and be at warres in it selfe They of Bern seemed most of al to be assalted whose power is gret amōg the Switzers by reason of the amplenes of their populous dominion The cause of discord was for that the Cities in Switzerlād which were named to be of the Religion seemed not to cōdescēd and agree to giue vnto the king a band of Catholiques to ayde him to rase and roote out for euer the remnant that remayned of them of the Religion bycause they did much abhorre that butcherly murder of France for that seemed both to be againste the Religion whiche they professed and also to tende to their owne priuate perill as when that the King had destroyed hys owne subiects he myght cause troubles and tumult in Switzerland by the meanes of the townes in the which the Catholiques inhabited who were very desirous to receyue the Kings pay notwithstanding what happened afterward we will declare anon BY THE Kings commaundement horsemen were dispatched and sente into all partes of the Realme and euery man receyued charge to watch and ward diligently Also the Gouernours of euery prouince had commaundement not to be absente from their charge at any tyme without the Kings assured commaundement to looke diligently that there arose no tumultuouse trouble and with all care and industrie to seeke and syft out narrowly all conuenticles and assemblies of suche as professed the Religion and seuerely to punish them IN all partes of the Realme and in euery Citie of the same they were apprehended whiche kept their houses vpon trust and assurance of the Kings Edict Many were slayne and put to death and all men had their goodes put to spoyle by the Kings officers euen as if they had bin enimies lawfully vanquished Notwithstandyng many escaped and fled into forrayne nations There was scarse one man founde which professed hymselfe to be of the Religion all were eyther in exile or hydden in corners or els sauing a fewe constrayned to forsake the Religion and to lyue more catholykely than the Catholykes them selues THEY of the Religion beeyng after thys maner vanquished there seemed nothing to remaine but their
vtter destructiō Wherevpon the Kings officers were not so forwarde in theyr affayres as else they would haue bin thinking that they did but lose their labour in a matter most easie to be finished Notwithstanding an armie was prepared and the King by his letters instantly required Monsieur Beleur whiche was hys Lidgar in Switzerlande for the same purpose to sende with all speede a band of Switzers FOR there remayned as yet certayne cities whiche were held and garded by those that were left of the Religion as Rochel Sanxer and in Languedoc Montauban Castres Nismes Milliaud Aubenac Priuac Mirebel Ganges Anduz and certaine other townes of no fame in the territorie of Viuaueretz and Seuenats Notwithstanding it seemed to many yea and to the most part of such as professed the Religion greate folly ioyned with madnes after so great a slaughter almost of all that professed the Religion the kings power being nothing deminished hauing the whole kingdom redy at his cōmandemēt for thē to enterprise presume to defend them selues against the armie of so mighty a king after so great cōsternatiō feare whē as not only none of the Princes but also not one noble mā almost was lefte in Frāce which durst so much as professe the loue he bare to the Religion There were also and that not a few whiche sayd that it was great wickednesse vnlawful for subiects hauing no authoritie from princes or chiefe magistrates to beare armour agaynste their king though he were wicked that by the effect and successe it selfe it had appeared that the forceable resistance of them of the Religion hitherto was vngodly though it were collected by the authoritie of the princes and by lawfull titles both for that the king was in his minoritie and also bycause the breaking of the kings Edicts might be lawfully punished for that the kings wil was in expresse words declared That in this enterprise all things faile and that the king is a man that there wante Princes to whome the aucthoritie of gouerning the kingdome shuld belong and that the king doth playnely professe that he wil not hurt them of the Religion but that he commaunded that murder to be committed with purpose to destroy the Admiral and other the chiefe aucthors and instrumentes of the warre that the kingdome afterwarde might remaine in peace And that although in this matter he exceeded the rule of reason yet it was not lawful for the subiect to rebell against him or for the subiect to punishe his lorde and king for his offence There were also some which vtterly condemned the gouernment of the prince of Conde and of the Admirall in their actes and exployts of the yeeres past and through the enuie of the lamentable successe haue brought the whole cause in hatred And those false accusations of Carpenter and Pibrach in their Epistle to that famous man Stanislaw Heluidius were oftentimes obiected by exulcerated and gaulled mindes to make the remembrance of the former warres detestable So that a man woulde haue thought that the Religion had bin extinguished for euer in Fraunce and concerning this matter many of them disputed with odious wordes whiche in time of the former warres had highly commended the causes to take the same in hand And thus calamitie was counted for great reproch and shame such is the greate rashnesse of men in iudging of matters ALSO in those Cities whiche as yet had not receyued the Kings Garrisons these dissentions were very ryfe and the Citizens being distract and vncertayne what to do seemed not so much to delay and deferre the Kings Garrison as to spend the tyme to the ende that euery one myght get for him selfe the more conuenient oportunitie and occasion to flee and escape away or els to get fauour agayne thys was the common will and purpose of the Townesmen Notwithstanding God vsed the diligence of a fewe to bring the rest to a constant purpose and the feare of the cruell murders committed perswaded the people to defende them selues that for somuch as they were in vndoubted perill of death they myght if it so pleased the Lorde choose the more honest kinde of death by the lawfull right of necessary defence the Magistrate him selfe vrging them therevnto THEREFORE amidst so many and so great difficulties and extremities it seemed impossible that Religiō should stand by any manner of meanes and so euerlasting destruction seemed to be broughte vppon the Churches of Fraunce In these straits of great calamitie the prouidence of God of such beginnings as were so weake and so farre from the iudgemente of humane reason made a way for so much more glory as the disorder and confusion of all thinges was past hope of recouerie The chiefe Captaynes were gone the ayde and help of forreine Princes wanted yet notwithstanding the present helpe and helping fauour of God in due tyme fayled not Yet for all that there remayne suche greate things of so weake and feeble a beginning euen vntill this day that this same seemeth to be especially the counsaile and finger of God that the force and strēgth of noblemen beyng cut off he alone mighte be counted the author of his worke and mighte make manifest his manyfolde wisdome in this worke I may not dissemble and in making this a preface for the narration to come I swarue not from my purpose both those noble men and ringleaders which tooke vppon them the ordering and defence of this cause and also in part they of the Religion themselues in the former yeeres past offended many wayes Much disorder verily and many faults came by the ciuill warres in somuch that among those of the Religion the puritie of Religion beeing contaminated and defyled with true occasions of true accusations was euill spoken of For it is well knowen that the Admirall him selfe in those former warres protested not once but often That he had rather dye any kinde of death than he would be counted any longer a Gouernour and Captayne of such a leawde and wicked route of common souldiers most vnworthy of the bare name of Religion for such he knew many of his band to be God therefore iustly punished those mē which abused his Religion neuerthelesse hee dyd not neyther wyll hee leaue vnfinished the worke which he hath begonne But is there any man so blynde which seeth not what great punishments remayne for those which for the mortall hatred they beare to the poore Religion haue set to theyr helping hand to commit a most detestable fact seeing that to fyll vp the measure of extreme wickednesse all shewe of right and equitie is set asyde in so much that there remayneth no excuse for the same But to returne to our purpose agayne THEREFORE this fourth warre is more wonderfull than the three first bycause of most weake and feeble beginnings it had greater and more notable successe in so much that when the Prince of Conde the Admirall and other noble
men wyth helpe and ayde from forreyne Princes tooke part no suche worthy effectes ensued the reason and grounde of the cause neuer more euidently shyned from out of the deepe pit of extreme calamitie without any ayde of strangers and wythout the meanes of greater helpes than it shall appeare by the cōmemoration of this historie This then was the Kyngs state and this was the cace of them of the Religion after that butcherly murther committed on Saint Bartholmewes day being the foure and twentie of August For as we haue sayde that small remnant of them of the religion were brought to this exigent that seeing them selues far vnequall to matche with the Kings power they were ready of their owne accorde to yeelde them selues into his hande Notwithstanding when they sawe that murthers were committed vpon them of the Religion with no lesse crueltie than before in dyuers cities all they which were in the Kyngs power and in the danger of the Catholiques beganne to loke about them and at the length to deuise some honest way whereby they myght defende them selues So that in the deepe desperation of all thyngs seruing for necessary defence desperation founde out a way and a sure and certayne persuasion to bring the same to effecte supplyed most effectuall reasons of defence in this confusion and nakednesse The happy defence of Rochell dyd not a lyttle incourage the myndes of other men to fyrme and valyant constancie Fyrst of all therefore we wyll begynne with Rochell and then we wyll speake seuerally of the rest in order MONSIEVR Strossi and the Lorde de Guarde receyued charge to take Rochell and we haue oftentimes sayde that a nauy of shippes was prouided there already to the same end They then goe about to get in their souldiers into Rochell sometyme vnder the coloure to buy marchandise and sometime vnder the colour of visiting theyr frindes Notwithstandyng they of Rochell were alway vigilant and warie and hearyng of the cruell murther committed at Paris caused more dilygent watche and warde to be kept In the meane tyme monsieur Strossi ▪ and de Guarde vrged them of Rochell with the authoritie of the Kyngs letters both to receyue into the towne the Kyngs garrison and also to gyue vnto them great plentie of victuals to furnysh their shippes This they of Rochell denyed and withstoode that the nauy myght departe from thence affyrming that they dyd nothing agaynst their dutie and auncient pryuiledges by whiche they were exempted from al garrisons sauyng from that which they should leuie within their owne citie and wherby they had leaue to defende them selues by force of Armes and that they coulde not spare any of their prouision of victuals Then they which were for the Kyng founde fault with the townesmen of Rochel bycause many came vnto them from diuers partes of the realme and were receyued into the citie without any let To this they of the towne answered that they admitted no strangers but onely the inhabitantes of the realme whiche came about their affayres and marchandise the whiche was nothyng contrarie eyther to their office or custome whenas the Kyngs souldiers had leaue to come into the citie They were also required by the Liefetenant of Guian mounsieur Monpaz which was their neighbour not to shew thēselues obstinat wilful in refusing to receiue the kings garison shewing them that the king was carefull for their safetie and that therefore he dyd so prouide for them and that it was not lykely that he woulde bryng any detryment or dammage to hys Cyties also that hee had iustly punyshed the wyckednesse of Rebelles by the slaughter at Paris not minding continually to be seuere against his subiects Therefore he affyrmed that it was more for their safetie to deserue the Kings fauour by obedience There came certayne noble men of the Religion to Rochell from those places whiche were nearest adioyning therevnto as from the territories of Santonge Onic Poictou and Lymosin which sought the safetie of their life there came also about these fyrst beginnings about fiue and fiftie Pastors or Ministers of Churches and of the common sort of people about a thousande and fyue hundred souldiers out of dyuers parts of the Realme and many which were escaped from the slaughter of Paris The nynth and eleuenth daye of September there was appoynted at Rochel a common and solemne fast to be helde the whiche rite the Church obserued in olde time in time of trouble to a laudable and fruitefull ende They of Rochel hauing obtayned at the hands of Monsieur Strossi and Baron de Guardes safe conduct sent messengers vnto the King beseeching him that the nauie mighte bee remoued from that parte by his commaundemente for that the countrey thereabout had receyued great dammage thereby THE King had gyuen commandement to Monsieur Biron a noble man to gouerne Rochel who as we haue sayd before had taken great paynes in the former warres about the intreatie of peace This noble man deliuered to them of Rochel very friendly and louing letters by which he exhorteth them to obey the king and to commit them selues quietly to his trust bycause he had receyued authoritie from the king to gouerne them in so doing they shoulde see by proofe that he esteemed nothing more than of their safetie Strait after this came Monsieur Audenarz a noble mā also in the Kings name with very large letters of the Kings in the which the king exhorted them to shewe theyr obedience giuing them to vnderstande that hee determined in his minde nothyng more than to keepe and defende them in their houses in peace and safetie vnder the gard warrant of his Edictes requiring them herevpon to acknowledge him to be a true and faythfull interpreter of his owne minde Monsieur Audenarz being admitted into the Senat of Rochel perswaded very much to this ende and purpose certifying them of the singular good will of the king towardes them He promiseth that the king wil graunt them the libertie of Religion vpon cōdition that they would receyue Monsieur Biron and woulde graunt free recourse and trafique to all straungers whatsoeuer inhabiting the realme To this they of Rochel answered the king by their letters the true copie whereof is as followeth The answere of the Gentlemen Captaynes Burgeses and other beeing in the towne of Rochel to the commaundements that haue bene giuen them in the name of the king to receyue garrisons WE the Gentlemen Captaynes Burgeses and others now being in the towne of Rochel doe giue answere to such commaundements as are giuen to vs in the name of hys Maiestie that we cannot acknowledge that the same which is signified vnto vs and the publishing of the proclamation requyred at our handes doe proceede from his Maiestie And thereof we call to witnesse his Maiestie himselfe his letters of the .xxij. and .xxiiij. of August his owne signet and the publishing of the same letters by which his sayde Maiestie layeth all the fault of all the
tyme. They of Sanserre beyng styrred vp with the newes of that horrible slaughter of Paris and beyng assaulted wyth continuall lyings in wayte of the bordering enimie kept theyr citie wyth diligent watch and warde thyther those of the Religion whyche were escaped the murthers fled from the places there about from Burges for Sanserre is in the territorie of Berry from La Charite from Orleans from Gijon and from other places Notwythstanding commaundement was gyuen out of hande to them of Sanserre in the Kings name by mons Castres gouernour of that part to admit and obey the Kyngs decree by which he forbad the seruice of the Relygion and accordyng to the fourme thereof to abstayne from holy Sermons and to receyue a garryzon to keepe the city The same forme of commaundemēt also had the same answere of the men of Sanserre whiche they of Rochel Nismes had gyuē as we haue sayd namely that they neyther could nor ought to receyue the armed enimie agaynst them selues And that therfore they must wayte for that tyme in the which they myght safely commit them selues to the externall and foreine souldier also they affyrmed that they were by theyr auncient pryuiledge exempted from that burthen Wherefore they fortify them selues all that they may and repayre the breaches of theyr wastes whych were sore battered in the former warre They sende a messenger to the Court commendyng theyr cause to monsieur Fontenei one of theyr corporation and libertie that he would make intercession to the Kyng for them and would excuse them Notwythstanding all things were prepared for mortall warre and what happened thervpon we wyll shew when we come to the time and place belongyng vnto the same IN Daulphine they of the relygion had not one town in theyr possession no not so much as a village All the cityzens were taken by the Kyngs garryzons the greatest part of them of the relygion beyng desirous to saue theyr lyfe eyther fayned an abiuration of the relygion or else fled into the next cities of Viuaretz and into forreyne countreys To tell it is incredible howe many defections and Apostacies there were in a very shorte tyme euen in the greatest cities where the congregations were most peopled At the first very many wythout constraynt euen by the very reporte of the murther at Paris at Lions fel away and came by heapes to the catholikes some beyng scarsly threatned became weakelyngs and turne-coates So that a man myght see great heapes of hypocrites and dissemblers of the Relygion which frequented the temples and vsed all the rytes of the Catholiques euen as it were with stryuing who should be most forwarde Many of the nobilitie also whych had folowed the relygion and had valiantly behaued them selues in the tymes of the former warres abiured now the relygion others were dumbe at home wyth great astonyshment of continuall feare leaste they shoulde be intercepted and taken by monsieur d' Gordes Lieftenant who notwithstanding went about to persuade them of theyr secure and safe estate and to seduce them from the relygion by louing letters MONS Mombrune one of the most noble men in Daulphine came not to the assembly of the funeral mariage For the prouidēce of God reserued him to do him great seruice as we wil declare whē we come to the time of the same But he hauing by his seruice in the former warres diuers sundry ways emploied gotten great fame among thē of the religion mons d'Gordes at the kings cōmandemēt only labored to intercept him fearing that he wold be another occasiō of new troubles Mombrune kept his house therefore mons d' Gordes sent verie louyng letters vnto hym seekyng thereby to persuade him of the singular good wyll and beneuolence towarde him Only keeping him selfe quiet he should be in rest and securitie and in the Kings high fauour Thus Mombrune seemed to many to haue giuen ouer the care for religion to be quyte discoraged with the vnhappinesse of the time notwithstanding he at the last cast aside al negligēce as we wil declare hereafter THE kings Edict is published to reduce thē home again which were fled away eyther into forreine nations or else into those cities which they of the religion held That by the prescript of the kings Edict pardon shuld be graūted for al things past to such as would returne home againe with prouiso for the safety of their life and conscience so that they woulde lyue peaceably at home And in the same Edict the king threatned those that would not obey his commandement to make their goods confiscate as if they were rebels And he testified that he did not punish the Admiral and his adherentes to this end and purpose that he might shewe seueritie for euer vpon his subiectes of the newe opinion for so he called the Religion but rather to prouide a necessary remedy for the disordred kyngdome though the same in outward shewe seemed to be sharpe Also whereas many of his people through feare were fled eyther into those cities which the rebels held or else into forrein nations that he earnestly lamented their case euē as it becōmeth a good master of a house for that they receiued so much hindrance losse by being banished frō their houses Therfore he willeth and straightly commaundeth them to repayre with al speede vnto their houses being assured that they should haue peaceable cōming so that they came within twentie days the religious leauing the cities which they held seditiously to giue their names vnto the lieftenant of the Prouince and to promyse faythfully that they woulde be heereafter the trustie subiectes of the king But if so be they would obstinatly absent them selues and carelesly contemne his clemencie then to be assured that he would be seuere in punishing them according to their desertes Also excepte they appeared at the daye appoynted that hee woulde confyscate theyr goodes to the end they myght knowe what it is to abuse the clemencie of their prince That he did offer and proclayme thys in time least any man should sustayne the punishment afterwarde for his presumptuouse boldnesse and rashnesse Thys was published the .xix. of Nouember But howsoeuer the kyng by those words of the Edict would seeme to prouide for the consciences of the Religious it cannot be of any wayght or credit in the iudgement of wise men For a little before many of the kings letters patents were sente abroade thorough out the Realme by which most vniustly he constrained those which had not once set theyr foote out of the Realme and whose condition for that cause ought to haue bin much better to renounce the Religion and to imbrace Papistrie Many there imagined and coniectured that the great masse of money gathered out of the proscription of the Religious woulde bee sufficiente to mayntayne warre and so they of the Religion should be wounded with their owne swordes Therefore the goodes of the Religious were dayly
vewed and put in inuentorie the whiche is alwayes the beginning of Confiscation so that the goodes of the Religious beyng absent were almost put in an Inuentorie but yet were not confiscate the cause whereof was the contrary successe whyche the Kyng looked not for If the Kyng had had such successe in his warre at Rochel as hee desyred it seemed that confiscations shoulde haue flowed wyth murders beyonde all measure thoroughout the whole Realme vppon them of the Religion to theyr vtter destruction Vnder the collour and pretēce of that Edict the king sought to bryng to passe by hys Legate mons Belleure with the Switzers which professed the Religion that those Frenchmen of the Religion whych were fled into theyr countrey myght be constrayned to forsake the same for many were fled especially to Bern and to Basile Notwithstandyng the Ambassadour lost hys labour for they extended still that same humanitie that they dyd before towards those fugitiues Almost about thys tyme a daughter was borne to the king Wherevpon he intreated Elizabeth the Queene of Englande that she would promise for his yong daughter in the holy Sacrament of Baptisme whiche we call the office of a Godmother To this request the Queenes Maiestie graūted and sent the Earle of Worceter into France to the king to be hir deputie for the same There was no man but he saw well ynough that the kyng at that doubtful time wēt about to coorry fauour with the Queene of Englande least she shoulde help the poore Inhabitants of Rochel and to this end the league was made We said before that they of Rochel answeared mons Biron that they woulde not receyue him into the Citie before suche time as the kyng hadde prouided for theyr securitie by assured pledges not minding to come to composition with bare words But the Kyng purposed to make those at his commaundemēt by dint of sworde and open force whome he could not wynne with wordes and deceyt Therefore hee deliuereth letters to mons Biron by whych hee banisheth them from his protection and fauour except they obey this his last commaundement as Rebelles traytors and the troublers of the common peace protesting that he woulde persecute them with mortall warre accordingly he commaundeth all hys gouernours and officers to persecute them with warre and by al other meanes euē as if they were giltie of high treason and pronoūceth that whatsoeuer they do herein against them shal be allowed and maynteyned At the same time mons Noe a noble man and in the former warres one amongst the rest most valiant came out of the lowe Countrey of Flaunders called Belgic and was reconciled to the Kyng and in token of his recouered fauour the king gaue vnto him the goodes of Teligni whose Sister mons Noe had maried whyche otherwise had bin confiscate as the goodes of others that were slayne were in the slaughter of Paris The king gaue hym in charge to perswade with them of Rochel that hee mighte bring them if it were possible to take those conditions of peace which he offered vnto them They of Rochel wondering at his comming after thys sorte sente vnto hym their letters of safeconduct that he might come to the village called Tadon the fyfth day of Nouember and to do vnto them that message which he had brought vnto thē from the king Thither came mons l' Noe and the Burgeses of Rochell Lāguilleir Rechenart Villers and Merelle Mons l' Noe declared vnto them that he had receyued commaundemente from the King Queene to tel thē that it appertayned greatly to their profite to yeeld vp the Citie into the kings hand and power that they mighte thereby deliuer themselues from that destruction presently like to ensue by the siege at hand and might also obtayne great peace for other Churches that he propounded thys condition in the kings name whome if they woulde admit to be their Gouernour according to the kings appoyntment they had free libertie to vse and enioy the Religion Notwithstanding mons l' Noe hauing declared hys good wyll and loue whiche he bare to Religion priuately perswaded them of Rochel to admit none in the kings name into the Citie before such time as they were sufficiently assured of their securitie and safetie The Burgeses of Rochel had onely authoritie and leaue to heare but no licence at all to determine any thing Wherefore they returning certifyed the Senate of the condition offered by mons l' Noe and mons l' Noe being come into the Citie receyued this answer That Rochel would not admit mons Biron beseeching the king that hee woulde poynt some other whiche loued the refourmed Religion to be their ouerseer or els to suffer them to lyue peaceably vnder the obedience of hys lawes In the meane time mons l' Noe being solicited both by the Senate it selfe of Rochel and also required by certayne other Ministers of the Church to imbrace the Religion sayeth that he was no lesse feruent towards the Religion than he had bin afore time and that he determined in him selfe to returne vnto them so soone as he hadde done his ambassage vnto the king The whiche hee perfourmed within few dayes after and was louingly enterteyned of them of Rochel After this they of Rochel cōsulted how they might get the Isle of Rhe the whyche was both neere and also commodious for them The charge to atchieue thys enterprise was cōmitted to mons Essarz He beeyng furnished wyth certayne Shyppes loosed from Rochel hauen about the dead tyme of the nyghte that he myghte deceyue the enimie ryding at anker not farre from hym Nowe there were come nere to the Citie two Shyppes of the Kyngs nauy vnder a colour to bryng letters to them of Rochel in the name of mons d' Guarde but in very deede they were sounding or plumming for the depth of the water for the whych cause they had one wyth them very expert in the same Whyles they were thus occupyed they were boorded by the Shyppes of Rochel the whych hauing slayne one of theyr chiefe Cpptaynes tooke one of the Shyppes and sente all theyr tackeling and cariage into the Citie the other Shyp being afeard escaped away Then they of Rochel returned into the Citie agayne Thys was a foretoken that they shuld haue good successe in the warre whiche was prepared against them THE fourth day of December mons Biron came to the citie wyth seuen cornets of horsemen and eyghteene ensignes of footemen hauyng also wyth hym two great brasse peeces to begin the seege In the meane tyme dyuers came dyuersly to this warre frō al parts of the Realme of those also not a fewe which aforetime had serued the Prince of Conde in the war and had nowe forsaken the Religion shewyng them selues to be more mortall enimies to the same than the Catholiques them selues They of Rochel held those villages that bordered vpō theyr Citie as Maraim Mose Nouaille whych were vnder the charge
holde and repute all those aforenamed for our good loyall and faythfull subiects and seruantes so that they do sweare vnto vs all obeysance fidelitie and do leaue off and desist wholy from all suche associations as they haue within or withoute our Realme and that they doe not hereafter make any gatherings of money without our permission nor enrolments of men congregations or assemblies other than those whiche are aboue to them permitted and that without Armes vpon payne to be rigorously punished as cōtemners of our commaundements and ordinances All prisoners taken in warre or others that bee holden in prisons galleys or els where for the cause of Religion and by occasion of these present troubles shall bee enlarged and set at libertie withoute paying of raunsome not meaning heereby that the raunsoms which are already payed may bee asked agayne of those that haue receyued them Those of the sayde Religion shall not bee ouercharged or burdened with any charges ordinarie or extraordinarie more than the Catholiques We haue declared and doe declare all defaultes sentences iudgementes Arrestes processes seysures sales and decrees made and gyuen againste those of the Religion called refourmed which be or haue bin within the sayd townes of Rochell Montauban and Nismes since the sayde .24 of August last past which haue bin giuē without hearing the parties or their Proctors by them appoynted since the sayd .24 of August last past also the execution of the same as well in caces ciuill as criminall shall be voyd reuoked and adnulled And the processes shal remayn in the same estate as they were before and the foresaid persons shal enter again vppon their temporal goodes whatsoeuer seysures sales and iudgementes haue bin made by vs or otherwise without making any recōpence for the same And touching heires widowes and other hauing any right or title frō such of the sayde Religion as are deceassed within the sayd townes that haue bin there or borne Armes for them in what part of our Realme soeuer it be since the said 24. of August we permit to them to reenter into the possession and enioying of the goodes left by the sayde persons deceassed and we do mayntayne them in theyr good fame and reputation All officers of the sayd townes of Rochel Nismes as well partayning to the Crowne as others of what religion soeuer they be that haue bin put out thereof by reason of the same Religiō of these present troubles shal be set again in their estates charges and offices and other officers of other townes places shal obserue our declarations therevpon made and published And to the end that iustice be ministred without any suspition to our subiects of the sayd townes and others that be retyered into them since the said .24 of August we haue ordeyned and doe ordeyne and our will and pleasure is that all processes and differences moued or to bee moued betweene the parties of contrary Religion as well on the parte of the demaundant as of the defendant what matter so euer it be ciuil or criminal shal be heard at the first instāce before our Baylifes Seneshals other our ordinarie iudges according to our ordinances And where any appeale shall happē in any our courts of parliament ther shal be prouided for thē by vs only within the space of one yere accompting from the day of the publicatiō of these presents Iudges vnsuspected such as shall seme best vnto vs except always the court of Parliament of Tholouse in respect of those of Mountauban and in the mean time they shall not be constrayned to appeare personally And for as much as many particular persons haue receyued and suffered so many iniuries domages both in their goodes and persons as hardly they can forgette the remembraunce of the same so soone as were requisite for the execution of our intent we willing to auoyd all inconueniences to giue some mean for those that might be in some feare that vpon their returne to their houses they should not be at rest til such rancor enmitie might be aswaged haue graunted do graunt to them of the sayd townes of Rochel Mountauban and Nismes that they shal enioy their priuiledges both auncient and lately granted and their authorities of iurisdiction and other rites in whyche they shal be mainteyned preserued without hauing any garrison neyther shall be made there any castels fortes or Citadels without the cōsent of the inhabitants of the same townes Who for a demonstration suretie of their obeysance obseruation mainteyning of our will intentiō shall deliuer for the space of two yeres four of the principal burgeses inhabitāts of each of the said towns being of the said Religiō called reformed the which shal be by vs chosē out of those that they shal name vnto vs and those to be changed euery three moneths or in suche other time as shall seeme good vnto vs and they shall be put in such Townes and places as shall please vs to appoynt within fyftie miles off at the farthest from the sayde Townes except in our Townes of Paris and Tholouse And to the ende there be no occasion of complaynt or suspition we will set in the sayd Townes for gouernours good men and well affectioned to our seruice such as shall be vnsuspected willing neuerthelesse that the keeping of their Townes Towers and Fortresses shall remayne in the hands of the sayd inhabitants accordyng to their auncient Priuileges We will likewise that incontinent after the publication of our present Edict made in our Camp and Armie Armes shal be altogeather generally layd downe the which shall remaine only in our hands and in our most deare and most welbeloued brothers the King of Polonia We doe ordeyne that the forces as well by lande as by Sea shall be withdrawen from before the sayd Townes the Fortes made as well of the one part as of the other shall be raced and ouerthrowen the free traffique and passages shal be open agayne in al the Townes Burrowes and Villages Bridges and passages of our sayde Realme the Forces and Garrisons which haue bin placed by occasion of these present troubles since the sayd .24 of August in Townes and other places houses and Castels apperteyning to our subiects of what religion so euer they be shall depart incontinent to leaue vnto them free and entire enioying as they had before they were dispossessed of them Such moueables as shall remayne in their nature whiche haue bin taken by way of hostilitie since the sayde 24. of August last past shall be restored to them to whome they belong so alway that they pay to the buyers the price of suche as haue bin solde by authoritie of Iustice or by other commission and publique commaundement And for the execution of the aforesayd the withholders of the sayd moueable goodes shall be cōstrayned and subiect to restore them incontinent and withoute delay notwithstanding all obiections or exceptions to yeelde and
grounde belonging to the fame was remoued out of his place and houses that were strongly builte and trees also that were greate and talle were ouerthrowne Also the Suburbes of Lyons called Aguilot was almost quyte ouerthrowen with this vyolence of waters and the greateste parte also of the stonewoorke of the Brydge vppon the Riuer of Rosne An armie was prepared to goe to Burdeaux and to the famous hauens of Broages the charge whereof was committed to Mons Strozzi and to Baron d'Guarde The rumor concerning the warre to come encreased more and more euen as fame is woont to preuent things to come But it was giuen out that thys warre should bee in the lowe countrey Therefore the Spanish Ambassadors made often complaints vnto the King as though by his maiesties commaundement warre should haue bene taken in hande against the Kyng of Spaine his soueraigne But the Kyng excused him selfe with wonderfull dissimulation insomuche that they of the Religion by so doubtfull an aunswere deemed that the Kyngs mynde was fully perswaded concerning the warre of the low countrey About the same tyme also Lodowic Nassau brother to the Prince of Orange came to the Courte accompanying the Queene of Nauar and entred into league with the Kyng in his brothers name the same being subscribed and sealed At such tyme as the Nauie was preparing in the Occean Sea appointed with six thousand footmen and a great number of peeces there went a common ieste abroade that the Nauie went into the Isle of Florida to fetch golde but in very deed the simpler sorte of the commen people sayde that this preparation was not only by the Kings sufferance but also by his expresse commaundement for the lowe countrey This preparation pleased the moste parte of the people very well and all men of both partes were ready to ioyne together in the same warre with so good will as if they had neuer felte the calamities of warre On the other parte a great number of Catholiques and of those of the Religion accordyng as they were ioyned together by affinitie and acquaintance went to another warre namely into Italy against the Turke against whom he seeking to winne the Isle of Malta they bended their whole force power Therefore men went thither with a great trayne of noble men of France among which Marques d'Menie brother to the Duke of Guise was one Notwithstanding the greater parte went to the warre of the lowe countrey Captaynes being sent into all parts of the Realme to gather such Soldiers as would serue in that war of their owne accorde and their wages was payde them out of the Kings treasurie THE delay of this mariage seemed to be very long to all men but especially to thē which looked for desired the same the cause whereof was made the Popes prohibition notwithstāding the kings letters oftentimes sent for licence and his request to the Cardinal Alexandrin for the same purpose THE fyrst day of May in thys present yeare Pope Pius the fyfth dyed the which offered hope to the King as he sayd to obtayn of the new Pope licence to ende the mariage Yet notwithstanding the Queene of Nauar plainly shewed hir selfe not to regarde any suche lycence for the which cause were made so many delayes and shee complayned hereof oftentimes vnto the King. SHORTLY after the Popes death being noysed the King commaunded the Cardinall of Loraine to goe to Rome to be present as it was reported at the Popes election The King sayd that hee had giuen him in charge to procure the Popes dispensatiō that once at the last that mariage might bee finished The Cardinall promising faithfully to accomplishe the Kings commaundement concerning the Pope altogether renouncing the Courte seemed in the iudgement of the wyser sorte besyde common reportes to prouide for his owne safetie least he him selfe should bee in daunger in so great fauour of them of the Religion or in the proclayming of a new war. All which things were so handeled by the craftie dealing of the Queene mother the King also framing both his countenance and also his speach accordingly that euen the moste fine wittes in the courte thought that there was nothing but truth ment IN the moneth of May there was a Synode at a noble Citie in Languedoc called Nismes of the reformed Churches To thys Synode by the benefite of the Kyngs letters came the Ministers and chosen men of the reformed Churches from all partes of the Realme The question was moued concernyng ecclesiasticall doctrine At this Synode were present Theodore de Beza Anthonius Chandoeus Nicolaus Gelazius and dyuers other learned and famous men Gelazius was chosen to bee the moderator of this Synode THERE was at this tyme a great famyne in Languedoc and about the Sea coast being of it selfe a very fruitefull soyle and it continued so sore that dead bodyes starued with hunger laye in the streetes For thys cause the Synode brake vp theyr sittyng at Nismes and appoynted a vacation bothe for that victualles wanted to serue so great a multitude and also to prouide for the poorer sort least they should be at charge for lawe matters THE peace which men nowe more largely enioyed had almost losed the reynes of al libertie in so much that he which now professed the Religion seemed to differ nothing at all neyther in speache nor in manners from the Catholike And now there beganne to be a great famine of the word of God mens myndes being annoyed with tedious curiositie and in many also of luke warme zeale in suche wise that a great number of those of the Religion could nowe scarsely abyde to heare a Sermon of ordinarie doctrine as not eloquent and courtly inough Thus by peace and ease things commonly waxe worse and worse Is it then any maruell if the Church be oftentimes afflicted and ouerwhelmed with troubles and calamities when it abuseth peace and the happy successe of things THERE is vpon the sea coast of Flaunders a citie called Vlishing standing verie conueniently for trafike and entercourse to Andwerpe The townesmen of this citie being wearie of the crueltie of the Spaniards slue the Lieftenant which was set by the Duke of Alba to kepe the towne and certaine of his garrizon and tooke the citie And when the Duke of Alba sent a newe supply to recouer the towne they valiantly repulsed them and set them selues at libertie By their example many cities of the lowe countrey were incouraged and the noble townes of Zeland and Holland were sayde to fauour the Prince of Aurenge and to desire libertie THE Queene of Nauar being poysoned to death with a payre of perfumed gloues as is sayde in the tenth booke the King Queene and the whole court seemed to take hir death very grieuously The King to put away all suspition of poyson commaunded that the dead body should be ript vp by phisitions and so the causes of hir death found out The phisitions taking a viewe of the
Consulls for so the Magistrates of the towne are called least any treason shoulde be wrought by those which were enclined to the king he gaue the souldiers their watchword appoynted to euery man hys charge place viewed the walles rounde about and was very diligente and necessary about all things apperteyning to a Captayne THE people assembled together in the Guild haule by the warning of the Consulls oftentimes And then the most wise men and of greatest experience consulted what was best to be done they looked one vppon another doubted what to determine and deuising many wayes coulde lyke of none to take The greatest part of those whiche were counted wysest disliked the purpose to defende the citie againste the force of the Kings army as proceeding from bolde and madde rashnesse most perillous thinking that better meanes might be deuised by which the Citie might be yelded vp and so a general safety prouided for wishing that this way should be taken with al speed Notwithstāding the authors themselues of this counsaile while these things wer in consultatiō went about to prouide priuately for their families and caried them out of the citie and they them selues went out also by heapes In this diuersitie of contrary Iudgementes and affections of all sortes and estates of men the dissentions diuersly rising betweene the people and the gouernours seemed out of all doubt to make a way and entrance for the kings power and amiddest these controuersies to gyue occasion to the enimie sodenly to ouercome them to their great calamitie destruction NOTVVITHSTANDING thys purpose preuayled namely that there shoulde be no hast made in this matter that consultation should be had about the same hereafter that God most assuredly woulde ayde hys seruaunts in hys owne cause but if so be they must susteyne the force of their enimies and suffer death that nothing coulde happen more better vnto them and that the same should be farre more tollerable than to put them selues into the handes of murderers of whome they mighte looke for the same pardon whiche they had giuen to others of the Religion in Paris in Lions in Tholouz and in dyuers places els Therefore that it shoulde be a more honest and easie deathe whiche they shoulde suffer in defending them selues againste the violence of theyr vniust enimie than to be slayne and executed by the hangmen That the same defence was iust both by the law of God and man that they vsed not violence in setting vpon the enimie but withstood iust violence with iust defence That theeues and murderers were armed in the Kings name and by the kings authoritie and that therfore they withstoode not the king That if they dyed in this defence their death should be pretious before God and haue the honour of martyrdome And that there is no doubt but that God at the length will haue compassion vpon them and wyll help them by one way or other vnlooked for that patience and prayer was needefull that in delay there was lesse perill but in haste there was moste presente destruction seeyng by delay those occasions myghte growe whych myght gyue them abilitie to bryng notable thyngs to passe Monsieur Clauson declaring these thinges at large it was agreed by the consente of the greater number not to receyue at all the kyngs garison but to tarry for a more conuenient time and yet notwithstanding to occupy the mynde of monsieur Ioyeuse with conuenient answeres THEN they certified the indwellers of Seuenatz and Viuaretz their neyghbours which wholy depended vpon them of their purpose and exhorted them to constancie of mynd and to a better hope For they were assaulted in like sorte by the kings instruments Monsieur Leuger a noble man and knight of the order was sent into Viuaretz to take and hold the same IN these first beginnings they of the religion helde these townes Aubenac Priuac Pusi Villeneufe Notwithstanding it was not long ere the Catholiques had taken Pusi the cōuenient situation wherof much annoyed thē And monsieur Leuger practised this way to take Villeneufe Villeneufe is but a small towne yet notwithstanding it is situate very conueniently for that part being appoynted for a lower court from whence the appeale is to Nismes and it belongeth to the kyngs Excheaker The Religious of Villeneufe agreed with the Catholiques of the towne to ioyne together and to defende one another with mutuall heartes and handes saying that they were brethren and felowe citizens and that those barbarous and outragious murthers were to be resisted with all their power And taking an othe one to the other they indent that two captaynes should be chosen by generall consent and that the same should watch and warde day and night by turne and so that the Catholiques shoulde haue for their captayne one of them of the Relygion and the religious a Catholique to the ende all suspition might be taken away They of the relygion named for their captayne monsieur Baron and the Catholiques named for thē monsieur Mirambel both good and expert Captaynes This good and laudable purpose had yll successe by which it appeareth how yll two Religions agree together and abyde in one seate The townesmen thinking that they had heereby prouided very well for theyr safetie and they of the Relygion being persuaded of the fayth of the Catholiques are thereby neglecting theyr businesse beholde the cytie was taken by monsieur Leuger thus Captayne Mirambel tolde monsieur Leuger that there was an easie way made for hym to take the citie in so much that he should onely neede to approche somewhat nearer the citie with some ambushmēts of souldiers so cōmyng to the gates of the citie he should be let in by hym promysing so to order the matter and to appoynt such warders about the gates that he should easily haue his purpose Monsieur Leuger preparing his souldiers out of hand drew neare to the citye and came with a troupe of horsmen vnto the gates gaue monsieur Mirambel to vnderstande that he was come thyther with the kings power commaunding him vpon his allegeance to set open the gates vnto him There at that time monsieur Biron walked before the gates vnarmed with certayne of the chiefe townesmen him all amazed monsieur Leuger saluted at hys so sudden cōming vpon them Monsieur Mirebel commaunded the gates of the citie to be set open and mons Leuger entred the citie then the armed troupes of the Catholiques came flockyng rounde about hym he fortifyeth the gates and by and by the troupes of horsemen and of foote men whyche stayed at a vyllage harde by ranne vnto hym Amydst these salutations the Catholiques and they of the Relygion fleeyng together vnto him monsieur Biron stale away priuyly and came to the next towne by called Mirebel which was by the Kings Edict an appoynted place to receiue the holy assemblyes of the professours of the Religion of Villeneufe and tolde to mons Pradel a noble man whose lande lyeth in and
to sustaine the force of warre whiche they were assured would shortely be moued against them For this treatie mons Calueri and Valli strong wise men in the midst of the continual assaults of the enimie were sent They went especially to the countie Pallatine of whose cōpassion good wil in pittying their estate in redinesse to help thē they certified their felowes put them in hope of aide But for the present necessitie they receiued nothing And as they returned home againe making a longer iourny bicause of the lyings in waite of the enimies mons Valli came home in safetie but mons Calueti was taken by mons d' Gordes in Dauphine being kept in ward certaine monthes was at the length by reason of a peace which came in the meane time and by the intreatie of d'Anuil restored Al which things we will intreate of together hereafter in one place WE spake before of mons Monbrune and of the noble men of Daulphine He lying secretly at home seeming to haue no care for religiō but to prouide for his own priuat ease profit to seke to win the kings fauor came forth at the last contrarie to the expectation of all men and armed him selfe Mons d' Gorges sent vnto him straight after sugred letters promising vnto him euer and among in the kings name both domesticall peace and also libertie of conscience feeding him with friendly promises if so be he would serue the king or at least if he would be quiet and seeke his own profite Neuerthelesse in the meane time he went about to betray him seking to spoyle him of al the succours of his friendes and so to intercept him Mons Monbrune being certified hereof hauing both conscience towardes the religion and hauing abandoned out of his mynde the whole conceiued feare of the butcherly murder and they of Languedoc hauing good successe of their constancie began to persuade with his priuate friendes of the nobilitie which fauoured the religion and kept their houses to come abroade and after deliberation had they agreed together to take Valentz Mōtil Leucrest which were noble cities in Daulphine by them of the Religion whiche as yet were in them And they made their neighbours of Viuaretz acquainted with this matter But when their purpose fayled in taking those townes certaine bands of the inhabitantes in the territorie of Viuaretz also when they were come ouer the riuer of Rosne being intercepted by the horsemen of mons d'Gordes the sayde mons Monbrune tooke certain smal emptie towns of no fame in the hil country of Daulphine neare vnto the Diocesse of Dien as Orpier Diofet and Serra which were kept with no garizons Mons d'Gordes being in securitie and nothing at all fearing the styrring of them of the Religion and the townesmen whereof fauouring also the Religion And then mons Monbrune hauing with hym a fewe of his friends to the number of eyghteene horsemen and two and twentie olde souldiers only wente out of his house not knowing certaynely what to do hauing no sufficient trust in the strength of those fewe so great feare remayned by the remembrance of that lamentable tyme. About the same tyme by hys trauayle in the parts of Troiz whych lieth among the hilles of the Alpes and yet no barren soyle these noble men mons Ledigner Champolian Morge tooke the chiefe Citie called Meuza and dyuers other small townes and gathered togeather a great multitude of the Religious whyche are many in those parts which at that tyme lay hyden in secret places after the cruell slaughter committed MONS d' Gordes notwithstanding not deeming the perill of that hill countrey to be so greate in so weake and small beginnings sent out certayne troupes of horsemen only to intercept Mombrune and his fellowes but hee preuayled not Wherevpon he certifyed the King of a new commotiō Notwithstanding euen at these fyrst beginnings Monbrune tooke certayne troupes of Souldiers belonging to mons de Gords straggling heere and there and offered vp the fyrst fruites of greater slaughter to come OF these smal beginnings it can scarse be told how greatly his strength increased within fewe dayes insomuch that the kings syde had not a more terrible and fearefull enemie in the Realme of France whiche wee will briefly note hereafter in due tyme and place VVE sayde before that the Citizens of Sanferre were in great extremities by reason of domesticall dissentions and that a Castel was taken from them and recouered also by them the same day agayne Being taught by this dangerous admonition they begin more exquisitely to order and appoynt all things in the Citie and ordaine mons Ioanneau the Lieftenant of the towne and a payneful man to be their General and gouernour by his name and authoritie and their captaynes for the warre they chose mons Flore and Mine and certayne others they mustered the townesmen and appoynted bands of Souldiers Notwithstādyng as yet they were not beseeged by the kings armie and many but especially mons Ioanneau coulde not be perswaded that the king amidst the extremities of Rochel and Languedoc warres would beseege the Citie Neuerthelesse the more wise and prouident sort considered and thoughte that hee would not leaue that vnassaulted which was in the very harte and middest of the Realme Thys securitie brought to passe that they of Sanserre left many necessary things vndone but especially it caused them to neglect the prouision of corne for the Citie of whiche they might haue prouided great store in so fertile a countrey in the which their store houses so neare after haruest were replenished almost with all manner of fruites The pulling downe also of the suburbes and other villages adioyning vnto them was pretermitted whiche notwithstandyng was necessary to be done against the seege least the same places myghte serue theyr enemies tourne whyche they dyd afterwarde in very deede to the great anoyance of the towne But principally their carelesnesse in prouiding corne brought vpon them so great a famine that the same myght seeme to be nothyng inferioure nay rather to exceede the famine of Hierusalem and that of Samaria Besyde thys they erred in hopyng for succors by whyche they persisted constant to theyr owne hurt and detriment they whyche ought to haue ayded them eyther not doyng theyr duetie or els so vnfurnished that they could not help Notwithstandyng both their constancie and also theyr wonderfull industrie is woorthy to be remembred of suche as shall come heereafter and specially beeyng in a good cause it deserueth great prayse and commendation Thys history is written in French by one named Lerry an approued witnesse to bee credited beyng at that seege euen to the last moment from whose writing and others information we will according to our manner and purpose set downe that which is only necessary After that they of Sanserre had skirmished certayne dayes with theyr neyghbours of Cosne and had taken from them the
Langueuille of Guise Neuers and of Vzes the Lorde of Monluce Count of Retz of Biron of Villequier of the chappell Auxursins of Losses of Vanguion of S. Supplice of Malicorne of Suze the graund ▪ Prior of Champaigne and other great notable personages being with him made agreement with the sayde inhabitantes of Rochel Gentlemen and others retyred thyther vpon the poyntes and articles that shall be hereafter specified as well for them selues as for the inhabitantes of our townes of Montaubane and Nismes the gentlemen and others retired vnto thē others our subiectes for whom they haue made sute We let you vnderstand that considering we cannot do better than to folow the counsel which is giuē vs by our said brethren others aforesaid who for the zeale they haue to the honor of God with the experience they haue in many things the affection they beare towardes the well ordering of our affaires haue more knowledge than any other in those matters what is meete necessarie for the profite and cōmoditie of our realm We by the aduice coūsell of the Queene our most honorable lady mother our priuy coūsel for the matters causes aforesaid for other good great considerations thervnto specially mouing vs haue said declared decreed ordained by this our present Edict and our wil pleasure is as foloweth FIRST that the remembrance of all things that haue hapned by occasion of the troubles and styrs in our sayd realme since the .24 of August in Anno MDLXXII shall remayne wholy quenched and appeased as things that had neuer hapned neyther shall it be lawfull or permitted to any of our Atturneys generall or any other person eyther publike or priuate in what time so euer or for what occasion so euer it be to make any mention there nor any processe or sute therevpon in any court or iurisdiction Forbidding also all our subiectes of what estate or qualitie so euer they be of that they renue not the memorie thereof nor to contende nor to reuyle nor to prouoke eyther other by reproching them with things that be past in disputing rehearsing quareling or doing outrage or offēce one to another in word or in deede but to forbeare and to liue peaceably together as brethren friendes and felowe citizens vpon payne to them that shall doe the contrarie to be punished as breakers of the peace and disturbers of the common quiet We ordayne that the Catholike and Romishe Religion be set vp againe and established in all places and quarters of this our realme and countrey vnder our obedience where the exercise of the same hath bene left off and that it may be freely and peaceably exercised without any trouble or let vpon the paines aforesaid and that all those which during these present wars haue entred vpon houses goods and reuenues belonging to the Churchmen and other Catholikes and such as holde and occupie the same shall leaue vnto them the full possession and peaceable enioying thereof in all freedome and safetie And for to giue occasion to our subiectes abyding and inhabiting in our sayde townes of Rochel Montaubā Nismes to liue remayne in rest we haue permitted do permit vnto them the free exercise of the religion called Reformed within the said townes the same to cause to be exercised within their own houses or place to them appertayning except alwayes publike places for thē their families others that wil be there present And to all others of the sayde Religion called Refourmed which haue continued therein vntill this present we doe permit to retyre into their houses where they may be and remayne throughout all other partes of our Realme to goe and come and to liue in all libertie of conscience And to the Gentlemen and others hauing hygh iustice which in like maner haue hitherto remayned till this present time in the sayde religion bearing Armes with the said inhabitants in the said townes since the said 24. of August last past We do also permit to liue in the same libertie of conscience in their houses there only to baptise and marry after their accustomed maner not hauing any assembly beside the kinred Godfathers and Godmothers aboue the number of tenne persons and that not within our Court nor within two leagues about the same nor in the towne Prouostshippe and Vicount of Paris nor within tenne leagues about the same towne We charge our Baylyffes Seneshals and ordinarie Iudges or other Substitutes each one in his libertie and iurisdiction to prouide for the burial of the dead bodyes of them of the sayde religion called Refourmed in the most commodious maner they can and without offence If any of the sayd religion haue bin constrayned to make promise and bonde and to giue assurance to change their religion we haue discharged the same to be admitted and of none effecte or value The schollers sickmen poore of what religion soeuer they be shal be indifferently receiued into the vniuersities common scholes hospitalles houses for sicke persons and almes houses We do permit to al our subiects being of the said religion that they may sel or alienate their goods and go freely with al their money and other moueables whether it shall seeme good vnto them or to enioy the cōmoditie benefit thereof in what place soeuer they shall resort vnto be it within or without the Realme so that it be not in the landes of suche Princes wyth whome we may haue warres Our sayd subiects of Rochel Mountaban and Nismes and other before named shall remayne quit and discharged of all summes of money goodes deptes arrerages of rents profites and reuenues of Ecclesiasticall persons and others which they shall sufficiently make apparant to haue bin by them taken or leuied since the sayde 24. of August so that neyther they nor their committies nor those that haue fournished them with any thing or delyuered the same vnto them shall any wayes bee charged nor condemned therfore at this present nor for the time past nor at any tyme heereafter Likewise they shall remayne acquitted and discharged of all actes of hostilitie leauying conducting of men of warre coyning of money casting and taking of ordinance and munitions making of Poulder and Saltpeter Prizes fortifications or enterprises vpon townes pulling downe of Churches houses or other places prizes of Shippes Galleys and goodes vpon the Sea establishment of iustice and iudgemēts and the executions thereof as well in caces ciuill as criminall voyages intelligences treaties and dealings had for theyr ayde and conseruation and generally of all that hath by them bin done wrought or committed to that effect as well within as without our Realme since the sayd 24. of August as wel as if the same were particularly expressed and specifyed so that for none of the thyngs before named or others past and done shall be imputed to them or to theyr posteritie any cryme of Rebellion disobedience or treason We do declare that we
ende of the moneth of December ORANGE was helde by Berchon in the name of the Prince of Orange and Berchon with the inhabitants of Auinion which bordered about him and of Venais also abstayned of purpose from warre Notwithstanding many of the Citizens of Orange hauing M. Glundag a valiant man of Daulphine their Captayn tooke the Castell and towne of Orange Berchon mistrusting no such thing who wēt straight way to Cortes a litle towne in the territorie of Orange After this M. Glandag warred very sore against Auinion against the inhabitants of the countie robbing spoyling them yea and the marchantmen as they went about their affayres were robbed in the common high way The sayd Glandag him self for all this boasted that he did not like of the reformed Religion and that only the poynt of his sworde was religious meaning therby that he did not embrace the doctrine of the religion but the cause of the religious By such like examples great offence was taken against them of the Religion THIS newe yeere comprehendeth the beginnings of newe and waightie matters with diuers successe both of king Charles the ninth by whose strong and florishing youth infinite victories to the vtter destruction of the religiō were prognosticated and also by the death of Charles Guise Cardinall of Lorhayne a notable auncient enemy of the reformed Churches which we will set downe according to our maner and purpose MANY of the noble men enuyed the gouernment of the Queene for whatsoeuer was done by king Charles was attributed vnto hir for that she as it is said being through effeminate and rashe hastines moued to displeasure one whyle agaynst some another whyle agaynst other some sought by all meanes possible to hurt those which might in any case withstand hir gouernement and for that she being a woman and which was more a straunge woman should haue the gouernment of the state so many yeares already against the ordinance of the auncient lawes of France and to the great reproche of the realme of France Therefore she had prouoked many of the noble men to hate hir especially bicause the authoritie of the nobles to whom the prerogatiues of the realme pertayned being by hir taken away and translated to hir selfe alone she aduaunced base borne men and straungers to great honour and to large riches and possessions especially Countie d'Retz who being the sonne of a Florentine Promoter called Gordes and his mother a famous harlot himselfe also at the first being but a seruant to a Forraiger came to so great riches and authoritie that he was not only checkemate with princes and noble men but also far excelled them Now bicause these large promotions gifts could not but be drawen out of the kings treasurie that is to say from the bloud of the miserable people lately oppressed with intollerable burthens of tributes many of the noble men dayly complayned that the common wealth was betrayed and troden vnder foote And the foule troubles of new warres did greatly amplify and encrease complayntes through the which warres the Citizens being armed with mortal hatred one against another by the instigation incouraging of a straunge woman with shamefull madnes killed destroyed one the other to satisfy the wicked appetites desires of an vngodly Italian Hetherto she had pretended the cause of Religion notwithstanding she sought this one thing only by these ciuil discords namely That when she had destroied the Frēch mē she might bring in Italians into the kingdome of France and so she might easely raigne alone hauing gotten such men about hir as stoode subiecte bound vnto hir Also the great misliking of the murther on Saint Barthelmewes day made hir to be the more enuyed and despised adding all that might bee to that notable hatred ▪ conceiued against hir bicause by the same fall not only many noble houses were depriued of their brethren and kinsmen the more noble sorte of them of the religion being slayne but also that the death of the noble princes and peeres was sought notwithstanding that they alwayes had imbraced the Romish Religion and that a manifest way was made to the vtter destruction of the nobles of France by this enterance and that bicause this ambitious woman would leaue nothing vndone to shew crueltie that she might rule and gouerne after hir owne will. Amidst the garboyle of the murthers they which suspected their bloud to be sought were at rest and were gone at the kings commaundement to the warre to destroy those which remayned of the Religion who being but fewe and weake seemed to be brought easely to destruction within few dayes But when the Queenes counsailes and deuises tooke not effect and newe murthers were made when there was preparation of warre against Rochell Languedoc then men more freely began to speake against those murthers and to detest those ciuill warres stirred vp by the commaundements of the Queene when as the contrary successe had frustrated and deceyued euen as it were in the very entry the imagined victories concerning the vtter destruction of those of the Religion And there was none which did not greatly cōdemne the causers workers of those murthers Peace was earnestly desired and hoped for all men when as the space of two yeeres had almost drowned the memory of the former troubles and iniuries and after so many spoyles made by warres new calamitie was feared insomuch that all men feared the cause of newe troubles And the remembrance of the pretended mariage celebrated with falsehood was most detestable to the euerlasting reproch of France Therefore in steed of tryumphes for the destruction of the remaynder of the religious there sprang vp new enimies from among the Catholiques themselues and that of them also which were present in those murthers and were instrumentes of the same who being taught by tyme it selfe and by the euent and successe of the matter did not only detest that wicked facte but also prepared them selues to reuenge the same And there was no small number of these new enemyes but the factions were copious and plentifull hauing ouer them noble and famous Captaines So many as could not abyde to fayle their countrey in extremity being now at the last cast and which being free from the Queenes liberalitie prefermēt which misliked of the insolent promotiō of straūgers so many I say seemed to be called euē as it were with the soūd of a trūpet to the societie of this new counsail The greatest iniury seemed to be giuē to the king of Nauar for that his mariage was dishonored polluted with the funerals of his friendes familie and he himself had come in perill of life except by a foule and shameful shift he had forsaken the religion in the which he was brought vp instructed for the which by the ayde furtherance of his mother he had held war. The Prince of Conde was with no lesse prouocations allured beside the olde causes the