in euerye place and herevpon followed an infinit number of mischiefes He intreated therfore that the same authoritie might be restored againe to Ecclesiasticall persons and that the king woulde take away no more the reuenewes of Churchmen for that they were consecrated and halowed and coulde not be taken away withoute some manner of sacrilege séeyng that men of the Churche ought carefully to be fed and maintained This thing if the king would doe after the ensample of Charles the great he should get a most glorious name and at the length be called Charles the greatest And last of all he made petition that al the Clergy might neither pay tribute nor tax for that was the prorogatiue of the Church which oughte not to be taken from it For saith he it is the chiefest part of the Kings duetie to defende the Christian faith and doctrine and to maintayne Ecclesiasticall persons The whiche if he did he sayde that he promised vnto hym in the name of the Clergye all prosperitie in thys worlde and in the worlde to come euerlastyng lyfe Thus much concerning his oration which we haue trulye reported according to the written coppie of the same Many maruelled what he ment so vndiscretely to inueye against the protestantes of the reformed Church seing that he him selfe sometime had approued the same and for that cause was constrained to depart from Pictauium Moreouer bycause he wished them to be taken and punished as newe Heretikes which shoulde offer supplications to the King all men at those words loking vpon the Admiral as though he had openly noted him the Admiral made complaint hereof to the king and Quéene Therfore Quintinus was called to come before the king to gyue an accounte of that which he had spoken Who excusing him selfe by the instructions gyuen to hym of the Clergye promised that he would openly in the assembly or courte aske the Admirall forgiuenesse the whiche also he performed But after thys ballets and scoffing Libelles were set vp agaynst him in manye places in so muche that he was openlye derided Wherevpon at the length partlye by the impaciencie of these contumelyes and reproches and partlye by the griefe of hys owne mynde for his euill déede he fell into a sickenesse and gaue vp his life After this there beganne to aryse certayne quarels complaintes and controuersies againste the Guyses For the Burgeses of the Parliament that were chosen for Burgundy and Dolphiny of the which Prouinces the two brethren the Guyses were gouernours and chiefe went aboute to bring to passe that the Guyses mighte be counted as honorable as anye of the Princes the Kings neere kinsmen were to the whyche notwythstandyng the greateste parte of the Burgeses of other Prouinces woulde in no wyse consent At the whiche the Guises beyng offended called those that hindered their estimation sedicious persons They on the other side misliking to be so called complayned therof to the Queene who onely gaue them this aunswere saying that the Guises did so call them adding this condition that if the Burgeses did enterprise any thing against the kings Maiestie and not otherwise and thus by and by they were sent away Then were there certaine dayes spent in bringing the assembly of the Parliament together againe and in debating of diuers matters At the length by earnest sute of manie the Parliamente was proroged vntill another time namely vntill the first day of May nexte following And so with thankes giuen to the king and Quéene the Parliament brake vp Then commaundement was giuen to all the prelates of the French Church That they shuld prepare themselues for the Counsell Also that all Magistrates shoulde set them at libertie both in body and also in goods which were kepte in prison for Religions sake And that no manner of punishement or iniurie shoulde be offered for Religion or factious names Then when the rumour and fame of Religion increased dayly more and more the Constable attended with all diligence vpon the king of Nauarre in so much that he was seldome from him In the meane time the Bishop of Rome hearing of the kings pleasure concerning the calling of a Nationall councell and fearing least the same woulde be hurtful vnto him vrged by and by that there mighte be a generall Counsell holden at Trent summoning the same incontinent and declaring it by publique writing Against the which one Paulus Vergerius sometime a Bishop a notable papist but at the length for taking the Popes doctrine became a member of Christs Church This Paulus I saye wrote letters in the Italian toung to the Bishops of Italy In the which he declared that the Pope had giuen forth a Bull for the calling of a generall Councell the which Bull when he had séene he had great sorrow and griefe of minde and that for waighty causes Namely for that the Pope went about to disperse and scatter and to ouerthrow destroy the Churches of Christ and to bring the same againe to the former state of desolation Adding herevnto that the Pope was greatly offended with the light of reformatioÌ„ which God had caused to shine in earth the space of these fortie yeeres to men that were blinded and ouerwhelmed in thicke darknesse of errors As though sayth he you Bishops were iudges shoulde be vmpires in the Counsel to determine and ende matters So soone as ye be come to Trent ye shall heare some profouÌ„d disputation or other by Monkes but ye shall heare no man that dare truely reply against them Then shall be song very soleÌ„ne songs of ceremonies ye shall be brought into the Temple of S. Vigill ye shall haue faire and sumptuous clothes of Tapisery hong before you ye shall haue Miters put on your heades ye shall sit vpon maruelous faire chaires which the Cardinal of Trent brought from Millaine And being there thus placed ye shall heare solemnly read out of a Pulpit the decrées which the Pope an vnlearned and foolishe man with the helpe of some one monke or other hath deuised But as for you ye must doe nothing but howe downe your mytered heads to the Pope and say to whatsoeuer you heare Placet very well and so to approue the same as thoughe at the first sight you dyd vnderstand and consider of the matter very well Then will the Pope euery where publishe abrode That the Bishops of the Catholike Church haue iudged the Lutherans to be Heretikes Whereas you neuer so determined or iudged of theÌ„ but he alone which sitteth in Peters Chaire And yet notwithstanding ye shall be the cause of all these euâ—…ls Also shal that be called a general couÌ„sell in the which neither we our selues whose cause is in hande are hearde neither yet the Bishops that are present do any thing of theÌ„ selues but stande onely for sifers in agram And the Pope will sende the Canons which were made at Rome to Trent that they may be counted the decrées of the generall Councel And to the
summe besides towardes the maintayning of garrisons of souldiers the fortifying of Cities and other such lyke vses to the great profit and commoditie of the people They made Supplication in like maner that the Edict of Iuly of the which we made mention before and in the which the faithfull were forbydden to assemble themselues together might be taken awaye that also there might be vsed peaceable and quyet meanes in matters of Religion and yet notwithstanding that no Heretikes Libertines Anabaptistes Atheistes and suche lyke seditious persons might be borne withal And that there might be called out of hand a Nationall Councell to reforme the errors of Ecclesiasticall persons Furthermore they requested that the King with his kinsmen the Princes woulde be at the counsell that all men might haue frée libertie vnder the kings warrant to come to that conuocation that they might haue Churches for the administration of their doctrine and Sacramentes graunted vnto them which affirme that they cannot with safe conscience come to the Ceremonies of the Romishe Churche that they mighte openly and plainely professe and maintayne their Religion and put awaye all occasions of slaunder and reproche Last of all they required that all iurisdiction mighte be taken away from Ecclesiasticall persons and restored to the King to whome the same truely appertayned that Ecclesiasticall persons myghte haue no place in the Ciuill assemblyes of Parliamentes and also that Ciuill or temporall persons mighte not haue benefices or spirituall promotions These things were spoken by the orators and speaker for the States according to their commission Moreouer at the length motion was made vnto them â—…o helpe to confirme the couenant made betwéene the Quéene and the king of Nauarre concerning the gouernement of the kingdome To the which they answered that it seemed vnto them verye vnmeete and strange that a woman should rule the Realme of Fraunce which was plaine againste the lawe therof called the lawe Salic After long contention by the earnest persuasion of the king of Nauarre who sought to haue the Queenes fauour and sayd that he did willingly giue place vnto hir the speakers answered that if the king of Nauarre woulde departe from his right and that the king and Quéene could so agrée they would not be against it nor hinder it But it was sayde that those speakers dyd not well in that they swarued from their Commissions and therefore that theyr assente to be voyde and of none effecte neither was the facillitie and myldnesse of the King of Nauarre well lyked of Nowe the Pope feared as we sayde before that Nationall Councell which the king had promysed least it woulde be greatly hurtfull vnto him therfore so muche as he could he made haste to haue a generall Councell And for thys cause he sente the Cardinall of Ferrer to the king Thys Romishe Cardinall called hym selfe the Protector of the Churches of Fraunce for the which names sake manye presents and giftes were giuen to him in Fraunce At the nexte comming together of the States it was concluded that the Pope should neuer afterward haue authoritie to giue anye benefice or spirituall promotion in Fraunce Therefore the Cardinall when he was come woulde haue vsed his accustomed power and authoritie but beyng let by the newe decree of the States or Parliament he rayled vp great controuersies Then the Chauncelor 〈◊〉 affirmed that it was a thing not to be suffered that so newe a decrée of Parliament shoulde be infringed and broken Notwithstanding the matter came to that pasâ—…e by the daylye complayntes of the Cardinall that the king gaue straighte commaundement to the ChauÌ„celor to seale his letters The Chauncelor sayde that it was against lawe and equitie so to doe howbeit he sealed his letters with the kings seale and subscribed these wordes with his owne hande without my consente and will. Then these letters according to custome were sent to the Senate of Paris that they also myght confirme them But when the Senate had read these wordes of the Chauncelor they made this answere They cannot neither oughte they to be receyued Which wordes they alwayes vse when they meane to note any vnlawful or vniust matter Therfore Cardinall Ferrar was without hope of his letters and was very sore agréeued to sée the Popes authoritie so sore diminished and shaken in Fraunce besyde this ballets and rymes were made â—…f hym and hauing his Crosier goyng before hym as the manner is he was deryded of boyes and chyldren that followed him also pretie Libels were set forthe agaynst hym and the image of Pope Alexander his grandfather finely paynted with a liuely description of his wickednesse oute of the wordes of the Poet Pontanus was helde forthe in euerye mannes hande againste him The Cardinall taking this in very euill parte departed out of FrauÌ„ce loking for better occasions to haue his purpose the which in deede he gat afterward But shortlye after thys the Popes authoritie was cut off more and more in Fraunce and all the people almoste euerye where sayde that nowe the authoritie of men must not be wayed but the substantialnesse of reason and truth that the great errors whych long ago were growne were nowe spredde abroade that the Couetousnesse and Luxurie of the Churche men was insatiable that they were more outragious and cruell agaynste those whiche followed the contrarye opinion in Religion All estates and degrées had these and the like communications oftentunes in their mouthes yea and they which as yet were on the Popes side came not so often to their owne Churches as they had wonte but came often to the sermons of the refourmed Churche kepte companye with the faythfull and had often conference with them concerning Religion and sayde that for this cause there ought to aryse no trouble nor breache of friendship or brotherly loue They which more obstinately leaned still to their olde opinions kepte theÌ„selues so cloose within their dores that they scarce durst to come in anye companye Many were dayly alured to the companye of the faythfull in so muche that the alteration of Religion séemed nowe withoute all doubte to be at hande The greatest parte of the Nobilitie also embraced the doctryne of the Gospell And the Queene séemed to prefer Religion verye muche and openly to fauour those of the refourmed Religion whether to please the king of Nauarre or to serue the tyme I knowe not and wrote verie earnestly to Pope Pius the fourth desiring him that he would prouide remedies to stay those troubles And when the time of the parley appointed was rome she wrote very large letters to him the fourth of August to this effect as followeth If sayth she the state of the Kingdome of Fraunce maye be expressely described to the holye Father for so she was wonte to call hym in what and howe manye straites and perills the same was by reason of the diuers opinions of Religion he would prouide with al spéede for it and would helpe to staye these
at the last the streates and the riuer were filled with dead carcasses There was nothing so cruell which the furious multitude did not attempt To this tumultuous and sedicious citie did the Guises bring the king first of all to the Castell which appertayned to the King then the King entered the citie without any maner of kinglike pompe to the Castell called Lower All thinges falling thus out according to the desire of the Guises they now seriously studie and beate their braynes concerning the order of their warres and they communicated their busines with the Kinges counsell which they had almost renued chusing such as they knew were for their purpose and putting out others cōmaunding also Michael Hospitall the kings Chaūcelour to get him home to his house requiring them to prouide for the mayntenaunce of the warres euen as if they should haue delt with the forreyne enemy They sent also Ambassadours into Spaine into Italy and into Zwitserland to haue helpe and ayd from thence Euery where but specially at Paris there was pressing out of souldiours the Marchants and the shaueling Priestes setting forth many souldiours armour goonnes and all maner of furniture being prouided for the warres On the other part the Prince of Conde séemed to be very carefull and disquieted with these commotions musing what successe his enemies should haue and of the euent of the imminent warre being very lothe as it shuld séeme to warre wyth them Wherupon he cau sed the Edictes concerning the maintenance of peace to be proclaimed least any mā for religions sake or for any other cause should make a tumult and declared to the magistrates of the towne and to his Centurious that he desired nothing more than to haue all men liue according to the prescript of the Kings Edicts He wrote also daily letters to the King to the Quéene and to the King of Nauar hys brother beséeching them to take héede and sée that all things were done peaceably and by cōmon consent if it might be admonishing also such as had the gouernment of the Common wealth to be ware least by the ambition of the Guises and of his adherents the King and the Realme were broughte into great pearill and danger for the auoiding whereof so many meanes of late were vsed protesting héerewyth that he desired rather to sée the very extréeme end than warre and that he wished specially that the king in that hys tēder age and hys realme also might be accordingly prouided for Notwithstanding the willes and purposes of hys aduersaries so manifestly appeared that he was admo nished by diuers prudēt and wise men which attended vpon him that it was his part to séeke all that he could to let and hinder them least they did turne to the ruine and subuertion of the whole realme and of the reformed church For there came vnto the Prince of Conde of all estates some from all partes of the Realme and very many also of the Noble men as the Admirall the Andelot his brother and the Cardinall Odette the Earle of Rochefoulcaut the Prince Porcian Piennes Crusol Soubiz Mouy Sanli Estern and manye others which came to the Prince in great number to Orleans These men perceiued wel inough the horrible and wicked enterprises of the Guises and their adherents the manifest violating of the Kings Edicte the iniury offred to the yong King and to the Quéene his mother and the conspiracies of straungers againste the Kings kinsmen and therfore they thought it their duty to prouide for these mischéenes Whervpon after deliberation had with the Prince of Conde they earnestly persuaded with him to take vpon him the patrociny and defēce of the realme for that the right of gouerning the realme during the time of the Kings minoritie pertained vnto him the King of Nauar hys brother neglecting his duty in that behalfe They prayed and most earnestly beséeched him being of the Kings bloud that he wold not forsake the captiued King in such time of perill that he would not suffer the Kings Edictes to be violated and contemned of strangers of whose violence he him selfe not long agoe had experience and principally that he would not permit that true Religion wherof he hym selfe was so zealous a professor to be suppressed so furiously by warre This thing they being the kings faithful subiects most humblely beséeched him that he wold vauchsafe gladly to take in hād they promising to shew them selues ready at all times to shewe all manner of lawfull obedience and to spend their goodes and their liues to in so iust a cause The Prince of Conde being moued in conscience with this plaine declaration of his duety and hauing so oftentimes called vpon the mother Quéene by his letters he at the last toke vpon him the defence of thys cause and the charge so earnestly offered vnto hym Wherevpon the Prince of Conde and the Noble men made a league betwéene them selues for the defence of that cause and then caused the same to be put downe in wryting the eleuenth day of April in maner and forme folowing WE Lodowic Borbon Prince of Conde and the greatest Parte of the Nobilitie of Fraunce whose names are subscribed to this League esteeming nothing more precious next to the honor and glory of God than the obedience of our King and the conseruation of the Crowne aed Dignity during the time of this his Minority established by the Authority of the Quene and by the high Court of Parliament and seeing the presumption and boldnesse of certaine of the Kings subiectes to be such that not only they dare beare armoure contrary to the Kings Edictes to destroy his subiectes because by the benefite of the Edictes they come together to heare the word of God and to call vpon his holy name but also haue taken into their custody the King the Queene and her sonnes againste all Lawe bothe of God and the Realme seking hereby so farre as we can perceiue vnder the pretence of the Kings authoritye to deface true religion and to destroy the greatest part of the Kings Subiectes which in dede were the way to get the Kingdome into their owne handes VVe therefore I say for these causes to restore so much as we may first of all the Kings maiesty to his dignity the Quene to her authority and may also maintaine and kepe the Kings faithfull subiects in the liberty of that Religion and conscience which is licensed and geuen to them by the Kings Edicte made by the iudgements and consents of the Princes the Kings kinsmen and of the Kings counsel and also of the whole assembly of Parliament which ought to abide firme and immutable in this tender age of the King are constrained according to our duety and office as the Kings loyall faithfull subiects to take the sweard in hand the which is the only remedy geuen of God at this time to remedy and resist so muche as we may these outrages and vnlawfull actions For the
to defende themselues vnlesse very spéedy remedie be had For and vppon these considerations I haue thought it my dutie to certifie the King and Quéene thereof as becommeth a good subiect and trustie seruaunt to doe which desireth by all meanes and wayes possible too auoyde and turne away so great and present daunger and perill Neyther sayeth he is there any cause why I should feare that I shal be accompted and taken of their Maiesties as one that is to importune and vnreasonable not regarding eyther tyme or person albeit I haue diuers tymes troubled them already with these matters especially séeing it standeth me vpoon my honor and honestie and the present and vrgent necessitie of thinges doth so earnestly require me to do it that vnlesse I will become both guilty and worthi punishment for so great and common calamities I can not passe so waighty a businesse in silence Wherefore I most humbly beséech your Maiesties that you will not take it in euill parte that I am come by letters to entreat for them that are without all law and Iustice most shamefully spoyled slayne contrary to your highnesse pleasures declared in your Edict And for that they could not by any other meanes obtayne remedie and redresse of their wrongs they are come vnto me for succour thinking that in respect of my néere kynred to your Maiestie the place whereunto I am called in this realme I might obtayn for them that ease and reliefe of their griefes which otherwise they could not get Neyther could I my selfe for these causes and for the obedience I owe to youre Grace refuse to declare and shew vnto your Maiestie with all humble modestie reuerence these so great miseries and calamities For all your highnesse Subiectes haue felt what great profit and vtility hath come to the whole Realme through your Maiesties Edict of peace the which notwithstanding is so defaced and altered from his first forme that no man hath any care once to acknowledge much lesse to obserue and execute it And although your Grace haue diuers tymes plainly declared and exprest that it was your will and pleasure that it should be obserued and kept inuiolably of al men yet notwithstandinge certayne disordered persons that séeke to abolish and deface the reformed religion haue so preuayled that certayne interpretations of the Edict are set forth in your Maiesties name whose prefaces are very notable and good but if a man but of meane iudgement doe marke the ende of them he shall perceyue that they bee nothinge else but deuises and meanes inuented onely to weaken and take away the libertie of the Edicte and now of late at Rossillon when as no man was with your Maiestie that would mayntayne the cause and right of the protestants there was a Declaration set out by which the Edict is so rent and defaced that it is not credible that it should longe continew for thus it hath The Edict sayth Be it lawfull for all noble men hauing chief authoritie their families and those of their iurisdictiō that wil of their own accord to vse and exercise the reformed religion freely and without molestation But the interpretation sayeth That al suche places are exempted from this libertie as were eyther solde or taken by the kings commaundement from the church liuing neyther should such that had any Church reuenewes enioye that benefite Further the Edict sayeth That libertie of religion was not only graunted to the noble men and their families but also to as many of their subiectes as would willingly resort vnto it But the Declaration of Rossillon sayeth further Neyther shall the Noble men suffer or permit any which is not their subiect to come or resort to any sermons or assemblies And that who so doth to the contrary shall for the firste tyme bee fyned at 500. Crownes and for the second tyme loose and forfeite all their howses and Castels wherein any suche sermons or assemblies shal be had or kept Which rigour and seueritie as it is manifest can neuer be obserued and kept séeing that many of the Noble men do not know all their subiectes and few of the subiects one another whereby it may chaunce that one may come to a Noble mans howse and yet be neyther one of his subiectes nor knowne of him who thinkes takes him for his owne subiect and yet notwithstanding should by these meanes be enforced to pay a great fyne and lose also his house wherein the assemblie was gathered togyther The like dannger also should he incurre if one of his neighbours did but come to sée howe he did Which thing would not onely hinder and trouble but also bring to miserable thraldome and slauerie the mutuall and friendly societie of men the chiefe and surest bond of true friendship and the stay and rocke of all common wealthes and Monarchies The Edict saith That there shall be a Citie choosen out and appointed for the administration of the reformed Religion in euery Prouince or presidentship and other places of Iudgement from which it was lawfull to appeale to the high Courtes of Parliament but this last point was neuer yet put in execution neither coulde it be graunted to the protestants although they both earnestly sued for it and the promise it selfe was confirmed by the expresse commaundement of the Kings letters and certaine Cities named to be chosen as fittest and most profitable for that purpose Also where according to the order of the Edict there ought to haue bene a place appoynted for the vse of the reformed Religion within the suburbes of those Cities that were named it was appointed in other inconuenient places xx or xxv leagues of Whervpon followed diuers slaughters and seditions in many places Notwithstanding thys Article of the Edict was altogether broken and violated wherof I doe not thinke your Maiestie causer neyther any of them who without preiudice to eyther part do wishe that the Edict might be truely and incorruptly obserued but rather I iudge your presidentes and other officers to be procurers of it who of a preposterus and disordered zeale and loue they beare to the popishe Religion could not bridle their owne outragious lust but suffered themselues to be carried headlong by their affections to the breach of the Edict and spoyle of them that professe the reformed Religion The Edict saith That liberite and free vse of the reformed Religion is graunted and permitted to all Cities wherein it was exercised the ▪ vii of March 1562. besides those Cities that were to be chosen and appointed in euery Prouince and this shoulde be done in one or two seuerall places of those Cities accordyng as the King thought good to appoint But the interpretation doth permit none to enioy this but those Cities only which were holden by force in the time of warre and so many are defrauded of that liberty in which the vse of the reformed Religion was kepte at the tyme appoynted namely the. vii day of March 1562
it began in maner as followeth Weye and consider with your selfe your estate and you shall finde that all things haue happened ouertwhaâ—…tly vnto you euer since you haue gone about to vexe the Lutheranes When you set forth the Edict made at Cast ellobrian then began warres But when you inhibited and forbad the executioÌ„ of that Edict and were an enimie to the Pope in sending a power into Germanie for the libertie thereof bicause of the afflicted religion your busines had very prosperous successe But what hath hapned vnto you euer since you entred into friendship with the Pope taking the sword of him by which truce being broken warres might begin a fresh God vndoubtedly shall turne thy felicities into those calamities which are now ready to fall vpon thée and thy dignitie To what end went the armie of the Duke of Guise into Italy when he had serued Gods enimie for hire went he not to this ende that when he returned home againe he might vtterly destroy the Churches of the valleys of Pedemonte and might so offer and dedicate his victories vnto God Surely the ende and successe sheweth that God doth bring the deuises and counsels of men to naught when they turne to their own destruction as appeareth by the slaughter which happened on S. Laurence daye of late at what time he derided and frustrated the proude threatninges of the Constable which boasted that if he returned home againe a victor or conquerour he woulde roote out and vtterly destroy Geneua Thus after the repeating of many examples in the which the iudgements of God did appeare against the aduersaries of his truth whose memory also was yet fresh in the heads of al men this letter at the length coÌ„cludeth that afflictioÌ„s cannot abolish destroy the Church of God séeing that as Tertullian sayth The bloud of Martyrs is the seede of the Church and that it is the office of a King to take vpon him the care of religion the which all men might sée by diuers ways to be contaminated and neglected that this might lawfully be done by calling a Councell In the meane time that their cause as yet being vnknowne not certaine they may be peaceably not cruelly intreated which protest that they follow Gods truth and that so holy a name cannot in such wise be coÌ„temned but some inquisition must be made also that iudgement ought to be had not from the deuises of men but from the worde of God the only and most certaine rule of truth Therfore say they if we be not conuinced by Gods word it is neither fire nor sworde nor any maner of punishment that can terrifie vs These shall be the triumph and victorie of our faith that by being ouercome we shall be ouercommers at the last by this Chariote we shall come at the length to the hauen of euerlasting lyfe But that Edict which was made at Cast ellobrian of the which we haue made mention before was very straite and cruell against Religion in the which among many things these were the speciall sentences First that all former Edictes concerning the putting of heretiques to death should be confirmed That no man shoulde be admitted to anye publike office before he had made his coÌ„fession agréeable to the Catholike and Romishe faith That in euery Parliament and in the thirde moneth also there shoulde be assemblies made which are commonly called Mercuriales and that first of all matters concerning Religion shoulde be handled and that there shoulde be speciall regarde and eye had to the assembly of the Parliament least some corruption or heresie might secretly créepe in There was also another Apologie set forth for all men to vse so written that the auncient forme and state of the Church being represented and compared to that which is at this day the auncient fathers themselues also by their own wordes and writings might defend and maintaine the verye selfe and same cause which they nowe defended and in such wise that they which sayde that they reuerenced and embraced antiquitie might heare antiquitie defending and supporting the cause of the reformed Church so called These things truly are plentifully set forth in this wryting but the summe is this That it was against right that the faithfull shoulde be accused for well doing but more iniurious that they should be condemned their cause not being heard Notwithstanding that the Church of Christ before this time long since had felt the same iniuries therfore no maruaile if they whose cause was like were made equall to them in trouble Howbeit that Sathan and his Ministers shoulde so little preuaile that for all their force the Church shoulde arriue through the midst of their temptations to the safe and quiet hauen and the thicke and dark Clowdes being blowne ouer the light of innocencie should appeare and the enimies of the same be founde lyers After this those slaunders and reproches which were obiected against them being particularly examined and considered by them were also fully aunswered altogither out of the writings of the Fathers that their Apologie or defence myght plainly appeare to be true and sounde Furthermore many letters were written to the brethren which were in prison yea and Churches of farre Countries bewayling their estate did comfort them with their letters so that hereby they were wondefrully confirmed And among other Churches or congregations the congregation of Geneua shewed the dutie of the faithfull brethren insomuch that they did not let by all meanes possible to doe them good While those things were prouided for of the faithful the aduersaries on the contrarie part sought by all meanes possible to worke the death of the faithfull which were in prison so soone as they coulde and in this matter Munerius the ciuill Magistrate was not a little diligent and the people for their part gréedily gaped and continually looked for the same Now there came forth a commaundement from the King that all other matters set apart for a time the senate shoulde wholy applye themselues to vnderstande the cause of the faithfull and to iudge of them according to the euidence that shoulde be brought against them by Munerius the eiuill Praetor Notwithstanding the Kings commaundement herein the whole Senate or assembly of the Court refusing and reiecting this Munerius both for that he withstoode the auncient custome of the Court and also bicause as is before sayde he was accused of falshoode concluded that by the relation and report of anye one man which shoulde come forth and giue euidence the iudgement and sentence of those Iudges that were put in trust shoulde be ordered The whole Senate therefore although they were not a little troubled with the great number of prisoners yet notwithstanding what by the expresse commaundements of the King to them and what with the olde and 〈◊〉 spyte they vare to Religion so greatly preuayled within fewe dayes that their causes in déede came to iudgement Of the which they which constantly helde the
commaundement they embraced one another and promysed to put away all grudge and malyce and to be euer afterwarde true and faithfull friendes This reconciliation gaue the Constable occasion more fréely to ioyne him selfe and to kepe company with the Guises and to begyn afreshe to suppresse Religion the which he had alwayes obstinately resisted We sayde before that the assembly of States or Courte of Parliament was delayed and put off vntill the moneth of May. Therefore they resorted agayne in the moneth of August to Pontosia a towne in Picardie and by and by there arose dissention betwéene the Princes and the Cardinalls aboute the order of sitting the Princes denying to sitte belowe the Cardinalls Wherevpon the Cardinals Turnon Lorayne and Guyse went away verye angry But when the Earles and Nobles were gathered together the Chauncelor proposed the matter according to custome shewing the cause of their comming together and willing euerye man fréely to vtter that which he had to say Therefore the Legates or Speakers for the thrée estates made their seuerall orations in the which they spake much concerning the duetie of the King and of the subiectes and of those matters which are commonly handeled in Ciuill conuocations the whiche we meane not to repeate for bicause they appertaine not to our purpose Notwithstanding this is not to be pretermitted that the Legate for the comminaltie complained very muche of the corruptions of Ecclesiasticall persons bycause they ought to teach the people and to exhorte them both by their doctrine and also by their example to a pure and honest lyfe but foule and filthy ignorance was among them and their corrupte and vnchaste lyâ—…e was a greate offence to all men Moreouer he said that they were hyrelings and carefull for nothing lesse than for â—…oyng their dueties but were whollye gyuen to filthy pleasure and this thing sayth he ariseth hereof for that they bée more plentifully fedde and fatted than their offices wyll beare what hath béene the cause sayth he in tymes paste of all the corruptions in the Churche but the too much ease and lyuing of Ecclesiasticall persons Also he made petition in the name of the thirde state whiche we call the comminaltie that the King woulde refourme these greate faultes and woulde so temper and order the lyuings and reuenewes of Ecclesiasticall persons that they mighte not lyue too licenciously at their ease Moreouer he declared that it was the office of a King to take vpon hym the defence of Religion and bycause so manye troubles daylye did aryse for this cause throughout the whole Realme he sayde it was a presente remedie to pacifie them to call forthwith a Nationall Counsell and to gyue to all men leaue to come vnder safe conducte and that it woulde please the King also with the Princes hys Kinsmen to bée present at the same and to call for learned and godly men to come to that parley and also to remoue all those that might be suspected Furthermore that they whiche thinke that they can not wyth a safe conscience come to the Ceremonyes of the Churche of Rome myghte haue libertie freely and quietly to come together into some temple or other publique place where they maye be taughte the worde of God in theyr vulgar tongue and maye haue the rytes of their Religion Ministred And bycause many things maye be sayde to be done amisse in those assemblyes he wished that the King woulde commaunde certaine of his officers to be presente in those assemblyes to see what shoulde be done Also he sayd that they oughte not to be counted for heretikes whiche were condemned their cause not hearde but should be tried and iudged by the word of God. Finallye he made humble supplications that it woulde please the King to graunte suche reasonable requestes the which also the Nobilitie with one consent required but the Ecclesiasticall order or Clergie soughte diligentlye by all meanes possible to defend their cause But to the ende it maye more plainely appeare what greate alterations haue happened within a shorte tyme it shall not be amisse to repeate certayne things whiche were done in that assemblye concernyng matters Ciuill and yet those things onely which also seeme to be more neere to Religion the state wherof to shewe we meane Therefore these remedyes were deuised to discharge the Kyng of that debte and paymentes of money wyth the whiche wee sayde before the Kyng at that tyme was greatlye burthened Firste that they whiche had had the occupying of the Kyngs Treasure shoulde come to accounte In the meane tyme that so manye as were of the Kings Priuye Counsell shoulde bee forbydden to come into that assemblye vntyll they hadde playnelye made theyr accountes also that all shoulde make an accounte the Queene onely excepted of all excéedyng giftes rewardes and doles That so manye as in their owne persons did not discharge their Ecclesiasticall offices should loose all their reuenewes sauyng some parte which shoulde bee lefte them for the deuine seruice and for aimes deedes That all the reuenewes of Benefices in controuersie should be brought to the kings Treasurie That so many Benefices as had their pastors resident if they were worthe fiue hundred pounde in money shoulde paye vnto the King the fourth parte if they were worthe a thousande pounde the thirde parte if they were worth three thousande pounde that then they shoulde paye vnto the King the one halfe Also that they which had in yearely reuenewes comming vnto them twelue thousande poundes shoulde haue onely remaining to them of the same three thousande and the reste to be payde to the King. That from the Cartusian Fryers the Minimi the Mathurines and the Moniakes should be taken all their reuenews that surmounted and came to more than would finde them ordinarie meate drinke and clothe bycause by the order of their rytes and vowe they ought to haue no more Also they saide they had yet a better and more compendious way and that was this if all the landes of Ecclesiasticall persons belonging to their benefices and spirituall promotions sauyng onely a house for the Bishop Canon Maister of the Colledge or person to dwell in were solde And of some parte of the money for the same the Kings debtes should be payde and the rest to be distributed to Ecclesiasticall persons that had more neede of the same Also to the ende the king with the rest might perceyue howe profitable a way this would be they declared that the reuenews of those ecclesiasticall landes woulde be worth fortie thousand pounde and their proper liuing and remainder neuerthelesse twelue hundred thousand poundes And they sayde that these lands would the sooner be solde because they were frée from tribute were all most lords within themselues Adding moreouer that Ecclesiasticall persons should sustaine no harme hereby for they should neuerthelesse haue inough to liue vpon and the king of the ouerplus of those yearely reuenewes should both pay his debtes and also haue euery yeare a great
Religion and of the professors therof but also was angry and sore offended with them Insomuch that he coÌ„maunded the Ministers of Gods word which were with him in house to depart from him and went him selfe oftentimes to the Popish Churches heard Masse and earnestly coÌ„maunded his wife which was a very honest vertuous Lady who also refused to do the like gaue him selfe to filthy pleasures of wemen and was also very familiarly conuersant with the Guises the Constable the Martiall of S. Andrew and with the Cardinals Notwithstanding all this the reformed Religion so preuailed that new reportes and rumors were daily brought into the Court concerning the same The Prince of Conde the Admiral and many of the Nobles diligently séeking to haue the same preferred The Quéene mother also was ruled by good couÌ„sell And as for the king of Nauar he was vncertain what to doe in the middest of these troubles and was like vnto an vnskilfull marriner destitute of counsell hauing diuers cogitations in hys minde vncertaine whether to go and yet neuertheles standing stil as one amased In the meane time the Edict of Ianuary wherof mencion is made before toke place and was put in execution But then were the minds of the Guises of the Constable and of the Marshall of S. Andrewe so vexed gréeued that they thought good not to delay the time any longer they being encouraged to procéede wyth their purpose for that they might rule the king of Nauar as them list Therfore euery man being appoynted what to do the Duke of Guise departed from the court The Constable went home to his house and sent for his retainers and fréendes to see if they woulde sâ—…icke vnto hym and such as he doubted of he sought to win The Marshal of S. Andrew did euen the like The Guises as is sayde before had taken vpon them to winne the Princes of Germanie to take their parte and therfore they wrote letters oftentimes to diuers of them And to further their busynes they vsed the helpe of the Rokendolfe and the Rheingraue the Cardinall trimly countenancesing and dissembling that he imbraced the Ausburgue Confession And that he minded not long agoe to establishe the same in Fraunce but he sayde that the men of the newe Religion did greatly gainsay let the same whome he blamed in all things as vngodly men and the vpholders of all monsterous opinions Moreouer he sayd that the Prince of Conde by the meanes and counsel of the Admiral went about to aspire to the kingdome and that vnder the pretence of Religion he liued a licentious and voluptuous life After these practises the Duke of Guise him selfe came to Sauerne a towne bordering vppon Germanie and there he talked wyth the Duke of Wirtemberge fained that he embraced the Confession of Ausburge slaÌ„dered and falsly accused the prince of Conde and the reformed churches and craued his aide against them and vnder the pretence of that communication the Duke of Guise vaunted and bragged muche of the fréendship of the Duke of Wirtemberge saying that he was sure that he would wythout all doubt take his parte and also alleaging that he had taken these enterprises in hand by the Dukes aduise and counsell For the which the Duke of Wirtemberge afterward blamed hym and proued that he perswaded him selfe to haue more frendship at hys hands than euer he meant vnto him and did falsly disseÌ„ble wherfore he earnestly exhorted the Guises to cease from persecuting the reformed churches After this the Duke of Guise hauing gotten to take his parte certaine valeaâ—…t captaines by the meanes of the Rokendolfe and the Reingraue came to Jnuille there in the townes thereabouts he chose out armed horse men when he had so done vpon occasion of letters sent from the king of Nauar he intended straighte way in all hast to come to the Court with an army of meÌ„ and after deliberation had he began hys voyage with a lamentable slaughter as you shall heare There is a certen Town bordering vpon Champaigne nere to Jnuille the Lordship of the house of Guises called Vassi within the dominion of Fraunce but no parte thereof In thys towne there was a certen number of the faithful but because the Guises bordered so néere vnto them they durst not professe the reformed religion so frankely as they wold haue done Notwithstanding they being at the last prouoked and incouraged héerevnto by the meÌ„ of Troyâ—… their neighbors were fully bent to vse the benefit of the kings Edictes procured of the congregation of Troyâ—… a minister of Gods worde to attend vpon them so after the disputation in the Conuâ—…cation at Possi they had a church established among them wherby the nomber of the faithful wonderfully increased more â—…ore The Guises hearing of this greatly grâ—…dged againste it were much displeased therwith and sent theÌ„ worde that they should euill fauoredly enioy their liberty Therfore the Duke of Guise returning from Sauern and making hast into Frauâ—…ce to the King fully determined to set vppon the enhabitantes of Uassi which earnestly folowed the reformed Religion with force of armes as he went So that he charged all his retainers whych dwelt in the villages about Uassi to be in a readinesse against his comming to Uassi by the which he meant to take hys iorney withall spéede into Fraunce The which commaundement of his was fulfilled Therfore the Duke of Guise vpon the first day of the moneth of Marche being the Saboth day on the which he knewe the faithfull would chéefely assemble them selues together came by the breake of the daye to a village called Dammartine from whence after he had heard Masse he went to Uassi And when he was entred the citye be heard that the Huguenotes were assembled together to heare a sermone to the which place he went in 〈◊〉 Nowe the people whych were assembled together were in nomber a thousand and fiue hundred persons and the Preacher had begonne hys Sermon Therefore the Duke of Guise hauyng hys Brother the Cardinall wayting vppon hym sent for manye of the townes men and for the chéefe parishe priest as they call him the gouernor of the citie to come vnto him Wyth these men he entred into a popish church which was not farre from the congregation of the faithfull And after that he had disclosed vnto them hys purpose he went out again and commaunded hys men to make haste to go to the Huguenotes sermon The soldiers being come to the place where the sermon was made began to cast their dartes among them At the first the faithfull maruelled what the matter was but incontinently many of them were slaine and the soldiers of the Guise in great number rushed and fell vpon the congregation and thus they being hemmed in on euerye side and hauing no waye to escape the Duke of Guise himselfe stode at the doore wyth his sworde drawne in hys hand ready to receiue such vpon the same as
moleâ—…eth or troubleth them in their Religion or that doth hinder their Clergie by any maner of meanes And if there were any of vs that would so do or that would behaue our selues otherwise than we ought there are lawes and punishments to punish vs But truely vnder the coullor and pretence of Religion they séeke another thing We denie not but that they hate the truth of the Gospell as they haue of late declared by fyer and sword but this is the speciall thing they séeke for to trap and snare those that before tyme miraculously haue escaped their handes to be reuenged of others whome they haue alwayes hated and to enrich themselues by the spole of others The whicâ—… to bring to passe they care for no Religion And such as go about to resist their practises by which they séeke both the pâ—…rill of our kyng and the destruction of his subiecteâ—… by Ciuill warre they call open enemies to the kyng THese and many other things which time will reueale being wayâ—…d and considered the Prince of Conde testified before the kyng and Quéen these things also following and wished all kyngs Princes Nobles and all others of the Realme of Fraunce and all Christi an Nations â–ª truely to vnderstand these thinges First of all therfore he testifieth that he is not moued by desire of his owne profite but only with loue of the glory of God and of the profite of the whole common wealth to séeke the which he thought him selfe specially bound vnder the Quéenes auethoritie So that for conscience sake to do his dutie and for the loue hée beareth to his Countrey he sayth he is constrayned compelled to séeke all lawfull meanes to set the Quéen and the kinges Sonnes at libertie and to mayntaine and defend the kyngs Edictes and the Edict of Ianuary which was made for the ordering of Religion And he prayeth and beseecheth all the kynges true lawfull subiects waying and considering the matter as is before sayd that they would ayd and assist him in so good and godly a cause And because the king in the beginning of his raigne found him selfe oppressed with a great burthen of debt and hauing but little any maner of waye to discharge the same many of his faithfull subiects gaue vnto him a great summe of money both to discharge the same also to recouer his patrimony but there is no doubt but that they which are the auethors of this Ciuill warre will now laye holde and catch vnto them that sum of money which was giuen to the kyng for those causes and will spend and bestowe the same to oâ—…her vses Whereby both the people shall receiue great hurt and losse and also the hope which the Quéene and the kyng of Nauar had for the paiment and discharge of all the kynges debtes that the people might be brought into the same state in the which they were in the time of kyng Lodowiâ—… the xij that hope I saye by the wasting and consuming of that money should be 〈◊〉 and quight taken awaye For these causes the Prince of Conde affirmeth that they which shall get vn to them that money shal be bound to restore the same againe and at the length shall giue an accompt for the bestowing therof But he testifieth that he and all those that fight vnder his banner shall mayntayne furnish themselues with their owne proper costes and charges And God sayth he will heare from heauen the â—…rie of his poore oppressed people against those which begin warres and refuse all reasonable order which séeke trouble and constrayne vs to defend our selues wyth force of Armes And because all men do vnderstand and knowe that the kyng and Quéene being beset on euery side wyth souldiours and captiued and ruled and that the greater part of the Counsell are so quayled wyth feare that they dare not resist the auâ—…thors of this warre The Prince of Conde would haue all men certefied that hée myndeth and will shew towards the kyng and Quéene all obedience in the which he will giue place to none and that he will not suffer him selfe to be so deceiued mocked vnder the pretence of rescriptes of commaundements and of Letters vnder the kinges name and seale but will warre against them vntill the Kyng and Quéene do recouer their former libertie and authoritie and may declare their willes by their owne méere gouernement Concerninge the kyng of Nauar his brother the Prince of Conde beside the naturall bond of brotherly loue the particuler cause of obedience which he ought and will giue vnto him he testifieth that he doth consider of him according to his worthines and will giue vnto him next vnto the King and Quéene al obâ—…dience And hâ—… trusteth that he wil giue an accompt of his dealing whensoeuer it shal be required at his handes To be short the Prince of Conde and a great multitude of Earles Lordes and Nobles and other estates to declare that they speake simply and in good earnest and that they séeke for nothing more than the glory of God and the excellency and dignitie of their kyng Do earnestly pray and beséech the Queene Mother with all reuerence that setting the feare of men aside whych gard her after a straunge fashion with force of Armes as if she were a captiue that she would according to hir iudgement and mind fréely declare whether part were to be blanted and that she would goe vnto that Citie whererevnto she had most mind that from thence shée might coÌ„maund both parts by the meanest seruant she hath to put of their Armour so they would shew that dew obedience which shoulde become loyall subiectes to shew vnto their soueraigne Lord and would also mo destly answere to their doings according to the lawe The Prince promiseth that he will obey her lawâ—…ull commaundements vppon the condition that others would shew themselues ready to do their duties But if they refuse he testifieth that he with fiftie thousand men more which are of the same mynd will spend their liues And if it please not the Quéene to go to another place to do these thinges then let her first of all seeke that they by whom she is garded and captiued may goe to another place puâ—…tting of their Armour namely the Duke of Guise and his bretherne the Constable and the Marshiall of S. Andrew And although he being a Prince and the kynges néere kinsmen were their superior yet notwithstanding to the inteÌ„t it might apéere that he is in no poynt the cause of trouble and vnquietnâ—…s he promiseth that he and his whole armie will depart euery man home to his owne house vppon those conditions before spoken of Also hee sayth that hee hath a speciall care for this that the Kynges Counsellers may haue their accustomed libertie and that the kyngs lawes and the Edict of January may be obserued and kept vntill the kyng comming vnto his Maioritie may iudge of the matter him selfe and may punish
he attempted no maner of force because of the letters that came in the meane time The sixe and twenty day following the Guises the Constable and the Marshall of Saint Andrew departed from their Campes And by by word was brought to the Prince of Conde that those thrée accordinge to the forme of the peticion were departed from their armie home to their houses When the Prince of Conde vnderstoode this he came to the King of Nauar to Baugence with a fewe only attending vppon him Wherevppon he was brought through the middest of the host in al the hast to a village called Talsiac wher the Quéene aboade and betwene Baugence that Uillage Talsiac were placed certain Garrisons of soldiers When he came to the Quéene he was of her very louingelye entertained and had many faire promises made him and by request easely obtayned leaue of her that certain of his fellowes might come vnto that place both to the end they might salute her and also that they might conferre and talke togither concerninge concord and peace In the meane tyme woord was brought to the frendes and fellowes of the Prince of Conde that the Guises the Constale and the Marshall of Saint Andrew abode still at Chastellodune which was not far distant from Talsia where the Quéene and the Prince of Conde abode and certaine letters also of the Dukeeof Guise to the Cardinall of Loraine his Brother were taken by the way and brought to them Of which letters this is the summe word for word as they were written I send vnto you this messenger in all hast possible to certefie you that all thinges were yesterday finished And know you this also for certaine that many are blinded and deceiued very much Our Mother and her brother sweare that they will not forsake vs and that they will followe no other Counsell than the Counsayle of such whom you know To be short the reformed Religion if we behaue our selues wisely as we mean to do will haue a fall Ye and our Admirall shall haue euill successe All our power remayneth still whole but theires is broken and dispersed our Cities are rendred vp againe without any maner of mencion of preaching or of the administration of Sacraments This messenger which I send vn to you is trustie There came also to the hands of the Prince of Conde by the meanes of one of the kyng of Nauars houshold seruaunts a note in writing of the Duke of Guises left with the Kyng of Nauar for a remembraunce to this effect Let there be no obligation made for Religion See that the pledge be kept in any wise Concerning the rendering vp of the Cities let there be no delay Order the matter wisely Suffer them in no wise to come any neerer to Orleans Let vs be diligently certefied and admonished of all things These forewarnings greatly troubled the Prince of Conde and his adherents they sawe that he was fallen into the handes of his enemies so that there was great daunger on euery side Notwithstanding his friendes thinking it not good to delay the matter and to suffer the Prince to be in perill when they had giuen the Captaines charge to be vigilant and to haue their souldiers in a redines came to the Queene The principall wherof were these the Admirall the Andelot Monsuer Porcia Monsuer Rochfocald Monsuer Rohan Monsuer Genluis Monsuer Grammontius Monsuer Soubizius and Monsuer Piennius These saluted the Quéene and were very louingly entertayned of her She gaue vnto them thankes for their great diligence and paines for her and the kynges prifite at that time insomuch that she sayd they had pre serued her life and the kyngs the which their merits deseruing honour pryce the sayd she wold neuer or get Then they declared to the Quéene with what fidelitie they had serued the Kyng with their body goods vnder the Prince of Conde they shewed vnto her the equitie of their cause which at that time was in controuersie and their earnest care also which they had for the preseruation of the kynges dignitie and the peace profite of the whole Realme Whereuppon they most hartely prayed and beséeched the Quéene that they might not preferre the immaginations of a few men before those things which appertayned to the glory of God and the safetie of the Realme For God saye they will defend euery good cause and seuerely punish all kind of wickednes which are committed against the Kyngs Edicts abusing the Kinges name therunto For himselfe also the Prince of Conde protested that it séemed very straūge vnto him that some shuld be had in such estimation and no regard at all to be had of him which was not only néere of kin to the king whereas the other were straungers and but seruants to the kyng but also had offered all maner of indifferent conditions and submission Wherefore he sayd it was now high time to prouide some remidies to resist and repell those calamities at hand The Quéene being before instructed concerning euery thing what answere she should make began not to answere to those things which were spoken by the Prince of Conde but to declare That the number power and authority of those was very great which followed and imbraced the Church of Roome and they haue the sword in their hands sayth she and are fully determined to defend that Religion which all former kings haue receiued and imbraced so that they meane this shal be the principall condition among the rest for concord and peace That there be no other Religion obserued followed throughout the whole Realme than the Catholique Religion of Roome But the Prince of Conde in the name of the rest replied that they did not plead their owne priuate cause but whatsoeuer had ben done by them vntill that day was done first for the defence of the kynges libertie and authoritie and secondly for a common wealth and herevppon they put themselues in armour at the first by the Quéenes commaundement for the which cause they did not care if they spent their goods liues so that the kyngs Edict might be obserued and kept wherby euery man might haue leaue to vse the reformed Religiō and the libertie of their conscience without the benefite wherof they thought them selues to be but dead Insomuch that if they in whom so great a number of faithfull did repose their trust for the handling of these matters should so much ouershoote themselues and forget their dutie that they should agrée to those thinges which were so repugnant to the glory of God and the common profite of all men it could not be auoyded but that they should be counted of all men forsakers contemners of the glory of God of the kings dignitie and safetie of the cōmon peace tranquillity of the realme The which rather then it should come to passe shoulde cause them to forsake the realm before they would agrée to those so vniust
good lucke at the first finally through the daunger of the pestilence a greate nomber of his Soldiers went a side and many quight forsooke him Then were fastinges and prayers solemnly proclaimed to be in the Church to the which the Prince of Conde came oftentimes in his owne person He exhorted also his soldiers to be of good courage and was very carefull for the preseruation of Orleans and he sent Monsuer de Subize a noble and wise man to Lyons to be Lifetenant of the same because Monsuer de Adretze séemed to be to rash hardy and aduenterouse in his doingâ—…s And he sent letters oftentimes willinge that there should be diligent héede and care had of Lyons Dolpheny and Languedoc Also because the enemies power dayly increased by the meanes of forreine aids and because they were the more stout and bould vpon hope of newe aide the Prince of Conde sent Monsuer de Stuard a Scot with letters to the Quéene of England requiringe at her handes ayde in his owne name and in the name of his fellowes And he wrote also diuers letters to the princes of Germainy that were protestants in the which he craued help at their hands the Andelot himselfe be ing sent for the same purpose the more spedily to bring the matter to passe The helpers in this matter were said to be the Lantgraue Hessus the County Pallatine and the Duke of Bipont About this time the Prince of Conde published a writinge by which he ment to put awaye those rumores which were spred abrode of him and of his frendes by the Guises as though they had bin the authors and defenders of new and monsterouse opinions The libell published was to this effecte following Because saieth he we heare daily that our aduersaries accordinge to their accostomed maner oh lying and maliciouse dealinge against vs do in euery place slaunder and speake euill of al our doinges one while laying to our charge that we are Atheistes and Anabaptistes that by this meanes they might withdraw from vs their good willes care which séeke with vs to defend and mainetaine the true and pure worshippe of God by the doctrine of the prophetes and Apostles we thought good ouer aboue the former declarations of our cause to propounde a briefe summe of our faith By which faith we woorshippe and cal vpon the liuing God in the name of his only Sonne our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ abiding in his feare seruice by the ministering of his woord and holy Sacraments that is to say by the institucion of Baptisme and of his holy supper To be short we condescend to al the articles of the primitiue Church as to the only rules of our saluation being grounded vpon the bookes of the Prophets Apostles as it is set forth more at large in the confession of our faith confirmed with the whole consent of al the reformed churches within this realme the copie whereof we send out into al forrain Nations to take away those detestable and wicked sclaunders and lyes by which the enemies both of God and of thys our realm being voyd of al shame haue sought in their libelles sealed letters to sclaunder backbyte and defame vs Wherefore we humbly pray and beséeche all those that loue the pure and sincere doctrine of the Gospell and which are the faithfull seruaunts of God yea we require them in the name of the liuing God that they first of all set before their eyes the flowing streames of innocent bloud that hath bene shed throughout this realme crying both from heauen and from earth for vengeance And we require all such that they helpe and ayde vs and that they ioyne with vs in this cause which is not our cause alone but also the cause of all the faithfull to represse and asswage their cruell tyrannie which goe about to take from vs the perfect and frée libertie of our consciences the benefit wherof was grauÌ„ted vnto vs by our soueraign and leige Lord the Kings Maiestie and by the consent of all the states of the realm we being perswaded that we linked togyther in one religion and in one mind the most mighty and eternal God will stretch forth his gloriouse hande to saue hys Church and will also blesse our labour and indeuour to the glory of his and to the inlarging of the kingdom of his sonne Iesus Christ to whom with the father and the holy Ghost be all honor and glory world without end The Prince of Conde also made answer to the Ordinance and decrée of the Senat of Paris by the which his Adherentes were condemned of treason First of al refusing all those of the College as the Iudges and Senatours to be men vnméete for this cause and writing the causes of their appeale he sent the same vnto them Their answer was in manner and forme following Although I and my friends and fellowes haue sufficiently declared the equitie of our cause which hath constrayned vs to put our selues in armour namely the libertie and authoritie of the King and the obseruation of the Kings Edictes for the maintenance of the libertie of our consciences the peace of the reformed churches Yet notwithstanding séeing the open and sworne enemies of the glory of God and of the common wealth doo dayly publish and send abroad new sclaunders and infamies to the obscuring of my innocency and the innoceÌ„cy also of my fellowes we thinke it moste necessary and méet that if wicked and vngodly men will not cease too withstand the trueth and all equitie no more should we be weary to defende and maintayne the same trueth For so much as therefore the XXUI day of Iuly there was an ordinance and decrée of Condemnation established in the Senat of Paris by which they make those to be gilty of RebellioÌ„ which haue borne armour to maintayne the authoritie of the King and his estates and against the tyrannie of the Guises and his adherents wée thinke it necessary that the Iustice of the sayde decrée should be declared and set forth not onely to the inhabitants of this Realme but also to other forreyne Nations and for an euerlasting remembrance to be coÌ„mitted to all posterities For it wil be an example worthy to be remembred in the which men may behold and sée into what Laberinthes of blind peruerse iudgements the enemies of God and his Church do fall and are so mad and blind that for truth they mayntaine falsehode iudging them to be sedicious who to the vttermoste of their power séeke the peace and tranquillity of the common wealth and pronouncing them to be Rebels who laying aside all care and consideration of them selues do both hazarde their goods and their liues to mayntaine the obedience belonging to the Kyng and the due and lawfull authoritie of the kynges Edictes And to the end the same proclamation of RebellioÌ„ may euidently appeare to be vnlawfull and vniâ—…st and râ—…ther a sclaunder of the enemie than
as a seditiouse person aud a Rebell Therefore they thinke it lawfull for the kings subiects to haue liberty to take which religion the ilist that is to say eyther the coÌ„mon Romish Religion or els the Religion reformed according to the Gospell and to cleaue to none other and that all violence eyther pryuate or publique against eyther parte ought to be prohibited and that the Ciuill magistrates should prouide Temples for the ministers of the reformed Religion to haue their diuine seruice in and that no man should receiue any maner of violeÌ„ce or harme for vsing the benefit hereof But because those constitutions manifestly touched the Guises the Constable the Marshall of Saint Andre the Guises for that there were two Cardinals of them which were chosen to be of the Kings Counsaile also the Duke of Guise and the Duke de Aumal also because the Duke of Guise and the Cardinall of Lorraine his Brother were the Kinges treasurers And they touched the Constable and the Marshall of Saint Andrew because they by the same meanes were come to great aboundance and wealth For these causes they haue sought by all meanes possible to adnihillate and disanull these Lawes In the meane time the Quéene the Kings Mother as she hath ben alwaies in al her doinges wyse and circumspecte the which she declared when she had full liberty and was not Ruled by other mens power and violence indeuoured her selfe to make an vnity and concord betweene the Churches by frendly and quyet conference To the which Conference and Disputacion came all the chiefe Prelates of France and many Doctors out of the vniuersitie of Paris many Moonkes also which were sent from Rome and the Cardinall of Ferrer the Popes Legate and beside all these twelue Ministers of the Gospell both partes hoping it would come to passe by this friendly conference that they should come to some concord and agréement The which was greatly hindered and let by the Cardinall of Lorraine by whom after certaine principall pointes of the CoÌ„fession of Ausburge were disseÌ„blingly imbraced the Assembly was dissolued Then the Guises tooke other practises in hande and perswaded the Quéene and the King of Nauar to sende for the Iudges and Counsellers of all the Parliamentes of the Realme that they with the Princes and the Kinges Counsaile might giue their aduice for the present necessitie And to this Counsaill they sent suche as they had bound vnto them afore time by one benefite or other that by this meanes they might abolishe that which the States had decréed The which notwithstanding by the prouidence of God fell out otherwyse than they looked for And to the end they might the more craftely bring their purpose to passe they departed from the court â–ª But before they should go to the ende they might leaue nothing vndone that might serue to worke their wills they subtilly practised to carry with them the Duke of Orleans our Kings brother that if their deuises had not had good successe they might haue had one with them of the Kings linage whose name they might abuse â–ª This thing was plainly proued by diuers arguments and coÌ„fessed also by the Duke of Orleans himselfe who stayed the matter Here it may please you to consider at what time and by what meanes the Guises began to be iniuriouse and to shewe violence to the Quéene out of whose lap shée being a widow and in great trouble they went about to take her sonne Afterward the Guises departed not only from the Court but also to the vtmost partes and limites of the Realm and came to Sauern And there they fayned to like of the Confession made at Ausburge before one of the Princes of the Empire that by theis meanes they might insinuate themselues into the num ber of the Princes of the Empire the which as known to your highnesse we touch by the way But their departure out of France caused all men to hope for peace concorde which was euery where receyued by the rumour of their absence For in all places euery man of what religioÌ„ soeuer he wereof liued peaceably without any offence committed for the diuersitie of Religion all men receyuing that religion which liked him best And the word of God was preached in diuerâ—… places many ioyfully imbracing the same if a few had made any stour or businesse for ReligioÌ„ they by and by were easely suppressed About this time there was an assembly of Iudges and Counsellers which sate in the Court that belongeth to the Princes and to the Kings priuy Counsaill amonge whom was the Constable and the Mashall of S. Andrew who wayted for new troubles The Bourgeses or chosen men for the states declared that there was nothing in those things which the States had decréed to be altered but must stand wholy vpon their determination liking and they sayd that before they began with any other matter they must séeke to purge and to reforme the Kings Counsaill On the contrary part they which were to be thrust out of the Kings counsail by the same decree of the States bare themselues so bold vppon that assembly that they perswaded themselues to escape vnpunished notwithstanding all that the â–ª States could do Who neuerthelesse when they vnderstood the power authoritie which beloÌ„ged to the States would not giue their consent to doo any thing contrary to their decrees And although many of them openly declared that they fauoured the Guises and his fellowes yet notwithstanding there was an Edicte made called the Edicte of Ianuary because it was made the 18. day of Ianuary by the which Edict liberty and leaue was graunted for the word of God to be openly preached â–ª as it was decreed by the States Notwithstanding with this exception So that it were done without the walles of the Citie and that the Churches dedicated to the vses of the Church of Rome were not vsurped The Magistrate being commaunded to take an othe of the Ministers of the gospel that they should preache the word of God purely sincerity quietly without any sedition as is more at large declared in that Edict which was confirmed by the decrees of the States And although that same Edicte was suspected of the men of the reformed Churches least when they were out of the Cities and vnarâ—…ed and farre from their houses to helpe themselues they should easely be made a pray for their enemies as it came afterward to passe in deed yet notwithstanding because they would not be importunate and troublesome to the Queene to the King of Nauar to the Princes to the whole assembly they agreed thereunto vpon this condicion That they should deale vprightly and in good fayth the which also the whole assembly promised vnto them And then euery man sware to obserue and keepe the Edict faithfully truly and the men of more noble calling sware agayne before the Queene that they would not craue pardon for those which had violated or broken
Religious were not so contrary that the Christian name should not euery where be retayned As for that Religion which I and my fellowes imbrace it is the true and reformed Religion which is also receiued and imbraced of great Nations and pourged from Romish Idolatries and superstitions And to make the matter more plaine what say you to the late example of the Emperour Charles the fifth who after he had assayed to establish in Germany that Religion which he him selfe approued and coulde not bring it to passe thought it to be the best waye although he had gotten the victory by force of Armes to let euery man vse what Religion he would for quietnes sake What shoulde I néede to repeate many other examples when as experience teacheth vs that this is a necessary remedy to kéepe the people of this Realme in peace To let them haue the vse of what Religion they like best But for all that I could saye or do in that Parley the Quéene durst not go from that which was prescribed vnto her to speake So that the Armies were prepared on both partes againe Then we entered into parley againe by which they went about very subtilly to betray me First I yeelded vnto my brother the King of Nauar the Towne of Baugence the which he ment to vse for him and his family during the time of intreaty for peare which I had good hope to obtaine by the meanes of the Quéenes letters Then I did put my selfe into my enemies hands minding therby to winne peace The Guises and his fellowes fayned a departure away but they were not far of but had incamped themselues within the compasse of thrée miles minding to oppresse me as appeared afterwardes by their Letters which came to my handes At y length I and certaine of my fellowes came in parley and conference with the Quéene At the first we were denied to haue the liberty of our consciences We straight way affirmed that the libertie of our conscieÌ„ce was to vs the most precious thing of all and the chiefest thing that we desired and added this also that if the departure of a few would be an occasion of peace and of the libertie of Religion we our selues woulde willingly go into crile euen to the vtmost partes of the world The Queene tooke our offer and liked of the coÌ„dition and when she had made a long protestation of hir good will toward vs she perswaded vs to prepare our selues to take our iourney and she would send vnto me whether soeuer I wold appoynt ten thousand Crowns promising there withall that my exile shoulde not bee long But when I was certified of the platforme and snare which the Guises had made for me at the intreatie of my fellowes I made hast backe againe to my Armie Then theÌ„ Quéene before my departure required of vs an aunswere the which we referred to the common counsell and aduise of my fellowes affirming notwithstanding for our selues that we were ready not only to go into exile but also to suffer any maner of extremitie willingly for a common wealth But afterward I had taken deliberation and consulted with my fellowes they aunswered That except I would forsake God the Kyng and my Countrey I could not nor ought to go to any other place declaring vnto me that the auncient and approued Lawes and constitutions of the Realme were that when the king by reason of his younge and tender yeres cannot take vppon him the Gouernement of the Realme the Princes that were the Kinges néere kinsmen with the couÌ„sell and aduise of the States should prouide a forme of Gouernement The which during the time of the kings ninoritie ought to abide firme and immutable At the first begining of this kings raigne the States whose authoritie hath brideled alway their ambition which would abuse the tender age and facility of kings decréed with the consent of the Princes the Kings kinsmen That the gouernement of the King and the realm should be committed to the Quéene and that shée shold discharge and pay that debt which the Kings auÌ„cetours had left the Crowne in and should also mayntayne the peace and tranquillitie of the Realme of Fraunce Diuers other things and they decréed more particularly concerning such as had taken any otheâ—… to serue forreyn power whetheâ—… they should be of the Kinges Counsell or no and whether twoo bretheren at once excepte the Princes the Kings kinsmen should be of the same coun sell concerning also an account to be made by suche as had the trust of treasure committed vnto them in the former Kings dayes and diuers other things they decréed as is to be séene in my former declarations in writing published But amongst all other it was decréed by the Quéene that matters concerning Religion should be established for peace and vnities sake First of all therefore the matter was handeled by Disputation at Possit but in vayne Then the Queene caused an assembly to be made of the Princes the Kings kinsmen of the Kings Counsellers and of certaine choosen out of all Parliamentes of the Realme that they might make an Edict concerning this matter Then there was an Edict made in the Kings Counsel to the which they were all sworne and they also which at this day haue broken the same and which was published and confirmed according to custome throughout all Courtes in the realm by the benefite whereof the Realme in euery place séemed to be at peace Notwithstanding this thrée priuate men offended with the Kinges Counsell and inflamed with their owne desires because they knewe that they were bound to obey their Decrées aud to giue vp their accountes conspired togyther how they might remoue the Quéene from her authoritie gathered an army of men togyther without the coÌ„maundement of that Quéen contrary to the authoritie and decrées of the States denyed to go home to their owne Prouinces at the commaundement of the Quéen and to vnarme themselues came armed to the Kinge and so tooke him stirred vp warre and put the king to great expences not only entered into the kings Counsel from which they were secluded by the Decrées of the States but also did put in and put out such as it pleased theÌ„ and finally they brake the kings Edict solemly made and confirmed by the aduise and determination of the States from the time that they armed them selues they haue not suffered the same to be kept without the which notwithstanding it it not possible that the publique peace should stande By which their wicked actes and presumption they haue broken the authoritie of Magistrates and Lawes haue playnly declared themselues to be enemies to God to the king to the Realme and to coÌ„mon peace For these causes my friends sayd vnto me considering my state and calling in the Realme that it was not meete that I shold gyue place vnto them which by violence had gone about already to confound all thinges Neyther that I should forsake the
Edict what Priuiledge soeuer to the contrary they were able to bring Whereuppon many were taken by the force of those decrées put to death which came home to their houses vppon trust of the Kyngs Letters of warrant Whereby it may euidently appeare how falsely they haue made report to Princes of other Nations of the securitie that men should haue if so be vppon trust thei would put them selues in their handes And because certaine Princes knowing the goodnes of our cause and the vniust dealing of our aduersaries haue sent vnto mee aide to auoyde those miserable calamities at hand they make exclamation to discredit me and my cause that I bring forreyne ayd and power into the Realme But what I dyd before I tooke thys remedie in hande many Princes know whom I entreated to be meanes to make a pacification and who caÌ„ testifie that their Legates were hindered herein Also séeing they haue replenished the whole Realme with straungers as with Spaniardes Switzers Germanes and with Italians to the ende they might execute their tyraÌ„nie how shamelesse be they to reproche and discredite me in saying that I bring forreyn power into the realm And I protest that as I was constrained to take this remedie in hand so I haue determined euer hereafter to séeke by all lawfull meanes and wayes to deliuer the Church of God the King the Countrey and my self froÌ„ this oppression But whereas they haue euery where published abroade the Decrée of rebellion against me and myne which they haue caused to bée made sure cause not knowne nor heard by certayne seditiouse persones which displacing certayne good men out of their roomes take vpon them the name and countenance of Senatours of Paris I haue appealed from them and shewed in wri ting the causes of my appeale And to the ende their fraude and deceit may appeare the more impudent they haue exempted me from the number of those whom falsly they cal rebelles Howbeit if this good and iust cause may be called rebellion I my selfe aboue all the reste ought to be burthened with the same séeing that I account my selfe to be their Captayne and haue taken vpon me the defence of that cause haue called those that attende vpon me to shewe their obedience to the King at the commaundement of the Queene and doo as yet retayne them with me to this ende And I affirme that there can be greater iniury done vnto me than to be separated from so honest and faithfull a company in whoÌ„ I do note so great fidelitie and obedience toward the king in this so present a necessitie that I think that the same their dutifull obedience wil be commended amonge all posterities for euer This therefore is the summe of those things which I haue don vnto this day the which I haue with great simplicitie and without all cooller declared And I pray all those that loue the trueth moste earnestly which shall reade this writing that they will vprightly and without all preiudice waigh the matter and to Iudge not by the words but by the actions God for his mercies sake order and direct the whole matter to the glory of his name to the peace of the Church â–ª to the tranquillitie of the Realme to the confusion of those his enimies which are the authours of these troubles This writing being published abroad and all maner of warlike prouision being prepared the Prince of Conde as we sayde before remoued with his armie from Orleans and conducted the same by the Countrey of Beausse toward Paris And as hée went hée besieged a town called Pluâ—…iers which was kept with seuen Enseignes of footemen and at the length when hee had sore battered the same with his ordinaunce he had it deliuered vp vnto him Then he tooke twoo of their principall Captaines and caused them to be put to death as for the reste of the common soldiers he spared them After this many Townes yéelded vnto him as Escampes la Ferte Dordan and others which hée receyued into his seruice vpon trust Also he minded to besiege the Citie of Corbeil which the Guises kept and mayntayned with a great garrison of souldiours This Citie is of great forte bâ—…rdering vpon the riuer of Sein by which ryuer great prouision and store of vittailes were caryed to Paris And while he was making al things ready for the siege word was brought vnto him of the death of his brother the King of Nauar. Whose office of Uiceroy he perceyuing that he ought to haue by order during this tyme of the Kings minoritie and then hoping to moderate and end al things by peace he left of his purpose of besieging Corbeiâ—… and comming néerer Paris he pitched his campe at Arcel â–ª the first day of DeceÌ„ber Therfore the Queen sending letters vnto him desired to conferre and talke with him not purposing neuerthelesse as the euent declared to conclude concorde and peace but onely to delay and differre the time and to diminishe the force of the Prince of Conde his armye vntill the armies came out of Spayne and Gascoyne which were dayly looked for this was done by the subtill practises of the Guises But because the Prince of Conde was not at that tyme very well at ease the Admirall went firste to talke with the Quéene passing ouer the ryuer of Seyn by the port Angloyse In the meane tyme the Constable came to the Prince of Conde for a pledge But this iourney was in vayne the Quéene saying that she would neuer agrée that the reformed Religion should be vsed in any parte of the Realme Then was the parley appointed againe in a more conuenient place â—…éere vnto the suburbes of S. Mâ—…rceau in a certayne Mill. At which méeting the Prince of Conde propounded these condicions of peace First that the vse of the reformed religion might be frée in those Cities in the which it was before the warre began and that the faithful might liue peaceably in other places and that they might goe vnto such Townes as they knew the reformed Religion to bée vsed in also that there might be diligent héed taken that they sustained no manner of perill for enioying the benefite of religion Secondly that it might be lawfull for all men of the reformed Religion to enioy their goods offices dignities but specially their religion in what part of the Realme soeuer they dwelt and that all sentences and iudgements of any Court pronounced against them for religion be voyd and of none effect that they which for religions sake were fled the realme or hauing before fled were now come home againe might enioye y same benefite and might haue leaue at their retourne to enioy all that they had that euery Noble man might haue libertie to vse the reformed Religion in his house and also that it might be lawfull for euery one of the Kings Counsell to haue the same religion in or about the Court so long as he shall there giue his attendance
Thirdly that the King himselfe might ratefie and allow y warre which they had mayntayned and what soeuer they had spent of the Kings money to mayntayne the same that there might be a cōmon and generall Counsell appointed in some conuenient place within this six monethes in the which neyther the Pope nor any other for hym might beare any rule Or if it might not be generall that then it might onely consist of our countrey men leaue being graunted to euery one to come thyther that both armies whether they were domesticall or forreyne might depart home euery man to his owne house and that it would please the King to account the Prince of Conde his army as his owne the which he protested hée gathered togyther to serue and obeye him And finally that for the establishing of this concord it would please the King and Quéene to gyue their fayth and that euery one of the Kings Counsell and Gouernour of any Prouince within the Realme might in lyke manner sweare to obserue and kéepe this peace These were the special condicions which the Prince of Conde required which were for certayne dayes sent abroad into diuers places the Guises for the nonce practising with the Quéen subtillie so to doo that they might haue the better hope of the ayde which was comminge and also that the Prince of Conde beginning now in the winter might fall into greater straytes For the Duke of Guise went about at no time to séeke peace concord fully perswading and assuring himselfe to haue the victorie of the Prince of Conde and his And herevpon it is reported that the Duke of Guise sayd to the Quéen whē shée went about to make peace If I thought that you would make any certayne and firme pacification with the Prince of Conde I would neuer agree to the same To the which the Quéene made aunswere agayne that shée neuer ment it This therefore was the aunswer that was made in the kings name to the peticions of the Prince of Conde First the libertie of religiō was graunted but with so many exceptions that it was no libertie at all For the king denyed any of his Counsell to vse the reformed religion in his Court hée depriued the Cities of warre which were in the vtmost partes of the Realme of the benefite of the Edict among which also hée put in Lions being no citie of warre Hée also exempted Paris the whole Territory of the same from the vse of the reformed Religion commaunding the armye of the Prince of Conde to breake vp and to depart home but the Army of the Duke of Guise which was called the Kings power to remayne at the kinges pleasure as it was hée denyed also leaue for those that had forsaken the Realme to come home agayne hauing not already enioyed that benefite Hée would not haue the Decrées and sentences pronounced to bée quite frustrated but for a tyme suspended He denyed any Protestantes too enioye his office sauing the Prince of Conde And finally he refused to allow that expence of his money vppon the warre Uppon this answere the Prince of Conde was out of all hope to haue peace The Guise would not go out of the Citie of Paris mynding by delay to weaken the pow er of the Prince of Conde While these thinges had this successe on both partes the Guises because they would loose no time went about to make Monsieur Genly a Noble man whose Brother was Monsieur de Iuoy which had forsaken the Prince of Conde after the yéelding vp of Burges to take their part also Monsieur Genly therfore being earnestly trauailed withall fell from the Prince of Conde to the contrary part and was receiued into Paris Whose departure made the Prince of Conde to alter his former purpose because he knew that he being one that had knowne al his secret and priuie Counsel would now bewray the same to the Guises So that when he should haue approched néerer Paris haue besieged the Citie he altered his purpose and remouing his Campe went from Paris with his whole power going through Normandy myndinge to ioyne him selfe to the English men who were now come to the Hauen le Grace being a Citie which bordered vppon the sea coast that then he might be the better able to ioyne battayle with the Guises IN the meane time there came Armies of Souldi ers out of Gascoyne and Spaine to aide the Guises the com ming of these men grealy incouraged the Guises for they were in number xxxii Ensignes of tall and well experienced souldiers Therefore now he fully determined to pursue the Prince of Conde before he ioyned vnto his Armie the English men which were sent with great stoore of money also to aide him by the Quéene of England least by the comming of that money he shoulde bée greatly holpen to mayntaine warre for he hoped that the Germanes at length wanting their paye because the Prince was bare of money wold come vnto him Ther fore to kéepe the Prince of Conde and the English men asunder the Duke of Guise remoued with his whole Armie and power from Paris and making great hast hée come to a towne in Normandy which is called the Teritory or playn of Dreux where also the Prince of Conde stayed and both Armies pitched their Campes with in two French Leagues one of another The Guise had chosen a very conuenient place to incampe hym selue on both for the néerenes of the towne of Dreux which was kept with their Garrisons and also because there were villages and woddes hard by them to flée vnto if néede were Betwéene both the Armies there ran a pleasant long playne hauing but a little valley only which lay on the side of them THE PRINCE OF CONDE when he sawe that his enemies were approched so néere after consultation with his fellowes determined to ioyne battayle with them leauing the euent to the prouidence of god Notwithstanding the Duke of Guise had a great number of footemen more on his part than the Prince of Conde had For he had XXVI thousand footemen where as the other had scarcely XI thousand footemen But of horsemen the Prince of Conde had IIII. thousand where as the Duke of Guise had but III. thousand THE Prince of Conde intending to ioyne battayle with his enemies earely in the morning by the breake of the daye set his souldiers in their arraye the horsemen in the first front which was deuided into diuers rankes In the first ranke or vauntgard he placed Monsieur Cure with a foure square troupe of shot on horse contayning sixe Cornets vppon eche side of the which vauntgard were two winges of Launces one wing of Frenchmen vnder the charge of Monsieur Moue and Monsieur Auerill and the other wing of Germanes After the French winge which was vppon the left hand of the battaile came the Prince of Conde and Rochfocaut with a Troupe of Launces to the number of 230. After the
the Protestantes he came with ranged and warlike armies as though he had ment to haue encountred with some enemie By his commaundement also there was watch and ward appointed at euery gate and flagges set out vpon the battlementes of the walles lyke as the manner is in Cities that be vanquished by force Moreouer he very straightly commaunded the Protestantes that they should bring all their armour to the common halles of euery Citie and charged his owne men that they should ransacke all the houses of the faithfull At Nemaux he caused one to be beaten with cudgelles bycause he had brought in hys armour somewhat to late and vnder colour and cloke of that example did very haynously sclaunder before the King the whole company of the faithful in Languedoc as obstinate and stubborne And deuidinge Garrisons of Souldiers into euery Citie where any congregation was surueyed and vewed them hymselfe and with certain troupes of Horsemen whom he had reclaymed to his owne lure and made fit for his owne pitch did spoile and waste all thinges wheresoeuer he came The Souldiers that were in Garrison and also they which waited vppon the Anuille began very cruelly to rage against the whole families of the faythfull euen as though they had bin taken captiue in war neither did they abstaine from robberies and rauishing of Uirgines but did scotfrée and without checke commit horrible murders the Anuille being in the meane tyme wholy giuen ouer to the filthy loue of whores beastly excesse of that good and gentle wyne of Languedoc and for these two causes he went diuers times to Auinion and there did compell a sight truly almost of incredible impudencie his owne wyfe a noble woman of the wor thy honorable house of the Duke of Bullion to salute entertain at her owne table an whore of that towne a wydowe whom he being taken with her bewty had caused to run headlong after filthy gayne And whereas fhere was an order appointed by the Profestantâ—…s in the Court of Nemaux that before they tooke any thing in hand thereshould be prayers made vnto God whose aide and helpe in administring iustice ought to be craued and sought for the Anuille commaundeth that that custome should be fortwith layde aside and when the chiefe Justice had said vnto him who then shall teach vs true Justice if the righteous and iust God be not called vppon He made aunswere that if he or any of his had anye care or regard of that inuocation or calling vpon Gods name yet not withstanding it was not the Kinges pleasure to lay any such burden vpon them who did little set by any such customes and rytes as that was and so at the commaundement of the Anuille the inuocation of Gods name was vtterly banished out of the Court of Nemaux Through the vnreasonable outrage of this furious raging president ther were diuers iniuries and damages wrought againste the Protestantes eyther vnder coloure of the Edict or els by playne and open force Of the which these thinges that follow being taken out of almost an infinit nomber of other may be sufficient examples The Kinges Edicte of peace did giue frée liberty to exercise the reformed Religion in all those Cities in which it had bin practised the vii day of March as it was prouided by flat expres wordes of the v. braunch of the Edicte besides other Cities that were seuerally to be appointed throughout all and euery one of the Prouinces Against this did the Auuille set this interpre â—…acion So that it be thought Lawfull by the chiefe Lordes of those places And so by these meanes he hindered the vse of the reformed religion in many places and euery wher scatered and dispersed abrode the congregations And although by the expresse tenure and forme of the Edicte liberty of Religion and conscience was graunted to all and in all places of the Kingdome yet he did so curtall and weaken the lihertie of the Edicte that he did not only compell those which were newly come out of the Cloisters and Abbies or els had forsaken some other Popish Rites in the tyme of warre but also those who long a go had left that kind of life and were entred into some better trade of lyuinge to take againe their former lyfe of monkish supersticion and to put awaye their wiues if they had maried any or els to depart out of the boundes and limites of his Prouince And by these meanes he plucked away many of the ministers of Godes woord from their congregations and droue them out of al the Countrey where he ruled A notable example of this extremitie was shew ed in Moton the minister of the congregation Who hauing long before forsaken all kynde of Monkery had maried a wife in honest and lawfull matrimonie and laboured verâ—… frutefully there in that Church To him straight commaundement was giuen eyther quight to forsake hys wife and leaue the ministery and then to take vpon him h is former kind of lyfe or els to depart out of the coast of Languedoc within thre daies who when he had made answer that he was content to depart for that he was so commaunded and hauing prouided al thinges necessarie for his familie and being set forward on his iourney as he passed by Monfrin a little towne of Languedoc by the way that leades to Auinion he went to visit the congregation ther and was requested by the elders of that Church that according to the custome he would preach a sermon to the people Moton was content and preached The matter was signified vnto MoÌ„scur Anuil who by and by coÌ„maunded the chiefe executioner forthwith to hang vp Moton as guilty of breaking the kings Edicte for that he had preached contrary to his forbidding Wherfore Moton was violently apprehended the â—…earefull Protestanteâ—… of the Church of Monfrin standing round about him and being haled and drawen out of his wiueâ—… armes that pitifully cryed out was bound vnto an almon trée Where after that he had comforted his wife and protested that he did willingly seale there with his bloud the truth of his doctrine for which vnwor thely he was so troubled he was strangled to death by the coÌ„mon hangman All which time while this was in doing MoÌ„suer Anâ—…ll lay carelesly at AuinioÌ„ wallowing in the filthye pleasures of whoores and wyne The churches of Languedoc did complaine of these iniâ—…ryes to the Kings maiesty and the Quéene his mother The like did the Prince of Conde being desired there vnto by them of Languedoc but all was in vain For the Constable was a careful maintainer of his lonnes mischiefes and so wrought that all the complaintes that were put vp against his sonne were voyd and to no purpose in so much that they which complayned were in perill and daunger â–ª Whereby it came to passe that â—…he congregations in Languedoc which had any thinge at all borne out the bruntes of the former warre were very hardly
long before to talke of the murthering of the Guâ—…se and yet it appeareth by his owne sayinge that I neuer spake vnto him or had any knowledge of him before the time that he brought Monsieur Subize his letters vnto me VVhere vppon I may truly conclude that it is neyther true nor like to be true that I should be the author of that thinge which he long before had conceiued and purposed in his mind Moreouer where as Merae was very nere of kinne to M. Rainold whom the Duke had caused to be slaine it was likely that he was enflamed and stirred vp againste the Guise by some priuate quarell and speciall hatred And as I haue declared beefore euen so of a truth the case standes vvhereby me thinke it is euident and plain that they who perswade themselues that I was the author and procurer of this murther besides that they vse very fonde and childishe reasons to proue the same do not know my nature for if so be I had charged him to doo any more then that I haue before declared I would not feare to confesse it with like franknes and boldnes And truly I would gladly aske this question of them whether they imâ—…gin that there was any other cause why I should cause my other answer to be published then that I desired the matter might be vnderstanded of all men And it there were any thing else why should I dissemble why should I cloake it why should I not confesse it who euer was a more deadly and open enemie vnto mee than the Duke of Guise for what other cause did he besiege Orleans but that he might vtterly destroy and cast awaye mee my wyfe and children and whatsoeuer else I held as deare and precious vnto mee yea there are men of great credite that can and will testifie that he vsed often to bragge and make his vaunts that whensoeuer the Citie were taken he would spare none neyther man woman yong nor old Neyther needeth any man to doubt that amongest all them that were in the battayle at Dreux it was he I sought for and chiefely he with whom I wished to meete And certaine it is that if I myselfe could haue discharged anie shot at him I would ful glad ly haue done it yea truely if I had ben Captain ouer ten thousand gunners I would haue charged them that they should euery one haue leueled and shot at him alone To be short I would haue left no deuise that might stande with the law of armes vntried so that I might by any meanes deliuer my selfe from an enemie so spightfull and deadly against mee and myne all good men And last of all I protest before God and his Aungelles that I commaunded nothing else but that which I haue declared in these my writings If there be any man that desiteth to knowe more let him repaire too mee and I will make him aunswer Whilest these things happened in Fraunce the Popish Prelates sat still at Trent labouring very diligently to prouide and establish the estate of Poperie with a long rable of Decrées the exact rehearsall whereof being at large already set out in a booke for that purpose shall not be néedfull to be brought in here in these oure Commentaries especially for that our onely purpose intent is briefly to shew the estate and condicion of the faithfull in Fraunce and how thei were troubled vexed in the time of Truce and how afterward they were enforced to breake out into open warre The Councell of Trent therefore did very carefully trauell in maintayning and defending the Popes authoritie and dignitie in the kingdome of Fraunce and this matter as a thing of greatest waight and importance was thorowly and most earnestly laboured of all sides And the great and large reuenew that came out of Fraunce whiche thing did chiefely enflame the zeale of those reuerend Fathers and the great daunger and present hazard they were in to loose them if the reformed Religion had preuayled did make them busily to besturre them and to take the matter in hand There was present at the Councell the Cardinall of Lorraine hauing great knowledge and experieÌ„ce in the affaires of Fraunce and a subtill and sleighty old coygner of new fetches and besides that the matter for hys owne cause stood him vppon he was also incensed with an outragious hatred and malice against the men of the reformed religion and chiefly against the trueth it self which he both knew and renounced At his request and setting on they began to consult how they might vtterly deface and roote vpp the reformed Religion out of Fraunce the readiest and fittest waye for that matter that they could deuise was that there should be a league made betwixt the King of Spayne and the King of FraÌ„ce and that the King of Spayne because it was a thing of great difficultie and could not without much a doe bée brought to passe should helpe the French Kinge at all tymes with such ayde as should be néedfull and that all wayes and meanes should be sought to abolish and disannull the Edict wherin was graunted the libertie and vse of the reformed Religion This league which was made for the rooting out of true religion the holy fathers of the Councell of Trent dyd call the Sacred and holye League The Cardinall of Lorayne doth promise all possible diligence and trauaill in this matter and that hée will perswade the King to finish the league and as for the Quéene being of herselfe prone enclining to their parte and the consents of the Nobles he accounted him selfe sure of them As the Cardinall a most bitter enemie to the reformed Religion did what possible he could for the accomplishement of these matters in the Councell at Trent the enemies of the Gospell were not idell at home in Fraunce in defacing and putting downe the Edicte and the Quéene was not onely euery day more wayward disliking of the reformed religion but was also very furiously incensed against it and dyd by all meanes shée could denise goe about to engraffe and so we hatred and malice in the tender mind of the yong King against religion that then he might proclayme perpetuall and euerlasting warre against al the reformed Churches in Fraunce The Constable Momorencie was also very forward in this matter and was very maliciously bent againste the truth bicause he purchased so great infamy and dishonour in the former warres So that the Edict had in France enemies both many in nomber and greate in power and authoritie About this time the Kinge being of the age of xiiii yeres was declared to be of ful lawfull age by the decrées and iudgemente as the maner was of all the high Courtes of parliament and within few dayes after was according to the custome solemly crowned and all such estates as had to do with the administration of the Realme as vicegerents and protectours and such other were displaced very profitablie fitly both
Spanishe King their neighbour if so be that the reformed religion dyd take place there Wherefore the Quéene burst not openly disalowe those executions done vpon the Papistes but woulde rather when the Protestantes came to complaine to hir praise them and make as thoughe she liked very well of them and all to shewe what desire she had that lawe and Iustice shoulde be administred to euery man equally without partialitie At the earnest importunate sute of the Protestantes one place was chosen oute of all that Prouince for the assemblyes to haue the vse and administration of the reformed Religion â–ª but it was inconuenient by reason of the vneuenesse and crookednesse of the way to Merindoll Notwithstanding by the great prouidence of God it came to passe that the same place which a little before had receyued the trueth of the Gospell in the darke and dusky dayes of papistrye and had suffered much calamity for that cause should by the Kings Edict be made a receptacle and mansion place for the Gospell and the faythfull and thereby made very famouse and noble Therefore the faythfull came out of all places of Prouance to Merin dol hauing frée libertie to heare the word of God. After this the King came to Aâ—…inion that frâ—…m thence he might goe into Languedock And as he traueiled he was very princely receyued of euery Citye wherethorough he passed and had very large and stately gyftes gyuen vnto him of the which to make relation pertayneth not to our purpose When the King was come to Nemaux there came thyther a great multitude of protestants making great mone and lamentation in so much that the crying and pitiefull voyce of the people came to the house wher the King lodged who might heare them crying and calling for Iustice of their soueraigne Lorde and requiring of the Christian King the libertie of the reformed Religion This noyse of wéeping and crying was so great and so shrill in the Kings eares that the mynd of the yonge King at the hearing of the same was somwhat abashed and straightway demaunded what the matter was the standers by dissembled and excused the matter but hée with angry moode aunswered and sayde I sée that my people are euill entreated and turning to the Quéâ—…ne sayd How chaunce this people are not satisfied I will Lady sayeth he that this my people haue Iustice Notwithstandinge they by and by put in his head that they were seditiouse people which were wont after that fashion to do all things with tumult And then this multitude being dryuen away with violence by the Kinges Garde the Elders gouernours of their Church were called for and being come they were sharply reproued that thei had suffered the vnruly multitude to come thither in such tumultuouse order and were commaunded to deliuer their grief in wryting to the Maister of Requestes and to come to Montpellier to receyue an answere according to the same The like complayntes also were made by the men of Montpellier when the king came thyther but they with the men of Nismes were sent to Blitters and after this the churches of Blitters those thereaboutes making the lyke complayntes destring reformation had the lyke successe they being puâ—… of from day to day and from one place to another The Constable being sore offended that so many coÌ„plaintes should be made against his sonne d' Anuile And beside the infinite verations of d' Anuille which he brought vpon them the Senat of Tholoze left nothing vndone to make the cause of the reformed churches odiouse before the Kinge These were the mendes made for so great iniuries and this was the profit that ensued the Kings iourney THE new yeare brought with it a certeine rumour of the Kings progresse into Baione which was kept secret vntill this present tyme Therefore consultation being had of the matter with the chiefest of the Senate of Tholoze the king passing through Guian comming to euery citie came at the last to Baione in the moneth of Iuly Thither to her brother the king came Elizabeth wife to King Phillip of Spayne and was very pompously receyued of the whole Courte But the cause why Phillip her husband came not thyther with her notwithstanding that the same place bordered vpon his kingdome was as it is reported that the league concerning the destroying of the reformed religion might the more secretly be confirmed Others attribute the cause of his absence to ambition â–ª for that he would not séeme in any thing to séeke to the King of Fraunce Notwithstanding by the comming of Elizabeth that holy league as they termed it was ratifâ—…ed and established by which was ment as is aforesaide to banish and abandon the reformed religion And to the ende the Realme of Fraunce might be an vtter enemy to the professours of that religion the king of Spayn promised vnto the king of FraÌ„ce so great power and ayde as he could the lyke promyse also made the king of France to the king of Spayne both of theÌ„ promisinge one to the other to embrace obserue the doctrine of Rome with the rites cerimonies therof and to do all that they could to remoue take away all lettes and impediments to the same and so to take the next occasions offered to bring this matter to passe After the confirmation of this league to the ruin of the Church there followed lamentable effectes But notwithstanding the secret conclusion of this matter the prince of Conde and all the Noble men of the reformeâ—… Religion vnderstoode the same whose deathes hereby were sought Thus when the king had viewed all the Region of Guian he returned back agayne into that part of FraÌ„ce called by the Frenchmen Francâ—…ys towarde the latâ—…er ende of this yeare IN this yeare and in the next following there was truce taken betwene the Churches and the faithfull had some reste and breathing tyme notwithstandinge not without sustayning diuers iniuries Yea there wer snaring baytes layed and priuy platformes practised agaynst the Admirall and the Andelot which were espied manifestly reuealed and brought before the king but in vayne The kings longe looked for occasions to put their league in execution It shall not be from our purpose if we note certayne thinges concerning the affaires of the lowe Countrey called Belgio â–ª aboute this time for matters concerning religion both for that the cause is all one and also bycause the same Countrey bordereth vpon Fraunce notwithstanding obseruing the order of time we will inserte those thinges whiche specially appertaine to oure history Therefore ye shall vnderstande that this noble and plentifnll countrey was exercised and muche troubled aboute this time with diuers and sondrye contentious conflictes for religions sake Wherby we haue diuers examples set forth vnto vs of the wonderfull prouidâ—…ce of God in ordering and framing of his Churche quite contrary to humaine reason that is to say whereby we may plainly perceiue that the Church is not the
workmanship of man But seeing we are in hande with the affaires and actes of the low Countrey let vs first compare the state thereof with the condition of the Church of Fraunce As both Churches are in mighâ—…ye Monarchies so â—…ad they for their aduersaries mighty Monarchies being vexed with the furies of Cardinals both of them in the beginning very small but in the end great and mighty both troubled with great conflictes Amidest the cruell tormentes and bloudy murthers of the Inquisition of the newe Byshops the number of suche as acknowledged and professed the truthe of the Gospell wonderfully increased Insomuche that at the length by the example of the Frenchmen who by the Kings fauour had gotten some libertie to vse the reformâ—…d religion the matter beganne to be handeled more freely and openly a certaine forme of confession of their faith and religion being published But the Cardinall Granuel on the contrary part against the mindes of those Noble men which were appoynted by King Philip went about earnestly to afflict Andwerpe with the Inquisition of the newe Byshops which notwithstanding was exempted from the burthen of the same by speciall priuiledge After thys he being complayned of by those Noble men was put quit out of his authoritie and sent for by the Kings letters to come out of Flaunders But he he had so prouided before his departure and the King was so affected at the instante sute of the Spanâ—…she Inquisitors that their Inquisition was the more seuerelye executed in Flaunders yea all things were done in the absence of Granuel as he would haue them And among all other Cities at Andwerpe great crueltie was shewed against the faythfull one of the Ministers of the reformed religion called Christopher Smith being cruelly slayne the people so much disdayning thereat that they were lyke to cause a daungerouse tumult This was in the yeare of our Lord M. D. lxiiii at what tyme the kingdome of Fraunce was greatly vexed and depriued of the benefite of the Kings Edict Notwithstanding the Churches of the low countrey dayly more and more encreased many of the noble meÌ„ imbracing and professing the truth whiche euen vntill that time had bene enimies to the same Insomuch that certaine Noble men set on fire with the loue of the truth notwithstanding the they sawe themselues to be in great perill of the Inquisitors therefore determined to make a league among themselues That they would endeuor themselues all that they coulde by all lawfull meanes to helpe one another for the auoyding of perill and to certifie one another of the attemptes of the aduersaries Thus when they had made this agréement they went aboute to ioyne and wyn vnto them others that were inflamed and bent against the reformed religion Insomuch that a man might sée openly a great many noble men with the greatest part of the people both to detest Popish superstitious and also receiue and embrace the reformed religion But in the meane time the thunder clappes of the new Byshops made suche a stoure that the faythfull beyng no more so subiecte to iniuries as they were before it was to be doubted least while they went aboute to resiste the violent force and crueltie of the Inquisitors great vexations and troubles woulde arise At this time the Duches of Parme vnder the Kyng had she gouernment of the whole region Therfore she at the Admonition of the rulers of those partes foreséeing the perill to come by their aduise and authoritie sent Egmond to Philip Kinge of Spaine to declare vnto him the great perill and daunger which hoong ouer the whole low countrey of Flaunders and to certifie him that so great troubles coulde not be preuented vnlesse both the seueritie of the Edictes and also the bouldnes of â—…ertaine men outragiously abusing and violating theÌ„ were restrayned yea and that all sortes of men were so sore offended thereat that vnlesse there were some spéedy remedye out of hande prouided there was great perill of great troubles and garboyles To this Egmond the King gaue a gentle answere saying that he had a care for the affaires of the lowe Countrey and that he would endeuour himselfe that all things might be done there peaceably and orderly Then he commaunded the Duches â—…f Parme to take order as necessitie required with the aduise and Counsaile of good and wise men by which she might prouide for so great inconueniences and yet retaine safe the catholiâ—…e Religion The Duches of Perme when she had receyued the Kinges commaundement by Egmond shee by the aduise of the rulers caused a solemn assembly in the which there were thrée Byshops thrée learned Diuines thrée Canons Lawers thrée skilful Ciuillians to whoÌ„ shée committed the ordering of the whole matter They then deuised and put downe an order tooke such paines for the Inquisition that the same could not be more conueniently established For though the forme of wordes were chaunged yet the matter it selfe was more seuerely ratifyed confirmed the terrible worde of Inquisition being mittigated by calling the same a visitation In stéede of burning they vsed hanging as we will hereafter declare more at large Notwithstanding it did not satisfie Granuell and the Spanish inquisitoures as though this kind of most cru ell death had not bin sufficient they being such kinde of men as were accustomed to shewe open cruelty without shame They brought the matter therefore before the King they said that there was a way made to the vâ—…â—…er subuersion of Religion â–ª askinge whether the â—…inge should be afrayd to make open profession of his Religion Moreouer by their meanes the Popes legates perswaded with the King by threatninges shewinge that not only the name of the Catholiques should decay but also that he himselfe should be vtterly ouerthrowen excepte he sought with all spéede to deface and vtterly to destroy euen the least remnantes and reliques of the new Religion in the lowe Countrey the which coulâ—… not be done without the benefite of the inquisition Therefore King Philip reiecting that order of gouernement which the Duches had takeÌ„ by the aduise of those graue and learned men of whom we spake before sent at the length letters vnto the saide Duches of Parme That the Inquisition should be stablished throughout al the lowe Countrey of Flaunders that the inquisitours should haue certain counsellers out of the chiefe senate ioyned to them to euery prouince by whose helpe they might be furthered in doing of their office that the auncient Edictes might euery where be obserued and kepte that Bishoppes should be consecrated in all places that the decreese of the counsaile of Trident should be euery where proclaimed and that by all manner of meanes the Doctrine of the Gospell and the professoures thereof should in all places be persecuted and afflicted This came forth in the yeare of our Lord M. D. L. X. U. and in the moneth of December These letters of the King being made openly knowen by the
which were not entered into the cities More ouer when the Inhabitants of the Churche of Lions made request vnto the Kinge that they might haue liberty to exercise the reformed ReligioÌ„ answere was geuen them that the Kinge would not haue the administratiâ—… of that Religion in the city but woulde shortly appâ—…int theÌ„ a place without the citye But not only the liberty of the Religion was taken from them but also leaue to go home to theire owne houses Yea bloudy murther Rapines were coÌ„mitted throughout the city of LioÌ„s the people she winge theire outragiouse madnes euen vpon the very houses of the faithfull At Paris by the comminge of the Kinges letters the Garrisons of warders and wachemeÌ„ were increased in diuers places throughout the city vpon the bridges watchmeÌ„ were set to warde the people also had leaue to arme them selues whereby it manifestly appered that the deathe of protestants with in the city was conspired In the meane tyme the popishe Prelates in theire Sermones on the other parte encouraged theire meÌ„ to warre but specially the Iesuites of which there were greate noÌ„bers in euery principall city of the Realme these were pestiferouse Locustes procedinge out of the bottomles pyt and sent abroade to be troublesome vnto men in his laste age These I saye in theire Sermones tohght that there ought to be no faith kepte with hereâ—…iques nor any agrement made that it was a godly and meritoriouse dede to laye violent haÌ„des vpoÌ„ suche vngodly men and that al Christian people ought to arme them selues against them Beside this they brought also examples of suche as were killed by the Leuites at the coÌ„maundement of Moses of those which had woorshipped the golden Calâ—…e of Iehu which by dissimulation shut vp the Preistes of Baale and shewe them Thus the people beinge styrred vp and pricked forward boath with the vngodly persuasions of suche preachers and also with the wordes of mighty men were dayly more more inflamed to â—…uror madnes Moreouer it was geueÌ„ for the that it was the Kings will and pleasure that the Huguenotes shoulde be vtterly destroyed and that it woulde please him very well if the Catholikes would do what they coulde too hinder the execution of the Edicte and also that all his subiectes might be brought to one vniformity of Religion Whereby the people were prouoked a freshe sought nothinge more than to arme theÌ„ selues againâ—… the faithful who were now as naked meÌ„ by the meanes of the Edicte Thus the people were brought to tumult and not only by the meanes aforesayd â–ª but also by societies and coÌ„fraternities made in diuers places which they called the Confraternities of the holy Ghost â–ª By these Fraternities which confirmed and moderated by consistories did they prouide money and souldiers for the warre Therfore wheÌ„ a great number of men were gathered togither at Diuinion for this confraternitie the common sort of people began to cast forth sedicious words threatening the faithfull that they should haue only thrée monethes vse of their goods to liue by after that haruest and grape gathering was done affirming that the Kyng himselfe if he would should not alter there purpose and if he once sought to hinder it they would make a Moonke their king Therfore the raynes of impudent boldnes being losed all things began to war out of order throughout the whole Realme The faithfull wanted both armour and Cities all passage both by hill and dale by water and by land were restrained the Catholiques were very strong in each condition with all thinges in a readines for the warre so that the faithful being thus hâ—…mmed in on euery side might continually loke for nothing but sodaine death and destruction And in déede al meanes waies were sought to bring this thing to passe and as the Cardinall sought diligent ly to bring this to effect so wanted he no necessary seruants and wayters to fulfill his commaundements throughout all partes of the Realme Also to the end his purpose might haue the better successe he thought good to followe the counsaile of the Duke of Alba with whom he consulted oftentimes by messengers which was That the principall heades of those that professed the said Religion should bee taken and then the rest would bee tamed well inough Wherfore hée sought diligently by al waies possible to take the prince of Conde the Admirall the Andelot and Cardinall Odet his brother Rochfoucalt and diuers other noble men of the reformed Religion In the meane time notwithstanding very louing and fréendly letters were sent to the prince of Conde in the Kyng and Quéenes names But so great libertie wherof we spake before being giuen to the furious and outragious people was not Idell It would abhor any Christian mind to heare the declaration of so many horrible murthers which happened in so short a time I meane not to repeate al if I would I cannot Straite after the proclamation of the Edict the people of Ambian a faire citie in Picardie â–ª assembled themselues togither and conspiring the death of the faithfull slew of them to the number of a hundered and forty â–ª At Altisiodor otherwise called Auxer a citie of Borgondy which was rendered vp by the faithfull there were fiftie slayne and their dead bodies cast openly into cannells of the streates â–ª At Rhane at Orleans at Bery at Sanleonard and at diuers other cities horrible murthers were committed vppon the faithful as they went to their churches to diuine seruice Also Monsure Cipiere the sonne of County de Tande Lieuetenant of Prouance a young man about the age of twentie yeres was also cruelly slaine at ForuÌ„-Iuly a citie of Prouance It was reported that commaundemeÌ„t came from the court that this Monsure Cipiere should be slaine The manner of this slaughter was this Monsure Cipiere was retorned from Nice whether he went to sée how the Duke of Sauoy his kinsman did of whom he was very honorably entertayned but wheÌ„ he came nere to the towne of Forum-Iuly he perceiued that some laye in a bushe in the wood hard by for him wheruppon he fled with all spéede into the citie with his whole traine which were in number thirtie and fiue Then they which lay in waite being three hundered armed men hauing Baron de Arsi their captaine en tered also into the citie and crying Toxcin or Alleyum a great number of people were gathered togither by by to the number of a thousand and two hundred who beset the house in the which Cipiere was round about But the Consulls and Magistrates of the citie being carefull for Monsure Cipiere made intreatie to the peo ple and at the length brought to passe that Baron de Ar si promised that he would depart with the whole multitude if so be Cipiere would yéeld vnto them his men armour The which being graunted he departed but the people were scarse gone out of sight when Baron de
howe greatly the same was gréeued for that you could not prouide remedies for all things as you wold yet neuerthelesse when I had read ouer and diligently perused those aunswers that were brought vnto me in your name to the letters which I gaue to Theligny to deliuer to your grace and also whē I had heard those things which your Grace willed him to declare vnto me by word of mouth I could not neyther can I choose but giue most harty thankes vnto god that your Maiestie perseuereth in that good mynde and no lesse thankes to your highnesse also for the same And thus I replye agayne to certaine principall points of your aunsweres with all reuerence modestie and submission And first of all I replye to the aunswere of the fyrste and second principall poynt of my letters whiche are these There are many of the reformed religion whiche haue not taken my parte nor alowed of my Counsayles but contrarywyse there are some of them because they knew that the sword was not taken in hand for religions sake whiche haue obeyed you and your Officers in all places I pray and beséeche your Maiesty to remember and call to mynd that when you had intelligence of my true meaning and of the very purpose and intent of suche as followed me your maiestie by due aduice and deliberation declared by an Edict made in the yeare M. D. lxii That whatsoeuer I and they whiche followed me had done we had done the same to shew our obedience and to maintayn your dignitie acknowledging me for your deare and faithfull kinsman subiect and seruaunt and all myne for your faithfull and lawefull subiectes and seruaunts In this therefore there is manifest repugnancie and contrarietie because if I and myne haue borne armour for ani other cause than for the obedience sake which we owe vnto your Maiestie and for the preseruation of the same then no doubt we should worthly be found gilty both of rebellion and treason But as we can by no meanes be perswaded that your maiestie would be so manifestly contrary to your selfe so also I affirme that it may easely appeare that these aunswers were forged and deuised by the Cardinall of Lorayne his fellows to discharge that poyson which a long time hath lyen in their stomakes and also to make your maiesties faithfull and louing subiectes to be suspected of treason and rebellion Of the which crimes séeing wee are in no point to be conuinced by the goodnesse of God we are ready rather to dye than to suffer the same falsly to be imputed to vs by the Cardinall and his fellowes but we wil proue that the matter is far otherwise than they haue falsely and sclaunderously reported the same vnto you In the meane time I beséeche your Maiestie to consider with what shewe of trueth can these things be spoken when as I and others of my brethren were of late admonished of the counsaile had at Baione with the King of Spayne to the vtter destroying and banishing of all those which professe the reformed religion within the Realme if the wayes and meanes by which I and the Admiral vnder the couller of comming to talke with you at the Castel of Vincen should haue fallen into the handes of our aduersaries of the new musterings of men at Paris of the letters of Duke de Alba to you in which you were put in mynde of the holy league Truly it is not likely that we would haue taried the comming of the SwitZers armies or the Spaniardes if we had ment any harme Can it be denied but that we haue sought all meanes wayes possible that might be for peace Can it be obiected vnto vs that at any time from the first beginning of these troubles we haue required any other thinge of your Maiestie than the libertie of our consciences and the conseruation of our liues goods and dignities Sauing that among other thinges when I was at Saindionyse I required of your Maiestie that you would haue some consideration to ease not onely the Nobilitie but also the communaltie of those intollerable burthens laied vpon them ▪ And your aunswere being knowne to this our petition wée haue not since that time spoken one worde of the same When we had about vs great power that if we would haue abused the same we had not bene able to bee resisted did we then enlarge our petitions When you offered vnto vs your faith did not we imbrace the same making no further request Was there any other mat ter propounded in the tractatiō of peace than the libertie of our consciences Did wee not put our liues oure goodes and dignities into your handes vppon truste of your promise Were not we content with the obseruation of the Edict only Doth the Edicte of pacification comprehend any other thing then that which appertaineth to the conscience If therefore you haue not tried our mindes in receyuinge the conditions of the peace propounded and in shewing our selues so tractable if the sclaunders concerning the violating of your dignitie be not sufficiently refuted as in déede they be in the iudgement of all indifferent men yet notwithstanding you haue certain and euident arguments of our prōptnesse and obedience when as so redily we vnarmed our selues at your commaundments and carefully dismist our Armies Notwithstanding the which sure and vndoubted signe of obediēce we could receiue no other benefite then that which was contrary to your promises in so much that your Edictes may séeme to be snares trappes onely to entangle vs withall that is to saye that by the false colour and pretence of peace we might receiue that iniurie which by open warre we could neuer sustayne Concerninge the fourth principall pointe which is That your Maiesty hathe willed and commaunded nothinge more than the obseruation of the Edicte after the troubles of warres were appeased without anye māner of impediment and haue allwayes cōmaunded your officers to defende your subiectes all alike withoute respecte of any Religion and quietly to gouern thē without offeringe of them any iniury I marueile truly that the Cardinall of Loraine and his fellows which haue framed these answeres remēber not that many letters were taken in the tyme of these troubles by which you commanded your Lieutenants your parliamēts and other of your officers that they shoulde do cleane contrary to those thinges which were contayned in the Edicte Let them remember what was aunswered to the writinge sealed in your name by your Secretaries to the States of Languedoc let them remember what aunswere was made to the parliament of Tholoz against the fower bloudy decréese by the same commaunded to be put in execution for you saide in your letters that this thinge pleased you well and woulde alwais be acceptable vnto you that you greately desired that they woulde deale euer after in that manner hauinge altogether regarde and respecte to the rescriptes and commaundements by you allready or hereafter to be graunted for Religions sake and in
territorie of Bellouac of which he being certified fled and in fléeing was chased by souldiours till he came to the Sea In so much that he was constrayned to leaue the greatest part of his cariage behind him and to take Ship to passe ouer into England It was also commonly reported about this tyme that Charles Sonne to King Philip of Spayne was dead The causes were by diuers men diuersly reported but that which was most credible is That the Inquisitors suspecting him of certain things concerning religion ê“uoked stirred vp the displeasure of the Father against the Sonne that he might depriue himselfe of his onely Sonne and of the lawfull heyre of Spayn Shortly after this also newes was brought concerning the death of Elizabeth wyfe to Philip Kinge of Spayne and Sister to Charles King of Fraunce Furthermore the Duke of Alba dayly more more played the tyrant in Flaunders straining no courtesie at the shedding of innocent bloud wherevpon the prince of Orange being moued partely to discharge his dutie being one of the Princes of the Empire and partely for the loue which hée bare to his Countrey caused a great Army to be in a readinesse that hée might withstand the cruell tyrannie of the said Duke of Alba. He had to ayde him great numbers of horsemen footemen which came out of Germany out of Fraunce and also out of the low CouÌ„trey County Lâ—…dowike also his brother a valeaÌ„t captain came with a great number of good souldiours to ioyne with him COME LORD IESV COME QVICKLY The. ix Booke of Commentaries concerning the state of Religion and of the common wealth of Fraunce vnder the Raigne of Charles the ninth THus beganne the third ciuill war in FrauÌ„ce being more notable than the others goyng before both for the great atteÌ„pts and enterprises and also for the continuance of the same for it troubled the Noble Realme of FrauÌ„ce for the space of two yeres Therefore when newes was brought to the Courte of the departure of the Prince of Conde there was open prouision made on both partes for the warre but both their conditions were not alike For the Papistes had Cities Artillery money and all maner of prouision belonging to warre they had also the Kings name authoritie and power by which they preuailed more than by any other meane But as for the Prince of Conde and the Protestantes they had almost nothing but the goodnesâ—…e of their cause and couragious mindes to defende themâ—…elues who though to the perill of the losse of theyr lyues and goods were almost desperate to defende the same Moreouer they which should haue bene helpers and furtherers of their cause were hemde in and shut â—…p throughout the whole Realme in so muche that it was marueile that the Prince of Conde was able to holde warre and to withstand his enemies in so great extreamitie There were great and vrgent caâ—…ses of newe contention â–ª as the diâ—…pleasure taken for the breaking of the oath solemnlye made the breaking of the Kings promise and common peace and the meâ—…itable necessitie of defending their consciences and liues But the Papistes beyng forward enough of themselues tâ—… destroy the godly were pricked forward by the bloudy â—…uriousnesse of the Cardinall of Loraine Therefore by the Kings commaundâ—…ment for vnder this name the Papistes did what they would the Armies that were dismiâ—…t were nowe called backe againe newe choyse and musteâ—…s of men were had and they were all commaunded to be at Staples the. x. dayâ—… of September The wholâ—… ordering and charge of the warre was committed tâ—… Alexander Duke of Angewe the Kings brother being but a young man notwithstanding he had ioyned with him certaine valiant captaines as we sayde before Then were baytes and â—…nares subtiâ—…ly layde and in the Kinges name the gouernours of the Prouinces published a decrée as thus The Kyng commaundeth that all the men of the reformed Religion be vnder his protection no lesse than anye other of his subiectes that they may haue leaue to complaine of iniuries done to them that they may haue remedies prouided out of hande as it is meete and conuenient for their defence and that all Magistrates should be vigilant to defend them In the meane tyme he that caryed the Prince of Condes letters to the King after the deliuerie of them was taken and committed prisoner to a certaine noble man and no answere made to the letters The Prince of Conde when he had stayed in the house of Rochfoucant certaine dayes wente wyth hys whole retinew to Rochel of whose inhabitantes he was very louingly receiued And thether came vnto him the inhabitantes of Xantonge of Poictou of Perigueux of Engolmoys and a great number of noble men of the Regions thereaboutes which embraced the reformed religion and as for the common sort of people they came vnto him out of all those quarters by beapes The Câ—…ties also called Sainctes Tifauge and Montagu offered themselues vnto him But for all this he sente letters to diuers partes of the Realme requiring ayâ—… of hys fellowes and forsomuch as the Protestantes were expulsed almost euery Citie it seemed good vnto him that they shoulde come with all spéede to hiâ—… to Rochel and then hauing greater power to ioyâ—… battaile wyth the enemie Notwithstanding in many places by the wonderfull prouidence of God there were diuers places of refuge reserued throughout the whole Realme as to the men of Francoys Sanferre and Uezelay to the men of Languedoe Montalban Castrealby and Milliaulde to the men of Dolpheny which at that time were in great perill the Cities of Uiuaretze were reserued as Albenac Priuac and many others But before the Prince of Conde began any warre he published a certaine solemne declaration of the causes of the same In manner and forme as followeth I protest before God and his Angels and before this holy assembly that â—…as I also declared in my last letters which I sent vnto the King my Lord intend to do nothing against his Maiestie which may either hurt his person or dignitie but taking him for my Kinge and supreme Lorde next vnder God by him so appoynted I protest that whatsoeuer I doe is for no other cause but to keepe and defende the liberties of our consciences the free vse of the reformed Religion our lyues honours and goods from the tyrannie and oppression of the Cardinall of Loraine and his fellowes â–ª the whiche tyrannie they haue alwayes hytherto shewed and minde still to vse towards the men of the reformed Religion contrary to our kings will whiche he hath openly declared by publique Edicts and decrees thereby breaking the common peace and tranquiâ—…itie And for this cause to the end I may defend their lyues honours goods and the libertie of their consâ—…ences which professe the reformed religion I affirâ—…e that I wyll spende bothe my lyfe and whatso euer eâ—…se God hath giuen vnto me And bâ—…cause there came souldiers daye by daye vnto
other assemblyes than suche as shal be alowed of vs excepte they meane to suffer the punishment of rebels and traitours 21 I will also that all Prouinces Cities and townes all other places doe enioy those offices and priuiledges which they haue enioyed before these tumultes of wars 22 And to the ende all occasions of complaintes and quarrels may be quite taken away we will that all fauorers of that Religion without respect may be in authoritie and be pertakers of all manner of offices as well as other men also that they may lawfully be present at all assemblyes Counsels and consultations depending vppon those offices and in no wise to be put frō the said offices after the proclamation of this Edict 23 VVe will and cōmaunde that the men of the said Religion be not oppressed more than the catholiques but to beare all a like one burthen according to the consideration had of their goods And because of the great burthens which the men of the sayd religiō haue borne we will that they be not subiect to the payment of the tributes of Cities which shall be hereafter vppon consideration of those things which haue bene done heretofore Notwithstanding they shall be tributary vnto vs at our commaundement as well as the Catholiques 24 VVe will and commaunde that all they whiche because of these warrs are kept in prison be set at libertie and that without any manner of raunsome 25 If any controuersies happen to be for those raunsomes and that the prisoners goods be taken awaye for the same we will that the parties so disagreing and contending do repaire to our brother the Duke of Aniou who shall order and ende the matter 26 VVe will and commaunde that all men of the reformed religion be vnder our protectiō and may peaceably enioy their offices and dignities notwythstanding we will not that their Lieutenāts the deputies belōging vnto thē be restored vnto those offices because we haue otherwise prouided notwithstanding they shall haue our pay for the same 27 The booties and spoyles not taken in wars which as yet shall remaine shal be restored to their owners again the buyers hauing their money gyuen to them againe in such quantitie as was put down in the regester of the court Thus would we haue all moueables restored againe 28 Also we will and commaunde that all owners may receiue the reuenewes of their lands peaceably this yere and we abrogate all sentences to the contrary 29 VVe will and commaunde that the houses Castles Cities and other places of the men of the reformed Religion be free from Garrisons of souldiers and that they be in the same state condition in the which they were before the beginning of these tumultes 30 VVe will and commaunde that the Prince of Orange and the countie Lodouic his brother be really restored to all their dominions which are within the borders of our Realme and that the dominion of Orange be in the same state and case in the which it was before the troubles of warres according to the prescript of the graunt made King Henry our Father and other Kings our Auncetors commaunding also that al instruments Dedes writings belonging to the same be forthwith restored 31 VVe will also that all writinges and euidences of any landes bee presently restored too all men which are owners of the same of what Religion soeuer they be 32 And to the end the remembrance ▪ of all troubles past may so much as may be quite and cleane forgottē VVe will and commaund iudgements against the men of the said religion pronounced since the death of King Henry our father for because of warres or Religion whi ther the sayd sentences or iudgements concerne death or losse of goodes to be voyd and of none effect and to be rased out of the Regesters of all Courtes and that all goods with the ground of houses ouerthrowne and the appertenances be restored to their owners 33 In like maner we abrogate all sentences in controuersie during the time of this warre gotten and obtained against the men of the said Religion in what cause soeuer it be and we will that the controuersies bee in the same state in the which they were before the beginning of these tumultes ▪ 34 VVe will and commaund the men of the said religion to obserue and keepe all pollitique lawes of our Realme as that which concerneth holy dayes and fasting dayes on the one to do no worke and on the other to eate no flesh 35 And to the end all men may haue the lawe without suspicion of hatred or fauour we will that such controuersies as haue bene already moued or shal be moued hereafter betweene the men of cōtrary Religion be first of all brought before the ordinary Iudges and if any appeale be made in the higher Parliaments in respect of the Parliament of Paris which consisteth of seuen Courtes then the men of the reformed Religion may if they will refuse foure of the Iudges or Senators and yet shew no cause of their refusal howbeit the law is against it which will not suffer any man to challenge or refuse a Senator without he shew some lawfull cause And it shal also be lawful for them to refuse any other Senator shew ing according to custome lawfull causes 36 As touching the controuersies of which the appeale is to be made to the Parliament of Tholoz except the parties shall chuse another Parliament to decide the controuersie it shal be lawfull for them to appeale to our Masters of Requestes in the Pallace of Paris who shall define and decide all controuersies in high Court. 38 In the Parliament of Rhoane of Aijgues of Brittaine and of Granople it shal be lawfull for them too refuse sixe Iudges or Senatours that is to saye three in eche court And in Burdeaux foure in euery courte 38 It shall also be lawful for the catholikes to require that all they which haue bene at any time depriued of their offices may not know or vnderstand their controuersies withoute expressing of any farther cause and withall they shall haue leaue to make exception against any other counsellers according to the custome 39 And bicause so many haue bene offended in the time of these warres that they cannot easily forget the iniuries done vnto them which we woulde gladly haue thē to do to the end therefore all occasions of troubles may be taken cleane away we giue vnto the men of the reformed religion the Cities of Rochel Montaubane Cognac and Charite to keepe In the which they maye dwell which woulde not returne home so quickely for feare of troubles And for the safetie of the said Cities the Prince of Nauar and the Prince of Conde our welbeloued kinsmen and twentie Noble men more of that side will stand bound vnto vs and will be sworne vnto vs to saue them from all perill and to
obteyned that the Prince should haue all his goodes restored vnto him but with this condition that hée should haue no house within the territorie of the lowe countrie but settling his refidence and dwelling elsewhere he should fréely enioy all his reuenewes Which matter being reported to the Frenchâ—… king he immediatly sent messengers to the prince of Aurange willing him to looke for nothing by that dealing of the Emperour saying that it was but a fraude and guilefull deuise intended for this purpose only to breake vp his leuying of souldiers that he had begon in Germanie and assuring him that if he would credite and followe him he would giue him aide sufficient to recouer his estate The Prince of Aurenge perswaded by these promises of king Charles continued his musters and determined a whyle to beare the charges though they were heauie to him whyle such things as were necessarie for the warre were in preparing In the meanetime Lodouic in disguised apparel went to Paris to the king Forasmuch as the season of the yéere by this time séemed not commodious to leuie an armie for the winter was at hande by assent they deferred the matter till the next Sommer These thinges thus hanging the Prince of Aurenge his captaines by Sea did oftentimes set vâ—…n the Spaniards and Portingals such ships as they tooke tâ—…y brought into the hauen of Rochel which then was in the power of the Prince of Condees part and there they openly vttered and solde their prizes to the men of the towne and other merchantes of France whervpon the Embassadour of Spaine made often complaintes to the kinges priuie Couâ—…sell And forasmuch as they thought it very auaileable to this enterprise that Elizabeth Quéene of EnglaÌ„d might be brought into league with them the king committed the dealing in that matter to the Admirall For a few monethes before the king had with moste swete alluring letters gotteÌ„ him to the Court where he was most honorably enterteined and to take from him all occasion of distrust vpon his aduersaries or of otherwise suspecting of the kinges or Quéene mothers affection towardes him first all the Guisians of a set purpose departed the court Then the king gaue the Admirall free libertie to take with him what companie and with what furniture he would and bicause it was thought that he had more confidence in the Marshall Cosse than in the rest therefore the king commaunded the saide Marshall to be euer at hand with the Admirall to assiste him in the kings name if any nede were The matter of the league with Englande the Admirall so diligently and industriously handled that within shorte space after by Embassadours sent and by faithe giuen and receiued and othes solemnely taken on both parts it was confirmed Concerning the procurement of other leagues and amities such as might séeme to further the enterprise of the low countrey the Admiral also trauelled in the Kings name and by his commaundement and had in a maner brought al these things to an end And of all those leagues the first and principall coÌ„dition was that the libertie of Religion shoulde continue and that the king should most diligently and sincerely obserue this Edict of pacification Though these things séemed to be handled secretly yet by the letters both of Biragio the vicechancellor of whome we made mention before and of Moruilliers whom for his hypocriticall leanesse children commonly called the Chimera or bugge of the Court by aduertisement of Cardinal de Pelue a maÌ„ most fit either to inuent or execute any treason they were caried to the B. of Rome who by aduise of his Cardinals sent by by one of their number called Alexandrine in the midst of most sharp winter into France with these instructioÌ„s to persuade the king to enter into the societie of the league of Trent whereof the first principall article was that the confederats should ioyn their powers make war against the Turkes Heretikes meaning by the name of heretikes al those Princes that did permit the vse of the reformed Religion within their dominions The Cardinall Alexandrine was honorably receiued in the Court but yet dismissed without atchieuing his purpose For so was it bruted among the people and commonly beléeued throughout Fraunce albeit he himselfe secretly séemed to returne very mery and chéereful to the Pope and as it is reported did somtime say that he receiued such answere of the king as was néedeful not to be published that the King Quéene mother had largely satisfied him Forasmuch as it was thought a matter greatly auayling to the enterprise of the lowe countrey to sende certaine shippes into the English Seas that if any ayde should be sent into the lowe Countrey to the Duke of Alua out of Spayne it might so be stopped Strozzi and the Baron de la Garde were appoynted for that purpose to whome the King gaue in commaundemente to rigge forth certayne Shippes of Burdeaux and Rochell well armed and well appoynted and to prouide with al spéede all things néedefull for those Shippes The Ambassadour of Spayne somewhat moued with this preparation made diuers complaintes to the Kings Councell on the behalfe of the King his master and yet neuer receiued any other aunswere but that the King thoughte it not likely and that he woulde sende Commissioners to Burdeaux and to Rochell with letters and commaundemente that there shoulde be no preparation made to the Sea and if any had bene made it should be enquired of What instructions were secretly and closely vnder hande giuen to these two Captaines of that nauie we do not certainely knowe But this no man can doubt of but that they had commission to distresse all such Ships wherein any Spanishe Souldiers should be transported into the lowe countrie and that all this preparation to the sea was ordayned against the Spanishe King and the Duke of of Alua. And moreouer that the Admirall at the same time receiued commaundement from the King to sende Espials vnto Perâ—… an Islande of the newe founde worlde most plentifull of gold aboue all the other nowe béeing in the Spaniardes dominioÌ„ to learne if there were any good enterprise to be attempted or atchieued for the getting of it Which matter was committed to a certaine Gentleman one of the Admiralles trayne who went thyther accompanyed with a certayne Portingall a man most skilfull of those Nauigations whome the Admiral had ioyned with him by the Kings commaundemente and is not yet returned Nowe it cannot be expressed howe many and howe great tokens of most louing minde the King at that time shewed to the Admirall and to the Counte Rochfoucault and to Theligny and to the rest of the chief noblemen of the Religion First all such things as in the former warres had bene taken away in the Townes Fermes and Castles of the Admirall and d'Andelot the Kyng caused to bée sought oute and restored If there were any other whome the Kyng vnderstoode to be
the slaughter of the Admirall and his adherentes was done by the Kings commaundement for so was his maiesties expresse pleasure bicause they had conspired to kil him and his brethren and the Quéene his mother and the Kyng of Nauarre And farther that the King did forbid that from thenceforthe there should be no moe assemblies holden nor preachings vsed of the Religion After the Kinges oratioÌ„ ended Christopher Thuane PresideÌ„t of that ParliameÌ„t a man very notable for his light brain and his cruell heart did with very large wordes congratulate vnto the King that he had now with guile and subtiltie ouercom these his enimies whome he could neuer vanquishe by armes and battell saying that therein the King had most fully veryfied the olde saying of Lewes the eleuenth his progenitor King of Fraunce which was wont to say that he knew neuer a latine sentence but this one Qui nescit dissimulare nescit regnare He that can not skil to dissemble can not skil to be a King. But Pibrace the aduocate of the FinaÌ„ces made a short oration the summe whereof was to this effecte that although the King hadde iust and great cause to be displeased yet he thought it more agréeable with his maiesties clemencie and goodnesse to make an ende of the slaughters and common spoyle and not to suffer such outrages to be any longer committed without iudiciall procéeding in the cause and besought his maiestie that from thenceforth it would please him to vse the lawe which is well knowne to be the onely stablishment of kingdomes and Empires and that there had bene already giuen to the commonaltie too perillous an example to followe An arrest of ParliameÌ„t with the Kings royall assent being made to that effect there were immediately Haroldes and trumpeters sent rouÌ„d about all the towne and an Edict proclaimed in the Kings name that from thenceforth the slaughters and common butcherly murtherings should ceasse and that all persons should abstainc from pillage and robberie This being knowne there were diuers speaches vsed of this matter throughout the town and specially of learned meÌ„ The most part sayd that they had read many histories but in all memorie of all ages they neuer heard of any such thing as this They coÌ„pared this case with the horrible doings of King Mithridates which with one messenger and with the aduertisement of one letter caused a hundreth and fiftie thousand Romaines to be slaine Some coÌ„pared it with the doing of Peter of Arragone which slewe eight thousand Frenchmen in Sicile which Isle they had surprised in his absence But yet this difference appeared betwene those cases and this that those Kings had exercised their crueltie vpon foreins and strangers but this King had done his outrage vpon his owne subiectes being yelded not so much to his power as to his faith and credit Those Kings were bound by no promise but such as was giuen to the strangers themselues this King was with newe made league bound to the kings and Princes his neighbors to kepe the peace that he had sworne Those kings vsed no guilefull meanes vnworthie for the maiestie of a King to deceyue this king for a baite and allurement abused the mariage of his owne sister and in a manner besprinkled hir wedding robe with bloud Which dishonor and indignitie no posteritie of all ages can forget Some againe discoursed that though this cruell aduise semed to many Courtiers to haue bene profitable yet not onely the honor of a King but also the estimation and good fame of the whole nation was against that shewe of profit They alleaged how Aristides did openly in the audience of all the people reiect the counsell of Themistocles coÌ„cerning the burning of the Lacedemonians nauie although it must needes haue followed that the power of the Lacedemonians their enimies should therby haue bene vtterly weakened â–ª Fuâ—… Camillus receyued not the children of the chief Lords of the Phalice betrayed to him by their schoolemaister but stripped him naked and deliuered him to be whipped home with rods by the same children Pausanias hath left it reported that the posteritie of Philip of Macedon fell into most great calamities for this cause that he was wont to set light by the reuerend conscience of an oth and his faith giuen in leagues Some cited the lawe of the twelue tables Si patronus clienti fraudem facit sacer esto If the patrone or soueraigne defraude his client or vassall be he out of protection They disputed also that like faith as the vassal oweth to his Lord the Lord oweth also to his vassall and for what causes and for what fellonies the vassal loseth his tenancie for the same causes and fellonies the Lord loseth his seigniorie Some said that the right hand in auncient time was called the pledge of the faith of a King and that this if a King shall despise there is no communion of right with him and he is no more to be accounted a king neither of his owne subiects nor of straungers Kingly vertues in tymes past haue bene reported to be these iustice gentlenesse and clemencie but crueltie and outrage haue euer bene dispraised both in all persons and specially in princes Scipio hath in all ages bene praysed who was wont to say that he had rather saue one citizen than kill a thousand enimies whiche sentence Antoninus the Emperor surnamed Pius the kinde or vertuous did oft repeate It was a most shamefull byworde of yong Tyberius to be called clay tempered with bloud They sayd also that kings haue power of life and death ouer their subiects but not without hearing the cause and iudicial proccding that there cannot be alleaged a greater authoritie than the Dictators had at Rome in whome was the soueraigne power of peace and warre of life and death and without appeale yet was it not lawfull for them to execute a citizen his cause vnheard Only théeues and murderers take away mens liues without order of lawe and hearing their cause Who can doubt said they but that this so great outrage so great sheading of ChristiaÌ„ bloud is the frute of the curssed life of the courtiers For said they now throughout al Fraunce whoredom loose leudnesse of life are so frée vsual the now the most part of the women of Fraunce séeme to be in manner common and â–ª the wicked blasphemies and continuall execrations and dishonorings of Gods most holye name and maiestie are suche as God can not longer beare And true it is though incredible among forein Nations that the Catholikes of France haue prescribed themselues this for a special mark to be knowne from other men that at euery thirde word they blasphemously sweare by the head death bloud and bellie of God and wonderfull it is that the King himselfe is so muche delighted in this custome of swearing and blaspheming and this as it were a pestilent infection is spred abroade and common among the very plowmeÌ„ and peysants so as none
it that they were deliuered before their time And out of the Courte of the goale called the Archbyshops pryson the bloude was séene in the broade day light to the great aâ—…orring and feare of many that behelde it runne warme â–ª and smoking into the nexte streats of the town and so down into the Ryuer of Sene. There was in that same Archbyshops pryson an aged man called Francis Collut a Marchaunt of cappes and two yong men his sonnes whome he had euer caused diligently to â—…e taught and instructed in Religion WheÌ„ he saw the butchers come toward him with their Axes he began to exhort his children not to refuse the death offred by Gâ—…d For sayd he it is the perpetual destenie of religioÌ„ that often such sacrâ—…ices do betide in ChristiaÌ„ Churches Christians in al ages haue euer â—…in for euer to the worlds end so shal be as shepe amoÌ„g wolues doues among Hawks sacrifices among priests TheÌ„ the old father embraced hâ—… two yong sonnes lying flat on the ground with theÌ„ crying aloud vpoÌ„ the mercy of God was with mâ—…ny wounds â—…oth he his sonnes slaughtered by those butchers long tyme afterward their thrée bodies hard knit togither yelded a piteous spectacle to many that behelde them In the meane time Mandelot in iest and scorne as it séemed caused to be proclaimed by the cryer that no man should committe any â—…laughter in the town that if any would detecte the doers of any such slaughter he would giue him a huÌ„dreth crowns in reward for his information And froÌ„ that time they ceassed not to kil to rob to spoyle The next day after which was the first of September the greatest part of the deade bodies were thrown into the riuer of Sene and the rest of theÌ„ Mandelot to féede glut his eyes heart with bloud caused to be caried by boat to the other side of the water there to be thrown down vpoÌ„ the grene grasse near vnto the Abbey called Esne There the people of Lions specially the Italians of whome by reason of the Marte there is great store in the towne satisfied their eyes a while did such spites as they could to those heapes of carcases so exercised their crueltie not vpon the lyuing onely but also vpon the deade And there hapned one thing which for the abhominable crueltie is not to be omitted There came to that spectacle certaine Apothecaries amoÌ„g those bodies they perceiued some very fat ones by by they went to the butchers told them that they did vse to make certeÌ„ special medicines of maÌ„s greace that they might make and profit therof Which as sone as the butchers vnderstoode they ran to the heapes chose out the fattest and launced them with their kniues and pulled out the fat and solde it for money to the Apothecaries While these thinges were doing at Lions the King being enformed that diuers of the religion had left their wiues children and were fled out of the other townes and lurked some in the woods and some among their friendes such as toke pitie on them he practised with â—…aire wordes to allure aâ—…d cal them home againe He sent to euery part messaÌ„gers letters affirming that he was highly displesed with those slaughters horrible butcheries that he would that suche crueltie shuld be seuerely punished if the Admiral with a few of his confederates had entred into any secrete practise it was no reason that so many innocents should beare the punishment due to a fewe Many swetely beguiled wyth these wordes of the King and with the letters of the gouernours retired home againe to their dwellings and houses specially they of Rhoan Diepe and Tholouse There were scant two dayes passed when they were againe commaunded to pryson where they were all shutte vp Then were murderers a newe appoynted of the most base and rascall of the people to torment them with all kinde of torture and then to slay them And throughout the whole realme of France for thirtie dayes togither there was no ende of killing slaying and robbing so that at this day there are about a hundreth thousande little babes widowes and children that were wel borne that nowe fatherlesse and motherlesse liue wandering and in beggerie About this time the King caused to be proclaymed that such as had any office or place of charge vnlesse they would spedily return to the Catholike apostolike and Romish Church should giue ouer those their temporall roomes There was no towne nor any so small a village or hamlet wherein all the professors of the Religion were compelled either to goe to Masse or presently to take the sworde into their bosomes and in many places it happened that such as being amazed with the sodainenesse of the matter had abiured their Religion yet notwithstanding were afterwarde slayne And while these things were still in doing yet the King in the meane while sent abroade his letters and messages into all partes and caused to be proclaimed with trumpet that his pleasure was that the Edictes of pacification shuld be obserued and although they coulde not haue fréedome to vse and exercise their Religion in open places yet they should haue libertie permitted them to retaine and professe it within their owne houses and that no man should 〈◊〉 with or disturbe the goodes and possessions of those of the Religion And the same Kyng which but fewe dayes before hadde by letters directed to all the gouernours of his Prouinces signified that his cousin the Admirall was slaine by the Duke of Guise to his great sorrow and that himselfe was in great daunger the same Kyng I say nowe caused it wyth sounde of trumpet to be proclaimed that the traiterous and wicked Admirall was slayne by his will and commaundement He that in fewe dayes before had by new authoritie confirmed the libertie of Religion permitted by his Edicts of pacification the same Kyng did now not onely take from the professors thereof their offices and honours but also prescribed them in precise forme of wordes a forme of abiuring and detesting their Religion Which things least any man should doubt of we shal hereafter set downe the very true copies of the said Letters Edicts Abiurations THE KINGS LETTERS to the Gouernours of Burgundie vvhereby he chargeth those of the house of Guise for the murther committed vpon the Admiralles person and for the sedition vvhich hapned at Paris and commaundeth that the Edicte of Pacification shoulde be kept and reteyned COVSIN YOV HAVE PERCEYued what I wrote vnto you yesterdaye concerning my Cousin the Admiralles wounding and howe readie I was to doe my endeuour to search out the truth of the deed and to punishe it wherin nothing was lefte vndone or forgotten But it happened since that they of the house of Guise and other Lordes and Gentlemen their adherentes whereof there bee no small number in this Citie when they certaynly knewe that the
the same in declaring that he commaunded those murders too bee committed hauing also made protestation before that it is too his greate griefe and done by the outrage and violence of those of Guise against whome he was not able to make speedie resistance in tyme as his Maiestie desired And in this quarell wee the Gentlemen Capitaines and other that make you this answere are readie to trie it by combat man to man or otherwise to maintaine the honour of our King against all those that so p◅ophane holye things and as much as in them lyeth doe by such wordes and titles vilainously defile the excellence of his Maiestie and of the noble Princes of his bloude VVhich wee maye right well coniecture and estimate by the slaughters that are yet in doing as well in the towne of Paris as else where vpon so manye noblemen gentlemen and other men women and children and vpon a greate number of yong scholars the maintenance vnder God of Realmes and common weales in time to come and by many other barbarous vnnaturall and vnmanly actes generally committed VVe think therfore and iudge that herein treason is enterprised against the person of his Mai◅stie and of my Lords his brethren and that the Guisians meane to inuade the Crowne of the Realme as they haue of long tyme practised and how so euer it be we say that his Maiestie is forced by the power that they haue taken vpon them and vsurped by meane of the rebellious stirre of the commons of Paris As for that which they saye that the Admirall and those of the Religion had conspired against the Kings Maiestie and his brethren these be allegations of as greate truth and of as good likelyhoode as their maner of proceeding in Iustice hath bene orderly beginning at execution before examination of the fact But it is now no neede to tarrie for tyme too discouer it for the matter is plain to bee seen with eye and groped with hand and all those of the Romishe Religion that haue remaining any droppe of nature of man doe confesse it and holde downe their heads for shame cursing both with hart and mouth the cruel executers of this abhominable enterprise and the wicked disturbers of common quiet which can yet no more suffer than they hetherto haue done that this poore Realme shoulde long enioye the benefite of that peace which the King alone next vnder God had wisely caused to be made and to bee accordingly obserued whereof this Realme began to feele the good taste to the greate contentement of all persons except the enimies of peace and of this Realme namely the Guisians Finally when his Maiestie being out of their handes and power shall declare what is his pleasure wee will endeuour vs to obey him in all things wherin our consciences which are dedicate to God alone shall not be wounded in which case wee will rather forsake the earth than heauen and our frayle and transitorie houses rather than the heauenly mansions But hetherto the lawe of nature and the duetie that we owe to our naturall Prince to the preseruation of his Crowne and to the safetie of our lyues oure wiues and children doth commaund vs to stand vpon our garde and not to put vs in the mercie of those that haue receyued the same bloudy commission from the Guisians vnder the pretended name of the King to vse vs in the same manner as they haue wickedly tr◅itorously and vnnaturally done to those about his Maiestie and as it were vnder his wings and vnder the skirtes of his robe which the traitors strangers haue stained with the true French bloud without that his Maiestie hath bene able to remedie it nor too staye their cursed at◅emptes so much lesse is he able now so farre off to defend vs as he would which his Maiesties good wil being knowne vnto vs doth arme vs for our defence and for the safegarde of our liues and of the priuileges which he hath giuen vs vntil such tyme as he shall be able by himself to defend vs against his enimies and ours FINIS Iohn Sleidan Iacobs slaughter at Paris Newe deuises to abolishe the Gospell The tumult of Ambaxian The king◅ Edict of pardō Sodeine alteration by the death of king Fraunces The Kings Edict cōmonly called the Edict of Ianuarye The name of Lutheranes Geneua a sanctuarie for the godly Great persecution in the Church of Paris Anno domini ▪ 1557. Wicked slaunders deuised against the faithfull Duke Arscotus a Brabantine An apologie for the faithful captiues The arrogant threatnings of the Constable Anno domini 1558. Certayne examples of Gods vengeance shewed vppon diuers persecutors of the Church Persecution stayed for a time Examples of iniuries done to the faithful 16. leafe The fruites of the sermons of the Papistes The parliament at Paris Foixius The first synode of the Churches of Fraunce The summe of the letters of the Princes of Germanie sent to the King. Annas Burgaeus examined condemned and iudged to dye The death of king Henrie The summe of the confession of Burgens A comparison betvvene the doctrine of the Gospell and the Romishe doctrine 2. Thes. 2. 3. The sentēce of death against Burgaus By the tyrant Phalaris he meaneth the Cardinall of Loraine Great afflictiō of the Church after the death of king Hērie An example of two false brethren Grieuous affliction Margaret Riche The descriptiō of the tumult of Ambaxia Villemongius he Kings ◅rs of par◅n Spirituall ◅ guenotes a Temporall Huguenote The names of Princes did not appertaine to the Guises in the kingdome of Frāce Afflictions after a sort cease A description of the Scotres warre for Religion Calabria a countrie ioyning to Naples The Scripture The worde The three Credes The Trinitie Man. Originall sin ▪ Election Christ. God and man. Two natures in Christ. The death of Christ. The Sacrifice of Christ. Remission of Sinnes Faith. The grace of the holy gost Newnesse of lyfe Good works The figures of the law The doctrine of the law One onely aduocate Intercession of saintes Purgatory Ecclesiasticall discipline The vnitie of the Church What the Church is The Papacy Discipline of the Church The lawful election of mi nisters Excommunication Sacraments Baptisme The Lords Supper Magistrates The supplications of the faithfull deliuered by the Admiral to the King. The sentence of the Bishop of Valentia Bishops of Rome Lawyers Bishop◅ Curates He speaketh to Queenes namely to the Kings mother and the Kings wife The singing of Psalmes The seconde remedie to appease troubles The example of the kings Carolus Magnus and Lodowicke The Gospell of diuers men diuersly receyued With what weapons in time past the Bishops resisted heretikes The oration of the Bishop of Vienna Two pillers of the kingdome The office of a King A Tyrant Religion Why a generall Councell is not to be looked for A Parliament The controuersie betwene Charles the v. and Pope Clement Forewarnings of delolation to come Couetousnes the Babilonicall beast Math.
we think also that the manifest true knowlege of these thinges is loked for of many meÌ„ of forein nations that the first beginnings of those things in these our Commentaries shal not be read of them without some frute Neither do we dout but that many when they haue gotten peace and tranquilitie after troubles will behold our miseries not as thoughe thei themselues were quite out of danger of the like but being moued with the féeling of our afflictions will truly bewaile our estate For whose sake also we haue writteÌ„ these things in Latin that they by some means at the least may be generally vnderstoode of all those which séeke the glorye of God and the preseruation of his Church â–ª Wherfore we trust if we be accused of rashnes as though we had vnaduisedly set forth these things which should haue bin deferred till more conuenient and better occasions wée haue to answere for our selues and to make vs cleare from that faulte For if in a matter commendable and deseruing praise simple and small diligence ought not to be blamed this may be a iuste defence for vs against learned and indifferent meÌ„ namely to wil is sufficieÌ„t in matters of weight It shal be no reproch or shame to vs at all that there be controllers of a learned perfect story But this is the summe of our whole desire that the very truth of those things which were done in Fraunce for religion might be knowne to all men as what is the goodnesse of the cause of the Faithfull and true churches and what is the iniquitie and iniustice of their aduersaries Let al meÌ„ know for a suretie that the Churches of France are not guiltie of sedition and rebellion but are so called by the enimies of the truth and pure doctrine for defending the libertie of the Gospell Let all men know that many thousandes of faithfull Christians being spoyled of their goodes haue like banished meÌ„ forsaken their houses and countrey let them knowe that by warre and by other meanes they haue become true martyrs and by the fraude and deceyte of the Antichristian Guyses are dayly martyred who violating and breaking the moste strayte lawe and faith of promises haue abused the kings name and authoritie to exercise their tirannie and wickednesse To be shorte let al men know that Fraunce is falne into these ciuil wars through the wickednesse of aliens not through the fault of the faithfull Moreouer gentle Reader whiche desirest to be satisfyed in the truth we testifie and affirme thus muche for our selues that we haue written all things truly simply and vprightly without anye manner of parcialitie not gathering any thing by rumours or reportes but by certaine and vndoubted arguments in so much that we are not afrayde to appeale to those that are yet alyue as too eye witnesses yea and to the very time it selfe Farewell â–ª Edward Grant Schoolemaister of VVestminster to the Booke WHo lists to lern the blustring broyles fraÌ„ticke fumes of France The troublous times in three kings raignes that dolefully did chauÌ„ce May here suruey a perfect platt of pageants plaide in vewe That will enforce eche Christian harte most ruthfully to rue To see and heare the true discourse of superstitious tymes That shattered pure Religion with spytefull cankred crimes VVhere errour blind and ignorance true Christians did suppresse And armed all her lungish loutes the godly to distresse To rage and fume against the Church that lurking lay in feare VVith spitefull hate and infamies of those that did it teare Christes faithfull spouse not suffered through furious foes to shine Through rancour lodgd in Princes heads that did from truth decline Gods chosen sheep and vassals true raisd vp to doe his will In puritie him for to serue proud papistes sought to spill Their throates to cut their heades to poll their corpes in fier to caste That to Gods pure Religion came flocking wondrous faste Some choackt with gibbets gabbet at some murdred spitefully Some stabbed in with goting blades and daggers wilfully And all for hating Romish rytes and Belials bragging broode For cleauing to the Chrrstian church that sore astonyed stoode Among the superstitious troupes of Antichristian foes Starke blinded with the Popes delights behedgd with wailsul woes Starte vp some chosen chieftaines stoute of Christes disperpled band That did defie such beggeries in Fraunce that famous lande â–ª VVhich few at first did more allure vnto their sacred sawes To serue the Lord in Hymnes and songes according to his lawes And secretly to pray and preache to set foorth his dew prayse In corners and in hidden holes for feare his trueth to rayse Vntill the rage of hellish hagges the common blinded crew Dyd spye and spite their godly wayes and many of them slew Accused them as Lutherans before the Peeâ—…es and Kings Of Luther that reuin'd the same with fond inuented things Hereof came sectes and taking partes the people censt with rage By might mayntaynd did spoyle the iust the godly â–ª and the sage Edictes were made to staye such broyles and Parliaments were held To let the faithfull be at rest but yet the enemie sweld And daily raged more and more till faithfull did encrease And this reform'd Religion some noble minds did please VVhom God raisde vp to ayde his flocke his chosen sheep to garde Against th â–ª assault of waspishe wolues when their loud cryes he hard For whose defence rose ciuill warres and many a bloudy day The Popish crewe by force did seeke Christes pacient sheepe too slay To roote out this Religion that planted lurking lay And feared not the skalding threates of th' antichristian route But paciently abyde the crosse of Christ with courage stout Though Antichrist the Popes proud grace did rage and fume his fill And all his cankred Cardinals did ioy their bloud to spill They dread not all the Guisian gardes that fierce and mighty be And perfecutors of the trueth that pyne and poute to fee Such valiaunt Captaynes of Christes bande that doe the truth defend And with the gaging of their bloud their frendly ayd doe lend A princely part here Conde playd a prince replet with grace And all his house trew Souldiours stoode the trueth still to embrace Burgeus suffred losse of lyfe and feared not the fier For Gospels sake and truthes defence a lew of his desire Suruey his lyfe and trayning vp his constant faythfull harte His zeale and stout confession he playd a martyrs parte Chatillon shrinke not here a whit a chieftane of the troupe Of Gods dispersed faithfull flocke that made their foes to stoupe Three tymes for this rife ciuill warr the papistes shewd their spight The true and trustie protestants stood stoutly in the right Their cause they manfully mayntaynd Christ Iesus was their shield Sometimes thei foyld their fretting foes that gainst them rose in field Some Nobles slayn and valiant Knights cast downe before their time And all in fence of Christ his cause accused thus
of crime Some goard with sword some choackt with rope some battred down There many pareÌ„ts wer dispoild of their beloued sonnes Their tongâ—… cut out wheÌ„ they shold dye for feare that they shold speak with guns And more entyse vnto their god that alwayes aydes the weake Oh Fraunce thou famous realm before and eke most populous place Thou art dispeopled wasted tourne thy owne doe thee deface Thy Cities cract thy Townes bereft thy men and nobles rackt Thy faythful subiects burnt and slaine thy welth and strength is sackt Ah pity pity for to heare how altered is thy state Through tyrannous popish cruel carles that Christ his truth did hate The Lord hath iustly plagued thee for so defacing his VVho in the end will ayd his flocke thou maist be sure of this If euer land might loth her lucke and lamed lowring state Fraunce thou hast cause for to deplore and waile thy cruell fate One of thy owne a pearle of thyne by learned treaties loo And true discourse thy mangled state le ts all the world to kno Thy Ramus here thy Phoenix France thy worthy learned clarke In volumes three conioind displaces thy broiles that he did marke And like a good and natrall child lest thinges should be forgot Hath painefully here pend thy brunts that do thy glory blot And like enough through cruell spite for these his learned paines Among the Popish crew of late dasht out was Ramus braines VVhose death ech scholler may bewaile for learning had a fall VVhen Ramus fell replet with skill thy chiefest clarke of all VVhat chief in France some may obiect ther liueth better still If I haue mist I pardon craue I speake it for good will. That I did learned Ramus lend for his sure grounded skill In learnings lore who for because he wrote in Latin stile VVhich only learned vnderstand well pew'rd with learnings file â–ª Tymme truly hath disrobed him of all his Romane tier And decked him in English clothes with zelous good desire To profit all his countrie men that they may see and vew The stormie tempestes of the French and partes of Popish crew The whole three volumes painfully Tymme hath absolued here And offers them vnto thy sight at last good Reader dere VVhich doth conteine the Ciuill warres or true Religions cause The spights of Papists that repind against Gods sacred lawes VVorthy the sight worthy the vew a mirror to beholde Of Gods elect of tirants fell of Papistes proude and bolde How God his chosen Church doth saue among her perillous foes And cancred cursed currishe kind that it oppresse with woes Therfore good Reader here embrace the founder of this frame And honor Ramus painfull pen the author of the same Giue Tym that Tymme doth wel deserue for Englishing this for thee VVhose paines do merit worthy praise let praise then be his see And waile the wracke of frushed France and giue God hâ—…rtie thanks That hath preseru'd this Royall realme froÌ„ such proud popish pranks FINIS Robertus Rollus in Historiam de Gallicae Ecclesiae statu recens editam UExata est olim priscis Ecclesia seclis Carceribus flagris ignibus ense cruce Haud minor est hodie cedes tu Gallia testis â–ª Sis dudum paribus sanguinolenta modis Qui fidei nuper multis fulsere magistri Prôh pudor indignam sustinuere necem Quoque magis possent inceptum absoluere factum Nullum papicola preteriere scelus Penè datur sceleri lex hoc qui credere posset Vix est tale nephas vnus alter erit Ante erat historia hec libris quasi manca duobus Nunc prodit numeris vndique plena suis. Si authorem spectes plena est si rem quota pars est â–ª Omnia nam tangi tempora nostra vetant Ascraei verba illa senis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quà m sunt huîc mirè consona dicta libro Nempe haec quae legimus quasi dimidiata supersunt Et quasi de domini clade relicta sui Quaeque modò aspicimus librisque notata videmus Debemus scriptis Rame deserte tuis Sed neque Tymme tua merita fraudabere laude Cuique oneris pars est pars honôris erit Τελοσ The summe of those things which are contained in these three first bookes of Commentaries IN these thrée first bookes of Commentaries we comprehende the space of foure yeares namely from the yeare 1557. vnto the yeare 1562. which was in the first motions of the ciuill warres beginning at that time which seemeth to be most fitte for this purpose the matter so aptly offering itselfe that we may very néere begin at the same time in the which Iohn Sleidan that learned man left and ended his Commentaries concerning the state of the CoÌ„mon welth and Religion First of all we set forth that great destruction and losse of men which is commonly called by the vulgar people Iacobs slaughter which séemed wholy to deface not onely the Church of Paris but also the Churches of Fraunce being now as it were but in the swadling clothes then we shew what cruell afflictions came at that time vpon the faithfull what the aduersaries did then and what our men also did We declare also that while newe deuises and practises are sought for to abolishe the Gospell quite nowe beginning to growe in Fraunce the whole kingdome being moued and troubled with newe threatenings of Edictes and punishmentes and the kings of Fraunce and Spaine being nowe in councell concerning this matter in the very league euen in the middest of their consultation when a scourge was a preparing for the Church by the solemnitie of mariage eueÌ„ at that time came the sodeine death of Henrie the king of all men vnlooked for Then howe the â—…uises had the gouernement of the Realme during the time of the nonage of king Fraunces the second how Annas Burgaeus a noble Senatour of the Parliament of Paris at that time was cruelly burned and what other persecutions there were also among which persecutions how the tumult of Ambaxian chaunced the causes and effectes whereof shall be declared After this the solemne assemblies had at the kings house at Fontisbellaquaeum to mitigate the tumultes who agréed to call a Parliament and a Nationall Councell or Conuocation to stay the controuersies of Religion of the which also we will intreate in order Also howe the king set forth an Edict promising them to forget and forgiue all former offences committed for Religions sake Then how the Guises went about to subuert and extinguish the Gospell coacting an assemblie to be made at Aurelias for the same purpose howe the deathes of the king of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde were conspired the tumult and trouble of Ambaxian being maliciously and falslye layde to their charge But while the Prince of Conde was straitly imprisoned and his death a preparing we will shew howe the sodeine death of king Fraunces the seconde happened to the great amasing
euery man could not haue a prisoÌ„ by himself that some of them were thrust togither into one prisoÌ„ so it came to passe that one of theÌ„ receiued comfort of another in somuch that the prison in the which they were souÌ„ded with the prayers Psalmes vttered song by them But to make these men the more to be hated diuers rumors were euery where spred namely that the Lutherans did assemble themselues togither in the night and being on a heape togither without candle light did fulfill their wandring lusts one with another killed their yong infants and committed other wickednesses The Monkes they made exclamation of this thing in euery place to inflame the people to reuenge the same And not only the common sort of people were stayed with these rumors but the same also of these things came eueÌ„ to the eares of the Péeres of the realm in so much that one of the Inquisitors or Commissioners durst auouch before the King that Tables spred and great prouision of daintie cheare was founde in that place where the faythfull had assembled themselues The which report so inflamed the Kings minde that he sought nothing more than the destruction of the faithfull yea and the mindes of all men did so boyle in hatred against them that he thought himselfe to excell that coulde best conspire the death and destruction of the faithfull At the last a coÌ„maundement was giuen by the king that some méete man should be chosen to knowe consider their causes which were taken Nowe at Paris there was a Magistrate a Citizen called Munerius a man as it was commonlye reported verye apt for all maner of fraude and deceyte At thys time this Munerius was as a Batte in the night and did seldome openly shewe himselfe bicause he was accused of falshood in the matter of the Countesse of Senigana or Seniguen the which he pretended to haue committed that Duke Arscotus who was then takeÌ„ and in hold might escape Notwithstanding to this man this office was committed And bicause by this meanes he hoped to haue pardon and shoulde be restored to his former dignitie he was so forward in his businesse that within fewe dayes many of their causes which were taken prisoners were brought to haue sentence and iudgement In the meane time those reliques which remayned behinde of that vaste and great shipwracke of the faithfull were cast into great distresse and sorrowe notwithstanding they thought it not good to faynt or quayle in those extremities For they which were the chiefe gouernours of the Church went about euery mans house exhorted euery one to be of good chéere perswaded that nothing had happened without the singuler prouidence of God by which also it came to passe that many escaped that daunger moreouer they sayd that they remained to defende the other partes of the Church which were left and that this calamitie shoulde not be the ruine and quite ouerthrow of the Church and on the other side that the same is the waye to increase and inlarge the Church which God both by his word hath shewed and also by experience approued for the gathering togither of the Church And thus when they had exhorted and comforted one another and had committed themselues and all things else to the prouidence of God first of al they appoynted that in euery house there should be extraordinary praiers made and that those faâ—…e rumors shoulde be put away by Apollogies and aunsweres of defence and also that the brethren which were taken should be confirmed and strengthned so often as might be with letters and also with wordes Therefore they write letters vnto the king and bring to passe to haue them caried secretly into the Kings chamber by which they ment to pacifie the kings minde to remooue the same from the euill opinion which it had conceyued of them and to obtaine the hearing of their cause They affirme in their letters that they are falsly accused and slaundered with such slaunders as are not newly deuised but with such as long before had bene obiected agaynst the Church by which Satan went about to make Kinges and Princes to hate the same and are now againe put forth by those only which desire to haue the truth oppressed to the ende they may fréely enioy the riches and goods which they haue vsurped and wrongfully gotten by wicked deceit And that be ought to séeke to haue sure and vndoubted proues of euery matter specially in businesse of so great weight For if it were sufficient to condemnation to accuse who shoulde then escape an innocent Wherfore if he would vouchsafe diligently to search out the truth of this matter it shoulde well appeare that they assembled themselues togither for no other ende and purpose than to praye vnto God for his prosperitie and the peace of the kingdome Also that their doctrine did not maintaine sedition neyther was an enimye to the obedience of Magistrates the which thing they had alway hitherto shewed neuer refusing to obey although they were many in number when they were euill intreated onely for following the worde of god And that thys was their onely desire that Christ might appeare to be the chiefe and heade alone and that the inuentions of men being abrogated God might be obeyed and serued according to his prescript will. Wherefore if it woulde please him to vnderstande their cause he might if he woulde make some publike disputation betwéene some one of those that were in prison and the Sorbonistes or others which might dispute of those things now in controuersie In the ende they doe pray and humbly beséech him that he woulde not suffer the innocencie of good men their cause not being hearde to be condemned séeing that wicked men and such as do most déepely transgresse obtain so much libertie as to shew their cause and aunswere for theÌ„selues These letters were read before the king and those also which were then present but small fruite or profite came thereby certaine of the Cardinals then crying that they were lyes and tales so that notwithstanding their reasonable suite and request they had not so much graunted vnto them as libertie to aunswere for themselues After this there was yet another letter sent to the king the effect wherof was that all men did confesse that these calamities with the which the christian coÌ„mon welth was vexed procéeded of the iust iudgement of God being offended that so many he resies and corruptions shoulde take place But the greatest offence to consist in this thing namely that none of those to whome the care and charge of the Common welth was committed had any regarde at all to discerne heretiques by the worde of God from Christian maintayners of the truth And yet notwithstanding that it did belong vnto the King to applie himselfe to know this thing according to the example of the good Kings Ezechias and losias And after certaine notes put downe of true and false religion
the Church a Lutherane a Lutherane when the people hearde this they fell streight way vpon him and pursued him into the temple whither at the length he fled as to a sanctuarie and place of refuge A certaine Noble man by chaunce passing through the Church with his brother with him who was a Priest and hearing that the people were about to kill a man ranne in all the haste vnto them and sought by gentle wordes to turne the mindes of the people from their wicked purpose that therby he might deliuer the man out of their handes But a certaine Masse priest crieth out saying that he was the man whome they sought for being one that durst take vpon him to defend a Lutherane at the hearing whereof the people run vpon the Noble man vsing violence and at the first beating him with their fists The Noble mans brother which was with him began to intreate for him but the people were more vehement and madde by his intreatie insomuch that they bring them both violently out of the temple least it shoulde be defiled with bloude or prophaned One of these two namely the Noble man being stronger and better able to shift for himselfe than the other escaped their handes and fled into the Curates or Parishe Priestes house harde by The other which was as we saide before a Priest was not so soone out of the Church but he was thrust through with a dagger of the which he being nowe lyke to die calleth vpon Saints and desireth to be confessed of his sinnes whereby it might haue appeared of what religion he was and at the length being wounded with other strokes he was quite dispatched of lyse And yet this stayed not their rage and madnesse for when he was starke deade they did all to bemangle and cut his deade carcas yea and some of them thrusting their handes into the gréene woundes did afterwardes bragge that they had dipped their handes in the bloude This man being thus dispatched they beset the house of the Parishe Priest rounde about least the other brother shoulde escape awaye being fledde thither as is sayde before for succour and defence saying that they woulde offer the like violence to the Magistrate yea and to the King himselfe if so be he woulde helpe a Lutherane But at the length the night comming they forsooke their siege and so the noble man escaped Not long before this tyme there happened another thing which also I thought good here to insert There was a certayne Sorboniste or Popishe Doctor whome men called the Soule of Picardie This fellowe was a famous blower forth and moouer of sedition being oftentimes verye vehement to inflame the people against the Lutheranes perswading them that it was a verye good and acceptable worke before God to shedde the bloude of the Lutheranes and that they shoulde no lesse deserue at his handes thereby than did the children of Israel in slaying the Idolatrâ—…us Cananaeans adding moreouer that in so doing the handes of the godly Catholikes should be consecrated and hallowed Therefore as this man on a time was preaching to the people a certaine deuout man which canie to heate his sermon vpon some occasion or coÌ„ceite that he had in his mind laughed vnto his fellow that late next vnto him The which an old womaÌ„ there present saw who criâ—…d that there was a Lutherane in the Church which did deride laugh the preacher to scorne When the multitude that were there assembled hearde this they sodenly start vp reasoning no further of the matter they drew the man out of the temple putting forth his eyes and pashing forth his braynes most cruelly flew him These were the fruits of these seditious sermons preached by the Sorbonistes and Papisticall Doctors The faithfull being thus miserably handled were accused to the King and to all the people of sedition and were accounted and taken for seditious persons About this time also Andelotius the brother of the Admirall Castillion or Shaâ—…ilion was taken for religion and put in holde by this occasion At what time intreatie was made for peace betwéene the Kinges of Fraunce and Spayne Granuellus Bishoppe of Atrebateâ—…sis or Artois made complaynt to the Cardinal of Loraine for these were the Ambassadours betwene both Kings that Fraunce was greatly infected with Lutheranes in so much that the Noble men of the Realme also were polluted therewith among whom he said that Andelotius had sent a booke to his brother the Admirall in the which booke he did grieuously condemne the Masse the which talke and communication was caried by the same Cardinall of Loraâ—…e to Henrie King of Fraunce and Fraunces Duke of Guise going with an armie to Thionuilla sayde vnto the King that he did not looke to haue prosperous successe of his armie if Andelotius were Generall of the footemen which charge in déede was before committed vnto him When the King hearde this being desirous to retayne the friendship of the Constable he commaundeth the Admiral CastillioÌ„ brother to Andelotius and Marescallus Momorencius to perswade Andelotius that he shoulde giue vnto him a reuerent aunswere concerning the Masse The King as hée was instructed by the Cardinall of Loraine demandeth of Andelotius what he thought of the Masse To the which question he answereth fréely saying Wheras the Masse is called a sacrifice for the quick the dead which only belongeth to the sacrifice of Christ being once offred for all and neuer to be offered againe I think that it is a detestable Idol fained by the brain inuentioÌ„ of men The King hearing this aunswere tooke it in very euill part and being angrye forbad him his presence and commaunded that he shoulde be put in warde and another to be made Generall of the footemen in his steade But after the returne home againe of the Constable Andelotius was restored to his former office and reconciled into the sauour of the King againe At the length the peace before spoken of was concluded betwéene the two Kings the chiefe and speciall point of the which peace was that the two Kings should procure forthwith a generall Councell to be holden to the rooting vppe and destroying of heresies It was reported among the coÌ„mon sort of people that the Kings made a peace to this end that they might ioyne in force togither to warre against the Lutheranes who mightilye increased dailye in both their Realmes They were greatly confirmed in these opinions by the Cardinall of Loraine and also by Granuellus Bishop of Atrebatensis â–ª commoÌ„ly called Artois who within a while after was made a Cardinall by the Pope Notwithstanding the number of the Lutheranes newly increased from day to daye the blame and fault of the which increase was layde vpon the Iudges and specially vpon the Senate of Paris as though they had bene to fauourable in their dealing For the which cause it was apointed that there should be a newe assembly made to consider of the Edict of Castellobrian of the
which we haue spoken before and that they shoulde first of all deale with matters concerning religion The company therfore being asseâ—… â–ª bled called togither the Kings Solicitor propounded vnto them these matters First that there were diuers opinions in matters that coÌ„cerned Religion founde lately in the Senate disagréeing and contrarie one to another as when lome condemned heretikes to be burnt other some woulde not haue them to be burnt but mittigated the paâ—…ne by banishment the which woulde redounde to the reproche and shame of the Senate Wherefore he required that their sentences and iudgements might be conformable and agréeing euer hereafter with the prescript and tenure of the Edictes which appointed the punishments of death The which in déede was the most speedie and readie way to detect those Iudges that were suspected of religion as after truly it came to passe For when euery man fréely vttred his minde and opinion as the custome is there were diuers iudgementes some woulde haue no punishment by death but banishment other some before any thing was determined woulde haue it knowne whether they were heretikes in déede which were counted heretikes Also he sayd that it was the Kings will that heretikes shoulde be punished and the office of the Senate to sée and finde out who they were that were guiltye of heresie And for this cause he willed them to make supplication vnto the King that according to the first article of the peace concluded he woulde cause a lawfull Councell to be assembled to iudge of these controuersies and that they shoulde in the meane time leaue off to punishe But some sayde that it coulde not be hidde but was apparant for all men to beholde what greate corruptions had inuaded the Church and howe néedefull and requisite it was a reformation to be had and that by the worde of God which is the onely rule of veritie and not custome antiquitie or the opinions of men Furthermore they added that there was daunger and therefore great héede to be taken least while they whome they called Lutheranes were condemned Innocentes also shoulde be put to death For say they the Lutheranes as we terme them haue probable reasons to defend their doctrine withall whose life is irreprouable and without blame vsing themselues oftentimes to praye deuoutly and zealously to God as it hath well appeared to the Senate to be short such is their constancie that thereby they shew themselues not to be such maner of men as they are sayde to be among the common sort of people Thus at this time some spake one thing some another howbeit the greatest part would haue either the punishment to be mittigated or else the men to be quite discharged Many feared least this sentence and determination of those that spake in the behalfe of the Lutheranes shoulde take place wherevpon two of the Councell as it is credibly reported namely Egidius and Minardus went to the King and declared the matter wholy vnto him before the Court had concluded what shoulde be done against both lawe and auncient custome saying vnto him that the matter was nowe come to such a straite that great remedie must be prouided for the same otherwise great perturbations and trouble would ensue adding moreouer that the boldenesse of some was such that they durst arrogantly deride the auncient religion and as for the Edicts of the King they made no account of them at all The King being inflamed and greatly stirred with this newes came the next day into the senate where he declared that he hauing now obtained at the handes of God the most excellent benefit of peace confirmed the same with the societie sure knot of matrimonie there waÌ„ted yet one thing which he greatly desired namely the setting of matters coÌ„cerning religion in a good vniforme order for this cause he said that he came into the Court namely to vnderstand both in what state the matter stoode also to coÌ„fort incourage them by his presence And so he signified by the kéeper of the seales that he would haue them to follow that order which they had begon in shewing their opinions Therefore of theÌ„ which resisted some were more colde fearing some subtill practise to be in hand other som notwithstaÌ„ding â–ª spake their fantasies and opinions with no lesse boldnesse than they did before especially concerning the lawfull calling of a CruÌ„cel or Parliament And among others Anoas Burgaeus a man very godly wel learned when he had first of al giueÌ„ thaks vnto God that he had so wrought in the hart of the Prince that he would be a witnesse indifferent Iudge of so weightie a matter and when he had exhorted the King to bend his minde and giue good eare to so great vrgent cause being in deede the cause of our Lord Iesus Christ which â—…ught to be defended by the patrocinie garde of Kings very boldly and fréely vttered his minde affirming at the length that he dâ—…d wholy giue his coÌ„sent agrée that there should be a couÌ„cel called that the punishments then vsed toward the Lutheranes for that time should surcease Others also after him affirmed the like When the King had heard thefe men he making first his preamble said that to his griefe and sorow he saw corruption to be crept in eueÌ„ into his Court being very sorie that any of his Nobles should be stayned therwith the good he knew as for the others he said he wold â–ª so punish that he would therby extirpe quite pull vp by â–ª the rootes that mischief which was now a growing These threatnings ended talking a while with those that stoode with him he coÌ„mauÌ„ded that Annas Burgaeus Lodouicus Faurus should be takeÌ„ y which his coÌ„mandement was streightway executed by MoÌ„gomerie Captaine of the Garde After this others also were taken as Fumaeus Foixius many others And those that were of these opinions loking to be handled as they were got theÌ„ out of the citie but afterward they were opeÌ„ly proclaimed About the same time almost a Synode was helde at Paris many ministers of the Churches which were theÌ„ called the reformed Churches being then called togither for thys matter in the which both the doctrine of the faith and also Ecclesiasticall discipline were copiously largely intreated of â–ª truly as the time required the forme of discipline which was alredy appointed which was also afterward by many Synodes and Councels inlarged and examined by the rule of Gods word and the approued â–ª customes of the auncient Church brought much profit all which matters here to declare is not our purpose Howbeit these thinges following were the principall points thereof 1 First it is agreed that the confession of the doctrine which may testifie â–ª the coÌ„mon consent of the Churches be registred to the ende that no straunge opinions craftily be conueyed in 2 That all things be done in order in the Churches 3 That so often
to their confession which latelye they defended might go vntroubled and vnconstreyned to doe anye thyng agaynste their conscience that nothing myght bée deuysed to put them in peryll of lyfe and goodes and that they whiche were in prison myght bée sette at libertie To conclude they affirme that they perceyue that their earnest requestes shall no lesse preuayle with him than the cryings and importunitie of the aduersaries of the truth hath done The which if it come to passe according to their expectatioÌ„ he shall fulfill the commaundement of the sonne of God who specially committeth his Church which he hath redéemed with his most precious bloude to Princes also shall shewe great mercie and compassion and be very beneficiall towardes his subiectes if so be he woulde giue them leaue to inuocate and worship God aright In reknowledging whereof they testifie themselues to be ready and vpon this condicion will constantly avide for euer the Kinges friendes To these letters subscribed the Earle of Palatine the Duke of Saxâ—…nie Marchio of Brandeburge VVolfgangus Earle of Weldentsius and the Duke of Wirtemberge The king when he had suluted the Ambassadours according to the maner and custome maketh a very short aunswere in this forme saying that he will forthwith sende such an aunswere that he trusted thereby sufficiently to satisfie them But notwithstanding the Ambassadours of the Princes were as yet scarcely departed but that the fire of persecution which séemed to be extinguished before by their comming burned the faithfull a freshe Moreouer the causes of those Counsellers who as we sayd before were taken in the Senate of Paris came now in question Iudges also were chosen which shoulde consider the cause of Annas Burgaeus but not indifferent Iudges but such as were great enimies to that which he defended And among others the Bishop of Paris and Demochares the Inquisitor were chosen for this purpose the which Iudges when Burgaeus refused desiring that he might be iudged of the whole felowship and assemblie of the Senate according to the ancient and accustomed lawe of the Senate of Paris he was commaunded by the Kings letters patents to aunswere before those iudges The which letters when he had hearde them red he affirmed that for obedience sake to the King he woulde aunswere otherwise he woulde haue made no aunswere at all therefore they demaunding of him he made aunswere to all those principall points of Popish religion which are at this day in controuersis as to the traditions of the Church to inuocation of Saints to Purgatorie to the Masse and to the rest All the which he dislyking and gaynsaying was at the last condemned by the Bishop of Paris for an heretike and bicause he had taken certayne orders as they call them the same Bishop giueth commaundement that he shoulde be disgraded and so giuen ouer to the secular power The which sentence as it was falslye giuen so Burgaeus appealed from the same to the celestiall Iudge And nowe at this time those outragious stormes of persecution did seeme to beate vpon euery corner of the church of christ The King sent new letters to euery Parliament in the which he commaundeth that the Lutheranes shoulde be most seuerely persecuted Heretofore sayth he in the troublesome time of warres the Lutheranes greatly increased but now that he had inioyed and gotten peace he wold wholy bende himselfe and all his force vtterlye to race and destroy them wherefore he exhorteth them to vse the same diligence in doing the like If they want power and stregth he promiseth that he will prouide for them a bande of souldiers to be redy to ayde theÌ„ at al néede In any wise he willed them not to be colde in their businesse as some began to be for if they were he woulde first begin with them and make them féele the smart of punishment prepared for others Therefore all the Courtes Senates and Assemblies being with this general commauÌ„dement of the King mooued they thunder out and shake â–ª both heauen and earth with newe threatnings and Edicts In the middest of this great distresse and troubles of the faithfull there was great ioye triumph solemnitie and feasting for the peace confirmed betweene the two Kinges by the knot of matrimonie all which ioy and pleasure was by and by sodenly turned into great sorrowe and wo. For King Henrie to solemnise the matrimonie willed a Iusting or running at Tylt to be prepared the which being done and diuers of his Péeres and Nobles armed in a readinesse he himselfe desired among all others to runne against Momgomerie Captaine of his garde who being very loth and vnwilling so to doe was commauÌ„ded earnestly of the King to run against him the King himselfe putting a speare into Momgomeries hande and running togither in a broade way that leadeth to S. Anthonies stréete not farre from the Castell into the which the two Counsellers of whome we spake before were put a péece of one of the Speares or iusting staues by the great force and violence of their running strake the King through the helmet into the eye and so to the brayne wherewith he was sore hurt Then the wounded King after much bléeding was caried into the house called the smal towers Manye men report that he sayde in his greatest griefe and payne that he greatly â—…eared that he had committed wickednesse and done iniurie agaynst his two CouÌ„sellers but the Cardinall of Loraine did labor earnestly to turne his minde from that opinion often crying and inculcating these wordes into his eares The aduersarie of the faith tempteth thee perseuere constantly in the faith The King by the earnest and continuall perswasion of that Cardinall had bene verye cruellye minded and bent against those Counsellers in so much that threatening he spake these wordes I my selfe will see the burning of Burgaeus It was noted of manye that the King was wounded and stayne by him whome he commaunded to carie Burgaeus to prison who was as is sayde before Momgomerie a mortall enimie at that time to the reformed Religion the which he vehementlye persecuted vpon the straite commandements and charge giuen vnto him for the same purpose But afterwarde he was brought to the knowledge of the truth became a very profitable member of the Church of christ And thus king Henrie being weary of his mortall life through extreme griefe and paine surrendred the same againe to him that gaue it in the yeare of our Lorde god M. D. LIX the. x. day of August By this sodaine chaunce the ioy and mirth was turned into sorrowe and beauinesse all men woondring to beholde so sodeyne an alteration and chaunge The Court which was séeled pergitted sumptuouslye decked and prepared for dauncing leaping and other pastyme to make a pleasant and ioyfull mariage was nowe conuerted to another vse namely to kéepe the Kings deade bodie There bewaylings were made with dolefull and lamentable songs in blacke and mourning garments the space of fortie days and fortie nightes
Feare not hardly the iudgement of God although ye be constreyned to tremble thereat They which are condemned of you to die reioyce accounting death to be vnto them life they are nothing abashed or dismayed at your crueltie they regard not the iniuries offered vnto thē and as for death they count it a sléepe according to the Prouerbe The conquerour dieth and he that is conquered lamenteth What should it grieue me to be hanged I know Lorde that if euer any wickednesse deserued punishment and payne the wickednesse of those deserueth it euen to the full which reiect and contemne the benefite of thy sonne Christ. I imbrace O Lorde God that saying which thou hast put into the mouths of certaine of thy Martyrs namely that he is worthy of double punishment which receiueth not the offered redemption of our Sauiour No man shall separate vs from Christ what snares of trappes soeuer are layde for vs and with what paynes soeuer our bodies shall be tormented I knowe that we were appointed long ago as shéepe to the slaughter Let them therefore kill vs let them grinde vs to pouder and ashes yet notwithstanding they which dye to the Lorde liue still and shall so ryse agayne at the resurrection of the iust Whatsoeuer come to passe I am a Christian a Christian will I be Uerye earnestly will I crie that I may be hearde dying for my Lorde and sauiour Iesu christ Since the matter standeth thus why do I stay take me hangman carie me to the gallowes And repeating these wordes againe and that with such vehemencie that he made the teares to come out of the eyes of his aduersaries he spake these words to the Senators which were then present namely that he suffred death bicause he woulde not acknowledge iustification grace sanctification merites intercession satisfaction saluation to be in any other than in Christ that therfore he died for the doctrine of the Gospel And after many other words concerning this matter at y length he concluded with these words Put out put out one day those your flaming fires come vnto the lord in newnesse of life that your sinnes may be done away let the wicked man forsake his ways the wicked cogitations of his heart and then the Lorde will haue mercie In the meane time meditate and consider these thinges in your mindes Beholde I go now vnto the death When he had thus vttered his minde the hangman tied his handes and bounde him to the Cart in the which he was caried to the strete commonly called San-Iani Greuaei aboue foure hundred armed men garding him beside this the whole Citie of Paris as though it bene at the cōming of their enimies was furnished with armed men the wayes that led to the place of execution were stopt vp the frequēted places kept Yet for all this this godly Martyr was nothing abashed but abode couragious and constant When he came to the place of execution he put off his clothes himselfe and being stripte naked fetching great and déepe sighes he looked vp stedfastly into heauen And at the length vttered these few words only to the people I am not come hither either for theft nor murther but to suffer only for the Gospels sake For he had the libertie of his tongue graūted vnto him which libertie other of the faithfull had not whē they came to suffer hauing their tōgues first cut out of their heads vpō this condition the he should not speak to the people The which he promised to obserue that he might the better praye vnto god Therefore when he had made his prayers to God and shoulde nowe be sacrifised he oftentimes repeated these words with a loude voyce O my God forsake me not least I forsake thee And being strangled he was cast into the fire sealing that with his bloude and death which before he had subscribed with his hande This was the ende of that good and godlye man being of great fame among the learned both for his witte and also his learning and being also of honorable calling and great welth who had no doubt in short time attayned to greater honor and dignitie in this lyfe had not God reserued him by the pure knowledge of his name to this greatest preferment and dignitie of professing his truth which the world counteth reproch For Burgeus came of an honest familie and stocke being borne in Rionssius a towne in Auergne and brought vp in good letters who had so giuen himselfe to the studie of the lawe that he became famous in the profession thereof Afterwardes being chosen to be one of the Senate of Paris he left great fame of wit and learning behinde him among the most noble men Being therefore in the waye to come to greater honor and preferrement beholde God indueth him with more pure knowledge of hys worde whereby he fearing no perils of times ioyned himselfe to the reformed Church and woulde be present at the sermons which were then secretly made and thus dailye he was feruent more and more in godlye zeale Insomuch that he had not bene partaker of the Lordes supper passing once or twise when he spake his mind so fréely before king Henrie in the Senate house in the defence of the Gospell by whose commaundement he was cast in prison and from thence as ye haue hearde caried to execution A singular example of the efficacie and force of the knowledge of God and also of godlye constancie in so worthie a man at the which the godly hereafter shall iustly maruaile His bloude truly was the séede wherby the Church of Christ in Frāce did greatly increase and growe as may plainly appeare by those things which followe Touching the other Counsellers whom we sayd before were taken togither with Burgaeus this was the ende after a while they had diuers iudgementes giuen of them by which they were deliuered And the causes why these so escaped are these namely either the new Iudges who to vnderstande their causes examined them after another maner than the other was examined eyther the diuersitie of times in which chaunced many troubles or else truly the very inconstancie of the captiued Counsellers themselues relenting somewhat to their aduersaries About this time Nicolaus Durandus who altering his name called himselfe Villegagno that is to say a Conquerour of Cities as though he had bene a newe conquering Vlysses obtained of the King a nauie of shippes with men and vittaile accordingly to sayle to the South Indians taking with him many men which professed the reformed religion to the ende as he sayde that the Gospell might to them be preached and there planted And when he was arriued into America he sent to Geneua that Ministers might be sent vnto him from thence the which his desire was graunted insomuch that he obtained two namely Peter Richerius and George Charterius who came vnto him with a great number of those faithfull Protestantes that fled out of Fraunce in the hote time of
persecution These men when they were come began to preach the worde of God and to appoint an order of discipline There was also among the rest a certaine man called Ianus Contachus not long before a Sorbonist or Papist who came thither after Villegagno This man being ambitions desired greatly to be made a Bishop Therefore he thought this a verye good way to obtaine his purpose namely vpon the daye appointed for the ministration of the Lordes supper to mooue certaine questions as whether Copes and Surplesies and such Priest like garments were necessary to be vsed in that ministration also whether vnleauened breade and the mixing of water with winâ—… shoulde not in the same be vsed The which he did in déede Howbeit for all this contention mooued by him the Supper of the Lord was then purely celebrated But the controuersies increasing daily more and more among them it was tolde vnto Villegagno that there was a fame and report in Fraunce that many Lutheranes were come into America by his meanes and guidance At the hearing whereof Durandus Villegagno being made asearde quite altered and chaunged his former minde and purpose concerning the bringing in and establishing of the Gospell in those regions And when as on a time Richerius ministred Baptisme and sayd that all those things which were by the Papistes ioyned to Baptisme after the institution of the Apostles were depraued and corrupted additions Villegagno made open proclamation saying that Richerius lyed and streight way affirmed that he had rather followe the ancient rites and customes of the Church made a thousande yeares ago than the new opinions of Caluin and other newfangled persons adding also to this that 〈◊〉 woulde neuer more haue to doe with them At the last after long controuersie it was concluded among them that the articles which were in question shoulde be sent to the Churches of Fraunce and Germanie to iudge of them whose iudgement and opinion they agréed to followe For this cause Charterius was sent into Fraunce But when Villegagno vnderstoode by rumors that great persecution continued still in Fraunce he plainly vttereth his minde and declareth that he would stand to none of all their iudgements and opinions but woulde imbrace the doctrine of the Romishe Church and forbiddeth Richeriâ—…s to preach or â—…o gather togither the congregation to praye any more Thys was the cause why Richerius and Pontanus returned into Fraunce notwithstaÌ„ding the lets and impediments which Villegagno obiected vnto them who in déede went about to bring to passe that so soone as they came into Fraunce they both might be deliuered into the handes of the magistrate Many in like maner of the faithfull which abode in America were very euil intreated for religion some for this cause being drowned left a signe and remembrance to the vtmost partes of the world of their sufferance for the Gospel And this truly was the issue and ende of the rashe and vndiscrete zeale of Villegagno But now let vs here bring in that which we left behind vnspoken concerning the death of king Henrie After that he was buried his funerals celebrated according to custome the new king Frances set in his roome the Guises hauing gotten authoritie and fauour with the King by the meanes of the Quéene of Scottes his wife left nothing vndone to aduaunce them to dignitie séeking all they could to remoue others to whom the gouernement of things appertained but specially in this time of the Kings nonage and at their pleasure placing whome it pleased them to the great detriment losse reproch of those Princes that were the Kings neare kinsemen being of the same familie and lyne that he himselfe was of But this their authoritie power hapned vnto theÌ„ chiefly to the destruction of the Church Therfore that persecutioÌ„ which séemed to end by the wonderfull chauÌ„ce of king Henrie begaÌ„ now to be more vehement thaÌ„ before And the chiefest persecutors were the Guises both for the olde cankred spite they bare to religion and also for the vnbridled and ambitious desire they had to beare rule and to get authoritie the which they saw by no other meanes coulde stande For the Cardinall of Loraine who also ioyned with the Guises was greatlye dismayed and made afearde by newe rumours which were daily brought from forreine Nations namelye that a conspiracie was made against them by manye men whiche coulde not beaâ—… their tirannie And therefore the Guises thought it best to proclaime open warre against the Christians Then was there newe Edicts deuised and set forth more cruell than the other that were before with newe punishmentes added to the same In these it was forbidden so make any secret or priuie assemblies vpon payne of death and also promised to the bewrayets of such as should make the assemblies the one halfe of the confiscation or forfeyture of their goodes beside manye other great rewardes There was also commaundement giuen to the ouerséers and searchers out of such to receyue diligently the accusations brought vnto them to take those that were accused daily to search houses and to certifie the Senate of the Citie what they had done in the premisses Furthermore there was authoritie giuen to the Praetor to hang and drawe at his pleasure that he might giuâ—… sentence of death against such as were before him accused for heresie the benefite of appeale denyed and taken away from such as were condemned The Uâ—…cars and Curates also of euery Parishe were commaunded not to be slacke in excommunicating those whome they knewe to be Lutheranes Besides this there was impunitie and pardon giuen to the accusers if so be it fell out that their accusation were founde false About this time Sathan who séeketâ—… all that he may the destruction of Christes Church to the ende nothing might be left vndone that might by any meanes hurt the same taketh newe wayes in hand as ye shall heare by this which followeth So it was that two false brethren fled from thâ—… Church of Paris One of them was a Goldsmyth by his occupation whome the Lorde had sometime vsed as he doth oftentimes other hypocrites as a meane in bringing many men to the knowledge of him the other was a certaine Painters seruant The first of these two which was the Goldsmith being for his wickednesse and euill life excommunicate from the Church came to Democharis the Inquisitor and tolde him that he knewe many things concerning the Lutheranes and that he for sooke their companie for this cause that he might so much as lay in him worke their destruction And so whatsoeuer he knewe might be hurtful to the faithfull the same he declared to the Inquisitor giuing vnto him the names of such as were chief of the church and burdening them with grieuous crimes To be short he left nothing vntold that might serue any maner of way to be hurtfull vnto them To this fellowe the Inquisitor gaue diligent eare and encouraged him with great commendations to
which are the Kings neare kinsemen to bée in lesse estimation than Straungers And althoughe the Princes throughe their humanitie and great modestie woulde suffer them selues to bée so abased yet notwithstanding the Nobles woulde not beare it nor abyde the gouernement of Straungers And to confirme this which he had spoken he brought in manye examples that the Guises being Straungers were neyther in the number of Princes nor at anye time so accounted and that therefore it was not lawfull for the Guises to arrogate vnto themselues the titles and authoritie of Princes which onely appertained to the Kings bloude as the auncient custome of the kingdome woulde declare This sayth he to pacifie those of the temporaltie whose doings were the more to bée feared for that the greater part of the Nobilitie was of that side sauing such as were woonne and procured awaye by the Guiles for the Kings money Thus Planchaeus largely and fréely vttered his mynde But all the whyle that he had this talke with the Quéene the Cardinall of Loraine was hydde behinde the Tapistrie clothes that hâ—…ng before the wall of the Closet Who when Planchaeus had leaue of the Quéene to depart came forth and talking with the Quéene appointed that Planchaeus shoulde be called agayne and commaunded to procéede in his former declaration and to shewe who they were that were the authors and Captaynes of she late conspiracie the which except he woulde promise to doe that he might be caried to prison Therefore Planchaeus being called againe began to vtter his minde as fréely as he had done before shewing the parentage and stocke of the Guises and also howe they were Straungers and nothing appertaining to Fraunce adding moreouer that it was very euill done to commit the gouernement of the Realme to Straungers and speciallye to such as did contende ambitiouslye for the Kingdome and thought it shoulde appertayne to them The Quéene being offended with his boldnesse and speciallye séeing he affirmed that he knewe nothing of the conspiracie commaunded that he should be caried to prison All which Planchaeus spake was euen as it were the voyces of the people speaking by the mouth of one man. After this Michael Hospitall the Kings Chauncelour after the death of Oliuarius of whom we spake before a man verye well learned and wyse was sent to the Senate of Paris to consult with them about many matters that belonged to the gouernement of the Realme and among the rest concerning the prouiding such remedies as might take away the tumults alredie begon And thus afflictions waxed more easie than they wers before and remedies were prouided for so generall a mischiefe But the fame and report of the increasing of the multitude of the faithfull daylye was in euery place of the Realme and bicause great troubles séemed to be at hande all men had regarde vnto them more than to the report of the increase of the faithful the most part endeuouring themselues to staye and pacifie these troubles And at this time this was the state of France the Guises sent the same prouision of warre with the which they withstoode the religion in Fraunce into Scotland ouer the sea to the intent they might there deface and put downe the religion newly begon For the Nobles of Scotland with a great multitude of the people beside had cast off the Popes yoke from of their neckes had plucked downe their Images their altars and abolished the ceremonies of the Papisticall seruice causing the Quéene to get hir into a little towne by hirselfe for that she was sore offended at that which they had done Therefore lacking helpe the Guises brought to passe to haue an hoste of men sent out of France to the number of foure thousande Of this bande of men Brossaeus was Generall with whome was ioyned the Bishop of Ambianensis to the ende the one might fight with the sword and the other with Papisticall power Therfore they toke their iourney with these coÌ„mandements namely that they should seuerely punish the Rebels and the chiefe authors of sedition and that they shoulde restore the wonted and vsuall obedience of the Pope Wherfore so sone as they were come into Scotland they made proclamation that euery one should go to Masse detest and forsake the new religion The Bishop wrote vnto the King that he woulde bring all the people within fewe dayes to the catholike faith Brossaeus wrote that he woulde destroy all within sixe moneths which woulde not come to the auncient Religion But it came otherwise to passe For after the death of Marie Quéene of England the Guises made claime and title to the Crowne of Englande for their Néece the Quéene of Scottes as though she had bene the lawfull heire Whereat the moste gracious Quéene Elizabeth hauing great disdaine sent worde to the King of Fraunce of this great iniurie done to hir Grace by the Guises and biddeth battaile Nowe the Scottés to the ende they might abide the forren power of the Frenchmen féeling also that they stoode in néede of helpe and ayde from some other place went to the Quéene of England beséeching hir that although they were hir olde enimies yet that she woulde vouchsafe to ayde them in so iust a cause of Religion saying that they had rather to abide any extremitie than the tyrannie of the Pope To whom the Quéenes maiestie willingly and gladly promised and graunted helpe The Scottes therefore being encouraged by this ayde did so withstande the French power that they made great slaughter of the French men and draue them to such a strayte that except the matter had bene taken vp by peace it shoulde séeme that they had bene all vtterly destroyed Peace therfore was concluded and the reformed Religion there established And so that tumult was turned to the peace and quietnesse of the Church notwithstanding the subtill practises and cruell threatnings of the aduersaries There were also at that time grieuous afflictions layde vpon the Church in another place For in the townes of Sixtus and Guardia in the countrie of Calabria there were manye yea to the number of a thousande which by the Popes commaundement were put to death for Religions sake and many horrible cruelties also committed by the meanes of one Marchion Buciane In the Kingdome of Fraunce also in diuers places as at Paris and Rhoane many of the faythfull were murthered vpon the solemne feast daye of the Bishops deambulation For the faithfull began more and more to assemble themselues togither and exhibited vnto the King a little booke containing the confession of their faith requiring to haue libertie graunted vnto them to declare their cause Wherfore it shall not be disagréeing from our purpose to put downe here the same their confession to the ende we may therby sée what a notable consent and agréement there was in the doctrine of faith among the Churches of Fraunce notwithstanding the â—…oysterous tempestes of the first afflictions A Confession of the Fayth made
be chosē to the same by lawfull election if so be the same may be had We adde this if bicause sometime as in oure time also when the Church hath bene troubled and persecuted many haue béen constrayned without ordinarie callyng by the motion of Gods holye spirite to take vpon them to repaire the ruinousnesse of the decayed Church notwithstanding howsoeuer the matter be we doe beléeue that this rule ought to be followed that all pastors and ministers maye haue sufficient testimonie of their calling 32 We doe beléeue it to be necessarie that they which are chosen to be the chiefe ouerséers of some one Churche doe diligently waye and consider among them selues by what waye or meanes the whole body of the same Churche may be best gouerned Notwithstanding so that they swerue in no poynt from that which our Lorde Iesus Christ hath appointed And this letteth not but that certaine places maye haue their peculiar and speciall institutions to them appertaining as it shall séeme best 33 And we doe exclude all humane inuentions and lawes whiche vnder the pretence of the worshippe of God doe bynde the consciences of men and we doe onely admit and alow those which tend to the maintaining of concord the keping of euerye one in due obedience in the which thing we thinke it méete to follow that which our Lord sauiour Christ appointed concerning excommunication the which with the circumstances also we allow thinke necessarye 34 We doe beléeue that there are Sacramentes ioyned to the woorde for further confirmations sake as pledges and seales of the grace of God by which our infyrme and weake faith may be stayed and holpen For we confesse these externall signes to be such that God by them worketh with the power of his holy spirit that nothing there might be set before vs in vaine Notwithstāding we doe thinke that al the substance veritie of them resteth in Christ Iesu frō whō if they be separated they are nothing but vayne shadowes 35 We doe confesse that there belong onely two Sacramentes to the whole Church of the which the first is Baptisme giuen vnto vs to testifie our adoption bycause thereby we are grafted into the body of Christ as beyng washed with his bloud and are also renewed to holynesse of life by his spirite This also we affirme that although we are but once baptized yet notwithstanding the fruite of Baptisme doth appertaine to the race of our whole life to the ende that this promise mighte be sealed in vs by a sure and certaine seale namely that Christ will be alway our sanctification righteousnesse and redemption Furthermore althoughe Baptisme be a Sacramente of fayth and repentaunce yet notwithstanding seyng God doth recken and accounte the children wyth the parentes to be of his Church we affirme that infantes borne of holy and godly parents ought by the authoritie of Christ to be baptized 36 We affirme that the holy Supper of the Lord which is the other Sacrament is a testimony vnto vs of our vnion with our Lorde Iesus Christ bicause he did not thinke it sufficient for vs onely to dye and to be raysed agayne the third day for our sinnes but also féedeth vs still ▪ and nourisheth vs with his fleshe and bloude that being made one with him we maye be partakers of life with him For although he be now in heauen and shall abide there vntill he come to iudge the worlde yet notwithstanding we beleue that he doth by the secrete and incomprehensible power of his spirite nouryshe and quicken vs wyth the substance of hys fleshe and bloude apprehended by faithe And we saye that this is done spiritually not that we go about to put fantasie and imagination in steade of efficacie and veritie but bicause this misterie of our vnion and knot made betwene Christ and vs is sodaine and far paste our reache that by no meanes we are able to comprehende it To be shorte séeing it is a thing so diuine and heauenly it can not be by any meanes apprehended but by faith onely 37 We beléeue as it is saide before that the Lord as well in the Supper as in Baptisme doth giue vnto vs in verye déede that is to saye truely and effectually whatsoeuer is therin figured Sacramentally and therfore we ioyne with signes the true possession and fruition of that thing which is so offered vnto vs Therfore we affirme that they which bring a pure fayth as a vessell with them to the holy table of the Lorde doe verily receiue that which the signes doe there testifie for the body and bloude of Iesus Christ is no lesse meate and drinke to the soule than bread and wine is the sustenance of the body 38 In like maner we saye that the element of water although it be corruptible doth truely testifie vnto vs the inward washing of our soule in the bloude of Iesus Christ by the efficacie of the holy Ghost And therefore we reiecte all those fanaticall persons which reiect these outward signes when as our Sauiour Christ him selfe spake these wordes saying This is my Body and This Cup is my Bloud 39 We beléeue that it is Gods will that the world shoulde be ruled and gouerned by lawes and politique gouernement that there may be some meanes by which the immoderate desires of the worlde may be bridled and restrained and that therefore he hath appointed kingdomes common weales and other kindes of dignities whither they come by inheritance or otherwise and not onely that but whatsoeuer pertaineth to right and equitie the author whereof he himselfe woulde be counted Therefore also he hath put the swerde into the hands of Magistrates to punishe offences not onely against the seconde table but also against the first Wherefore we must for his sake which is the author of this order not onely suffer that they may rule whome he hath set ouer vs but also honour and reuerence them as his Ministers appointed by him to take that lawfull and holy office vpon them Therefore we affirme that lawes and statutes ought to be obeyed tribute and taxes payed and all other burthens discharged and voluntary subiection yelded to magistrates yea although they be infidels so that God be not dishonored Therefore we detest all those that denie rule and gouernment and refuse to obey desiring a confusion and to haue all things common and going about to ouerthrow all lawe and good order This therefore was the plaine and simple confession of the faythfull Christians of the reformed Churches of Fraunce and a plaine explication of that Doctrine for the which they were so greatly persecuted by the Popishe Bishops Thus endeth this first Book ¶ The seconde Booke of Commentaries of the state of Religion in the kingdome of Fraunce IT was prouided and appointed as we haue shewed before by the kings Edict that there should be a Parliament by which the great perturbations which at that time all men sawe
space of fortie yeares since or thereabouts by many Ministers of the same doctrine being men verye expert in the knowledge of holy Scripture who by their great modestie grauitie and godlynesse hating all vice and specially couetousnesse and contemning their owne life for the renseruation of their doctrine and hauing alwayes in their mouth that moste swéete name Christ Iesus finding also the people going astray without a shepehearde or guyde were easily hearde and receyued and brought great increase to their doctrine and no marâ—…ayle seeing they left nothing vndone that might be done eyther by preaching by writing or by any other meanes to publish and spreads the same abrode But to come vnto those vsurped meanes and wayes which were attempted to â—…ynder and suppressâ—… that doctrine if we shall begin first of all with the Bishops of Rome we shall find that they haue very diligently gone about to sowe discord and to make warre betwéene Kings and Princes But our Kings moued with godly zeale haue appoynted paynes and punishmentes by Edictes thinking by that meanes to driue awaye those opinions and to bring the people to one onely kinde of Religion but in vaine For the Iudges both greatlye abused those Edictes and also oftentymes executed them after their owne euill disposition and pleasure to gratifie those which craued the confiscation and spoyle of their goodes which were accused Of this matter we haue a manifest example shewed not long ago of a man of no meane calling which desired to haue the confiscation and spoyle of one which was accused of heresie whose iudgement he tooke vpon him to order and appoint If any Magistrate Counseller or Lawyer had bene an euill or wicked person to the intent he myght hide his former faultes and wickednesse his maner was by and by to séeke that these causes of Religion might bée brought before him and that he might be put in office and authoritie to deale in these causes the which authoritiâ—… when he had rashly abused vnder the colour of zeale he shoulde streight way haue a name and all that he had done before shoulde be forgotten and forgiuen as though that Religion ought to be defended by these supportations So that it ought not to séeme straunge vnto vs that these executions haue no better successe and also if the people cannot abyde and suffer such wicked and cruell practises On the other side the Bishops haue bene slouthfull and negligent and haue had no consideration and care to giue an account of their flockes committed to their charge but haue rather sought all that they coulde to maintaine and encrease their yerely reuenewes which they consumed vpon filthy vaine vnprofitable things insomuch that at one time forty Bishops togither were at Paris banquetting satisfying their filthy pleasures and liuing ydly while al disorder and wickednesse increased in their Diocesses Moreouer we know that Bishoprickes or the office of a Bishop hath bene bestowed vpon children vpon Infantes yea before they were borne vpon vnlearned and simple men also which neyther knewe howe nor woulde discharge their office And thus the eyes of the Churches that is to saye the Bishops were blynded and the pyllers of the Church cast downe to the grounde The Ministers therefore of this and that sect vsing the occasion of these perturbations and troubles haue omitted nothing to winne the people vnto them And as for Curates they are couetous vnlearned and conuersant in all things sauing in doing of their dutie and as the most part of them haue gotten their Priesthoode by wicked meanes so doe they most vngodlily retaine the same still for Cardinals and Bishops let not to make their seruaunts their Cookes and horsekéepers Priestes whereby Ecclesiasticall persons are become a ieast and laughing stocke to euery man But the onely meane and waye to prouyde for and to remedie these mischiefes is to flée vnto God who in his iust iudgement is wroth with Ecclesiasticall persons insomuch that he séemeth to intende their destruction as hée did once the destruction of the Iewes Also certayne godlye men must be sought for and called togither from all partes of the Realme to consider of these and the lyke wickednesses and to deuise meanes and wayes to extirpe and rootâ—… them out and the King for his part must sée with all diligence that the name of God be not polluted and blasphemed as it hath bene hitherto and that the holy Scriptures may be purely and plainly expounded to the people and also that they may haue daily in their houses godly sermons and exhortations the which shall be able to stop the mouths of slaunderous persons which shamefully sayde that God was not once named or spoken of in the presence of the King. And you sayth he O Quéenes graunt me this one thing I beséech you if I maye be bolde to beséech you that you woulde bring to passe that in steade of prophane and vnsemely songs all your traine and retinue maye sing godlye and vertuous Psalmes to the prayse of God Knowe ye for a suretie that God doth allowe or like of no companie or congregation in the which he is not praysed and extolled To this he added much more by which he proued â–ª that it was against reason that the singing of Psalmes shoulde be forbidden if the interpretation of them which was noted about them were not allowed he sayde it was better that the errors were noted than that the whole worke shoulde be so reiected And he shewed also that the Psalmes were made not only for the publike vse of Churches but also to be daily and priuately vsed And therfore in forbidding the singing of Psalmes there is iust occasion offered to seditious persons to calumniate and speake euill For nowe in this we striue not against men but against God whose prayses are so hindered and let The seconde remedie is a generall Councell the which the Fathers alwayes vsed as a remedie to pacifie and appease the dissentions of the Church I sée not howe the Popes conscience can be quiet nor to be in rest the space of one houre séeing he séeth so many soules to perishe through the diuersitie of opinions and yet for all that séeketh no meanes how to remedie the same But if it shoulde come to passe that the Generall Councell shoulde be let or hindered then the King shall doe his dutie in calling a Councell of his owne Nation after the ensample of his auncetors the Kings of this Realme as of Carolus Magnus and Lodowicke his sonne Nowe they must be called to be of this CouÌ„cell which are counted to be the best learned men among them of that sect and learned men of the contrarie part also that they maye dispute togither of the principall groundes of Religion nowe in controuersie Thus did Theodotius the Emperour at Constantinople against the Arrians and Macedonians although they were iustly condemned by the Councell of Nice and others and afterwardes the
him to be a King to this ende that he might kéepe the people vnder the knowledge feare and obedience of God that he might gouerne them by good and wholesome lawes and also to saue and defende them from the enimie and in all thinges to shewe himselfe so studious and carefull for the common wealth that he may be honoured and be beloued as a father of the people For this is the onely difference betwéene a King a Tyrant The King reigneth and ruleth with the good will loue and consent of the people but the tyrant ruleth by violence and force In a King therefore a man may behold the ordinance of God the author and preseruer of Common welthes and humaine societie In the tyrant the force and violence of the Diuel who goeth about to peruert that ende to the which God hath ordeyned Kings and Potentates Herevpon it commeth that as the King is loued of all men and hated of none but of wicked men and Rebels so the tyrant is feared of all men without exception and therefore hated of all according to the olde Prouerbe Quem metuunt oderunt him whome men feare they hate Therefore if the King will be loued and obey the commaundement of God and retaine the obedience and loue of his subiectes he must of necessitie stablishe Religion he must heare the complaintes of the people and must prouide for them remedies as a father prouideth for his children séeing that he is set in the kingdome to that ende neyther can he doe otherwise except he will make himselfe vnworthy of the grace of God by which he confesseth that he doth reigne as both examples of holy Scripture and domesticall examples also do plentifully declare The first bond therfore which confirmeth knitteth and retaineth the obedience of kings is Religion the which is nothing else than to know God as it becommeth vs that is to say according to his prescript wil. And now séeing we ought to acknowledge him to be the creator author preseruer of all things it must néedes folow that al our actions ought to tende to the setting forth of his glory Whervpon it cometh to passe that Religion which is that most assured bonde of humane actions and of the true obedience of subiects towards their Kings ought to be reformed preserued maintained But bicause that bonde is dissolued and broken in these our dayes both by the malice wickednesse of some and also by the doting madnesse and folly of other some and by the corruption of our time it is no doubt an euident demonstration and token of the wrath of God which threateneth vnto vs great destruction not farre hence vnlesse it be prouided for out of hande For besides the varietie of doctrines who euer sawe the ancient discipline of the Church so miserably abused contemned and deiected errors so dispersed and rooted euery where offences and stumbling blockes so common the life of Priests so corrupt and so much to be reprehended and also so many and great tumultes among the people The way to remedie this great euill and mischiefe is a generall Councell the only ancient vsuall meane but as it plainely appeareth that is not to be hoped for and that for two causes The one is It is not in our power to bring to passe that the Pope the Emperour the Kings and the Germanes shoulde by by agree of the time the place and maner of holding of a Councell in which things there are oftentimes great coÌ„trouersies The other cause is this Such is the disease and mischief it so grieueth euery part of the kingdome that there is small hope of any remedie Like as if a man troubled with a coÌ„tinuall feuer or with some other grieuous disease which requireth letting of bloude or some other present remedie cannot tarie to haue the Phisitions help which dwelleth farre of bicause of the great vncertainty of his coÌ„ming Therfore we must bring to passe to call a couÌ„cel of our Nation as it was before concluded the which also the King hath alredy openly promised And this parliament must of necessitie be called both for the necessitie which so vrgeth the miserable Church being brought to so great extremities also for the kings estimation and credit who by his owne letters hath openly giuen forth declared y same but specially bicause there hath nothing happened since that time which might let or hinder the same but on the contrarie part there grow new things occasions daily which do vrge and driue vs to séeke to call a Parliament vnlesse we could be contented to lose all that we haue The Emperour Charles the vâ—…lately deceased wheÌ„ he came to Bononia and had conferred with Pope Clement concerning matters of the Church he willed his Chauncelor to talke with that Pope concerning the calling of a CouÌ„cell both to reforme the maners of Church men and also to establish the doctrine which was in controuersie The Pope vehemently withstode this thing affirming that there was no néede to call a Councell neither for doctrine séeing that al new opinions are refuted condemned of the ancient Councels neither yet for Ecclesiasticall discipline which was so wel appointed that it was sufficient only to obserue kepe the decrées written concerning the same But the Emperour being not satisfied with this answere replied againe that it coulde not be but that the great assembly of the generall Councell shoulde bring great profit doe much good both to cut off that euill which daily increased more and more and also to repaire and confirme those things which were very well already receyued and allowed to hinder cut off that which might abolishe them by discontinuance and want of vse And in this minde concerning the procuring of a Councel he continued so loÌ„g as he liued In the which matter he founde no greater aduersaries than those who shoulde haue set him forwarde in so commendable an enterprise Our auncetours were woont euery fiue yeares to call generall Councels as it is to be séene in the decrees But as touching priuate Councels or Councels assembled out of our owne Nation we shall find in the histories of the Kings of Fraunce that they were called in euerye Kings tyme beginning at the raigne of Clodouaeus vntill the tyme of Charles the great and so forth vntill we come to Charles the feue uth his dayes The which Parliamentes or assemblies were sometimes gathered togither from euery part of the whole kingdome sometimes from one halfe of the Realme sometimes but out of certaine Prouinces onely By which Parliaments it was sildome séene but that there ensued great fruite and profite to the reformation both of doctrine and maners Let vs not staye therefore any longer at the matter but followe the examples and wayes of our elders and let vs not be afrayde to be accused to be bringers in of newe customes séeing that we haue so many examples to followe but
threatnings did nothing at all therein when it came to the pinch Neither would Pope Paule the fourth his successor wheÌ„ he was yet but Cardinal establish that which he thought to be mete necessary I omit that which Bernard other learned fathers haue said only this I say except we aply our minds put our haÌ„ds to the tearing vp of this roote of al euil Jesus Christ will descend from heauen with a whip in his hand to expel vs as buiers sellers out of the temple The third remedie shal be to confesse our faults the which in dede is the first step to helth to make the same manifest by publike generall fastings the which maner was alwayes obserued in the olde Church whensoeuer any great perill or daunger was like to come vpon the Church as plague famine or warre the which thrée euils in these our dayes inuade the realme togither For what greater plague can there be thaÌ„ that which slayeth mens soules What greater famine can therebe than the famine of Gods word Or what warre caÌ„ be more mortall or cruell than the corruption of pure doctrine By which we being drawn froÌ„ God are depriued of the eternal kingdom which Christ by his bloud hath purchased for vs Let vs therfore turn vs vnto those old accustomed remedies as to Câ—…mmon praier to fasting and to wéeping and first of all we must take into our handes the sworde of God that is to say his word the scahard wherof we scarsly retaine neither must we thinke that Myters Croziers Cappes Garments and other ornaments the which in old time were outwardly worne to shewe that which was inwarde that is to say that godly doctrine ought to be ioyned with a godly life can deliuer vs froÌ„ the coÌ„tempt of the people seeing that which is eternall is wanting there onely remaineth an outward shew feined sight Let vs set before our eies this horrible sentence which John the Baptist pronounced against the Jewes saying Nowe is the axe put to the roote of the trees euery tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruite is â—…ew â—…e downe and cast into the fire The fourth remedie shall be while the Councel is a preparing gathering togither to stay seditious persons so to restraine theÌ„ that they break not by any meanes the coÌ„mon peace tranquilitie let this be kept as a law ratified and inuiolable that it is not lawful for any subiect vpoÌ„ any occasioÌ„ or for any cause to take armes to lift vp the sword without the coÌ„mandement or leaue of the Prince the only moderator gouernor of warres This I speak for the sorowful exaÌ„ples sake which hapned are like to happeÌ„ except we take heds Of the one part we saw the tumult of Ambaxia on y other part there were certain Preachers which stirred vp the people to tumult violently to set theÌ„selues to destroy banish those protestaÌ„ts vnder a pretence of godly seditioÌ„ as though that Religion coulde or ought to be established by sedition And thus there was greate offence committed on both parts insomuch that many were slaine which were thought to be Protestants Moreouer those protestants did greatly offend enterprising many things rashly to put away these iniuries offred vnto theÌ„ taking armes therby violating the law of the magistrate which beloÌ„geth to no priuate persoÌ„ For the end of the law is to liue according vnto Gods wil to hurt no man and to obey the lawe of Armes Therfore the king is the maintainer of Gods law and the moderator of wars the which he may and ought to vse to the authoritie of the lawe and to the punishing of rebelles and traitours To be shorte he counteth him selfe a king who although he be not ordained of God yet of his owne will and authoritie moueth warre And truely herevpon it followeth that he ought to be counted of all men as an enimy and to be punished as a breaker of Gods ordinance and publique power For this cause I thinke it good that commaundement be giuen to inferior Magistrates that they diligently attend vpon their charge and offices least some newe thing happen by their carelesse negligence Hereby therefore it euidently appéereth that the first bonde to preserue the kings estate is so to establishe Religion that no man may abuse y same at his owne pleasure against the authoritie of the law and the ende thereof which is that both God and the king maye be obeyed But now to come to the seconde principall point as concerning the ordering and kéeping of the people in due obedience we thinke this to be the waye namely to heare the complaintes of the subiectes and to vse conuenient remedies for the same Notwithstanding there is great differeÌ„ce betwéene priuate open complaintes for if the complaints be made of priuate persons to priuate persons the diligence of the Judges which are appointed to ordinary gouernemeÌ„t is a spéedie way to remedie and helpe them But when there are generall complaints or when eyther the confirmation or alteration of things commeth in question we must straight way haue recourse to those auncient constitutions and orders by whiche the safetie of the kingdome standeth the which are nothing else than those thrée orders which we call the states That is to saye that those things being made manifest and opened which maye bring any confusioÌ„ and the remedies which were prouided to put away the same being diligently sought for the king for the loues sake that he beareth to his people maye determine and appoint that which is iustly required to the honor of God and the coÌ„mon profyte of all men Of the which thing the good will of the people wholy dependeth that hauing done that duetie which he oweth vnto God he may in lyke maner satisfie the mindes and willes of his subiectes And so he shall not onely kéepe the name of a king the gifts of nature appertaining to a kingly name but also may rule and gouerne by peace seing that gentlenesse may allure them of their owne good wils to do more than force or violence can extorte from them And to the ende it may euidentlye appéere that the complaintes are such that they ought to be heard and examined of the assembly of the States I will shewe vnto you a generall reason namely this The extraordinarie taxes tallages tributes haue so increased that now the subiectes not onely are not able to beare this great burthen but also not able to satisfie discharge those old duties which were before time accustomed to be payde Is not this a complaint to be considered talked of in the assembly of States Seing the greatest part of the people complaineth of the same and are by no maner of meanes any thing disburthened but specially seing that to heare the afflicted oppressed is the beginning of consolation to declare a readinesse and good will to ease theÌ„ is
is no doubt but that all their practises would be voide and frustrate which thinke it good and persuade themselues that it is necessary to haue a new alteration of the common weale and shoulde be a most spedie remedy to mittigate take away al perturbations The which one thing we muste with all diligence possible prouide for And thus he made an end of his oration In the repeating whereof we haue béene some what long but yet for all that the matter is worthy of repetition and not disagreing from our purpose The day following the rest declared their Judgementes and first began the Admirall and the Cardinall of Loraine made an ende But this was the sentence of the Admirall Shatillion â–ª namely that he would haue had that those supplications which he had offered to the king shoulde be subscribed of those in whose name they were put forthe who answered that they were readye either in a small or great number to subscribe those supplications which they had exhibited yea they sayde that they would assemble themselues together to the number of fiftie thousand before the kings Maiestie if so it pleased him But there can nothing be deuised more pestilent thaÌ„ the Prince to stand in feare of his subiectes to be in perill of them in like maner the subiectes to haue an euill opinioÌ„ of their Prince and to be suspected of their king Also he saide that it was ill prouided to bring vp a yong prince in that feare also to giue those occasions to the subiects of fearing At the last he concluded that his sentence was that the errors of the Church shoulde be taken awaye that the garde lately giuen to the king should be remoued and that there shoulde be called forthwith an assembly of the States Thus when the Admirall had made an ende the Duke of Guise taking occasion vpon that which he had spoken began thus saying that it was not wel saide of some that the king ought not to be so so brought vp when as he is so excellently ordered specially by the Queene his mother by whoÌ„ he is indued as it were with a certaine fulnesse of all vertues And as touching that which was spoken concerning the increasing of the Garde he said that he himself did mislike alwayes of the same vntill certaine did moue a sedition put them selues in armes which seemed to be entended altogether against the kings maiestie But wheras it is commonly reported that this sedition was not moued against the king but against manye of his ministers officers that is a vaine cloake nothing answering the matter For there is not any one of vs that euer hurt one of theÌ„ by priuate offences or harmes But they beare all that hatred against vs for the executing of our offices which we haue by the kings authoritie and leaue and therefore to speake more truely they hate not vs but the king Wherfore he said he sawe no reason why that number which was newly added to the Garde shoulde be remoued and taken away And as touching Religion he saide that he stoode to the Judgement of more learned men thaÌ„ he him self was how beit this one thing he would protest professe that no couÌ„cels at any time should so preuaile with him that they should bring him froÌ„ the ancient Religion of his elders specially froÌ„ his beliefe of the holy sacrament of the Altar Finally he said concerning the assembly of the States that he wholy referred the same to the kings maiesties will and pleasure to like or dislike of the same with him The Cardinall of Loraine begaÌ„ his sentence vpoÌ„ those confessioÌ„s which were offred to the king by the Admiral saying that they were nothing lesse thaÌ„ obedient faithful howsoeuer they boasted them selues For so long as the King will like of their opinions and sects or at least wise suffer them they will shewe them selues obedient to the king But I appeale sayth he to the Judgements of all men in this matter whether it be more méete to follow the opinions of these Jolly fellowes thaÌ„ the authoritie of the king To graunt them Churches were to allowe their Idolatry which the king could not doe without manifest perill of destruction And as concerning a generall Councell or a CouÌ„cell assembled together out of our owne NatioÌ„ I caÌ„ not sée saith he by any meanes how it should be necessarie seing that it should be called onely to reforme the maners of certaine ecclesiasticall persons the which might be done with lesse businesse a great deale namely by particular admonitions And as touching that which else appertained to Religion he saide that the same had bene so oftentimes established and confyrmed that he wished that onely to be followed which had béene hitherto obserued and appointed for so much as all assemblies of Councels whatsoeuer can appoynte no more than the obseruation of those things that haue béene kept alreadie And where as it was sayde that they which should subscribe their names to those supplications which they had put forth would assemble them selues together to the number of fiftie thousand to that he answered that the king might set against theÌ„ ten thousand meÌ„ of his Religion But it is manifest saith he of what minde they are by their railing libels which they scatter abroade in all places against euery man Among which great number of libels he saide that he had in his handes fiue and twentie which he diligently kept as a testimonie of great honour bycause he was euill spoken of by those villanous knaues trusting that they should be Monuments of his eternal and euerlasting praise Therefore he wished that those sedicious troublesome persons mighte be most seuerely punished and specially they which woulde put them selues in armes as many had begon But he said he thought it good that they should sustaine no punishment which frequented those sermons withoute armour and onely for consciencs sake of Religion which sang psalmes went not to Masse and such like Adding moreouer that he was very sorie for the sharpnesse and crueltie of those punishments which had béen hitherto vsed protesting that he would most willingly spende his owne life if it might doe any good to bring them into the right way Affirming also that Bishops and other learned men oughte to indeuour them selues to bring this thing to passe according to the commaundement of our sauiour Christ in the Gospell saying Reproue thy brother betweene thee and him c. Also he wished that the Gouernours and other Lieutenants of the Prouinces would diligently attend vpon their offices to see that none seditiously put theÌ„ selues in armor in like maner that the Bishops and curates and other Ecclesiasticall persons would haue a care and diligent eye to their charge to note and marke the abuses and errors of the Churche and to certâ—…e the King within the space of two monethes of those things
the which he deserued to be dismist of the same This thing at the length was graunted through the earnest sute of the Constable and the selfe same day that Monsier Vidam was dismist of the order of Saint Michael there were xvij into the same honorable order by a newe and vnacustomed maner chosen by the trauaile and meanes of the Guyses ▪ to the intent they might bynde many vnto them by that benefite or promotion While the king of Nauar and the Prince of Conde were loked for commaundement was giuen to the Gouernour of Poictiers to goe to Pictauium and not to suffer the King of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde his brother to come into the Citie But for al this at the length by the kings letters and commaundement the King of Nauar was receiued of the Marshall Termensis into Pictauium with all his trayne being neuerthelesse on euerye side beset with armed men the which suspicions the King of Nauarre toke in verye euill part Then the King came frō Sangermane to Paris with a great armie both of footemen and horsemen in battaile aray the Duke of Guise and the Cardinall of Loraine attending vpon him From thence he went to Aurelias with the same army and in warlike order entered into the Citie being reported abroade that the King came thither for two causes the one was to kéepe the Citie from the treason of the king of Nauarre the other was to call and summon a Parliament Many therefore were made afearde but speciallye they which were chosē to be of the assembly or Parliament whē they hearde that so greate an armie of men came with the king Then cōmaundemēt was giuē that euery one should rehearse confesse the confessiō of his faith according to the prescript rule of those articles which were set forth by the Papistes in the yéere of our Lord God M. D. XLII and it was reported for truth that the Cardinal of Loraine had drawn forth in writing those things which shoulde be inacted and established in that assemblye There was also watche and ward throughout the whole Citie appointed to be kept euen as if the enimie had come to assaulte the same Againe commaundement was sent to the King of Nauar that he should come with al spéede and bring his brother the Prince of Conde with him many also were sent into diuers partes of the Realme to take the names of all those that were noted to be of the reformed Religion At the length the king of Nauar the Prince of Conde his brother came to Aurelias there to salute the king But so soone as they had saluted the King the chiefe principall of the kings Garde as they were cōmaūded layd hands vpō the Prince of Conde caried him to the next hold prepared for y same purpose The which holdes were forthwith fortified and made strong with Irō grates in euery window a Castell was hard vy the same erected built to receiue the footemen Thē were there certain mē chosē to watch kepe the King of Nauar whose Chaūcelor also was taken by by with al spéede was the Lady Roye mother in lawe to the Prince of Conde takē and arrested brought to the citie Sangerman to whose charge it was layde that she was giltie of treason The Magistrates were ready to take receiue hir opened the prison dores to bring hir in Straight after this also was Hieroine Grostotius the Gouernour of Aurelias taken in whose house the king lodged being accused of negligence and stouth in searching out the heretikes Howbeit he was quit and discharged of this matter by the decrée Iudgemēt of the Senate of Paris But the Andelote whē he had saluted the King and the Duke of Guise had excused himselfe by the disobedience of the French hoast of footemen departed in very good time otherwise as the most likly report went he should haue bene taken with the Prince In the meane time there were subtile deuises and craftie meanes inuented to assault and trouble the Prince of Conde And when Iudges were chosen oute of the Senate of Paris as Fagus and Viollaeus the Lieutenant of Thou the kings Solicitour was commaunded to open the cace now in controuersie and to procede with the same But the Prince alleaging for himselfe his noble bloud princely state standeth with them vpon this point that he ought not to be iudged of them but rather of the king him selfe of no other in the Senate of Paris the Peeres and Nobles of the Realme beyng assembled together Therfore he saide that he appealed to the king Then the appeale was brought vnto the Priuye Counsell the which appeale they said was nothing and of no force And this was done often times But at the laste they concluded that excepte the Prince woulde answere before those Iudges he should be condemned of hie treason Then the Prince of Condes wife desired of the King that so much libertie might be graunted to hir husband as to cōsult with learned counsell The which was graūted vnto hir in so much the he was permitted to take y coūsel of two lawyers namely of Petrus Robertus Frāciscus Marillacus coūlellers in the court of Paris but he was no otherwise permitted to haue them thā vpon this conditiō that whensoeuer he cōsulted with then the king to haue vmpires indifferent mē to be present at their talke The Prince also required the it might be lawful for him beside these two counsellers to consult confer with his two brethrē the king of Nauar the Cardinal of Burbō also with his wife to ioyne with thē what vmpires witnesses soeuer it shoulde please the King affirming that he was very loth to doe any thing without his brethrē specially in a matter of so great waite The which request notwithstanding was denied him only he obtained leaue to write vnto them his minde At the length being come to the matter in controuersie he said to his counsellers that were present that the affliction which he now suffered was not laid vpon him by God for that he had gone about to worke any thing against the kings maiestie but rather that by this affliction he might trye his constancie Also he said that he did not thinke him selfe to be Captiue seing that he inioyed the fredome of minde and a pure and sound conscience but rather that he thought those to be captiues which had their mindes consciences bound and clogged with the burthen of their sinnes and wickednesses in a body set at libertie When he had thus spoken he gaue certaine notes of the defence of his cause vnto his Counsellers For king Frances by the subtill meanes and false persuasions of the Guises was fully persuaded that the Prince of Conde conspired his death and that therefore he was giltie of treason and worthy to suffer condigne punishment for the same Therefore while the bloudy
Ecclesiasticall persons if they well consider the weightinesse of the matter will looke better vnto their office and duetie than they haue done heretofore Let vs knowe that the dissolution of our Church was the first beginning of heresies but it is to bée thought that a Reformation will take them away againe This victorie must not be sought for by violence or by force of armes but by godlye exhortations and by godlynesse of lyfe Wyth these weapons the Heretikes in tymes past were ouercome We must not hate the menne but the vyces and wickednesses that are in men and wée must goe aboute all that wée maye to bring them into the waye that are in errour Let vs therefore put awaye all factious and seditious names as the names of Lutheranes Huguenotes Papystes and suche lyke and let vs retayne and kéepe still the names of Christians But bicause there are manye founde whyche wyll not bee satisfyed desiring tumult and confusion enimies to peace and the cōmon welth and as it appeareth contemners of God and Religion the King which otherwise of himselfe is gentle and long suffering hitherto hath vene constrayned and peraduenture shall be hereafter vrged to indeuour himselfe to punishe the frowarde obstinate It may seeme a very sharp remedy but if we looke well vpon the disease and mischiefe yet a growing we shall find it very necessary for the same Notwithstanding it is so come to passe as yet by the goodnesse of God and the clemencie of the Prince that there hath bene no greater punishment layde vpon any man nor no greater destruction followed as the subuersion of Cities the burning of houses the disfraunchizing of Cities of their priuiledges and the restraint of their liberties the which other Princes that dwell about vs haue oftentimes vsed euen within the compasse of our remembrance for the punishing of seditious persons And bicause it is to be feared least the armies of souldiers being dismist the seditious will begin to practise and conspire a freshe of two things the one is to be done namely that either the armies be kept and maintained still which cannot be done without the great cost and charge of the Subiectes or else that the Citizens of euery Citie endeuour themselues to punishe such seditious and seditious persons and he that shall be first founde to go about to alter the state of the common welth let him by his seuere punishment be an example to all the rest The King to this ende and purpose will giue you a power of armed men Consider with your selues which of these wayes is most for your profite either that you maintaine garrisons of souldiers to kéepe the cities for the king or that you your selues in your owne persons do it at your owne costes and charges As for all other things the King will prouide and sée vnto them by his officers In the meane time let such as are Ecclesiastical persons doe their dutie by prayers by Sermons and by diligent instructing of the people And so it will come to passe that the King shall be obeyed and you shall enioye peace tranquilitie Whē the Chaūcelor had procéeded thus far forth and had spokē somewhat concerning the Kings substaunce and great erpences exhorting the Court of Parliament to ease the same he declared that it was the King and the Quéenes pleasures that euery man shoulde fréely put forth his complaintes and sutes for that their Maiesties intended with all clemencie as it was meete to prouide for all thinges And this only was done the first day In the next méeting the assemblye of States chose out thrée men to speake for them the which thrée stoode before the King and made their seuerall orations The sum wherof I will briefely repeate so far forth as they shall séeme necessary for our purpose The speaker for the thirde order of States that is to say for the Commonalty was named Angell a Counseller and a pleader of causes in the Senate of Burdeux in Gascoyne This man declared by many reasons that for the due putting away of perturbations and troubles it séemed good and most necessary to the people first of all to remoue and to take away the causes Which causes he saide were partlye the corruptions among Ecclesiasticall persons among which corruptions which were very many in number there were thrée notable and more pernicious than the rest namely Couetousnesse Ignorance and Luxurie Ignorance he sayd was so manifest that no man néede to doubte of the same and so great also that among that sorte of men it was to be séene from the hyest to the lowest Which ignorance is the mother and Nurse of all errours as both experience and also the testimonies of learned fathers aboundantlye declare To remedie this he saide Canons and decrées woulde be prouided but in vaine For so great is the contempte and negligence of preaching and instructing the people which is notwithstanding the office of a good pastour that Bishops at this day counte it a shame and reproch vnto them to féede the flocke of Christ. And such as are Curates and other masse priests following the euill example of Bishoppes doe also euen abhorre their office and doe commit the same to vnlearned vicars who singing Masses for their rewarde haue onely some one slender bosome collation or other which they alwayes vse without discretion as one plaister to all maner of soares The seconde vice is Couetousnesse the whiche as it is no lesse pestiferous than Ignorance so is it no lesse to be séene as well in the heades as in the inferiors And as for Luxurie the pompe and pryde of Prelates he fayde it was suche that it was a great stumbling blocke and offence to all men For they are painted and set for the as though by an outwarde shewe in the world they should represent the maiestie of God when as they shoulde rather expresse the same by godlynesse and integritie of life How greatly haue our Bishoppes of late dayes degenerated from the meane estate puritie and godlynesse of the true Byshoppes of olde time All these corruptions saith he must be taken away by a godly and lawfull Counsel called and also by the kings authoritie The speaker for the Nobilitie was one Iacobus Sillius This man began first to speake many things concerning the power authoritie and office of Kings and largely also concerning the order of Nobles which he saide was verye profitable and necessary to preserue and maintaine the dignitie of the king In speaking of matters concerning Religion he founde this fault aboue all others namely that hytherto there had béene great ouersight in suffering Ecclesiasticall persons to haue so great power and authoritie and so large lyuing and reuenewes who haue incroched vnto them selues the houses of Noble men do wickedly abuse all that euer they haue Wherfore saith he it is necessarye that these sortes of men shuld he reformed Also he wished that it might be diligently
foreséen that the office of an Ecclesiasticall person might not be committed to an vnlearned vnapte and ignoraunt person affirming it to be vnlawfull for them to dwell from their flockes in other places at their owne pleasure and so giuing them selues to worldly businesse wholy to neglecte their offices but sayth he it is the Kings duetie to cal them to their office againe And in the ende he made earnest peticion that there might be wayes taken in time to stop the seditions at hande and also that it wold please the king to haue regard consideration to his nobles as his auncetours had done before him When he had thus spoken he put vp a Supplication in the which peticion was made in the name of the nobilitie that temples might be graunted for the vse and seruice of the reformed Religion After this man one Quintinus Heduus who was chosen to be the speaker for the Clergie when he had commended the king and Quéene to their face saying that the kings of Fraunce were specially chosen euē as if they had béen borne and appointed to be defenders of the Churche of Rome and that therefore they had that moste auncient name from all ages as to be called Most Christian Princes he sayde that this assembly of States or court of Parliament was verye well called The causes of the which assemblye saith he is that the complayntes of the people mighte be hearde and holpen and that meanes and remedyes might be prepared for the scarsitie of the kings treasure and substāce But this saith he is the greatest cause of all whiche I speake with great sorrowe and griefe and yet notwithstanding muste néedes speake the same namely that the corruptions and notable faultes of Ecclesiasticall persons myghte bée refourmed and amended For sayth he the matter is nowe come to thys passe that they thē selues which shuld declare this Ecclesiasticall holynesse by their life are more afrayde of the kings Edictes than they are of Gods word and of the Gospell of christ Notwithstanding we muste therefore thinke saith he that the reformatiō of the Church is sought for which hath not erred neither can erre but a correction only of those most greuous faults in those men which were the chiefe gouerners of the Church which correction must procéede from the king but so notwithstanding the king must vse correctiē that he follow the steppes of those kings that haue gone before him who alwayes fauored the Church Adding to this also that those kings his auncetours woulde neuer haue suffered the wicked practises of these newe fellowes which falsely and wickedly of late time take vnto them selues the profession of the Gospell that they mighte therby both refuse all ecclesiastical order and also abolishe if they might al Ciuill power and authoritie For saith he the king ought to this ende specially to exercise his authoritie and draw his swerde to punishe and vtterly to roote out all heretikes giltie of criminall punishments Therefore he desired that Churches might not be graunted to those horrible men for so he termed them and that they also might be counted punished as heretikes which durst offer the supplications of Heretikes to the king This truely saith he hath bene the olde subtill practise of Sathan to bring this libertie to heretikes that they might the more securely and without feare of punishment destroy the Gospell the which subtill practises he hath nowe also in hande and therefore the more diligent héede saith he ought to be taken In like maner also he desired the king that according to the doyngs of his Auucetours and also according to the example of Charles the great whose name he bare he wold constraine all his subiectes to liue according to the Canons rules of the fathers For detestable sayth he is the boldnesse of these new heretikes which scoffing at the authoritie of the fathers and reiecting the doctrines and Canons of the Churche saye that they will haue nothing but the true Gospell onely as thoughe the promise of Christ were vaine and to no effect who promised that he would neuer forsake his Churche and as thoughe that they were wiser than so many Fathers which left so many godly Canons behynde them in writing also as though they alone vnderstoode the word of god Horrible boldnesse reebllion is that sayth he which casteth of the yoake of the Church and what else will they do at the last but murmur and grudge also against the power and authoritie of the Ciuill Magistrate Moreouer he said that the notes badges of the Church were not obscure which these new men wanted as the euerlasting and continuall successiō from the Apostles time and the Canons and rules which the Fathers left behinde them which badges the Church of Rome hath Therefore saith he that they may neuer hereafter abuse the name of the Churche we must plainely pronounce and affirme That the Church of Rome is the Catholique or vniuersall Church But if these newe men take vnto them the name of the Church we will not denie it them but we saye that they are not of the True Catholique Church but of the Malignant Church Also he made petition that they which had fled the Realme for Religions sake might be banished men for euer that they might loose all maner of priuilege and that they mighte be handled euen as if they were forraine enimyes Furthermore he saide that aboue all things that drowning floud which had flowed out of the diches of Geneua was most pernicious and therfore he exhorted the king that he would to the vtmost of his power roote out all such as came from that place and not to holde the yong childe excused if so be he came from thence seyng that God would call him to an accounte for the doing of his duetie And perswaded Queene Katherine also the kings mother by the example of that Katherine of whome Eusebius maketh mention to ouerthrow and roote out these newe Heretikes Therefore he sayde that this was the onely cause of the great mischief at hande that there were so many heretikes in euery place to the destruction of the Realme and all estates Moreouer he desired of the King that Ecclesiasticall persons might be defended and maintayned accordyng to the commaundement of God bycause they are The Lordes Christes or annointed as their badges that is to say their shauē crownes doe declare Also he complayned that the authoritie to chose Prelates was taken from the Clergy and giuen to Kings saying that it was done against Gods word against the holye Canons and againste the approued examples of the Elders and that euer since that tyme namely from the yeare of oure Lorde god M. D. XUII. when the same was first vsurped all things haue had euyll successe For saith he in that very yeare in the which that lawfull right was abrogated from Ecclesiasticall persons began that damnable heresie of Luther whiche afterwarde soke suche rooting
Nauar that the Constable didde it not vpon the same consideration aâ—…d in that order but in respecte of his office of the Câ—…nstableship the same thyng proprely appertayning to his office But herevpon was kindeled a more fyerie contention and sharpe and bitter wordes passed on bothe partes and in suche sort that the next day the king of Nauarre made himselfe readie to depart and his caâ—…iage and sumpter horsses béeing sent before he himselfe was now readie to mount on horsebacke and with him were readie to goe all the Princes the kings néere kinsmen the Constable the Chastillions and the greatest part of the Nobles the which if it had come to passe the Guises and they of their parte shuld haue ben left only with the king And the report was that they would go no further than Paris that there calling the assemblie of states together they might fully determine concerning the gouernment of the kingdome The Quéene béeing verie sorie for this sodaine intention and purpose by the aduise of the Cardinall of Turnon called vnto hir the Constable and to the ende she mighte stay and deferre hys going she brought to passe that king Charles hir sonne two Secretaries being called to make record commaunded and charged the Constable in this necessitie to abyde with him as one of the chiefe officers that might not be spared This charge so stayed the Constable that he neuer durst as hée had promised follow the king of Nauarre for all the persuasuasions that duke Momorencius could vse who persuaded him to the same Therfore the king of Nauar was let of his purpose But it was euery where reported that the Quene for the hatred she bare vnto the king of Nauar made muche of the Guyses The which rumour broughte to passe that they which should come to Paris to the particular assemblies of the States as in other prouinces of the realme they did also came the more spéedily In the whiche assemblie many things were moued concerning the order and maner of gouerning the realme as concernyng the remouing and placing some from and to the most honourable offices concerning the Guyses accompt to make of the money whiche was spent in the tyme of king Frances the seconde concerning their euill behauiour in the tyme of king Henrie and concerning their briberie and vnlawfull receyuing of money In the whiche crime also the Marshall Santandrae the Duchesse of Valentien and others were guiltie All whiche were forbidden to be of the Kings priuie Counsell vntill suche tyme as they had made their accompt Then they whiche were for this cause assembled togither at Paris as it is declared before were forbidden to doe any thing concerning the gouernment of the kingdom but they notwithstandyng go forwarde with that whiche they had begonne affirming that the same did specially appertayne to the assemblie of States to be talked of and not to be left to the determination and will of the Princes and kings kinsmen only When the Queene heard this she was oute of meaâ—…ure troubled and fynding no better way or remedie than to be reconciled to the king of Nauarre she desired the Constable that he woulde endeuour himselfe all that he coulde to bring the same to passe And at the length the Constable béeing a meane there was a newe couenaunte and league made betwéene them namely That the King of Nauarre shoulde bee taken for the Vicegerent or Regent throughoute the whole Realme And that the Queene neuer after would doe any thing withoute his counsell and will. This and the rest whiche tended to this effect were confirmed and fully agreed vpon both by words and writings and Registred by the Kings Secretaries in publike record These conditions beeing concluded and agréed vpon all the Princes the Kings kynsmen and the Prince of Conde being for this cause sente for from Paris subscribed to the same The Duke of Guyse in lyke manner subscribed with them promising from thence forwarde to shewe him selfe morâ—… obediente to the Kyng of Nauarre Then commaundemente was giuen to the Marshall Momorentius that he shoulde with all spéed cause the states particularly assembled at Paris to be reuoked and called backe agayn and that the same whiche was done at the first concernyng thâ—… order of gouerning the kingdome should be quietly amended and corrected The which thing was wysely brought to pâ—…sse by him to the great pleasure of the Quéene and also without any offence to the king of Nauarre Among the Ambassadoures of forreyne Princes and nations whiche came into Fraunce to gratifie the newe kyng Charles there was the Ambassadoure of Denmarke called Georgius Gluchus For this man the king of Nauarre made a feaste and desired him to tell his lorde the kyng of Denmarke that be would before a yeare came came about bring to passe that the Gospell should be openly and fréely preached thoroughoute the whole realme of Fraunce â–ª For the whiche thing when thankes was giuen to God and the good intent and purpose of the king of Nauarre commended Georgius Gluchus the Ambassadoure prayed him that hée woulde take héede that the doctrine of Caluine and of the Heluetians myght not be receyued in France but rather the doctrine of Martine Luther Whyche doctrine the king of Denmarke his Lorde and the kyng of Sueuia and many other kings and Princes whose dominion and power is no lesse than theirs whiche acknowledge the bishop of Rome and his Churche doo followe To this the king of Nauarre answered that Martine Luther and Iohn Caluine did wholly disagrée from the Pope in fortie Articles and of those fortie Articles they agréed betwéene themselues in nine and thirtie So that there is but one betwene them in controuersie Wherfore sayeth he both parts must endeuor themselues mutnally to beÌ„d their minds force first of al against the Pope that he being once ouercome they may seriously togither consider confer and come to agréement in that article in controuersie and so the Churche at the length may be brought to his former puritie But the Constable when the Quéene and king of Nauar were made frendeu obteyned great fauour on bothe sydis perswading himselfe that he had not ben a lâ—…ttle beneficiall to both of them by this meanes he was verie familiar with them bothe But when he saw that in Leâ—…t flesh was commonly eaten and openly vought and solde and that there were lermons openly preached in the prince of Condes chamber heard also the Quéen opeÌ„ly say that it was the kings pleasure and hirs also that there should be godly Sermons euery day in the kings house he began to suspecte that the king of Nauarre and the Quéen had secretly agréed together concerning religion And there preached before the Kyng one Ianuâ—… Monlucius Bishop of Valentine at whose preaching the Constable and the duke of Guise were â—…euer but once and the Constable being verie angrie with the bishop of Valentine sayde that it was inough for him to come once and no
more to suche a matter To whom the Bishop sayd that he prayed God that his worde might profite and take place euery where The day folowing the Constable and the Duke of Guise went together to a sermon of a certaine Monke and from that tyme their myndâ—… began to be altenated and drawne away After which tyme the Constable was angrie with the Admirall his nephew openly bicause he did freely and publikely professe the Gospel And the wife of the Constable greatly pricked him forward to this euill who was greatly offended that the familie and stocke of the Chastillion shoulde bee aduaunced hir brother the Earle Villarius being not in that estimation that she woulde haue had him Therfore she moued prouoked him wyth these prickes saying that the Admirall wente aboute to depriue him of that benefite which the Quéene had bestowed vpon him that he did instaÌ„tly persuade the Quéene to promote set forth the true religioÌ„ for the king of Nauars sake that the CoÌ„stable ought not to suffer y authoritie of the church of Rome to be diminished he being not onely the chiefe officer oâ—… the king but also such a one as had his original ofspring of the firste Christian of the kingdome of Fraunce as the poelie of his armes did verie well testifie whiche was this Protegat Deus primum Christianum that is God defende the firste christian Also the Marshall Santandrae a suttle craftie and malicious man blew in his care that by the suttle procurement of the Admirall he was put vp by the assemblie of States to be a bryber and an extorcioner By thys meanes he thoughte to staye him for he feared that the Constable would not easily be brought to their wicked religion except it were by these persuasions Therfore he proceeded saying that he whiche came of so noble a stock and hadde doone suche woorthie and notable seruice in the kyngdome of Fraunce gouernyng the kingdome fortie yeares oughte not to suffer newe religions to be brought in to the hurte of the catholike churche The lyke persuasions also vsed the Earle Villarius hys wyues brother bearing no lesse spite and malice agaynste the Admirall than his sister did and that bycause hee vnderstoode that the Admirall did disproue before those of the kings priuie counsell that whiche he had done in Narbon against Religion Therfore they withdrewe the Constable all that they coulde The whiche thyng Marshall Momorentiuâ—… fearing and foreséeing a daungerous tempest lyke to aryse by the meanes of these dissentions hée shewed to his father the Constable so muche as he could what he thought néedfull to be doone And least he shoulde be drawne awaye from the greatest parte of his strength leaste he shoulde chaunge awaye certaine frendship for that which was vncertain and leaste he should ioyne hymself with newe reconciled fréendes he repeated vnto him their olde enmities and fallings out Adding moreouer that hée shoulde peruerte and ouerthrowe the greatest foundations of his stocke and kinred when he should alienate and withdraw himselfe from the Prince of Conde from the Chastillions from the Earle of Rupefocaldensis and from the rest which professe the reformed Religion beside this he should loose thereby the good will and fauor of the king of Nauarre and peraduenture the Quéenes fauoure too It is better sayeth hee to suffer the Chastillions and the Guiles to contende togyther than for you to take parte and yet neuerthelesse you shall kéepe youre faythe Affirming also that yf the Guyses were ouercome as it is moste lykely bycause they haue procured the hatred of all the assemblies agaynste themselues then shoulde his prudence experience and goodnesse bring to passe that he shoulde be a moderatour and a iudge of the reformation of the Churche the errours of the whiche Churche he ought not to defend bycause he was the chiefe officer vnder the King and the successour also of the firste Christian that was in Fraunce Also he sayde that he ought not to count it an iniurie that mention was made of hym by those that were of the Assemblie at Paris seing that he had doone nothing but by the authoritie of Kings and of the hyghest powers and séeing also that he hadde receyued so little of kyng Henrye that there was no manne but hée woulde iudge hym woorthie of greater rewardes bothe in consideration of the office whyche hée had so long and also for the money whiche hee bestowed in the Kings seruice Moreouer hée sayde that it appeared by the Bookes of accompte that the gyftes whyche the kyng gaue hym were not so muche by the seuenth parte as those giftes were whiche were bestowed vpon the Marshal Santandrae so farre they were from being compared with the Guises gifts and with the giftes of the Duchesse of Valentien To these persuasions onely of Momorentius the Constable made answer saying That Religion coulde not be altered without the mutation of the state ciuil regiment that he was a faithfull seruant of the king and of his brethren also that he feared not to be found guiltie that notwithstanding he woulde not suffer the actes and deedes of the Kyngs deceassed to be reproued and disalowed That hée desyred that hys nephews the Chastillions might be so good Christians in verie déede as they séemed to bée in woordes also that hée dyd willingly forgiue those that had offended him whatsoeuer they had doone After this verie shortly the Chastillions Odetus the Cardinal the Admiral the Andelot came oftentimes vnto him protesting that they bare no hatred in their heartes agaynst the Guises but went only about to frustrate their practizes and deuyses whiche as it euidently appeared tended both to their destruction and of the realme also Whome the Constable saye they oughte to resiste aboue all others But they persuaded in vayne for his mynd was drawne awaye and was linked in the freendship of the Guyses by diuers that allured him therto Thus dissentioÌ„s grew dayly more and more by the meanes of Religion and openly burste foorthe insomuche that both partes sought to iniurie and to reproche one another the fauourers of the Popes doctrine calling the professours of the Gospell Huguenotes and the Protestantes callyng them agayne Papistes Herevpon came a rumour abroade of Seditions the Popes chaplains in their Sermons mouing and pricking the people forward to the same Wherfore the king sent his letters to the Magistrates of euerye Prouince the summe and effect wherof was That no man shoulde call another contumeliously by the name of Huguenot or Papist that no man shuld abuse that ho nest libertie which euery maÌ„ ought to enioy either in his own house or wheÌ„ he is in his freds house that no maÌ„ shuld enter ei ther with gret or smal nuÌ„ber vpoÌ„ other meÌ„s houses vnder proteÌ„ce of the former edicts which prohibited forbad vnlauful assemblyes That they which were kept in bondes for Religions sake should be by and by deliuered and set at libeâ—…e before the first Edicte made
for their deliueraunce That they which had fled the Realme for Religions sake shoulde haue leaue to returne home againe with full and safe libertie to enioy their goods and al things else that they had before so that they would be contented to liue Catholikely and without offence But if they would not that it should be lauful for them to sell their goods and to get them to another place These letters the Senate of Paris went aboute to let and stay but in vaine neither could their admonitions as they term them which they sent to the king preuaile so much but that these letters wer euery where published abrode which also almost in euery place were diligently obserued They were deliuered which were kepte in prison for Religion And many which for the Gospell wyllingly chose to lyue in exile in other landes retourning nowe home agayne greatly increased the Churche The Churche more and more flourished the Gospell was confirmed All menne as though they had quite forgotten all other things talked onely of the Gospell Euery one of what estate and degrée soeuer he was of only reasoned of the Gospell Sermons were made euery where both in the Cities and in the fieldes All men diligently resorted to heare them yea the verie rude and ignorant sort of people bicause of the newnesse of the thing came also to heare them of which a great number by this meanes were brought to the knowledge of god But the aduersaries they stoode amazed wondering and musing at so great a matter The seruice of ancient ceremonies began euery where to waxe colde yea and in manie places to be derided yea verie manie casting asyde the Popes badges and markes came into the Churches of the faithfull and were made as one with them So greate alterations came to pauÌ„e in so little a tyme. The Prince of Conde as we haue declared before came to Paris that his innoceÌ„cie and guiltlesnesse might be farther tried by the Senate He therfore the Cardinall of Burbon and many other noble menne attending vpon him pleaded with the Senate of Paris concerning this matter as followeth manie men maruelling that he was thus dealt withall It is sayth he a special token of Gods prouidence by whiche I béeing deliuered from the platformes and secrete traps of my enimies shall get vnto my selfe an euerlasting testimonie of my innocencie in those thynges layde to my charge The lying in wait and mischeuous practizes of wicked men do nothing at all hurt those which haue their hope trust in god I haue always wished that my cause might be throughly wayghed and vnderstode of the Senate which is the moste notable place in Fraunce for the executing of iustice I should sayth he be iniurious to my self vnlesse I should bring the equitie and integritie of my cause againste the slaunders of my aduersaries before so worthy an assemblie that the matter being worthie of the laudable and honorable sentence of the Senate may by the grauitie and vpright iudgemeÌ„t of the same be defined and ended Wherfore he prayed them to consider of his estimation whiche to hym was more deare than his lyfe Then when he had required of the Senate that Petrus Robertus his man of lawe mighte be peaceably and quietly hearde in making his declaration he so departed Then Petrus Robertus by and by made his oration saying That it hadde pleased God to trie the Prince of Conde with that triall of affliction with which â–ª he doth oftentimes trie his faithful seruaÌ„ts which affliction he doth oftentimes sende to those that are his but specially to those that are set in high degrée and that for two speciall causes First that Kings and Princes and men of great calling might know that they haue their power dignitie from God alone vpon whoÌ„ dependeth eyther their preseruation or destruction Secondly that the innocencie of his seruantes maye more euidently appere by false accusation that by that meanes there may be perfect triall of their integritie When he had thus spokeÌ„ he declared what things were wrought against the Prince at Aurelia howe his appeales were not receiued howe he was condemned his cause not heard and therfore he sayd that the sentence pronounced agaynst him was voyd and of none effect At the length wheÌ„ many things were debated reasoned of betwene hym and the Kings Sollicitour it was concluded That all matters that had ben broughte in agaynst the Prince should be referred to the Senate And if nothing could be found that should deserue or require an extraordinarie waye then by and by the Senate should pronounce the ful and absolute sentence of absolution and discharge But if the Senate should find any matter of greater weight that then it shuld be lawful before those testimonies and proofes were receiued and credited to examine the witnesses again and to consider the matter more depely and that the sentence pronounced by the former Iudges should be voyd seing that it appertained to the Senate alone which is the court appertaining to the king to the nobles of France to examine and iudge the causes of the kings kinsmen if any criminall cause were obiected against them The which point Petrus Robertus the prince of Conde his aduocate expounded and opened at large least the Prince shoulde seeme by the weaknesse of his cause to forsake that former iudgemente of the iudges whiche were chosen by king Frances the second of purpose to giue sentence on him He declared therfore that the Prince did refuse those iudges bicause they were far vnmete to iudge him besides that so it shuld haue ben preiudicial to the priuilege right of the princes the kings kinsmen for that they being accused of any matter maye appeale to be iudged of the king only their chiefe lord and the head of their stock in the Senate of Paris To this the kings solicitor answered That he did not only allow the sentence of the kings priuie councel coÌ„cerning the innocencie of the Prince of Conde but also earnestly desired that the same mighte be ratified and confirmed by the iudgement of a parliament notwithstanding saith he the same must be established by an ordinarie and lawful way Therfore the Prince of Conde was made playntiue and the Kings Solicitour the defendant â–ª and it was concluded That for somuche as the Prince of Conde was put vpon his further triall purgation the whole assemblie of the Senate house would receyue any manner of accusation to bee made agaynst the Prince of Conde and duly consider of the same to the ende if nothing coulde be brought agaynst him wherby he myght be founde guiltie â—…e myght straightwaye by publike sentence be declared and pronounced to be innocent and guiltlesse Wherefore all the Senatours commaunded that if any man had any manner of accusation against the Prince of Conde he should come into the Senate house and then he shoulde be hearde Yea euery one of the prince Councell were asked by name
if they had any thing to obiect against the Prince of Conde Who affirmed in generall by a solemne othe that they had nothing to obiecte against him Then was the final senteÌ„ce of the Senat giuen in maner forme folowing that is to say That the Prince of Conde had done nothing against the kings Maiestie but was pure innocent and guiltlesse of all those crimes layd to his charge â–ª that all actions commensed against him were voyde Also that he should haue libertie to arrest and sue whom he thought good that hee myght bee satisfied according to the dignitie of his person VVith prouiso also that this decree shoulde be proclaymed in the hyghest Courtes of the king and registred in publike Recordes Thys ordinaunce and decrée was pronounced and openly read â–ª by the chiefe iudge of the Senate the gates of the Senate house beeing set wyde open and all the Senatours assembled together solemnely apparelled in their Scarlet Roabes accordyng to order And also at the Readyng hereof there was a great multitude of people and the greatest part of the Nobilitie of Fraunce as the kyng of Nauarre the Cardinall Burbon Monpensier and others of the Princes the Kinges kinsmenne and with these also were present the Dukes of Guise Nemorosius the Constable Momorentius the Marshall of Santandrae the Cardinal of Lorrayn and the Chastillion Others also which were accused for the same cause with the prince of Conde receiued the sentence of their purgation openly read And vndoubtedly the Prince of Conde alwayes denyed that he was the author or of the counsell of that â—…umult of Ambaxian howsoeuer the Guises maliciously interpreted that counsell and way which was deuised to kepe them vnder to be intended against the kings maiestie and the state of the realme By these and such like practizes those two brethren the Guyses inflamed the yong king Frances against the men of Burbon leauing nothing vndone that might séeme to proue their accusations Accusers were diligently sought for and matters of accusation inquired after By gifts by threatnings all things were attempted And in the iudgement of the Prince of Conde they leaned specially to one witnesse whose name was Sagua a seruant of the kyng of Nauar of whom we haue made mention before That Sagua being taken and apprehended by the Guises was diligently examined concerning the Prince of Conde if he knewe whether he had conspired against the king or no. Sagua at the first denied this saying that he knew no suche matter But at the length Frances the duke of Guyse broughte it to passe hauing with him a hangman and a halter by thretning death vnto him except he would plainly accuse the Prince of Conde of conspiracie against the king But at the length being escaped out of the Guyses hands he most coÌ„stantly sayd both by word and writing that the accusation agaynst the prince of Conde was extorted from him by force This publike sentence therfore of the Senate toke away from the Prince of Conde that spite and slaunder wherby he was sayd and thought to be guiltie of the tumult of Ambaxian But if the sentence of the Senate had not cléered and purged him yet the effect and sequele of that whiche followed maye be sufficient to approue that he neuer conspired against the king As his only studie and moste vndoubted good will in defending the young king and the realme also being in great perill from the mischiefe and lyings in wait of forrain enimies The which he would neuer haue doon if he had intended to hurt the king any maner of way The Cardinall of Lorrayn complayned to the Quéene that the matter was euery daye worse and worse and that the people presumed and toke too much libertie vpon the kings Edictes and also that the negligence and carelesnesse of the Iudges increased more and more affirming that there was no wiser way to be found than in suche troublesome matters to take counsell of the Senate of Paris It was reported that he went about this thing being assured and certified before of many of the mindes of the Senatours that by this preiudice he myghte helpe the Nationall Councell shortly at hande Therefore the King and the Quéene and all the priuie Councell came vnto the Senate to deliberate wyth them of those matters whiche appertayned to Religion and the gouernement of the realme The Chauncellor briefly declared that they wer therfore called togither by the kings commandement that they might shewe certaine ready and exquisite wayes to qualifie those perturbations and troubles whiche would euery day more and more increase by reason of the diuersitie of Religion to the ende the Kings subiects might peaceably lyue vnder his obedience To the which matter he sayd it pertained nothing at al to talke of religioÌ„ bicause the ciuil gouernmeÌ„t was only now in hand as for religion he sayd it should be reserued to be handled in the Nationall Councell to whome it belonged to discusse the same When the Chauncellour had ended his oration euery man spake his iudgement Some wishing punishements for religions sake to â—…e stâ—…yde vntil the Câ—…uncel had determined of the same Other some wyshing to haue punishment by death which was contrarâ—…e to the ancient câ—…nstitutions of the Bishops of Rome Other some deeming it best to haue the whole matter left to the authorâ—…tie of Ecclesiastical iurisdiction In the meane tyme they thought good to forbid that there should be no conuenticles or assemblies either priuate or publike â–ª eyther with armes or withoute armes allo that there shulâ—… be no sermons or administrations of Sacraments otherwyse than according to the vsuall maner of the Church of Rome And thus the whole assemblie were deuided into three â—…eueral opinions Uerie many were of the first opinion how beit the last opinion and adâ—…iss prâ—…uayled hauyng three voyces more than the other had for the whych cause there arose contention many men suspecting that the Notarie being corrupted wroughte deceytfully reâ—…koning the names of some whiche came vulooked for whyle the assemblie were vttering their opinions the whiche was againste all order and custome of the Senate Neuerthelesse there was an Edicte made whyche was called the Edicte of Iulye The effecte whereof was thys That all men should liue peaceably that there shouled bee no iniuries doone vnder the pretence of religion That all disturbers and breakers of the peace shoulde suffer death that there should be in no wyse any maner of elections or any other things which pertayned to factions or diuisions That preachers should vse no wordes of offencâ—… that myght breed sedition among the people but shuld rather modestly instruct them and that also vnder payn of death That ther should be no sermons made or sacraments ministred either priuatly or publikely either with armes or without armes after any other maner than that which was vsed in the catholike Church set forth by the king and his clergie of France
dispute on both parts of the principall poyntes of Religion nowe in controuersie â—…bertie was graunted vnto all 〈◊〉 of the reformed Church freely to come to heare 〈◊〉 samâ—… and that vnder safe conduct by the kings 〈◊〉 Certain men were chosen to be of that Councel â–ª 〈◊〉 of the râ—…rmed Churches â–ª being 〈◊〉 conducted at the kingâ—… coÌ„manâ—…ment by his gard from Paris to the towne called Sangeiman â–ª Among whome the principall were these namely Peter 〈◊〉 â—…rofessor of diuinitie in the Tygurâ—… Churche and The â—…tore 〈◊〉 â—…ho were chiefe in this disputation 〈◊〉 of Gods word â—…t Geneua whâ—… were procured to 〈◊〉 thither by the kyng of Nauarre and by the reformed Churches â–ª There were also â—…icolaus Gelaâ—…us Augustinus Marloraâ—…us Iohannes 〈◊〉 â–ª Franciâ—…cus Morellus and Iohannes â–ª Malo wyth whomâ—… also came 〈◊〉 a lesrâ—… man whiche a little before abjuring and forsaking the Popes religion imbraced the doctrine of the Gospell They therfore to begin the matter offer to the king a supplication in the which they desire that this disputation might be begon forthwith by his authoritie and that these might be the conditions to be obserued in the same Firste that those prelates which were of the contrarie opinion might not be set as chiefe Iudges in this disputation but that the king with his Counsellours shoulde by his authoritie moderate and rule the whole matter Secondly that all controuersies should be referred and ended by the word of God only Thirdly that what soeuer should be determined and concluded in that disputation shuld be registred in the kinges publike commentaries by his notaries To the whiche the kyng made answer that he woulde consult of this matter with his councel that if it might be al the matter might by some meanes with the consent of the Prelates quietly be ended But the Prelates complayned and sayd that this libertie of disputing oughte not to be graunted vnto them which were long agoe condemned Whervpon they deferred the matter for certayn dayes béeing busied in the mean time to â—…ynde out the scruples and doubtes of these questions namely concerning the dignitie of Cathedrall Churches Concerning Regulars and their exemptions Concerning Cures and their ordinarie presentation Concerning the excéeding number of inferiour Priestes Concerning the reformation of Monasteries Concerning pluralities of Benefices and such like seeking to helpe the disordered Churche in due time with these inquisitions But this one thyng they specially pretended that they should haue great iniurie if authoritie to iudge were taken from them But nowe it shall not be disagréeing from our purpose to make mention of certayne communication had betwéen the Cardinall of Lorayne and Theodore Beza before the solemne diâ—…putation began Certayne communication betweene the Cardinall of Lorrain and Theodore Beza Minister of Geneua BEza came into the bedchamber of the king of Nauarre being so commaunded by him to the intente he might salute the Quéene And at that tyme there was also the Cardinall of Lorrain Then the Quéen began to talke with Beza concerning his bookes Upon which occasion the Cardinall then sayd to Beza as foloweth Card. Lorrain I haue séene a booke the author wherof you are sayd to bée in the whiche are contayned these wordes Chryst is to be sought in the Supper after the same manner that he was before he toke vpon him our flesh I haue heard also that you haue written another moste absurde saying which is that Christe must be sought for in the Supper as in the myre and dirte At the whiche saying the standers by greatly maruelling Beza answered Beza If the bookes were here I could the better tel whither they were myne or no but concerning the first saying it may séeme very absurde as you repeate it but the place being diligently wayed it shall be founde to be moste true As for the seconde it is blasphemous and wicked neyther shall it bée founde written in myne or in anye of oure bookes Card. Lorrain No doubte I maruell that any man dare affirme that we haue no more than the auncient Fathers had iâ—… the tyme of the lawe and how could they speake of the flesh of Chryste which as yet was not Beza Do ye thinke that there was alwayes a Churche from the first creation of the worlde Do ye thinke that the Church which was from the beginning of the world was called a Churche by him whiche was a Mediator betweene God â—… men And do ye thinke that Iesus Christe was that Mediatâ—…ure Card Lor. It is my opinion Beza Therefore the communion of the faithfull wyth Christ oughte not to be restrained to that tyme when he ioyned his diuinitie in verie déede to our nature â–ª for y which was not as yet by the order of nature was notwithstanding alwayes by the force and efficacie of faithe Is it not sayd that Abraham sawe the day of Christ and reioyced And Paule sayth That the fathers did eate the same spirituall meate and did all drink of the same spiritual drink whereof we haue droonke namely Christe Card. Lor. It is verie true For he is the Lambe that was stain from the beginning of the worlde After this when Beza had brought in manye places concerning the difference betwene the olde and newe Testament there began a newe disputation concerning the presence of the bodie and bloud of Christ in the Supper Card. Lor. We do disagree in the explication of these words This is my bodie Beza We disagrée in very déed for which we ar very sory Car Lo. I teach the children of my dioces wheÌ„ they are demauÌ„ded what the bread in the Supper is to answer that it is the bodie of Christ do ye disalowe this Beza No truly for they are the very wordes of Chrisâ—…e But I demaund how the bread is called the body of Chrisâ—… For all that is is not after one fashion or manner But the Cardinall vrged these wordes The rocke was Christe whiche wordes Beza had cited before agaynst the which he set these wordes of S. Iohn The worde became flâ—…she To the which Beza answered Beza There is great difference betwéen that substantial communion and the Sacramentall communion And this question sayth he doth consâ—…st of foure principall 〈◊〉 The first is of â—…gnes the second of the thing signified the third of the coniunction of signes the thing signified the fourth is of the participation of signes and of the thing by them signiâ—…ied Concerning the first we differ in this that you apoint in the Supper only accidâ—…nts for signes but we for signes put the substaÌ„ce of breaâ—… and wine as the nature of Sacraments doth require and the Scripture vniuersallye teache Heere the Cardinall interrupting Beza in his talke sayde Card. Lor. I thinke truly that I am able to proue desend Transubstantiation but I thinke that the same was not greatly néedefull to be founde oute by the diuines neyther doe I thinke that there oughte to be in the
kepte sylence the King spake in maner and fourme following All men sayth he know well enoughe what and how great perturbations and troubles are in the Realme for the which cause I haue appoynted you to come together at this time that those things which ye knowe haue néede of reformation maye quietly of you be declared without any maner of affection hauing no consideration or care for any thing but for the glorye of God and the peace and quietnesse of consciences The whyche thing I greatlye desire in so much that I haue determined not to suffer you to departe hence before you haue made some ende of all controuersies that at the length all dissentions being taken away mutual peace and concord may be had among all men This thing if ye bring to passe ye shall giue me occasion to maintayne and defende you with no lesse care than those kings my auncestours that haue béene before me haue done Then he commaunded his Chauncelor to declare his minde more at large The Chauncelor therefore began to shew that the kings will was according to the wils of his predecessors that had béene before him in staying the controuersies of Religion the which when those Kings of happie memorie went diligently aboute to bring to passe they had in their labors very small successe in so much that daylie more and more new troubles arose wherfore he would that all men should the more diligently wisely to apply theÌ„ selues to pacifie in time these troubles for the which cause he had caused them to come togither and minded in his royall person to accompany them that disordered matters in Religion which concerned both doctrine and maners might be reformed he vnderstanding that this was the onelye cause of all troubles woulde diligentlye prouide for them as his office required The remedie which nowe he intendeth to vse séemeth to be a present remedie as it was of late deliberated and considered of in the most noble assembly of the Princes CouÌ„cel namely that by this peculiar and particular conference the matters of Religion in controuersie betwéene both parties might be quietly reasoned and disputed of â–ª But to loke or séeke for remedie by a general Councel it is euen as vaine as if a man hauing good and sufficient remedie at home shoulde notwithstanding trauaile to the Indyes to séeke the same For sayth he we our selues shall better prouide remedyes for oure selues than men of strange and forraine countreys can doe which know neither the state of our cause nor the condition of our people of which kinde of strangers notwithstanding the generall Councell shall consiste Greater fruites and profite haue often times come by Nationall Councels than haue come by generall Councels As may appeare by that generall Councell of Ariminum the which Councell openly fauouring and maintaining the secte of the Arrians was reproued and corrected by particular Synodes Also in this our realme of Fraunce Hilary Bishop of Pictauia by his industrye and faithfull dealing in Synodes banished the heresie of the Arrians out of these partes Therfore sayth he there is no doubte but that there shall aryse great profite and commoditie by this assembly specially seing it pleaseth the king to take such paines himselfe who no doubt wil helpe both with his power authoritie Wherfore he wished the disputers on both partes onely to be carefull to doe their duetie both of them ioyntly to seke concorde the greater part not to despise the lesser not to vse curious disputations without profit and to iudge examine al matters by the word of God only which being wel vnderstoode fewe other authours shall serue also that they which say they followe the newe doctrine woulde not counte the prelates of the contrarye parte for their enimyes séeyng by Baptisme they retaine the name of Christians For the king sayth he hath therefore giuen you leaue to come together that men mighte sée what reasons you haue and that the Prelates on the Popes side might séeke by strong arguments to confute theÌ„ that the disputation at the length beyng published abrode all men may euidently sée that they are condemned for iust causes and not by the vaine authoritie of men Therefore take héede in any case that you do nothing ambitiously know ye that ye are not iudges and indeuour yourselues to finde out and manifest the truth So shall you both glorifye God and also profite your countrey and God himselfe shall blisse your indeuours and the moste constant minde of the king in this matter The matter being thus propounded by the Chauncelor the Cardinall of Turnon in the name of the Prelates gaue great thankes to the king to the Quéene and to the Princes that it pleased them to come to this holy assemblye and for that the Châ—…uncelor by the kings commaundement had put forth these matters the which he desired to haue giuen vnto him in writing that they mighte deliberate and consider what was néedefull to be done in these things Then the Chauncelour saide that he woulde not giue the matter in writing seing it was plainely enough declared And thus they coulde get nothing at the handes of the Chauncelor althoughe the Cardinall of Loraine required the same Then the ministers which sat oueragainst them hauing leaue to speake Theodore Beza began thus Seing that all things O king both great small specially those things which belong to the worship of God and which doe far surmounte oure capacitie doe depende vpon the same God we thinke it not troublesome to your maiestie if we begin with prayer vnto god When he had spoken these wordes he falling on his knées with the rest of his fellowes beganne to pray vnto God in that forme of confession of sinnes which is vsed in the refourmed Churches pronouncing the same with a loude voyce and that done straight way he added vnto the same these wordes For so much as O God thou hast bene so fauourable this daye to thy vnworthye seruauntes as to graunt them leaue to professe the knowledge of thy truth before their King and this most honorable assembly we moste humbly beseeche thee O father of lightes that it may please thee according to thy accustomed goodnesse so to illuminate our mindes to gouerne our affections and to make them apt to be taughte so also to direct oure wordes that whatsoeuer knowledge of thy truth thou shalt giue vnto vs according to our capacitie we may both with hearte and mouthe vtter the same to the glorye of thy name to the profit and prosperitie of our King and of all his subiects and specially to the peace and tranquillitie of this Christian common wealth realme WheÌ„ Beza had thus ended his prayer turning his speach to the king he vttered these wordes in manner and forme following They which doe faithfully serue and obey their Princes most noble King doe thinke themselues moste happie in this thing aboue al other if so
Thus far Beza procéeded in his oration who with his fellowes fell on their knées and standing vp straight way againe offred vnto the king the confession of the Churches of Fraunce and then he spake thus vnto him We beséeche your Maiestie not to regarde oure rude and barbarous speache but our well wishing mindes wholy consecrated to obedience But bicause the principall pointes of oure doctrine are more plainly and copiously contained in this confession of our faith we beséech your Maiestie to receiue the the same and we trust by the leaue of God it will come to passe that when we haue conferred together with all sobrietie and reuerence we shall come to some agréement But if our iniquities be the cause that we may not obtaine so greate a blessing we doubte not but your Maiestye will consyder of all thinges and prouide for them accordingly without preiudice of any partie And here wée thinke it not good to let one thing passe namely that when Beza intreated of the Lords supper and spake these wordes As touching the distance of places the bodie of Christ is so far from the bread and wine as the heauen is higher than the earth the Prelates were so moued that by and by they began to make disturbance and to murmur but this being somewhat quieted Beza made an ende of his oration After whom the Cardinall of Turnon hauing great indignation and shaking and trembling for very anger began in the name of the Popishe Prelacie of which he was chiefe to declare vnto the king that the Cardinall Bishoppes and the reste of their fellowship by reason of the kings commaundemente gaue their consente that the newe Euangelistes for so he termed the menne of the refourmed Churches shoulde be hearde what they coulde saye but notwithstanding not withoute some offence of their consciences bycause they perceyued that they myghte speake manye things not méete for a Christian Prince to heare which might also and that not withoute cause offende the mindes of many good men â–ª Therfore he sayd that the Prelates suspecting that it woulde so come to passe had giuen hym commaundement to intreate the King that if any suche matters fell oute he woulde not in any wyse beléeue their wordes And that therefore he would reiect both the wordes and sentence of that fellowe that had spoken in the name of those of the new Religion staying and suspending his iudgement vntill the Prelates hadde otherwyse opened the matter the which if it might please him he trusted that both the king and the whole assembly shoulde vnderstand see â–ª what diffenreÌ„ce there was between the truth and a lye He required also that he might haue a daye giuen him to answere Adding that had it not beene for the regarde they hadde vnto the King and to his commaundementes they would not at the hearing of those horrible and abheminable wordes which that other fellowe vttered haue suffered him to haue procéeded any further At the length he beseeched the King that he would follow the faith and footesteps of his auncestors the whiche he prayed all the Saintes in heauen and the Uirgin Mary to graunt To this the Quéene answered that nothing was doone in this matter without due aduice and counsell by the deliberation of the Princes and the priuie Councell and by the iudgement and consent of the Senate of Paris The whiche she sayd was not done to alter any thing in Religion but to quiet the troubles that were rysen through the diueâ—…sitie of opinions in Religion and by these means to bring those that were gone astraye into the way againe Which sayth she you and your fellowes ought to séeke specially at this time by vsing good and strong argumentes Thus the mynds of the Popishe Prelates being galled and very much grieued at the first méeting with the words of Theodore Bâ—…za the daye following he writ vnto the Quéene saying bycause he feared that she was not fully satisfied by reason of certen words wherat the Prelats were offended therfore he earnestly desired of hir that he might haue libertie more plainly largely to discourse that matter which then he could not copiously declare The occasion therfore saith he of those words by me vttered was the opinion of certaine men which not wel vnderstanding our mindes thought that we went about to exclude Christ froÌ„ the Supper the which to doe were manifestly wicked seing we haue the contrary to be found in the word of God namely that that precious Sacrament was therefore ordayned by the sonne of God that he might make vs more and more partakers of the substance of his verye body and bloude whereby we might more straightly be vnited vnto him and mighte growe to euerlasting life And vnlesse it should be so it were not the Supper of Iesu Christ. And therefore it is so far from vs that we should say that Christ is absent from the Supper that none of all others more resiste that blasphemie than we But we saye that there is great difference betwéene these to say that Iesus Christ is in the Supper in that he gyueth truely vnto vs his bodye and bloude and to say and affirme that his bodye bloude is ioyned to the bread That first I haue affirmed bicause it is the principall chiefe the seconde I haue denyed bicause I thinke it to be repugnant to the truth of Christ his nature and to the article of the ascention as it is in Scripture and as the ancient fathers expounde the same This sentence and opinion gyueth more dignitie and authoritie to the worde of God thaÌ„ that which teacheth that Christe is really and corporally ioyned to signes This therefore is the declaration meaning of that which we spake which I desyre may satisfie you being ready to be taught if better be shewed To this also he added certaine testimonies of the Fathers As of S. Augustine writing vpon the. 5. Chapter of S. Iohn where he saith VVhen our Sauiour Christ saide ye shall not haue me alwayes with you he spake of the presence of his bodie For according to his Maiestie prouidence and inuisible grace that which he promised in another place is fulfilled I will be with you to the ende of the world But according to his humane nature which he toke according to that that he was borne of the virgin Mary that he was crucifyed buried and rose againe it is said Me ye shall not haue alwayes VVherfore Bicause according to his body he was conuersant with his disciples fortie dayes and as they wentâ—… wyth him ascended from them into heauen neither is heere any more Also the same Saint Augustine saith writing to Dardanus As he is God he is euery where As he is man he is in heauen And Vigilius whiche wrote againste Eâ—…yches in the yeare of our Lorde God. 500. sayth The sonne of God in respecte of his humanitie is departed from vs but in respect of his diuinitie he saith I am with
assembly doth consist of two sorts of men For some are Ministers of other Cuntreys in such places in whiche their calling is approued Of these men ye haue nothing to do to take an account of their offices Other some there are here whiche preach the word of God in this Realme but ye haue not called these men before you to constraine them to make an account of their calling but to conferre with them concerning doctrine otherwise they mighte séeme after this manner to be brought to iudgement the which we thinke O Quéene not to be your will or meaning But if ye did it for disputatioÌ„s sake by your leaue I must say that it was not meete to moue any such talke openly to answere the which we had no good occasion offered vs excepte we woulde offende the mindes of the Prelates the which to doe we would be verie loth least we might seme to be the cause that the conference should be broken off And least we may séeme to speake without reason consider that so often as two partes come together to conferre or to dispute If the one parte demaunde why do you this and the other parte also demaunde the same thing saying why do you this it cannot be but in these questions reiterated there shall discention arise But omitting the Prelates of this Realme whome we will not offende let vs imagine with our selues that there were here a certaine Bishop which should demaund of vs saying by what authoritie doe ye preache and minister the Sacramentes And we in like maner should demaund by what authoritie he did the like that is to saye whether he were elected by the Seniors of his Churche in the which he is Bishop whether the people desired to haue him and whether his life maners and doctrine were firste examined He would answere that he was in that order called but the contrary is manifestly knowne and we call the conscience of those to witnesse that heare vs knowe how y matter standeth If he should saye vnto vs ye are no ministers bicause ye haue not the impositioÌ„ of haÌ„ds we in like maner would answere neyther are ye Bishops bicause in your institution the principall and most substantial matters commaunded by the worde of God are lacking If the disputation procéede farther we maye vse these wordes ye haue but one onely thing which is required in the right institution namely laying on of handes If the lacke of this one thing make as you thinke that we are not ministers 〈◊〉 must néedes the lacke of the other two namely the election by Seniors and the triall of life and doctrine proue you to be no Bishops The Councell of Chalcedone euen one of the firste vniuersall Counsels appoynted that the ordering and appoynting of a Prieste shoulde be voyde whiche was not doone by the Ministerie of some one Churche A greate deale more might we say to the Byshoppe disputing with vs séeing that two principall and substantiall thinges are wanting to him centrarie to the commaundemente of the Apostle There is also an other thing whiche we speake agaynst our will and yet notwithstanding we must speake it that all the whole assembly maye euidently sée that this question concerning Uocation is full of perill and 〈◊〉 If ye shoulde demaunde of that Byshoppe of whome he hadde receyued imposition of handes and for howe muche he hath bought the same what woulde he saye Surely he woulde make aunswere that he hadde receyued imposition of handes of Byshoppes and that he hadde not bought the same but that he gaue for it so many thousande Crownes whiche is as muche as if he shoulde saye I haue not bought the breade but I haue bought the wheate If this disputation verily shoulde be iudged by the Counsels and Canons of the Church it woulde make many Byshoppes and Curaâ—…es ashamed Into the whiche Disputation we woulde not willingly enter leaste we shoulde offende any man But take not this to be spoken to the ende we might enter into that disputation or to the intent we myght render quid pro quo or check for taunt but to the end you might vnderstand O Quéene that we did therfore very vnwillingly touche the matter leaste the peace and concorde a working might be hindered As touching the Article of the Lords Supper we would of late speake no further of the same bycause we hadde regarde to many men of this assembly whiche neuer hearing of any suche matter before mighte easily haue béene there at ofâ—…ended as at some newe thing We hadde rather that they shoulde heare the wordes of the aunciente Fathers of the Church than ours for somuche as the Cardinall of Loraine by open promise bounde himselfe to persuade and satisâ—…fie 〈◊〉 in this principall point of doctrine by the proper words of the fathers the which thing we greatly desired To satisfie this our desire and the expectation also of a great manye men the article of the Lordes Supper was put forth decided out of many and verie necessarie articles of the fayth and it was sayd vnto vs Either subscribe vnto this or else we wil proceede no farther If ye were oure Iudges and had authoritie to sit vpon our liues ye woulde not say Subscribe vnto this but VVe condemne you Your office leadeth you to another maner of speache and willeth you to shewe vnto vs our errors if there be anye in vs and to instructe them in the doctrine of truth which are readie to giue an account of their faith by the word of God. We are here before you O Quéene that for two speciall causes The firste is that we maye giue an account of our faith to God to you to the whole world The seconde is that we may obey God the king you so much as in vs lyeth to the pacifying of those troubles which are raised vp for Religions sake If ye had to do with vs onely which are here ye might the more easily haue yâ—…ur wils and purpose but hehold we represent a great number of men which are not onely in this kingdome but also in the chiefest partes of Heluetia Polonia Germanie England Scotland and Flanders and which long to see to what ende this conference will come But they shall vnderstande that in steade of the determination of a free and generall Conference the tenth parte of an Article was exhibited and that it was sayde Eyther subscribe vnto thys or else wee will proceede no farther And admit we should subscribe herevnto what were ye the better They whiche haue sente vs hyther wyll knowe whether by constrainte against our wils or else by force of good and holesome Argumentes we haue subscribed Therefore O Quéene we most earnestly beseche you that so good and godly a worke be not brokeÌ„ off and that ye will vouchsafe to graunt such men vnto â—…s which will not disdaine peaceably and soberly to conferre and dispute with vs otherwise you may consider with your selfe what great
in the same opinion in the whiche they concluded with the Ministers of the reformed Churches that they had made a compacte and agréemente with the Ministers and therefore they were not suffered to conferre or dispute any more after that Therfore the ministers hauing occasion offered sente this explication of that article vnto the chosen men that disputed for the Prelates VVe affirme that no distance of places can let the communicating which wee haue with the body and bloud of Christ bycause the Supper of the Lorde is a heauenly thing And althoughe we receiue in earthe with oure mouthe the breade and wine beyng true signes of his body and bloud yet notwithstanding by faithe and by the operation of the holye Ghost our myndes of which this is oure speciall meate being lyfted vp to heauen doe receine there his bodye and bloude And in this respecte wee saye that the bodye doth truely ioyne it selfe to the breade and the bloude to the wyne and yet notwithstanding no otherwyse than after a Sacramentall manner that is to saye neyther locally nor naturally but bycause they effectually signifie and declare that God doth giue them faithfully and without all doubt to the communicants who do truly and certainely receiue them by faith This therefore is the plaine opinion and iudgement of the reformed Churches concerning the presence of the bodie and bloud of Christ Iesus in the sacrament of the Supper But there were nowe come certaine ministers oute of Germanie by the meanes of Baâ—…duinus as we sayde before But they bewraying the councell and purpose of the Cardinall of Loraine by whose practise these things were spedely brought to passe returned home again with losse of their labour and their expectation being deceiued The purpose and practise of the Cardinall was to bring these ministers and the other into one disputation and contention and so contending and striuing together he might cause the conference to cease and make them to be a laughing stocke to all men The Prelates doubting of the fayth and trust of their men which they had chosen to dispute for them as we said before woulde haue no conference after this with the ministers wherevpon the conference brake vp the â–ª xxv day of Nouember And this was the ende of the Conference of Possiac manye being gathered together for the same the space of thrée monethes â—…fter the whiche there ensued not onely no profyte but also great trouble and motions of warres Thus the conference being ended withoute fruite there was no waye founde for peace and concorde but rather the mindes of both parts beyng exasperated there insued great quarels and discentiens So that great discorde rose dayly betwéene the Papists and the Protestants more and more some complayning and finding fault with the Prelates for their disordered departing from the conference the which in deede sufficiently declared the weakenesse of their cause and other some misliking of the authoritie of the Generall Councell shortly alter to come and of the Churche of Rome Neither were these dissentiâ—…ns onely among the common people but also among the Peeres Nobles of the realme mens mindes being distracted and drawne into manifest factions whiche foreshewed not onely bare contentions of wordes but also greate and mortall warres at hande For the compactes and manifest practises of the Guises of the Constable and of the Marshall of Santandra were well ynough sene Yet notwithstanding their purpose and indeuour was very muche let and hindered at that time by the authoritie of the King of Nauarre whome they thought good to assay by all meanes possible to the entent they myghte drawe him from taking part with the Protestantes In the which matter the Cardinal of Ferrer of whom we spake before being the Popes Legate in Fraunce take verye muche paines promising vnto the king of Nauarre in the Popes name the full possession of the kingdome of Nauarre affyrming that the Pope should easily obtaine this thing of king Phillip for that he already promised to doe the same for the Catholique Churches sake Moreouer the Cardinall of Towers the Bishop of Ansseren and Escarsius also certaine of his houshoulde confirmed him in this matter and vsed dayly persuasions being wicked men and set on for money by the Cardinall of Loraine Among whom also was that Frances Balduine of whome mention was made before as diligent and busie as the best to bring the matter about whereby he thought he shoulde reape no small gaine This man forging a new Gospell caused the king of Nauarre to hate both the doctrine and also the men of the reformed Churches So that now he began to hang betwene diuers opinions to forsake the loue of Religion openlye to shew himselfe an enimie to the reformed Churches to bée more coâ—…uersant and familiar with the Guises to giue him selfe to lightnesse filthy pleasure also to go to the Masse and to the Popishe Churches When the Duke of Guise had deliberated and consulted of the matter with the Constable and the Marshall of Santandre and willing them to gathered vnto them forthwith so great power as they could he departed from them leauing them in Fraunce and came to Imuilla in the moneth of Nouember and after he had taryed there certayne dayes he wente to the Cittie Tabernas whiche bordereâ—…h vpon Germanie to prouide for his businesse and to consult with many of the Princes of Germanie about this matter Notwithstanding the number of the faythfull dayly more and more encreased and was wonderfully confyrmed a great part of the Nobles comming to the reformed Churches Therefore there were assemblies and congregations in great number almost in all the noble Cities of the Realme in the whiche the worde of God was openly preached and the Sacramentes ministred notwithstanding the Edict of Iuly of whiche we spake before Wherevpon notwithstanding there arose oftentymes greate discâ—…ntions and of those seditions ensued great perils For they whiche were grieued and offended at these assemblies of the faythfull made exclamation that Edictes were broken and did so prepare themselues to trouble the faythfull that there séemed to be present occasions of great mischief whiche brake foorthe in many places but specially at Paris For the faithful being gathered togither the. 26. day of December to heare the word of God in Paris in the suburbes of Sanmarcellus a place specially appointed vnto them by the King for the same purpose the Priestes of the Temple of Sanmedardus hard by in the time of the Sermon caused such a noyse to be made with ringing of bels that the voyce of the Preacher coulde by no meanes be vnderstoode Whervpon two of the Congregation men vnarmed and without weapon came to these Popishe Priestes and beséeched them that they woulde not make suche a dynne with ringing their Belles that so greate a companie of menne shoulde be lette from hearing the woorde of God. The Priestes hauing with them diuers other men began to abuse them and
as the King had founde in the beginning of his raigne diuers and sundrie troubles hee vvente aboute by due aduise and Counsell of the Queene his mother of the Princes his neere kinsmen and of his Lordes and Nobles to prouide remedies for them setting forth to this ende and purpose diuers Edictes and among the rest one the last of Iuly In the vvhich all doctrines vvere plainely forbidden sauing the auncient and accustomed rytes and ceremonies of the Churche of Rome the force notvvithstanding and effecte of the vvhich Edicte vvas not onely let and stayed but thereof also folovved diuers perturbations and troubles through the obstinacie and headinesse of the people complayning and finding fault vvith the seueritie and rigor of the same Edict Therefore he hauing regarde to the peace and tranquillitie of his Subiectes by the Counsell aduise and consent of the Queene the King of Nauarre and by the consente of the Princes and Nobles of this Realme and by the aduise of other vvise and graue meÌ„ of the Parliament hath and doth appoint charge and commaunde That the men of the reformed Religion so called doe forthvvith restore vnto all Ecclesiasticall persons their Churches houses or fieldes and their reuenevves or Tenthes vvhich they haue occupied and that they doe suffer them peaceably and quietly to inioy them that neither directly nor indirectly openly nor priuily they hinder vexe or moleste them Yet notvvithstanding it shall not bee lavvfull for those persons of the reformed Religion eyther vvithin or vvithout the Cities to builde them Temples or other conuenient places for the gathering of assemblies together and for preaching of Sermons Also he vvilleth and commaundeth that no Crosses Crucifixes and Images be ouerthrovven oranye other offence in these things hereafter commited vpon payne of death vvithout any hope of pardon Furthermore it shall not bee lavvfull for them to haue anye Sermons or the administration of Sacramentes vvithin the Cities by any manner of meanes openly or secretely in the day time or in the nighte NotvvithstaÌ„ding for the peace and tranquillities sake of his subiectes vvhich he specially seeketh he hath vvilled and commaunded and by these presents doth vvill and commaunde that vntill the determination of a generall Councell no maner of punishment vnder the pretence of the former Edictes be executed vpon those vvhich shall preach or minister according to the reformed Religion or vvhich shall come to or frequent those Sermons or administrations of the said reformed Religion so that they be vvithout the cities Earnestly charging and forbidding all Magistrates others his Maiesties officers to doe any hurt or harme to the men of that Religion for these causes as for going to Sermons or suche other like exercises yea hee vvilleth and commaundeth the sayd Magistrates and all others that beare any manner of publique office to protecte and defende them and to saue them from all iniurie and harme if they neede armour in their defence to put on armour but in anye vvise notvvithstanding to take and punishe according to the Edicts most seuerely such as are seditious vvhat ReligioÌ„ so euer they say they follovve Also hevvilleth commaundeth all men of both sortes of Religion of vvhat state or condition soeuer they be of that they do not assemble themselues together in armour And that no man bâ—…stirred or prouoked for his Religion or bee miscalled vvith contumelious or factious names but that all men liue peaceably and quietly together Moreouer he vvilleth and commaundeth the Ministers of the reformed Religion so called that they receiue no man into their fellovvship or congregation before their lyfe and manners beevvell examined to the intente that if anye man be founde giltie of anye crime he may be deliuered into the hands of the Magistrate But if any of his officers vvill goe to their assemblyes to heare and consider of the doctrine vvhich is there preached his Maiestie vvill that they be honourably receiued vvith due consideration had of the dignities and offices they beare Also he vvilleth and straightly chargeth that they make no nevve ciuill Magistrates among them and that they haue no Synodes Courtes or Consistories excepte some one of the officers be present therat But if any thing should be needefull to be appointed by them concerning the vse of their Religion then he vvilleth them to bring their matter before his officers that by his authoritie all things maye be confyrmed Also he vvilleth that there be no choise of men or entering into league of either part for the putting avvay of mutuall iniuries That there be no contributions of money but if contribution be made for almes sake let the cause firste be shevved to the Magistrate and then let it be done Furthermore he vvilleth and commaundeth that those men of the reformed Religion doe obserue the politique lavves and specially those things vvhich concerne festiuall dayes that no trouble for this cause doe arise in like manner that they obserue in the bondes of Matrimonie those things vvhich concerne consanguinitie Also that the Ministers of that Religion come vnto the Magistrates to svveare before them to obserue and keepe this Edict and also to preache and teache the people onelye the vvorde of God vvith all purenesse and sinceritie doing nothing against the Nicene Councell and against the bookes of the olde and nevve Testament Moreouer he vvilleth that they vse no reproches nor seeke to constraine any man by force to heare or to beleue their doctrine this he giueth in charge to the Ministers Also he vvilleth and commaundeth that no man of vvhat Religion or condition soeuer he bee of doe bolster hide or conceale anye that is a seditious person vpon payne of forfayting for suche as beryche to the poore a thousande Crovvnes and vpon the paine for suche as be poore and not able to paye of vvhipping and then banishment Finally he vvilleth chargeth and straightly commaundeth that no man make sell or cause to be solde anye Bookes or vvritings that tend to the defaming or sclander of any person vpon paine of Cudgeling for the firste time and for the seconde time death And that Magistrates doe their duetie vvithin their precincte othervvise to be remoued from their offices Also if any seditions happen that then they enquire out the authours of the same and punishe them being found most seuerely the matter being manifestly proued to pronounce against them the sentence of death vpon paine of the Kings displeasure This Edict he commaunded to be proclaimed and obediently obserued and kept throughout his whole Realme without exception or exempting of anye person whatsoeuer Yet notwithstanding the Senate of Paris after the first seconde and third commaundement of the king scarcely published the same where as in all other Courtes and parts of the Realme it had béen very solemnly proclaimed according to the kings commaundement in that behalfe But the obstinate contempt of the Senators which were set on
114. King of Nauar forsaketh the court in displeasure 137. King of Nauar promiseth to promote the Gospell 139. L. Letters from the Princes of Germanie to King Henrie 28. Letters of Pardon 58. Letters sent to the Prince of Conde taken 107. Letters of the King. 143. Letters of Paulus Verglus to the Byshops of Italy 192. Lodowick the. 12. called the Father of his Countrey Lodowick Faurus caryed to pryson 27. Lutherans a name giuen to the Protestantes 22. Luxurie in Priestes 122. M. Man at the first perfect 66. Magistrates 76. Margaret Ryche Martyr 50. Matrimonie 204. Monsier Vidam apprehended 107 Monsier Vidam dyeth 116. Mongomery slew king Henrie 34 Mongomery of a persecutor became a faithfull Christian. 34. 35. Murther done nere to Sainte Innocentes 21. Murther at a Popishe Sermon 22. Myraculous delyuerance of the faithfull 19. N. Names of reproch 118. Nemerosius sente to dissuade Renaudius from his enterprise 54. Newnesse of life 70. Neuters 167. Nicolaus Durandus called Villegagno 45. Notes too knowe the Churche of Christ by 219. O. Obedience to Magistrates 205. Office of a King. 88. Oration of the Byshoppe of Vienna 87. Oration made by Beza 189. Oration made by the Byshoppe of Valentia 81. Obedience to Magistrates 205. P. Parliament at Paris 24. Parliament 116. Parliament breaketh vp 128. Peace after long persecution 115. Persecution in Spaine 166. Persecution in Prouance 135 Persecution in Paris and Roane 63 Peace betwene Spain Fraūce 24. Persecution stayed for a time 17. Persecutour receiue Gods vengeance 16. Persecution in the Churche of Paris 5. Planchaeus Counsell 59. Planchaeus imprisoned 60. Pope Paulus the thirde 94. Pope summoneth a Councell 128. Pope inuiteth the Princes of Germanie to the Councell 131. Pope renounced by the Princes of Germanie 134. Prince of Conde sente for too the Court. 135. Prince of Conde appealeth to hys Peeres 111. Prince of Conde taken 110. Protestants called Lutherians 21. 4. Purgatorie 71. Q. Queene of Englande aydeth the Scottes 62. Queene falleth out with the King of Nauar. 114. Queene sendeth Letters too the Pope 168. Quintius Hedius speaker for the Clergie 123. Quintius receiueth his Oration 127 Quintins dyeth for sorrowe 127. R. Reall presence 210. Rebaptizing 73. Reconciliation of the Prince of Conde and the Duke of Guise 161. Reconciliation betweene Queene and the King of Nauar. 138. Reformation wished by the Cardinall of Loraine 209. Religion 89. Religions force in mens myndes 117. Remission of sinnes 69. Renaudius Captaine againste the Guises 54. Renaudus slayne 57. Richerius minister of the congregation vnder Villegagno 46. S. Sacraments 201. 75. Sacramentall signes 183. Sagua seruant to the Prince of Cō de apprehended 107. Scottes war for Religion 61. Scriptures 64. Seditious Preachers 20. Sedition defyned 116. Shauen crounes the badges of poperie 126. Singing of Psalmes 20. Singing of Psalmes required of noble women 84. Sclaunders raysed vp againste the faythfull 7. Soule of Picardie 22. Supper of the Lorde 75. Supplication of the faithfull deliuered to the king 79. Succession of the Church 221. Successors of the Apostles 224. Synode at Paris 27. Symoniakes 94. T. Transubstantiation 202. Trent in Italy 128. Trinitie 65. Tributes 98. Truchetus slaine by a Cowhierde 157. Truce betwene the Duke of Sabaudia and the mē of the valleis 166. Tumult of Ambaxia 52. Two Pillers of the Kingdome 88. Tyrantes raigne by force 88. V. Vidam answereth to his letters 108. Vidam dismiste of Sainte Michaels order 109. Vidam dyeth 116. Villers an enimie to the Admyrall 141. Villegagno goeth to the weste Indies to plante the Gospell there 45. Villegagno a fearfull Apostata 46. Villemongius a constant martyr 56 Vnitie of the Church 72. Vocation ordinarie and extraordinarie 224. VV. VVarres betweene the Duke of Sabaudia and the men of the Valleys 125. VVorde of God. 64. VVorde of God a weapon againste Heretiques 86. VVorkes and faith 167. VVorshiping of Images 171. FINIS The seconde parte of Commen taries Conteyning the whole discourse of the ciuill warres of Fraunce vnder the raigne of CHARLES the nynth Translated out of Latin into Englishe by Thomas Tymme Minister Seene and allowed Imprinted at London by Frances Coldock And are to be sold at his shop in Pawles churchyard at the signe of the greene Dragon 1574. To the right woorshipfull Sir Richard Baker Knight Thomas Tymme wisheth health and prosperitie with full perfection of all Christian knowledge and godlynesse PArtly Experience of the former friendly acceptation of my good will right woorshipfull and partly presumption vpon the same agayne twoo bold guides haue moued me to attempt the Dedication of these two other partes of Commentaries to the which also is ioyned an Addition of the horrible and cruell slaughter of the Admirall Chastillon and other Nobles vnto you hoping that as you haue already worshipfully receyued the first part and taken the same to your protectiō so likewyse you will not refuse these other partes set foorth with such diligence as conueniently might be vsed The gyft which is my small labour in the Translation is scarce woorthy the presenting to your worship but the Argument which concerneth the affaires of so noble a kingdome as Fraunce is I boldly presume in the learned Authours name too presente vnto you especially seeing the reading and knowledge therof shall not onely redound to the profyt of our Countrey but also greatly illustrate and set forth the glory of god For whē we shall compare our happy estate with the miserable condicion of the afflicted people in Fraunce when I say wee shall call to mind the happy dayes of peace and concorde and the prosperouse successe in our ciuill gouernement which by the vnspeakable mercy and goodnesse of God wee haue enioyed since the raigne of our gratiouse Soueraigne and contrarywyse the bloudy warres the sore dissentiō and stryfe with the horrible desolation that hath ensued in the realme of France we cannot choose but we must needes be forced too magnifie and extol the great mercies of our God which hath deliuered vs from the lyke destruction no lesse deserued by our sinnes Shall we say that the Frenchmen our neighbours are greater sinners than any other Nation vnder heauen because of the great desolation fallen vppon them No verily but except wee repent wee shall in lyke manner perishe Therefore right woorshipfull by the benefite of this discourse of the ciuill warres we shall not onely be drawne to the knowledge of our selues but also bee prouoked to gyue God moste harty thankes for our quiet peaceableestate which by our Soueraign Prince we enioye These are the frutes which shall ensue to the Christian Reader by these Commentaries the which if they maye reape as no doubt they shall I may account my labour well bestowed Thus hauing boldly craued your worships courtesie in receyuing this base and simple present of myne I cease wyth thankes for your liberalitie shewed towardes me committing you my good Lady your wyfe into the handes of Almighty
of these confusions tumultes God himselfe the Prince of Princes shewed his singular prouidence care which hee hath effectually towardes mankind but especially peculiarly towards his church to preserue and stablish the same mightely in the iniddest of al worldly troubles neither by one meanes only bnt by sundry meanes as it hath seemed good to him in the diuers formes of rule gouernment to assigne vnto his church an abyding place as of old time in the gouerning of the primitiue Church immediatly after the Apostels and in our tyme in Germany Switserland England Scotland and in other places it hath appeared and more of late in these our countrey of Fraunce is euidently seene not that in this varietie we should ascribe any thing to the rule of fortune but that the manifold and maruailouse efficacy of the wisdome of God might be considered which doth singularly wateh ouer the safety of the Church And if it may please thee to consider the second middell causes and reasons of the Instruments which God vsed in the beginning of this worke you shall see how cōtrary they be and how variable On the one side the wicked and vnbridled iustes of men proue to worke mischief doo appeare a colour of religion is pretended to worke the ouerthrowe of Religion the kinges name is vsurped when they go about to suppresse the King himself and in the meane time the gospeil is accused as a common enemy and the subuersion of the same is conspyred On y other side God styrreth vp many men to preserue defend his church in those troubles because the destruction of the same was chiefly desired Ther appeareth in those mē as the history plainly sheweth a desire of the safety of the church of the Kings dignitie authoritie of the publique peace and yet in the ex◅ution of that their laudable desire it appeareth that they were not vtterly faultlesse yet is the Church preserued in the middest of all these misorders that as it is manifest that men cannot be sayd to be the very authors keepers therof so must we nedes confesse that God is the very author preseruer and keeper of the same Therfore the church doth not triumphe as hauing gotten the victory by mans ayde neither doth it lye vtterly prostrat by the violence of worldly tumultes which being fashoned like vnto her head raigning in the middest of hi◅ enemies doth so stryue in continual conflictes in this world because she certainly knoweth that the heauenly Iudge hath prouided ◅ time when they shall fully triumph The church hath heretofore ben exercised in many battails how many are behind God knoweth bycause the time which is appointed for the last victory is vnknown yet the promise of the heauēly reward is most true which that most valiant Chāpion hath pronounced with his own mouth saying That through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of heauen If the promise of God as touching y victory of his church were included within the limites of this world surely it should triumphe in this world by the vertue power of the omnipotent euerlasting God but that her triumph is appointed elswher the often greuouse spoyles and calamities of the same declare In the meane time let vs consider these things contemplate wher in what partes of the world the tokens of that Catholike true church do appeare let vs aduaunce the prouidence wisdom bountifulnes and power of God in preseruing gouerning the same least if the blind ignorance of men be reprehended that worthely because they see not God who hath not left himself as saith the Apost◅e without witnesse in this world we also be much more worthy of blame who see not the light before our ◅yes ▪ nor the Sunne beames glistering throughout the whole world neyther do reuerence Iesus Christ diuersely triumphing by the mighty working of the Gospell Truly gentle reader this is my counsaill purpose in writing these Commentaries to giue thee occasion by preseruing the memory of these things to contemplate reuerence the prouidence of God in the gouernment of his church wherof we be members and that we thereby while the whole body is assaulted enduring manfully our own particular conflicts might with all our mind long for the reward of the heauenly victory Moreouer what soeuer in this litle work wherin I haue traueled faithfully belongeth vnto me I dedicate the same wholy liberaly frankly to thee Christian Reader neither shall it greeue mee too beare the censure of diuers iudgements so that thou by reading these s◅iender Cōmen taries mayest be encouraged and prepared to reade a iust history FARE WELL. The Table A ACtes done by M des Adretz in Dolphini in the countie of V◅ ayas 143 Aunswere made by the Prince of Conde to the supplicatiō which was put vp too the King and Queene by the Guises 91 Aunswere made by the Prince of Conde and his friends to the decree of the Senate of Paris 148 Assault giuen too Cesteron by the Papistes a citie in Prouance 181 Auinion a Citie in Prouance yeeldeth to the faithfull 80 Aide commeth from the Princes of Germanie the Protestants to the Prince of Conde to Orleans 214 B Blesa and Towers taken by the Papistes 137 Breach of the Edict of Ianuary cau sed the Ciuill warres 2 Burges besieged by the Papistes 199 C Cane in Normandie woon by the Admirall 259 Ciuill warre caused by the breach of the Edict of Ianuary 2 Ciuill warres begon 124 Complaint made by the faithful of the slaughter at Vassie 14 Comparison made betweene the Princes request and the request of the Guises 110 Conde forsaketh Paris 19 Conde commeth to Orleans 21 Conde enclined to peace 24 Conde perswaded to take the protection of the young King. 26 Conde complaineth too the olde Queene of the murther done a◅ Sens 34 Conde sory for the slaugher of Mot recondrine 085 Conde returneth to Orleans with his armie 173 Conditions of peace offered by the King to the faithfull 124 Conditions offered by the Prince of Conde at the first parley 219 Conspiracies made against the Gos pell by the Guises the Marshall of Saint Andrew and the Constable 4 Craftie pollicies wrought by the cō spiratours to seduce the King of Nauar to take their partes 5 Conspiracie against Languedocke 184 Crueltie vsed at the takinge of Orange 140 Coūsaile holden at Orleans by thē of the reformed Religion 72 D Declaration set forth by the Prince of Conde the second time 56 Decrees made by the Senate of Paris against the men of Orleās 145 E Edicts set forth in the kings name promising peace to them which had and would forsake the Admirall 245. F Foure speciall constitutions in the kings minoritie 168. G Great cruelty vsed by the papistes to the inhabitants of Orange 140. Great slaughter of the papistes 194. Guyses vnder collour of pence seke to dec◅e the prince of Cōde 130. Guyses
seeme to goe home to their houses 134. Guyses remoue their armye from Bogencia and take Blesa and towers 137. Guyses ayded by the Germans and Switsers 145. Guyses authours of moste horrible murder done at Vassy 10. Guyses come to Paris againste the Queenes commaundement 16. Guyses hauing gotten Paris seke to get the king also 19. Gnyses seeke to staye the Prince of Conde from ioyning wyth the Englishmen 237. Guyse being at the siege of Orleans was slaine by treason 258. H Horrible murder done to them of Towers by the Guyses after they had won the towne 137. Horrible murder coÌ„mitted at MoÌ„bâ—…yse by Baron des Adretze 183. Helpe desired by the Prince of Con de of the Queene of England the princes of Germany 146. I Idols broken downe and defaced at the Citties of Towers and Blayse 50. Idols broken downe at OrleaÌ„s 50. K King of Nauarie being shotte into the shoulder with a small pellâ—…t dyeth 202. L League made betwene the Nobles and the Prince of Conde 25. Letters sent by the olde Queene to the Prince 31. Letters sent from the Prince of Con de to the reformed churches 47. Letters sent by the olde Queene to the Prince 50. Letters sent froÌ„ the prince of CoÌ„de to the Emperour 70. Letters sent from the Senate at Paris to the Prince of Conde 51. Letters sent from the Prince of CoÌ„de to the Prince of Palatine 71. Letters sent to euery congregation from the Counsell holden at Orleans 73. Letters sent to the countie Palatine from the Synode at Orleans 76. Letters from the Prince of Conde to the Queene 115. Letters from the Prince to the king of Nauar. 118. Letters sent by the Prince of Conde to the Queene of Englande and the German princes for aide 146 Letters found in the Papistes tentâ—… after they were put to flight bewraying their hole purpose 195. Letters sent to the Germanes which were in the hoast of the Guyses by the Priaces of Germany to disâ—…ade them to take his part 210. Letters parents giuen out to them which had started awaye froÌ„ the Prince of Conde 212 Letters written to the Germanes which were in the princes of CoÌ„de his army to dehort them from his seruice 2540 M Marshall of S. Andrew being taken and wounded in the head dyeth in the fielde 243. Momorantius the Constable ioyned in amitie with the Guises 3. Montauban taken by the Faythfull 74. Monsieur Montbron put to flighte with his army 181. Monsieur â—…oyse besieged Montpelier 185. Monsieur Bularges got a wonderfull victory ouer the enemy 193. Monsieur de Adretze his acts done in Dolphiny and in the countie of Venayas 143. Mottecondrine slaine 81. N Names of the Captaines ouer the faithfull 139 Narbone is left by the faithfull too the tuition of the Papistes 79 Nemeaux otherwise called Nemis is taken by the faithfull 80 Nemours winneth Vienna 248 Nemours deceiued by an Inhabitant of Lions 249 Noble men of the Prince of CoÌ„des side went too parley with the Queene 133 Nonay cruelly spoyled 252 O Orenge assaulted and taken by the Papistes 140 Orleans vexed with a greeuous pestilence 146 Orleans besieged by the Papists 255 P Paris being gotten by the Guises they seke to get the King also 19 Parleyes hadde betweene the olde Queene the Admirall and the Prince of Conde 2â—…4 Peace offered by the king too the faithfull but vppon conditions 124 Peace taken on bothe partes 260 Poictiers woon by the Maâ—…shall of Saint Andrew 145 Pollicies wrought by the Guises to expell the Conde out of Paris 17 Prince of Conde becoÌ„meth pledge 131 Practises to take the Prince of Conde 131 Prince of Conde returneth to his ar mie backe againe 136 Prince of Conde forsaketh Paris 17 Prince of Conde specially inclined to peace 24 Prince of Conde coÌ„plaineth of the murther done at Sens. 34. Prince of Conde receiueth letters from the Senate at Paris 51 Prince of Conde returneth from Paris to ioyne with the EnglishmeÌ„ 237 Prince of CoÌ„de taken prisoner 242 Purpose of the Guises concerninge warre 22 Pultrot sent from Lions to Orleans with letters 256 Pultrot sâ—…apeth the Guise and by the meere prouideÌ„ce of God is taken againe 258 Pultrot is drawne in peeces with horse for killing the Guises 265 Q Queene of Scottes promised to bee giuen in mariage to the king of Nauar. 7 Queene mother denieth thevse of the reformed Religion too the Prince of Conde 134 Queene mother would haue the Prince of Conde and his friendes banished 135 Queene of Nauar sheweth her self to be a vertuous Lady 202 R. Requestes made by the faithful 124 Roan in Normandye besieged but in vayne 138 Roan besieged the second time 201 Ruzeus a professour of the Gospel commaunded to ward 23 S. Saltanus Lieuetenant of Lyons anenemie to the gospell 82 Slaughter at Tholoze 79 Slaughter of the faythfull at Vassy coÌ„mitted by the Duke of Guise page 10 Supplication offered to the King Queene in the name of the Triumuiri 87 Supplication offered the seconde time to the King and Queen by the Guises and his confederates pag. 90 Suze his army in Dolphiny greatly anoyed the faithful 146 T Talke betwixt the King of Nauar the Old Queene and the Prince of Conde 115 Talke betwene the old Queen and the Nobles on the Prince of CoÌ„de his side 133 The second declaratioÌ„ of the prince pag. 59. The true cause of the firste warres pag. 168 The beginning of the ciuill warres pag. 124 The reasons that stayed the Prince of Conde from going into exile pag. 222 The forme of the gouernement of the realme in the Kings minoritie 222 The order of the meeting of booth the battailes on the plane of Dreux 238 The first battaile wherein the Constable was taken and many Swit sers taken and slaine 240 The Admirall goeth into Normandie 257 V Valentia taken by the faithfull 81 Vienna woon by the Papistes 248 IV VVarre purposed by the Guises 22 VVickednes almost vncredible com mitted by the Papists against the faithfull in Prouance 185 VVritings published by the Queen of England coÌ„cerning the helpe she sent to the Prince of Conde page 203 VVritinges published by the Prince of Conde wherin hee declareth himselfe not to be the beginner of these warres 215 FINIS Faultes escaped in Printing both in the second part and also in the last part Page 57. line 7 leaue out of the which Page 88. line 10. for and reade an Page 97. line last for They then sayd read Thus much they said at that time Page 105. line last for they read the. Page 133. line 13. for orget read forget Page 147. line 13 for oh read of Page 169. line 27. for Bishoppes read Kyngs Page 175. line 6. for a read as Page 174. line 28. for the read then Page 176. line â—…6 for rnd read and. Page 187. line 8. for breathe read bredth Page 188. line 22. for ayy read any Page 204. line 30. for my sée read maye sée Page 224. for it it
read it is Page 51. line 20. for do read to The fourth Booke of Commentaries concerning the state of the common wealth and Religion of Fraunce in the raigne of Kyng Charles IX THe Edict of Ia nuary whereof mention is made in the end of the third Booke goinge before being at the last after the delayes of the Senate of Paris published proclaymed at Paris and in the whole Kingdome made a ioyful and prosperous end of all troubles the Gospell had peaceable passage throughout all the dominions all most of Fraunce and the faythfull according to the tenure and prescript of the Edict gladly leauing the Churches and places which were within the cities flocked together in great assemblies without the Cities insomuch that all men greatly delighted to looke vppon them But Sathan enuying that peace and tranquillitie caused after a while not only priuate perturbations and troubles betwéene man and man but also open and Ciuill warres by the deuises and practises of the aduersaries to the great hurt of the Realme The which things as briefely euen so truely will we declare in this historie In penning whereof we know into what sundry hap and hazard of iudgements we are in what a large scope wée haue to set forth diuers matters and also what hatred and perill we bring vnto our selues But the truth shal defend it selfe and shall also take away all sclaunder reproche Many gréeued and repined at the increase and good successe of the reformed Churches greatly misliking of the Edict of January for that it tended much for their peace and quietnes which fauored the Religion Of these repyning enemies there were two sortes The first sort were such as had their liuing by the Benefices reuenewes and spirituall promotions of Priestes and of these many were gentlemen and men of high calling who perceiuing that the greatest part of their substance came vnto them by the sayd Benefices thought that they should sustaine great hinderance and losse if so be they of the reformed Religion should obtaine and enioye the benefite of the Edict The second sort were such noble men as being inriched not onely with those great and huge sommes of money which came to them by the yerely reuenewes of those Benefices the fatte wherof they reserued to them and theirs but also with the innumerable giftes of King Henry the second and Fraunces the second feared least they being called to giue vp their accompts according to the custome of the Realme should be found giltie of extorcion Among these latter sort the chiefe were the Guises the fatall destruction of the kingdome of Fraunce who also as yet were to make their accoūt for great sommes of money taken out of the Kings Treasury for common affaires and other waightie matters in the time of King Fraunces the second and also of their euill demeynor wherof they were playnely accused vnder the raigne of Kyng Henry the second Also the great losse of that high auctho ritie which almost they alone had during the minority of King Fraunces the second and with the same losse the feare foreséeing the great euilles to come pinched them euen to the hart and gréeued them to the very gall To these also was ioyned the Martiall of S. Andrew a man full of all subtiltie guile and mischief who being out of measure riche with the great giftes which he receyued of Kyng Henry for his euill and cruell seruice was pricked in conscience for spoyling by sinister meanes diuers noble men of his familiar acquayntāce By the practise and endeuour of this Martiall the Constable Momorentius as we sayd in our other Booke a little before a mortall enemie to the Guises hauing diuers times experience of their hatred was brought to the familiaritie and friendship of the Guises And to the intent they might winne the Constable wholely vnto them by a new benefite they graunted franckly vnto him the dominion of Dammartine for the which afore time there had bene great contencion betwéene them Therefore the daily adhortations of the Martiall of S. Andrew and the Duches of Valence beside the domesticall and daily perswasions of his wife and of the Earle of Uillars greatly vrged and pressed the Constable as that the ancient and catholique doctrine was abolyshed that the common wealth was disturbed that they of the reformed Religion did plainly threaten to bring such as had bene officers of the kings afore time to giue vp their accoūts that those mē sought only by lit tle and little to place them selues in authoritye and to abase those that serued and had borne office vnder the kings in time past and to haue the spoil of their goods that the Queene Mother was led away with their perswasions and that shée being an effeminate weake woman would incline to that parte which was moste strong also that it was manifest that shée did fauoure those of the reformed Religion for the king of Nauar hys sake who séeketh all that he can to haue the Religion altered being thervnto prouoked by the Prince of Conde to spight those which are suspected to be the authors that he was cast into prison And therfore that they if they might bring al things to passe after their owne desire as to haue their enemies subdued and the state of the kingdome and of Religion altered would bring the Constable him selfe to their owne bent and wil wold in like manner call him to account These perswasions being oftentimes inculcated and beaten into the Constables eares being rather an enemy to Religion drewe him quite away at the last to the contrary part and so by little and little for saking the king of Nauar and the Prince of Conde he openly shewed his displeasure and choller against the Chastilions Therfore now began to be manifest familiarity and frendship betwéene the Constable and the Guises in so much that they bāketted one another and had oftentimes secreate conference betwéene them selues Wherfore at y last they conspired together namely that the Duke of Guise as a Prince of aliance to the king and Lord great master of Fraunce the Constable as chéefe officer vnder the king and the Martiall of S. Andrew as head Martiall should bend their whole endeuors in this that no parte of the ancient and Catholique Religion might be altered And because notwithstanding the constitutions and Edictes of the former kings a new Religion was brought in they would indeuor them selues with all their force and might that those hereticall doctrines might be quite abolished and destroyed And also that they would not suffer newe Decrées to be made concerning the state of the realme and the willes of the former Kings to be disproued that they would openly declare them selues to be enemies to all those which would go about this thing And finally that in this cause they wold do what they could euen to the spending of their goods and liues To performe the which they swore solemnely one to
another The matter being thus agréed vppon betwéene them they did deliberate and aduise them selues what they were best to doe namely that they would gather together al the power they were able to make and that they would séeke for all the helpe and aide at their retainers and fréends handes that might be had they being assured of aide out of Spaine and Jtalie and that the Guises should proue what helpe they could get out of the partes of Germanie But first of all they thought it necessary to intise and win the king of Nauar to bryng him if they could to defend their part to get Paris and finally to haue the King and Quéene at their becke These things once obtained they perswaded them selues easely to obtaine their purpose Concerning the winning of the king of Nauar they had good hope being voluptuous geuen to ease and vnconstant and hauing his housholde seruaunts hired by the Cardinall of Loraine to vse their diligent endeuor to bring y same to passe Who being once woon to take their part they perceiued a plaine way to haue their purpose Therefore to the entent they might win him they vse very subtill and crafty meanes First they assay what they can do by his houshold seruaunts the byshop of Aussere ▪ Monsire Escars and Frances Balduinae being sent in to confer and talke with hym These declared to the king of Nauar that they of the Religion sought now to bring in new and more seuere Lawes than were woont to be to reforme Princes as though it were not lawfull for Princes to liue as they list and to do what séemeth good in their owne eyes If credit be gyuen vnto these men than must men frame a new lyfe and if these mē be made Iudges to reforme what they thinke good to be reformed the which no doubt they goe about there will ensewe no smal daunger But he being one that had chéefe authoritie in the Realme of Fraunce ought rather wisely to follow that which was agreable to the present state and to consider into what troubles he should bring the Realme if he would abolish the auncient Religion which so many Kings before time had receyued There are say they opinions of diuers Religions which as they come with tyme so with tyme they fade away agayne If therfore he shuld be of the reformed Religion the King of Spaine would be his open enemie And beside this the Pope would set whole Jtalie al Christian Realmes against the kingdome of Fraunce whiche might easely be vanquished and ouerthrowne in the middest of so many dis sentions But looke how much hurt and dammage hee should bring to himselfe and to the whole Kingdome if he should defende that new Religion and the professors thereof so much profite glory and fame should come to him and to all his stocke if he did not to much intangle himselfe in these controuersies of Religion but dyd rather frame himselfe wysely according to occasion and tyme that is to saye when occasion is offered to maintayne and defende the auncient and Catholike Religion whereby he might looke to finde great profite Thus if hée would shewe himselfe he should winne the Popes fauour and bind his holinesse to requite him with some great benefite by whose meanes he might recouer agayne the kingdome of Nauar which belonged to his Ancetours without warres ▪ for that the King of Spayne greatly estéemed the Popes Authoritie Consider therfore say they with your selfe what you were best to do least sodenly by the force of sinister persuasions you bring your selfe to great extremitie Cōsider with your selfe that as the tymes are perillous so is the euent successe of all things vncertayne wysely wey therefore with your selfe what is most profitable for you Admit the cause of Religion should be dissided by disputacion should men so leane to the opinions of a fewe that they should not imbrace other mens Iudgments For amōg those men which imbrace the doctrine of that new Gospell what contrarietie is there and difference of opinions But you which were borne not to Iudge of Scholasticall Disputacions but to the exployting of greater matters and of more waight may occupy and trouble your brayne with these matters at your leisure Therfore we wishe you according to your wisdome to weye and consider what is most néedfull to be done The King of Nauar being to much giuen to voluptuousnesse and ease harkened all to soone to these persuasions and being ouercome forgetting his authoritie he wholy gaue himselfe to his Aduersaries by whome he being spoyled of that his authoritie and of his wittes also was the occasion of many and great mischéeues The waye therefore being thus made wholely to ouerthrow and subuert the King of Nauar there came then vnto him the Cardinall of Ferrar and the Cardinall of Towers with many faier promises from the Pope that hée if he would thus imbrace the Catholike Doctrine should prosper and benefite him selfe very much For sayed they the Pope will bring to passe that the Kings of Spayne should very shortly gyue vnto him agayne the kingdome of Nauar. And also that he would geue vnto him a bill of diuorcement that he being diuorced from his wife which was to much inclined to that new Religion might marry with the Quéene of Scottes a woman of excellent beautie riche and the widow of a renowmed king And thus he should haue two Kingdomes namely the Kingdome of Nauar and by this new mariage also the Kingdome of Scotland Wherby was offered vnto him oportunitie to exployte and bring to passe great matters when as hée hauing the kyngdome of Scotland might clayme also vnto him the kingdome of Englande which bordered vpon the same which the Scottish Kyngs afore time challenged vnto themselues as their right And so he being of so great power both by his owne kyngdomes and also by the helpe and ayd which he might haue out of France out of Spaine and from the Pope should easely conquer and enioye England and so become a great Monarch Wherfore they exhorted him to consider how many occasions Fortune luckely offered vnto him to bring to passe whatsoeuer he would The which if he should forslowe and neglect and on the contrary part like of and mayntaine the new Doctrine they wished him to consider according to his wisedome what gréeuous perils and troubles he should fall into the which yet might easely be repressed and anoyded if so be he would hearken to good and wholesome counsell Adding moreouer that the Prince of Conde would do as he did and that the Chatillions would not be behind and as for the rest of the nobles and common people it should not force if so be that he would vse the aucthoritie of the Kings Edictes and his owne power and ioyne himselfe with the faythfull and trustie seruants of the King. After these persuasions the kyng of Nauar dayly more and more shewed himself not only to dislike of the reformed
Conde séeing that this motion for diuers circumstances is subiecte to diuers mennes Iudgements and because the knowledge hereof appertaineth to all men would to put away all occasions of slaunders shewe to all men manifest reasons whych haue constrained him to ioyne with a great number of his fréends and retainers to serue the King Quéene and to procure the peace and tranquillity of the whole Realme All men know that after the diuers perturbations and troubles for Religions sake when as greater also wer lyke to ensue to stay appease them at the last in the moneth of Ianuary laste past there was made an Edicte by the Kings commaundement to quiet and pacifie bothe partes wyth the aduice and consent also of the most Noble of the high Court of Parliament The Proclamation of thys Edicte whych at the first was much hindered caused suspicions to arise that these things were done not wythout a confederacie which teâ—…ded to a farther matter The which suspitions wer increased the more by the méetings of the constable and the Magistrates of Paris by the coÌ„moning of the senators also by the often assemblies of the chéefe Marchantes notwithstanding all the whych the Prince of Conde or any of the reformed Churches neuer did or spake any thing which might interrupt or breake the publike peace any manner of meanes Yea euen in the midst of those vexations and troubles they loked quietly and modestly for the Proclamation of the same Edicte in the Senate of Paris Thys proclamation being at the lengthe made at Paris and being extorted by the Supplications of the King and Quéene rather than by commaundements the Prince of Conde after his gréeuous sicknes when he had saluted the King and Quéene gotte hym home to hys house to recreate him selfe Amidst these troubles there came newes concerning the cruell and horrible slaughter at Vassi done in the presence of the Duke of Guise and by hym many of the Kings Subiects both men and women being slain which according to their manner by the benefite of the Kings Edict came together to heare the worde of God. This horrible Acte being reported at Paris greatly moued the mindes of all men of bothe partes insomuch that much mischéefe was like to followe And among other Rumors it was reported that the Duke of Guise was comming with a great armye of men to the intent he might vtterly destroy the churches of the reformed Religion Whervpon the meÌ„ of those Churches came out of diuers places to the Court and required of the King and Quéene punishment of so greate and notable wickednesse committed Thys was the cause why the Prince of Conde going homeward stayed at Paris went from thence to Monceaulx at the commaundement of the King Quéene to whom he said he feared the commotions troubles like to ensue to stay the which he sayd he thought this the only remedy namely that the Duke of Guise which was said to be coÌ„ming to Paris with a great army of men might not be suffered to enter therein the which aduise séemed to please the Quéene and the king of Naâ—…rre very well And according to this aduise the Quéene wrote her letters to the Duke of Guise intreating him that he would come to the king and to her to Monceaulx The which thing being twise required by the Quéene was also twise denied of the Guise the first tyme hée made excuse that hée was busied in entertayning his friendes which were come to sée him and the second time by silence making no aunswer at all â–ª But hée came to Paris with a great nomber of armed men hauing also with him the Constable the Martiall of S. Andrew and diuers others of his counsell And hée was receyued into the citie by the citizens with great pompe the Marchantmaister being their Captayne and the people crying as hée entered into S. Anthonies gate euen as if hée had bene king God preserue the Duke of Guise he séeming in no point to dislike of the same The Prince of Conde returning from Monceaulx that hée might goe to his house according to his former purpose and being certefied of the coÌ„ming of the Duke of Guise and of his company to Paris hée altered his purpose and determined to abyde at Paris according to his dutie to defende the kings subiectes being persuaded that his presence would staye the mindes of the citizens of Paris which began to waxe somewhat haughty by the comming of the Guises And truely all men knowe that so long as the Prince remained at Paris there burst forth no great Sedition Notwithstanding there were many great reasons why the Prince and many of the Nobles which were with him should be disdayned For the Guises so soone as they were come to Paris calling vnto them such out of the Senat as they thoght méet had a counsel which they called the Kings counsell as though a councell consisting of the chief officers of the king were very lawfull The which truly séemed very straunge to the Prince of Conde and to those noble men that were with him Is it lawfull to haue any other kings counsell than that which is néere to the king and Quéene and the Prince of Conde the kings néere kinsman to whome a care of the king and Quéene appertayned and being also in the same town in the which the counsell was held not to know thereof This euidently declared a manifest conspiracy which would bring no small hurt to the king and Quéene For if in that counsell of the Guises those things were handled which appertayned to the preseruation of the kings authoritie and the common wealth what cause was there why thei should shoon the presence of the king and Quéene and of the kings coâ—…sell Moreouer it is well enough knowne what displea sure the Guise tooke with the Quéene when he departed from the court complayning misliking that he was thoght to be made acquainted with Nemours his dealing who was accused to go about to carry away the king The Constable also of late very contemptuously vsed the Quéene in woordes méeting with the kings retinew and being told that the king was present hée passed by so vnreuerently as if hée had met with some strauÌ„gers his proud and lofty wordes whiche he also oftentimes vttered at Paris did plainly declare that ther were some new things a working Also the Martial of S. Andrew â–ª did not only refuse to goe to attend vpon his charge coÌ„mitted vnto him by the kings commaundment but also before all the kings counsel he so contented with the Quéene in brawling woordes that it might euidently appeare that hée leaned to some other greater trust In consideration therfore of these men which seperating themselues from the Kings counsell called a couÌ„sell of their owne authoritie and put men in armour the Prince of Conde could not but looke for some lamen table ende Beside all this when the Quéene had openly declared that hir will was that
both of them should depart from Paris the Prince of Conde vnderstandinge of the Quéenes commaundement by the Cardinal of Burbon his brother went strayt way from Paris But the Duke of Guises mind was so far froÌ„ departing thence that gathering more souldiours vnto him he did more strongly fortefie the same than he did before and came vnto the King and Quéene contrary to their expresse commaundement with an army of men and caryed theÌ„ whether they would or no from Fontaynbleau to another place The which manifest force and misliked captiuitie of the King and Quéen may manifestly appere both by the open complayntes of the Quéene and also by the Kinges teares And because the Duke of Guise the Constable and the Martiall of S. Andrew so boast of their dignitie and offices as though it were lawfull for them to make an armie when it shall séeme good vnto them for the behoofe of the King and the Realme and also because they doo deryde and manifestly abuse the authoritie of the King of Nauar the kings high Legate all men may sée how they doe abuse themselues and the offices committed to their charge These things should first of all haue bene done by the aduise and consent of the Quéene who alwayes openly resisted their dooings Let them therefore if they haue any greater authoritie than she in this kingdome shewe the same So seriouse and waighty a matter also should haue ben handeled in the Kings lawfull counsell or else let them say that thei are in authoritie aboue the kings themselues which alwaies consult with their counsell concerning warres before they take them in hande But if they replye and say that the Quéene now is contented with their dooings admit it be so yet let them remember that this is not the first time that they haue begon warres their purpose intent doth plainly appeare by that horrible slaughter don by them at Vassy which displeased both the King and Quéene and all those that heard of the same except themselues as an acte coÌ„mitted agaynst the manifest lawes of the king and contrary to all humanitie Let them not therefore colour ouer their doings with the Quéenes will whom they haue captiued and rule as them list And to take away al bolstering coulering of the mater who know eth not that before the Duke of Guise came to Paris and had troubled the minds of men with that horrible murther at Vassi there was great peace and tranquillitie throughout the whole Realme But if any thing haue happened otherwise thaâ—… it should haue done it is come to passe by their Counsels and assemblies specially through the default of the Senate of Paris which obserued not the authoritie of the kings Edict as they should haue done and by their example made the mindes of men the more out of quiet As for example the commotion of Prouance which was raysed by the preuarication collusion of many of that Assembly and was at the kings commaundement pacifâ—…ed agayne by M. Curlsol with the help and ayde of the reformed Churches which haue alwayes shewed what obedience they will shewe forth towards the king and his lawes To be short all men may behold and sée what will be the ende of all their Counselles which they take in hand euen the great shame and reproch of the king and the destruction of the Realme They kéepe the kyng captiue and abuse his name at their owne pleasure and to the end they maye at the length quite ouerthrow the kyng they stoutly threaten men with the Kinges name if they refuse to do any thing as they would haue them Moreouer they séeke all that they can to make the Prince of Conde to be enuied and not estéeming the auethoritie of the kynges Edictes they do euen what they list And to the end they may set vp their stocke and kinred with the ruine of the kyngdome they conuert the aucthoritie and the whole substance therof to their owne vse troubling molesting the kyngs lawfull and faythfull defenders do raigne and rule alone and do moderate the lawes statutes and decrees of the Realme as they list themselues What is he then that séeth not what their mind and purpose is in causing these garboyles troubles And as touching Religion no man can chuse but sée that they bend themselues to worke both the decay ther of and also of publique and common libertie They do very vndiscretely alleage for theÌ„selues that the Prince of Conde hath certaine other particuler causes of complaynts For the Prince of Conde doth protest that hée is driuen to take these thinges in hand for the only desire he hath to defend the Kyng and the kyngdome and to mayntayne the Kyngs lawes according to his office and doth greatly mislike that the benefite of exercising the reformed Religion should be taken from the kyngs subiectes against the playne commaundements of his wil and that from the kyngs subiects should be taken not only the libertie of their consciences but also the peace and tranquillitie of their bodies Let the Duke of Guise call to minde the horrible slaughter at Uassi which as yet is fresh in memory Let him remember the great crueltie shewed of late to the men of Sens. And let the Constable remember what hath happened at Paris and what is like dayly to happen by his behauiour Whose wicked déedes doon against the willes of the kyng and Quéene he hopeth to sée one day seuerely punished If men neglect the doing of their dutie God no doubt in his iust iudgement will punish the same These therefore are the occasions offered to the Prince to go forward with those enterprises that hée hath taken in hand These men thinke to rule and gouerne the kingdome as they themselues list And therfore it commeth to passe that they cannot abide the gouernement of the Quéene and the libertie and integritie of the kyngs counsel They thinke that the time serueth for them very wel not only to couer all their wicked actes of the which they are neuer able to giue a rea son and an accompt but amiddest this troublesome sturre to inriche themselues By which their boldnes and presumption there cannot chuse but be most gréeuous mischiefes following the troublesome alteration of al thinges the hurt of all estates specially of the Nobillitie diuisions also sempiternall hatred They coullor all their doinges with Religion as though they would not suffer the auncient and Catholike Religion as they terme it to come into contempt and for this cause they cause vs to haue many enemies But why doe they take awaye the beneâ—…te of the kinges Edict which doth permit vs to vse and exercise that Religion which we beleue to be good and true They them selues liue according to their conscience by the beneâ—…te of the kyngs lawes And what reason is it then that they should not suffer vs to do the like by the benefite of the kynges Edict There is not one of vs that
those according to their desertes which haue abused his auâ—…thoritie But and if these conditions were not perfourmed and that the Guises and their fellowes went on still to shew violence against the Kyng the Quéene and the kynges Counsell to deceaue and beguile men vnder the kynges name and to be iniurious to the kyngs subiectes the Prince of Conde testifieth that hée wyll not beare it and will bring to passe that hée shall not bée found giltie of all those calamities mischiefes and miseries which will happen for these commotions and troubles but rather they themselues which are the authors and only cause thereof This his Protestation being published abrode all mens mindes séemed to be troubled and diuersly occupied the faythfull being more bolde and couragious to defend themselues who at the first sturre of the Guises were not a little terrefied The Prince of Conde sent letters to all the reformed Churches the twenty day of April sending diuers messengers with the Copy of those letters throughout all prouinces of the Realme to this effect Forsomuch as the necessity of the time is such that we must openly resist the violence and tiranny of the Guises aduersaries of the Christian Religion who hauing captiued the King and Quene â–ª do so abuse their name that they tread vnderfote true Religion with the liberty of the Realme and doe what they list them selues see that ye prepare your selues against these troubles and beware that you leaue nothing vndone that may further you in your businesse And because we must nowe of necessitye begin warres be diligent to prouide Armor Mony all kind of Artillery so sone as may be and whatsoeuer you do certefy me of the same by these messengers that I haue sent vnto you But aboue all things see that ye behaue your selues so peaceably as ye may and forget not diligently to call vpon God the vpholder and defender of his truthe and of all iust causes That former declaration wherof we haue spoken before was scaâ—…sely come to Paris when as two Edicts were solemnely proclaimed there in the Kings name to thys effectâ—… The King séeing what great troubles garboyles were in the Realme is very sory and much agréeued who hâ—…th left no remedies vnsoughte for for the maintenance of peace and tranquillity by the aduise of the Quéene the King of Nauar and the Princes as may appeare of late by the Edict made in the moneth of Ianuary by which to order all matters peaceably he shewed him selfe very fauorable contrary to the manner and câ—…ome of his Aâ—…cetors the Kings towards Religion that by this meanes in bearing with the frowardnes of men be â—…ght maintaine publique peace concorde yâ—…t notwithâ—…anding for all this they can not be content and quiet as appeareth by diuers tumultes by them all ready raised manye of them which hath not bene heard of before being so bold that they dare make open warre and take diuers of the Kings Cities The which although it be very greuous vnto him that men should so lewdly and impudently behaue them selues abasing him in this hys tender age to the great hurt of the Realme yet notwithstanding he will continue still toward them hys accustomed clemency and goodnesse And therfore to confirme that his will and meaning he willeth and commaundeth by this publique Edict that al men vse the rites and administration of their religion fréely according to the prescript of the Edicte of Ianuary But because at Paris the Metropolitane Citye of the Realme there haue ben oftentimes great perils of moste gréeuous seditions he willeth in consideration of the present time that there be no exercise of the reformed Religion so called in that City nor in the Suburbes borders and limmites neare adioyning to the same vntill it shall séeme good otherwise to the King. There was also publiquely set forth about the same time very solemly the Kings Rescript whych they call Letters patents in manner and forme folowing All men sée the great perturbations and troubles of the Realme and also howe the mindes of all estates and degrée are so vexed and disquieted that there cannot chuse but insue great hurt except God of his mercy and goodnesse turn away the same Notwithstanding it is wonderfull that men which are the authors of these troubles dissensions shuld so couler ouer the causes of their wickednes that they caÌ„ deceiue therby the simple sort of people But wheras they coÌ„plaine of the violating and breaking of y Edict which was made for Religion the is most false as may apeare by the manifest declaratioÌ„ of the Kings will which he plainly of late shewed by hys Edict And this also is a most impudent slaÌ„der wheras they say that the King and the Queene his mother hys bretheren and sister are captiues in the handes of certaine of his chief officers and seruants and do boast that they lift vp the sworde to the intent they may set them at their lawfull libertie But the King and the Quéene do openly testifie and would haue it generally knowen for a suertie that hée his mother his brethren and hys sister neuer came thankes be to God into that state of captiuitie but coÌ„trarywyse do retaine kéepe libertie autority kingly dignitie and power and shal no doubt by the goodnesse of God enioye the same with the help and diligence of good and faithfull subiects And bicause those seditiouse persons doe greatly abuse the facilitie gentle nature of the Prince of Conde their kinsman whom they haue chosen to be the Captaine of their conspiracie he testifieth that he will doe all that he can to restoare him to his former libertie and to pacefie the troubled state so much as he may There was also at this time mustering of men in Pa ris specially of Noble men which are coÌ„monly appointed to be horsemen and commaundement was sent thorough euery prouince to all men to be in a readinesse against the moneth of May nexte comming Paris also was in euery corner replenished with armour with sol diours and Enseignes The Prince of Conde being entered into Orleans very many of the faythfull which bordered thereaboutes tooke cities for the Prince of Conde professing notwithstanding that they mayntayned the Kings authoritie as they of Towers of Blais of Angew and many others as hereafter shal be declared Notwithstanding the Edict of January was rightly obserued by the seuere coÌ„maundements of the Prince of Conde which were oftentymes repeated by his seruaunts But all things growing dayly néerer warre then peace the greatest part of the inhabitants of Towers and Blayz sodenly rose and went into the popish churches and brake downe and quite defaced the Images and pictures which they there found notwithstanding there was no murther committed When newes hereof was brought to Orleans the Prince of Conde greatly misliked of their doing gaue commaundement that enquirie should be made of the doers hereof and that they shold be punished
according to the prescript of the kings Edicts At Orleans they of both Religions liued peaceably and according to the Edict of January the priests openly in their churches vsed their superstitiouse rytes and ceremonies and the faithfull on the contrary part went out of the Citie to heare sermons The which notwithstāding continewed but a short time as shal be declared anon when occasion is offered to speake of the same The Prince of Conde had sent the causes in writing that moued him to warre of the which we haue spoken before to the King and Quéene and to the king of Nauar his brother praying and beséeching them that vpon the conditions which he propounded vnto them the whole matter might be peaceably ended and concerning the same matter also he wrote to the Senate of Paris that his writings and letters might be kept in the publique Commentaries and Register of the Senat for a remēbrance whatsoeuer might chaunce afterward After the which letters the Quéen answered the Prince of Conde the second of May by hir letters agayne In the which shée sayd she was glad that the Prince of Conde shewed himselfe to be desirouse of peace and concorde whereas otherwyse ther was cause why shée should greatly sorrow and lament for that shée being a woman to whom by the common consent of the States the gouernment of the king and realme was committed was nowe in the middest of so great troubles to be ryd out of which shée trusting to the Prince doubted not but that hée would do all that hée could for the good will and obediēce sake which hée did owe vnto the King and for the profite and quietnesse of the whole Realme and would not refuse any reasonable condicion for the establishing of peace and concord Therefore shée sayd that hée should do very well if so be he would come vnto the King and to her out of hand putting of his armour and trusting to the promises of her fayth which should be as sure vn to him as any obligation if so be hée would remember the friendship and loue which shée alwais bare towards him who loueth him as tenderly as the mother loueth her childe Therefore shée sayeth that hée shall doe very well if so be hée come boldly to the Court that hée may ende all matters at once before the King and hir The Senate of Paris also sent letters of aunswer to the Prince of Conde the fiueth day of May to this effect following Wée haue receyued your letters with the forme of your declaration the which we could not reade without our great sorrow and grief Séeing that wée know you to be a Prince and the Kings neere kinsmā of one of the most noble stockes of the kings kynred neyther do wée doubt but that your nature and disposition is agréeable to your offspringe as it is commonly séene in the best Princes if it be not alienated and drawne away wyth euill counsells And although it be our office onely to deale in the principal poyntes of the law yet neuerthelesse seeing you haue made special complaints vnto vs wée thought it not good to let you want all that wée are able to do in that point but fréely and truly to set before you our opinion and iudgemēt wherby you may know how reuerētly according to our duty we estéeme of you We haue considered and do perceyue that your complaintes do consist in two principall poynts The first principall is that it hath bene told you that the kyng Quéene were captiued in the custodie of certaine of the Nobles which attended vpon them and that many of his Connsellers were with threatninges made afeard Wee beséeche you that you would not any more beléeue these reportes séeing it is so manifest and euidently knowne to all men that it cannot be doubted of how that the King of Nauar your Brother a man of great wisedome and such a one as is very carefull for the preseruation of the king and his dignity is with the King and Queene who will not without all doubt suffer any maner of violence or iniury to be offered to the King being both of kyn to the Kyng as well as you also charged with the king by his office Beside this the Cardinall of Borbon is with them who hath no lesse care for the safetie of the king and the Realme than you haue Moreouer there are with him other Princes his kinsmen men of wisedome which are bound both by their office and also by the bond of loue to defende the kyng with a great sort of his Counsell also which if the kyng were so shamefully misused would lay their heades together to remedy the same because if in this poynt they should fayle to do their dutie they might be sure to be euill spoken of among all men In that therfore they do so diligently séeke with one consent the pre seruation of the state and would haue you to be ioyned with them you may thereby certainely perceiue how false those reports haue bene the which reports would greatly haue offended and gréeued the mindes of your bretherne if that they had not here tofore declared their fayth and great good will for if they should so behaue themselues towards the king it wold greatly redownd to their reproch and shame If you will wey and consider these things you shall find that those reporters do vnto you and to them also great iniury séeing that ye are bretherne This also we woulde haue you to vnderstand that we haue none otherwise confirmed letters concerning the libertie of the King and Quéen then the very truth thereof hath caused vs least you should thinke that we had done any thing rashly or through feare We feare no man in the executing of our office in doing whereof we haue only a consideration of the kyng specially in those thinges which do belong to the obediēce of the kyng and to the profite of the Realme being ready for these causes to spend our life and goods Know you also for suertie that all dew reuerence obedience is shewed here to the King and Quéene And because we vnderstand by your declaratiō that you find fault with certaine of vs as though we forsaking the Kinges lawfull Counsell were present at certaine secret Counselles Know you also this for a certaine that none of vs were present at that counsell which was kept here extraordinarily by the aucthoritie of the king of Nauar your brother but only by the slat commaundement of the Cardinal of Borbō your brother also and the kéeper of the Citie neyther did we heare sée or perceyue that anything was done there which did not appertaine to the obedience of the King. The other principall poynt of your complaints concerneth Religion The which truely is no lesse straung and wonderfull vnto vs Of the which we perceyuing that you haue ben otherwise infourmed than it is haue thought good to certifie you of the trueth You knowe that
confesse that I was not the first that toke the sweard in hand and when I did take it after them whych put them selues in Armor againste the King and Quéenes willes I had good occasion so to do For by the Lawe of Nature being a Prince and one of the Kings kinsmen I ought and am bound of duety to defend and maintain the dignity of the King and the peace and tranquillitye of the Realme So soone as I put on Armoure I protested that I woulde put of the same againe vppon suche reasonable conditions as shoulde appertaine to the libertye of the King and Quéene and to the peace and concorde of the Realme Whervpon it must néedes follow that they are the causes authours of troubles which haue refused those conditions and which when they could not abyde the peaceable gouernement of the Quéene and that shée should be the head ouer the Kings subiectes and disdayning at her for that shée looked so straytly vnto theÌ„ least they should defraude the kings creditors of any of their debt put themselues in armour came with a bande of soldiours to the King and beset him about with armed men that hauing the king and Quéene in their owne power they might gouerne the Realme as thei list theÌ„selues they committed horrible murthers vppon the kings subiectes liuing peaceably according to the kings lawes and thus haue brought vpon the whole Realme of France these stormy tempestes of trouble beginning euen a litle before to enioy peace and tranquillitie both partes being contented to liue peaceably so that they might enioye their Religion But and if leauing the present state of things wée will call to mind and consider euery mans actes in time past in good sooth wée shall finde these same men which at this day stirre vp these troubles haue ben also aforetyme the causes of great inconueniences to the Crown and dignitie séeking by the perturbation of this realme to enrich themselues whereas by peace and tranquility they decay And to omit that which king Fraunces a maÌ„ of excellent wisdome and Iudgement sayd of them and to omit also many of their bold and presumptuouse enterprises who knoweth not that they hating publique peace concord were the onely causes and authours of the truce and league breaking betwene king Henry and king Philip of Spaynâ—… to the great dammage and hurte of Fraunce In so much that they brought the same by warres in great perilles and all to haue their will and pleasure by one meanes or other Beside this after S. Laurence slaughter when thei had gotten vnto them the Treasurers office which thei had before gréedily gayed for what detriment or hurt did they not bring vnto the kingdome What did they also to King Henâ—…y who disâ—…king being weary of their violent and cruel dispositioÌ„ mynded to haue sent them away froÌ„ the Court to their howse had he not ben preuented by death But afterward in the dayes of king Fraunces the second being but yong these Straungers and violent Carters agaynstâ—… law and equitie and against the auncient constitutious of the realme of Fraunce vsurped the mere impery and gouernement of the kingdome during which time was the realme voyd of troubles Did they not in the sighte of all men go about to set that yong king being by nature very gentle and full of clemency agaynst his subiects and to haue made him infamouse with the note of cruelty for euer Did they not cause him to be a mortall enemie against his subiectes euen in the middest of his raigne in so much that except GOD in his mercy haâ—… turned away so great calamities and miseries lyke too haue ensewed we all should haue rued the same to remember â—…he which it would cause any Christian harte to tremble And to make an end of so lamentable a Tragedie When kinge Fraunces was dead these boysterouse stormes were blowen ouer the sky was more cleare the gouernement of the Realm being committed to the Quéene and to the king of Nauar vntill such tyme as their ambition hating peace and tranquillitie styred them vp and their fellowes to set heauen and earth togyther and to cause the state to be troublesome as to my great gréefe is to be séene Therefore I leaue the Iudgement of these to all indifferent men to discerne who are the authours of troubles whether they which haue sought peace and concord by all meanes possible or they which haue so mayntayned dissensions always that thei dare at this time to the great hurt of the whole Realme proclayme open warres Besides this there is so little cause for any man to marueile why I should be so busie to deale and so ware and circumspecte in the matter that I shuld be in great falte if I did otherwise For their actes in time paste againste me haue taught me sufficiently to beware how I put my selfe into their handes And it is playne enough to be séene that their purpose is to destroy the greatest part of the Nobilitie and of all estates of men which imbrace the truth of the gospell specially those that attende vpoÌ„ mée The which their meaning may easely be gathered by the talk which the Duke of Guise and the Constable had togyther of late in the Senate of Paris before a great assembly But what obedience they shewe towardes the Quéene it may appeare hereby that contrary to the Quéenes wil which she oftentimes declared they dyd frustrate the kings Edict of Ianuary adding this new exception Let not the Religion be vsed at Paris Who seeth not that they intend nothing else but euen to banish the Gospell out of all partes of the Realme when as also of late proclamation was made at Paris to banish al the new Christians To what purpose shoulde I say that by no other meanes the Inhabitants of Paris can be kept in quiet For we haue séene that the Prince of Rochesuryon and Martial Momorentius hauing about them only twelue soldiers haue kept the people of Paris in quiet without any maner of tumult the space of thrée monethes togyther The which continewed euen vntill that daye on the which the Duke of Guise entred into Paris But this is worthy the remembrance that when the same Martiall Memorency had somewhat increased the number of soldiers to kéepe the ordinary watch wherby the confederacies of certeyne factious persons might be preueÌ„ ted the Marchant maister and certeyne of the Citizens sayd that the people might be kept in peace and quyet with lesse ado a great deale Notwithstanding after the comming of the Guises into the Citie the mindes of the people were so altered that to kéepe them in quiet they were fayne to haue a band of men which they appointed without the knowledge and wil of the Quéene But I knowe it came to passe by the singular prouidence of God that the Duke of Guise and the Constable should disclose the secrets of their harts before so great a multitude that their toong
aucthoritie to giue commaundement vnto them to vnarme themselues and to go home to their houses and afterward to make them answere to the same But admit that they had aucthority to abide stil with the Kyng against right and all approued customes being but his seruants only and to beset him round about with such souldiours as they haue gathered together by their priuate aucthoritie yet notwithstāding it cānot be denied but that I haue great iniury I I say which shoulde haue this prerogatiue before them beinge the Kinges néere kinsman and which haue not put on Armour but by them constrayned only for this cause to defend the Kyng the Quéene and my selfe from violence these thinges I say considered I haue great iniury except I haue leaue in like mauer for mée mine to be about the kyng which are sworne as well as others vnto him and which I say and affirme are the Kynges faithfull subiectes and seruants as they haue both shewed already and also will shew hereafter at what time they shall be commaunded by the kyng of Nauar the kynges Deputie to defend the kynges libertie and the aucthority of the Quéene and of the kyng of Nauar being ready for the same to spende both their life and goods But and if they will not suffer the Quéene to vse that equallitie that she ought let her not leane to the one part more than to the other howbeit if she be more inclined to any part she should rather be inclined to me being a Prince and the kynges néere kinsman and let her vse her aucthoritie to remedy the mischtefe at hand otherwise than she hath done before for no man wyll thinke that any thing hath ben done by her consent séeing that shée is of such wisedome and so carefull for the preseruation of the kyng her Sonnes dignitie that she woulde not bée negligent to do her dutie in a matter of so great waight But there is no doubt but that which shée did was for feare of them which hauing hir in holde pulled her from doing of her dutie When as also it is manifest that the King is broughte to that state that he is constrained to graunte manye things against his will. To proue this thing their chusing of new Counsellers shall serue whom they therfore chose that vnder the pretence of a Counsell the Quéene might be constrained to do what they wold by a more clenly way For it is knowne in what order it was done and in what estimation they nowe haue the Quéene who deliverate and take counsell together by them selues a parte and do conclude whatsoeuer they them selues do like of They do many things by their owne priuate authority and when they haue don then they come to aske her minde and opinion And what soeuer they them selues lust to haue done they cause the high Courte of Parliament to confirme the same And in very déede they preuatle more wyth those of the Parliament than the Quéene her selfe can Finallye who will deny that it is necessarye at this time to deliuer the Quéene from feare of this violence that shée may recouer her former authority and so they to lay aside their Armor and to goe home to their houses that all suspicion of violence being taken away there maye be more quietnesse héereafter and the perrils of great calamities auoided For I and all that are wyth me he fully perswaded and bent that except the matter be vprightly and indifferently handled rather to abide the extremity and to sèe the end than that they which haue vsurped to them selues power against all law right to the great hurt and detrement of the Kings subiectes hitherto and also as yet going about to worke their vtter destruction by so many horrible murthers cruelly committed against the kings Edicts should still héereafter impudently procéede in their Insolencie And to take away all occasion of slaunder whych they may haue against me héereafter wheras they say that the kings letters were taken away frō the kings Postes by my cōmaundement I answere that I haue geuen contrary commaundement to those that attend vppon me neither were there letters at any time taken by them which were sent eyther to the king to the Quéene or to the king of Nauar. This I confesse to be true that there haue bene many letters taken which haue bene sent to diuers priuate persons by which are to be séene an infinite number of sclaunders false rumours counselles and practises against me many thinges being quite contrary to those promises which they haue made vnto me concerning peace and concorde But concerning the casting downe of the Images at Towers and at Blais I protest that I was very sory for the same in so much that I signified to the kinges Officers which are in those places that I would ayde and assist them to punish those according to the kings lawes which should be found gilty in the fact This is and may be an Argument of my will and meaninge the which also I haue done and doe as yet at Orleans Euery one of what state and condition so euer he be of prayseth and commendeth the moderation and behauiour of al those which are with me which liue peaceably and quietly with the Townes men without any maner of offence or breach in any poynt of the Edicte of Ianuary And as touching those which kéepe in hould certayn Cities I affirme that they do it for no other cause than to keepe those Cities for the vse of the Kinge and not to suffer them to come into their handes which abusing both the Kings name and his Artillery do séeke to get power for their owne priuate profite For so sone as the Quéene shal be restored to her former liberty and into that state wherin she was within these thrée Monethes she shal wel perceiue and vnderstand that those Cities will shew all obedience to the Kinge and to her as they had euer done before and will alwayes continue in the same so faithfull that in that point they will geue place to no Citie within the Kings dominion no not to Paris which of late hath gone about to cause this ciuill warre spending great store of money to that end and all vnder pretence of Religion And nowe I and mine are so farre from forgetting these thinges and buryinge them in silence as we are wished to do that we would rather haue thē to be chronicled for euer to be written in Tables and to be portrayed in letters of Golde and to be shrilly proclaymed throughout all Christian realmes that they may sée our dutifull obedience and faithfull trust shewed towardes our King greatly iniured in this his younge and tender yeres and also that so notable an example of my courage concord with the rest of the Nobilitie of France which haue ioyned our selues together with one hart consent to preserue the dignity of the kinge Quéene may be a memorial for euer in writing to the posteritie I for
the true Religion with holines of life least in the middest of these troubles of warres the care of true godlinesse be quight extinguished The best weapons that may be had to fight against our enemies is holines of life and godly prayers If these be wanting our words shall runne through our owne sides And because saye they we sée before our eyes such horrible calamities we following the approued custome of the Church haue appoynted by a common decrée of all men that in all congregations their should be fasting and sollemne prayers for certaine dayes which we admonish you to vse modestly deuoutly and godly and also that God should be prayed vnto publiquely and priuatly to send a happie successe of all these troubles to the glory of his name and to the peace and tranquillitie of his Church They wrote letters also in the name of the whole Synode to Frederike County Pallentine at Rheine whom the refourmed Churches of France had found alwayes in time of cruell persecution a fréend and ready to helpe at néede This was the coppie of their letters We are not ignorant that the basenes of our condition is such that we should not trouble you with our letters but notwithstanding both the experience which we haue had of your singuler clemency and humanitie and also the waight and sharpenes of our miseries and calamities do constrayne vs in these our extremities to flée vnto you for ayd séeing that of long time you haue professed the trueth and haue had a singuler care to pro mote the glory of God and to mayntaine and defende those which professe the trueth of the Gospeel in what place soeuer they are First of all therfore we pray vnto God omnipotent and to the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which will haue Kings and Princes to bée Nourses of his Church that he will vouchsafe to confirme and strengthen your highnes in true fortitude constancy by his holy spirit which fortitude you haue hitherto aboundantly shewed with great commendation in setting forth and promooting the woord of God in your Churches And we giue you most harty thankes for those benefites which we receyued of you within these few yeares oftentimes intreating our kynges on the behalfe of our bretherne which were afflicted for the doctrine of Christ. And now we being gathered together of late out of all partes of the Realme for a common Counsell or Synode gladly call to mind the benefits which you haue shewed vppon vs and so much the more willingly also because at this time the truce being broken by which we began to enioye the benefite of the Kinges Edict we stand in great néede of your clemency We foresée the great tempest and calamities of our Churches like to ensue the state of your Churches of Germany in that Ciuill warre comming into our mind the which troubles and calamities being ended by God so happely who hath promised without all doubt to helpe his seruants there is no cause why we should feare Notwith standing we cannot chuse but be very carefull for our flockes commited to our charge But to make the matter more playne because we know that ye vnderstand already our care by certaine Noble men we will not be tedious vnto you Thus much we ad concerning our Churches namely That there is such a conspiracy made against our Churches that except God in his mercy do prouide for the same there is like to ensue no lesse calamitie and confusion than there hath happened long agoe to the Orientall Greeke and Affrican Churches For to conclude the matter in few wordes when the Duke of Guise and they which haue conspired with him perceyued that by the Edict of Ianuary men had leaue fréely and openly to preach the Gospell and that they were restrayned of crueltie which till that time they had declared by all maner of punishments many of the Kinges officers Noble men imbracing the doctrine of the Gospell they made a conspiracie with the enemies of the true Religion to kill in euery Citie the professors of the Gospel Of which their conspiracy we haue had manifest arguments First by the horrible slaughter committed at Uassi it may appeare and then by the cruell and bloudy murther of the men of Sens the Bishoppricke wherof pertayned to the Cardinall of Guise so great slaughter of them being made that for the space of fower dayes there was such killing and steying of men women children without any respect of person that the only remembraunce therof cannot but cause teares to bée shed Yea the dead bodies of such as were slayne came swimming down the Riuer of Seine to Paris requiring as it were their buriall and complayning of this tiranie or rather calling for vengeanee of God and man And now although we know it rather to be our dutie to pray for our enemies and for those which do persecute vs than to accuse them yet notwithstanding we trust that you will interprete to the best these complaints of our iust grief of our manifold calamities And for so much as those our aduersaries to leaue no thing vndone that might be to our destruction haue required your Realme of Germany to ayd and assist them we earnestly pray and beséech you for the loue which you beare to the Church of Christ that you will bend all your might to withstand and put away this euill least Germany imbracing the same truth of the Gospell which we do be euill spoken of for séeking to hurt and anoye vs And we intreat your honour by the tender mercy of God that you will vouchsafe to be a meane for vs to the King and Quéene that there may be some consideration had of our Churches and that you would helpe to mayntayne and defend so iust a cause the time requiring the same Concerning the Letters which the Prince of Conde sent to the refourmed Churches of Fraunce we haue spoken before in the which he willed them when they sawe warres to begin to prepare themselues to the warre with a good courage Whereuppon in many places they obeyed his commaundements some prospering very well in their affayres othersome not hauing so good successe They fortefyed with men and munitiō so much as they could the Cities And after the inhabitants of Towers of Blais and of Angewe had so done also the men of Poicters did the like and then the Normans which fortefied diners Cities tooke their chiefe Citie called Roane But at Burdeux and almost through but Gascoyne except in certaine meane townes the faith full were molested by Monsiere Monluce the Lieutenant who delt very cruelly with the faithfull euery where but specially at Bourdeux By the meanes of this Monsire Monluce there was a great slaughter committed vppon the faithfull at Tholoz and the rest of the multitude which were many in number and had escaped this gréeuous murther brake out of the Citie being a necessary place of refuge both for them and also for
haue sought to the vtmost of our power the aduauncement of your dignities for the mayntenance whereof next to the glory of God we will spend our liues and all that we haue we pray and most humbly beséech you that ye will vnderstand our very purpose and meaninges which we wholely and truely declare vnto you in this Supplication to the end also we might declare the causes why we came vnto you and why also we are with you as yet and why we do thinke in our conscience that we ought not in coÌ„sideration of the offices coÌ„mitted vnto vs to depart from you except we woulde incurre the daunger of perpetuall oprobry and shame both to vs and our posteritie as carelesse and vntrustie seruants to you and as despisers of the glory of God the safetie of the Kyng and of the common peace and tranquillitie of the countrey the which wée sée in most gréeuous perill at this time of ineuitable destruction vnlesse it be holpen in time by the only remedies of these Edictes which we hope you will preferre and which ought to be confirmed by all Parliaments but specially by the Parliament or Court of Paris The which remedies we propound here before your Maiestie with all obedience and reuerence in manner and fourme following First we thinke it necessary not only for our conscience sake but specially for the conseruation of the Kynges dignitie and for the defence of that othe which the Kyng tooke at the time of his coronation by which he bound him selfe to mayntaine the peace tranquillitie and safetie of the whole Realme least the Lawe both of GOD and also of man should be confounded whereby the perturbation and vtter destruction of all Realmes Kingdomes and Monarchies must néedes follow For these causes it is necessary that the Kyng declare by and euerlasting Edict that hee will not suffer hereafter diuersitie of Religion and of Churches diuers doctrines and sundry fashions of administrations of Sacraments and of Ecclesiasticall rites nor the Ministers of such in his Realme But that he would will and commaund one Catholike Apostolique and Romish church which he and the Kyngs his Auncetors before him had receyued to be retayned kept throughout his whole Realme forbidding all other assemblies or congregations to set forth and teach any thing to the contrary That all such as beare any office in this Ralme as Iustices Treasurers or any other such like officer vnder the King be coÌ„maunded to imbrace and follow this only Religion and openly to professe the same and such as should denie or refuse so to do by any maner of waye to be depriued of their offices Prouided notwith standing that for the same thei be indammaged neither in body nor in goods so that they be found not to be the auâ—…thors of troubles of Seditions and of forbidden assemblies That all Prelates of what state or condition soeuer they be of make the same confession of faith of Religion and such as shall disobey this to lose their spiritual promotions and the profites therof to go to the kings treasury or els to place fit men ordinarily called in their roomes That all temples and churches throughout the Realme which were violated spoyled broken downe and defaced to the dishonour of God the contempt of the church and of the king and the manifest breaking of the wholsome lawes made both of late and also aforetime should be reedefied repayred restored to the former comlines deceÌ„t beauty that it euer at any time had that the breakers of the Kings Edicts shuld be punished according to the prescript of the kings Edicts That all maner of men what state or condition so euer they were of throughout the Realme or what couler or pretence soeuer they had should put of their armoure except they had put on the same by the expres coÌ„maundement of the king of Nauar the kinges visegerente of the whole Realme and if any refuse so to do that then they bee proclaymed and accompted of all men for Traitours Rebels enemies to the king the whole Realme That it may be lawfull for the king of Nauar the kinges deputy or for whom soeuer he shall appoint to haue bandes of armed Soldiers for the orderinge of these things and such other like which shal séeme mete for the conseruation of the king and quéene That those Armies which were gathered togither at the Kinges coÌ„maundement for the causes afore sayd may be maintayned for certain monethes in the which space there is great hope that there wil spring some frute of these remedies and that we shal sée publique peace Other matters and necessary Cautions for the workinge of thys peace shal be supplied and put in by the counsell iudge ment of the highe courte of parliment in Paris These things without the which we must néedes looke for the destruction of the Realme being thus ordered and appointed we are euery one of vs ready not only to go home to our houses if it so séeme good vnto you but also to be banished for euer into the vttermost parte of the world wée being fully perswaded that wée haue gyuen vnto God to the king to our countrey and to our selues that honour obedience loue natural affection which wee owe vnto them in so great perill and daunger as is now to auoyd the which wée are ready to spende our lyues and whatsoeuer els wée haue in this world The which we signifie to you and to the king of Nauar both to the end ye may be Iudges witnesses to vs of these thinges and also that ye may apply these conuenient re medies to those inconueniences And wée testifie protest before God and you that we only séeke the safetye peace of your dignities and of the whole Realme And we trust that all they which séeke the same will gladly yéeld vnto the things contayned in this Supplication which we wishe to take effect for the duties sake which wée owe vnto God and you This was the summe of their Supplication To which the King and Quéene made answer that it was not their willes that they should departe thence to any other place Therefore the same day they offered another supplication to the Quéene to this effect Beside those things which wée haue already offered to your Maiesties in writing that ye might plainly vnderstand that wée will submit our willes and opinions to your Iudgements after we hearde that it was your pleasures that we should not depart to any other place wée thoght good to make this offer namely That if they which were at Orleans laying asyde their armour and yéelding vp to the King the Cities and Townes which they had taken would be sworne to shewe all obedience toward the King as to their soueraigne Lorde would also obey the Kings Edictes which were al ready made and shal be made hereafter by our coÌ„sent and confirmed by the Senat of Paris we would depart of our
of al vanities and wickednes I speake not these things vnaduisedly the Quéene knoweth these things to be true as wel as I. These Suppliants therfore haue made a more pernicious and hurtfull conspiracy to this Realme than euer was that which Sylla which Caesar and which the Triumuiri made And it had by this time caused much mischiefe to be done if I my selfe had not with all my might withstode the same vnto this daye I marueyle that they so impudently contend before the Quéene in wordes and I doe wonder that the Quéene will hearken and agrée to their wordes as though she had neuer heard any thing of their wicked counselles the which truly playnly declareth that she is more than a captiue And truly if she were not afeard to be stifeled or strangeled in her bed which they haue threatned to her as I appeale to her selfe if she may speake her conscience she would not haue giuen her consent to their Supplication but would haue tolde them to their téeth that their couetousnes and Ambition is the cause of all these troubles Séeing therfore at this time the Quéene in so great perill cannot speake of the matter as she would nor restst those which abuse her with feare to bring their purpose to passe I my selfe am constrayned to defend her aucthoritie and the Kinges also to answere to their suppliant petitions in the King and Quéenes name of whose libertie I confesse my selfe to be a defender And why should I not trust that God will prosper my indenours and that good will which he hath giuen to mée and the Kinges faythfull subiectes also doing their duty in so honest and godly a cause 1 First of all they begin with their titles of dignitie séeking therby to get the more aucthoritie and magnificently paynt forth the memory of their actiōs in time past and would haue men to iudge of their minds and meanings by these their actions Truly it is necessary that so glorious a beginning shuld haue as euil base an end set against it And why so They haue very well behaued themselues towards their Kinges they say in times past is that sufficient not only to couer their faultes at this time but also so to countenaunce them that wicked actes shal be taken for meritorious déedes If they haue done any thing profitable or worthy of commendation for their Kings as they haue done nothing so farre as I know if they haue not in all this time receiued their deserued recompence it doth not followe that they should so importunatly craue to bée recompenced at this time to the ruine and destruction of the King and the Realme But they thrée séeke so great ly for their profite and are such carefull followers of gayne that they would not tary so long before they would craue and receiue a reward for their deserts if they euer deserued any thing For probation wherof what say you to this That their profites and yerely re uenewes do amount aboue the summe of two hundred and fiftie thousand french Crownes more than their patrimony beside other helpes On the contrary part let them remember if any of them will say that they haue not ben fully satisfied in all thinges How many good and singular men by their meanes were cast in prison how many Noble families haue ben by them destroyed in the raigne of Henry the second and Fraunce the second In so much that it may euidently appeare that they abused the fauour of those Kinges not onely to the inriching of them selues but also to the reuenging of their malicious mindes to the ruine and destruction of many Wherefore if they will haue their mindes and counsayles as they say to bee examined tried and iudged by their actions in time past go to then and let them haue that triall and iudgement and let them denie if they can whether their doinges haue not ben such that they ought to be reproued and resisted by all the Kynges true and faythfull subiects Further more they saye that the Kyng and the Realme are in great perill and least they should fall into that meuitable destruction they offer vnto him certayne sure remedies but say they with all reuerence and obedience If it should be demaunded of them what were the very cause of this destruction and if they aunswered truly as their conscience beareth them witnesse they must néedes impute the cause and the whole blame hereof vnto themselues For after the proclamation of the Edict of January there was peace throughout all partes of the Realme Now if they will denie that they were not the disturbers and breakers of this peace then they shall denie a thing so manifest that all men can giue testimonie against them For in what state was the kyngdome when the Duke of Guise began warre and committed horrible murther at Uassi To what end were the conspiracies of the Constable and the Marshiall of Saint Andrewes What ment the beastly barbarous rudenes and rude barbarousnesse shewed at Paris For where as they professe their reuerence and obedience to the Kyng how incredible séemeth that in the eares of all men Those thrée often times contemned the Quéenes commaundements as when the Quene commaunded thē to go to their Mannors Lordships when by her commaundement also in tyme ef perill they were sent for to Monceaulx is this to shewreuerence and obedience to the king and quéene They came also contrary to the Quéenes commaundement to Paris with an armye of men and would not departe from thence for any thing that the quene could do either by intreaty or otherwise Whereas I my selfe to obey the quéenes commaundementes went from Paris they abyding in Paris at their pleasure when they had made there al things sure came to the king and quéene with an army of men brought them whether they would or no violentlye from Fontainbleau to Paris I appeale to the conscience of the Quéene for testimony of these things if shée may fréely speake They were fully determined to rule all thinges at their owne pleasure But this is their obedience toward the king which they shewe by the open breaking of the kinges Edictes This is their loue toward theyr countrey to destroy the which they thinke it not sufficient to arme thmselues and theirs except also they cause the aunciente enemyes of the Realme to arme themselues against the same 3 They seke to haue a perpetual edict made for religiō but to what end Whē wée desired to haue the Edict of January kept vntil the king came to sufficient age him selfe they sayd it was a very vnlawfull request adding that the king might order change amplify and restrain the Edictes when and how it pleased him and that we in desiring that the same which was decréed by the king and his Counsell might be kept vntill he came to his full and ripe age went about to make the king a bonde man and to shut him vp as it were into prison which would limitte
his power and authoritye with these exceptions They then saide And now they go about to make that an euerlasting and irreuocable lawe which they thrée themselues haue deuised and decréed Truly we may with better reason and truth conclude that they go about to make the king a captiue and bonâ—…man vnto them not only in this his minoriti but in his maiority also Who séeth not their sondry and contrary deuises Who séeth not that they go aboute not only to haue the king in their handes and to rule him at theyr pleasure but the whole Realme also when as in a mat ter of so great waight and perillouse they dare take vpon them to determine decre what they theÌ„selues list Dyd euer those Triumuiri of Rome namely Augustus Antonius and Lepidus which by their conspiracie peruerted the lawes and the common wealth of Rome any thing more bould and presumptiouse If they had ben moued by the loue of peace as they say and not by the outragiouse heate of sedition if they had ben moued by zeale of Religion and not by the force of ambition they would not haue begon those their counsailes with force and murder they would haue come reuerentlie and modestly they would haue declared the causes whi they could not allow of the Edict of January And they would haue intreated the kinge and quéene to consulte with their CouÌ„sail for the remedeing of those troubles to the glory of God the dignity of the king and the conseruation of the Realme And so they should haue declared that they were moued by zeale of their consciences But while they go about these things they sufficiently declare that they take Religion but for a colloure to the end that they may draw away the Kinges subiectes to take their part that by their help by the help of strauÌ„gers they may bring al things to their rule Can the Princes the kings kinsmen suffer this that strauÌ„gers shal make lawes Edictes to rule the king the whole Realme 4 They require to haue the church of Rome which they call Catholike and Apostolicall to be alone through out the whole Realme and that the vse and administration of the reformed religion should be forbidden Let this be the Edict of the Duke of Guise a straunger of the Constable Momorentius and of the Marshall of saint Andrew the kinges seruauntes Let their willes mindes and decrese be set against the authority of the kinges Edict which the king the quéene the king of Nauar the Princes the kinges kinsmen the kinges Counsel and forty chosen men out of euery court of the realm haue made Let them oppose and set this their Edicte both against the decrées of the nobility and the cominaltye by their supplicatioÌ„ which they offered to the king first at Orleans then at saint German concerning the orderinge of ReligioÌ„ after this maner theÌ„ they must nedes acknowledge and confesse that their Edict will be the cause of ciuil warres and in tyme the destruction of the realme But blinde Ambition carieth them out of the way to bind the king and the Realme to them as they saye by these merits For this I affirme that the Duke of Guise and his brethren can not deny but that while they go about to molest trouble those that are of the reformed Religion what zeale soeuer they pretende they brynge the Realme into greate perill Let them remember what happened of late almost in the same counsel to theÌ„ in Scotland There both sortes of men that is to say both papistes and Protestants liued peaceably obediently vnder the gouernement of the Quéene vntill it was commaunded by the aucthority of the Guises that no other religion should be there receyued then that which is of Rome Then a certen smal nomber of men for this cause being raised and appointed to battaile by the wisdome of the quene and by the help of the Nobility were easely put down again The which thing ought to haue made the Guises sease from their former purpose for feare of greater trroubles whiche would ensue by the meanes of those Edictes But they on the contrary part more obstinately went forwarde with their purpose to hinder the reformed religion writing sharp letters vnto the Quéen because shée shewed hirself so fauourable and perswaded with hir that it was necessary that the principal authours and many of the Noble men should be put to death Therefore to bring that to passe in déed which they vttered in woordes they sent an army of meÌ„ into Scotland with M. Brosseus the Bishop of Atniens At whose comming most seuere Edictes were made coÌ„cerning the obseruation of popish rytes and comming to Masse The Bishop said that he would soone cal those that were gone astray as hée sayd to the obedience of the Church of Rome and monsieur Brosseus said that hée would quickly within few dayes by force of armes put all the rebels to flight And as cruelty hath always couetousnesse ioyned with it they beheld considered the landes and possessions of the noble men and wrot to the Guises that they could both make the people tributary to pay vnto the Frenche king two hundred thousande Crownes and also assigne to a thousand Noble men of France which should continually maintayne warre in Scotland houses and land The Guises hearinge of the which were glad but the Quéene Osellus a noble maÌ„ of Scotland said vnto M. Brosseus that the Scotts could not be so easely coÌ„quered who if they were coÌ„strayned would craue helpe of straungees which imbracinge the same Religion would not desire to haue better occasion to banish the Popes Religion out of Scotland whereby the Kings Royall estate should come in peril But they refusing these admonitions of the Quéene Osellus said that the Quéene with hir facilitie and sufferance would marre all and they called Osellus foole and dastard Ther fore these wise men so wrought that the greatest parte of the nobility gathered vnto them an army of men and within few dayes eyther slewe or put to flight the Papistes and sacrifising priests which if this had not ben might haue liued peaceably And thus thei which before would binde Beares and which triumphed before the victory â–ª did not only dishonour the Duke of Guise but also lost the aucthoritie of the Church of Rome By this example the Guises ought to acknowledge their fault and to leaue of their enterprise also to haue no more in their mouthes these wordes One of those two Religions must be banished the realme and some muste needes giue place to other some These proud words become not subiectes and seruaunts but a king of full and perfect age And whereas they would haue no religion but the Romish religion established within the realme which they go about to defende by force of armes they bring the realme into great perill and daunger And truly it were a great deale better to kéepe both partes in peace and concord and
to vse in stéede of blowes woordes and writings omitting all force warres sheding of blood The which peraduenture will so prouoke God and his vengeance to fal that the papists and priests thēselues which might quietly enioye their offices liuings shal be the first that shal féele the furour and madnesse of the people To be short the protection of the Suppliantes cannot chuse but bring great trouble and garboyle vnto them But when they may be assured of this that they néed not without they will themselues be endāmaged neyther in body office nor goods haue they iust cause to complayne except peraduēture they will say that they were carefull and sory for the losse of our soules But what hath made them so sodenly so carefull when as neyther any one Bishop Curate or popish priest hath laboured or takē any maner of paines to that end Séeing therfore we neuer intended to hurt any of thē what néed was there to bring them into this contention and to pretende the name of the Church Is not this too set one against another and to cause the people whiche before could not abyde those priests to hate thē the more Was there euer a more sorowfull sight séene in thys Realme Can there be any profit benefite or good turn so great that it maye make a sufficient mennes for so great destruction Can the Popes pardones and Indulgences restore the bloud that ▪ is shed for this cause These Suppliantes maye one day say vnto the Kinge that they to defend that which no man gainsayed and to preserue the Romish religion which no man wente about to hinder haue lost or went about to loose the one half of his nobilitie and chiefest of his subiectes Then and that truely it shal be obiected vnto them that as by their fayned and dissembled opinions concerning Religion they had brought the Realme of Scotland into great perill of destruction and caused much bloud too bée shed euen so by the same opinions counsayles and Instruments great discord hath ben sowen in this realm and ▪ both sortes of men set togither as it were by the eares in such sort that they may iustly hereafter amōg all posterities be sayd to be the authours and causes of all mischéeues and calamities which shall happen to the men both of the reformed also of the Romish Religiō And to cause more trouble they would haue all the Kings officers and all Ecclesiasticall persones to professe the confession of their faith and that such as should denie or refuse so to do should be depriued if they were temporall men of their offices if they were priests then to loose their benefices For this is the other Edicte of those thrée Suppliants against the receyued approued lawes of the king For there is no man that can remēber neither hath it ben heard of that any king that hath ben heretofore hathe constrayned hys true Subiectes to receiue any other confession of faith than that which is in the Apostels Créede Let that Lawmaker by whose craftie and subtill witte these their supplications were made bring forth but one only example The which truely he cannot do except hee will bring into this Realme the Inquisition of Spaine the which by the iudgement of all other Nations is counted so wicked that they all reiect the same These are the very same trappes and snares which they layd at Aurelias otherwise called Orleans a little before the death of Kyng Fraunces the second and which cannot chuse but bring the extreame ruine and destruction of the kyngs subiectes For those Suppliants know that there are ten thousand Noble men and a hundered thousand souldiours which neither by authority nor by force will forsake that Religion which they haue receiued and wyll not suffer the preaching of the woord and the administration of the Sacraments according to the forme of Religion which they professe to be taken from them and will defend themselues with the sword against them which abuse the aucthoritie of the Kings name That great number cannot be ouercome and destroyed which God forbid without the anoyance and ruine of those that shall set vppon them And to conclude the matter briefely I saye and affirme in the name of the Noble men Gentlemen and of many others which are here with me that this Decrée is made by thrée priuate men which by their authoritie peruert the kynges Edictes and make no accompt of them and to put their decrée in execution before they made the Kyng and Quéene acquaynted with their doinges they put themselues in armour and tooke them both captiue I say and affirme that the same Decrée is against the lawes of this Realme against all Christian order against the State against the Edict of January which was only made for this cause against the dignitie safetie of many of the kings subiects whose enemies they openly shew themselues to be whose goods and life they séeke to take away and all vnder the pretence of Religion conscience This decrée also taketh away the liberty of going to a Counsaile the which should haue ben considered by that subtill counsayler For if it be decréed that the same confession which they call the confession of the Faith shal be receiued of all the inhabitants of this Realme that is to say if all men be constrained to receiue the Popes doctrine and ceremonies this must néedes be a plaine sentence of condemnation against the reformed church neither is it then lawfull for our Ministers or for the Ministers of forreine Nations imbracing the same doctrine to go vnto a Counsaile when as they being not heard are condem ned But before the Duke of Guise and the Cardinall of Loraine his brother bring forth the decrée concerning the confession of the Romish faith let them renounce denie many speciall poynts of the confession made at Ausburge which when they were at Sauern they said thei imbraced promised to one of the Princes of Germany that they would cause them to be obserued in Fraunce It is néedfull also that the Cardinall of Loraine should declare by open writing whether he do persist in that opinion which sometime he said to the Quéene before a great many witnesses concerning Transubstantiatiō concerning the carying about of the Sacrament concer ning Iustification Inuocation of Saints Purgatory Images and concerning many other speciall points also of which he spake plainely against the iudgment of the Catholique and Apostolique church of Roome 6 ▪ Furthermore in that supplication straight after this they call to mind the throwing downe of Images require that the same Images be repayred and the breakers of them be punished But thervnto I make this answere The punishments wherwith I punish them which brake downe Images first in diuers places at the last in Orleans shall witnesse before God men that this misdemeanor of the rash multitude al wayes displease me both for that it was contrary to the Edict of
January also against the forme of y League othe taken of vs not long since But if that deiection of Images deserueth any punishment because any such fact is contrary to the kyngs Edict what punishments then deserue they which so greatly abuse the kinges name that vnder the coullour therof they coÌ„mit great wickednesse as may appere by the coÌ„mitted murthers at Uassi at Sens at Paris at Tholoz and in many other places He that preferred this Supplication shuld first of all haue considered and remembered himselfe that it is read in no place that a dead Image requireth vengeance but it is read that the bloud of a slaine man which is the liuely Image of God cryeth and calleth for the vengeance of God and doth at the last cause the same to fall vppon the bloudshedders 7 Moreouer those Suppliants or rather commaunders require that they may vnarme themselues which without the commaundement of the king of Nauar put on the same and that they should be counted for Rebels and enemies to the King and the Realme I would glad ly demaund of them which thinke them selues so wise and saye that they séeke for the peace of the common wealth if that be not the way to cut of all hope of concord when they require that I and they that are with me should be counted Rebelles and enemies to the king and the Realme For they say not Let them which wyll not put of their Armoure but which haue put on Armour be accounted the Kinges enemies They which poynt requireth another maner of aunswere than by writing But I trustw tin these few daies to sée them to disputâ—… w titheÌ„ by the dynt of sword whether it be méete for strauÌ„gers two such meÌ„ as they are to iudge a Prince the kings néere kinsman the chiefest part of the Nobility of FrauÌ„ce to be rebels enemies to the king the Realme And let not them pretend the name of the king of Nauar to whom they in the former kinges dayes were sworne enemies They abased him all that they could and caused him to be little regarded of the king hys right and dignity being suppressed in matters of great waighte They cannot deny but that of late dayes when they went about to vsurp the gouernement of the Realme by their meanes it was brought to passe that whatsoeuer the king of Nauar required was denyed al occasion to rule and gouerne either in tyme of war or peace being taken from him and to discharge their spitefull stomacks in the dayes of king Fraunce lately disceased they made him to be lesse estemed then a man of meane state and condition being sent for to Orleans with thretnings and commaundement giuen to Noble men that they should not entertaine him at his cumminge also Marshall Tremen béeinge sent with two armies one of horsemen another of foote men was commaunded to take and â–ª spoyle all his Dominion and to cal the straunger to the pray And when thei saw that their deuise and purpose was let by the soden death of king Fraunces yet notwithstanding they sought by all meanes possible to be deliuered of him and would haue kept him from hauing any authority to rule or gouerne The Duke of Guise openly sayd that he would not departe from the Court neyther at the intreaty nor yet at the commaun dement of the king of Nauar The Marshall of S. Andrew euen in middest of the kinges Counsaile said that be knew no other king or Quene And now they abuse the name of the king of Nauar whoÌ„ they haue so much abused heretofore vnder the pretence wherof they seke the ruin and destruction of his owne naturall brother And they go about to bring to passe that whereas the kinge of Nauar is now beloued of all the Nobilitye of Fraunce he may here after be hated of al that they at the length may spyâ—…te out their venemouse hatred at the full vppon him These are their practises and herevnto tend all their deuises and Counsailes 8 Whereas they require that the king of Nauar wil bend all his force to bring these thinges to passe they plainly euough declare eyther great impudency or els an earnest desire to hinder peace and coÌ„cord For seinge they are fully determined to subdew all those of the reformed Religion to their willes by force of armes they should haue kept it close in secret to themselues vntill we â—…ad bin vnarmed But séeing they do so plainly declare vnto vs their meaning wée will take héede that we be not circumuented and beguiled that is to say we will not vnarme our selues but vpon very sure con ditions and cautions 9 Furthermore they require that by the sentence and wisedome of the Senate of Paris al other things might be added supplied to the making of the Edict Whereby they euideutly shewe in what estimation â–ª they haue the Quéene the king of Nauar and the kings Counsell But I maruaile wherfore they haue no regard of those wise and graue men to vse their Counsell â–ª whom they chose of late to be of the Kinges Counsaile â–ª I doubt not but that ther are in the senate of Paris good men which are nothing inferiour to those of the Senate heretofore in vertue in wisedome and in religion But those thrée Suppliantes haue so handled the matter by bying and selling of offices and by other vnlawfull meanes the the greater number of the Senate are subiect to the Guises so that the voyce of the smaller number â–ª quayleth For probation whereof we haue this The Senat of Paris refused to coÌ„firme that Edicâ—… which was made at that petition of the thrée estates of the Realme and sollemnely confirmed by all the Parliaments and Courtes of the Realme notwithstanding that the kyng him selfe sent his letters and Messengers twise vnto them but of late by the simple commaundement of the kynges Letters another Edict which is contrary to that former Edict in many thinges was by them preferred without any maner of stay This is the hope that we haue of their good and wholesome counsaile 10 To be short they adde this request that the Cities might be yéelded vp againe to the kyng and the Inhabitants therof sworne a new vnto him They woulde bring to passe earnestly séek as they did in the daies of kyng Fraunces the second lately disceased to perswade men that they are the kynges enemies which cannot abide their tirany The Duke of Guise and his bretheren should hold themselues content with this that they haue once already vsed these subtill meanes to the offence of many good men when as they pretented and abused the kyngs name to defend themselues agaynst their enemies If any man were of them suspected to be their enemie â—…ither for that he had at any time spoken vnreuerently of them or for any other cause he was cast by and by into prison was reported to be an enemie to the kyng and to the Realme And because
those their subtil flightes haue once had good successe and haue bene by them abused to the destruction of many if God had not prouided for the same they wold now put them in prac tise againe although there is not one of those which taketh our part which would not willingly spend bestowe all that he hath his life to in the seruice of the kyng yet notwithstanding they call â—…e Rebelles the kynges enemies There is I say not one of vs which would not most gladly for the preseruation of our king whom we alone singularly loue serue reuerence as the only gift of God spend bestowe his life There is none of vs which hath put him self in armour to requier any thing of the Quéen or of the king of Nauar. We require no other kyng whom we may acknowledge reuerence as our liedge Lord Soueraigne Neither do wee require to haue him and his authoritye in our hands We desire not to haue tributes customes taxes other payments due to him to be made to be eased diminished nay on the contrary part we not only haue not refused to beare any burthen that hath ben layed vp pon vs but do also now of our owne accord promise vnto the king to giue vnto him whatsoeuer he wil require so far forth as our goodes wil extend The Cities which are blamed as Rebelles haue not forsaken or changed their Soueraigne they gladly acknowledge al obedieÌ„ce to the kyng They haue not put themselues in armoure against the King such wickednes be farre from them neither haue they sought by force to make the King and his authoritie subiect vnto them But they we haue put our selues in armour against the Guises the Constable and the Marshiall of S. Andrew that with such discre tion modesty that we séeke neither their bloud goods nor offices Therfore they which shall say that we haue put our selues in Armour against the kyng shall impudently lie or els those Suppliants attribute to them selues the kyngs name dignitie But they which shal counsell perswade the king to giue vnto them his authority souldiers money although warre were enter prised against him shal truly one day make an accoÌ„pt of those their couÌ„selles shall declare who hath caused the king the Realme to contend who also hath spent the kings money contrary to the lawes of the Realme And I trust it will so fall out that the goodes which they haue taken out of the Kings treasury to mayntain warres wil be one day repayed againe out of their substance both to the profite of the Kyng and also to the easing and disburthening of the people 11 Last of all they protest that they are ready to goe home to their owne priuate houses yea to the vtmost partes of the world if néede should require and to the end we should not be ignorant they assigne the time of their departure saying When these thinges are fulfilled and brought to passe that is to say When the Edict of January by their priuate authoritie is openly broken when the reformed Religion is wholy abrogated with the preaching of the word of God and the administration of Sacraments when our consciences shal be subiect to the vexatioÌ„ of straunge doctrine wheÌ„ al they that haue im braced the reformed ReligioÌ„ shal be put to sileÌ„ce made subiect to the furor outragions madnes of their enemies being in dauÌ„ger of their liues if they liue otherwise than they would haue them and to vse their owne wordes if they shall liue without offence that is to say if they will come to Masse and to other popish ceremonies this they call to liue without offence These are the conditions which we may looke for at their handes This is their discréete counsaile ¶ But let vs now procéede a little farther and let my petition be ioyned and compared with theirs which I now make as followeth I require the obseruation of the Edict of January they on the contrary part would haue the same abolished They desire the subuersion ruine of many Noble families and of others also I desire that al the kings subiects of what estte or condition soeuer they be of should be in safty stil inioye their goodes liuinges and to be deliuered from all iniury violence and oppression They goe about to kyll and destroye all those of the reformed Religion I séeke to preserue them vntill the Kyng shall come to ryper age to iudge and determine of the whole matter as shall séeme best vnto him and in the meane time I desire that both parts may liue quietly that the papistes may enioy their liuings reuenewes with safety They séeke to deale by open violence not caryng to begin ciuill warre séeking by forrayne ayd to destroy vs spending the kings treasure to the destruction both of the king and also of the realme wherby we are constrayned to defend our selues I neyther desire warres neither do I spend the kinges treasure neither do I séeke the helpe of straungers nay I re fused them alwais hitherto when they haue offered me their seruice so wil I doe still except I be thereunto greatly constrayned by these authours of warres I desire to haue armour put of on both partes do promise that all those which are of my part shal be obedient and that loue and the reuerence which we owe to the king shal more preuail with vs thaÌ„ force of armes for whose preseruation we are ready to spend all that we haue They desire that we may be counted rebells and open enemies our cause not heard yea they séeke our bloud our offices our goods and our consciences We neyther séeke their bloud their offices their goods nor their consciences This only we séeke for at their hands to whoÌ„ wée will be bound that they and wée will go home euery man to his own house according to the tenor of those conditions which we haue more copiously declared in the Instrument which we sent to the King and Quéene con cerning this matter Neyther can they complayne say that they are hereby dishonored séeing that we submit our selues to the same conditions Our peticion is alike without any manner of inequalitie we desire nothing but that which is indifferent for both partes séeing that they theÌ„selues came otherwise then they ought to haue come to the king and were the causes of these troubles by their vntimely vsurping of armour And they haue violently assaulted so many good men that although our petitions are not alike and so indifferent yet notwithstanding it should be expedient for the peace tranquillitie of the realme to haue rather regard consideration of many men than of a few least the whole kingdome for these causes be brought into peril of ciuill warres But although there be no comparison betwéene these two peticions séeing the one is iust and equal but the other vniust and violent
haue the matter quieted or thei which had rather bring al things into present peril daunger than to forsake their armour which most vniustâ—…y they haue put on and to followe peace which they haue vngodly forsaken Iudge I beséeche you if thâ—… matter came thereunto that they had destroyed them whom they perceyue to resiste their ambition in what state should the kingdome then stande the kéeper protector wherof you are and of what power you should be of to defend and preserue the same If the matter ' concerne your dignitie you may call to mind what manner of persons they are which scarce two yeres since were not contented not only to take away your dignitie but sought your life also And whether they haue since that time chaunged their mindes I cannot tell time truely will reueale but thus much I protest for my selfe that the obedience which I owe vnto you I will performe shew while life doth last vpon condicion that he may bée made equall with those which are neither so néere vnto you by bloud nor yet so borne to obey you as hée is Neuerthelesse you shal graunt me leaue to be ignorant how they can be your friends who are not content agayn to séeke to put your brother to death except thye make you the minister and instrument of their hatred But wey consider that I haue spoken these things not for myne own cause but for the glory of Gods sake for the loue of my countrey and in respect of you before you procéed any further to set vpon him which by the bond of nature is no lesse carefull and louing vnto you than you are to your self for as by the leaue of God hée wil neuer cease to doe his dutie vnto you euen so hée had rather suffer death than to wishe those calamities which will follow this contention which way soeuer the victory shall encline But and if the authours of these troubles which ought to submit them selues to reason and equitie doe prosecute their counsells being not restrayned by you to whom God hath giuen authoritie we trust by the help of God the defence of whose glory wée will séeke to the shedding of the last drop of our bloud that you shall behold that euent which shall euidently declare vnto you the endes of all their counsails and shal also certifie you how faythfull a harte not only I but this whole assembly also haue borne to you next vnto God and the King and Quéene The Prince of Conde sent with his letters also the summe of his petitions briefly contayned in writing in maner and forme following I think saith he that these are conuenient and necessary meanes and waies to auoyd the perturbations and troubles which hange ouer the realm the which I propound by the leaue of the King and Queen For so much as before thei began their counsail which were the first that put themselues in armour and which as yet kéepe the Kinge in their custodie by force of armes all thys whole realme began to enioy peace and tranquillitie concerning religion men of both sorts of religioÌ„ thinking themselues in very good case by the benefite of the Edicte made in the moneth of January last past with the aduise and consent of the Princes the kings kinsmen of the Kings Counsaill and by the consent of all the most notable men of all the kingdome and experience will shewe that without the obseruation of that Edict there cannot be peace and concord kept among the kings subiectes First of all I require this that the same Edicte of January according to the forme thereof be obserued and kept without alteration of the same vntill the determination of another Parliament or vntil such time as the King himself by lawfull age shal be able to take vpon him the gouernement of the Realm and to order the matter according to his owne discretion to whome I and my CoÌ„federates doo yéeld ourselues in such wyse to obey that if it should please the King to take from vs the benefite of the reformed Religion we would also alter our purpose and obey Secondly that al violent actes on both partes coÌ„mitted since the time that they put themselues in armour may be punished and that whatsoeuer hath bene done and constituted since that time may be quite abolished and taken away because the mindes of the Kinge and Quéene were and are captiued by the Guises And because the coÌ„ming of the Guises of the Constable and of the Marshal of S. Andrewe into the Court and many of their déedes which they did are the only causes of these tumults I can sée no other way to bring peace and concord then to haue theÌ„ to depart from the court The which I desire not for that I for my owne parte beare vnto theÌ„ any euill will but to the end the King Quéene may haue their liberty that the Quéene may haue her authority in gouerning the kingdome that the Edictes may be obserued that there may be some con sideration regard had of mée of those which attend vpon me of all the reformed Churches which otherwise stand in great feare I desire therfore that the Guises the Constable and the Marshall of S. Andrew may laie aside their armour and that they may go home to their owne Lordships vntill the kinge come to more perfite age And I promise that I and they which are with mée shall do the like And to the end the matter may be sene to be spoken in good faith I wil giue my Eldest Sonne in hostage and al the rest of my children to be most precious pledges of my faithfull meaning These are the most equall and indifferent pledges that I could deuise And I protest that I will put away all causes of debate and enmity that appertayned to me and the Guises for the kinge and Quéenes sake The which Conditions if they be reiected I sai and affirme the which also I haue oftentymes protested that not I but they are the authours of al those calamities and miseries which by reason of all these Ciuill warres haue happened vnto mée who haue reiected these conditions to the present peril of the kingdome ¶ The fyfth Booke of Commentaries concerning the state of the common wealth and Religion in Fraunce vnder the raigne of King Charles the ninth THESE peticions and admonitioÌ„s of the Prince of Conde to coÌ„corde tooke no place but were lightly regarded whereby the matter daylye waxed worse worse The quene could neyther retaine her authoritie neyther did shée care at the length to haue the same And whereas at the first shée was drawne away from the Prince of Conde through feare shée became now through effeminate rashnes and inconstancy a bitter enemye to him and his cause The Kinge of Nauar being vtterly blinded and bereâ—…t of iudgement was so inflamed with wrath and greate indignation against his brother and his adherents also against the reformed Churches as
though he had neuer heard any thing concerning the truth neyther yet had had experience of the mindes of the Guises Therfore he was wholely led and caried by the Guises whethersoeuer they would haue him who to make him more sure on their side insâ—…ared him with harlots and with other intiseing vaine pleasures in the which they perceiued the King of Nauar to haue most delight He therefore fulfilling the minds of the Guises in euery point stoutly thondred out the Kings authority against the Prince of Conde and his fellowes These were the first beginninges of this Ciuill warre the kingedome and the Church of God being cast into great extremities â–ª So greatly may the subtil deuises of vngodly men disturbe the societie of the godly vnlesse the prouidence of God do gouern the euent and pronide a prosperouse ende amiddest so great outrage There were certain letters brought in the kings name to the Prince of Conde to his fellowes the which promised peace vnto them after a sort vpon these coÌ„dicions namely If the Prince of Conde and his fellowes according to their former coÌ„maundement froÌ„ the king wold out of hand vnarme themselues and would yéeld vp into the Kings power their cities The which if thei wold doo the Guises the Constable the Martial of S. Andrewe promised as they had also done before that they would go home to their houses Also that the King of Nauar should haue at his commaundement all maner of Artillery and should take and chuse out of the armye of the Prince of Conde for the vse of the King and the realme whatsoeuer séemed good vnto him To these thinges if they would yéeld and graunt the King would forgyue pardon their offence in putting themselues in armour and would leaue to euery man the frée vse of Religion so that euery man should liue peaceably at home without receyuing of any hurt for Religion This was don the twelueth day of June the Martial Vielle and the aarle Villarius being sent with the letters for this matter To these letters the Comparteners of the Prince of Conde made this aunswer First We render all humble thanks to your Maiestie for that you seeme to haue so great a care and coÌ„sideration for our peace and safety But whereas it is thought that the putting of our armour would be a great cause of the same it séemeth too vs otherwise for that you stand in néed of our ayd against those which séeke the destruction of you of your realme and of your faithful subietces For by these meanes we may séeke to restore your Maiestie and your mother too that liberty authority which ye had before the Duke of Guise came into the court It séemeth vnto vs at this time that neyther you nor your mother are at libertie as may be perceyued by the effects This we request that the Edict of January may be generally obserued kept throughout the Realme that in certayne places in the which there is most daunger of sedition the faithful mai haue leaue to haue their Temples within the Cities that the Guises the Constable and the Marshiall of S. Andrew may depart from the Court and that they come not into the same agayn nor haue any maner of gouern ment of the kingdom during the Kings minoritie Also that whatsoeuer hath ben done by the kings counsaile from that time since the which the Guises haue kept the King and Quéen in their custody by force of armes may be boyd and of none effect Furthermore wée request that the Cardinall of Ferrar a prâ—…uoker and mouer of warres may forthwith depart the Realme and spéede him to Rome and that he certefie the Pope that if hée will appoint a common counsell either at Lions Auinion or Bezance they were ready by the Kinges leaue to come to that Counsell But whereas it is sayd that wée shall haue pardon for putting on armour there séemeth to vs no cause why we should need any pardone Since we haue not horne armour against the king but for the King yea wée are sofarre fâ—…om deseruing blame herefore that wee rather deserue all commendation prayse and rewarde Which shall well appeare to the Kinge when hée commeth to that rypenesse of yeares that he may iudge of our merites and well deseruing vntill which time we desire that the writings of the Prince of Conde and of the Triumuiri might be registred in all the Courtes of Paris Moreouer it séemeth not necessary vnto vs that any manner of artillerie should be taken awaye onely it is necessary to bring to passe that the Triumuiri which are the authours and causes of the war and these troubles do lay asyde their armour for wée desire nothinge more than peace As for the Cities which we haue fortified we doe and will euer acknowledge them to be the Kings And wée vtterly mislike that the Triumuiri sould bring into the Realme any forrain power Wherefore we desire not that the armies of forrein Princes be brought into the realm but that they would only be suerties for the performance of the Condicions Therefore we desire the Emperour the Princes Electors the Quéenes of England and Scotland the King of Spaine the common wealth of Vennize and the Switzers to giue their warrantise and suertiship for the performance of these condiâ—…ions These thinges notwithstanding were attempted in vayne mens myndes on both sydes béeing inflamed to warres The Prince of Conde and those of his syde trusted to the goodnesse of their cause howbeit they sought all that they coulde for peace and concorde althoughe both in number and also in courage they farre excéeded their aduersaries perswading themselues to haue the victorye The Guises and hys fellowes greatly leaned to the Kinges authoritie and had in their custodye the Kinges treasure So that what with their own subtill practises and what with the helpe of the Kinge of Nauar they brought many things to passe For the kings name and authority carieth with it such a maiestie and reuerence throughout the whole Realme of Fraunce as euer the name of a king hath done or may in any Kingdome the subiectes hauing in them a certaine naturall loue as it were ingraffed By which name how greatly the Guises haue preuailed experience hath taughte The Guises also were holpen by the Spaniards by the Italians and by the Swizers whâ—…se helpe the Guises required euen wheÌ„ they tooke their couÌ„saile first to begin warres The Guises had also on their part the Citie of Paris the Senate the people and many other great and mightie Cities So that they were very strong on both partes insomuch that all thinges considered it was not easie to be diâ—…erned which was the stronger part At this first beginning the Prince of Conde his part were both in number and courage far surpassing the Guises but the Guises and his adherents excéeded the other part in pollicie and subtill sleightes Notwithstanding God did so moderate
and order the whole matter least the victory one the onâ—… part being to great bothe the Kingdome should be brought to great calamitie also the Church to extreame ruine and destruction Herein therfore moste miraculously appeared the great prouidence of God in afflicting his seruantes and yet notwithstanding sauing them from destruction and in punishing the great outrage of the whole Kyngdome and yet not vtterly ouerthrowing the same The Guises therfore perceiued that they must néedes stop and represse the proceedings of the Prince of Conde and his adâ—…erents with whom they had not ben equall if they had ioyned battaile and also intended to shift of the couragious forwardnes of the Prince of Condes Armâ—…e by subtill meanes vntill they had the helpe of these Straungers whom they looked for To bring y which theyr purpose to passe the vehement inclination of the Prince of Conde to peace did greatly helpe them While the faâ—…hfull were in good hope one while to haue peace another while to haue victory by dayly rumors and the Cities being more negligently kept than they were wont to be certaine of them were lost as Angeu and CaloniuÌ„ and others the which were at the first counted but small losses but afterwardes great losses as the faithfull found Now séeing there ensued no frute of the communication had betwéene the Prince of Conde the Quéene the King of Nauar as we haue before declered both Armies prepare themselues to take their iourney The Army of the Guises was neither very great in number nor yet furnished with many expertsouldiers Ther were certaine bands of souldiers footemen gathered out froÌ„ among the rascall sort of people of Paris which were so rawe that they were faine to be taught euen the first principles of Martiall feates and among thâ—…se were many popish Priestes which had obtained leaue from the Pope of the Bishoppes to go to the warre And as for horsemen they had scarse one whole army many of the Noble Captaines being with the Prince of Conde The chiefest part of the Garisons of souldiers which were appoynted to defend the strong holdes in diuers partes of the Realme were called home to helpe the Guises of the which a great number stale away secretly to the Prince of Conde The Armie of the Prince of Conde was the greater in number the moste couragious and the best appoynted The greatest and most principall part of the Nobillitie being very well appoynted and furnished both with courage and armour and a great multitude of souldiers comming vnto him from all partes of the Realme almost the which was deuided into thrée parts The first part consisted of Uascones of the which Monure Grammuntiuâ—… was general The secoÌ„d of Oscitanes of the Inhabitants of Dolpheny of whom Monsure Rohainus was Captaine The third consisted of those Inhabitants of FrauÌ„ce that are called Franci in Latine of which the Andelot was Captaine who notwithstan ding was made the Captaine generall of all the footemen Concerning field péeces or great Goonnes the enemie had great abundance wherof the Prince of Conde had small stoore which either he had taken at Orleans or els were cast of purpose for him The common Counsell and consent of all men was to go to Paris with all their power being the chiefe Mee tropolitane Citie and the head of their enemies and to assault the same Notwithstanding the Guises remoued their Armie from Paris commaundement being first of all giuen by the Kyng of Nauar that all those which professe the reformed Religion should depart out of the Citie with in three dayes And then they came to Stapulas towardes Orleans The Prince of Conde also remoued from Orleans with all his Army the twenty of June to méete the enemie Then sent the Quéene Letters to the Prince of Conde intreating and perswading him to peace and coÌ„cord vppon indifferent and reasonable conditions The Prince of Conde alwayes desiring peace sent Letters back againe was contented to come to Parley Whervpon truce was taken for sixe dayes Then the King of Nauar wrote to his brother the Prince of Conde more louingly than he was wont to do desired of him to haue for himselfe and his familie only a Citie lying neare to the riuer Loyer called Bogencia which Citie was kept with Garrisons of the Prince of Conde the which he desired but vppon this condition that if they did not conclude vppon peace he would yéelde it into his handes againe The Quéene also came into the army of the Guises wrote to the Prince of Conde very louinge frendly letters desiringe him earnestly to come and talke with her By reason hereof it was commonly reported through out the whole army of the prince of Conde that there should be peace the Guises intending nothing lesse but a farther mischiâ—…fe as the euent afterward declared The Prince of Conde in the tyme of the truce talked oftentimes with the Quéene and with his Brother the King of Nauar. Then the Prince of Conde wheÌ„ he had told his fellowes that the Quéene had promised him that the Guises and his adherentes should foorthwith depart to their owne houses and vnarme themselues vpon condition that he himselfe should come vnto her as a pleadge for the confirming of the peace that should be concluded when I say he had reported these things to his fellowes he crediting the same perswaded his fellowes to giue him leaue to bring this thing to passe that he might séeme to leaue nothing vndone that might bréede peace and concord To the which they graunted making this request in maner and forme followinge Before the matter procede let the Guises the Constable Momorentius and the Marshall of saint Andrewe departe home to their owne houses immediatly after the which departing we desire that the Prince of Conde may remaine and abide in the handes of the Quene and of his Brother the king of Nauar as a hostage pleadge of our faith promising with one consent that we will gladly and readily obey al things that shal be commaunded vs to do which concerne our obedience and dutie to the kinge the profite and commoditie of the Realme and the conseruation of our liues and goodes but specially for the glory of God and the libertie of our consciences Then was this request which the adherentes of the Prince of Conde had made brought to the Quéene with letters oâ—…t of hand the same night al to soone it was subscribed by the Prince of Conde the rest of his frends and solemnly also subscribed by the King of Nauar and sealed with the Kings seale and then it was sent backe again with letters by which the Quéene and the King of Nauar declared that thei liked very wel of the condicioÌ„s This returne was made the fower and twentye day of June being the last day of the truce taken at which time notable occasion was offered to the Prince of Conde to anoie and gaule his enemies Notwithstanding
to pacefie the present troubles To be short her behauiour towardes me and my fellowes when we and shée were together at Baugence do so playnely proue her consent and agréement in this matter that it shall be néedelesse to repeate many other arguments to proue this thing For there before seuen Noble men shée speaking of our dutifull obedience protested vnto vs that she did acknowledge that we by our déedes had preserued her life and the Kynges These thinges considered haue our aduersaries any reason nay haue they any coniecture of Rebellion against vs By whose aucthoritie shall we be sayd to be Rebelles Shall we be sayd to be Rebelles by the Kyng and Quéenes authoritie who haue giuen vs expresse coÌ„maundements to arme our selues who flée vnto vs for succour in these perilles who by their will letters and messages like of our doings giue vs thankes and approue the same as profitable for the preseruasion of this Realme Furthermore all men know that those our enemies haue abused the Kyng Quéenes names whose willes also they haue captiued vnto them â–ª The which is the only cause why I and my fellowes haue hitherto testified and as yet also do vnfainedly protest That we will not receiue any Edicts Rescripts or Decrées comming forth in the Kynges name so long as he enioyeth not his libertie For probation wherof this example may serue namely That the Quéene complayned vnto vs oftentimes in hir letters that she could not therfore graunt vnto vs our requestes because the contrary part was mightier and the people armed And although the Kinges name since the Moneth of Aprill last past hath ben so abused yet notwithstanding the matter thereby hath the more playnely appeared but most playnely by those letters which the Quéene sent by Monsure de Villars and MoÌ„sure Vieilleuill the xxiiy day of May In the which shée wrote that shée deliuered the Kyng into other mens handes vnderstanding by these woordes other mens handes our aduersaries Whereuppon it followeth that this sentence of Rebellion and all other thinges done in the Kynges name ought to be iudged to be done by our enemies séeing the Kyng is in their handes as appeareth by the testimony of the Quéene Let men iudge therfore what sentence that is against the condemned being pronounced by those which are both aduersaries and Iudges But let vs sée what great fault of Rebellion that is which is layed to our charge and why it is ob iected to vs Because say they they will not vnarme them selues If this be the fault I demaund what they are to be called which comming to the Court armed although they had no enemies in Armes yet notwithstanding would not vnarme them selues at the commaundemeÌ„t of the Kyng and Quéene and which continew in the same boldnes and presumption still But who is hée which at the commaundement of the enemie will laye aside the sword which he hath drawne to fight What doth the enemy els in commaunding me to vnarme my selfe than to will me to commit my goods to the spoile and my life to crueltie and also to receiue the lawe at the handes of an outlawe Is not that to breake the fence with the which God hath inclosed his Church that being destitute of fence and inunition men may fall in to the handes of their cruell and fierce enemies Furthermore all men know very well that I alwayes offered to laye aside my Armour so soone as my enemies vnarming them selues had restored the Kyng to his former libertie Was it not méete that they which were the first that put them selues in Armour and that without commauÌ„dement and aucthoritie and against the expresse Edicts and commaundements of the Kyng and Quéene should bée the first in like maner that shoulde vnarme them selues rather than they which by their example put on Armoure that is to saye by the commaundement of the Kyng and Quéene to preserue them and also to defend the Edictes from the oppression and violence of others To be short let all my actes done vntill this day be examined and it shal be found that my aunsweres my declarations conditions and all my actions are testimonies of my innocencie What condition of peace agréeable to reason and equitie haue I aâ—…any time refused nay rather I and my fellowes haue desired the same How often tymes haue I refused straungers least they should enter into thys Realme Haue I not signified the equitie of my cause to forreyne Princes that haue ben in league with thys Realme and desired them that they would be meanes to take vp and pacefie these controuersies With what modesty haue I behaued my selfe in those Cities which were in my handes Was there euer any signe shewed of violence or vniust dealing Whereas the enimies assaulting the Kings Cities and taking away the benefite of the Kings Edictes concerning Religion did all things with barbarouse crueltie in so much that they filled the streates of the Cities with deade bodies and caused the earth to flowe with innocent bloud Let men therefore iudge by the effectes who they bee that are worthy to be counted gilty of Rebellion Am I and my fellowes which haue armed our selues to defende and mayntayne the Kings Lawes made by solemne acte of Parliament so to be counted or our enemies who putting themselues in armoure without the Kings authoritie haue broken the Edictes spoiled Cities brought the Kings subiects to the slaughter and taking awaye the Kinges Edictes and specially that notable and worthy Edict of Ianuary haue made newe Edictes themselues Therefore if all the partes of this cause be vprightly wayed it shal be found that I and my fellowes are falsly accused of Rebellion of those which are theÌ„selues rebelles in déed and of sedition by those which haue ben themselues since the dayes of King Henry the causes of all those troubles which haue afflicted the Realme also of treason by those which go about to oppresse the king depraue the Kings Edictes and abuse his name and authoritie to enriche them selues to his ruine and decaye They euen they are gilty of diuine treason against the maiestie of the liuing God whose actions haue alwais declared that Ambition is their GOD Couetousnesse their Religion and worldly Pleasures their felicitie who haue proclaymed open warre agaynst the sonne of God and agaynst the professours of his word who play the Anabaptistes rebaptizing infantes again who haue their houses full of rapines and their handes defiled with innocent bloud And they are gilty of humane trea son which contemne the Kings lawes kéepe the Kinge as a captiue beset with armed men on euery syde and which seeke the destruction of the King and the Realm And to conclude they are gilty of Treason which haue encouraged and brought the whole Realme to wickednesse and to oppresse the libertie of the Gospell and which doe bind the Kinges subiectes vnto them in seruice by an othe Those outragiouse kindes of wickednesse and horrible actes do crye that the Guises
maner of our elders The which is the only foundatioÌ„ of those things which haue happened since that time to the which all those things ought to be referred and brought as to the toutchstone that they may be discerned whether they be good or euill Those lawes and constitutions were deuided into foure principall heades 1 The first concerned the custodie and protection of the Kyng and the Gouernour of the Realme 2 The second concerned those which should be of the Kyngs Counsell for that time 3 The third concerned prouision for warre and all maner of Artillary 4 The fourth concerned Religion and the staying of such troubles as might ensue by occasion therof As touching the first vppon great causes and reasons wise waighed and considered the States or whole body of the Realme haue decréed that the Quéene the Kyngs mother shal haue not only the charge and custodie of the Kynges maiestie her sonne but the gouerment also of the Realme in her owne person and the same not to be put ouer to any other without her consent will and pleasure And this decrée of the States was confirmed and approued by Princes the Kynges kinsmen Also the States decréed that the Queene Mother should be by them so directed that she by her wise ordering and disposing of thinges should discharge the great debt which remained to be paied after the death of king Henry and Fraunces and so the people to be disburthened from such great exactions and payments as they had aforetime payed And that she for her part should endeuour her selfe to bring all thinges to their former state and condition and that the people might liue euery where in peace and tranquillitie The second principall poynt was concerning the Kynges Counsaile The which the States desired to haue furnished with men that were vertuous wise carefull for the Kyng and the Realme Therfore they thought good that the Kynges Counsayle should consist of such men as were not sworne to any forreyne Prince or power as Cardinalles Bishoppes Abbats all such which they call Ecclesiasticall persons both for that they ought to followe their ordinary and proper office and calling and also for the oth which they haue sworne and vowed to the Bishoppes of Rome concerning temporall obedience which haue ben oftentimes enemies to the Bishoppes of Fraunce Therfore they prohibite and disalow any of them to be of the Kynges Counsayle or that there shoulde come vnto that Counsell two bretherne or more together according to the example of other Parliaments NotwithstaÌ„ding here thei except those which are Princes and the Kyngs kinsmen to whom it appertaineth without limitation of number by right to bée of the Kyngs Counsayle except the States haue any thing to obiect against them to the contrary Also they forbid such to be of the Kyngs Counsaile as haue had the ouersight vse and disposing of the Kyngs treasure vntill such time as they haue made their accompts And last of all bicause the Kinges Counsailers are bound to make account to the King of their iuste and lawfull counsaile and also to preserue and maintayne the Kinges treasure and when the Kinges treasurie hath smal store of money in it not to receiue of the King or to suffer to be giuen to any great and large gyftes the states do appoint and determine that all such giftes shal be reuoked and that so many as haue receyued such gyftes be constrained to restore them backe againe and in the meane tyme not to be of the Kinges counsaile Upon this second point dependeth the occasion of the â—…uill warre and sedition which at this day shaketh and violently assalteth the whole Realme of Fraunce the Guises the Constable the Marshall of Santandre perceyuing that they by thys meanes should not only be exclu ded out of the Kinges counsaile but also be constrayned to restore those giftes againe which they haue receyued of the Kinges thereby greatly in riched themselues And so they haue ioyned themselues and coÌ„spired togyther specially to hinder and frustrate that decrée It is no new thing that giftes which Kings haue bestowed contrary to the lawes appointed should be nothing regarded not only of the States which are chiefe in authoritie in the tyme of the Kings nonage but also of the ordinary Iudges of the exchecker by whose indgemeÌ„ts the Kinges afore tyme haue ben put to great expences in gyftes contrary to the lawes of the realme Of these thinges we haue many examples as of the Constable Clisson in the dayes of Charles the vi who was depryued of his office because he had gayned by the seruyce of the King to the valew of sixtene thousand pound But there is greater and more vehement cause at this tyme why they which are bound by the decrée of the states should be called to giue an account of that which they haue receyued and seing that now there is found in the kinges Treasurie the suÌ„me of 330000 poundes which was neuer séene before and yet the people at this present are more burthened with exactions and tributes than euer they were before And it is manifest that King Frauncis the first of that name which had diuers warres for the space of thrée and thirty yeares paied for his discharge a great summe of money and toke not so great and so many tributes of the people lefte notwithstanding in his treasury a greate masse of money Therefore the states demaunde the cause of so great expence And because it is likely that they were spenders and wasters whose dutye it was to husband and increase the same the States vppon verie good consideration do desier to haue an account that restitution and allowance may be made of such vnmeasurable expences The which truly is the verie cause why those thrée haue brought the Realme of Fraunce into these troubles to ouerthrowe those decrées of the states that the same may appeare most true which we saide before namely that they conspire not for religioÌ„s sake but for because they are couetously and ambitiously minded which Religion notwithstanding they take for a cloake to couer and hyde their wickednesse withall The third principall point of their costitutions is this The States would haue it in their power and authoritie during the tyme of the Kinges minoritie to order and appoint warres and at their pleasure to commaund the subiectes to arme themselues Because before they take warres in hand they should vnderstand the causes thereof and by what meanes they might be appeased Therfore also they would haue this authoritie that they which haue prouoked the people to Ciuyll warre might be made knowne to be the authoures of all the calamities and detrements which come by these warres The fourth principal point is that which concerneth Religion by which the states haue decréed that there must be a difference made betwene the cause of Religion and the cause of sedition in so much that for Religions sake no man ought to be condemned
that Edict The Ministers of the Gospel after their othe had authoritie giuen them by the Magistrat to preache in all Prouinces they had also places for the preaching of the word and for the administration of Sacraments grauÌ„ted vnto them in the 〈◊〉 of the Cities al things else peaceably and without any â—…umult Our aduersaries enuying that all things went forwarde so well sought daylye newe occasions to moue troubles At the length their Captaynes the Constable and the Marshall of S. Andrew thinking it good to delay the tyme no leager wrote letters to the Duke of Guise to come with ayde and a power of man to the Courtâ—… and hauing gotten the King of Naâ—…ar on their syde there was great hope that they should haue all things at their pleasure Then the Duke of Guise comming with a great Armie of footemen and a troope of horsemen made hast toward the Courte and by the waye as he came hée â—…uelly handeled the reformed Churches which peaceablely vsed the benefite of the Edict at Vassi setting sodenly vpon a great number of the faithful which were gathered togither to heare the word of God he slew maÌ„ woman and child without all pitie or mercy Thus beginning his busines he went forward on his iourney without feare and came to Nâ—…antuil the house of his territory or Lordship whether the Constable and the Marshiall of Santandre came And when they had deliberated of the matter and had opened the causes of their complaynts some of them bewayling the decaye of their aucthoritie and rule which thei had in the daies of Kyng Fraunces the second other some repining that they must make their accompt according to the decrée of the States at the length they determined to arme them selues And thus of their owne priuate authority they put them selues in Armes to mayntaine their ambition and couetousnes which notwithstandinge they couer with the cloake of Religion they came to the Kyng and Quéene with an Army of men and made them subiect to their power and tooke vppon them the gouernement subtillie foreséeing that there was no better way to make the people to take their part than vnder the pretence of Religion and the name of the Kyng so to abolish the Lawes and constitutions of the States and the Edict it selfe Therfore from that time forward hauing gotten Paris into their hand and brought the Kyng captiue thither they left no kind of mortall crueltie vnshewed no one corner of the Realme was frée from the Ciuill warres which they had stirred vp insomuch that the lamentable remembraunce of things past and of the great destruction like to come would make a man to tremble Nothwithstanding the Quéene being certified of these thinges was very carefull to let and stay their purpose and to frustrate their deuises sent for the Prince of Conde to come to Monceaulx and prayed him to resist the violent force and crueltie of these men by force of Armes and for this cause she appoynted him to be Captaine generall and named certaine men vnto him whose helpe and furtherance he might vse But the Prince of Conde delaying the matter for feare of tumults and vproares was preuented with the expedition and hast of his enemies who had so gotten the Kyng and Quéene into their handes that they abused their willes at their owne pleasure deludinge and abusing also the facillitie and sufferance of the king of Nauar they séeke thereby coullers to hide their tirranie The which sufferaunce notwithstanding of the king of Nauar although his full consent were ioyned therwith as it ought not by any meanes to restraine or deceiue the king of his libertie euen so it can be of no force to excuse the vnbrideled ambition and presumption of the Guises For in giuing authority the simple and bare ratefying is not sufficient but the ciuill lawes do shew that it is néedefull to haue expresse commaundement Furthermore the Kyng of Nanar hath not this authoritie to rule and gouerne the Realme without the Quéene and neither of them haue any such authoritie that they can set ouer the same to any other without the consent of the States Moreouer as touching the tractation of warre and artillerie the Quéene her selfe during the time of the Kynges nonage can do nothing as of her owne authoritie séeing this thing pertayneth to the States who notwithstanding haue not decréed and appoynted this warre but the Guises which haue caused the same to be in euery corner of the Realme Is there any man in the whole Realme that can or ought to take vnto him such power and authoritie as to gather Armies of men and to moue warre to the detrement and hurt of the Kyng and the Realme as the Duke of Guise now doth And this is the seruice that the Triumuiri namely the Duke of Guise the Marshiall of Saint Andrew and the Constable do to the Kyng their soueraigne Lord in this his tender age in the which he is subiect to many iniuries that is to say their wicked actes by which they go about to ouerthrowe the Kyng with the kingdome Which are the causes O Emperour that we put our selues in Armour and haue chosen the Prince of Conde to be our Captaine who shewed him selfe willinger to take so notable a matter in hand being moued the runto by no lesse good will toward the King and the realme than we were The Quéene also her selfe both perswaded and commaunded him to take this warre in hand to deliuer her from that iniury which both she and the king sustayned as appeareth by her expresse wordes in letters to be séene the Coppies wherof we haue sent vnto thée O Emperour Notwithstanding al this the Prince of Conde which was the last which put himself in armes and that at the commaundement of the Quéene neuer ceased to séeke peace and concord offering all indiffereÌ„t and reasonable conditions that might be as That hée would put of his Armour depart from the Court and would go also if néede were out of the Realme so that his aduersaries would do the like and that the Edict of Ianuary might be obserued Also he prayed and doth pray and beséeth by his letters al Christian Princes that are in League and amitie with Fraunce to be meanes for the making of peace and concord and with them all Noble Princes of the Empire whose godly and commendable indeuours for peace and concord were notwithstanding hindered by the Guises who in the meane time sought by al meanes possible to be ayded by straungers And it is manifest that the Prince of Conde hath sought so many waies to establish peace and concord as they haue sought by all meanes possible to hinder the same as may appeare by the last Parley betwene the Quéen the prince of Conde at Baugence they séeking by Treason to circumuent the Prince of Conde Wherefore by the demonstration and knowledge of al these thinges both the trueth and equity of our cause and of the
handes without aide and succour and that he was so forced by them that he would suffer his authoritie to be abused to the murthering of his poore and innocent people to the besieging and spoyling of his Noble Cities to the breaking of good and wholesome Edictes to the iniury of the Kynges kinsmen and Nobles and to the ruine destruction of the Kynges faithfull seruants beside an infinite number of wickednesses mo and all to satisfie their willes and mindes which determined to breake the Kynges Edictes without punnishment which Edictes were made by thē States of the Realme for the preseruation of peace and tranquillitie and for the safetie of the Kyngs Maiestie When also I perceiued that they went about and had already put in practise to ouerthrowe and destroye the Religion and the professors and followers of the same I thought it good and most necessary for these causes to prouide out of hand a more effectuall and forceable remedy that the authors of these troubles might at the last he constrayned to come to peace and concord vppon reasonable conditions least the whole Kyngdome of Fraunce through the vnbrideled and outragious willes of a fewe should bée brought into so great perill And for these causes I sent some of my Counsayle Ambassadours into Fraunce wise graue and experiensed men and addicted to neyther part that in the extremitie of these matters there might bee a remedy found out whereby their Kyng and soueraigne Lorde might be obeyed and the peace and tranquillitie of the Realme mayntayned Notwithstanding this my labor and good indeuour was not thankfully taken neyther could I haue any answere frō the yong Kyng nor from his Mother the Quéene being made a feard by that part which was the cause of all these troubles Whilest therfore I was carefully busied about these thinges and had no other care than for the profite of the Kyng my welbeloued brother without condemning of either part I was other wise delt withall than I looked for Wherby appeared that their will and minde was which so often times denied the bearing of those things which were propounded by me and mine at my commaundement for peace and concordes sake For al my Marchaunts of London and of other partes of my Realme which came into certaine places of Brittaine only about their Marchandize and were preparing to retourne home againe were taken and robbed and dispoyled of all their goodes and they which sought to defend them selues were cxuelly slayne their shippes Marchandize taken by the Magistratrs of those places whereunto they arriued and that for no other cause but for that they were reported to be Huguenotes By the which woord although it séemed strange to those poore Marchaunts and Marriners who knew not what it ment it sufficiently appeared from whom they receyued commaundement to doe these thinges and what they would do more if time and occasion would suffer This was no small rapine or light spoyle but of great waight it was not done sodenly or marage but by the common Magistrate vpon the commaundement of the Gouernour of those partes and that by great contencion with my subiectes The matter being complayned of to those that should haue reformed the same nothing was done but to make a mendes one of my messengers comming homwards with letters of my Ambassadour was robbed the which also escaped vnpunished without any farther examination Wherby I perceiue that the Kyng or Quéene his Mother or rather the Kyng of Nauar do rather want authoritie than good will. And certainely it is manifest both by this and by an infinite sort of other arguments in what state and condition the young Kyng standeth when as he maye not preserue his people and houshold establish his lawes and Edicts nor giue no iust answere to other Princes and Nations By which and by other wicked deuises practised against me and my Realme it appeareth to all men of sound iudgement how greatly that violence which is now vsed in Fraunce by the Guises and his fellowes doth toutch not only Fraunce but also mée and my whole Realme more than any other Prince Therfore forsomuch as the dignity and authoritie of the Kyng and the Queene his Mother of his Counsellers louers of peace cannot at this time so much preuaile as to haue abillitie and leaue to rule and gouern or to do any thing els appertaining either to their own people or to other Nations or to their owne proper persons séeing also the Kynges tender age and the Quéene his Mother are so circumuented and snared that they must condescend and agrée to whatsoeuer the Guises will haue them as may testifie those great destructions and manifold calamities which the authors of these troubles haue brought in besieging assaulting and sacking the Kynges Cities and Townes and in shedding the innocent bloud of his subiects also séeing they haue caused ciuill warre that they might abolish and extinguish in euery place the reformed Religion do séeke to make mortall warre in euery part of the whole world furthermore séeing they are the authors and fautors of these pitifull and lamentable troubles are noted so to be of all men who if they might haue time and oportunitie would séeke by all meanes possible to violate and diminish the state and dignitie of my Realme and to conclude séeing of late also they haue openly gone about to cōtend with me by force of armes but by the grace and goodnes of God were disapoynted of their purpose and do yet diligently séeke the same also to aduaunce them selues to my incōmoditie shall I suffer and beare with those sworne and mortall enemies to peace and concord Shall I suffer the bloud of my neighbours to be cruelly shed if by any maner of meanes I might let the same Shall I suffer the young Kyng my welbeloued brother to bee besieged and in great perill and not to be counted vnthankful and mercilesse Shall I as vnwise and negligent haue no consideration or regard to my mortal enemies and to their practise Therfore for these iust euident and necessary causes of the Kynges subiects requiring my helpe and aide in these tempestes and calamities I commaunded many of my subiectes to be armed both by Sea and land to deliuer the subiectes of my welbeloued brother the Kyng of Fraunce from tirrany Rapine murther and destruction and to kéepe certaine Cities bordering vpon the sea coast and more néere vnto vs in saftie from those enemies least the peace made betwéene me and my brother the Kyng being broken they might the more easely warre against my Realme To prouide for the which thinges tyme calleth vpon me For I haue the testimony of a good conscience and do protest that I in these thinges do vse such sinceritye and integrity that I séeke and iusue christian peace as I ought and I doubt not but that the protection and defence of innocent bloud is acceptable vnto God wil be taken in verye good parte of my wel
in no perell hereafter by any maner of meanes eyther for wearing armour or for Religion commaundinge that all sentences pronounced againste him for these causes to be voyde and of none effect and that his goodes substance which hath bin brought into our treasury be giuen restored to him again and commanding also the watch ward about his house to cease whatsoeuer hath bin ordeyned and decréed in our Parlements for this matter notwithstanding Also that it shal not be nedefull for the said T. R. our suppliant to haue any other argument or proofe to declare our will and pleasure herin but these our letters only Notwith standing prouided that he be no author of seditions of rapines or of spoyling of Churches nor that he secretly conuey to our enemis either money or armour and also vpon this condition that he liue euer hereafter Catholicly and come not to the seruice or rytes of the new Religion that he neuer hereafter beare armour against vs nor do ayde and assiste those that are our enemyes any maner of way But as by these meanes snares were layed to trap entangle the simple and héedelesse sort as shortly after appeared in many when they were come home so there was no staye of excommunications thoondered out at Paris at Tbolouze and at Bordeaulx and in other places where the papistes ruled against such as were counted Huguenotes strayt charge being geuen to al meÌ„ to detect such persones the payne appointed threatened to suche as should conceale any such so suspected and a rewarde promised to him that would detect any such person the Kings Attorney being commaunded to inquire and â—…nd out such causes and to bring them with all spéede before the Senate Then after the publishing of those letters of warrant from the King whereof we spake before the Senate or Parliament of Paris decréed that all those men which came from Burges Poytiers Meaulx Roane Lions and from other Cities which were kepte by the Prince of Conde to Paris should be taken and that they should be punished according to the prescript of the Kings Edicte which commaundeth al men of the new Religion to goe out of Paris notwithstandinge that they had gotten the Kinges letters of warrant and had made a Catholique confession as they terme it of their fayth Roane being wonne as we declared before the army of the Guise came to Paris about the beginning of Nouember the rumour increasing more and more concerning the ayde of the Germanes and of the Englishe men which should come to the Priuce of Conde very shortly Therefore Roan being fortified agayne the breaches of the walles being builded vp and a Garrison left in the towne the Duke of Guise retourned backe agayn with his armie to Paris In the meane tyme came the armies out of Germanie to Orleans sent by the protestant Princes vnder the conduct and charge of the Marshall of Hessen They were thirtéen enseignes of horsemen contayning in iust number 2600 and eleuen enseignes of footemen contayning thrée thousand souldiours Then the Prince of Conde when hée had gathered togyther an armye mynded to remoue from Orleans and to goe to Paris But before his departure from thence hée published a writing in the which he cleareth himselfe from being the author of the first motions and of the ciuill warre deryuing and laying the same vpon the Guises his fellowes and protesteth that dutie moueth him too enter into warre to deliuer the Kinge and the whole Realme from those iniuries and violence This which followeth is the summe of his letter I haue hitherto sufficiently sayeth he by many writings published and sent abroad euidently declared that the Guises the Constable and the Marshiall of S. Andrew are the authours and the first and true causes of those troubles which we sée at this tyme to be so hote outra giouse in the Realme because they tooke disdayne that they should be remoued from the gouernement whiche they vsurped in the dayes of King Fraunces the seconde and were offended at the decrée of the States of the Realme in which thei are commaunded to make an accompt of the excéeding number of giftes which they had receyued in the former Kings dayes and of the ordering and bestowing of the Kings money greatly refusinge not onely to be deliuered from this account but also vsing their former subtilties to enriche and set vp them selues by the ruine and decay of others After that I shewed the diuers Counselles and secret deliberations had they couering their conspiracies with the cloake of Religion and how they began to arme them selues by their owne prinate authoritie contrary to the expresse commaundements of the Quéene and the Decrée of the States breaking the common peace how they contemning the Quéenes authoritie the decree of the States by which they were commaunded to goe home to their owne houses came with an army ofmen and tooke the King and Quéene into their handes perforce with so much grief to the King that hée declared the same with teares openly I haue also declared and will euer euidently declare that I haue for iust and necessary causes and by the expresse commaundements of the Quéen her selfe as may appeare by letters sealed with her owne hand armed my selfe and haue ben nominated and elected by her to take vpon me the defence of this cause as can testifie Monsure Jarnac Monsure Soubize and moÌ„sieur Pordillan to whoÌ„ shée expresly declared that it was her will that the Kings faithfull subiectes should obeye mée and that they should at my commaundement withstand the counselles and practises of the Kinges aduersaries to restrayne their licenciouse willes And as for me if I should not take the sword in hand the King and Quéenes Maiesties and the Realme cannot choose but be ruled by the wills of the aduersaries whom experience hath shewed of late to be the tyraunts of Fraunce And now although I haue the testimonie of a good conscience towardes God and the Quéen who hath power and authoritie to gouerne the Realme and although I haue already declared all my actions and the trueth of my cause by diuers writings yet neuerthelesse because my aduersaries according to their wonted wicked custome do send abroad into forreyne nations many false reportes and sclaunders in writing impudently burthening mée with false lyes making mée the authour and cause of all these troubles I which desire to haue a good name and report among all Christian Princes Nobles and among the Kinges faythfull subiectes which desire to kéepe my honor and dignity thought good after many other to publishe this writing also To the ende all men may vnderstand how carefully euen vntill this present daye I haue laboured sought by al meanes possible to mitigat and pacefie those troubles raysed by their wickednesse not onely because I know what great destruction will come thereby but also because I haue a singular care and desire both to stablish the
Kings authoritie and dignitie the safetie and preseruation of the Kings faithfull subiectes the liberty of their consciences and also the peace and tranquillitie of this Realme in the which I was borne And I am fully perswaded that the only demonstration of the which I haue done and will doe shall proue those my aduersaries lyers and sclaunderers shall bring to passe that neuer hereafter any indifferent man shall giue credit to the like First of all euery man may behold and see how I alone in the beginning of this our Kings raigne procured peace and tranquillitie and sought to put away al occasions of seditions and troubles for the which cause I had much ill will and displeasure in the dayes of King Fraunces II. but I haue forgiuen that iniury Since that time hitherto those enemies of God the King and publike peace were offended with the decrées of the States and with the forme of Gouernement which they then perceyued to be contrary to their ambition when as they had determined to peruerte all things to enlarge their power and tyranny to the which end and purpose they conspired with straungers the which conspiracye is more perniciouse and detestable than was the cōspiracie of the Triumuiri of Rome as now appeareth by the lamentable effects thereof but I on the contrary part to quench that burning fyrebrand of troubles haue left nothing vndone that I could doo Neyther dyd I regarde the goodnesse of my cause nor the wickednesse of my aduersaries cause when as they armed them selues of their owne priuate authoritie to ouerthrow the Edicte made by the consent and aduise of the States neyther did I so estéeme of my place and dignitie that I woulde put my selfe in armour without the expresse commandement of the Quéen yet in the beginning I of my own accorde offered to vnarme my selfe agayne so that my enemies would doe the same and that the Edicte so solemly made by the Decrée of the States might be thoroughly kept as may appeare by my writinge concerning this matter The which conditions seemed to all men very indifferent and reasonable sauinge to them selues Furthermore to the ende we might the better and more safely enter into peace and concord I sought diligently that many Christian Princes might be admo nished of this matter and I entreated them by letters and by Ambassadours that they would be meanes to pacefie the same and to take away all occasions of greater dissentions But my aduersaries euen at the same time when al things might haue ben brought to some quietnesse wēt about to take away all hope of concord and sought for the nonce to exasperat and prouoke our mindes to displeasure by new cruelties shewed vpon our bretheren making more carefull prouision to warre against mée and myne than doth the forreyn enemie when hée inuadeth the boundes and limites of the Realme Beside this they suffered not the Ambassadours of the Princes of Germany which were now cōming forwarde in their iourney to doe their office about the pacification but sought to procure the Italian the Spaniard the Switzer to ayde them in their warre and because a certaine Noble man of Fraunce called Gonor did disallowe the comming of forreyne power into the Realme they abused him with iniuriouse wordes openly among the Kinges counsaill Whereby it may appeare to all indifferent men of sound iudgement what I and my aduersaries haue sought for and whether I could in this time of the Kings minoritie deuise more profitable meanes and wayes to auoid these gréeuouse troubles and also whether they can doe more than they haue done to increase the same For they haue gone about to bring in newe harde and violent lawes playne contrary to the Kings Edicte made by the consent of the whole Realme and agréeing with the Spanish Inquisition which is the ruyne and ouerthrow of peace and tranquillitie that thereby they might not onely bring in an infinite heape of troubles but also the confusion of all things The which also I my selfe by publishing a writing contrarye to the same shewed how much it was disagréeing from al reason and indifferency But what soeuer I could shew vnto the Quéene they had her in such bondage and captiuitie by force and subtiltie that they made her an instrument and meane to doe what soeuer they woulde themselues Notwithstanding shée perceyuinge what great inconuenience would come by warre thought she might do much good if she could bring the matter to parley Therefore the Quéene my brother the Kinge of Nauar and I met togither in the midway betwene Paris and Orleans Then I made declaration vnto them of two things which I sayd were the causes of troubles the which causes being taken away the effectes that is to say great troubles shall with them be remoued also To take away the causes I sayd the first was That the Guise the Constable and the Marshal of Santandre who had broken the peace by arming of them selues by their owne priuate authoritie and had forceably dealt with the Kyng and Quéene and also had broken the kyngs Edict of January might go home to their owne houses and might be forbidden to be of the Kynges Counsell during this time of his minoritie And I my selfe though I were of the Kyngs bloud and of much higher degrée than they promised to do the like The second was I sayd that the Edict of January might be fully obserued and that according to the tenor therof the vse of Religion might bee frée for all men throughout the whole Realme To these two ▪ neither the Quéene nor my brother would agrée Affirminge that it was not lawfull for those being the Kynges seruants to depart from the young King being in such extremitie as he was the request they said was neither indifferent nor profitable for the Realme Moreouer they sayd there could not be two Religions together in one Realme and therfore the Edict of January could not bee suffered because they of the Church of Rome were so many in number so sharpe set to mayntaine their Religion ▪ that if they should not haue their willes greated troubles would dayly arise ▪ To this I replied againe saying that it was neyther indifferent nor profitable for the Realme for them to abide with the Kyng which had both abused the Kyngs age and dignitie and also had brought him the whole Realme into great perill and vnhonestly broken the Kyngs Edict And concerning the Edict of January I sayd what could be more vnseemely than for a few priuate men so little to regard the Kynges dignitie that they durst breake the Kynges Edict to obserue kéepe the which they themselues were sworne by the benefite of which Edict not only Paris but also the whole kingdome enioyed peace Also I said it was a very euell example for the people to be armed to breake the kings Edictes and was the ready way to make them euer after more disobedient also that the
cause which was not perticuler but generally belonging to all men and that I should resist open force and tyrāny and restore libertie of conscience to the men of the reformed Churches by the benefite of the kings Edicte after so great and so longe affliction whereby they sayd I should preserue the authoritie and dignitie of the king and the Estates For these causes the greatest part of Noble men and Gentlemen vppon conscience of their dutie knowing that they were bound hereunto both by diuine and also by mans lawe haue followed me and with these the greatest part of the kings subiectes and his most noble Cities haue voluntarily ioyned themselues with me and rather by diuine than humane reason haue elected and created mée with one voyce and consent for this cause to be their Captayne The which office I being of the kings bloud and naturally bound to the Crowne of Fraunce haue taken vpon mée and haue sworne to maintayne the glory of God the dignity and conseruation of the king the Realme hauing also entered into league with them in respecte whereof I haue bound my selfe vnto them and cannot be discharged of my othe againe without the solemne consent of my fellowes to whom I haue giuē my faith And whereas I offered to the Quéene to become a banished man vpon this condicion If by the departing of vs fewe the common peace and libertie of Religion might bee obtayned it is manifest that my departure shall open a gap to more miserable destruction and therefore there is no cause why I should be bound by that my promise If I should departe the realme I should leaue the King in this his nonage in perill of the ambition and violēce of straungers and the Crowne of the which I am by nature a defender and protector in hasard of lying in the dust Agayne it cannot be that the Kinges subiectes should be in the more securitie through my departure whē this one thing is manifest that the Shepeheard beeing away ▪ the Woulfe maye the more easely destroye the flocke Can I thinke that so great a multitude can be sent out of the realm without their great hurt and without the great destruction of the whole realme Therefore for my duties sake to do the which I am bound both by nature and also by my othe I cannot neyther ought I to depart out of the Realme specially in these perillouse tymes vnlesse I would incurre the faulte of a fugitiue and startaway For as touching the reasons which my aduersaries bring to couer their wickednesse and to diswade me from the defence of so iust a cause they are so weake of so small waight that no man will estéeme them but those which are affectionate vnto them For whereas they say that from that time hitherto the Quéene hath altered her purpose disalowed the Edicte and allowed their bearing of armour and had giuen hir authoritie to the King of Nauarre to rule and order the whole matter it is nothing First bycause it is more probable and agreable to reason that whatsoeuer the King the Quéene and the viceroy determined and decréed when they had full libertie and when the kingdome was in peace is more firme and sure than that which they approue and confirme in these troublesome tymes when they are after a sort constrayned by force of Armes Secondly the Quéene cannot alow the gathering togyther of domesticall and forein Armyes of men and the beginning of warre contrary to the auncient custome of the lawes of Fraunce and the late decrée of the states and that for so euil an end purpose as to breake the Kinges Edicte the decrée aforesaid made solemly by the Quenes cōmandement but she must also ouerthrow the foundation vppon which her authoritie standeth which by that meanes should be of no force Neyther can she of her selfe put ouer to another her authority and power to gouerne bycause it commeth not vnto her by natural right but is giuen vnto her by the benefite and consent of another Moreouer touchinge the king of Nauarre whether hée be Viceroy or Legat he hath no such authority that he may commaund the Guises or any other to gather togyther armies of men and that without the commaundement of the Quene or the kings lawfull Counsaile chosen by the states The which was not obserued when the Quéene gaue them commaundement to put of their armour Neyther is it of greater waight or force that the Quéene since that tyme hath approued the bearing of armour and the musteringe of souldiers bycause in those matters it cānot be sufficient to haue only a bare allowing or approuing in the which a sure and expresse commaundement is required To conclude admit the Kinges Counsaile were such as it ought to be by the decrée of the States and that there were ioyned therwith the authoritie of the Quéene and of the Kinge of Nauar God forbid that any man how great soeuer his authority be in the tyme of the Kinges nonage might gather an army proclayme warre and put the power of the King and the Realme into the hands of a subiect be he neuer so faithfull without the wil and consent of the States first had and specially when the purpose is so euill and that the Kinges ▪ Edict should be broken These thinges of me considered I haue determined not to forsake my king in his young age and my Countrey and Religion all which requyre my helpe Therefore I haue brought my army more neare my enemies my souldiers being very willing and couragious to set vppon the enemy and to ioyne battaile But our enemies which haue so often triumphed ouer vs scorned vs haue found no better way than to packe and steale away secretly in the night Therefore forsaking to ioyn battail with vs thei came to Blais a town without any Garrison vnlooked for besieged the same and when they had won it they shewed al maner of cruelty and since that tyme they haue spoyled as yet do spoile cruelly many of the Cities of this Realme And as for the Quéene though she know the goodnes of our cause and that I haue done nothing but by her commaundement yet neuerthelesse bycause she is more a fraide of the power and subtill practises of our aduersaries than she trusteth to the good successe of oure parte mindeth to giue her selfe wholy vnto them anddoth more openly and vehemently fauour them as may plainly appear by these effectes Therefore shée gaue her selfe wholy to the Cardinal of Lorrayn who at that tyme was with her to be gouerned by him although shée knewe well enough the couetousnes ambition cruell mind which is in him and in the rest of that stocke which haue bin the causes of most greuous troubles in the Realme of Fraunce ▪ since that tyme that they haue borne any rule Therfore the Cardinall left nothing vndone that might hinder peace as may appeare by hys letters which by chaunce came to our handes
Moreouer bicause the Germanes which came to ayde them vnder the conducte and charge of the Râ—…kendolph the Rheingraue vnderstanding some what of our cause refused to warre against vs they deuysed a new practise and brought the King and Quene into their Army to couller hereby al that they had done Neither do they omit any subtiltie or crafte to allure straungers to ayde them and yet notwithstanding they deryde and scorne the Germanes and their Religion as though they for the gredines of money came into Fraunce to subuert and ouerthrow the Gospel which before in their owne countrey they had defended with perill of their lyues And they impudently lyed and fained vnto them to bring the confession of Ausburge into France which they said they had done long a go if so be I had not bin a let vnto them Besides these thinges they obiect against me mine most shameful slaunders saying that we are Rebelles destroyers of the worshippe of GOD vsurpers of the Kinges Crowne possessores of the Kinges Cities and treasure Heretiques Anabaptistes Atheictes without any Religion or faith With these and diuers other like crimes they do so fasty sclaunder vs that we appeale to the consciences of our aduersaries if they haue any conscience at all But by the grace of God we haue a firme and sure testimony of our Religion that is to saye the confession of the reformed Churches so euidently declared and offered to the King to the Quéene to the Kinge of Nauar to the Princes the Kinges kinsmen and to al the kinges Counsaile as they can testify which now go about to suppresse the same and sealed with my hand with the handes of a great nomber besides which also we doubt not to seale with our own bloud The which as it ought â—…o stoppe the aduersaries mouth so also it ought to sâ—…oppe their eares to whom our aduersaries are not afeard to sclaunder and backebyte vs. But and if the life and manners of both partes if the effects of our Religion be compared with our aduersaries although I will not altogether excuse our selues froÌ„ many sins yet notwithstanding this I say that our life by â—…he grace of god is not defiled with blasphemies with whordome with impieties with horrible lustes against nature as the life of many of our aduersaries is which notwithstanding call them selues Catholiques glory in those filthy crimes As for Heresie and Anabaptisme we are so farre from them as it is manifest that our aduersaries are giltie in them and haue ben by vs proued so to be Can they cléere them selues of Anabaptisme which haue rebaptized those infants that were baptized in the reformed Church which is an herisie in all times reprobaled and condemned also by the Decrees and constitutions of Counselles And as for the worship of God we haue not abolished the same for the defence whereof we are ready to spend our liues desiring uothing more than to haue the same purged in the Realme of Fraunce by the puritie and truth of the Gospell from so many superstitions and also that it would please God to illuminate our King with the pure know ledge of his word to blesse the Scepter of his youth and also to deliuer him from all corrupt Tutors masters But how shamefull a thing is this for the Cardinall of Loraine to make as though he loued the confession of Ausburge the which he vtterly refused to allow in the disputation of Possi And it may appeare what loue hée and the rest of them beare toward that confession by y horrible murther committed at Vâ—…ssi As for the Cities which they say we possesse they haue not hitherto disobeyed the kyng neyther will they hereafter so long as they obey my commaundements And whereas they obey not our aduersaries the cause is least they being at their commaundement should be vtterly destroyed The Kynges money also is kept from their hands least they hauing the same should spend it vppon warre against the Kyngs subiectes But whereas they say that I go about to vsurpe the Crowne of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 actions of my life past frée from ambition and 〈◊〉 and my handes pure from innocent bloud do so playnely proue this to be a false lie that I am fully perswaded that no man of sound iudgement will approue the same When as ou the contrary parâ—… al men know by what and how many meanes my aduersaries haue gone about to trouble and molest al the whole Realme by ambition and couetousnes and haue so inriched theÌ„selues that they haue made a plaine and ready way to â—…et the Crowne To put away the suspicion whereof they can neuer bring sufficient reasons the effectes of their desires being so manifest the euents also so lamentable that they shall neuer be able by any maner of meanes to hide them All men sée since the time that they haue had the gouernement in their handes they haue brought the Realme into so great troubles that it was neuer in so miserable an estate being brought all most to ruine extreame destruction the King brought into great debt and his subiectâ—… oppressed with tributs and customes There is yet another exquisit lie deuised by the same Cardinall For he is not afeard to giue out to diuers straungers by his letters that the Kyng and Quéen hauing established and confirmed the assurance of the common faith do giue pardon to all thâ—…se that will put of their Armour go home to their owne houses and liue there without offence But none of al these thinges are contayned and set downe in the forme of any Edict or Rescript for they are but deceitfull baites and snares to intangle men with all and so are they to be counted Dayly many men are both cast into prison and also put to death and that for no other fault but only because they professed the reformed Religion which they make The cause of Sedition of Conspiracie of vnlawfull assemblies and of the breaking both of Gods lawe and mans lawe And being not contented with so great bloud shed knowing that many haue escaped the crueltie of their Decrées they haue caused the Bishoppes their Popish officers to publish and thunder out Excommunications giuing charge that they which knew any of the Kynges officers which came either to the publique or priuate sermons of the reformed Churches to the administration of the Lordes Supper to their prayers or to any other rite or ceremony contrary to the church of Roome or if they knew any that did either eate or drinke with those preachers that they should within three dayes after disclose their names And of late also they haue published a Decrée In the which they commaunded and do commaund â–ª That so many as are come from Orleans Lions Burges Roane Poictiers and from other Cities which are kept at my commaundement to Paris and that all men or women of the reformed Religion should be taken and punished accordinge to the forme of the
the Porters and Warders of the gates had carelesly suspecting nothing lesse thaÌ„ the comming of the enemie opened the gates of the Citie they violently rushed in and oppressed and slew a great number of the Townesmen as they were making of them ready to arme and defend them selues Their purpose was to retourne back agayne to Nonay with as much spéede as possibly they could when they had gotten them armour and weapons and taken the spoyle of the Citie But when by the example of their Gouernour the soldiours gaue themselues to spoyling of houses and spent the time in vayne vppon dalliance with women they gaue great occasion â—…o Monsure Caumout which was not farre from them to worke their destruction For he being certified of their delay and securitie gathered togyther by and by so great a multitude as he could from the places thereaboutes alarme being sounded in euery streat and corner Therefore the men of Nonay béeing busied in their pray in so much that they neyther remeÌ„bered to departe nor yit suspected the comming of their enemies in so great number were sodeynly hemde in with a great number of souldiours which came vnder the charge of Monsieur Caumout and falling into their handes were slayn for the most part of them with their Gouernour and the rest fled And when Monsieur Caumont vnderstood the matter hée marched with his army taking with him certein fielde péeces towards Nonay and finding the same voyd of any garrison and greatly amased with much feare grief after hée had battered the walles at the length tooke the Citie And then shewed extréeme crueltie killing rashly both Papist and Protestant togyther with women also and children which murther most cruelly continued for the space of two dayes But when it was reported that Monsieur des Adretz was comming by Turnon with a very great hoaste Monsieur Caumont remoued in the night and causing great sileÌ„ce to be kept throughout all his armye he stale away secretly And what soeuer the souldiour at his departure could not carry away that hee spoyled as corne and wyne such like casting the corne abroad in the streates knockinge out the heades of Toonnes of wyne and setting fier on diuers places of the Citie I my selfe which haue written these things am also an eye witnesse of this horrible crueltie being present at the same and carying yet and shall do while I liue certayne markes by woundes in my body to remember the same Nonay being desolated with this horrible murther Monsieur Sainmartin a Captaine Liefetenant of the Region of Viuaretz came within few dayes after with a garrison of souldiers and repayred the broken walls and fortified the same so well as hée could Monsieur des Adretz hauing gathered an army entered into consultacioÌ„ about the besieging of Vienna whether Nemours was come with the greatest part of hys army and remoued his army which hée had taken out of Dolpheny and Languedoc to Uienna myndinge to besiege a citie in the vtmost partes of Viuaretz called Saincte Columbe but he bare at that time a false and trayterouse mynde as experience afterward declared Therefore after certaine small skirmishes they entered into parley with Nemours and Monsieur des Adretz was let into Uienna and comming out from thence agayn shewed manifest tokens that his mind was altered And he agréed with Nemours to yéelde vnto him forthwith Roman and Ualentia cities of Dolpheny Therefore he remoued his army from Vienna and appointed Nemours to be at Roman that day where he himselfe had giuen his fayth at the self same time to be and he himselfe went to view and win other cities When his other fellow captaynâ—… vnderstood of this as Cardet Lieftenant of Ualentia Blacon Bari Mouens and others they admonished Monsieur Cursol of the same and they with the help of Mouents tooke Monsieur des Adretz while he was at Valencia thei hauing sitt occasion offered them therunto And then the subtil lying in wayt of Nemours being detected and bewrayed who came with his souldiers at the day appointed to Romane he returned agayne to Vienna disappointed of his purpose And so the treason of Baron des Adretz being discouered he was brought to the citie of Nemaus in the prouince of Languedoc but because of the benefite of peace which was concluded by an Edict he escaped present and deserued death In the meane time the Duke of Guise hauing augmeÌ„ted his army and prouided all things necessary for war remoued from Paris and went to besiege Orleans in the moneth of Ianuary The Admirall was gone from Orleans with the greatest part of his army and with al the troupes of Germane horsemen to ioyne with the English men leauing to kepe and defend Orleans his brother the Andelot with the other part of the army For the Admirall stood in great néed of money Of the which when the Guise vnderstood he sought all that he could to draw away the Germanes from tâ—…king part with the Prince of Conde because they were discouraged from the Guises because he warred against religion and because the faithfull contended for no other cause than to deliuer the King from captiuitie and to defende the Edicte which concerned the reformed religion the Guise affirmed and protested that hée neyther mayntayned warre against Religion nor kept the Kinge nor any of his Captyues And for this cause he procured the Kings letters in the which the King and Quéene declared to the Marshall of Hessen and to the Germanes which ayded the Prince of CoÌ„de vnder hys conduct that neyther of them were captiues This is the summe of their letters In consideration of the great frendship and vnity which hath bin heretofore betwene the Germane Princes and the Kinges of France our auncetoures and in respect of the mutuall loue which the one hath alwaies shewed towardes the other to the profit and commodity of both parties it could not but séeme wonderful and straunge vnto vs that certaine of those Princes of Germany our frendes should ayde and helpe our subiectes which haue lifted vp the swerd against vs and haue seditiously brought our Realme into great troubles But we thinke that it commeth hereof that those seditious persons haue deceiued the Princes with a false couller and pretence making them beleeue that we are captiued and that they for the duty and obedience which they owe vnto vs haue gone about to deliuer vs from the same In the which opinion euen at this day also they go about to perswade and retaine both the Captaines and also the Souldies of those Germanes whom for the cause and pretence aforesaide they haue broughte into this Realme of whose goodnesse and estimation we are so perswaded that we doubt not but that they will for very grefe and sorow be offended that they haue bene so deceyued For these causes we signifye declare to the Marshall Hess the Captaine generall of those Germanes and to the vnder Captains and souldiers that
dealt withall and felt that peace was more greuous then warres and many of them thorough the cruell gouernment of that president were scatered abrode In the Countie of Venaâ—…s beinge parte of the Popes Dominion a very frutful soile and a coÌ„modious countrey the Protestants by the Popes commaundement were erceding cruelly entreated and the goodes of all them forfaited that did professe the reformed Religion neither could the kings Edict case theÌ„ by anie meanes notwithstanding both the Kinge and the Quéene were â—…iuers tymes sued to by supplâ—…ations Wherefore the greatest part of the Protestantes of Uenais being spoiled of their goodes went to Dolphiney and Orenge where the vse of the reformed Religion was fréelye allowed both by warrant of the Kinges Edict and also through sufferance and fauour of the Prince of Orâ—…nge The vse of the reformed religion was banished out of Paris by especial commaundement of the Edict Not withstandinge the Protestantes of Paris that were retourned home began to deuise and consult among them selues â–ª for the renewing and gathering togyther again of the congregation Wherefore straglinge abrode in sendry companies they enioyed the preaching of Gods word but alwayes there resorted but a small nomber togyther in one company least they should be accused and condemned as breakers and violaters of the kings decrées And yet although the Parliment of Paris was very sore offended and moued against the faithfull and the Guises spies and promouters also were very busie and left nothing that might be done vntried not withstanding through the pollicie and wisdome of the Marshall Momorency who was President there a certaine kind of peace and quietnes was kept which was as it were sauced and entermingles nowe and than with bitter and greuous vexations In Picardie the Prince of Condies Prouince the pro testantes through the faithfull and diligent trauaile of the President liued almost in euery pointe according to the order prescribed in the Edict Heuerthelesse very few congregations were in that countrey both bicause the people of themselues were much giuen to popishe ceremonies and also they were stirred vp againste the protestantes that were there by dyuers of the Noble men Moreouer in Britannie chiefly by the meanes of the Andelot who held a great part of that countrey by hys wyfe which was Heire of the countye of Lauall and in Normaudy there were some Churches that liued quietly and yet many tymes were in great feare Amongst the Gascoignes for at Burdeux the thief City was a famous church the Santones the men of Poictures and other countries of the prouince of Guian wher were very many congregations the protestantes were diuersly molested and wronged by the Liuetenantes Monsieur Monluc Mousieur de Beri Monsieur de Lude and Monsieur de la Taride And yet the Quéene of Nauar hauing the chief rule almost ouer al those countries being a very godly christian woman did what possible she could do that al things ther might be don in peaceable quietnes and according to the order appointed in the Edict She had also in the Dominion of Bearne it is a Countrye on this side the Mountaines Pyranaeis and part of the kingdome of Nauar where she rained in soueraign and princely aucthority graunted frée libertie of the reformed ReligioÌ„ but as then she gouerned her subiectes according to the prescripte order of the French Edict There was to be séene the churches lyue in perfecte peace vnder a good and Godly Princesse In the Countrey of Mets which had bin long before kept by the Kinges Garrison the Church did enioy the benefit of the Edict and many of the Captaines of the Garrison and the Souldiers themselues did frequent the Sermons They had also at that tyme their Leuftenant Monsienr Auancie enclyninge to and fauouringe their procedinges very much The Churches that were in those Cities of Predmont which were holden by the French king and those in the Marquesdome of Salus defended themselues by the warrant of the Edict Thus al the Churches dispersed through the whole kingdome of Franec were in diuers states and condicions and the greatest part of them enioyed the benefite of the peace taken but euill fauoredly and all through default of the common Courtes and of those that were appointed comissioners for the execution of the Edicte and others the Lieftenantes of the prouinces The papists had raised and bruted a rumor abrod that the king beinge in his nonage and enforced by necessitie of the time had made that Edict but for a certaine space but when he attained vnto more ripe and discreet yeares he would vtterly roote out and pluck vp the séedes of that new Religion and bring home againe his Subiectes to an vniformitie of one Religion And this forsooth was the will and pleasure of the King his Mother the Quéene and almost of al other the Péers and Nobles of the Realme and that they of the new religion should eyther consent vnto this order â–ª or els be vtterly destroied by the King or at least be spoiled of theiâ—… Godes and banished out of all partes of the Kingdome So that by the voice of the papistes the faithfull had graunted vnto theÌ„ but as it were the loane of the Edict for a very short space and at their pleasure and that to with many great troubles and iniuries In so much that a man might perceiue very much to be taken from the former Edict made in January and the peace graunted by the benefit therof greatly diminished NotwithstaÌ„ding the rage and troubles of that moste cruell and vnnaturall war being pacified the churches were miraculusly preserued in the tyme of truce and by dispersing of some congregations others wore wonderfully augmented It was easely perceyued how the Guises were enflamed against the protestantes and highly effended that the vse of their religioÌ„ was after a certain fort graunted vnto them in France and that by warrant of the kings Edict but yet there were many thinges which stayed them that they burst not out into open war for the present and vrgent state of thinges that had moued the Quéene to make peace would not suffer anye newe broiles or troubles to be raised againe They perceyued also that they could not frame her mind to their pitch although she were of her selfe froward inough against the protestantes and very fauorable to them and their partes For the Queene greatly feared new tumultes and did therfore faine to be very careful both to maintaine the Edict and also to sée it put in execution for the protestants sake whom she flattered very subtilly and against her stomacke especiallye the Prince of Conde whom of all other she chiefly by all meanes and waies possible desired to win and draw vnto her To these lettes also was added the extreme difficultie and almost impossibilitie of takinge any new matter or exploite in hand so hastely as it wer in the neck of so great wars
to make their coÌ„federacy also to raise stir vp newe broiles and troubles which otherwise they could not haue done without the authoritie and assent of those estates All the noble men being thus encensed againste the reformed religion yet nothing was attempted against it by open force and warlike manner neyther could they haue done it without great daunger consideâ—…inge the Estate of thinges at that present time Wherefore this was the wily and craftie fetch of the Cardinall of Lorreine that nothing should be done openly againste the Edict but that they should by litle and little assay it and as it were vndermine it priuily till the time were come wherein they might set forth and declare that sacred league and that they might by the Kinges authority vtterly ouerthrow destroy the Edict In the meane tyme the people should be borne in hand and made beleue that the Edict as concerninge Religion was not perpetuall but at pleasure and for a space till such time as the Kinge might conuenientlye bringe the whole Realme to one only vniformitie of Religion And that the King especially and his Brother might be enflamed against the reformed Religion And last of all that no occasion that might séem to make for the accomplishing of these matters should be let passe but that al waies meanes that might in any wyse â–ª further them should be practised warely and with great discretion and pollicie The deuises that were vsed were these It was talked openly abrode and that very much among the courtiers that it was the Kinges and the Queene his Mothers will and pleasure that the Edicte should be dyligently obserued and executed and in the meane tyme by the Cardinalles deuise and the Quéenes commaundement ther were priuie and secret commaundements sent out to certaine picked and chosen men for this purpose that they should not feare to violate and breake the Edicte in any thing whereof they had occasion offered them And if so bee that any of the Protestantes that were wronged contrary to the prescripte order of the Edicte did complaine thereof as verie manye did at leÌ„gth with great sute hauing leaue to shew their griefs and wronges they alwayes receyued this aunswere that it was the Kinges will and commaundement that his Edict for and concerning Religion should be euery where obserued and kepte and that whosoeuer were found guiltie of the breach and violating thereof should be greuously punnished and as this was his pleasure so they were bidden to take héede least that they themselues who did so much complaine of wronges and iniu ries done vnto them had first transgressed against the Edicte and then malicioufly and falsely accused others for it So by this meanes a great noÌ„ber of such as complayned were feared and shaken of with threateninges and angry wordes and many of them also were throwen into prisons and clapt fast into yrâ—…ns as authoures of false accusations and workers of sedition trouble And if so be I should go about to repeate here perticular examples of such matters it were but in vaine being the office rather of a iust and full historie then appertaining to our purpose which in writing these short briâ—…fe Commentaries we haue taken in hande But notwithstaÌ„ding all this those that were appointed by the protestaÌ„ts sued still that their matters might be had in question and examined and at length obtayned it and Commissioners choise fellowes appointed for the purpose in so much that the matter was so handeled that new deuises and fetches were brought in to oppresse entangle the trueth so that what soeuer was brought in by the protestaÌ„ts against their enemies was either iudged manifestly false or else not so euident true that the offender thereby should be punished and if so be a Papist had ben conuinced and found gilty by and by there was one speciall cause or other deuised whereby it was proued that that which was done was done accordinge to law and equitie yea and the capitall and chief faults were turned vpon the protestaÌ„ts heads against whoÌ„ they had ben commited whereby there was quarrels piked and occasion taken to enterprete and expound the Edict at the pleasure and liking of the Papistes so that hereby the faythful were euery day more and more afflicted through the factions inclinations of the people waxing euery day more cruell and hautie by reason of so great impunitie and winking at mischief When the Cardinall of Loraine was returned home into Fraunce from the Councell of Trent the Papistes were marueloufly thereby encouraged and emboldend to attempt and enterprise new matters but they had their lesson giuen very subtilie by the craftie Cardinal to cloake and dissemble their intent and purpose of abolishing the Edict And yet they were not content that they which were offenders went scotfrée without punishment but they also stayed for the Kings letters warrants whereby their impunitie should not endammage or be hurtful vnto them and that thei might haue licence to offend hereafter worse then they had donâ—… before and that by warrant of the Kinges will and commaundement There were therefore new interpretations of the Edict solemnely published which should be of the same force and vertu that the Edict for Religion was as hereafter shal be declared The Prince of Conde being ofteÌ„ moued requested by the protestants had diuers times coÌ„playned both to the King and the Quéene his mother declaring that the Edict was many wayes violated and broken and thereby the faithfull gréeuously wronged and spoyled But alwayes against all the Princes complaintes was holdeÌ„ out as a buckler of defence the Kings pleasure mynd for the expounding and interpretation of the Edict and that this his pleasure might be more manifest and better knowen all the Kings Counsell was commaunded to repaire to Paris and certayne of the chief of the parliament of Paris with them To this assembly also the Prince of Conde was commaunded to come accompanied with diuers of the Noble men that were professours of the reformed religioÌ„ Which done euery man spake his mynd and the Papistes voyces being more in number and preuaylinge there was a Decrée enacted wherein was comprised vnder the name and auctoritie of the King the interpretation of the Edicte in this forme VVhereas we haue endeuoured to prouide remedies for those broyles and troubles which haue many wayes shaken and afflicted our kingdoâ—…e and haue for that purpose giueÌ„ out and graunted our Edict of peace wherin was graunted to those our subiectes that professe the new Religion free libertie and licence too exercise the same we doo now eftsones wil and commaund that it be holden and accompted as firme and ratified of all oure leege people and subiectes For our purpose and intent was thereby to giue vnto those our subiectes the benefite and commoditie of peace and quietnesse the which our Edict we doe promise in the faith and honor of a King shal be kept and obserued
as farre foorth and as longe as it shall seeme good and expedient For wee knowe what authoritie and power we haue receyued from aboue of God which we do meane to vse with all moderation and integritie to the profite and commoditie of our subiectes of which as we haue next to the glorye of God chiefest care and regarde so doe wee wishe that it may be aduaunced and furthered by that our Edict And ther fore whereas we vnderstand that there are certain things comprised therein very generally which beeing eyther wrong vnderstood or not rightly executed haue gyuen occasions of great troubles are like hereafter to breed greater inconueniences and broyles if they be not spedely prouided for which we are fully purposed to doe VVherefore for these considerations our pleasure is to the intent we may aunswere and satisfie the iust complayntes of all our subiectes to giue a full and playne declaration of our mynd as concerning certayne clauses of the Edict which be now in controuersie and diuersly taken And because that all things may be done in better order for the profit and common vtilitie of our subiects for which we are most carefull we haue consulted with the wisest and greatest of our Counsell by whose aduise we haue here set foorth a more full and expresâ—…e declara tion of our pleasure concerning the Edicte the which we will and commaund to bee established and ratified not that we meane to take any thing from the Edict but too enterpret it according to our will and meaning to whom it appertayneth so to doe least that such clauses as bee doubtfull breed contention and strife To the first Article which is That al noble men that were of chief authority might liue quietly without trouble or molestation in their mantions dwelling places to enioy togither with their families subiectes free bertie of conscience the peaceable vse of the religion which they terme reformed this exception is to be added in the way of interpretaion It shall not be lawfull to be done or practised in any places that were either bought or takeÌ„ froÌ„ the Ecclesiasticall liuings or in any which wer holdeÌ„ of the church to which we forbid the vse of the re formed Religion both publiquely and priuately For there were dyuers of the church liuings that were sold at the Kinges coÌ„maundement were by that meanes holden possessed of the Protestantes who vsed the benefite of the Edicte for the administration of Religion in those places to the great griefe of the Papistes There were also diuers that had great and fat benifices brought to the knowledge and profession of the reformed religion but chiefely one of great reputation the Cardinal Chastillon a man endewed with many goodly church liuings and was Archebishop of Aeges and many other of the noblest houses in France Who if they once had gotten by the Edicte libertie of Religion it was very likely that it should haue ben spred and sowen abrode far and wide in diuers places For many places where those benefises lay had preuiledges of great authority and very large and ample dominion rule so the Papistes by this interpretation were well eased to the greate hinderance discomodity of the faithful To the first article of the Edict wherin was Be it fre and lawful for al cities in which that religioÌ„ was vsed the vii day of march besides other Cities that are perticularly to be set out appointed in euery Prouince stil to haue and enioy the vse thereof There was added a newe interpretation That those Cities were vnderstood meant which were kept and holden in warlike maner and in which the reformed religion had bin publiquely and openly practised at the day beefore assigned So by that meanes there were certaine Cytyes barred and shutte out from the vse of their religion To the sixt article wherein was meÌ„cioned That the citie the whole prouince of Paris should be free and cleare from the vse of that religion There was added a more straight restraint and prohibition That it was not lawfull for any that dwelte within the Citie or precinct of the Prouince of Paris to goe to any Cities licensed by the king of the prouinces neere adioyning to exercise that Religion vnlesse they dyd dwell in them neyther shall it bee lawfull for any such persons to haue any maÌ„sion place or dwelling within the limites of the Citie or prouince of Paris This restraint was manifestly knowen to be annexed for no other purpose but only in despight and hatred of certain Senatours and Aldermen of Paris worthie Patrones of the truth and other worthy and famous men that thereby they might bee constrained to leaue Paris and remoue to other places And where as in the fourth article mention is made That all men might liue quietly in euery place without any trouble or daunger for the freedome and vse of their Religion and conscience it was restrayned with a very straight exception That none neyther man nor woman were accompted in that number which eyther in or after the tyme of warre had forsaken eyther Abbayes Nunries or other religiouse houses and these were streightly commaunded eyther to returne agayne to the places of Religion they came from and if they were maried to forsake their wiues or else forthwith to depart the Realme So that by this meanes many families but with greater discommoditie and wrong of a more number were eased and helped to the whiche both yong men and maydes that were in tymes paste thrust and shut vp into Abbayes were now retourned being endewed with a more pure and syncere knoweledge of the trueth and sued by the lawe for their patrimonie and partes left by their parents But by this exception all libertie and licence to sue and pleade for their owne was taken from them and they either com pelled to reenter the Cloysters they had forsaken or else enforced to depart out of the Realme And by this meanes there were many occasions gyuen of diuers great and gréeuous iniuries as for example That horrible accursed murther committed by M. d' Anuille as we haue before declared vppon A. Motton a minister of the woord of God which detestable facte was cloaked and defended vnder pretence of this Inter pretation Furthermore the vse of the religion which was termed by a common name The administration of religion was maruetlously abated and diminished by a new deuised interpretation That it should not be lawfull for any man to be a minister of that religion but for such as were borne there that is bred within any of the Prouinces of the kingdome of Fraunce So that by this fetch diuers of the Churches were bereft and spoyled of their good Pastors and Doctours as namely the Congregation at Lions of that learned and eloquent man Petrus Viretus who dyd very effectually and faithfully trauel in aduauncing and spreading abroad the Gospel in that most famous and populous Citie and mart Towne of
faythefully to mayntayne and kéepe the peace Monsieur de Anuill was therby more earnest and hâ—…te and did straightly charge the Consuls of the Citie for so they in that Countrey do cal their chief Officers that they should leaue of their sute and enterprise otherwise they should be sure to smart for the common peoples faultes wherewith they being terrified made answere that they were ready to obeye him in whatsoeuer it pleased him to lay vpon them and calling the commons togither to an assembly did bitterly and very sharply rebuke them for their stubburnes But the commons on the other side protested that it was agaynst all law and right and that it was done con trary to the tenor and forme of the peace concluded that they would rather complayne to the King of the tyranny of thâ—… President Finally that they would not for any cause commit themselues their goods their wyues and children into the handes of the Lieuetenant being as he was so sore incensed and angrye against them But whilest wordes went too and fro amongest them there begaÌ„ a whot contention betwixt the Magistrates and the commons The people being set on a furie chased away the Magistrates and forthwith fortified and â—…ensed the citie and no entrance would be graunted to M. de Anuilles garrison Who coÌ„plaining to the King of the matter receyued commission from him to punnishe the offenders very seuerely with commaundement also that the Townsmen should receiue in the Garrison The King also sent thither Monsieur 〈◊〉 a noble man with charge that they should eyther receyue such Garrison as the Lieuftenant the Anuill should appoint or els to be greuously punnished who comming thither to the Citie was forthwith receiued in by the Citizens who declared vnto him that they had not committed that fact in way of rebellion but were ready to obey the King their chiefe soueraigne Lord and gouernour that it happened through the rashe and hasty dealing of the Magistrats that the commons being moued and stirred vp with feare of further harme to ensue had behaued themselues otherwyse against them then became them finally that they did willingly and gladly submit them selues their children and goodes to the Kinges will and pleasure So vppon this M. Ramâ—… being entered the Citie certified M. de Anuill of the Townsmennes minds who straight waies comming thither accompanied and garded with certaine bandes of horsmen and footemen was very reuerentlie and humbly receyued of the Citizens But he was no sooner entered the Towne but he immediatly began to vse and handle them as enemies The Citie was spoyled of all her priuiledges the walles razed the Noble men diuersly fined and punnisht many of them beheaded their Minister haÌ„ged their goodes giuen ouer to the Souldiours for a pray and a spoyle the furiouse Souldiers were let loose vppon the honest matrones and Uirgines of the Citie to the number of 800. Citisens were banished to be short that worthy Citie was vtterly wasted spoiled made desolate of the greatest parte of her inhabitantes by the cruell and detestable villany of the Anuill Aboute this tyme there came newes abrode of the Kinges prograce throughout the whole Realme and forsooth there was a cause of this prograce deuised and that was that it stoode the Kinge vppon to take a suruey and a vew of his whole kingedome that he in his owne person might heare and receaue the complaintes of his subiectes and with present remedy help and ease their gréeâ—…ed mindes and that with his presence hee might confirme and encourage euery on to do his duty And though this cause was pretended yet the Quéens had another fetch purpose in her head Whereof the Cardinall of Lorraine both knew and was also authour and first inuenter of it although for other causes hee was not in this prograce the marke she shot at as it is reported of diuers that were more thorowly acquainted with the matter was the King himselfe as it being ignorant of it that the sacred league with the King of Spaine which was begon in the Counsaile of Trent might bee ratified and confirmed and that in the meane season the tender mind of the youug king might be by all meanes possible prouoked and stirred vp against the reformed Religion and al thinges were of set purpose so ordered in euery Citie where the Kinge should come that the Protestantes might complaime as long as they would but al should be in vain and to no purpose yea and they themselues rather accompted and taken for the causers and authours of troubles then obtain any thing where by to redresse their wronges and iniuries Whilest preparation was made for this iourney there came a coÌ„maundement from the King to all those Cities that were holden of the Protestantes in the time of warre VVhere as now after pacification of all former troubles therâ—… is nothing that we more wish and desire than that peace and quietnes may be restored in al partes and quarters of our kingdome wee do now will and commaund to the intent all occasion of new broiles may be remoued and quight taken away that all such munitions fortifications and bulwarkes as were made and built in the tyme of warre for the defence of your Cities bee quight defaced and taken away that all our subiectes hereafter may quietly and without feare of further danger kepe and maintain our peace especially for that our faith and promise sufficiently declared in our Edicte ought to be to all true and faithfull subiectes in sâ—…eede of a sure wall and sheild of defence c. So by this meanes all kind of munition and fortifications was defaced in diuers Cities as in Orleans Mountaubane valence and diuers other of the most famous Cities in France to the great discommoditie and destruction of the whole Realme And that chiefely in 〈◊〉 a moste necessarie and profitable Citie to the whole countrey yea and that in the moste daungerous times of the Kinges and kingdome especially in the tyme of Charles the vii 〈◊〉 the Englishmen were conquerers farre and neare and when all Normandy and Paris the Metropollitane Citie of the Realme were wâ—…nne and vanquished togither with the Countries to them adioyning all the Kingdome in an vprore with enemyes then was Orleans a chiefe and special place of succour and refuge both for the King and all his Notwithstanding these Cities were defaced and marked with the tokens and blemishes of Rebellion for that in tyme of trouble they had preserued a nomber of good and true subiectes especially Orleans was shamefully spoiled and made almoste a poore simple Oraunge or Uillage and a Castle builte at the gate it leades to Paris to gouerne and kepe vnder the Citizens and a very cruell Carrison of Souldiours placed there And yet for all this the administration of Religion was not left of there Like crueltie was exercised vpon Montaubane bycause they had manfully and couragiously defended themselues against the assaultes
and inuasions of them of Tholouze Aboute this tyme by the adâ—…ise and consent of the Quéene and the counsaile order was taken in certaine graue and waighty matters betwixt the King and his Brother The Dukedome of Orleans was by olde vse and custome of inheritance alwaies giuen to the Kings eldest Brother But bycause many contentions and controuersies did commonly arise betwéene the Kings of France and their second Brothers Dukes of Orleans for diuers considerations of the coÌ„modities of that City and countrey it was thought good and profitable both for the King and the Kingdome that that Dukedome should be taken from the Kinges Brother Wherefore the two Brethren agreeing themselues Alexander â–ª the Duke of Orleans yéelded and gaue vp his Dukedome to the King and had of him for it the Dukedome of Aniou and the Title of Viceroy generall ouer all the prouinces of Fraunce was gyuen him and had also a yerely stipend of an hundreth thousand Crownes which afterward was largely augmented Thus was Orleans taken from the Kinges brother and hée very liberally recompensed for it We spake before of the Prince of Conde and how the Papistes laboured by all meanes possible to entice him from the reformed Religion And surely they had made a great breach wyde entrie to their purpose thorough the to much licentiousnes of the Court that the Princâ—… vsed and the great hope of large gayne that was offred him on all sides But as they were in the midst of their iolitie and triumphing as though they had quight vanquished and reclaimed him to their lure he manfully luckely escaped all their traynes and by this occasion as the Prince did thus gyue himselfe to all pleasure and loosenesse of liuing his wife a most godly and chast matrone tooke sorrow and inward thought at hir hushaÌ„ds imtemperate and disordered conuersacion and thereby with other causes fell gréeuously sicke and stryuing wrestling long with her disease in great sorrowe and laÌ„guishing of mynd at length departed out of this troublesome world but before her death she had very wisely and wittely admonished her husbande to looke well about him and to remember what dutie the knowledge he had of Christian religion and the dignitie and place that God had called him to did require of him The death and this counsell of his wife of whose singular deare and chast loue in his greatest extremities and distresse he had alwayes had sufficient proufe and triall did so moue and stirre him that waying and pondering his estate and calling more néerely and wisely euer after hée tooke vnto him a myraculous and most valeant courage and diligently and willingly obeyed and hearkened to the counsell of such as were good and godly and wexed euery day more and more earnest and zelous in the study of true godlynesse pietie And yit at the first his wifes death seemed to giue great occasion to further and aduaunce the papistes wishe and desire for it was common then in euery mans mouth that the Prince of Conde should marrie with the Quéene of Scotland a veryfaire and beautiful woman and that then the Prince and the Guises should be all one But hee vsing and obeying better aduise did manfully and valiauntly coÌ„temne and despife all those vayne baytes and enticing allurements and afterward married the Dukes sister of Lon gueuille a famouse and worthy man. In the meane time newes came out of all quarters of the cruell slaughters that the papistes committed vpon the protestants which if I should goe about to tehearse it would be a thing of an infinite and endlesse labour nothing appertaining to our purpose for there was accompt made as is euident and to be séene in the commoÌ„ registers of an hundreth and thirtie great slaughters committed in diuers places vpon the faythfull since the publishing of the Edict But there was no mencion I warrant you nor talke of punishment wherefore the Papistes were by this loose and negligente impunitie more and more encouraged to al vnnaturall and outragious crueltie The men of Mayne vnder the conduct and leading of their Bishop who had waged Souldiours for that purpose made horrible hauocke and spoile in many pla ces vppon the Protestantes both man woman child without all respect of yeares younge or old Many complaintes and supplication were put vp to the kinge and the faithfull company of that Countrey set out a wryting openly wherein they declared the horror and abhomination of those mischieuous factes with example of such â–ª furie crueltie as was not erst hard of amongst the Frenchmen Such sauage and cruell madnes had by reason of impunitie enflamed the Bishops mind wyth hatred against Religion Wherefore through all the Câ—…untrey of Maynes in euery Towne and Citie great cruelty was exercised at the Bishops coÌ„maundemente as God willing shall one day be more plainly seene in a full and large discourse of these matters At Creuan a Towne of Burgundy a place appointed by the Kinges commaundement to preaâ—…h the woord of God in when as there was gathered togyther from diuers places of that Prouince a greate nomber of men wemen old men and children altogyther naked and vn armed to heare a Sermon â–ª the Papistes that dwelt in the Towne assembling togyther ranne violently and rushed with force vppon the Protestants And as they began to kill and murther them there was by and by a great vprore and tumult raysed on the contrary parte the papistes were sodenly amased and fearing least the aide of the Protestantes neare adioyninge and of other noble men professoures of the reformed Religion had bin there craftely lefte of their enterprise and so by that meanes the faithfull escaped Notwithstandinge many of them as they stroue to get home to their houses were slaine at the first brunt so the Papistes in Burgundy what by the sufferance of their Lieftenaunt by the setting on of the Counsaile and through the help and ayde of Moâ—…sieur Begat â–ª a seditious and factious Counsailour waxed more and more bould and insolent against the Protestantes Moreouer there assembled vnder coulour of gathering togither the states of euery Prouince certaine companies which they termed the Confraternities or Brotherhoodes of the holy Ghost to the intent to proclaime and denounce euerlastinge and perpetuall warre against the Hugunotes and vnder pre tence of these assemblies many things were haynously seditiously committed Wherfore the Prince of Conde complayned of these misorders to the king Where vppon these conuenticles by the Kinges Interdicte were forbidden and prohibited but all in vaine for the letters wanted that pâ—…iuie signet whereby by the Cardinalles subtiltie and other Papistes of great estimation such letters were knowen as it were of any wayghty matter or importance Monsieur â–ª Begat â–ª the counsailour had alwaies very ryfe in his communication the greate renowne of the Spanish Kinge whereat many men marueiled to see such a fellow borne with all and to be in
fauour with the people who in open assembles would so frankely set out and bâ—…ag of the fame and glory of a forreine Prince and such a one as might the easier anâ—…oy them by reason hee was so neare adioyning vnto them yea certaine Orations that he had made of that matter were at the Cardinall Granuillans commaunded printed at Andwerpe and published abrode Wherefore the people encouraged by the example of Monsieur Begat began to talke of the Spanish Kings name and to boast and vaunt themselues of his fauour and the Papistes in euery place mingled and enterlarded the Catholique authority and power of Spain with the affaires of Fraunce as though the King of Spaine had had the ordering of Religion there and the gouernment and moderation of the Kinges Edict Monsieur Curee who as we haue beefore declared had valiantly behaued himselfe in the vauntgard of the battayle of Dreux vnder the Prince of Conde was by the Kings commaundement ruler and gouernour ouer the Prouince of Vendosme a man much giuen to the stu die and embracing of the reformed religion and therefore greatly hated of al the papists in so much that the filthy bloudsuckers encouraged by the impunitie of the hauâ—…cke made vpon the faithful of Macine and hauing their handes red and dyed with the bloud of the miserable subiectes began nowe to conspire the death of their head and ruler and laying snares and ambushementes for him set vpon him suspecting no such thing and cruelly flue him Monsieur Curee his wyfe and his brother complained of the matter to the King declaringe what an horrible villany was committed vpon the person of the Kinges Lieuftenant and after they had taryed and wayted at the Court sir whole wéekes at the last wyth great sute much a do they obtayned that the murther should be brought in question and examination Whervpon the doers of the déed were accused and apprehended and when the case was proued by so many certaine and euident argumentes that euerye man thought it should haue proceded on be put in further execution that no man could withstand it behold sodenly those hainous and trayterous murtherers were deliuered dispatched out of hand by the Kings commaundment he that apprehended them sent them to ward was coÌ„maunded to apeare and that vnder payn of sharpe punnishment to giue accompte of his doinges for hee was charged to haue done more then his commission would beare him in his house was made flat with the grouÌ„d and he him selfe appeared and was throwen into prison and very hardly at length got out again The murtherers as though they had done well were not onely pardoned and forgiuen but had also great rewardes for their wel doinges and offices also bestowed vpon them A notable surely and an euill example of contemning and ouerthrowing of Iustyce There came out also about this tyme the Kings letters contayning certeyne newe exceptions against the Edict That it shold not be lawful for any Ministers of the reformed they terme it new Religion to dwel or inhabite in any other place then in suche as were in euery prouince appointed for the hearing of sermons for this purpose that they might not visite and comfort the sick nor take any héed or care of the housholdes and families of the faythfull And that it should not be lawfull for any of that profession to be schoolemaisters or keepe any open schoole for to bring vp or teache yonge children And this was the old fetch of the Cardinall of Lorraine that taking away all discipline the puritie of doctrine should vtterly decay and that all knowledge of good learning and liberall Sciences being banished the study and desire of trueth might be darkened with the duskie and lothsome clowds of barbarous and sauage ignorance A practise vsed in tymes paste by Iulian the Apostate and now put in vre agayne by the Cardinall a good and cunning scholler in suche matters and worthie of such a maister whereby he might declare him selfe an open and manifest enemie to al humanitie and pure doctrine Notwithstanding there were causes and matter pretended that in shew were very godly as That it was so enacted to the end all things might bee done in good order and least that the greater part of his subiectes beeing thereby stirred vp might gyue occasions of new trou bles not that it was the Kings pleasure to chaunge or alter any thing in the Edict but that this was the very plain exposition of his Maiesties pleasure which he commauÌ„deth and willeth to be receyued and kepte of all his subiectes The King as we said before vnder coulor to suruay and vewe his Realme came to Paris and from thence he first went to Troye a noble and famouse citie of Campaigne thence he remoued to Lions and so along through Dolpheny Prouance and Languedoc towardes Baâ—…onne a Citie of Guian situat vpon the Sea coaste and next adioyning to Spayne that there the Sacred league might be made and established as hereafter we will shewe in place conuenient It were a long and tedious matter to rehearse here what was done in euery Citie what complayntes and supplicacions were put vp to the Kinge what iniuries done to the protestants and what sleightes and deuises were forged and practised to enflame and encense the yong King against Religion that must be done hereafter by some more large and perfect historie But wee because we meane but to drawe out briefe and shorte notes of the warres will briefly setting apart all long discourses of so large and copiouse matter set forth the summe of that was done in this progresse The papists spared no sleightes no forgerie no lies no saucie malapartâ—…es no impâ—…dencie nor any kinde of malicious spyghtfull wickednes whereby they might by any way procure hatred and enuie against the protest and 〈◊〉 and their cause I seâ—…aunder no man for 〈◊〉 I am bond by reason order of this my enterprise to say the trueth I will not spare to speak it From euery quarter came great flockes of the faithefull complayninge of their wronges supplications were offered vp but when any satisfaction was to be made to their complaintes they were so posted ouer from this man to that man from this place to that place that whilest the executioÌ„ of law and equitie was prolonged and differred Iustice was quight gone and fled from amongst them We haue spoken before of the accusation commenced against the Admirall as though he had ben authour of the Duke of Guises death and of his aunswer there too But because the matter séemed likely to bréede further trouble and that it was such as might hinder and disquiet his progresse both partes being so earnestly bent to wrath and reuengement the King thought it best to decide and take vp the matter before he procéeded any further on his iourney Wherefore at Molins the chief Citie of the Dukedome of Bourbone the Admirall was
declared by the Kings decrée free and cleare from that accusation and that he ought not in any poynt to bee charged therewith and commaundement was giuen that the matter should on both sides be buried in the darke graue of euerlasting forgetfulnesse and obliâ—…i on and be troden vnder foote as though it had neuer bene done The Guises also they of Chastillon were charged to lay aside all hatred and grudge and to be reconciled and euerafter become friendes and louers This commaundement was obeyed and receyued of both sides whereby the wound was stopped couered for a while but not thorowly healed Notwithstanding the Cardinal of Lorayne was here by sinely beguiled and defeated of his purpose thinking by this to haue had iust occasion as the Spanish Kinge br agged in his letters both to haue displaced the Admirall and also vnder a faire shew of this cause to haue violated and broken the peace The Prince of Conde the Admirall the Andelot and other of the chief Nobles that were professors of the reformed Religion went not with the King on this iourney The Cardinall also of Lorrayne taryed behinde in Fraunce as we shall hereafter declare After this the King came to Lions with a very great trayne and was Royally and sumptuously receyued of the Townesmen of both Religions Here they had determined to frame and put in practise many conceyptes and deuises for that if they could ouerthrow and suppresse the congregatign that was here being of all other the chief and most famouse they shold the easier deface and destroy others that were lesse For the state of that most florishing populous church did gréeue the Archepapistes at the very hartes Wherefore they thought it behouable and very expedient by all wayes possible to oppresse and disquiet it Yet contrary to their purpose and meaning they taryed but a small tyme there by reason the plage raged so cruelly that through the stubborne wilfulnes of the Quéene that meant to haue stayed the Court longer there the plague came euen into hir owne chamber and dispatched one of the Noble women of her own trayne out of the way Wherefore thorough feare of the pestilence the Courte remoued from Lions to Rossilon a territorie belonging to the howse of Tarnon their howses being very stately garnished be fore with the Kings owne prouision and furniture and yet the papistes were not idell at Lions although their aboade there was both short and daungerous For the chief men of the reformed Religion were charged to abstayne and not to resort any more to Sermons or other assemblies And that this might the better bee done in all places where the Court should passe there came out a commaundement from the King forbidding That the reformed religioÌ„ should bee exercised in any place where the king should passe or in any place where he lay as loÌ„g as he made his aboade there and that it should not be pra ctised at any tyme hereafter in any of the kinges howses and pallaces the cause also was added least the Catholiques being greeued and offended with it new troubles should arise There was also a pÌ„face adioined That the same was omitted in the Edict wherunto the king would all men should vnderstand he ment not by this interpretation to adde any thing So thus they vsed the name of the Edict where in déed they endeuored to ouerthrowe and abolishe it A fortresse also by the Kings commaundement was begonne to be built at Lions to kéepe in subiection and ouerlooke the Townesmen vpon the hill of S. Sebastian in the highest part of the Citie the garrison augmented with a new supplie of fresh souldiers whereby the protestantes were manifestly marked with the note of rebellion Wée declared before how the Citie of Lions in the be ginning of the former warre was kept and fortified with a garrison of the protestantes and how Monsieur Saltan a noble man had as then the gouernment rule ouer the Citie who being very earnestly requested of the faythfull that he would in the Kings name goe forward in the administration of their common wealth notwithstanding refused to do it and leauing Lions got him quietly home to his owne howse By his defaulte and negligence the Duke of Guise when he liued would say that Lions was taken of the protestants and many complaintes and accusations as touching that matter were put vp against him by the chiefe of the popish Nobilitie and certayn Italians were suborned to accuse him before the King for betraying Lions into the protestaÌ„ts handes To these complaintes Monsieur Saltan maketh aunswere and albeit he had sufficiently proued them to be but méere surmises and false sclaunders and was also quited and discharged by the Kings own Iudgement of that accusation yet notwithstanding no punishment although he complayned diuers tymes to the Kinge therof was executed vpon these wrongful sclauÌ„derers Moreouer intreatie was made with him by Interpreters in the Kinges name that he would gyue ouer his Presidentship wherefore beeing nothing desirous of glorie and authoritie willingly gaue place and resigned his office in whose roome was placed Monsieur Lossay a man of very craftie and deceiptful disposition and excéeding hautie and proud For it is almost impossible to be told with what intollerable pompe and excessiue pride he vaunted and boasted himselfe and how great impunitie and carelesnesse in offending against the protestaÌ„ts was graunted to the papists by him The particular discourse whereof as I haue often sayde before doth not appertayn vnto our purpose for so should we take vpon vs an other mannes charge and our Commentaries which we purposed to make but short and briefe would growe vnto a great and large volume About the fourth day of August a new interpretation of the Edict was enacted and called the declaration of Religion wherein firste was placed a preface at the first vew very goodly That it was the Kinges will and pleasure that his Edict of and for religion should be straightly kept and obserued euery where that they that should be guilty of the contrary should be punished that law and iustice should bee ministred vnto all men indifferentlye and without partialitie and that his maiestie did suruey and visit his Realme and Prouinces to th entent he might meet with and prouide for al such confusions and disorders as were in the common wealth But whereas he is giuen to vnder stand that the libertie that hee had graunted out for the vse of religion did dayly minister occasions of strife and contentioÌ„ he was ready to prouide remedy for that mischiefe And to the entent that here after no doubtfull or double vnderstanding of the Edict which was made and set forth by his authoritie be left stil vncertaine and for that the declaration of his owne and very true meaning doth onely appertaine vnto him selfe for these causes he hath thought good to set it forth in open writing And whereas saith hee we do
one day haue mercie vppon his poore afflicted people and heare the gronings sighes and lamentable cryes of his that do flye to him only for succour and refuge and can obtayne redresse no where else all right and Iustice being taken away from them by such as haue most barba rously contrary to their Kings commaundement spoiled and wasted all things with vnknowen and almoste incredible rage and crueltie vpon whose accurfed and detestable factes haue followed to the number of 140. lameÌ„table murthers since the publication of the Edict and yet not two of them eyther punished or like to bee punished And now I trust your maiestie doth perceiue that these be some causes why both I and other of the reformed religion do say that the Edict is violated and wée our selâ—…es euill handled besides many things that are done against vs by the greatest part of your graces presidentes and all because we are of a contrary religion to them and infinite other deuises which they dayly as it is manifest do practise against vs all which I leaue vnto your maiestie to consider how disagréeing hurteful they be to publique peace and tranquility And these things I haue thought good to signifie to your highnesse least I should séeme to haue omitted any one iot of that Loiall obedience I owe to the same â–ª most huÌ„bly beséeching your maiestie to take in good parte and patiently to ponder and consider of these things which I do with al dutifull modestie and humble reuerence declare vnto your grace O noble King and say that it is vnpossible that true and stedfast peace be kept in this Realme tho rough the often declaration of your highnesse pleasure therin vnlesse the Edict be truly and incorruptly obserued and executed in all pointes and all interpretations therto adioyned quight disanulled and taken away yea and all disorders seditions and slaughters committed by either part after the publishinge of the Edict sharply and equally punnished lastly that the loose sufferance and corrupt collusion of Magistrates and Iustices bee ouerlooked and corrected And vnlesse this be don I can not sée how an vniuersal and firme during peace can be maintained in your maiesties Realmes But contrary wyse I perceiue and foresée that they who haue suffered so great iniuries with out all remedie are so wearied and as it were tyred with long sufferance being now in desperation past hope of redresse wil indeuour to defend themselues from wrong iniury by force which must néedes be occasion of great troubles When these letters of the Princes were brought to the King and the indignation that hée and other professoures of the reformed religion had conceyued was knowen the very necessity of the tyme enforced them to make some showe of redresse and correction of these misorders For the king being now far in his progresse from Paris the chiefe Metropolitane City the Quéene greatly feared least the Prince of Conde should attempt some new troubles Wherefore the Kinge writeth to the Prince very louingly declaringe that de doeth lyke and allow of his care for the obseruation of peace and saieth that he wisheth nothing more hartely then that law and Iustice should be equall without partiality ministred to all his subiectes and that this was his chiefe and only desire And whereas he had set foorth diuers interpretations of the Edicte hée saieth hée was forced therto by dyuers and sundry vrgent and most waighty causes and that they do greatly make for the vse publique profit and comoditie of his subiects â–ª and yet he beléeueth so well of the Prince that hée iudgeth hée neuer once so much as meant or thought to gouerne and rule him and his doinges at his owne pleasure and if so bée any of his Iustices officers had offended in any thing he would so punnish them that all men should knowe that it was hys will and pleasure that the Edicte should be executed iustly and sincerely in all places and that all his subiectes should haue Iustice equitie shew ed them without respect of religion Also he trusted that he who ought to haue speciall regard for the good and safe estate of the Kingdome would so trauaile and labour that no new broiles should bee raised by theÌ„ of the reformed religion that complained of their wrongs seing it is fit that they should not reuenge themselues of such iniuries as they say are doue vnto them but rather commit the charge and orderinge of those matters to him being chief Lord and gouernour ouer both them and their causes and that vnlesse they did so they should purchase vnto themselues most greuous and seuere pu nishment only hee willed him to take héede that none were falsly accused and that that which they obiected a gainst others might not rightly and worthely be layde to their own charge Lastely he let him to vnderstand that it was his only chiefe most desired with to haue peace kept and maintayned accordinge to the order taken in the Edict which as he had oftentymes declared in woorde so like wise he would fulfil and expresse it in déedes About this time there came out newe Proclamations from the King wherin all men were very straictly charged to obserue and kepe all orders prescribed in the Edict and greuous and great punishment appoynted both for suche as did violate and neglecte the same and also for all such Magistrates as did winke at them that shoulde offende therein He declareth also that it is his will and pleasure that all his subiectes should lyue quietly together and therefore dothe appoint the Edict and the declarations that he had made thereof to be a rule and square to order their doynges by whiche he straitly charged and commaunded all men to doe least they shoulde to late repent them for so abusing his clemencie and at length proue his force and power to their owne destruction Shortlye after this the Mashall of Vielleville was sent to Tours to sée execution done vpon those seditious persons that had committed that slaughter lately done there but the matter was so handled that all was in vain for wheÌ„ the Marshal saying he wold do according to his commission had begonne to rippe vp the matter Monsieur Chauigny a wicked and desperate man was suborned who by open force resisting the Marshals doinge did so worke that nothing could be done faringe as thoughe if the matter shoulde haue bene stirred any more it woulde haue bred a further and greater trouble sâ—…ing the greatest and best part of the Townsmen was thereby so hainously moued and enflamed Wherfore the Mashall returned to the Court leauyng the matter as he founde it and when he had giuen accompt of all his procéedings there Chauigny was very liberally rewarded of the Quéene as one that had done a thing both fit and profitable for that presente tyme yea greaâ—…e offices were bestowed vppon him as to be Embassador to foraine Princes and kingdomes The
commaundemente of the Duches of Parme made the Catholiques not a little ioyfull but greatly discomfited the mindes of the protestantes but specially the nobles and those of the richer sorte which sawe that their goods were sought for For what could be free from the outragiouse cruelty of the inquisitours seing they had to help them the Kinges Edictes the Quéenes artillery the Kinges prisones and their owne executioners When as the noble men could not escape their tirannye Therefore the Nobles and all the inhabitauntes of the lowe Countrey were brought into great perill Amidst this so great feare and maze of all that dwelt in that region certaine of the noble men séeing that the ruyne of the Gospell which they had professed besides the calamitie of the whole countrey and their peculiar destruction was at hand deuised a waye in so great extremity to rid themselues out of perill namely to defend themselues against the rigour tiranny of the inquisitours so far as the Kinges dignitye and authoritye would giue them leaue Thus when they had entred in to league and solemly confirmed the same with an oth they sought such wayes and meanes as séemed best vnto them to withstand that calamity like to ensue To this league thrée hundreth Noble men had giuen their consent who determined and agréed that it was the best way to go to the Duches of Parme and to shew vnto her the present daunger that she might according to her duty prouyde a remedy for the same But bycause they con sidered that if they should make any mention of religion it would giue occasion to the inquisitours to execute their tyranny first of all vpon them they thought it best and most necessary to auoyde the force and rygor of the Edictes and the Inquisition if they pretended onely the libertie and ancient priuileges of their countrey This way pleased the most part but some feared the seueritie of the Inquisition from the which the Kyng himself was not free howbeit the most parte of them thoughte it vnreasonable that the lawes and liberty of the countrey shoulde be violated and broken and such tyrannie executed vpoÌ„ their bodyes â–ª goods and consciences wherbâ—… would followe the vtter ruyne and subuersion of the whole Countrey Therefore thrée hundred Noble men almost agréed together in this confederacie at Brussels the third day of Aprill in the yéere of our Lorde M. D. LXUI and by a Noble man whose name was Brederod they offered a Supplication to the Duches of Parme In the which after they had protested their reuerence obedience and singular loue which they ought vnto the King to the Duches of Parme the Kings vicegerent by dyuers and sondry reasons they made their petition That the Inquisition might be taken away that the Kings Edictes concerning Religion mighte be suspended vntill suche time as the King and the states of the Realme had deliberated and determined concerning the same and theÌ„ they protested that they would in euery poynte doe the duetie and office of faithfull Subiectes saying that if there were not a remedy prouided for these thinges in time the ruyne of y countrey woulde followe To this the Duches of Parme made answere That she woulde doe any thing that she was able that was either good or profitable for the common wealth that she would endeuour her selfe to bring to passe that the Inquisitours and officers vnder the King should wisely behaue them selues and not deale with any according to the seuerity of the Edictes and that she woulde wythin sixe monethes vnderstande the Kings pleasure concerning these things Then shée wrote letters to the Gouernours of the Prouinces willing them not to execute the Kings lawes with seueritie vntill suche time as they were farther certified of the Kings will and pleasure She sent also to the King the Lorde Montignâ—… and the Marques of Berge Noble men In the meane time the Church of the faithfull increased and were ioyfull that they were for some while deliuered from tyranny the cruel slaughter hoping at the length to enioy peace and quietnesse On the contrary part the catholikes were euill apayd â—…earing that hereby they shuld haue euill successe Ther fore they came ofteÌ„ times to the Duches of Parme and declared vnto her that she went about to bring her selfe and the whole Countrey into extreame perill if so be these men of the newe Religion so greatly preuayled with her â–ª many other pernicious perswasions also they vsed to this effect The Duches of Parme being led by them called all the States together choosing out suche men as séemed vnto them fitte for their turne and not such as shoulde haue bene of that assembly by order and course of euery citie And before euery man had vttered his iudgement as the order of suche assemblyes requireth they made a lawe which they called the ModeratioÌ„ of the Edicts and then were commaunded to subscribe to the same and â—…o confirme it with an oath The summe of this Moderation was this That all such as followed the newe religion â–ª or did by any maner of meanes fauour or allow the same should be seuerely puÌ„nished that hanging should be the death for suche offenders and not burning that also the punishments of proscriptions and banishment shuld be executed vpon those that professed the new religion according to the Kings former Edictes Therefore nowe the matter séemed to be in worse case than before bycause these thinges were giuen forthe in the Kinges name and commaunded by the solemn authoritie of the States And thus the petition of the Nobles seemed to be satisfied It is sayde that these things were done without the Kings consent and knowledge The Rumor of this Edicte being in all places the gréene wound which before was scarcely salued began to ware sore againe and the people began to complaine a freshe perceyuing that great calamities were like to fâ—…ll vpon them Notwithstanding great was the number of such as professed the reformed religioÌ„ and â—…t dayly increased howbeit they were fayâ—…e to haue the vse of their religion priuily and in priuate houses But at the length the people waxing zealous in this cause that which before was done in secrete began to be publikely and openly exercised in so muche that Sermones were made in publike places that all men might resort thervâ—…to that woulde nothing fearing the late made Moderation whiche notwithstanding in some places was seuerely executed many by this occasioÌ„ feelyng the smart of the Inquisition In the very vtmost partes and borders of Flaunders first the protestants began to come togyther openly in â—…lockes and in congregations to heare the word of god then straytway at Antwerpe after that diuers other cities and townes following their example did the lyke This was toward the latter end of the moneth of Iune At the first the people assembled them selues togyther without the Cities notwithstanding in such number that a man might see continuall passage of people
betwéene the fieldes and euery Citie In the beginninge they came togither vnarmed but when they vnderstood that their méeting waxed daungerouse and that the In quisitours began to playe their part they caried wyth them at the first swordes but afterwardes more strong and better weapons to defend themselues as they passed from their houses into the fieldes At Antwerpe the Magistrates of the citie gaue leaue to the protestants to arme themselues so long as they were out of the citie in the fields but in no wyse to beare the same within the citie to the which the protestants willingly grauÌ„ ted This was the beginning of publike sermons in the Churches of the lowe country to the which there came many thousandes of men the Inquisitours in the meane tyme seeking the pray and making great complayntes to the Duches of Parme. And after that the Gospell had ben quietly preached for the space of certain weekes beholde there ensued a great tempest and wracke among the Images and Idolles of the Papistes And first of all they wer thrown downe and beaten to péeces in the vtmoste partes of Flandres after that in diuers places of Flaundres the people making such a spoyle among them as if the Magistrates had commaunded the same The Magistrats were so amazed and abashed hereat that although they followed the Catholike religion yet notwithstanding they set to their handes furthered the pulling down defacing and breaking the Images At Gendâ—… a fayre Towne by the sufferance of the fearfull Pretor all the Images and other ornaments vsed in popishe seruice were defaced and spoyled in euery Church The like was done at Lire in Brabant At Antwerpe the Magistrat kept himself out of sight while the people ran vp and downe from churche to church spoyled the Images that were therin If any man condemne this rashe zeale of the people voyd of reason let him there withall weigh the singular Iudgement of God against those Idols with the which the world being blinded had so many wayes dishonoured his Maiestie The Duchesse of Parme being carefull not knowing what to doe in these extremities fearing least ther would ensue greater troubles thought good to pacifie content the people with fayre promises and to make those Noble men that professed the reformed religion meanes to represse those troubles Therfore when she had sent for them to Brussels she desired them to endeuour themselues to staye the tumulâ—…e of the people to reiecte all false conceyued opinions to bee perswaded that the King would vse all meanes and ways for their peace and tranquillitie promising vnto them leaue to haue their Sermons in such places as they had them be fore and that shée would geue commaundement to the Magistrates and Gouernours of euery citie to appoint places for the Protestantes to the which they might quietly resort to the hearing administration of their Religion â–ª that the profession of religion should be hurtfull to no man so that he brake not the common peace as in spoyling of Temples and such like To this the Noble men dyd condescend and agree wherevpon the Conditions were solemply confirmed betwéene both partes with an othe and ingrossed and sealed with the Kings seale Commaundement was gyuen to all Gouernours and Magistrates solemly to proclayme this agréement and to do all thinges according to the tenure thereof There was made also an Edict by which all men were forbidden to do any iniury eyther by word or déed for Religion vppon payne of seuere punishment Upon this commaundement the gouernours of euery circuite or shyer appoynted oute places for the exercising of the reformed religion suffered churches to be buylded for the same purpose willed both partes to stay themselues vnder their protection This was about the Moneth of August The Religion and the professours therof séemed now to be in good cace reporte euerywhere being made that the King was fully purposed to giue licence to the inhabitants of the low Countrey to vse the reformed Religion But the myndes of the Catholiques were not yet quieted wherevpon they sought daily new occasions of tumulte being full of enuy for the breakinge downe of their Images Wherefore there arose now again new troubles And at Andwerpe specially there were great contentions and as though the enemy had bin at hand the gates were shutte vp and continuall watche and ward thereat Thither therefore at the commaundement of the Duchesse of Parme came William Nassau Prince of Orange to gouerne the Citie in the Kinges name being at such great contention And calling vnto him by two and two the Churches of the Protestantes which consisted of Wallonnes and Fleminges he did deliberate with them concerning the best remedies to bring peace and tranquility to both partes as wel to the catholikes as to the Protestantes â–ª After which deliberation they concluded vpon certaine articles and confirmed them which afterward were published proclaimed in maner and forme following It shall not be lawfull for those of the reformed Religion to disturbe by any manner of meanes the administration of the Catholique Religion of Roome or to take away such places as are appointed for the vse therof but shal content themselues with those places which are allotted to them to the which places they shall resorte vppon the dayes appointed as vppon the Sonday and other holy dayes or if there be no holy dayes vppon the Wednesday I shâ—…l not be lawfull for them to haue any other Ministers than such as be borne within the Dominion and circuit of the lowe Countrey and shal be sworne to obey both the ciuill and temporall gouernement so long as they shall there remaine It shall not be lawfull for those of the forenamed Religion when they go to their Sermones to cary any other weapons or armour than swoords but to obey lawes to walke as it shall become good and faithfull subiectes It shalnot be lawfull for Preachers of eyther part in their Sermons to vse any seditiouse or iniuriouse woords which shall appertaine to the refuting of erroures or the corruption of manners These thinges we will and commaund to be obserued vntil such time as we vnderstaÌ„d the kings pleasure farther And if so be it shal please the King to appoint otherwyse than it shall be lawfull for those of the reformed Religion to forsake the Realme wyth their lyues and goods After the proclamation hereof it séemed to bringe peace to diuers other Cityes and to abolish quight the remembraunce of other troubles but yet for all this the men of the reformed religion were not frée and at such perfect peace as they iudged themselues to be For the papistes which inclined to the Cardinall Granuellan and the inquisitours side toke occasion by the foresaide casting downe of Images to worke their mischeuouse intent Therefore taking a courage amidest that great and sodame feare maze the greatest part of the kings officers went about to bring in question the throwing downe of
attempte againste the Realme of Frannce or that they mynded to defende Callice against the Quéene of England They sought also other meanes and waies to quarell and contende with the Protestantes mynding to deale with them as giltie of the Edictes broken and to examine those which had done anye thing contrarye to the Edicte specially againste that which was made at Rossillon that is to saye which had gone to anye other places to beare Sermons than to those which were appoynted them by the Kings commaundement or if the Noble men had entertayned any other to the hearyng of the sayd Sermons beside those that were within the compasse of their Iurisdiction and suche like offences As these transgressions had anexed vnto them the pain and punishment of exile so their purpose was to seeke a reformation of these things by seuere putting the same punishmentes in execution according to the tenour of the Edict But least they might séeme to haue no regard to the Counsaile of the Duke of Alba which was It is better to haue one Salmons heade than the heades of a thousand Frogges they went about to snare and catch those Noble men which imbraced the reformed religion as the Prince of Conde the Admirall the Andelot the Rochfoucault and other Noble men And this séemed a present waye to bring the same to passe if so be the Kinge sent for them as standing in néede to haue their aduise in those thinges that concerned the gouernment of the Realme Nowe if they should haue refused to come vnto the King than had he good and iust cause to complaine of them as none of his friendes And if so be they shuld haue neede to vse any force they had at hande two and twentie Giddons of horsemen and certaine Switsers also of which they had already gotten six thousand In the meane time the Prince of Conde the Admiral and diuers other Noble men of the reformed religion were verye carefull For beside these flying rumours bothe the dayly newes of the comming of the Duke of Alba and of the ayde of the Switzers and also the manifest preparation of horsemen with the euident state of all things else caused them to haue a great care For concerning that Holy League made betwéene the kinge of Fraunce and Spayne to destroy the religiō The prince of Conde was fully certifyed by the Prince Rochsuryon the Prince of Condes néere kinsman and of the Kynges bloude of the house of Borbou who a little before hys death exhorted the Prince of Conde to prouide remedye in time for so greate troubles The Noble men aforesayde being very carefull and withall vncertain what to doe fearing least if they should obey the kinges commaundement whose name they perceiued their aduersaries to abuse they shoulde sodainely be oppressed or leaste they shoulde be accused of rebellion if so be they sought meanes to restite the force of their aduersaries they determined I say to séeke all wayes and meanes to appease and quallify these troubles and to certifie the King plainely of their will and mynde herein In the meane time bycause they perceyued their enemyes to be in a readynesse they sente diuers mesiangers to the reformed Churches within the Realme to prepare thēselues and to haue a diligent consideration of all theyr actions They certified diuers of the princes of Germany concerning their affaires requiring aide of them if neede should require This was in the monethes of Iuly and August of this yeare The Spanishe armies aryued at Nice a Citie of the Duke of Sauoy mynding to passe through Pedemont Sauoy and the Countie of Burgundy where the Prince of Orange hadde occasion offered him to finishe notable exploytes if he would haue taken his time but as he dyd in the lowe Countrey so did he nowe leaste he myghte séeme to attempt any thing against the king but within a while after he was very homely requighted by the Duke of Alba. Philbert Duke of Sanoy required of the inhabitantes of Bernoy a great parte of the territory which they had sometyme taken from his Dominion by war and the matter between them was oftentimes solemnly debated in an assembly of the Switzers the men of Bernoys affirming that the same Region was giuen vnto them by the Lawe of Armes and that they had lawfully receiued the same Notwithstanding at the same time when the Spanishe armyes were loked for which came with the Duke of Alba the men of Bernoys communed with the Duke of Sauoy and agréed with him vpon certain conditions and graunted vnto him the thrée Dominions or Lordships that were next to Geneua ▪ By reasō of this agréement the administration and vse of the reformed religion was vsed in those Dominions euen as the men of Bernoys themselues would desire Concerning the purpose and connfaile of the Prince of Conde of the Admirall and of others of the reformed religion we haue spoken before The Prince of Conde therefore by dyuers messengers prayed and intreated the Kinge concerninge the séeking of a reformation for those troubles which were lyke shortly to ensue Declaring vnto him that the comming of the Swirsors into the Realme againe was so perillouse that it would cause the people seditiously to rise The Admirall went often tymes to the Constable his vncle and talked with the Quéene whom he knew to be at Chantilly the Constables house and fréely declared vnto her that if the faithfull were so handled wherby they had iust cause to suspect that war was a preparing for him they could not any longer be kept in peace Notwithstandinge the Quéene and the Costable pretended a notable cause why it was néedefull to haue the aide of forreiners for say they the Spaniardes beare an olde grudge and hatred against the realme of Fraunce so that we haue good cause to feare least they hauing occasion set vppon vs but the King will reforme all thinges so for the faithfulles sake that all men shall sée that he will deale vprightly and iustly towardes all men After this also the Queen made these promises in her letters to the prince of Conde Notwithstanding there came sixe thousand Switsers in the beginning of September and a greate number of horsemen were armed and prepared And the Prince of Conde was fully certified that the Duke of Alba which was already come to Belgio had moued the King of Fraunce in the name of King Phillip to go forward with the holy league and withall had perswaded him to take present occasion to bring his purpose to passe At this time the Cardinall of Lorraine was with the King and a great number of his adherentes also Notwithstanding all thinges waxing dayly woorse and woorse the Prince of Conde and the rest of the péeres and Nobles which professed the reformed religion sawe that ther was no longer stay to be made but that they must of necessity when they could do no good by their letters come before the king themselues and declare vnto him the present daunger
Wherfore they appointed the day to go vnto the King and because they might the more effectually declare the matter before the King and also escape the perill and lyinge in wayâ—…e of the Cardinall they determined to go with the greater number that armed to defend themselues Therefore a hundred and twenty noble men hauing the Prince of Conde theyr Captaine came to Mâ—…nceaux to talke with the King and to offer vp vnto him a supplication in the name of all the faithfull the suâ—…ine whereof was this That for so much as the King had made an Edict to kepe his subiectes in peace and concorde which was necessary both for them and his Realme they most humbly beséeched him that the same might bee better obseruid and kepte than it had bin aforetyme And forso much as vntill that same day they had made the same complaintes afore in vain and that often times they now at that time trusted séeing there were so manifest perill of such greate troubles at hand that he would effectually declare that he made account of the faithfull as of the rest of his subiectes who being abused and iniuried haue no other refuge to flée vnto in their extreame calamities than to his grace their soueraigne Lord and King. The Cardinall of Lorraine vnderstoode of the comming of the prince of Conde with the rest of the nobles declared vnto the King and Quéene what great perill and daunger it was vnto their persons for the Prince of Conde to come vnto them with so greate a power of men intending he sayde nothing else than to take the king his mother and his whole family that then he might doe what him lyst The King and Quéene beyng made afearde wyth these rumors remoued to Paris being garded with the bandes of the Switzers The Prince of Conde being sory for this feare of the King and Quéene stayed at Rozoi a village therabout to the which place the Marshall Momorencius was sent declaring vnto him the causes of his comming saying that he was very sory that he was fallen into so great suspition To whom the Prince deliuered a Supplication and prayed him to deliuer the same to the King and to certifie him of his whole intent and meaning Then he came to Clay whether the Kinge sente vnto him the Chauncellour Hospitall the Marshall Vielleuil Moruilliers to whome when he had more at large declared the cause of his comming he sent letters agayne to the King in the which he protested his fayth and reuerent mynde which he bare towarde the King refuted the sclaunders of his Aduersaries by which they wente about to make hym hated of the King declared also that he was readye to render all obedience to the King for whose sake he sayd he woulde spende his life and goods notwithstandyng he sayde he sawe wicked and vngodly men abusing both the Kinges name and also his age and will whome alone he thought to be the causers of all these troubles and therefore woulde gyue place to none of them vnlesse he ment to shewe himselfe a traytor to hys King and Countrey The Prince of Conde also declared his reasons more particularlye and put downe this in writing as the summe of all his petitions First That accordyng to the firste forme of the Edicte all other interpretations and exceptions taken awaye the faythfull maye enioye their Religion and that all the Kinges Subiectes what Religion soeuer they be of may accordyng to their degree and callyng beaâ—… office vnder the King and bycause both the people and the Nobles haue bene oppressed with tributes vve desire saythe hée that it maye please the Kynge to ease vs of the same After this he remoued from Clay to the Towne of Sandionyse bycause the same beyng néere vnto Paris he might the more conueniently haue conference with the king But all was in vayne the Cardinall of Lorayne inflaming the mindes of the King and Quéene against the Prince of Conde and agaynst the cause of the faithfull But bycause the Prince of Conde woulde if it myghte possible be bring somewhat to passe he made this last request of the King That it would please him to haue some consideration of peace and mens consciences and that all thinges hereafter might be ordered not at the pleasure of their aduersaries but by the Kings will but by a firme and infalliable Edict But the Papistes thinking the Protestantes to be quite done and out of harte with vnaduised rashnesse rushed to warre again the Constable very immodestly and contrary to his gray heares behauing himselfe at Paris euen as thoughe already they had gotten the victory Therefore besyde the Souldiours which they had alreadye gotten and prepared there was choosyng and mustering of men at Paris and manye were preste to the warre in so much that a man might thinke that the Prince of Conde woulde easily now be oppressed and ouercome hauyng so fewe men wyth him notwithstanding within fewe dayes a great number came to him oute of all partes of the Realme and the faithfull in all quarters armed and prepared themselues The. viii Booke of Commentaries concerning the state of Religion and of the common wealth of Fraunce vnder the Raigne of Charles the ninth WAR being thus a fresh begonne all men wayted and looked for new thinges to come to passe NotwithstaÌ„ding these affayres of warre in dyuers places had diuers successe The Catholiques had many mo Cities and Armies of souldiours than the Protestants had howbeit they agayne far excéeded the other in courage and boldnesse being as men after long oppression by iniuries brought into pâ—…rill of their lyues and goodes The Protestantes had but a few cities in their possession Lions a towne of notable force â—…ell from them which by the diligence of the Gouernour of the Towne was out of hand very strongly fortified with new garrisons of men Then went the faythfull to wracke being robbed spoyled and murthered the souldiour the townesman furiously running vp and downe the Citie ransacking the houses of the faythfull their Temples wer set on fire which were very costly builded in two conuenient places yea the honest Citizens went to wrack in euery corner of the citie Howbeit many escaped by the meanes of the castell of Sansebastian the which notwithstanding was appoynted for the destruction of the faythfull but the kéeper was their friend Geneua was their Sanctuarie and refuge in this extréeme tyme of trouble Notwithstanding diuers Cities tooke parte with the Nobles of the reformed Religion as in Dolpheny Ualencia Vienna Roman and Montill In Languedoc Nemaux Montpellier notwithstanding the papistes held the Castell of S. Peter but afterwards were dryuen out of the same by Monsieur Mouents Castra-Albien certaine Cities also of Rhodes of Seuenas and of the territorie of Viâ—…aretz also by the industrie of Uicount Burinquet they had Montaulban and all that bordered vppon the same Moreouer Orleans and the Cities and townes therunto adioyning was
possessed by the Protestantes and so was Rochell In al partes of the realm thoâ—…e was some number or other of Protestantes but they were banished out of the Cities whiche made the army of the Prince of Conde to be the greater The misdemeanour and cruelty of the inhabitantes of Lions made the protestants in other places that wer more mighty in power to aryse Therfore diuers murthers were committed in diuers places and because the Catholiques had burned the churches of the protestants they in lyke manner burned their Churches to requite their crueltie In so much that in all those cities which the protestantes possessed there was not almost a church to be found which thei had not burned spoyled and beaten down to the ground the people crying that all the remnaunts of superstition must bee so taken away that afterward there may be no remembrance or signe thereof to be found While this businesse and garboyle was abroade in diuers places at Paris the papists were very extréeme and cruell agaynst such as they could but suspecte to bée fauourers of the reformed religion All men therefore were set vpon warre and tumult In the meane tyme the prince of Conde wayted for his souldiours at Sandionyse and waxed dayly more strong with new ayde The Constable being verily persuaded that he should oppresse ouercome the prince of Conde marched with all the power he was able to make from Paris takinge with him great gonnes bragging boastinge that the prince of Conde had none such to put him in perill withall but his bragges and boastes had euill successe For after that the Parisians had discharged their great shot and that the battayle began to waxe whote they being not able to abyde the charge of the Prince of Conde and his souldiours though they were the smaller number began at the first to retire and afterwards when their araye was brokeÌ„ to quayle and to flée séeking to recouer the gates of the Citie so fast as they could In this battayle the Constable was sore wounded with a shot his horse also and falling to the grounde was wounded agayne and then was spéedely caryed away by certayn horsmen to Paris after the which within certayn dayes after he dyed This man had liued fiue kinges raignes being of great authoritie in Fraunce many yeres yeâ—… he was the second person in the realme he was also a faythfull and trusty seruaunt to the King being wyse circumspect to auoyde the daunger of his enemies vntill such time as he ioyned himselfe vnto them for the hatred of Religion Concerning the calamitie of the churches of Belgio we spake before After therefore that the people were in good hope by reason of the authoritie and promises of the Noble men that were of the Confederacy they receyued notwithstanding at length the aunswere of the Noble men which séemed to bee of greatest power in these matters That it séemed good vnto them to commit the whole matter to Maximilian the Emperour and the Princes of the Empyre whereby they should be sure to enioye the libertie of the confession of Ausburg But Valence being left destitute of ayde and therefore cruelly spoyled and the whole countrey being desolat that their purpose was frustrate For the protestantes fledd out from all places of the borders of Belgio by heapes also the Ministers chiefe Gouerners of the church of Antwerp yea and the Prince of Orange himselfe leauing his sonne at Louayne fled out of the countrey and that in good tyme as the pitiefull deathes of Counte Egmond and Horne afterwarde declared of the which we will speake anon A great parte of the Protestantes of the low Countrey fled into Englande and part into Germany and into Cleueland the Quene of Enland the princes of Germany but specially the Countye Palatyne graunting vnto them Cities to dwell in God thus prouided for his people who is always a continuall preseruer and vphoulder of his Church the whiche when horrible destruction coÌ„meth he buildeth vp with out the helpe of man. The Duke of Alba therefore came into Belgio otherwyse called the Lowe Countrey where he placed in diuers Cities garrisons of Spayniardes and then proclaimed the Kings Edicte concerninge the establishing of the Inquisition by whiche hée willed and commaunded the reformed religion to be altered and ordered Then also he ordeyned a new senate consisting of twelue men comonly called the Bloudy Counsaile which should sit vppon all matters concerning lyfe and death He displaced also dyuers Magistrates and set others in their roome After this he tooke a great number and cast them into prison hauing no regard or consideration of them what Religion soeuer they professed to such as were fled the countrey he appointed a day for their return and before the day was fully expired he adiudged their goodes to be confiscate Howbeit in the beginning he dissembled this cruelty and made the people beléeue that whatsoeuer had bin done before tyme for religion should be pardoned by the Kings Edict And thus were County Egmond Horne Noble men brought caught in the snare And when sharp lawes wer made concerning the inquisition the inquisitoures were not idle but played their part and cast a great number into pryson Infantes whych had bin baptised before in the reformed Churches were constrained to be rebaptised Women whose husbandes were fled for religion were constrained to be maried agayn to new husbandes and at the commaundement of the Duke de Alba many of them were forced to mary with his soulders Now the Spanish souldier began to pray and spoile in euery City Also when the dissembled clemency of Duke de Alba shewed at the first had drawen a great many home to their houses againe the Bloudy Senate was set a worke some were beheaded some hanged and some had their tungues first of all cutte out of their heades and then a bodkin thrust through their lippes these lamentable sightes were dayly to be sene but specially at Brusselles and at Antwerp Diuers Noblemen also were partakers of these punishmentes as the Battemburges which were Bretheren of a noble house and were cruelly put to death but these had more coÌ„pany for heapes were brought at once to the place of execution And at the same time County Egmond and County Horne noble men and such as afore time had borne great offices and done to their King and Countrey good seruice wer also with this bitter reward of cruel tyranny requited and after they were beheaded their heades were set vp on forkes County Horne all the tyme of his imprisonment and euen in death shewed a singuler zeale of religion It was reported that the Duke of Alba bare towardes both of these an olde grudge but specially towardes the County Egmond for that which he had done in the affaires of France not for religions sake which neyther of them at any tyme had professed These thinges were done in the yeare of our Lord 1568 the which we haue
heere inserted though as yet we are not come to that yeare to the ende the reader might the better vnderstande the order of all the actes and affaires of the lowe Countrey After the foresayde slaughter of the Parrisians there courage was somwhat quailed that they durst no more so boldly set vpon the Prince of Conde But the Prince of Conde when he had soughte and intreated peace by messengers sent vnto the King and coulde not obtaine the same and beyng as yet vnable to giue any greater enterprise sent into Germany for aid to the princes For there were prepared great Armies both of horsemen and footemen Germanes their generall Captaine being Câ—…simire Duke of Bauire son of Frederike county Palatine And bycause the prince of Conde wanted great ordinaunce the princes of their owne proper charge prouided reasonable store of great gunnes for him At the length the prince went himself with his army to méete the Germanes that ioyning with them in time he might haue occasion to bring notable thinges to passe Goinge therefore from Sandionise he marched towardes Lorraine being the ready way into Germany The prince being absent the Catholikes armyes which men commonly called the Kings armie had the more libertie to increase their power to whom beside their domesticall ayde came certaine bandes of horsemen and footeâ—… men out of Italy The Catholikes chefetaine General was Alexander Duke of Anion a yong maÌ„ the kings brother but he had vnder him to guide him dyuers expert Captaines as Mons. Martigues 〈◊〉 Lessay and others They wanted greatly the Marshall Brissac who dyed before the troubles of this seconde warre and to whom the charge of the warre was principally committed The Kinges brother hauing gathered his whole Armie together determined to marche also towarde Loraine that he mighte either staye the Prince of Conde from ioyning with the Germans or else by meanes or other might anoy him and to the ende also he mighte ioyne with those Germans which came to ayde him vnder the charge and conduct of Captaine Saxon Baden Thus for space of certaine dayes whilest one of them laye in wayte for another there was nothing done but certaine small skirmishes made the kings brother alwayes refusing to ioyne battaile While these things thus procéeded on both parts by martiall affayres the Catholiques soughte also to preuaile by Edicts and with thundering threates Therfore the vse of the reformed religion was forbydden in all places of the Realme all Ministers were commauÌ„ded to depart the Realme within fiuetene dayes vpon paine of death notwithstanding leaue was graunted to such to abide still at home as coulde be contented to forsake the exercise of the reformed religion agayne it did not appoint any manner of punishment for any diuersitie of opinion concerning Religion so that the holders of them did kéepe their conscience secrete to themselues and did not publishe the saide opinions abroade nor ioyne with the fauourers of the Prince of Conde also all suche as bare anye office and fauoured not the Catholike religion were commauÌ„ded to forsake their offices â–ª and to liue as other priuate Subiectes And straite after this the Senate of Paris sent oute decrées by which they condemned the most parte of the nobles as guiltie of treason but specially the Admiral Whose office was taken from him and giuen to Mons. Martigues a very wicked and vngodlye man but yet a valiant Captaine The Armies pursued one another at Lorain while they wayted for the comming of the Germaine horsmeÌ„ And the Kinges brothers Armie was dayly increased with newe aide to whome within a while after the Cermanes came and ioyned themselues they were in number a thousand and CC. horsemen But all thys while whiche continued the space of two monethes there was no notable attempte gyuen the more was behinde against winter By the sufferance and fauour of the Quéene of Nauar there were armies prest out of the Region of Foix which is within the dominion of the Quéene of Nauar and adioyning to the mountaines Pirenei and they came to Montanbane where other Armies also by the industry of Vicount Burniguet and other noble men were gathered together out of the Territory thereaboutes After this by the diligent trauaile of Monsiuer Monents Monbrune Ponsenac and of other Noble captaines there were diuers other bandes of souldiours footemen gathered out from among suche as were banished out of Prouance Forests Bourgondy Dolpheny and out of Languedoc the which were minded to go together and to ioyne with the Prince of Conde And when they were in Auuergne the Noble men of that region at the Kings commaundement and by the furtherance of the Liuetenant went about with all the power they were able to make too staye the Armyes of the protestantes Wherupon they méeting together ioyned battaile at Cognac a village néere vnto the towne of Gainat The faithfull vnderstanding of the lying in waite of their Aduersaries at the first drew backe Then being incouraged by their Captaynes but speciallye by Mons. Mouents they did not onely encounter with the enemie but also caused them to flée and slewe a greate number of them at which time the foresaide Gannat was a conuenient place of refuge for them Bicause the protestants wanted great gunnes and were lothe to linger their iourney taken in hande they left Gannat as they went to wrecke their anger they set fire on the house of Haulltefull a noble man and one of the chiefe of the Catholiques who was also slayne among the rest of the common souldiers Mons. Pezenac of the protestantes side was very sore wounded in that battaile in so much that he shortly after-died This happened the. viii of Ianuarye After this the protestantes Armye passed peaceably on their Iourney and came into the midest of Fraunce And while they wayted for the comming of the Prince of Conde with the whole armie they through the incouraging of Mouentâ—… wan a Noble Citie called Blays The protestants in Dolpheny were often times skirmished withall by Baron des Adrctz that traytour and Apostata but to small purpose THe Duke of Aniou lingering and delaying to ioyne battaile the Prince of Conde ioyned himselfe with the aide that Casimire brought out of Germany and then sought all occasions to encounter with the enemy And for this cause he determined to besiege Chartres a noble and faire Citie in the region of Belloge beyng rl Myles from Paris He began to besiege this Citie about the ende of February at what tyme he battered the walls of the citie with the great gonnes that came out of Ger many the citie was neyther well fortified nor yet well gouerned by any skilfull Captayn for the chief gouernour of the citie was the County Daulphin of the Kings linage and of the house of Borbon being a very yonge man and the sonne of Monpensier Therefore the King and Quéene were sore afrayd least this noble citie shold be wonne and Monpensier being
Protestants and to send away the aid which came out of Germany which hee knew could not afterward easely be gotten into Fraunce againe because the Prince had spent his money alreadie about the affaires past And yet notwithstanding let all posterities know that the Catholiques had confirmed this Edict by an othe which they obserued not but boldly cast aside all reuerence of Gods holy name the Kings faith and all the bondes of humane societie as shall appeare both by that which we will more at large declare and also by the lamentable effectes which haue brought great destruction to this noble Realme The Edict therfore being brought to the prince of Condes Campe and there solemly proclaimed euery man reioyced desiring to sée their wiues their children and their houshold and specially they reioyced because some libertie of Religion was graunted by the Edict The prince of CoÌ„de by and by dismist his Army Casmire after thankes receiued of the prince for so great a benefite going homeward with his armie whom the prince very honorably brought â–ª on his way Then he hauing a few attending on him went into Picardy And sending diuers letters vnto the faithfull commaunded them ac cording to the tenor of the Edict to deliuer vp out of hand the Cities which they held and the most part of them did so The King also dismist the Germanes and certaine bandes orÌ„ French men the rest of the armies he commaunded to abide in armour and appoynted the horsemen a day of payment But contrary to that which was looked for these thinges were done the faithfull being very heauy to sée such lamentable beginnings nothing lesse than peace séeming to bee meant For there was great silence euery where of the Edict which was in very few places proclaymed They which went home to their houses were either not suffered to enter into the Cities by the commaundement of the gouernours in diuers places or els such as had leaue to enter into the Cities were commaunded to lay downe their armour at the gates of of the Citie and being entred into their houses were so straitly dealt withall that they might not come out of their houses nor salute one another without leaue So that it was better dwelling without the Cities than within These thinges troubled the faithfull and encreased suspicions they fearing some new garboyle â–ª both for that there were great garrisons maintained in euery Citie and also because the Kings armies almost remained whole Many therfore standing in feare durst not enter into the Cities but aboade in villages and Countrey townes â–ª of the which notwithstanding a great ma ny were there taken and put to death by the townesmen Therfore they began to straye abrode by heapes through the fieldes and villages not daring to come within the kenning of any Citie being feared by other mens harmes howbeit commaundements came forth willing them to haue leaue to enter into the Cities according to the benifite of the Edict The Protestants which held any Cities at the first sight of the princes letters surrendered them vp Notwithstanding diuers vnderstanding of this straunge dealinge were more slow in deliuering vp their Citie But by the example of the men of Orleans and by the second letters of the prince of Conde the Inhabitants of Dolpheny gaue vp their Cities and after them diuers other Cities did the like also In the which Cities garrisons of the Catholiques were presently placed Nowbeit there were certaine Cities which resisted as Castelalbiat Miliac Aubenac Priuac and diuers others which were very well reserued as shal be hereafter de clared Rochel also refused to receiue any such garrison pleading for the same their anncient priuiledge graunted to them by the Kynges of old time The like also did the men of Sanserre At the Kings commaundement bothe Cities and hauens and all other passages by water were stopte and fortefyed And commandement was geuen to the warders to loke dilligently to their busines to looke carefully to the protestantes which beinge knowne brought greate suspicion There was allso a Rescript sent abroade the xix daie of Maye in the Kinges name to this effect Where as I vnderstande that many which professe the new Religion hauing no regarde to the leaue geueÌ„ vnto theÌ„ to repayre to theire Cities do wander abroade in the fields by heapes to the greate hurte discoÌ„modity of many pretendinge that they shoulde disobeye my coÌ„maundement if they shoulde vnarme them selues at the gates of the Citty I protest that it is my will that it be lawfull for them to go into the Cities without breakinge my ordinance of laying downe theire weapons at the gate and also to dwell safely in those Cities according to the prescript of the edicte Wherefore I commaunde that those vagrant personnes which walke vp down through the fieldes be admonished quietly to goe vnto theire Cities and to repayr to theire owne houses Yf they shall refuse so to do I wil that the Magistrates gatheringe together suche ayde as they shall thinke coÌ„uenient set vpon them as open breakers of the peace and to put them to the swerde The Issue of this declared that it was a praye and bayte to snare the Protestants with all And contrary to the expresse woordes of the Edicte not one man that had borne office vnder the Kinge beinge of the reformed Religion was restored to the same againe suche as complained hereof were caste into prison The prince of Conde also had no passage into Picardy of the which notwithstanding he was Liefe tenant and Senarpont his deputy was remoued from his office Allso the houses of Noble men of the reformed Religion nere adioyning to any Citty were committed to the charge and ouersighte of others as to bocald to Martingue to Guian to Esternay and to Foissi Who by the Industry and meanes of the Cardinall of Lorayne was chosen into the order of Nobility who littell before was accused of thefte and homiâ—…ide all meÌ„ wonderinge at this so sodeine a chaunge The Senate of Tholoz had earnestly withstoode the proclamatioÌ„ of the Edicte and Rapine the prince of CoÌ„des seruant which was sent with the Kinges letters of trust to Tholoz to signify to the Senate the Kinges coÌ„ maundement concerninge the proclayminge of the â—…dicte they of the Senate coÌ„demned as a Seditious persone and put his necke to the axe The prince of Conde makinge earnest complaint hereof to the Kinge at the laste by the Kinges commaundinge letters sent the fourth tyme they proclaimed the same addinge this exception Serteine Clauses reserued which are contayned in the secrete exposition of the Senate The lyke was done almost about the same time in the latter ende of the Moneth of Maye at Lions two câ—… trary predictes beinge proclaymed in one daye which was a notable ieste for with the Edicte of pacification there was another proclaymed by which commaundements were geuen to the Lefetenant to persecute the faithfull with the swerde
Arci retourned with all his souldiers againe beset the house and then slew all Cipieres men But when they could not find Cipiere among the slaine carcasses ' Baron de Arsi sent for the consulles demaūded of them where Cipiere was for the consulles had caried him away to another place and promised that if they would tell him where he was hée would saue his life for he him selfe he sayd was carefull for him But so soone as Cipiere was deliuered vnto him hee stabbed him in with his Dagger And thus the young man with many woūds was slaine and the dead carcasse much deformed with diuers hacks and cuttes In the same Moneth also one of Monsure Cipieres seruants was slaine in the day time before the Castell of Lower at Paris I am ashamed truely to repeate all that I could concerning the butcherly murthers cōmitted The whole Realme was replenished with sobbing sighes and pitifull teares of widowes and fatherlesse children No place was frée from bloudshed yea widowes before the bloude of their slaine husbandes was through cold were pertakers also of the same Cup. Honest young women before their husbandes faces were defyled and forced and afterwardes caryed away from their husbandes by the rude and ruffianly Souldiers Within the space of lesse than thrée Monethes ther were more than ten thousand Protestants slaine as hath bin well approued by iuste accountes where as in the former warre there were scarse fyue hundered slaine in sixe monethes space This was the goodly end of the peace made and confirmed by the Catholikes The rememberance wherof deserueth to be cronacled for euer that all posterities may sée and knowe with what deceites with what falshood treachery treason furor and brutish madnesse all humanitie set aside Antichrist abusing the outragious furyes of Kinges and Nations goeth about to establishe his kingdome These things were done in the Monethes of Aprill May and Iune These great calamities caused the Prince of Conde to complayne oftentymes by his letters vnto the king but he receyued nothing againe but bare wordes without effecte and he was dayly admonished both by messengers and also by the nearenesse of the kings Garrisons to looke to himselfe Whereupon after notice gyuen to the King by his letters he came to Noyers wyth his wife and children which is a little towne in Burgun dy And the Admirall being beset with garrisons round about where he was remoued to Tanlay whiche was within the libertie of his brother the Andelot and néere to the Castell of Noyers The Andelot was in Brittain The Cardinall of Lorraine was sore offended and gréeued that he fayled of his purpose in takinge of the prince of Conde and the Admiral which might haue ben done so easely and conueniently But he ment to assaye agayne by other meanes thinking it best to sée what he could doe by plain force notwithstanding so craftely and couertly that his lying in wayte might not be perceyued Therefore he sent some to Noyers to measure the altitute or height of the castle minding this way too take the prince of Conde and the Admiral who came oftentymes thyther to conferre with the prince And the Spye which was sent to Noyers was wonderfully taken by the seruaunts of the Prince of Conde as hereafter shal be declared Moreouer to weary the prince of Conde there came letters vnto him in the Kings name straytly chargyng him to make payment of a great sūme of money which the king had payed to the Germane horsemen that were souldiours vnder the prince of Conde The summe amounted to 900000. Franks which was exacted of the faythfull beside the great expences of the warres for payment of the which the prince of Conde and diuers other Noble men stood bound to the king Notwithstanding the King signified vnto him that he vnderstood not the sayde money was required of all those of the reformed religion but only of those which had borne armor vnder his conducts And this was vrged agayne with new letters To the which letters of the king the prince of Conde made aunswere that in this matter he was greatly vrged and to much burthened complayning of the subtill dealing of his aduersaries in that they went about too offer vnto him and to all the reste of the reformed Religion open and manifest iniuries The Edictes sayeth he are by them broken the faythfull are worse entreated than if they were straungers and the most wicked creatures in the whole earth they are neyther in sauetie in their owne houses nor in the fields My house is garded with garrisons of souldiours which was neuer séene before that any of the princes the Kinges kinsemen should be so handeled Moreouer of late a certayn Spye was takē which came to take the measure of the height of the Castel of Noyers ▪ wher I lye that I might sodenly and ere I was ware béé taken And vaunte is made abroad by the Catholiques that after Haruest Grape gathering there shal not be left one Huguenote in Fraunce without excepting of women and children yea they presume so farre that they dare saye that if so be your bighnesse wil haue peace they will make them a new King of a Monke Furthermore by the sufferāce of the Lieuetenants of the prouinces there are many conuenticles and brotherhoodes which they call Confra ternities of the Holy Ghost by which many thinges are wrought contrary to the peace Wherefore among so many iniuries I beséech your Maiestie and all other Christians to way and consider I haue and do behaue my selfe and not only I but also all that are of my profession Therefore if your Maiestiè suffer the Edicte so violently in the sight of all men to be broken and the offendours to escape vnpunished it cannot be but there will ensue moste gréeuouse troubles This letter was sent by Theligny a noble man whom he commaunded to declare diuers other particular mat ters which I meane not heare to repeate About this tyme the King sent to the Lieuetenantes of euery prouince a certain forme of an Othe according to the which the professours of the reformed Religion but specially the Noble mē should be caused to swear To this the Noble men made excuse and sayd That by this peculiar othe they should haue great iniury done vnto them as though thei were not to be counted in the number of the rest of the Kings subiectes whiche also was done contrary to the expresse wordes of the Edict in the which as the prince of Conde is acknowledged too be the Kings faythfull kinsman and seruaunte so are they expressely called the Kings faythfull seruaunts Therfore thei beséeched the kinge the they might not bée constrayned hereunto more than other men if al other men of the contrary religion were vrged so to sweare they would not refuse they sayd to doe the like séeinge they could not doe to much in shewinge their obedience to the King. And because this Othe was published in
him and that all things mighte be done orderly â–ª he appoynted a certaine forme of discipline to be vsed among his souldiers the which we thought good here to inserte as worthy remembrance For the performance whereof this was the forme of the oath that was ministred vnto them Ye sweare and promise by the name of the liuing God that ye for the causes declared by the Prince of Conde wyll gyue your liues bodyes and goods to be at the commaundement of the same Prince of Conde whom ye acknowledge to be the captayne of this Armie Ye sweare and promise willingly to obey all those things whyche eyther he or his deputies shall commaunde and faithfully to obserue and keepe the order of discipline which he hath appointed to the gouerning of his armie And that till suche tyme as they whiche are enemyes to the common peace be openly punished by order of law for their murthers roberâ—…es spoyles and oppressions whiche they haue committed agaynst the Kynges will and againste the peace towardes the professors of the reformed Religion within the Realme that we at the lengthe maye eniâ—…ya the freedome of our consciences the securitie of ourdyues and goods peacâ—…ably vnder the Kynges obedience But this was the description and forme of the Discipline prescribed BECAVSE Order as it is profitable to all men sort is necessary for the louers of the reformed Religion I which am lawfully called to this warre haue thought good with the aduise and confent of the Nobles Captaynes and of other expert wyse men to ordayâ—…e and to giue all 〈◊〉 to vnderstande That if there be any man which will not obeye these things there is no place for him in our armye I will therefore that euery man faythfully obserue and kéepe them First whosoeuer shall come to this Army shall declare and giue his name within sixe dayes and shall â—…weare accoâ—…ding to the forme of the othe appoynted the which except they doe their horse and armour shal be taken from them and giuen to their accuser And when he hath giuen his name he shall gyue attendance and â—…de to his charge whether it be to watch and ward day or night or whatsoeuer else if not then he shal forâ—…ayte his armour No man shall forsake his Enseigne and goe to another Enseigne without the sufferance leaue of his Captain he that shall do otherwise shal be punished according to his offence And because no man shall pleade ignorance let them which are lately come to our army be certified of this decrée It shal be lawful for the souldiour to aske leaue of his Captayne if it be denied â–ª I will that he come to me and I will order the matter at my discretion I will also that the othe be ministred euery Moneth And to the ende the names of such as be lacking may be knowne I will that the hils and Scroules of the names be brought vnto mee â—… and that thâ—…re be none in the Army which kéepe backe hys name or which is not alowed by the testimony of some other He which shal be found gilty herein the third day after the publishing of this writing shall suffer death Furthermore I will and appointe that there bee in ei uery Giddon of horsemen one hundreth and of euery Enseigne of footemen CC. and euery Captayne to haue vnder him his vndercaptaynes other officers That no man presume to attempt any thing against the enemie wiihout the commaundement of his Superiours if the Captayne shal be found culpable herein then hee shal be banished his office if the Souldiour his armour shal be taken from him and then he expelled the hoaste That no man forsake his Enseigne and that suche as are found robbing and spoyling be seuerely punished as théeues and their armour and horse gyuen to their accusers And because this warre differeth from the other warres that haue bene heretofore I will that thâ—… spoyles be caryed all to one place for the common profite and wealth of the whole Army If any shall pilpher or purloyn froÌ„ his fellow he shal be punished as a theef and he that shall apprehend and detecte such a one shal be well rewarded The spoyles which shal be taken at the yéelding vp of any Citie shall 〈◊〉 to the general vse of the whole army And nothing shal be counted for spoile but that which may be proued so to be by sure arguments and testimenies otherwise it shal be accouÌ„ted for rapine and theft I will also that there be no vagrant and vnprofitable members in the Army Three footemen shall haue onely one Page attendinge vppon them who also shall followe his Maisters Enseigne if he be found otherwise he shal be hanged It shall not be lawfull for any footeman to haue horses asses or other cattell but onely for Captaynes and such like officers prouided notwithstaÌ„ding that they abuse not this libertie If any man shall take away the cattie that belonge to husband men for tillage he shall suffer death Moreouer I will that there be no braule nor contencion moâ—…ed specially that one man fight not with an other yf any shall so do he shall dye If there happen to bee any offence â—…et the Captaynes be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there may be some order taken and peace 〈◊〉 I 〈◊〉 that all priuie grudge and maâ—…ice be layde asyde and if any man refuse to be reconciled I commaund 〈◊〉 that Captaynes be admonished thereof that all sawfull wayes may be sought for reconciliation That no man take any other lodging thaÌ„ that which shal be appointed to him If he be a Captayne that shalâ—…e fasty herein hée shall loose his office but if he be but a common souldiour hée shal loose his armoure or horse beside other punishmeÌ„ts at my discretion And I will that all officers diligently come togither to the appointed place of méeting for the Army that they may foresée and prouide whatsoeuer shal be necessary for euery occasion That no maÌ„ steale away the vittayle and prouision belonging to the Army vpon payne of death â–ª And least any man may plead lawfully ignorance I will that these Martiall decrées be proclaymed euery wéeke throughout the whole Army in some coÌ„uenient place or other Let these things be diligently obserued and kept generally They which abused the Kings name feared least the Quéene of Nauarre should goe to the Prince of Conde with the yong Prince her sonne Therefore Monsieur Losse was fent to steale away the Prince but in vayne For the good and Christian Quéene of Nauar when she had made all things ready and had gathered certeyne bandes of men out of her dominion came with hir son to the Prince of Conde Then they practised by other meanes to stay her least she should ioyne her self with the Prince of Conde writing vnto her sugred letters to winne her from the reformed Religion With these letters was sent Monsieur Motte to perswade her and to assure her of the Kinge and
and the reste of his fellowes haue shewed the boldnes of those homicides increaseth insomuch that thei dare giue atteÌ„pts against the princes of the Kings bloud which are no lesse ornaments vnto him than are the braunches to the trée of the which notwithstanding they séeke to dispoyle the king It is not zeale of Religion that moueth them God prosper you O Quéene you knowe well enough that when you were sick of late the Cardinal of BorboÌ„ my brother escaped not altogither the snares which thei laid for him and yetnotwithstaÌ„ding he is a Catholike It is therfore the bloud and house of Borbon that doth so gréeue them as they haue euidently declared by persecuting my brother the Prince of Conde his children whose defence my Sonne and I will neuer neglect Neyther do I forget the practise of Monsieur Lossae against my Sonne the which was done by the tirannicall counsaile of the Cardinal of Lorain and his fellowes I know O Quene it wil come to passe that many which shal heare my letters will say that they are written by the forme coppy of those which are dayly brought vnto you from dyuers places that they come not from me But I pray you to consider that we which professe the reformed religion vse not only one argument but also almoste one forme of words and also that it cannot be but that true and sincere fidelitie muste come from so noble a house as the house of Borbon is There are thrée reasoÌ„s which haue broughte me hether The firste is the obedience which I owe vnto god séeyng that I sée the Cardinal of Loraine goyng aboute with the reste of his fellowes to destroye those which serue the Lorde and embrace the true religion The seconde is the obedience of my king that I may best owe my lyfe and goods for the obseruation of the Edict of pacifiation made by the kings will and consent and least this Fraunce our Countrey the mother and Nource of so many good men shoulde be vtterly destroyed with hir childreÌ„ The third is consanguinitie the which as I haue saide â–ª calleth vs to helpe our brother the Prince of Conde all that we can whom we sée manifestly to be afflicted and assaulted by theÌ„ which are in y authoritie with you the King which they little deserue who blinde your eyes least you shoulde sée their euill dealing and stop your eares least ye shoulde heare our complaintes But I wold to God O Quene that your eyes and eares beyng at the laste opened ye may both sée and heare what good will and loue euerye one of vs beareth to your Maiesties But nowe as concerning those letters whiche you sente vnto me I perceyue by them very well howe greatly you are incensed against me Wherefore by this Messenger I haue sent vnto you my mind more at large whom I haue coÌ„ maunded to signifie vnto you in my name howe necessarie it is for you if you meane to keepe your authority to seperate them from you which séeke to diminish the same and to destroy those also which loue you Iudge of vs rightly and put a dâ—…fference betwéene the good and the euill and perswade your selfe this one thing of me that I haue a singular care and desire to preserue peace the whiche is so firme in me that the Cardinall of Lorayne and his fellowes can neuer take the same from me For the establishing of the which peace if I myght anye thing preuaile I woulde thinke my selfe moste happie Hir letters to the Cardinall of Borbon were more vehement to whom after discourse made of hir letters sente to the King and Queene and of the occasion of hir Iourney she wrote in manner and forme following How long sayeth shée wil you be suffragane to the Cardinall of Lorrayne shall hée make you ashamed of your brother sisters and kinsfolkes and harden your harte agaynst them Truly if you wil not be moued for their sakes which are so néere of your bloud but wil bée an ennemie to the reformed Religion yet remember what destruction he went about to bring vpon you the Quene being sicke After the which for a while you wer ware and tooke héede least you should fall into the lyke perill but quickly you forgot the same ageyn you were so blinded with the perswasions of the Cardinall because you are seperated from vs by religion shall therfore the bonde of consanguinitie and nature be broken Take héede take héed what you doe They séeke for the death of your naturall brother whose defence if you séeke not I and my Sonne will doe it our selues But if you cannot defende him by force of armes shew your good will otherwise For these haue allured vs God the King and Consanguinitie The Quéene of Nauar came to Cognâ—… with hir Armies whether the Prince of Conde went from Rochell to meete hir with a greate number of Noble men A great number of men came dayly out of the hither part of Guian to the Prince of Conde But it was maruaile that the Papistes did not stop their passage seyng that they had great Armies of men in a readinesse and had alreadie stopt vp all passage by water In the meane time the Duke of Aniou was at Orleans gathering his dispersed Armie together but there arising a contention betwéene the chiefe captaines he was much hindred and the Prince of Conde therby had the better occasion to procéede in his affaires At the rumor of the comming of the Queene of Nauars Armies the Citie of San Iand Angely a wel fenced copioâ—…s Citie in the territorie of Xantonge the strong Castell of Blay and diuers other Cities yelded themselues to the Prince of Conde as Fâ—…ntenay and Sainmexant in the territorie of Poictou When the Prince of Conde wente from Noyers thâ—… Andelot was in Britaine And beyng certified of his departure he gathered together a greate number of souldiers oute of Brittanie Normandy Touraine and oute of the countreys thereaboutes the Noble men of the reformed religion taking greate paines therein So that within a few dayes they gathered togither to the number of one thousand and a halfe of horsemen and more than two thousand and a halfe of footemen And to come to ioyne himselfe wyth the Prince of Conde he mynded to passe ouer the ryuer of Loyre Now the purpose of the Andelot was to take a certain towne called Saulmur néere vnto the ryuer of Loyre that he the Protestants the euer after might haue the more easie passage ouer the riuer This thing Duke Mopensier one of the Princes the kings néere kinsman and one of the house of Borbon feared and therefore hauing the chiefe gouernment in those partes he gaue commaundement to Martiques Lieuftenaunt of Brittanie a man very expert in the warres to win Saulmur The Andelot little mistrusting that the enemye was so nigh deuided his army into thrée partes that they might be the better vittailed by the villages townes One
part was conducted by Monsieur Boisuerd a very good Captaine The Andelot taried at a village called Saintmalin there to take his dinner In the meane time a Monsieur Boysuerd chiefe Captaine of that army was conducting his souldiers to the riuer of Loyre there met him a younge man wonderfully dismayd and abashed and when he perceyued that Monsieur Boysuerd and the rest of his souldiers were protestantes he told Boisuerd that Monsieur Martyques was come with a great army of men the greatnesse whereof he said had made him sore afraide Monsieur Boysuerd regarded not this newes vntill he sawe certaine troupes of horsmen and then he sought with all spéede to defend himselfe and sought to make out of hand bulwarkes and trenches betwéene him and the enemy beside the riuer this was a good remedy but he could not haue his purpose the enemy marched so fast â—ne â–ª Then Monsieur Boysuerd with all spéede sent woord to the Andelot of the comminge of Martiques but before Boisuerd could set his men in their array Martiques rushed vpon him with a great troupe of horsemen dispersed his souldiers and made greate slaughter of them in the chase For that they had not sufficient store of horsmen Monsieur Boisuerd also himself was slaine many of the chiefe Captaines also were taken and many slaine Notwithstanding Monsieur Martiques marched forward with his army toward Saulmur with fiue hundred horsemen and ten ensignes of footemen The Andelot for all this supposed to haue the victory becausé his enemies were fewer in nomber as he thought but when he vnderstood that Boisuerd was slain and a great sort of hys souldiers also and that Monsieur Martiques had a strong army deuided into diuers parts when also he perceyued that hys armye had gotten the vantage of ground of him he shonned them and choseâ—… more conuenient ground suffering Martigues to pas by hym toward Saulmur many of the souldyours of the Andelot not knowing what the meaning hereof should be yéelding vnto him Then the Andelot gathering togi ther his men pursued with all spéede Monsieur Martigues the which when he perceiued he rode the faster tooke Saulmur which was then kept by the Garrisons of the papistes leauing behind them the spoile which they had taken from the Souldiers of the Andelot Now the bridges being stopte vp and cut awaye the Andelot was driuen to séeke other wayes to passe ouer the riuer of Lâ—…ire he sought therfore to go ouer at some shallow forde or other but he could not by reason of the wynter floudes which had caused the riuer to bee déepe in those places where otherwise there is little or no wa ter at all Notwithstanding at the last he found a place so shallow and fléete that his horsemen footemen Ordinance waggons and his whole army passed ouer the riuer without perill being moste wonderfull and the lyke seldome heard of before After this their safe passage they gaue thankes vnto God sang altogither the 73. Psalm beginning thus IN IVKY IS GOD KNOWNE HIS NAME IS GREAT IN ISRAEL And thus as they went foreward on their iorney they sawe certayne troupes of horsemen on that syde of the ryuer against whom wheÌ„ the Andelot had sent certayne troupes of horsemen he put them to flight and slew some of them After this they passing quietly on their iorney came at the last into the countrey of Poictou tooke a certayne Towne called Tuars by surrender then ioyned them selues with the Admiral which came to méete them After this coniunction of both armies they tooke a noble Citie called Partenay the Citizens willingly yéeldinge 〈◊〉 â–ª sauing certayne popisâ—… priestes who séeking to reâ—…st were slayne Then they iointly and togither besteged a noble Citie called Engolesme but when they had assaulted the same certaine dayes and were out of hope to winne it they tooke at the last a certayne yong man whiche was sent at the eaâ—…est intrâ—…aty of the townesmen to Monpensier to crâ—…ue ayde at his hands by which yong man they learned in what great necessitie the town was in Thereupon the Admirall gaue a new assault to the other side of the Town by battery made such breaches in the same that the Townsmen being voyd of al hope to defend themselues came straightway to compositioÌ„ with the Admirall for the surrender of the Towne So that this Citie came into the power of the Prince of Conde And straytâ—… after this that Noble Citie Niort came into his handes In so muche that it maye séeme wonderful that so many Noble Cities in so short while hauing so néere vnto them great ayde of the Catholikes to defend them shoulde be taken These things happened in the moneth of September Toward the ende of this Moneth a great Army being gathered togither at Orleans the Kings Edictes were théenderedout in one of the which Edictes the vse and administration of the reformed religioÌ„ was quight taken away and forbidden It contayned this summe Knowe all men that the Kinges our Aunâ—…etours of happy memory to the end they might shew themselues to be Christians and true defenders of the church haue vsed all lawfull ways and meanes to preserue the same Church and to take awaye the diuisions of Religion sprong vp by secrete sermons and by seattering abroad of râ—…probate bookes And after the vnfortunate disceasse of ouâ—… Father King Henry there were certayne Noble men stirreâ—… vp by the Ministers of this newe opinion which withdrew themselues and moued controuerâ—… and that vpon no zeale of religion but moued by ambition to haue the gouernement of this Realme vnder King Frances our brother albeit that he himselfe was of sufficient yeres by the lawes of this Realme and was able enough to gouern both for that he had authoritie and wisdome enough and also was ruled counsayled by the vertuouse and wise counsayle of the Quéen his mother â–ª of other singular Noble men which were still about him after the death of his Father king Henry who directed him in the steppes of oure Father as playnly appeared all the time of his raigne Who had no doubt brought the kingdome into that former State and condition in the which he founde it if the Lord had lent him longer life notwithstanding the state of the Kingdome was then troubled by certaine noble men who when they durst not openly bewray their myndes concerning the getting of the kingdome vnto them â–ª by the industery of their Ministers of this â—…ewe learning they caused the tumult of Ambâ—…yse vnder the collour of offering vp a supplication with a confession of faith to our brother the King who although he knewe them to be the authors of that mischiefe yet notwithstandyng with greate clemencie following the example of oure heauenlye Father he pardoned all his subiectes by an Edicte which had straied from faith and truth would come into the righte waye agayne thinking hereby to preuaile more than by the Rigor of punishments And
by another Edict he lefte those vnder the power of Ecclesiasticall lawes which would not come into the right way which Ecclesiasticall power is no bloudy power so that men breake not the common peace Notwithstanding for all this the Kings expectation was frystrated by the secrete conspiracies â–ª of those Noble men which went about to moue warre vnder the collour of Religion and to trouble the Realme And when he vnderstoode the whole matter throughly he was constrained to come to Orleans with an Armie of men to prenent and prouide for things in time for the which cause he called all the States of the Realme together In the whiche place he dyed and I beyng of younger yeares and therefore lesse able to take vpon me the gouernmeÌ„t of so great a kingdome was by the prouidence of God appoynted to succéede him And the conuenient and neâ—…essarie helpe which God left vnto vâ—… namely the couÌ„saile of the Quéene my mother in the gouernmente of our Realme was greatly let and hyndeâ—…d through the contempt of this our young and tender yeares by those Noble men which nexte to oure owne brenthren are most néere of bloud vnto vs and yet notwithstanding thus they haue disagréed and contended with oure mother And to make themselues the more stronge they haâ—… taken vpon them the defence of that newe opinion by whose fauour and trauaile the same is wonderfully spred abroad increased To prouids a remedie for the which matter so soone as we were anointed we commaunded our Princes our priuie Counsaile and al the Counsellers of the Senate of Paris to come to Sangermane and by their counsaile and aduise we made an Edicte in the which we cleane forbad the vse and administration of the reformed religioÌ„ or any other contrarie to that which was receyued in the Catholike church by our Elders after the receiuing of the ChristiaÌ„ faith But because the fautors and maintainers of that newe opinion sawe that their ambitious counsailes and purpose were greatly let and hyndered by this Edict they would not suffer the same to be obserued and kept but in all places styrred vp such as embraced that new opinion by whom the making of that our Edict mighte be frustrated And vnder the collour of those troubles which by their meanes were raised dayly throughoute the whole Realme they pretended that the Edict could be obserued by no manner of meanes and they were the authors that an assemblye of exquisite and learned men was made out of all Parliaments which myghte declare their Iudgementes concerning the ordering of religion and that by them an Edict might be made anâ—… by this meanes they beyng moste mightie and of greatest authoritie and hauing made whome they lysted to be of our counsaile they obteyned their purpose namely That there should be libertie graunted for the exercising of two religions the whiche was confirmed by the Edict of Ianuary the which Edict the Quéene our Mother suffered against â—…ir will which was euer godly to take place as dyd also our Cosyn the Cardinall of Borban the Cardinall of Turnâ—…n the Duke Moâ—…orencie the Constanble the Marshall of Santandrae and also the chiefest of our officers which oure Father and brother left vnto vâ—… wâ—…o at that time toulde the Quéene that it would be the lesse 〈◊〉 to suffer the same religion seing the vse ther of should not be within the cities and bicause there was good hope it would come to passe that when we should come to our full and perfect age we shoulde amend and reforme the same by our authâ—…ritie and power royall Therefore the Quéene our mother went forwarde with singular faith and constancie to retaine and kepe vs our brethren and Sister in the catholike and Apostolike doctrine of Rome which oure auncetours embraced receyued for a thousand yéeres ago and more and in those dayes florished and brought notable things to passe in consideration whereof we and all our subiectes are greatly bounde to our mother the Quéene And although those men of the newe religion should be sufficiently satisfied and contented wyth that Edict of Ianuarye if they had not another purpose and meaning than the libertie of their consciences yet notwithstanding they being not content with that our sufferance shortly after the Proclamation of that Edict openly declared their peruerse myndes of their owne priuate authoritie bearing armour against vs takyng our cities and holdes bringing forraine straungers into this our Realme and lyke mortall and sworne enemyes ioyning battaile with vs at Dreux in the which it pleased God to giue vnto vs the victory hauing compassion on his people our subiectes To the ende also we might wynne our rebellious subiects with clemencie and might 〈◊〉 them to our obedience hoping that it would come to passe that God at the length when we shoulde come to more full and ripe age woulde restore obedience and concorde to hys Churche we graunted vnto them another Edict in the whiche we graunted them some libertie to vse their religion And although from that time forwarde we had manye â—…ecrées according to their owne fantasie concerning publique peace to the ende we might put them out of all feare and suspicion yet notwithstanding they did very lycensiously breake them howbeit we made our Edicte for theyr peace and tranquilities sake the which althoughe we might haue reuoked as beyng onely made but for a certaine time yet notwithstanding we saithfully haue obserued and kept the same and haue giuen them no occasion to beare Armour against vs. The which notwithstanding they haue done of late and haue come vnto vs with force of armes pretending afterward that they came in that maner to offer vnto vs a supplication for the preseruation of their religion Notwithstanding they haue openly bid vs battaâ—…l in so much that they haue besieged our principal City Paris and haue done all that they can to win the same Yet for al this we séeking to spare the bloud of our nobility and the liues also of the rest of our miserable subiectes and indeuouring to win them by clemency haue graun ted vnto them they crauing at our handes peace the same Edicte they certainely promisinge that they wil faithfully obserue kepe the same and wil neuer hereafter trouble our Realme Who neuerthelesse brake that same their promise and refused to surrender vnto vs Rochell Montalbon and dyuers other Cities in Languedoc kept still bandes of Souldiers in sundry partes of the Realme brought in straungers and killed many of our catholique faithfull subiectes all because as they said certaine of their side were slain for the examination punishment wherof we gaue coÌ„maundement But séeing wée sée them so oftemtymes to abuse our clemency and goodnesse and can doubt no more of theyr wicked counsaile and purpose which is to appoint an other soueraign and to destroy him whom God hath appointed and by this meanes to drawâ—… from vs our subiectes for these and diuers other greate and wayghtyâ—…
kéepe their Souldiours with in their Campes and said that he would come by and by with the reste of the army This aduise pleased the captaynes very well â—…auing onely Monsieur Mouents who vaunsing his Enseignes willed them to followe him Monsieur Pierregorde the reste of the Captayne 's fearing least by this destruction of the bandes ther should be a way made to the enemie to anoy them and protesting that the whole blame hereof should rest on him they also with their bandes marched forward But they were not scarsly gone out of the village when they saw Duke Monpensier comming with a great army of horsmen Then with spéed he prepared himselfe and choose out fyue hundred harquebuziers to be in the first front who straytway discharged a great peale of shot against the launces on horse but they presently charging their launces ran with such violence vppon them that they brake the ray of Mouents souldiours so ensued a sore skirmishe and when they had resisted a while the whole army of Mouents tourned their backes and fled the two Captaynes also themselues being slayne namely Pierregorde and Mouents and the reste whiche fled were for the most part slayne by the Inhabitantes of those quarters notwithstanding many escaped and ame to Monsieur Acier in safety In this skirm ishe there were slayne and wanting of Monsieur Aciers soldiers siâ—…e hundred and of Monpensiers side certaine horsemen of great name After this Monpensier gaue no other attempt but retourned to the Citie Perigeux and Monsieur Acier wheÌ„ he had gathered togither all his souldiers and the remnant of the souldiours of Mouenes came the next day to a village called Aulbeterre The Prince of Conde hearing of the comminge of Monsieur Acier after he had wonne Engolesme prepared himselfe to take his iorney and to méete him The Quéene of Nauarre in the meane tyme dealt very substantially at Rochel and had appointed certain Shippes to kéepe the hauens mouth belonginge to the same and also to the end shée might haue the more easie passage into England which was a great friend and fur therer of the Protestants cause Therefore the Quéene of Nauarre sente letters to the Quéene of Englande by Mousieur Shastiller a Noble man whom shée had made Generall of that Nauy and when shée had declared the causes of the warre begonne shée commended her self and her cause vnto her as followeth Beside the great good will and desire moste Noble Quéene which I always had to abyde in your fauoure there is also at this day occasion offered the which truly would greatly accuse me if I shoulde not by letters declare vnto you what causes haue led mée my children whom God hath lent vnto me hyther And my faulte should be so much the greater by how much hée according to his infinit goodnes hath bestowed so many and so great benefits vpoÌ„ you and hath geuen vnto you such a zeale for the aduauncement of his glory namely to you O Quéene whom he hath choosen to be a â—…ngular Nource of his Church By good right therefore are those things referred and brought before you which doo appertayne to this defence of the trueth of the church of god And truly as I know that you vnderstand the generall state of our affaires most noble Quéene so I pray and beseeche you perswade your selfe that there are thrée causes of the which the least ought to be sufficient which haue constrayned me to forsake my owne Dominion and to come hyther The first cause therfore is RELIGION the which would haue ben oppressed in this our Realme of FraÌ„ce by the olde and barbarouse tyrannie of the Cardinall of Lorrayne and of those which take his part that I should no doubt haue ben ashamed of my selfe and myne and to haue had my name reckoned among the faythfull if so be to withstand this error and horror and to defend the trueth I had not sought all meanes possible both by my goods and also with perill of my lyfe and except also my Sonne and I had ioyned our selues with this so honorable a company of Princes and Nobles All the which are with me determined and fully purposed by the helpe of the lord God of hoastes not to spare in thys cause by any maner of meanes neither lyfe nor goods nor any thing else which God had lent vnto vs. The seconde cause whiche also dependeth vpon the first is our obedience to the King bicause the ruyne of religion is also the ruyne of the King for the preseruation whereof we are straitly bounde And bicause my sonne and I haue obtained at the hands of God this honour and dignitie that we are so néere of bloude to the King this also most Noble Quéene hath constrayned vs to make haste and to set oure selues against those which abusing our Kings name and facillitie doe make him the author of his owne detrement and harme and althoughe of himselfe he is moste faithfull and sure of his promises the breaker of his faith and promises and that by those subtill meanes and wayes whiche they haue deuised to breake the Edicte of pacification The which Edict as it caused maintayned peace betweene the king and his good and faithfull subiectes so long as it was obserued and kepte so the same beyng broken calleth and prouoketh the fidelitie of the subiectes to lamentable and pitifull warre so coacted and constrayned that there is neuer a one of vs whiche is not violently and againste his will drawne therevnto The thirde cause moste Noble Quéene is peculiar to my Sonne and me namely for that we sée the olde and sworne enemyes to God and to our sâ—…ocke and kynred with deadly and impudent hatred to go about and séeke to rase and vtterly to destroy vs and our familie wheÌ„ as also my brother the Prince of Conde to auoyde the practises and conspiracies againste him and his was constrained with his wife and children to séeke a place of refuge and securitie the mother great with childe the children being in so pitifull a cace that I cannot repeate the same without teares besyde this also that I was certifyed knew the same for a suertie that some were appoynted to steale and violently to carry away my sonne from me With these reasons and causes we beyng moued could not chuse but come together to the ende that we beyng ioyned in one mighte lyue and dye together as also the bonde of consanguinitie wyth the which we are mutually knit together dothe bynde vs herevnto that it dothe commaunde vs to doe no lesse These are the thrée causes O Quéene which haue vrged me to take the sworde in hande We doe not as the good catholiques lay to our charge warre against God and oure King we thanke God for it there is no suche treason to be layde to our charge but are faithfull seruauntes and subiectes both to God and oure king Of the which I moste humbly pray and beséeche you
returning backe againe they met with the Prince of Conde who on the other parte went to pursue the enemy And thus for the space of certain monethes the time was spent with skirmishes of horsemen For this was the pollicie of the chiefe Captaines of the Duke of Aniou to deferre ioyning of battaile therby to alaye the force of the Prince of Condes Army that his power being deminished by delay which the Prince of Conde could not easily repaire againe they mighte so at the last oppresse him While these things were thus wroughte in Guian the Duke de Aumall was with another Armye in Loraine mynding there to reseyne the Germanes whyche were loked for to come and aide the Papistes and also to stop the passage of such as should come to ayde the Protestantes as we will declare when we come to the same While the Prince of Conde was at Mirebell there came a Messenger from the Quéene to the Prince of Conde who in the Quéenes name exhorted and perswaded him to peace To this the Prince of Conde made answere before a great multitude that he was coÌ„strained to take the sworde in hande to resist those iniuries offered vnto him and not to enterprise any thing againste the Kings Maiestie I and my friends sayth he séeke onely to inuade the Cardinall of Loraine and hys fellowes from whose tyrannie we will deliuer our consciences our liues and our goods for they are open and sworne enemyes to the King and the Realme All men know how greatly I haue wished sought for peace as of late may appeare by my tractable facillitie But sayth he bicause the king is compassed about beset with his enemies I meane godwilling to make my petitions before the King himself And so with this answere the Messenger was dismist whom fame reported to be sent onely as a Spie to vewe what power he had and also to feede hym wyth the vayne hope of peace that thereby they myghte make hym the more secure Concerninge the prince of Orange wée spake somewhat before Therfore when he had gathered together great bandes of Souldies some oute of Germauie some out of the low Countrey and some out of Fraunce and when Mons. Genly a Noble man had brought vnto hym for ayde a great Army of Frenchmen out of Picardy â—…e passed ouer the ryuer of Mense and came into Belgio otherwise called the lowe Countrey where he taryed certayne monethes and made onely certain small skirmishes with the Duke of Albas souldiers and toke 〈◊〉 oÌ„ the Papistes a fewe small Townes And hauing no occasions offered him to giue any notable attempâ—…e the Duke of Alba hauing the chiefe Townes in possession toward the ende of the Moneth of Nouember he came by Liege to Picardy and so came to Saint Remi and Râ—…bemont with his whole Armye mynding as it was reported to ioyne with the Prince of Conde By reason of the coÌ„ming of the Prince of Orange all the Cities theraboutes were afrayde and Paris it selfe also trembled neyther had they anye hope of ayde and strength the Duke of Aniou beyng in the Region of Poictou and the Aumall in Loraine sufficiently occupied For thys matter the Cardinall of Loraine so prouided that what they coulde not doe by might that they brought to passe by fraude and deceyte and soughte to drawe awaye the myndes of the Germanes by whom the chiefe strength of the Army consisted And they had the better occasion offered them to bring their purpose to passe bycause the myndes of the Germanes were offended by nonpayment of their wages One Schomberg which had accesse to the Prince of Oranges Campe by the meanes of the chiefe Captaine whome they call the Marshall of the Army to whom he was of kinne soughte to bring thys thing to passe Therefore when the Prince of Orange was mynded to March furder into Fraunce the Armies of the Germanes refused required with angry moode to be paied for y time past their wages The captaines made excuse that they made no promyse to the Prince of Orange to come to warre in Fraunce that they could not so doe bycause they were the Kings friendes And thus the myndes of the Captaines beyng distracted the whole armie was dispersed also the Germans saying that they would after so much loste labour returne into their owne countrey The French men also by reason of this distraction went dayly away by heapes And bycause there was no passage into Fraunce by that parte the Prince of Orange with certain French Captaines mynded to returne into Germany againe with the remnant of the armie that he might â—…oyne himself with the Duke of Deuxpons whiche made prouision to ayde the Protestantes The Duke of Alba beinge encouraged wyth this successe pursued and persecuted the remnant of the faithfull throughout all the lowe Countrey and laying new taâ—…es and tributes vppon the people hee prouided also new kindes of torment bringing those forth to execution whom before he had put in prysoÌ„ Euery where horrible and cruel murthering sightes were to be séen but specially at Tornay and Ualencia where fifty Citizens to the terrible feare of all the rest were executed by the common hangman Concerning the Duke D'aumall we haue spoken before and haue shewed for what causes hee was in Lorayne for the papistes to destroy the truth of the Gospel went about to win Germany to take part with them pro mising to the Germanes great rewards of money which is a â—…oble peâ—…swader and can bring mighty thinges to passe Besiâ—…e this also they vsed false perswasions saying that they dâ—…d not warre against religion which the King maintained by his Edicte but rather against Rebelles which without the Kinges commaundemente haue put themselues in armour to trouble the state the people for the most part beinge drawen to mischeuous sedition vnder the prefence of religion On the contrary part the Quéene of Nauar and the Prince of Conde vrged and declared to the Princes that the Gospell was specially assaulted and that with their accustomed guiles they went about to couer their wickednesse and the breaking of the Edict for that all men might sée both by the breaking of the Edict and also by the manyfest denouncinge of warre againste the truth by those laste Edictes published in the moneth of September that they are mere sclaunders of the papistes Therefore Wolphang Duke of Deuxpous knowing and wysely waying the cause of the faithful promised helpe liberally to the Prince of Conde and did so in déede as wee will here after declare In the meane tyme while Duke Daumall wayted for the comming of certain Germanes to serue the king he heard say that there were certain bandes of the faith full in the territory of Strausburg Their Captaine was Monsieur Cochay of Dolpheny a good warrier he had charge of eyght Ensignes of footemen and of certaine troupes of horsmen which he had gathered oute of the remnants of the men of Dolpheny of
many of the inhabitants of that place because they had destroyed suche as at that time fled through their villages for succour The Prince of Condes bandes wan and spoiled Saint florent a very rich Abbay néer vnto Salmure which was garded with two hundred Souldiours but when they had slaine the souldiours because they stood stoutly in the defence therof they set fire on the Abbay Countie Brissac one of the Duke of Anious Captains and a very expert yong man in the warres goinge out of Salmure came sodenly vpon a troupe of horsemen being in number 100. vnder the conduct of Monsieur Borsauld part wherof he flew and part he put to flight The same also came sodeynly and vnlooked for vppon Countie Momgomery in the village of la Motte in so much that Momgomery was constrayned to flée into a Castle hard by but his brother Corminuille with certain others were taken For want of vittailes the Prince of Condes Armye went from Tuarz and from Montrebell and one Army came to Partenay and the other to Niort Thither came also the Quéene of Nauarre to consult with the Prince of Conde and with other Noble men there concerninge diuers things And among all other this was decreed That for so much as the papists to maintain this war did pluck away and sell the land of Churchmen according to the prescript of the Popes letters patents whether they were Catholiques or protestants the Quéen of Nauar the Prince of Conde also should doo the like in those places which they held and kept To bring this thing to passe letters wer giueÌ„ forth in the names of the prince of Nauarre of the Prince of Conde of the Admirall of the Andelot and of the Rochfoucault By whiche letters certaine meÌ„ were commaunded to sell the land of Ecclesiasticall persones and to assure and warrant the byers in their names quietly to enioy the same By this meanes within a short time they had gotten a great masse of money And on the contrary part the Kinges Edictes of the which we spake before were executed with great rigor against Religion All the moueable goods of the faythfull at the first which were taken in spoyle reserued by the Magistrate were openly sold their landes were made to paye great fynes and subsidies to mainteyne Garrisons and souldiours Garrisons were set to keepe Noble mens housholdes and the landes of the faithful by the commaundement of the Kings letters were appointed to be solde The Prince of Conde gaue an attempt against Lasignan being a very strong Castle being come thyther with the greatest part of his armyes but fayling of his purpose he departed againe from thence Sanser a Citie in Burgundy was besiéeged by the catholiques whose captaine was Martinenge an Italian To this siege came Monsieur Nemours bringing with him thrée thousand footemen at the least and certayne troupes of horsemen all which he broughte out of Prouance to ayde Martinenge in the seige The Generall ouer these was Countie Tende Lieftenant of Prouance Wyth these also there came certayne Armies oute of Dolpheny vnder the charge and conducte of Baron des Adretz whom we sayde before forsooke the faithfull in the first warre The Townsmen valiantly for certain Monethes defended themselues and by diuers eruptions vpon the enemies and skirmishes with them they had slaine manye of them and broken manye of their great gunnes Therefore Martinenge when he had wearyed in vayne his souldiers with the extreme coulde of winter he toke vp his caryage raised the seige and departed away secretly in the nighte Then the warders watchmen of the Citie suspecting that the enemyes fled gaue knowledge thereof to the chiefe Captaynes in the Citie who goyng forth by the breake of the day with certaine souldiers slewe many straglers that lingered behinde the armie without order or raye After this countie de Tende went to the Duke of Aniou and Baron de Adretz taking Nemours with him went to the Duke D'aumall This was about the beginning of Februarie The King was nowe at Mets and before he came thether he had forbidden the Protestants to vse the reformed religion vpon paine of death The power of Duke D'aumall beyng greatlye encreased with newe and freshe ayde he determined to encounter with the bandes of French souldiers which wayted for the Armies of the Duke of Deuxpons and came to Sauerne a towne belonging to the Bishoppe of Strasburge which fauoured him and there he stopped al the passage ouer the ryuer against the enemie But he could not there abide beyng repulsed I put to flighte by the FrenchmeÌ„ his enemyes These French bands that put him to â—…light were such as had fled out of the hither part of Fraunce thither partly which were left of the Armie of the prince of Orange Aboute this time MonsGenly dyed at Bergasiber in the Dominion of Deuxpous and bycause he was generall of those Armyes Mons. de Moy a Noble man and a good Captaine was chosen in his stéede While Duke D'aumall behaued himselfe thus about the borders of Loraine there came to the Duke of Aniou two thousand and two hundred Germane horsemen conducted by the Rheingrane Bassompierre He himselfe when he had payed the rest of the armie their wages went with all his power towarde the Territorye of Engolmoys mynding to wyn Engolesme a verye fayre and copious Citie But bycause the passage to the ryuer of Charente woulde be a necessarie helpe for him be mynded to kepe the bridge And therefore he commauÌ„ded Mons. Riuiere to go and take the Citie the Castell of Iâ—…rnac which bordereth vpon the ryuer of Charente Thys was the occasion of a great and lamentable battaile The Prince of Conde beyng certified of the purpose of the Duke of Aniou came to Niort with his main battaile the first daye of Marche and from thence he came by the Towne of Sanlan Angely the Citie of Saintes The Admirall went with the Uauntgarde to Cognac and the next daye after being the fourth day of Marche he with his brother the Andelot brought all the horsemeÌ„ of the Uauntgarde both with lawnce and shot to larnac and with them two Canons two dimi Canons Then straight way the Admiral beseiged the castell of Iarnac bycause Mons. Riuiere by and by at the discouery of them left the citie and went into the castell But the roaring Canon shot did so shake the castell gates and the walles thereof that Mons. Riuiere desired parley and the next day after vpon condition that he and his sâ—…uldiers shuld escape with theyr lyues he surrendered the Castell Leauing therefore to defende that place the Uicount de Montanmoy with his LegioÌ„ the Admirall and the Andelot dâ—…parted to viewe espie the force of the enemies bicause they were said not to be far of The sixte daye of this moneth the Prince of Conde with the Admirall and the Andelot taking with them all the horsemen of the vauntgarde and maine battaile sauing certaine
sicke he was of no lesse councell in matters of consultation than of courage in the execution his estate of the great Maister of the artillerie was giuen to the Lorde Ianlis his sonne in law with his cornet of horsemen And nowe to ouerslip nothing that was executed in this last April ther eis in the mountayns of Daulphyne a Castell nere to Bryanson wherein the King keepes an ordinarie dead pay of certeyn numbers of souldiours A Captein called Colombyn borne in Grenoble vnderstā ding by certain of the borough of Oysans that most part of the sayd dead pay men were issued out of thir charge toke the sayde Castel and finding no resistaunce other than the very captaine of the place who yéelded beyng hurt with a shotte he made him selfe Lord of it where neglecting one first and most necessarie policie in a victor he rather laboured to deface the images thā to furnish place y with conuenient prouision which being not vnmarked of certein euill neighbours purlewing vpō the Castle they forthwith enuironed him with a siege ▪ and so cut off his vittaill whereof they knew the castle had but slender store Their siege continuing about xv dayes enforced him at last to render the place vpon cōposition and onely reseruation of lyfe whiche notwithstanding was not kept for that all his souldiours were cut in péeces and he only led on liue to Grenoble After the generall view and muster of the Princes footemen the Lord de Pilles returned nowe from Gascoygne was sent to sease vpon the I le of Medoc a riche Ile lying betwene Rochell and Bordeaux conteyning in length about xvi or xvii leagues and 4. or 5. leagues in breadth he prouided necessary boates to passe the riuer of Gironde and embarking himselfe with two thousand footemen discended into the sayde I le and tooke hauen without any let he made himselfe maister of the yle vpon the sodaine and vnlooked for finding great foyson of riches wherwith he and his souldiours loaded themselues plentifully By meane of this yle he besieged Bourg a towne in Berdelois but being spéedely called back by the princes he raysed his siege and came agayne to the Campe At this siege died of a shot in his shoulder the Lord Ualphe uiere Lieuetenant to the late Lord d' Andelot of his regiment of footemen whose regiment was translated to the Lord of Rouray a gentleman of Fraunce This was vpon the end of May. The Kinges Brother being now retourned into the countrey of Angoulmois and after he had somwhat reléeued his army on that side to Villebois sent to sommōthe town of Angoulesme by a trompet wherein he was refused and so tooke way towardes Berry to ioyne his force witht the Duke de Aumall being in the sayd countrey the Count Montgomery charged vpon the tayle of his campe and discomfited certen of them The Lady Marquise of Rottelin vnderstāding of the death of the prince of Conde hir sonne in law put her vpon the way to come to Rochell where was the widow princesse her daughter shée passed to S. Iean de Angely so to Thony vpon Boutonne where the said princesse met her and so returned into Fraunce without her daughter whom shée purposed to haue with her But the princes excused her vpon hir children which were then at Rochel whether she also returned it was thought the Lady Marquise came to entreate a peace which was not so because her occasion was onely as is aforesayde ▪ this was in the end of May ▪ 1569. In the firste kindling of these warres the Princes hauing true intelligence of diuers nūbers of strangers entered the Realm for the strength of the Catholiques determined also to fortifie their army by the like mean. And therefore knowing that the prince Wolfgange the Duke de deux Pons had erected great numbers of men of armes as well on foote as on horsebacke the better to defend his owne countreys sent to him with request to yéeld them succours in their so vrgent and extréeme necessitie both with his army presently in poynt also such other powers as he might possibly leuye whervnto the sayd Duke condescended with promise to reléeue them with al his forces which albeit at that tyme were not fully assembled yet he forgot not within short tyme after to put an army in readinesse to come into France whereof the Duke de Aumale lying in Lorayne béeing enformed by speciall Intelligencers dispatched forthwith a Gentleman of his by whom he aduertised the Duke of the common brute that passed of the diligence he vsed in the leuyes of men of warre in Almayne and all to assist the conspiracies of such as arme themselues against the Crowne of Fraunce with displayed warre against the King which for his parte as he neyther had nor woulde beléeue so looking néerer into his magnificence and partes of a Prince he iudged him of no inclination to fauour rebells against their soueraigne maiestie considering withall the auncient respect of amitie so long continued betwéen the house of the electors of the countie Palatines of Rhine the scepter of France Albeit his maiestie desiring to vnderstand an absolute truth gaue him speciall charge to dispatch this speciall Messanger he also hauing authoritie of his Maiestie to withstande the entrie of any straungers to reléeue the enterprise of the said rebelles which he hoped to accomplish or else to leaue his life in the charge The Duke forbare to answere spedily vntyll his army were fully in poynt albeit after that he had receyued hys Riestres he begā to marche towards the county of Burgogne and as he lay vpon the frontiers of France tarrying for his Launceknyghtes hee aunswered the d'Aumales letter which he sent forthwith to the Kinge In the beginning he layd afore him howe in the yéeres afore many Reistermaisters passing through his Duchy without leaue gréeued so his Countrey that the continuall complaintes of his people forced him to draw into companies of armed men as well on horsebacke as on foote to withstand further offence to his people And that nowe in respecte his cousins and dearely beloued Princes of Nauar and Conde haue lamentably imparted with him the vniust quarell vrged vppon them as well to enforce their lyues and goods as to depriue the exercise of their Religion contrary to the Kings fayth and playn proetstation of his Edictes and that not only they but all the Nobilitie and others professinge the same religion haue and doo endure miserable oppressions as estraunged from their owne houses thruste out of their charges and offices their possessions wealths confliked into the Kings hands lastly that there be raised huge companies of men of warr ayded with sundry sortes of straungers to cut them in péeces as in other tymes of open hostilitie in these respects togither with their earnest motion and request for succours and lastly vpon an vpright view and consideration of their present calamitie he could nor ought do no lesse than ayde them
of God comprehended in the Canonical bookes of the holy scripture that we swarue from the doctrine of the prophets and apostles we will forthwith lend our handes and giue place to such as will instruct vs better in the word of GOD if we erre in any article than we haue bene from the beginning for which cause and the better to effect so happie a purpose we desier nothing more than a conuocation of a counsell frée and generall and lawful ly called wherein as euery one may haue hearing and scope to reduce his reasons at large so the same to be eyther confirmed or conuinced by the only woord of God the true meane vsed in al times of antiquitie vpon like ocâ—asion By which meane Sir also it is not to be doub ted that God by his speciall grace will not vnseale the eyes of your maiestie and so giue you spéedye and true sight into the hartes and willes of your subiects reconciled and knit with an indissoluble bond your Realme returned into his first estate beawty and dignitie to the shame and confusion of yours and our coÌ„mon enemies who by their subtill and priuie intelligences wyth the house of Spayne haue with sinister pollicyes translated the late storme and tempeste of the lowe Countreys to your Realme and almost thundered it vpon the type of your crowne humbly desiringe your maiesty to enter precise consideration and iudgement whether it be better to expecte of two armies already assembled within your realme a firy and bloudy victory yéeldinge equall frute to the conquerour and he that is ouercome or else to employe them togyther in the seruice of your maiestyes affayres in so many goodly occasions presently offered importing no lesse the rest and aduauncement of your crowne and realme than any that euer happened in your tyme returning also by that meane the storme to the place from whence it came wherin the said princes Lordes Knightes Gentlemen with all the rest of their companyes be vnfaynedly resolued as in all other thynges tendinge to the greatnesse of your Noble estate to employ their liues goods with al other meanes wherewith God had endued them euen to the last drop of their bloud acknowledging in this world no other so ueraintie or principalitie than yours in whose obedyence and subiection they â—…o desire to liue and dye The same being also such and al that a soueraigne and naturall Prince is to exspect or desire of his faithfull louing subiects and seruants This request thus deuised and written the Princes sent a trumpet to the catholikes camp to obtayne passeport for a Gentleman to go to his maiestie which being refused the Admiral found meanes to send a coppie of it to the Marshall Montmorancy to present to the King who about the xix of Iulye following returned a messenger to the Admirall to let him knowe that he had presented the requeste to his maiesty who would not looke on it sayinge he would neyther heare nor sée any thing comming from him afore he had put himselfe in obedience and fauour of his maiestie who then assured him to receiue and embrace him when and as often as he would put himselfe in endeuour To this message by letter the Admirall aunswered the. xxvi of the same moneth that séeinge his maiestye would not receyue the said request he could not otherwyse chuse than leaue the matter to the iudgement of al christian Princes not touched with passion or partial affection whither they vsed not indeuour to come vnder the dutifull obedience of his maiestie or not labouringe for their part by all their possible meanes to quench the manifold calamities houering to ouerwhelme the whole realme and so sette themselues within the fauour and grace of the king But now séeinge that there be some will not spare the vniuersall destruction of the realme onely to rauishe their lyues and erercyse of theyr religion they would looke more neare than afore for the remedy The Kinges brother being at Lohes had aduertisement of the sieege of Luzignan dispatching with all diligence the Duke of Guyse to get within Poictiers as well to hinder the taking of the towne as to turne the siéege from Luzignan notwithstanding he was ther no sooner than the castell was rendered The Duke of Guise arriued at Poytiers with the Mar quise du Meine his brother on Fryday xxii of Iuly entring by the Bridge Anioubert with his companies which were about fiftéene hundreth horsemen amoÌ„gst whom were foure hundreth Italians gouerned by the lord Paule Sforce brother to the Counte de Sainct Fiour and one Cornet of Reisters These succoures assured greatly them within the Towne who otherwayes might happely haue treÌ„bled at the comming of the Princes campe There were within Poyctiers afore the Guyses comming the Counte du Lude his thrée brethren de Chastel liers de Sautere and de Briançon the Lordes de Ruffec de la Riuiere Boisequin de Ferraques d' Argence de Rouet other lordes and Knights of the Order and Captaynes of horsemen with part of their companies There were also of footemen the companies of the Captayne 's Passac la-Prade la Vacherie d' Arsac le Lis Bois-vert Boneau Boulande Iarrie with certaine other besides vi companies of footemen raysed by the inhabitants of the town The generall number of Catholike Souldiours of all sortes as well footemen as horsemen straungers as townesmen during this siéege whereof shall be spoken hereafter were v. or vi thousand meÌ„ they had vi péeces of Artillerie as two or thrée meanes and certeyn lessâ—… péeces in the Castell The Princes after the rendering of Luzignan and afore they besieged Poyctiers tooke Monstruel Bonyn Bouché Sansay Viuone with other little Castelles about Poyctiers thereby to hold the Catholiques more strayt In which meane while the princes horssemen made ordinarie roades euen to the gates of Poyctiers burninge many Abbayes Priories and Temples The 24. day the said horsemen as wel French as Allemans presented theÌ„selues in battayl before the town on that side which is aboue the Abbay of S. Cyprieâ—… vntill very néere S. Benoit being deuided into two great hostes Certeyn horsemen of the town issued out at the gate toward the bridge Anioubert with certayn numbers of shot on foote who without any thing dooinge retired into the towne and the horsemen of the Religion into their seuerall quarters The 25. day of the same moneth the Princes foot meÌ„ and horsemen presented agayne before the town about noone The footemen gaue a hoat charge vppon the suÌ„burbes de la Cueille where the Capteyne Bois-vert with hsi companie lodged behind a little trench makinge negligent watch were sodenly set vpon and the moste part killed the rest being forced to retyre more lowe to the suburbs S. Ladre were valiantly followed by them of the religion euen to the postes and houses ioyning to the gate of the suburbes There began a hoat skirmish which lasted almost fyue houres vntill the night deuyded them they of the
caused all or most of his troupe to remaine still afore the sayd Castell to withstand that no man should enter till hée sent new forces from S. Flour whether as he spéedely repaired so he dispatched from thence certain numbers of footemen to ioyne with the troupe he had left afore the Castle with charge not to departe till it were taken M. de Sallians to whom both the place and charge belonged lay very sicke who in respecte of his small strength hauing not aboue sixe souldiours and withall doubting spéedy surcours made no great resistance but yéelded the Castle by composition to haue onely their lyues saued which albeit was faithfully promised yet trayterously performed because both her husband was killed and she led prisoner to S. Floure charged to be the onely cause of the lord of S. Hierans hurt The taking of the towne of Oryllac whereof is spoken before amazed greatly them of Auergne wherefore hauing gathered people from many partes determined to besiege it afore they within could haue meane to fortifie themselues And for this purpose the Lord Rocneâ—…onne Gouernour of Puy and the graund Priâ—…r of Auergne with their regimentâ—… of footemen came to Mar zillas in Roargnes attâ—…ding ther as it was said certain caÌ„nons which should be sent from Rhodes to batter Oryllac In the meane while also the Lord de Saint HeraÌ„ with no lesse diligence aduaunsed at S. Flour the other forces and also the Nobilitie of Auergne whom he summoned speedely to repayre thither Albeit hearing in the heat of his diligence of the princes comming to Argentall he let fall his enterprise The men of Auergne fearing the princes would sease vpon the low countrey called la Lymagne and there to winter in respect of the generall fertilitie of that place drew in troupes of paysants and coÌ„munalties into the straites of the mountaines by which they imagined the army should passe and there hewing down great numbers of trées bestowed them athwart the high waies to trouble the passage of the horsemen The rest of the countrey were bestowed by the lord de Saint Heran in townes and Castles to the ende they should not be sodenly taken the princes beguyled their opinion as not passing that way but directed their ioâ—… ney ouer Dordone and so into Quercy and beneath Cadenat passed the riuer of Lot and so from thence arriued at Montauban in Nouember 1569. The Lord de Mirabell and Foulques â–ª hauing remained about Oryllac â—…nee the charge they had neare to Rolliat tooke way about this tyme with their troupes to ende their voyage who passing the Riuer of Lot beneath Cadenat and after they had trauersed the mountaines of Rouarges and Sauennes arriued without let aâ—… Priuas and Aulbenas townes in Viuarez holden by those of the Religion The siege continued all this whyle afore S. Iean de Angely where the King the Quéene mother and Cardinall of Lorraine were in persone The morrowe after that the breache of the Fort was assaulted the Kinge procured the protestantes to be commoned withall to the ende to render the Towne by composition Wherin they vsed this persuasion the rather to entice them that his Maiestie had determined to erect a puissant army to make war in Allemaigne wherein as they might steade that seruice in special turne so his Maiestie was carefull not to spill men of such experience and value otherwayes if they would not embrace his Maiesties offer and composition he would thunder vpon them all his forces till he had won the Towne They answered as before that they would not render the town till ther were a peace assured to the profit and quiet of the whole Reaâ—…e whereupon the King required to speake with the Lord de Personne as well in the causes concerninge the Towne as to send him to the princes in the meane and matter of peace Whereunto the protestants condescended and sent out of the Towne the Lorde de Personne receyuing in his pleadge and hostage the Lord de Guiteniers After the King had conferred with the Lord de Personne they grew to capitulations as followed First that if the Lord de Pilles were not succoured within ten dayes to render the Towne to the Kinge their liues and goodes saued 2 That for the assurance of this there shuld bée deliuered in hostage two Knightes of the order they to be sent either to Rochell or Angoulesme at the protestants choice 3 That during this space of the x. dayes truce should be betwéene them with charge that neither they should fortifie in the towne nor they without vpon their trenches nor yet approche the walles of the towne 4 Lastely that in the meane while the Lord de Personne should go to the Princes with a Gentleman of his Maiestie to treate of peace According to the which the saide L. de Personne with the Kinges Gentleman went to the Princes in the Gentlemans place the Lorde de Guitiniers was sent out of the towne to the campe They which the princes lefte as you haue heard at Sainctes to defend the towne maintained their charge till now And hearing that Sainct Iean d' Angely was in parley and at point to yéeld fearing with all that it was their lotte and turne to be besiéeged next They forsooke the towne retired to the other Garrisons which were thereaboute wherein the Kinge forgot not to embrace the oportunitie sending forthwith certaine companies to sease vppon it to the end that by that meane the way might be cloased from them of the Religion beinge at Angoulesme and Coygnac to go or come to Rochell Likewyse they of Rochell shoulde be bard to sende succoures to them The Lorde of Bricquemau laye all this while in the towne of Boâ—…rg dieu in Berry as hath bin said by reason of his sicknesse During whose aboade there hys troupes made ordinarye warre vppon the Garrison of Chasteau-roux vpon Indre wherin the Lord of the place retained thrée companies of footmen for the catholikes Ther were often incursions and enterviewes betwéen them the same continuing almost sixe wéekes in which time were killed of the one and other side almoste two hundreth men After the saide Lorde Bricquemau was restored to health he retired in this moneth of Nouember with his troupes to Charite During the siéege of S. Iean d' Angely the Towne of Nimes in Languedoc was taken by the Religion the fiuetéenth of this moneth and by this meane there is a mylne in the towne neare to the walles and to make it grynde there comes a spring or fountaine not farre of through a sluse or creuishe in the wall dressed with grates or barres of yron They of the Religion in that Countrey practised intelligence with the miller by whose aide they pluckt vp by night the said yron grate and so conueyed into the towne by that creuish and channel about a hundreth souldioures who hid themselues within the myll attending the houre to execute their enterprise in the meane while they sent from
kepe them to our vse and also at two yeeres ende to restore them agayne without any delay In the meane time the vse of the catholique Religion shall abyde in those Cities and all Churchmen and catholiques shal peaceably enioy their goods and landes 40 Furthermore vvee will and commaunde that so soone as this Edict is proclaymed in the two camps that all men by and by lay aside their armor weapons and neuer after to arme themselues again without our consent and the consent of our deare brother the Duke of Aniou 41 VVe wil that there be free traffyke in all places of our Realme after the proclamation of this our Edict 42 And to the ende this our Edict maye not be broken we commaund those which shall haue charge to see the execution of this our Edict that they cause the Magistrates of euery citie of both religions to sweare that they will diligently looke to the obseruation of this Edict And if any offence be committed against the same we protest that we will punishe the Magistrates themselues except they bring such offenders before vs. 43 Moreouer to the ende all our officers may plainly vnderstand our will and meaning to the end there may hereafter no ambiguitie or scruple by the pretence of the former Edictes we protest that we do abrogate disanull all other Edictes rescriptes decrees interpretations sentences of parliamentes and priuy commentaries contrary to this our Edict concerning religion and do commaund them all to be voyde frustrate and of none effecte And we plainely declare that we would haue all men faithfully to obserue and keepe this our Edict 44 And for the more sure confirmation of this our will and meaning we commaund that all our officers and Magistrates of Cities be made to sweare faithfully and truly to obserue and keepe this our Edict 45 Finally we will and commaund that all Courtes of Parliament take the same othe and that without delay they proclaime this Edict solemly so soone as it shall come to their handes And also that so soone as it shall be proclaymed in both Camps the forreine souldiours on both partes be dismist Also we commaund the Lief tenants of euery Prouince to see that this Edict be forth with proclaymed throughout all their Circuits The Edict being once proclaymed if any man put himselfe in armor seditiously let him be well assured that hee shall loose his life without all hope of pardon or fauour Know all men for a suretie that this our Edict shall abide firme and irrcuocable among all our subiects for the obseruation wherof I charge them to loke diligently This Edict thus made was by and by proclaymed at Paris and in both Campes both partes vnarmed them selues the straunger was dismist and the Protestants came from diuers places after long and pitifull tariance to their owne desolate houses but yet not quight and cleane healed of the woundes of the iniuries and hatred conceiued ¶ But thou O God most mightie the Gouernour and preseruer of thy Church restore and build vp the decayed Kingdome after so long calamities of Ciuill dissentions and desolations of warres that at the last O Lorde Thy Church may attaine to rest and peace Yea come Lord Iesu come quickly ¶ FINIS Imprinted at London by Henry Middelton for Frauncis Coldocke and are to be sold at his shoppe in Powles Church-yard at the signe of the Greene Dragon Anno 1574. The tenth Booke treating of the furious outrages of Fraunce vvith the slaughter of the Admirall and diuers other Noble and excellent men committed the. 24. August ANNO. 1572. IT vvere to be vvished that the memorie of the freshe slaughters of that butcherly murthering that hath lately bin cōmitted in a manner in all the townes of Fraunce were vtterly put out of the mindes of men for so great dishonour and so great infamie hath thereby stained the whole French nation that the moste part of them are nowe ashamed of their owne countrey defiled with two most filthy spottes falsehod and crueltie of the which whether hath bin the greater it is hard to say But forasmuch as there flée euery where abroade Pamphlets written by flatterers of the Courte and men corruptly hired for reward which doe moste shamefully set out things fained and falsely imagined in stead of truth I thought my selfe bound to do this seruice to posteritie to put the matter in writing as it was truely done in déede being well enabled to haue knowledge thereof both by mine owne calamitie and by those that with their owne eyes beheld a great part of the same slaughters In the yeare of our Lorde 1561. when there séemed to bée some perill of troubles to arise by reason of the multitude of such as embraced the Religion which they call reformed for before that time the vsuall manner of punishing such as durst professe that Religion was besides losse and forfeiture of all their goods to the Kings vse to burne their bodies at the request of the great Lordes and Nobilitie there was holden an assemblie of the estates in the Kings house at Saint Germaines in Lay neare to the towne of Paris at which assemblie in presence and with the royall assente of King Charles the ninthe which now raigneth it was decreed that from thencefoorth it should not be preiudiciall to any man to professe the said Religion and that it should bée léefull for them to haue publike metings and preachings for the exercise thereof but in the suburbs of townes only At this assemblie Francis Duke of Guise being descended of the house of Loraine at that time Grandmaister of the kings houshold was not present But when he was enformed of this decrée he boyled with incredible sorrowe and anger and within fewe dayes after at a little towne in Champaigne called Vassey while the professors of the said Religion were there at a Sermon he accompanied with a band of souldiers set vppon them and siewe men and women to the number of two hundreth There was among these of the Religiō for so hereafter according to the vsuall phrase of the frenche tong we intende to call them Lewes of Burbon of the bloud royall commonly called Prince of Conde after the name of a certaine towne a man of great power by reason of his kinred to the king Therfore when the Duke of Guise most vehemently striued against that lawe and as much as in him lay did vtterly ouerthrowe it and troubled the common quiet thereby stablished Gaspar de Coligni Admirall of Fraunce and Francis d' Andelot his brother Captaine of the Fantarie and other Princes Noble men and Gentlemen of the same Religion come daily by heapes to the Prince of Conde to complaine of the outrageous boldnesse and vntemperate violence of the Duke of Guise At that time Catherine de Medices Pope Clements brothers daughter and mother of king Charles borne in Florence a citie of Italie had the gouernance of
the Realme in the kings minoritie For though by the lawe of Fraunce neither the inheritance nor the administration of the Realme is graunted to women yet through the cowardly negligence of Anthonie king of Nauarre the sayde Gatherine de Medices the kinges mother against the custome of the Realme was ioyned with him in that office of protectorship She fearing the presumption and fierce pride of the Guisians wrote to the Prince of Conde with hir owne hand which letters are yet remayning and at the assemblie of the Princes of Germanie at Franckeford holden vnder Ferdinande the Emperoure were produced and opēly read about ten yeares past wherein shée earnestly besought him in so great hardnesse and distresse not to forsake hir but to account both the mother and the children that is both hir self and the king and the kyngs brethren committed to his faith and natural kindnesse that he should with al spéede prouide for their common safetie assuring him that she would so imprint in the kinges mind his trauel taken in that behalf that he should neuer be loser by it Within few daies after the Duke of Guise well knowing howe great authoritie the name of the king would carie in France and to the intēt that he would not séeme to attempt any thing rather of his own head than by the priuitie of the king hauing atteined fitte partners to ioyne with him in these enterprises he got the king into his power Which thing being knowen abrode many hard incombrances ther vpon sodainly rising a great part of the nobilitie of France maruelously troubled with it the Prince of Conde by aduise of his friends thought it best for him to take certaine towns furnish them with garrisons which was the beginning of the first ciuil warre For the Prince of Conde alleaged the cause of his taking armour to be the defence of the kings Edict wherin cōsisted the safetie of the common weale and that it could not be repealed without most assured vndoing of the nation of Fraunce destruction of the nobilitie by reason of the excéeding great multitude of those that dayly ioyned themselues to that Religion Of which number suche as being of noble birthe were in power dignitie wealth and credite aboue the rest thought it not méete for them to suffer the punishmentes and crueltie accustomed to be extended vpon the professors thereof beside that they helde them discontented that the Duke of Guise a newe come a straunger translated from the forestes of Loraine into Fraunce did take vppon him in Fraunce so great courage and so high dominion and power Thereto was added the Quéenes mothers singular care as was reported for cōseruation of peace and repressing the rage of the Guisians Upō whiche opinion it is certayne that aboue twentie thousande men hauing regarde onely to the Quéenes inclination ioyned themselues to the side of those of the Religion and to the defence of their profession which at that time had beūeged the force of the kinges power ▪ After certaine battailes and many losses on both paris the Duke of Guise slaine within a yéere peace was made with this cōdition that they of the Religion should haue frée libertie thereof and should haue assemblies preachings for the exercise of the same in certaine places This peace continued in force but not in all places during fiue yeares for in the moste townes and iurisdictions the officers that were affectionate to the Romishe side whom they commonly call Catholikes did all the displeasures they could to those of the Religion Therfore whē Ferdinando Aluares de Toledo commōly called Duke of Alua was leading an armie not farre from the frontiers of Fraunce against those of the lowe countrey which embraced the reformed Religiō against the will of the king of Spaine the Quéene mother caused to be leuied and brought into Fraunce sixe thousand Switzers for a defence as she caused it to be bruted but as the successe hathe proued for this intent that the Prince of Conde the Admirall and other Noble men of the Religion if they escaped the treasons prepared for them and listed to defende themselues by force and trie it by battaile might bée sodeinlye oppressed ere they were prouided For the courtiers whiche then had the managing of these matters did not at that time wel trust the souldiers of Fraunce Many things pertaining to the course of that time and the renewing of the warre must here for hast to our present purpose be necessarily omitted When the warre had endured about sixe monethes peace was made with the same conditions that wée haue aboue rehearsed that all men should haue frée libertie to followe and professe the Religiō reformed ▪ For this was euer one and the last condition vpon all the warres But within fewe dayes or monethes after it was plainly vnderstoode that the same peace was full of guile and treason and finally that it was no peace but most cruel warre cloaked vnder the name of peace For forthwith al those towns which they of the Religion had yelded vp were possessed and strengthened with garrisons of souldiers of the contrary side sauing onely one towne on the sea ceast of Xantoigne commonly called Rochell For the men of that towne about two hundreth yeares past had yelded themselues to the kinges power allegeance with this condition that they should neuer be constrayned against their will to receiue any garrison souldiers Also the Prince of Conde and the Admirall were aduertised that there was treason agayne prepared to entrappe them by Tauaignes a man giuen to murther and mischiefe which had lately bin made Marshall of Fraunce and that if they did not spedely auoyde the same it should shortly come to passe that they should be deceiued and taken by him and deliuered vp to the crueltie of their aduersaries Upon the receit of these aduertisementes they immediatly make haste to Rochell carying with them their wiues yong children which was the beginning of the thirde ciuill warre the most sharpe and miserable of all the rest There was at that time in the court Charles Cardinall of Loraine brother to the Duke of Guise whiche as is aboue saide was slayne in the first warre one accompted most subtill and craftie of all the rest but of a terrible cruell and troublesome disposition so as he was thought intollerable euen at Rome it selfe This man they of the reformed Religion reported to be the most sharpe and hatefull enimie of their profession and him they abhorred aboue all other for the crueltie of his nature and named him the firebrand of all ciuill flames He at the beginning of the third ciuill warre persuaded the king to publishe an Edict that no man professe any Religion but the Romishe or Popishe and that whosoeuer would embrace any other should be cōpted as traytours In that same Edict printed at Paris this sentence was expressely conteined and for the strangenesse of the matter and for that it stayned
the kyngs name with the most dishonorable spot of periurie and breache of faith it was in other impressions afterward omitted And it was further then declared that albeit the king had in many Edictes before that time permitted the fréedome of Religion yet his meaning euer was to reteine and cause to be reteined of all men the onely Romishe or Popishe Religion within his Realme After many ouerthrowes on both partes giuen and receyued wheras the end of this third warre was thought likely to be the harder by reason of the breach of faith in the yéeres before and on the other side the state of the Realme by reason of the wast that the Cities were brought vnto and the extreme pouertie of the meane people and his husbandmi did require some treatie of composition the king sent messengers to the Admirall to signifie vnto him in the kinges name that the king himselfe had at length founde out a moste sure waye of peace and concorde namely that the armies of both parties ioyned togither should go into the lowe countrey against the Duke of Alua which had bin the authour of the late calamities in Fraunce He signified further that he had great causes of querels against the king of Spayne and this principally that he had inuaded and helde by force sodenly slaying all the souldiers there an Islande of the newe found world called Florida which had bin taken by the French and kept vnder his dominion and likewyse the Marquesdome of Finall the inhabitantes whereof had but a litle time before yelded themselues to the kinges subiection and allegeance He saide that the most stedfast band of concord should be that forein warre and that there could no other better meane be deuised to drowne the memorie of the former dissentions in eternall forgetfulnesse To the performance herof he said it was a matter of most apte opportunitie that Lodouic Counte of Nassaw brother to the Prince of Aurange had bin now two yéeres in the Admiralles camp to whom the Admirall gaue principall credit in all things and that by him and his fellowes of the lowe countrey other whom he vnderstoode to fauour his part it might easily be brought to passe that certaine Cities might be surprised and thereby great aduantage be attained to the atchieuing of the warre The Admiral hearing these things was maruellously troubled For albeit he doubted not of the kings fidelitie yet therwithall many thinges fell into his minde to be considered as the power of the Cardinall the rest of the Guisians who were well knowne to haue bin at all times most affectionate to the king of Spayne For the Duke of Guise had lefte a sonne a very yong man called Henry to whom the Quéene had giuen al the offices and places of honor that his father had borne before being vnfit therto by age and against the ancient lawes and customes and also through the traiterous infidelitie of certaine of the kinges counsaylers whom she knewe for their affection to Popishe Religion to be moste addicted to the Spanish king and that diuers of them had great yéerely pensions of him and did disclose vnto him the affaires of the Realme He remembred howe hereby it came to passe that the same kinges Embassadour which among strange nations séemed vtterly incredible was admitted into the priuie Counsell of Fraunce and that one Biragio a Lumbard and as it is reported a traytour to his owne countrey otherwise altogither vnlearned and specially ignorant of the ciuill lawe was yet for the subtiltie of his witte aduanced to so ḡreat honour that he executed the Chauncellers office Michaell Hospitall being displaced a man knowen to be such a one as there was not in all degrées of mē any either more wise or more learned or more zelously louing his countrey Herewithall he considered the slaunderous cauillations of his aduersaries to whom hereby might seme an occasion giuen as if the Admirall were of a troublesome nature and could not abide any quietnesse nor could long reste at home without some tumultuous stirre Herevnto the messengers replied as they were able therewithall alleaged this cause of so sodaine hatred against the Spanishe king that one Albenie late returned out of Spaine had infourmed the king the Quéene mother for certaintie that king Philip a few monethes before had poysoned his wife the French kings sister and had spred rumors of hir throughout all Spaine such as for the honour of many persones are méete not to be disclosed But nothing moued the Admirall so much as the cherefull earnestnesse of Lodouic of Nassaw who assone as he was aduertised of that purpose of the king omitted nothing that he thought might serue to encourage the Admirall therevnto The Admirall perswaded hereby nothing fearyng the infidelitie of those of the Courte gaue his mynde to hearken to composition And so was the thyrde ciuill warre ended and the peace concluded with the same conditions that were before that euery man should haue frée libertie to vse and professe the Religion Within few moneths after this diuers princes of Germanie that fauoured the Religion refourmed and among those the thrée Electors the Palsgraue the Duke of Saxonie and the Marques of Brandeburge sent their Embassadours into France to the king to gratulate vnto him for the newe reconciliation of his subiectes And bicause they accompted it greatly to behoue themselues that the same concorde should remaine stedfast and of long continuance they promised that if any would for that cause procure trouble or make warre vppon him either within his own dominiōs or without they and their followers should be ready to defend him To this embassage the king first by wordes afterwarde by a booke subscribed with his own hand answered and gaue his faith that he would for euer most sacredly and faithfully obserue his Edict of pacification Hereby so much the more willingly the Admirall suffered him selfe to be drawne to the said purposes for the lowe countrey although oftentimes calling to minde the nature of the Quéene mother he vsed to saye to diuers and specially to Theligny to whome he afterwarde maried his daughter that he greatly suspected the rolling wit of that woman For saith he so soone as she hath brought vs into that preparatiō against the lowe countrey she will leaue vs in the midst Neuerthelesse the Counte of Nassaw writeth to his brother and they conferring their aduises together sent messengers to the king that if it please him to deale with the matter of the lowe countrey they will shortly so doe that he shall by their many and great seruices well perceiue their affection and deuotion towarde him The king writeth againe to them in most louing termes saying that their message most highly pleased him and he gaue to them both his harty thankes About the same time Maximilian the Emperour pitying the estate of the prince of Aurange as he said treated by his Embassadours with the king of Spaine and had in manner
beloued and estéemed of the Admirall or to haue attained any speciall honour in the saide late warres those he liberally benefited and rewarded To the Admirall himselfe he commaunded one daye to be giuen a hundred thousand pounds of his owne treasure in recompence of his former losses When his brother the Cardinall ChastillioÌ„ endowed with many great and welthy benefices was departed his life the king gaue him the fruites of one whole yéere Also the king wrote to Philibert Duke of Sauoy that he should do him a moste acceptable pleasure if he did not onely deale more gently with those that in the former warres had ayded those of the Religion but also would vse clemencie and mildnesse toward all other that professed the same Religion within his dominions And for that there was old enmitie betwene the Guisians the Admirall whereby it was to be doubted that perillous coÌ„tentions would arise in the Realme of France the king willed it to be signified to them both in his name that they should for his sake and the common weales giue ouer those displeasures and he prescribed them a certaine fourme of reconciliation and agréement the same whereof the foundations had bin layed almoste sixe yéeres before in the towne of Molins wher the king calling to him the greatest estates of his realme after consultation and deliberation had vpon the matter pronounced the admirall not guiltie of the death of the Duke of Guise wherewith he was charged by the yong Duke of Guise and his kinsmen and so the king by the aduise of his Counsell had ended that controuersie Furthermore the Cardinal of Loraine who as we haue said was the very forger of all the former warres to take away al ielousie of new practises was departed to Rome and tooke with him his familiar friend the late created Cardinall Peluey one reputed a moste subtill and craftie persone vnder pretence of going to the election of a newe Pope in place of the old Pope then lately deceassed But there was none greater and more assured token of publike peace and quietnesse than this that the king purposed to giue his sister Margaret in mariage to the Prince Henry the sonne of the Quéene of Nauarre which Prince had in the last warre defended the cause of the Religion and bin soueraigne of their armie Which mariage the king declared that it shuld be the moste streight bond of ciuill concorde and the most assured testimonie of his good will to those of the Religion Yea and also bicause it was alleaged that the said Prince Henry was restrained in conscience so as he might not marrie the Lady Margaret being of a contrarie Religion a Catholike and giuen to the rites of the Romishe Church the king for answere said that he would discharge hir of the Popes lawes and notwithstanding the crying out of all his courtiers to the contrary he permitted him that without all ceremonies in the porch of the great church of Paris the mariage should be celebrate in such a forme as the ministers of the reformed Churche mislyked not Which thing being by reporte and letters spread throughe the world it â—…n not be expressed how much it made the harts of those of the religion assured and out of care and how it cast out all feare and ielosies out of their minds what a confidence it brought them of the Kings good will toward them Finally how muche it reioyced foreine Princes and states that fauored the same Religion But the Admirals minde was muche more stablished by a letter which about the same time Theligny brought him with the Kings own hand and sealed wherein was conteined that whatsoeuer the Admiral should do for the matter of the intended warre of the lowe countrey the Kyng would allowe and ratifie the same as done by his owne commauÌ„demeÌ„t About that time Lodouic of Nassaw with the Quene of Nauarre a Lady most zelously affected to the Religion came to the Frenche court The league was made betwene King Charles and the Prince of Aurenge and the articles thereof put in writing The mariage was appointed to be holden in the towne of Paris For which cause the Quene of Nauarre during those few dayes repaired thether to prouide things for the solemnitie of the wedding For the same cause the King sente to the Admirall one Cauaignes a man of an excellent sharp witte whome for the Admirals sake the King had aduanced to great honor requiring the Admirall to go before to Paris as well for the saide preparation as also for the matter of the war of the lowe countrey promising that he himselfe woulde within few dayes followe after him assuring him that there was nowe no cause for him to feare the threatnings and mad outrages of the Parisians For in as much as the same towne is aboue all other giuen to superstitions and is with seditious preachings of Monkes and Friers dayly enflamed to crueltie it is harde to expresse howe bitterly they hated the Admirall and the professors of that Religion Whereto was added a griefe of their minde conceiued certaine dayes before by reason of a certaine stone crosse gilted and builte after the manner of a spire stéeple commonly called Gastignes crosse whiche the Admirall with great earnest fute obteyned of the King to be ouerthrowne for he alleaged that being erected in the midst of the rage of the ciuill warre as it were in trumphe to the reproche of one of the Religion it was a monument of ciuill dissention and so a matter offensiue to peace and concorde The King well knowing the deadly hate of the Parisians to the Admirall wrote his letters to Marcell the prouost of the Marchaunts which is the highest dignitie in Paris with sharp thretnings if ther shuld be raised any stir or trouble by reason of the Admirals comming To the same effect also the Duke of Aniow the Kings brother and the Quéene mother wrote to the same Marcell and the rest of the Magistrates of Paris so that nowe there séemed vtterly no occasion lefte for the Admirall to feare or distrust And within few dayes after the King sent Briquemault a man of great vertue and estimation to the Admirall with the same instructions saying that the matter of the low cuntrey could not wel be delt in without his presence The Admirall persuaded by thus many meanes and filled with good hope and courage determined to go to Paris where so soone as he was ariued and had ben honorably and louingly entertained of the King and his brethren and the Quéene mother and consultation entred among them about the preparation for the lowe countrey he declared to the King at large howe the Duke of Alua was in leuying of great power and preparing an armie and that if the King should dissemble his purpose it woulde come to passe that many thereby would shewe themselues slower and slacker to the enterprises and that nowe were offered great meanes to do good whiche if he let slippe he
should not easily recouer the like againe hereafter And therefore it was best to take the aduantage of this opportunitie A fewe dayes before Lodouic of Nassaw went secretely into the frontiers of the lowe countrey and toke with him as partners of his iourney and priuie to his councell thrée FrenchmeÌ„ of great credite with the Admirall namely Saucourt la Noue and Genlis to whome the King hadde giuen in charge to sée if they coulde by any meanes attempt and possesse any townes bordering vpon his Realme They gathering diuers other Gentlemen into their companie wente spéedily into the lowe countrey the Admirall not knowing of it Who as soone as he vnderstoode of their going thither wrote vnto them that he much maruelled what they ment saying that he well knewe there coulde be no power gotten readie before fortie days end and that they should be well aduised to do nothing rashly nor to ouerthrowe with hast their deuises that séemed not ripe to be executed The Countie of Nassaw inflamed with the sight and desire of his countrey and fearing the mutablenesse of the King did first at the sodaine set vpon Valentiennes but being repulsed by the Spanishe Souldiers that were in garrison in the Castell he hastily departed to Montz and toke the town being a place very strong by nature and well furnished with all things necessarie for the warre Which thing being by report and Messangers spread abroade into the lowe countrey and caried into Fraunce and Germanie bothe encouraged all them of the Religion with great hope and also séemed to haue now plainly and openly deciphered and disclosed the mynd of the French king Moreouer Genlis returning to Paris when he had made report to the King of all the matter as it had procéeded easily obtayned of him that by his assente he might leuie certaine bandes of footemen and horssemen of Fraunce and carie them to succoure Montz But by the way when he was entred into the bounds of the low countrie hauing with him to the number of 4000. footemen and about 400. horssemen they were beset by the Duke of Alua and the most parte of them distressed whiche thing was well knowne to haue bene wrought by the meanes of the Guisians whiche by dayly messages and letters aduertised the Duke of Alua of their purpose and preparation Which falsehood of theirs many moste affectionate to the Romish Religion were highly offended with bicause a great nuÌ„ber were addicted to the same Romish Religion in that coÌ„panie With this losse and with the rescue of the towne of Valentiennes the King semed to be much troubled for he feared least his counsels being disclosed to the Spanish King would at length bréede some cause of querell and warre Howbeit when he began to remember that a great part of his secretes was alreadie reuealed to the Duke of Alua he oftentimes resolued to vtter his minde plainly and to make open warre But he was withdrawne from that purpose by certaine men whiche the Admirall had long before conceiued that they woulde so doe Howbeit he gaue the Admirall libertie to sende what soeuer he thought meete to further the Prince of Aurenge his enterprise and as great supply either of footemen or of horssemen as he could to the armie which the Prince of Aurenge had leuied in Germanie When the Admiral for that cause had made request that he might leuie thirtie troupes of horssemen and as many ensignes of footemen he easily obtayned it For the entertainement of these footmen it behoued to haue money wherfore at the request of the Admirall the King called for his Tresurer and coÌ„maunded him to deliuer to the Admirall so muche money as the Admirall should thinke méete and charged him that he should not in any wise after the vsuall maner of the accompts of finances write the causes of the receipt but onely set it downe in this forme This summe of money was payde to the Admirall suche a daye by the Kings commaundement for certaine causes which the King hath coÌ„maunded not to be written and to this warrant the King subscribed with his owne hand Also the King wrote to Monducet his Embassadoure in the lowe countrey to trauell as earnestly as he could for their deliuerance that were taken at the ouerthrow of Genlis whiche commaundement it is sayde that Monducet did most faithfully and diligently execute Not long before this Ioane Quéene of Nauarre aboue mentioned died in the Court at Paris of a sodaine sicknesse béeing about the age of fortie and thrée yeres where as the suspition was great that she dyed of poyson and hir body being for that cause opened by the Phisitions there were no tokens of poyson espied But shortely after by the detection of one A. P. it hath ben founde that she was poysoned with a venomed smell of a payre of perfumed gloues dressed by one Renat the Kings Apothicarie an Italian that hath a shop at Paris vpon S. Michaels bridge neare vnto the Pallace which could not be espied by the Phisitions whiche did not open the heade nor loked into the brayne It is well knowne that the same man aboute certaine yeres past for the same intent gaue to Lewes Prince of Conde a poisoned Pomander which the Prince left with one le Grosse his Surgion le Grosse delighted with the same was by little and little poysoned therwith and so swelled that he hardly escaped with his life By hir death the Kingdome came to the Prince Henrie hir sonne to whome as is abouesaide the Kings sister was promised and contracted Thinges being as it séemed throughout al France in most peacible estate and the concord of all degrées well stablished the day was appointed for the mariage of the King of Nauar which day all they that fancied the Religion estéemed so much the more ioyfull to them bicause they sawe the King wonderfully bent thereunto and all good men iudged the same a most assured pleâ—…ge and establishment of ciuill concorde wheras on the contrarie part the Guisians and other enimies of common quietnesse greatly abhorred the same mariage When the day came the mariage was with royall pompe solemnized before the great Churche of Paris and a certaine forme of wordes so framed as disagréed with the Religion of neither side was by the Kings commaundement pronounced by the Cardinall of Buâ—…bon the King of Nauars vncle and so the matrimonie celebrate with great ioye of the King and all good men the bryde was with great traine and pompe led into the Church to heare Masse and in the meane time the brydgrome who mislyked these ceremonies togither with Henrie Prince of Conde sonne of Lewes and the Admirall and other noble meÌ„ of the same Religion walked without the Churche dore wayting for the Brides returne While these thinges were in doing at Paris Strozzi who as we haue sayde had the charge of the Kings power at the Sea houering vpon the coast of Rochel did now and then send of his Captains and
Souldiers into the towne vnder colour of buying things necessarie sometime he came thither also himself The like was done at y same time in an other part of France by the horsmen of Gonzague Duke of Niuers neare to the town of la Charite whiche hath a bridge ouer the Ryuer of Loyre and remained till that time in the power of those of the Religion by reason of the great number of them there inhabiting This troupe was of those horssemen whiche the King hath accustomed to kéepe in ordinarie wages in euery countrey whereof the moste parte were Italians countrimen to their Captaine Lewes Gonzague to whome the Quéene mother had giuen the daughter and heire of the Duke of Niuers in mariage They requested of the townesmen that they might make their musters within the towne saying that they had receiued warrant from the King so to do and shewed the Kings letters therfore At Lions the gouernour of the towne commaunded a viewe to be taken of all those that professed the Religion and their names to be written in a boke and brought vnto him which boke shortely after according to the successe was called the bloudie boke After the mariage ended at Paris whiche was the time that the Admirall had appointed to returne to his owne house he moued the King concerning his departure But so great was the preparation of playes so greate was the magnificence of banquets and shewes and the King so earnestly bent to those matters that he had no leysure not only for waightie affaires but also not so much as to take his naturall sleepe For in the French Court Dauncings Maskings stageplayes wherein the King excéedingly delighteth are coÌ„monly vsed in the night time and so the time that is fittest for counsell and matters of gouernance is by reason of nightly riottous sitting vp of necessitie consumed in sléepe So great also is the familiaritie men and the women of the Quéene mothers trayne and so greate libertie of sporting entertainement and talking togyther as to foreine nations may séeme incredible and be thought of al honest persons a matter not very conuenient for preseruation of noble yong Ladies chastitie Moreouer if there come any Pandor or bawde out of Italie or any Scholmaster of shamefull and filthy lust he winneth in shorte time maruellous fauour and credite And such a multitude is there begon to be of Italians commonly throughout all Fraunce specially in the Court since the Administration of the Realme was coÌ„mitted to the Quéene mother that many do commonly call it Fraunce-Italian and some terme it a Colonie and some a common sinke of Italie These madnesses of the Court were the cause that the Admiral could not haue accesse to the Kings speach nor entrance to deale in waightie matters But when they that were sente from the reformed Churches to complaine of iniuries commoÌ„ly done to those of the Religion vnderstoode of the Admirals purpose to depart they did with all spéede deliuer to him their bookes and petitions and besought him not to depart from the Court till he had dealt in the cause of the Churches and delyuered their petitions to the King and his Counsell For this cause the Admirall resolued to deferre his going for a while till he might treat with the Kings Counsell concerning those requests for the King had promised him that he would shortly entend those matters be present with the Counsel himselfe Besides this delay there was an other matter that stayed him There was owing to the Rutters of Germanie which had serued on the part of the Religion in the last warre great summes of money for their wages in whiche matter the Admirall trauelled with incredible earnestnesse and care Concerning all these affaires the Admirall as he determined before hauing accesse and opportunitie for that purpose moued the Kings priâ—…ie Counsell the 22. of August which was the fifte daye after the King of Nauarres mariage and spente much time in that treatie About noone when he was in returning home from the Counsell with a greate companie of noblemen and Gentlemen beholde a Harquebuzier out of a window of a house néere adioyning shot the Admiral with two bullets of leade through both the armes When the Admirall felte himselfe wounded nothing at all amazed but with the same countenance that he was accustomed he sayde throughe yonder windowe it was done goe sée who are in the house What manner of trecherie is this Then he sente a certaine gentleman of his company to the King to declare it vnto him The King at that time was playing at tennise with the duke of Guise Assone as he heard of the Admirals hurt he was maruellously moued as it séemed and threw away his racket that he played with on the grounde and taking with him his brother in lawe the King of Nauarre he retired into his Castle The Gentlemen that were with the Admirall brake into the house froÌ„ whence he receiued his hurt there they found only one woman the kéeper of the house and shortely after also a boy his lackey that had done the déede and therewithall they founde the harquebuze lying vpon the table in that Chamber from whence the noyse was heard him that shot they founde not for he in great hast was runne away out at the back gate and getting on horssebacke whiche he hadde wayting for him readie sadled at the dore he rode a great pace to S. Anthonies gate where he had a fresh horsse tarying for him if néed were and an other at Marcels gate Then by the Kings commaundement a great number rode out in post into all parts to pursue him but for that he was slipped into bywayes and receyued into a certaine Castle they could not ouertake him At the sute of the King of Nauar and the Prince of Conde other the King by and by gaue commission for enquirie to be made of the matter and coÌ„mitted the examining thereof to thrée chosen persons of the Parliament of Paris Thuan Morsant and Viol a Counseller Firste it was founde that the same house belonged to a Priest a Canon of S. Germaine whose name is Villemure whiche had bene the Duke of Guises scholemaster in his youth and still continued a retayner towarde him Then the womaÌ„ which we sayd was found in the house being taken brought before them confessed that a fewe dayes before there came to hir one Challey somtime a master d'hostel of the Duke of Guises house and nowe of the Kings Courte and commaunded hir to make muche of the man that had done this deede and to lodge him in the same bed Chamber where Villemure was wonte to lye for that he was his friende and very familiar acquaintance and that Villemure would be very glad of it The name of him that shot was very diligently kept secret Some saye it was Manreuet which in the thirde ciuill war tratorously slew his Captaine monsieur de Mouy a moste valiante and noble Gentleman and straightway
house and all the names of those of the Religion togither with the place of euery of their lodgings they put in bokes and wyth speede deliuered ouer the same bokes to those of whome they had receyued that commaundemente After noone the Quéene mother led out the King the Duke of Aniow Gonzague Tauaignes the Counte de Rhetz called Gondiâ—… into hir gardens called Tegliers This place bicause it was somewhat farre from resort she thought most fit for this their laste consultation There she shewed them howe those whome they hadde long bene in waite for were nowe sure in hold the Admirall lay in his bed maymed of both his armes and could not stir the King of Nauar and Prince of Conde were fast lodged in the Castle the gates were kept shut all nyghte and watches placed so as they were so snared that they coulde no way escape and the captaines thus taken it was not to be feared that any of the Religion woulde from thenceforth stir any more Now was a notable opportunitie saide she offred to dispatch the matter For all the chiefe Captaines were fast closed vp in Paris and the rest in other townes were all vnarmed and vnprepared and that there were scarcely to be found tenne enimies to a thousande Catholikes that the Parisians were in armour and were able to make thréescore thousande chosen fighting men and that within the space of one houre al the enimiâ—…s may be slayne and the whole name and race of those wicked meÌ„ be vtterly rooted out On the other side saith she if the King do not take the aduantage of the fitnesse of this time it is no doubt but that if the Admiral recouer his health al France will shortly be on fire with the fourth ciuill warre The Quéenes opinion was allowed Howbeit it was thought best partely for his age and partly for the affinities sake that the King of Nauars life should be saued As for the Prince of Conde it was doubted whether it were best to spare him for his age or to put him to death for hatred of his fathers name But herein the opinion of Gonzague toke place that he should with feare of death and torment be drawne from the Religion So that counsell brake vp with appoyntment that the matter should be put in execution the nexte night earely afore day and that the ordering and doing of all shoulde be committed to the Duke of Guise The Admirall being enformed of stirre and noyse of Armour and threatnings hearde euery where throughout the town and preparation of many things perteyning to tumult sent word thereof to the King who answered that there was no cause for the Admirall to feare for all was done by his coÌ„maundement and not euery where but in certayne places and that there were certayne appoynted by him to be in armour least the people shoulde rise and make any stirre in the towne When the Duke of Guise thought all things readie enough he called to him the abouesayde Marcell and charged him that he should a little after midnight assemble togither the masters of the streates whom they call Diziners into the townhouse for he had certaine strange and speciall matters in charge froÌ„ the King which his pleasure was to haue declared vnto them They all assembled bytime Carron the newe Prouost of merchauntes guarded with certaine Guisians and among the rest Entragne and Pnygallard made the declaration He sayde that the Kings meaning was to destroy all the Rebels whiche had in these late yeres borne armes against his Maiestie to roote out the race of those wicked men it was nowe very fitly hapned that the chieftaines and ringleaders of them were fast enclosed within the walles of the towne as in a pryson and that the same night they should first beginne with them and afterwarde for the rest assoone as possibly might be throughout all partes of the Realme the King would take order and the token to set vpon them should be giuen not with a trumpet but with tocksein or ringing of the great bel of the Palace which they knewe to be accustomed onely in great cases and the marke for them to be knowne from other should be a white linnen cloth hanged about their lefte arme and a white câ—…osse pinned vppon their cappes In the meane time the Duke of Guise made priuie therevnto the captains of the Kings guard both Gascoignes Frenchmen and Switzers and bad them be ready to go to it with good courage Shortly after the Duke of Guise and the bastard sonne of King Henry commonly called the Cheuaâ—…ier with a great band of armed men following theÌ„ went to the Admirals house which Cossin kept besieged with Harquebuziers placed in ordeâ—… on both sides of the streat The Admirall aduertised of the stirre and the noyse of the armour although he had scarcely ten persons in his house able to beare harnesse and in his Chamber onely two Surgions one Preacher and one or two seruitors yet could not be made afrayde trusting as he oft rehearsed vpon the â—…ings good wil toward him approued by so many and so great meanes of assuraunce hauing also coÌ„fidence that the câ—…mmonaltie of Paris if they once vnderstode the King to miâ—…ke of their mad furie how much soeuer they wer in ouâ—…rage yet so sone as they saw Cossin warding the gate they woulde be appeased He repeated also the othe for kéeping of the peace so oft openly sworne by the King and his brethren and their mother and entred in publike recordes the league lately made with the Quéene of Englande for the same cause the articles of treatie couenanted with the Prince of Aurenge the Kingâ—… faithe giuen to the Princes of Germanie some townes attempted and some takeÌ„ in the lowe countâ—…ey by the Kings commaundement the mariage of the Kings sisâ—…er solâ—…nized but sixe days before whiche it was not like that he would suffer to be defiled with bloude siually the iudgement of foraine nations and of pasteritie shame and the honor and constancie of a Prince publike faith and the sacred respecte of the lawe of nations all which it seemed monstrous and iucredible that the â—…ing could assâ—…nt to be stained with so outrageous a crueâ—…l déede Cossin when he saw the noblemen drawe neare â–ª knocked at the gate which as is abouesaide he was commaunded by the Duke of Aniâ—w to kéepe Wherevpon many applyed the olde prouerbe A goodly guarde to make the Woolfe keeper of the shéepe When he was entred without in manner any difficultie he caried in with him a great companie of armed men and after those followed the great Lords Such as Cossin found at the entrie of and within the porch of the house he slewe with a partisan that he had in his hand â–ª Which when the Admiral vnderstoode he caused those that were about him to lifte him out of his bâ—d casting on a nightgown vpon him he rose vpright on his feete he bad his friendes and seruants to flee
and make shift for themselues and to take no more care for him for he sayde that he was readie with most willing heart to reÌ„der into the handes of God now calling for it againe the spirit that he had lent him to vse for a time and sayde that this violent crueltie was prepared not so much for his destruction as for the dishonoring of Christe and the tormenting of so many Churches the defence of which Churches he had at the petition of all godly men with his many daungers and calamities sustained In the meane time there came vp the staires into the hier part of the house on Benuese a Germaine brought vp in the house of the Duke of Guise and to whome it is sayde that the Cardinall of Loraine had giuen one of his bastard daughters in mariage and with him came Cossin the Gascoine Attin a Picarde a retainer and familiar of the Duke d'Aumal one that a fewe yeres before sought to murder d'Andelot by treason and also one Hamfort an Auernois all weaponed with swordes and targets and armed with shirts of maile When they were broken into the Admiralles chamber Benuese came to him and bending his drawne sworde vpon him said Art not thou the Admirall he with a quiet and constant countenance as we haue since vnderstode by theÌ„selues answered I am so called And then seeing the sworde drawne vpon him he sayde yong man consider my age and the weake case that I am now in But the fellowe after blaspheming God fyrste thrust his sworde into the Admiralles breste and then also stroke him vpoÌ„ the head and Attin shot him through the brest with a pistol WheÌ„ thâ—… Admiral was with this wound not yet throughly deade Benuese gaue him the thirde wounde vpon the thygh and so he fell down for deade When the duke of Guise which stayed in the courte with the other noblemen heard this he cried out alowde hast thou done Benuese he answered I haue done Then said the Duke of Guise our Cheuelier meaning King Henries bastard abouesaide vnlesse he sée it with his eyes will not beléeue it throw him down at the window Then Benuese with the helpe of his fellowes toke vp the Admirals body and threwe it downe through the windowe When by reason of the wound in his head and his face couered with bloud they could not well discerne him the Duke of Guise knéeled down on the ground and wiped him with a napkin and sayde now I know him it is he And therewithal going out at the gate with the rest of the Lordes he cryed out to the multitude in armour saying my companions we haue had a good lucky beginning now let vs go forward to the rest for it is the Kings commaundement which words he did ofte repeat aloud saying Thus the King coÌ„maundeth This is the Kings wil this is his pleasure And then he coÌ„maunded the tokeÌ„ to be giuen by ringing tocksein with the great bel of the palace alarme to be raysed and he caused it to be published that the conspiratours wers in armour and about to kill the king Then a certaine Italian of Gonzagues band cut off the Admirals head sent it preserued with spices to Rome to the Pope and the Cardinall of Loreine Other cut off his hands and other his secrete partes Then the common laborers and rascalles thrée days togither dragged the deade bodie thus mangled and berayed with bloude and filth through the streates and afterward drewe it out of the towne to the common gallowes and hanged it vp with a rope by the féete In the meane time those of the noblemens bands brake into all the Chambers of the Admiralles house and such as they found either in their beds or hidden they mangled them with many wounds and so slaughtered them Of that number were two yong children Pages of honorable birth Ther was also the Count Rochfoucault which for the excellent pleasantnesse of his wit and for his valiantnesse was hiely beloued of Kyng Henry and so séemed for the same cause also to be beloued of the king Him was de Nance abouesaide commaunded to kyll but he refusing it for their olde acquaintance and familiaritie one Laberge an Auernois offred himselfe to the King to do it but with this condition that the King shoulde giue him the Captainship of horssemen which Count Rochfoucault had There was also slayne Theligny the Admirals sonne in lawe a yong man of singular towardnesse both of wit and courage to whoÌ„ the King these many yeres had both in words countenance made shew of so gret good wil as that no maÌ„ was thought to be more highly in his fauor He crying out that it was now grieuous to him to liue for that he had euer commended to his father in law the faithfulnesse of the King refused not the death offered him And many other most flourishing yong noblemen and Gentlemen were euery where butcherly murthered in that streat Then the noblemens bandes and Cossins soulders wente ransacking from house to house and the Admiralles house and all the other houses were all sacked and spoyled eueÌ„ in like manner as is vsed to be done by souldiers gréedy of pray in a towne taken by assault and many by this robberie were of beggers sodeinly become rich men For the Duke of Guise the duke of Monpensier the Cheualier king Henries bastard Gonzague Tauaignes the other great Lords did with the reward of the spoyle bootie encourage the multitude to the slaughter and cryed out aloude that this was the Kings will. So al the rest of the day from morning to euening the rascall multitude encouraged by spoyle and robberie ran with their bloudie swordes raging throughout all the towne they spared not the aged nor women nor the verie babes In ioye and tryumph they threw the slaine bodies out at the windowes so as there was not in manner any one streate or lane that séemed not strawed with murthered carcases While these things were thus a doing in the towne the King of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde whome the King had lodged in his owne Castle of the Louure were by the Kings coÌ„maundement sent for and conueyed vnto him But their company their seruitours of their Chambers their friendes retaining to them their scholemasters and those that had the bringing vp of them crying out aloude to the Kings fidelitie for succour were thrust out of the Chambers and by the Kyngs guarde of Switzers hewed in pieces and slaughtered in the Kings owne sight But of that number of persons slayne no mans case was so much lamented of many as Monsieur de Pilles in whome it is harde to expresse whether there were more godly zeale in Religion or prowesse in warre Whereby hauing in the late yeres specially in the defence of the towne of S. Iohn d'Angeli whiche the King then besieged gotten great honour of Cheualrie he was thought very well beloued and highly estéemed of the king Him and Leranne the
sonne of Odou by the Frenche Kings commaundement which was not then vnderstoode whereto it tended the King of Nauarre hadde stayed in a Wardrobe adioyning to his owne chamber and caused ▪ them to lodge there all night A little asore daye hearing of the running of men and noyse of armour and cries and killings they rose in hast and immediately de Nance whō we haue before spoken of came to them and commaunded them in the Kings name to come downe into the court and to leaue their weapons behinde them and lastly to depart out of the Castle When de Pilles saw himself thrust out among the multitude of the murthering souldiers and behelde the bodies of them that were slayn he cryed out with a very loude voyce that the King might wel heare him protesting vpon the kings fidelitie and deteūing his trayterous infidelitie and therewith he toke off a riche cloake which he wore and gaue it to one of his acquaintance saying take here this token of Pilles ▪ hereafter remember Pilles moste vnworthily and shamefully slayn Oh my good Monsieur de Pilles sayd the other I am none of them I thanke you for your cloake but I will not receiue it with that condition and so refused to take the cloake and immediatly de Pilles was thrust through by one of the guarde with a partisan and dyed And this ende had this most valiant and noble Gentleman And then his body was throwne into the quarrey with the rest which when they that passed by dyd beholde the souldiers cryed out there they be that made assault vpon vs and woulde haue killed the king Leranne beeing thrust through with a sworde escaped and ranne into the Quéene of Nauarres Chamber and was by hir kept and preserued from the violence of those that pursued him Shortly after she obtayned his pardon of hir brother and committing him to hir own Phisitions who restored hym bothe to life and health While these things were in doing at Paris Strozzi which as we haue aforesayd was come with al his power to Rochel sent a great number of his Souldiers into the towne vnder coloure of a banket to be made to his friendes in the Castle called la Cheine but by reason of the iealosie and watches of the townes men by whome he sawe his treason was espied he went awaye without his purpose But they of la Charité which as we haue before shewed were trapped by the Italian horssemen taking lesse heede to the salfe keeping of their towne were a little before nyght surprized and within fewe dayes after put to the sworde The next day following where any that had hidden themselues in corners at Paris coulde be founde out the slaughter was renewed also common laborers and porters and other of the most rascals of the people desperate villaines to haue the spoyle of their cloathes stripped the dead bodies stark naked and threwe them into the Ryuer of Seane The profit of all the robberies and spoyles came all for the moste parte to the handes of these laborers and the Souldiers and to the Kings treasurie came very litle or nothing The onely gaine that came to him was that whiche might be made of the vacations as they terme them of offices of places of Magistates Captaines and other romes of charge whereof yet he gaue a great part freely away to diuers of the court For the Admiralles office he gaue to the Marques de Villers the Chancellorship of Nauarre after the murther of Francourt he by and by gaue Henry Memne de Malassise which had béene the truchman and messanger in the treatie of the last peace the office of the master of the Finances after the slaugheer of Prunes he gaue to Villequier the office of President des aides when Plateau was slayne he gaue to de Nully the other offices he solde as his manner is to such as gaue readie maney for them For it hath bin the custome now lately of certen kings of Fraūce such as amōg forein nations hath not bin heard of to put to sale al the profits rights and benefits of the crowne and to kéepe an open market for money of all iudiciall offices and of all the roomes belonging to his tresure and finances according to a rate of price set vpon euery one of them and there is not in manner one in all Fraunce that doth not openly iustifie that he bought his office for readie money and that no man ought to maruell if he desire to fill vp the emptie hole of his stocke againe And therefore Iustice is through all Fraunce vsually bought for money and though there be neuer so many murders committed yet is there no processe awarded to enquire thereof till present coyne be payde to the rakehels scribes This butcherly slaughter of Paris thus performed and foure hundred houses as is abouesayde sacked immediatly messengers were sent in post into all the partes of the Realme with oft shifting their horsses for hast to commaunde all other Cities in the Kings name to followe the example of Paris and to cause to be killed as many as they had among them of the reformed Religion These commaundements it is wonderfull to tell how readily and cherefully the greatest part of the Cities of Fraunce did obey and execute But the King fearing as it was likely the dishonour of false treacherie and periurie sent letters to the gouernours of his Prouinces and also spéedie messangers into England Germanie and Switzerland to declare in his name that there was a great commotion and seditious stirre happened at Paris which he was very sorie for that the Duke of Guise had raysed the people and with armed men made assault vpon the band that was assigned to the Admirall for his guard and had broken into the house and slayn the Admirall al his companie and houshold seruants and that the King had hardly kept safe from those daungers his owne Castle of the Louure where he kept himselfe close with his mother and hys brethren the true copie of which letters is hereafter inserted But the same most mightie and by the consent of all nations commonly called the most Christian King within two dayes after came into the Parliament accompanied with a greate trayne of his brethren and other Princes The Counsell being assembled he sitting in his throne began to speake vnto them he declared that he was certified that the Admirall with certaine of his complices had conspired his death and had intended the like purpose against his brethren the Quéene his mother and the King of Nauarre and that for this cause he had commaunded his friendes to slay the sayde Admirall and all his cōfederates so to preuent the treason of his enimies This his testification and declaration the King commaunded to be written and entred in the recordes of Parliament and that it shoulde be proclaymed by the heraldes and published by Printers And he willed a booke to be set forth to this effect that
amoÌ„g them nowe speaketh thrée wordes without moste filthy blaspheming and horrible execration of god Who can longer beare the vile vnchastities the bawdes and Ruffians of the Court Finally very nature it selfe doth nowe as it were expostulate with God for his so long sufferance and for bearing and the very earth can no longer beare these monsters Nowe as touching the Admirals supposed conspiracie who can thinke it likely that he shoulde enterprise any suche thing within the walles of Paris For in the Court there is continually watching and warding a garrison of the Kings and at the entrie of his Castle the guards of Gascoines Scottes and Switzers are continually attending and the King himselfe both alwayes before and specially at that time by reason of his sisters mariage had a great trayn of Princes great Lords noblemen and Gentlemen about him Moreouer it was well knowne that in Paris within thrée houres space might be assembled and put in armour threescore thousand chosen armed men specially against the Admirall whome no man is ignorant that the Parisians most deadly hated beside that the noble yong men that came thither with the King of Nâ—…uar and the Prince of Conde by reson of the mariage and brought with them their wiues their sisters and their kinswomen thought at that time vpon nothing but vpon triumph and exercises of pastime and gay furniture of apparel and ornaments Finally at whither of these two times can it be likely that the Admirall attempted this conspiracie was it before he was hurt why at that time he founde the King his most louing or at least his most liberall and bountifull good Lord neither could he hope euer to haue a more fauorable soueraigne in France Was it then after he was hurte as though forsoth he lying sore of two so great woundes aged maimed of both his arms the one whereof the PhisitioÌ„s coÌ„sulted whether it were to be cut off accompanied with thrée hundreth yong men would set vpon thréescore thousande armed men or in so small a time coulde lay the plot for so great and so long and so haynous a facte for he lyued scarce fortie houres after his hurt in which time he was enioyned by the Phisitions to forbeare talke Againe if he had bene detected of any suche crime was he not committed to Cossin and to his kéeping and so enuironed all the wayes beset about him and so in the Kings power that if it had pleased the King he might at all times in a momeÌ„t be caried to pryson why was not orderly enquirie anâ—… iudiciall procéeding vsed according to the custome and lawes and generall right of nations and witnesses produced according to the forme of lawe but be it that the Admirall and a fewe other of his confederates and followers had conspired why yet procéeded the outragious crueltie vpon the reste that were innocent why vpon ancient matrones why vpon noble Ladies yong Gentlewomen and virgins that came thither for the honor of the wedding why were so manye women greate with childe against the lawes of all nations and of nature before their deliuery thrown into the Ryuer why were so many aged persons many that lay sicke in their beds many gownemen many Counsellers Aduocates Proctors Phisitions many singularly learned professors and teachers of good artes and among the rest Petrus Ramus that renoâ—…ed man throughout the worlde many yong students executed without hearing without pleading their cause without sentence of condemnation moreouer if the Admirall had â—…aine the thrée brethren who doubteth but that all couâ—…eys al Cities all Parliaments finally all sortes and degrées of men would haue spéedily taken armour and easily haue destroyed all of the Religion hauing them enclosed within their towns and hauing iust cause to render to all foreine nations fâ—…r their common slaughters and killing of them As to that whiche toucheth the King of 〈◊〉 what caÌ„ be imagined more absurd and vnlikely had not the Admirall him foure yeares in his power â–ª Did not he professe the same Religion that the Admirall did which of those 〈◊〉 the Religion which of them I say as Cassius was wont to reason should haue gained or receyued profit by the killing of the King of Nauarre did not the Catholikes hate him and the Admirall coulde not hope to haue any man more friendly to him nor by any other maÌ„s meanes to haue reueÌ„ge of his iniurie Lastly in their houses that were slaine what armour what weapons were found by which coÌ„iectures iudges vse to be lead to trace out a facte These matters wyse men throughout the towne of Paris commonly muttered But now to retourne to our purpose At such tyme as the Kings prâ—…hibition abouesayd was proclaimed at Paris not only in other townes as at Orleance Angiers Viaron Troys and Auxerre the like butcheries and slaughters were vsed but also in the towne of Paris it selfe in the verye gaoles that are ordeyned for the kéeping of prisoners if anye had escaped the crueltie of the day before they were now tumultuously slayne by the raging and outraging multitude in which number were thrée Gentlemen of greate reputation captaine Monins a man very famous in marciall prowesse Lomen the Kings secretarie a man of greate estimation for his long seruice in the Courte and Chappes a lawyer neare fourscore yeare olde a man of greate renowne in the Courte of Paris And bycause we haue made mention of Angiers we thinke it good not to omitte the case of Masson de Riuers This maÌ„ was a pastor of the church and estéemed a singular man both in vertuousnesse of life and in excellence of wit and learning and was the first that had layd the foundacion of the Churche at Paris As sone as the slaughter was begon at Paris Monsorel a most cruell enimie of the Religion was tente to Angiers in post to preuente al other that might carie tidings of the murdering As sone as he came into the towne he caused himself to be brought to Massons house There he met Massons wife in the entrie and geÌ„tly saluted hir and after the maner of Fraunce specially of the Court he kissed hir and asked hiâ—… where hir husband was she answered that he was walking in the garden and by and by she brought Monsorell to hir husbande who gently embraced Masson and sayde vnto him Canst thou tell why I am come hither it is to kyll thée by the Kings coÌ„maundement at this very instant time for so hath the King commaunded as thou mayste perceiue by these letters and therewith he shewed him his dagge ready charged Masson answered that he was not guiltie of any crime howbeit this one thing only he besought him to giue him space to call to the mercie of God and to commende his spirit into Gods hande Which prayer as soone as he had ended in fewe wordes he méekely receiued the death offered by the other and was shot through with a pellet and dyed Now to returne to Paris â–ª the Admirals
charge do see that no commotion or insurrection bee against the inhabitants of the sayd Citie nor that no murder be committed as it is to be feared by those which pretend too breake the Edict of Pacification and thereby would execute a reuenge of their long and priuate grudge too our incredible vexation and anguishe of minde For this cause it is your part to giue to vnderstand and publishe throughout that Citie of ours and other places pertaining to it that euery one should quietly and peacibly kepe their houses without taking weapons in hande and offending one the other vpon payne of death and well and diligently to kepe our Edict of Pacification And if any goe about to contrarie this our intent and minde to cause them to be punished and rigorously chastised by penalties imposed on such offendours in our ordinances hauing a watchfull and diligent eye to the safegarde of that our Citie in such sort that no inconuenience arise in your seruice towards vs as you would haue vs to knowe that you are our loyal and obedient subiectes Giuen at Paris the. xxvij of August 1572. Thus signed Charles and belowe De Neuf-ville A LETTER OF THE TREASORER OF the leagues of the Switzers written by the Kings commaundement vnto the sayd Leagues of the same argument that the former letters were NOble Seigniours Monsieur de la Fontaine Ambassador for the King your assured and perfect friend and confederate and I his Treasorer in this countrey hauing commaundement of his maiestie too communicate with you as with them whome be accompteth his chiefe and sure friends of a chaunce which lately happened in the Citie of Paris his owne person and court then being there whereof he receyued so much more griefe and displeasure bycause it befell on such a time as he least feared or loked for such a thing The matter is this On the xxij day of August last the Admirall as he went from Louure was with an harquebuze shot hurte in the hande and arme whereof when his maiestie was aduertised he commaunded incontinent that search and punishment were had of the offendour and the authors of such a mischiefe whervntoo when he had readilie layde his hande by his officiers and committed the inhabitantes of the house where the harquebuze was shot to prison they which were the cause firste of the mischiefe as it maye easily bee presupposed bycause they woulde preuente the inquisition therof heaping one transgression vpon another on the. xxiij and xxiiij of the sayd moneth assembled a great troupe of people in the night and moued the people of Paris to a verie great sedition who in a rage set vpon the Admirals lodging and enforcing the Garde which his Maiestie had set for the Admirals suretie and keping slew him with certaine other gentlemen in his companie as the like also was committed vpon others in the Citie the matter growing in the verie same instant to such an o◅age and commotion that whereas his Maiestie had thought to prouide remedy for appeasing therof he had much a doe with all his Gardes to keepe his house at Louure where he lodged with the two Queenes his mother and the Spouse the Lords his brethrē the King of Nauarre and other Princes Think therefore ye noble Seigniours in what a perplexitie this yong and courageous King now standeth who as a man may saye hath helde in his hande thornes in steade of a Scepter euer since his comming to the Crowne for the greate troubles which haue almost euer since beene in his Realme and therefore by the good and wise counsell and assistāce of the Queene his mother and the Lords his brethren thought to enioy and establishe a more sure repose in his Realme and a more happie gouernement for himselfe and his subiectes after he had taken away as he thought al occasions of dissentions amōgst his subiectes by the meanes of his Edicts of Pacifications and of the mariage of the King of Nauarre to the Ladie his sister and the Prince of Conde to Madame de Neuers Besides all this to the intent nothing should be lefte vndone that mighte serue for the quieting of al things and especially for the Admirals safegard his Maiestie as euery man knoweth hath done his ind◅uour to the vttermost to appease and reconcile his principall and most daungerous enimies vnto him And so God the true iudge of the Kings Maiesties good and pure intent brought to passe that the peoples rage being quieted within a few houres euery one went home too his house and the king had speciall regard to nothing more than to see nothing attempted or innouated contrarie to his Edicts of Pacification and the repose of his subiectes aswel of the one Religion as of the other And for that purpose hath sent to diuerse of his Gouernours and Officers in his prouinces to loke diligētly to the obser◅ing of his Edictes with expresse commaundement to ◅olde their handes there that euerie one might perceyue that the chaunce at Paris happened for some priuate quarell and not for any purpose to alter his Edicts which his Maiestie wil in no wise suffer VVhich is the principal thing noble Seigniours that his Maiestie hath commaunded vs on his parte to assure you and to let you vnderstand the daungers that depende ouer him and his neyghbours not so much for this seditiō for he trusteth in God that shall growe no further and his Maiestie wil kepe his Realme in as good repose as it hath bene since his last Edict of Pacification but for the greate mustering and assembling men of warre in many places specially in the lowe countreyes where it is yet vncertaine on which side God will giue the victorie nor whither the conqueror will employ his force after his conquest VVherefore his Maiestie prayeth you continuing the good loue and intelligence which hath always bene betwixt the Crowne of Fraunce and his allied and confederate friendes the Seigniours of the Leagues too haue good regarde to him and his Realme in case that neede shall require as he wil haue to you and your prosperous estate if it bee requisite employing in the meane whyle your greate and singular wisdome to the perseruation of the vnion of the Nation in League which is the onely cause to make you not onely able to send succour to your friends but also maintaine your selues in estimation that you may be a terrour to your neighbours how great so euer they be his maiestie promising you in all occurrentes as much friendship fauour and assistance as you can desire and to be as entier and perfect a friend as euer your nation had any A DECLARATION OF THE KING CON cerning the occasion of the Admirals death and his adherents and complices happened in the Citie of Paris the. 24 of August 1572. Imprinted at Paris by Iohn Dallier Stacioner dwelling vpon S. Michaels bridge at the signe of the white Rose by the Kings licence BY THE KING HIs Maiestie desiring to haue
all Seigniours Gentlemen and other his subiects vnderstand the cause of the murder of the Admirall and his adherentes and complices which lately happened in this Citie of Paris the xxiiij day of this present moneth of August least the sayd deede shuld be otherwise disguised and reported than it was in deede his Maiestie therfore declareth that which was done was by his expresse commaundement and for no cause of Religion nor breaking his edictes of pacification which he alwayes intended and stil mindeth and intendeth to obserue and keepe yea it was rather done too withstand and preuent a most detestable and curssed conspiracie begon by the sayd Admirall the chiefe captaine thereof and his sayd adherents and complices against the kings person his estate the Queene his mother and the Princes his brethren the King of Nauarre and other Lordes about him VVhereof his Maiestie by this declaration and ordinaunce giueth to vnderstand to all Gentlemen and others of the Religion which they pretend reformed that he mindeth and purposeth that they shall liue vnder his protection with their wiues and children in their houses in as much safegarde as they did before folowing the benefite of the former Edictes of Pacification most expressely commaunding and ordaining that all Gouernours and Lieutenants generall in euerie of his countreyes and Prouinces and other Iustices and Officers to whom it appertaineth do not attempt nor suffer too bee attempted any thing in what sort so euer vpon the persons and goodes of them of the Religion their wiues children and families on paine of death against the faultie and culpable in this behalfe And neuerthelesse too withstande the troubles slaunders suspicions and desiances that may come by sermons and assemblies aswell in the houses of the sayde Gentlemen as in other places as it is suffred by the sayde Edictes of Pacification it is expressely forbidden and inhibited by his Maiestie to all Gentlemen and others of the sayd Religion to haue no assemblies for any cause at all vntill his Maiestie hath prouided and appointed otherwise for the tranquillitie of his Realme vpon paine of disobedience and confiscation of bodie and goods It is also expressely forbidden vnder the paine aforesayd that for the foresayd occasions none shall take or retaine any prisoners or take raunsome of them and that incontinently they certifie the gouernours of euerie pr◅uince and the Lieutenante generall of the name and qualitie of euerie such prisoner whome his Maiestie hath appoynted shall bee released and set at libertie except they bee of the chiefe of the late conspiracie or such as haue made some practise or deuise for them or had intelligence thereof and they shall aduertise his Maiestie of such to knowe his further pleasure It is also ordayned that from hencefo◅th none shall take or arrest any p◅isoner for that cause without his Maiesties commaundement or his Officers nor that none be suffred to roame abroade in the fieldes to take vp dogs Catell Beefes Kine or other beastes goods fruites graine nor any thing else nor too hurt the labourers by word or deede but too let them alone about their worke and calling in peace and safetie At Paris the. xxviij of August 1572. Signed Charles and vnderneath Fizes THE KINGS LETTERS TO THE OFFICERS of Burges of the same argument that the former declaration was OVr trustie and welbeloued wee considering that vnder the colour of the death of the Admiral and his adherents and complices certaine Gentlemen and others our subiectes professing the Religion called Refourmed might rise and assemble together to the preiudice and hinderance of the tranquillitie which we haue alwayes desired should be in our Realme the doyng of the sayd murder being counterfeited and giuen out otherwise than it was VVe haue therefore made a declaration and ordinance which we send you willing you to publishe the same incontinently by sounde of Trumpet and setting the same vp in such places of your Iurisdiction where cryes and Proclamations are vsually made to the end that euery one might knowe it And although we haue alwayes bene diligent obseruers of our Edicts of Pacification yet seing the troubles and seditions which might arise amongst our subiects by the occasion of the sayd murder as well of the Admirall as of his companions we commaunde you and ordeyne that you particularly forbid the principals of the Religion pretended refourmed within your Iurisdiction that they haue no sermons nor assemblies either in their houses or in any other places to take away all doubt and suspition which might bee conceyued agaynst them And likewise that you aduertise such as dwell in the Cities of your Iurisdiction what you iudge meet to be done too the intent they myght in this poynt follow our mind and kepe them quiet in their houses as they may doo by the benefite of our Edict of Pacification and there they shall bee vnder our protection and safegarde but if they will not so retyre themselues after you haue giuen them warning then shall you set on them with all strength and force aswell by the prouostes of the Marishals and their Archers as others which you can-gather toogether by Bell ringing or otherwise so that you hewe them all too pe◅ces as enimies ◅o our Crowne Besides what commaundements so euer wee haue sent by worde of mouth eyther to you or others in our Realme whē we were in feare vpon iuste occasion knowing the conspiracie that the Admirall had begon of some mischaunce that might fall vnto vs we haue and do reuoke willing you and others that no such thing be executed for such is our pleasure Giuen at Paris the. xxx of August 1572. Thus signed Charles and vnderneath De Neuf-ville Published in iudgement REMEMBRAVNCES AND INSTRVCTIONS sent by the King to the Counte of Charny his general Lieutenant in Burgundie of the same argument THe King considering the commotion lately happened in Paris wherin the L. Admirall Chastilion with other Gentlemen of his side were slaine bicause they had mischeuously conspired to set vpon the Kings maiesties person the Queene his mother the Princes his brethren the King of Nauarre and other Princes and Lordes neare about them and vpon his estate and least they of the Religion called refourmed not knowing the true causes of the sayde rebellion shuld arise and put them selues in armes as they haue done in the troubles that be passed and deuise new practises fetches against the weale of his Maiestie and tranquillitie of his Realme if he should not cause the truth of the matter to bee knowne to all Gentlemen and others his subiects of the same religion how it passed and what his pleasure and mind is in their behalfes And thinking that for remedie hereof it is verie needefull for the Gouernours of the Prouinces in his Realme to go rounde about their gouernementes for this occasion he willeth that the Counte of Charnie greate Esquire of Fraunce and his Maiesties Lieutenant generall for the gouernement of Burgundie shall go diligently
through all Cities and places of the sayde gouernements and as he arriueth in euery place he shall deuise tho best wayes that he can to make peace vnion and quietnesse amongst the Kings subiectes as well of the one Religion as of the other And to bring it the better about he shall gently call before him in open or priuate place as he shal see best cause for his Maiesties seruice herein the Gentlemen of the places and the Burgeses of the Cities of his gouernement that be of the Religion and shal declare vnto them cause them to vnderstand the truth of the sayd commotion least any haue misreported it too them otherwise than it was in deede And shall tell them that vnder the colour of the L. Admirals hurte wherfore his Maiestie would haue caused iustice to be done according to the good order that he had appointed the sayd Admirall and Gentlemen of his Religion which were in the Citie with him without looking for the executiō of the sayd Iustice had made a mischeuous vnhappie and detestable conspiracie against the Kings Maiesties person the Queene his mother the Lordes his brethren the King of Nauarre and other Princes and Lords with them and against the whole estate euen as certaine of the chiefe and adherents of the sayd conspiracie acknowledging their fault haue confessed VVherfore his Maiestie was constrayned to his greate griefe to resiste and preuent so mischieuous pernicious and abhominable a purpose And that which he suffered to bee done on Sunday the. xxiiij of August vpon the Admiral and his complices was not for any Religion nor to goe against the Edict of Pacification he entending neuerthelesse that they of the Religion should still liue and abyde in al libertie and safetie with their wiues children and families in their houses as he hath and will mainteyne them if they be content to liue quietly vnder his obedience as he desireth ▪ For the which cause he willeth that the Counte Charnye shall offer and giue to them his letters of safegarde in good and authentyke forme which shall bee of as good force and vertue as if they should come or be taken from his owne Maiestie and by the authoritie of them they shall bee preserued from all wrongs violences and oppressions enioyning and forbidding most expressely all his catholike subiects whatsoeuer they are to attempt nothing vpon the persons goods or families of anye of the Religion which kepe themselues quietly in their houses on paine of death And if any be so rashe or euil aduised to do against this Iniunction or too violate the safegard promysed his Maiestie willeth that readie and rigorous punishment bee done too the intent that their example may serue too holde in others not too doe the like which is the true and onely meanes of assurance that his Maiestie can giue to them of the Religion with his worde and promise which he giueth them too bee their good and benigne Prince protector and preseruer of them and of all that toucheth them so long as they liue and continue vnder his obedience without doing or enterprising any thing against his will and seruice And bycause his Maiestie hath often knowne that the enterprises and consultations taken in hand by them of the Religion against his seruice haue bene concluded amongs them at assemblies at sermons which Gentlemen had libertie to cause to bee made in their houses and Lordships therfore my L. of Charnye shall particularly giue too vnderstand to Gentlemen which were wont too haue such sermons that his Maiestie in consideration that nothing hath more moued and set on the Catholikes against those of the Religion than such preachings and assemblies and if they continue it is certaine that it wil bee a cause too encrease and mainteine the said commotions desireth that they should cause them to cease off vntil he hath otherwise prouided and appointed and that they applie themselues herevnto as a thing greatly seruing the effect of his intention which is gently to bring his sayd subiects to a true and perfect amitie vnion and concord one with another committing all diuisions and partialities to obliuiō And bycause this may seme hard at the beginning my L ▪ of Charnye shal cause it to bee faire and gently spoken to them least they enter intoo some straunge coniecture or suspition For so his sayd Maiestie would proceede in all true sinceritie towardes them which conforme themselues to his will and obedience wherin he exhorteth them to liue with all the best perswasions that he can and shall assure them in so doing to be surely maintayned and preserued as his other subiects the Catholikes as his Maiestie would that he should do And too the intent his sayd subiects the Catholikes should knowe howe to vse and behaue them selues herein my L. of Charnie shall tel thē that his maiesties pleasure neither is nor hath bene that any wrong or oppression should be done to them of the saide religion which like good and loyall subiects will gently kepe themselues vnder his obedience Declaring vnto the sayd Catholikes that if they forget themselues and burt those of the religion which in such sort behaue themselues toward his maiestie and those also which for that end haue receiued of his maiestie or of my L. of Charnie letters of safeconduite he will cause them to be punished and chastised in the fielde as trangressours of his commaundementes without any hope of grace pardon or remission VVhich the said L. of Charnie shal expresse and declare vnto thē with as plaine words as is possible cause it also to be as streightly executed And after that following his Maiesties intent he hath pacified them by this meanes which is the waye that his maiestie best liketh of and searched the direction to assure a tranquillitie betwixt the subiectes and to set some assuraunce betwixt the one and the other such as shall conforme themselues herein to his sayde maiesties will he will comfort and make them the beste and most gentle intertainement that he possibly can But if any of the Religion become selfe willed and stubborne to his Maiestie without hauing regarde to his sayde warnings and shall assemble in armes together making practises and deuises against the weale of his seruice then the L. of Charnye shall run vpon thē and hew thē in pieces before they haue power to fortifie thē selues and ioyne together And therfore he shal assemble as muche force as he can as well of the ordinarie as of other men of warre Souldiers Footemen of the garrisons and inhabitants of the Catholikes within the Cities of his gouernement and shall besiege them which holde and make themselues strong in Cities about of his gouernement so that the victorie and authoritie may remayne in his maiestie At Paris the. xxx of August 1572. Signed Charles and vnderneath Brulard THE KINGS LETTERS TO THE LORDE of Gwich wherby it may plainely be perceyued how they would search out all them of
the Religion which had anye charge in hand during the troubles MY L. of Gwiche I vnderstand that the. iij. brethren Daggonels and one Porcher the host at the signe of the Aduenture Mossoner Crispine and Captaine Grise which were the principall of the faction in Burgundie and were the cause of the taking and recouering of the Citie of Mascon in the late troubles and of all the decay which happened in that countrey bee kept prisoners in Mascon And bycause I vnderstande they hope to escape out by ransome which I would in no wise should be done I ordeyne and commaūd that you kepe them safe for as much as I hope by their meanes to discouer a great many things which greatly touch the weale of my seruice And if there be any other prisoners of the new religion in Mascon which haue bene factious you shal likewise kepe thē so that they escape not by paying ransome for I would not for any thing in the world that there shuld be taking of rasome among my subiects And thus my L. of Gwich I pray God kepe you in his holy tuitiō VVrittē at Paris the. xiiij of September 1572. Signed Charles and vnde◅neath Brulard THE KINGS LETTERS TO MONSIEVR DE Gordes his Lieutenant generall in Daulphine wherein ◅e sendeth him worde that the best proof of his doings is the accusations and complaintes of them of the Religion against him wherevnto be should haue care to answere MOnsieur de Gordes by your letters of the first of this moneth I perceyued the order which you appointed in your Gouernement since the aduertisement which you had of the execution of the Admirall and his adherentes and since I am sure you forgot nothing which you thought might serue for your assuraunce of those places wherof you had occasion to doubt And to the intent you shoulde haue the more meanes to make your selfe knowne I haue prepared that the souldiers of Corsica which I had appointed to go into Prouince should returne to you and therevpon haue written too my Cousin the Counte of Tende who will not faile to send them vntoo you ◅or as much as there is no neede of them now in that countrey He should also send you word of the tyme of their departing to the ende that you might haue leysure to prouide to receyue them and appoint their places where they should be in garrison I haue seen that which you writ too mee concerning the continuall payment in Daulphine what is due for the last yeare wherevpon I will aduise of the state of my fines the meanes that may be and according thervnto there shall be no fault but they shall be prouided for For the reparation of the Bridge of Grenoble they of the same place must deuise the meanes wherby they should best helpe them ◅elues therein and when they haue aduertised me I will appoint them necessarie prouision Touching the souldiers appointed ◅or the Baron of Adresse bycause the occasion why I appointed them to be leuied now ◅easeth I haue written to him to send them backe and dismisse them againe wherfore there is no neede to make prouision for their main◅enance nor likewise to tell you any thing else concerning the answeres which you haue made too the remembrances which they of the Religion haue presented against you For your doings are well knowne and playne vnto mee and therevpon I will take no better proofe than their accusation VVherfore you shall put your selfe to no more paine on that side Moreouer I haue herewith sent you a copie of the declaration which I made of the Admirals death and his adherents and made to be vnderstoode that it should be obserued and followed and that all murders sackings and violences should cease Neuerthelesse I haue heard complaints of diuerse places that such extraordinary wayes continue which is a thing that doth much displease mee By the meanes whereof I aduise you in doing this charge once againe put vntoo you that you giue order throughout your gouernement to cause all hostilitie force and violence to cease and that the sayd declaration be straightly obserued and kept with punishing those that withstand so rigorously that the demonstration thereof may serue for an example seyng my intent is that they should be punished as behoueth and to marke them which wincke or dissemble therat This present letter shall serue also for an aduise of the receipt of those letters which you wrote the. 5. of this present wherby you send me word that you receyued no message by word of mouth from me but only letters of the. xxij xxiiij and. xxviij of the moneth passed whereof put your selfe to no further pai◅e for that charge was only for such as thē were neere about me which is al that I haue at this tyme to say vnto you Praying herevpon the Creator to kepe you in his holy and worthy tuicion VVritten at Paris the. xiiij day of September Signed Charles and beneath Fizes And aboue To M. de Gordes knight THE KINGS LETTERS TO THE DVKE of Guise his Lieutenant generall in Champaigne and in Prie. COusin although in all my former letters I haue giuen you too vnderstand well inough how much I desire that al my subiects as wel of the nobilitie as others which professe the new Religiō and quietly vse them selues in your gouernement should by you bee maintayned and preserued in all suretie vnder my protection and safegard without giuing them any hinderance by trouble in their persons goods and families yet neuerthelesse I haue beene aduerti◅ed that in certaine places of my Realme there haue bene many sackings and pillings done by such as dwell in the hou◅es of them of the sayd new Religion as well in the fieldes as in the Cities vnder colou◅ of the commotion which happened in my Citie of Paris the xxiiij day of August last a thing beyond all measure displeasant and disagreable vnto me and for the which I would haue prouision and remedie VVherfore I pray you Cousin that aboue all things as you desire that I should knowe the good affection you beare to the good weal of my seruice you take that matter next your hart too perserue and maintaine within your gouernment according too that which I haue so playnely told and written too you heretofore that all suche of the newe Religion which behaue them selues quietly take no wrong or violence whether it bee for the preseruation of their goodes or persons no more than too my Catholike subiectes And where any wrong or outrage shal bee offered them against my will as I haue before declared so doe I nowe by these presentes declare I will and intend that you shal make some euident and notorious punishment of such as are herein culpable so that their correction may serue for an example to al other that I may see my self throughly obeyd herein as I would be and my cōmaundements receyued amōgst all my subiects in another sorte than they haue bene heretofore Assuring you
cousin that the beste newes that I shall receyue from you shal be to heare say that you chastise those well of whome I am disobeyed And thus cousin I praye God too kepe you in his holy tuition VVritten from Paris the. xxviij of September 1572. Signed Charles and vnderneath Brulard REMEMBRANCES SENT BY THE KING too all gouernours and Lieutenantes of his Prouinces too put out and remoue all those of the Religion from their estates and charges although they would abiure the same sauing su◅h as haue but small estates and offices to whom his Maiestie permitteth continuāce on condition that they abiure the said religion according to the forme of abiuration sent for that purpose THe King considering how much his officers and Magistrates of Iustice and such as haue the administration and dealing of his Fynes and payments which be of the newe Religion are suspect hated and put his catholike subiects in greate mistrust if they should presently exe◅cise their offices after these freshe commotions for cause that the sayde offices be in their handes that now kepe them therfore least the people should therby be brought to a newe occasiō of stirre and they of the new religiō be in daunger or hazard of their own persons although they woulde abiure their sayd new religiō professe the holye faith and catholike Religiō of Rome his maiestie desiring to auoyde the new mischiefes troubles which may come hath aduised to discharge the said officers frō the exercise of the said offices vntill he shall otherwise appoint And yet neuerthelesse in the meane while if the sayd officers bee obediente vnto his will and liue quietly in their houses without attempting practising or ◅aking any thing in hande against his seruice they shall receyue th◅ir wages and they that will resigne their sayde offices too Catholike persons and come too his maiestie shall bee verie honorably prouided for And as touching other small offices without wages which can not bee troublesome as Notaries sergeants and suche where the officers haue none authoritie which cannot bee so odious nor mistrustfull to the people as the other his Maiestie is aduised that such small officers which will abiure the sayd newe Religion and professe the fayth Catholike Apostolike and Romishe and therin liue continually hereafter shall continue in the exercise and enioying of their estates but they that will continue in their newe opinion shal depart from their offices vntill his Maiestie hath otherwise prouided And this is for the greate mischiefe and inconuenience that may betyde them if they shoulde exercise their sayd estates bycause of the greate mistrust and suspition which the Catholikes haue conceyued of them of the newe Religion Neuerthelesse his Maiestie well considering that the moste part of the sayde officers haue none other way too liue but the exercise of their sayd offices willeth that they shall bee in choyse too resigne to Catholike and capable persons and then too come too him for that effect and he will graunt them the greatest fauour and moderation of his treasorie that is possible The which resolution and pleasure of his Maiestie he willeth to be declared to the sayd officers of the new pretended opinion as wel by gouernours and Lieutenants general of his Prouinces as by thē of his Courtes of Parliamēt of the chamber of his accomptes of the Court of his aydes them of his great Counsel of the Treasorie of Fraunce the Generals of his Fynes his Baylifes Seneshals Pro◅osts Iudges or their Lieutenants and ◅uery one of them as shall ▪ appertaine And to this intēt his maiestie willeth and intendeth that euery one of thē in their calling shal send particularly ◅part for euery of the sayd officers of the new Religiō which be of their incorporatiō charge and lurisdictiō shal admonish thē in this behalf to conforme them selues to his maiesties mind and if any of thē in authoritie bicause of their sayd estates wil returne to the bosome of the Catholike Romish church it shall be sayd to thē that his maiestie liketh verie well of it and that hee taketh a greate and singular affection therein and that it shall giue him the greater assurance and credit of their good will and that his Maiestie will not bar them from his seruice hereafter but will prouide for them as their behauiour shall deserue And notwithstanding for the reasons abouesayd he willeth that they shal cease from the exercise of their estates and offices vntil he otherwise appointeth And bycause that in many places of the Realme they haue proceded by waye of seasing the goods of them of the newe Religion which bee deade or absente and hide themselues and sometimes of those which be in their owne houses although hi◅ Maiestie gaue to vnderstande by his declaration of the xxviij of August last that he would and intēded that they of the new Religion should enioy their goods neuerthelesse to the intent there should be no doubt of his purpose and that no mistrust might arise thervpon he declareth willeth and i◅tendeth againe that according to his declaration of the. xxviij of August they of the newe Religion which be lyuing whether they be present or absent and be not culpable or charged with the last conspiration or to haue attempted against his Maiestie or his estate since his Edict of Pacification shall be restored to their houses and put in possession of all and singular their goodes moueable or vnmoue◅ble And that the wydowes and heyres of them that bee dead may and shall succede them and apprehend all and singular their goodes and that they shall bee maynteyned in them and kepte vnder the protection and safegard of his Maiestie so that no hurte shall bee done or sayd vnto them in any maner of wyse or sort VVilling for this purpose that all necessarie suretie shall be giuen them and that all officers Magistrates Maiors and others which haue publike charge shall mayntayne them in al safetie forbidding al persons of what estate qualitie or condition so euer they be not to hurt them in person or goodes vpon payne of death And neuerthelesse his Maiestie willeth that they of the newe opinion shall submit themselues and promise vpon paine to be declared rebelles and traitours too his Maiestie that they shall hereafter liue vnder his obedience without attempting any thing too the contrarie or taking their parts that do attempt against his Maiestie and estate or things against his ordinances and too acknowledge none but his Maiestie or such as he shall appoint vnder him to haue authoritie to commaund them And if they kno◅◅ any that shal enterprise against his Maiestie seruice to reueale thē incontinent to him and his officers as good and faithfull subiects And to take away all doubte and suspicion as wel from the nobilitie as others bycause that in the declaration of the. xxiiij of the last moneth these wordes are contained Except they bee those of the chiefe which had
vs to God and that their Reliques ◅re to be worshipped That the commaundemēts and traditions of the Catholike Apostolike and Romishe Churche as well they which pertaine to the forme and ceremonies of diuine ◅ruice and to assist the same which I thinke bee too drawe Christian people to pi◅ie and turning to their God as fasting absteyning from meates obseruation of holy dayes and ecclesiasticall pollicie according to the tradition of the Apostles and holye Fathers continued since the primitiue Church till this time and afterwards brought into the Church by the ordinances of councels receyued in the same of long and auncient time or of late be good and holy to the whiche I wil and ought too obey as prescribed and appointed by the holye ghost the author and directer of that which serueth for the keping of christian religion and of the catholike Apostolike and Romaine church I beleeue also and accepte all the articles of originall sinne and of Iustification I affirme assuredly that we ought too haue and kepe the images of Iesus Christ of his holye mother and all other saincts and do honor and reuerēce vnto thē I confesse the power of indulgence and pardōs to be left in the church by Iesus Christ the vse of thē to be very heathful as also I cōfesse the church of Rome to be the mother and chief of al churches and cōducted by the holy Ghost and that other pretended particular inspirations against the same come of the suggestion of the Deuill the Prince of di◅ention which woulde separate the vnion of the mysticall body of the sauiour of the worlde Finally I promise straightly too kepe all that was ordained at the last general councel of Trēt and promise to God and you neuer more to depart from the Catholike Apostolike and Romaine Church and if I do which God forbid I submit my selfe to the penalties of the canons of the sayd Church made ordeyned appointed against them which fall backe intoo Apostasie The which Abiuration and Confession I haue subscribed THE KINGS LETTERS TO M. DE GVISE and other Lieutenantes and Gouernors of his Prouinces by the which he wholly abolisheth and subuerteth al the Edictes of Pacification and willeth that onely the Romish Religion should take place in his Realme THe King knowing that the declaration which he made vpon the occasions which lately cha◅ced in the Citie of Paris the remembrances and instructions of his will which he sent rou◅d about to all Gouernours of his Prouinces and Lieutenants generall therin and particular letters to the Seneshals and his Courts of Parliament and other officers and Ministers of Iustice cā not hitherto staye the course of murders and robberies done in the most part of the cities of this Realme to his Maiesties great displeasure hath aduised for a more singular remedie to send all the sayd Gouernours into euery of their charges and gouernements assoring him selfe that according to the qualitie and power which they haue of his Maiestie they can well followe and obserue his intent the which more fully to declare his Maiestie hath caused his letters patentes to be dispatched which shall be deliuered them Besides the contentes wherof M. de Guise the gouernour and Lieutenāt generall for his Maiestie in Champaigne and Brye shall call before him the gentlemen of the newe Religion abyding within his gouernement and shal tell them that the Kings will and intent is to preserue them their wyues children and families and to maintaine them in possession of their goods so that on their parte they liue quietly and render to his maiestie obedience and fidelitie as they ought in which doing the King also will defende them that they shall not be molested or troubled by way of Iustice or otherwise in their persons and goods by reason of things done during the troubles before the Edict of Pacificatiō of August 1570. And afterwardes he shal louingly admonish thē to cōtinue no longer in the errour of the new opinions and to returne to the Catholike Religion reconciling themselues to the Catholike Romish Church vnder the doctrine and obedience wherof Kings his predecessors and their subiects haue alwayes holily lyued and this Realme hath bene carefully conducted and mainteyned Shewing too them the mischiefes and calamities which haue happened in this Realme since th◅se newe opinions haue entred intoo mens spirites Howe manye murders haue bene caused by such which haue fallen from the right waye holden by their Auncestors First they made them separate themselues f◅om the churche then from their nex◅e of kinred and also to be estranged from the seruice of their king as a man may see since his raigne And although the authors and heades of that side would haue couered their doings vnder the title of Religion and cōscience yet their deedes and workes haue shewen wel inough that the name of religion was but a visarde to couer their driftes and disobedience and vnder that pretence too assemble and subborne people and too make and compel them to sweare in the cause vnder the title of disobedience and by suche wayes to turne them from the naturall affection whiche they owe to the King and consequently from his obedience being notorious that what commaundement so euer the King could make to them of the newe Religion they haue not since his raigne obeyed him otherwise than pleased their heads And contrariwise when their sayd heads commaunded them to arise and take to their weapons too set vpon Cities to burne churches too sacke and pill to trouble the Realme and fill it with bloud and fire they which went so astray to followe them forget all trust and duetie of good subiects to execute and obey their commaundements VVhich things if the gentlemen wil wel consider they shall easely iudge how vnhappie and miserable their condition shall bee if they continue longer therein For they may well thinke of them selues that the King being taught by experience of so greate a daunger from the which it hath pleased God too preserue him and his estate and hauing proued the mischiefes and calamities which this Realme hath suffered by the enterprises of the heads of this cause their adherentes and complices that he wil neuer willingly bee serued with any gentlemen of his subiects that be of any other religion than the Catholike in the which also the King following his predecessors wil liue and die He willeth also to take away al mistrust amōgst his subiects and to quench the rising of discordes and seditions that all they of whom he is serued in honorable places and specially the gentlemē which desire to be accōpted his good and lawfull subiects and would obtaine his fauour and be employed in charges of his seruice according to their degrees and qualities to make profession hereafter too liue in the same Religion that he doth hauing tryed that discords and ciuil warres will not cease in a state where there be many Religions and that it is not possible for
a King too maintaine in his Realme diuersities in religion but that he shall leese the good will and beneuolence of his subiectes yea and they which are of a contra◅ie Religion to his desire nothing in their hart more than the change of the King and of his estate For the reason abouesayde the Duke of Guise to bring the matter to this passe shall take paines to persuade the nobilitie and others infected with the sayde newe opinion to returne of themselues and of their owne frewil to the Catholike Religion and to abiure and renounce the new without any more expresse commaundement from the king For how so euer it be his maiestie is resolued to make his subiects liue in his Religion and neuer to suffer what so euer may betyde that there shall bee any other forme or exercise of religion in his Realme than the catholike The said Duke of Guise shal cōmunicate with the principal officers and magistrates hauing the principall charge and administration of iustice in cities of his gouernement his Maiesties declaration to the intent they should knowe his minde and the good end wherevnto he tendeth for the vniting and quietnesse of his subiects to the intent the sayde M. de Guise and the sayde officers and Magistrates should with one concorde intelligence and correspondence proceede too the effect abou◅ sayd so that fruit and quietnesse may thereof ensue such as his Maiestie desireth not only for himself but for the whole Realme The Baylifes and stuardes which are not in religiō accordingly qualified shal within one moneth resigne their offices to gentlemen capable and of the qualitie required by the Edict which may keepe and exercise the same And too the intent this should bee done his Maiestie doth nowe presently declare them depriued after the sayde moneth if they do not then resigne that they shall haue no occasion or colour of excuse to delay their resignations and yet permitteth them in the meane whyle to resigne without any fine paying Al Baylifes stuardes shal be resident at their offices vpon paine of losse of the same and if they can not so be then they shal be bound to resigne Al Archbyshops and Bishops shal likewise bee resident in their dioces and such as for age and other disposition of person can not preach the word of God nor edifie the people and do other functio◅s appe◅taining too their charge and dignitie shal be bounde to take a conductor to comfort them and to employ them selues to the duetie of their charge To the which conductour they shal appoint an honest and reasonable pension according to the fruites and r◅uenue of their liuing Also persons and vicars shall be resident at their benefices or else shall bee admonished to resigne them to such as will be resident and doe their duetie Archbyshops and Byshops shal take information of thē which holde abbeyes prioryes and other benefices in their dioces of what qualitie so euer they are and how they do their duetie in the administration of them wherevpon they shall make processe by worde vnto the Gouernours which shal sende them to the King to prouide therin as reason shall moue him They shall c◅pell the curates actually to abide at the places of their benefices or else shal appoint other in their steades according to the disposition of the Canons At Paris the iij. day of Nouember 1572. Signed Charles LETTERS OF M. DE GORDS THE KINGS Lieutenant in Daulphine too certaine of the Religion in his gouernement wherby he exhorteth them too come backe againe too the Religion of Rome and howe the King is determined too suffer none other SIr I am sufficiently aduertised of your behauior but you shuld remember what aduertisements I haue before sent you too returne too the Catholike Religion of your selfe which is the best holde stay that you can chose for your preseruation and health putting frō you all those which persuade you to the contrary who woulde abyde to see any commotion or disorder rather than abate any poynt of their opinion And by this meanes you shall make euident too the King the wil which you say you haue to obey his Maiestie counsailing you for as much as I desire your well doing that this is the best for you to do without loking for any more open commaundemēt otherwise assure your self there can but euil come of it and that his Maiestie would be obeyed And thus I pray God to aduise you and giue you his holye grace From Grenoble the sixt of December 1572. Your entire good friend Gordes THE ANSVVERE OF THE GENTLEMEN Capitaines Burgeses and other being in the towne of Rochell too the commaundementes that haue bene giuen them in the name of the King to receyue garrisons WE the Gentlemen Capitaines Burgeses and other nowe being in this towne of Rochell doe giue answere too you Mounsier N ▪ and to such commaundementes as you giue vs in the name of his Maiestie that wee can not acknowledge that that which is signified vnto vs and the Proclamation which you require that we shuld cause to be published do proceede from his Maiestie And thereof we call to witnesse his Maiestie himself his letters of the. xxij and. xxiiij of August his owne signet and the publishing of the same letters by the which his sayd Maiestie layeth all the fault of all the trouble lately happened and of the cruell slaughter done at Paris vpon those of the house of Guise protesting that he had enough to doe too keepe himselfe safe within his Castell of Louure with those of his Garde And we shall neuer suffer our selues to be persuaded that so foule an enterprise and so barbarous a slaughter hath at any tyme entred into the mind of his Maiestie much lesse that the same hath bene done by his expresse commaundement as the paper importeth which you haue exhibited vnto vs nor that his maiestie hath bene so ill aduised as himself to cut of his owne armes or too d◅sile the sacred wedding of Madame his owne sister with the sheding of so much noble and innocent bloud and with the shame of so cruell a fact to disteine the nation of Fraunce and the bloud royall which hath heretofore euer among all nations borne the name of franke and courteous nor that he hath had minde to deliuer matter to writers to set forth a tragicall historie such as antiquitie hath neuer heard speake of the like and such as posteritie can not reporte without horror But that it was first layd at Rome and afterward hatched at Paris by the authors of all the troubles of Fraunce And howsoeuer it be wee are readie too maintaine that out of the mouth of his Maiestie doth not proceede hote and cold white and black and that he doth not nowe say one thing and by and by an other as he should doe if the paper that you present vnto vs had passed from him protesting that he will inuiolably keepe his Edict and immediatly breaking
10. Symoniakes Pope Paulus the thirde Contarenus Sadoletus Cardinall Poole Math. 27. The thirde remedie Olde accustomed remedies The fourth remedie The seconde principall point The state of the kingdome which consisteth of these three namely of the nâ—…bilitie clergy and communaâ—…tie Tributes The commeÌ„dation of the generall asseÌ„bly of the States Slaunderous bookes A lesson for Kinges and Queenes Lodouicus xii pater patriae The ende of this oration The senteÌ„ce of the Admirall The sentence of the Duke of Guise The sentence of the Cardinall of Lorain The Cardinall of Loraine hopeth to get honor fame by keeping libels that were scattered abroade The reformation wished for by the Cardinall of Leraine A Nationall counsell is as much to say as a counsell gathered onely cute of the French nation which I gasle we maye call a conuocatioÌ„ of the clergy whereas a generall counsell consisteth of diuers nations A tumulte against the Prince of Conde Letters sent to the Prince of Conde taken Monsier VidaÌ„ apprehended The king of Nauar and the prince of CoÌ„de are sent for to the king A new Edicte against the reformed Religion The king coÌ„meth to Aurelias The prince of Conde taken at Aurelias The death of king Frances the seconde 1 2 3 4 A wonderfull alteration after the death of King Frances the seconde The priuy displeasure of the Queene against the Prince of Nauarre The King of Nauar yeldeth authoritie to the Queene to gouerne the Realme The peace of the Church after long affliction The death of Monsieur Vidame A conuocation of States or of a Parliament in king Charles the. ix days The oration made by the Chauncelour Sedition what it is and wher of it commeth The force of Religion in the 〈◊〉 of men Bellona is the Goddesse of vvarre Factious names The accusatioÌ„ of forreine Princes The oratioÌ„ of the coÌ„menaltie made by Angell The ignoraÌ„ce of prelates Couetousnes The oration for the nobilitye The oratioÌ„ of the Clergy The faultes of persons Ecclesiasticall Churches Euse booke 51. 〈◊〉 the lyfe oâ—… Constantin ShaueÌ„ crowns the badges of Christes anâ—… The death of Quintinus orator for the Clergy The parliameÌ„t breaketh vp Trent in Italy The letters of Paulus virglus to the Bishops of Italy Augusta is â—… citie in Germanie called Ausburgh The Pope iuuiteth the Princes of Germanie to the generall Councell The answere of the Princes of Germany to the Popes Legates Persecutious in Prouince The Prince of Conde sent for to the Court. The contentioÌ„ and â—…lling out beâ—…weene the Queene the king of Nauarâ—…e Deliberationâ—… of the particular assemblie of states at Paris Reconciliation betweene the Queen and the king of Nauar The Constable is drawn away froÌ„ the pâ—…nce of 〈◊〉 and from others oâ—… the reformed Churche The kings Letters The oration of Petrus Robertus the man of law for the Prince The conclusion of the Senate of Paris The decree of the senate con cerning the innocencie of the Prince The complaint of the Cardinal of Lorrayn 1. 2. 3. An Edict called of the Moneth of Iuly The summe of the Edict Warres betwene the duke of Sabaudia and the inhabitants of the valeys The Edict a-against the inhabitants of the valleys Ranconensis Trinitaeus The slaughter of Truchetus The agrement anâ—…â—…uce betweene the Duke of Sabaudia the inhabitants of the valleys Persecution in Spaine He might rather be called Granvillan or greate villane The confessioÌ„ of the Church of Flanders offered to the King. 〈◊〉 Newâ—…rs The reconciliation of the Prince of CoÌ„de the Duke of Guise Certaine Ciuil actes worthy to be noted Cardinal Ferrer sent from Rome to hinder the Nationall Counsell in Fraunce The effect of the Queenes letters sent to Pope Pius the fourth Multitude Qualitie Concorde The increase and force of the faithful Doctrine Diuersitie of rites The remedy The fyrste poynte of offence Worshipping of images Sacraments Baptisme Catechismes The holie communion The custome of the auncient Church The second poynt that is mislâ—…ked The sunâ—…ie râ—…ceiuing of the Sacrament Tymes to reâ—…eiue the coÌ„munion The thirde point that is misselyked Spirituall worship The Masse 〈◊〉 of greate offence In the substaÌ„ce of the Masse In the forme of the Masse A straunge language Singing of Psalmes The begining of the â—…putation at 〈◊〉 Concerning our coâ—…muniion with Christ and of the fathers vnder the lawe Iohn 8. 1. Cor. 10. 1. Corin. 10. Iohn 1. 1. Sacramentall signes 2. The thâ—…ng signâ—…fied 3. The coâ—…nction of signes and the â—…ing signifiâ—…d 4. The participation of the signes of the the thing signified The ministers desire to haue the disputatioÌ„ and obtaine it The first session oâ—…â—…is disputation The proposition of king Charles the ix The proposition of the Chauncelor Generall CouÌ„sell a vaine remedie Ariminum o therwise called Remino an old citie in Flaminia in Italy The exception of Frances Cardinall of Turnon The oratioÌ„ of Beza in the name of the protestantes Beza his prayer â–ª Beza directeth his speache to the king â–ª Howe greate a benefite it is for subiects to be hard sene of their Prince Troubles fo â–ª Religion In what thinges the Papists and Protestants do agree and in what they do disagree In the manner of obtaining Saluation In the matter of faythe and good works Rom. 5. The authoritie Gods word of the Fathers He speaketh to the Prelates 1. Timo. 4. Act. 20. Aust. ad Fortunatus The opinion of the reformed Churches coÌ„cerning the Sacrament Coinonian 1. Cor. 10. Transubstantiation Consubstantiation August ad Dardanum Confirmation Ecclesiasticall discipline Obedience to Magistrates The Queene answereth the Cardinall of Turnon The seconde session The oration of the Cardinal of Loraine Note here the subiection of Papistes The opinioÌ„ of the Cardinall of Loraine concerning the Sacrament 1 2 3 4 The protestation of the Prelates The thirde Session in another order What is the Church Rom. 8. 1. Cor. 12. August contra CrescoÌ„ cap 21. Lib. 7. cap. 51. Question Answere True notes of the Church 1. Cor. 3. 1. Cor. 3. Ephe. 2. Succession in the Church Successors of the Apostles Obiection 1. Cor. 14. Vocation in the Churche ordinarie and extraordinary 1 2 3 Act. 1. Act. 6. 1. Timo. 3. Titus 1. Exod. 28. Esay 6. 9. Dom. 1. 17. Amos. 7. 14. Esay 28. Iere. 7. Ezechiel 22. Soph. 3. 1. Samuel 7. 1. King. 18. Authoritie of the Church Hebt 11. 1. Cor. 14. Ephe. 4. Galathians 5. Ephe. 5. 1. Cor. 13. Whether the Church may erre 1. Cor. 13. 1. hon 1. General counselles Bernar. in lib. de consider in sermone 33 in Cantica in sermo de conuersione Pauli Cayphas prophecied â—…hon 18. Esay 56. Ieremie 6. Ieremie 14. Esay Ezechiel 7. Actes 20. 2. Thes. 4. Aust. lib. 2. de bap coÌ„tra Donat cap. 31. Aust. lib. 2. ca. 4. ad ArrianuÌ„ 1. Cor. â—… 2. Peter 1. Ihon. 5. Ihon. 20. 2. Timo. 3. Act. 15 16. 18 Things indifferent Actes 15. The worde of God more ancient than
the Church Canonicall Bookes Actes 17. 2. Peter 1. Cap. 6. lib. 2. in Hiere Hom. 49 in Math. 24. Basill in noua summa Mora. cap. 22. Espensius iâ—…e Sorbonist Succession ordiniarie and extraordinary Traditions of the Fathers Thre councels in S. August time Traditions couÌ„ ted of a Monk of greater force than the scriptures Tertullian Imposition of handes Signes of laufull calling The coÌ„firmâ—…tion of the ministerie Miracles The Gospell Truth will be truth still The place taken out of Tertullian explaned Titus 3. The place of Chrisostome expounded Cardinall of Lorain moderator of the controuersie Augustane confession The subtill sleighes of one Balduine Balduines inconstancie King of Nauar an Apostata 1. Timo. 3. Titus 1. The braule of the Cardinall with Beza Peter Martyr interrupted by the Cardinall The vnapte compaâ—…son of a Spanisha Monke Aust. ad Bonifacius â–ª How the SacrameÌ„tâ—… vnder the law were Figures Beza is here threatned The article agreed vpoÌ„ betvvene the Papistes and the protestantes concerning the presence The deceite of the Cardinall The end of the conference of Posâ—…cene King Philip by the suffâ—…rance of the Pope had certain yeares inioyed the king dome of Nauar which lyeth at that parte of Spaine that bordereth on the mountains Pyrenaei The sedition of Sanmedard The cause of the Edict of Ianuary The Edict of Ianuary SermoÌ„s without the cities permitted Protection of the protestaÌ„tes Inhibition of armour Synodes and Consistories Contribution of money Poll â—…ike laws to be obserued The oth of the Ministers Bookes of infamie The dutie of Magistrates Luke 13. Anno Domini 1561. The very cause of the Ciuill warres was the breaking of the Edict of Ianuary Momorentius the Constable made a friend to the Guises The conspi racie of the Guises the Constable and the Martiall of S. Andrew against the Gospell Queene of Scotts promised to be giuen in mariage to the king of Nauar. The slaugh ter at Vassi made by the Duke of Guise Complaint of the faiâ—…h full of the flaughter The Guise commeth to Paris against the Queenes commaundement The practi ses of the Guises to expell the Prince of Conde out of Paris The Prince of Conde forsaketh Paris The Guise hauing goâ—… ten Paris seke to geâ—… the King also The Prince of Conde commeth to Orleans The purpose of the Guises con cerning VVarre Ruzeus a professour of the Gos pell commaunded towarde The Prince of Conde specially in clined to peace The league betweene the Prince of Conde and the Nobles of Fraunce Letters of the Queen to the Prince of Condâ—… â–ª The prince of Conde complayneth of the murther Letters of the Prince of Conde sent to the reformed churches Certayne Idols broken down letters sent from the Queene to the Prince of Conde Letters froÌ„ the Senat of Paris to the Prince â–ª of Conde This name Triumuiri signifieth three choseÌ„ officers of equall authoritie The secoÌ„d declaratioÌ„ of the Prince of Conde A Tragedy beginneth merily but endeth sorowfully Letters of the prince of Conde to the Emperoure Letters sent to the prince of Palatine A Synode at Orleans Letters seÌ„t from the Synod Letters to the Countie Pallentine from the Synod Vasconia is Gascoyne the slaugh ther of Tolosa Mont aubon The actes of Narbon in general Nemaux otherwise called Nimes Auinion in Prouince Valentia taken Mottecondrinus slaine Saltanus LiefetenaÌ„t of Lions Saltain LiuetenaÌ„t of Lyon. Lions wonne by the Protestants The Prince of Conde sory for that Moâ—… condrin was slayne A Supplica tion offered in the name of the Tâ—…iumuiti Another supplicatioÌ„ offered to the Kinge by the Guise and his The Aunswer of the Prince of Conde to the Supplications â–ª Communication be twene the Quene the King of Nauar and the Prince of Conde Letters of the Prince of Conde to the Queene The beginning of ciuill warres The conditions of peace offered by the king to the faithfull The petitions of the faythfull Triumuiri are these three Guise the CoÌ„stable and the Marshi all of Saint Andrew The Guises vnder the collour of peace seeke to deceiue the Prince of Conde The Guise go home to their houses the Prince of Conde became pledge The practise of the Guises to take the Prince of Conde They meane the Queene and the Kyng of Nauar. The nobles of the Prince of CoÌ„des side weÌ„t to the Queene The communicatioÌ„ betweene the queene and the Nobles The queen denieth the vse of the reformed Religion The queen woulde haue the Prince of Conde his friends banished The Prince of Conde retourned to his army The Guises remoue their army froÌ„ Bogencia take Blesa and Towers The Prince of Conde returneth to Orleans with his â–ª army Roan besie ged in vain by the Aumale Orenge assaulted takeÌ„ by the papistes The army of Suze in Dolpheny greatly anoyed the faithfull The actes of Monsuer de Adretze in Dolpheny and in the Countie of Venais The Marshiall of S. Andrew winneth Poictiers The Germanes and Swisers aid the Guises The decree of the Senate of Paris against the men of Orleans A greeuous pestilence at Oâ—…leans The Prince of Conde craueth helpe of the queene of England and of the Germane Princes The aunswer of the Prince of Conde his friends to the Decree of the Senat of Paris Of this Edict ther is mencion made in the 4. book going before He dehorteth the Germaines which came vnder the charge of the Rokendolfe and the Rhengraue from bearing armour against the King. By the states ye must vnderstand the Nobilitie the Clergy the Tempo 〈◊〉 The true cause of the first warres Power specâ—…all consti tutions in the Kyngs minority The first The secoÌ„d The third The fourth These things are touched before The assault geuen to Cesteron The Army of Monsuer Monbrun put to flight Great wickednes coÌ„mitted in Prouance against the faithfull The horrible slaughter at MoÌ„briso by Adretz CoÌ„spiracy against LaÌ„guedoc Monsieur Ioyse besie ged Montpellier A Franke is a peece of French coyne in value ij s. ij d. q. This great Prier was brother to the Cardinall of Loraine Chaimaiergon the proper name of Camargua A wonderfull victory gotten by Monsieur Bulargues Great slaughter of the Papistes Letters found Montpellier a towne of Surgery phisike The besieging of Burges in Berâ—…i The besieging of Roan in NormaÌ„dy The death of the king of Nauar. the Queen of Nauar a vertuouse Lady A writing published by the Queene of England concerning the helpe she sent to the Prince of Conde She meaneth â–ª Callice Shee meaneth the Scottish Queene Letters of the Princes of Germany to the Germaynes which wer in the army of the Guises â–ª Quillebedouius The Kings letters patents grauÌ„ted to those that started away from the Prince of Conde and the frutes there of The Guise tetourneth to Paris The Guise coÌ„meth to Paris Ayde commeth from the Princes of Germany to the Prince of Conde Another writing of the Prince of Conde Of this meÌ„ cion was made in the second booke
of coÌ„meÌ„taries The conditions offered by the Prince of Conde at the first par ley The reasoÌ„s that staied the Prince of Con de from going into exile The forme of the gouernement of the Realme in Kinges minoritie The Prince of Conde remoued from Paris to Ioyne to him the EnglishmeÌ„ The Duke of Guise se keth to stay the Prince of Conde froÌ„ ioyninge himselfe with the EnglishmeÌ„ Anno 1572 Decem. 19. If that geâ—… tle Reader thou loke in the printed battailes and descriptions of the skirmishes of the Ciuill warres of Fraunce this shal be much more plaine vnto thee for in them thou shalt haue a liuely vew The first battaile in the which the Consta ble was taken and the Swisers dispersed and slaine The second battaile The third battaile The Prince of Conde taken prisoner The fourth battaile The Kings Edict Nemours winneth Vienna Soubize LiefetenaÌ„t of Lions Nemours deceiued of his purpose The winning of Sanstephen and Nonays Nonay cruelly spoiled The Admi rall goeth into Normandy The siege of Orlean â–ª The Kings letters to win from the Prince the Germanes Pultrotseâ—…t from Lions to the Admirall Pultrot killeth the Guise Pultrot taken Peace takeÌ„ Cane in Normandi wonne The state of the com moÌ„ wealth of the church after peace was taken â–ª The state of the chur ch at Orlcaunce Odet Cardi nall of Cha stillon the state of the church at Lions Petrus Vire â—…us the state of the church in Dolpheny the state of the church in Burgun dy and Pro uance the gouern ment of M. Anuil ouer the Churches in Lan guedoc Albanoys The order of calling vppon god his name in Nemaux The Edict violently corrected by the Anuille Monsieur Anuille coÌ„ maundeth Moton to be hanged the state of the church of Venais The state of the chur ches of Orange The state of the churches of Paris The state of the chur ches of Picardie The churches of Brit tanny and Normandy The Churches of Gas coigne and of al Guian The Churches in the dominion of Bearne The Churches in the Cuntrey of Metz. The Churches of Pie mont The Papists brag of abolishing the Edict an D. 1563. The fetches of the Guises to disturbe the peace The craftie wiâ—… of the Quene the Kings mother The Cardinals sharp accusation against the Admirall The Admirall publisheth a wri ting wher in hee cleareth himselfe The words of Merae Monsieur Granmonâ—… Scoutes Monsieur Tranuie The Marshal Hesse The trauell of the CouÌ„ cell of Trent to hinder and stop religioÌ„ in Fraunce The King being of the age of 14. yeares iâ—… declared to be of ful lawfull agâ—… The suâ—…til and craftie deuises of the aduersariâ—…s against Religion violent and false interpÌ„tations of the Edict set â—…orth by the Kings commaundement New sleights put in practise to entice the Prince of Conde froÌ„ the reformed Religion The spoyle wasting of the congregation at Paniez by d'Anuille The Kings progresse causes therof MontaubaÌ„ MontaubaÌ„ agrements made betwene the King his brother the Duke of Orleans The Prince of Conde eseapeth the papists snares and baytes The death of the prin ces wife The slaugh ters of the faithfull Brother hodes of the papiste Monsieur Cure that famous valeant cap taine is slaine And yet scaped vnpunished Moâ—… interpretations of the Edict The Kings progresse The suÌ„me of all that was don in the time of the Kinges Progresse The Admirall adiudged free of the Dukes murther by the kings own iudgement The Guises and the Chastillon are charged to be reconciled The Kings comminge to Lions and what he did there An enterdiction for Sermones A fortresse built at Lyons Monfieur Saltane remoued froÌ„ the gouern ment of Ly ons mon suer Lossay succeded him The sundry troubles of the church at Lions The declaclaration of Rossillon a great ouerthrow to the Edict Restraine of Sinodes ProtestaÌ„ts coÌ„manded to returne to Monachisme The great slaughter of the faith full at Tours The Prince of Conde complaineth of these iniuries The greâ—…ous iniâ—…ries coÌ„mitted against the Protestantes The Kings letters to the Prince of Conde New proclamatioÌ„s for the obserua tion of the Edict The punnishment appointed for the mur ther done at Tours made frustrate The fond and foolish iorneâ—…s of the Cardynall the bloudy suruay that the Marshial of Burdillo made thorough out all Guian Merindol a place appointed for the reformed religion The kinge commeth to Langue doâ—… an do 1566 〈◊〉 do 1566 The affairs of the low Countrey â–ª The beginning enâ—… of the church of Flaunders King Philip certified of the increase of the protestantes in the lowe countrey aâ—… do 156â—… The supplication of the nobles of the confederacy The Duches of Par me causeth â–ª an assembly of States 〈◊〉 Serâ—…ones Images in Flaunders went to wracke The conference betweene the nobles the Duches of Parme. The Prince of Orange commeth to Antwerpe Valleucia besieged Valence surrendred an do 1567 The last coÌ„ spiracy of the Catholiqnes concerning the ruine of the Church of Fraunce The comming of the spanish army with the Duke of Alba. The King Quene remoue to Paris Letters of the Prince to the king The last pe tition of the Prince of Conde The state of the faith full in the beginning of this second war. The Cities townes that tooke part with the protestantes the slaugh rer of the Parisians at Sandioâ—…yse The CoÌ„sta ble wounded to the death The state of the chur ches of the low countrey after the comming of Duke de Alba. The Prince of Conde marcheth to Lorain The Duke of Aniou marcheth towarde Loraine The Kings Edict against the faithfull A battayle in Auuergne the pro testants ha uing the victory an do 1568 Chartres besieged Peace concluded and the summe of the kings Edict The deceit of the Catholiks by this Edict Greate iniures done to the Protestants VVatch ward at hauens bridges Violation â–ª of the Edict Violations of the Edict Troubles â—…t Lions Troubles at Paris 〈◊〉 Sermones Practise of the Cardinal to take the principall profes sors of the Religion Horrible murthers Cipiere cruelly slaine Ten thousand protestantes slain with in the com passe of three Monethes The prince of Conde remoueth to Noyers The Card â–ª of Lorrain practiseth to take the Prince of Conde The Spye taken 90000. Frankes is in our coin foure score and eightteen thousand and nyne hundred and seuen and thirtye poundes ten shillings Victor Vticensis lib. 3 pers Afric the answer of the faith full The coulered deceit in this oth Rochel coÌ„ maunded to be besie ged Musters of Souldiers Letters of the Catholikes souÌ„d out Amanzi a noble man slaine The Prince of Conde in greate perill Letters of the Prince of Conde sent to the Kyng The Prince of Conde goeth to Noyers The Cardi nall ChastilloÌ„ fleeeth into England The death of Charles sonne to King Philip Anno Domini 1568. in the moneth of Au gust The state and condition of both parts The Kings â–ª Decree The messeÌ„â—…er sent froÌ„ the Prince of Conde 〈◊〉 â–ª Discipline appointed by the Prince of Conde A descripâ—… on of tâ—…e disciplin of warre A practisâ—… to draw away the Prince of Nauar froÌ„ the Prince of Conde Letters of the Quene of Nauar to the Kinge Letters of the Quene of Nauar to the Quene Mother Cities yeelded to the Prince of Conde The Ande lot coÌ„meth to the Prince of Conde with a great Army Boysuerd slayne The Andelot passeth ouer the forde of Loyre The Andelot ioyneth with the Admirall An Edict prohibiting the vse of the reformed religion â–ª The Kinge was xii yeâ—… old when his brothâ—… Frances dyed Letters patâ—…es from the Pope Mouents and his souldiers slaine Lettees of the Quene oâ—… Nauar to the Quene of England England a succour to Fraunce The Prince of Conde seeketh to encounter with Monpensier The Duke of Angâ—…we put to the worse The Duke of Aniou by Pollicy delayeth to loyne battaile Duâ—…e Dau maâ—… in Loraine Prince of Orange in the lowe countrey Prince of Orenge seketh to ioyn with the Prince of Conde Tiranny of the Duke of Alba. The Germaneâ—… take both parts Duke of Deuxpous promiseth to helpe the Prince of Cond Mon sieur Cochao taken many of his men slaine Noyers wonne an D. 1569. the Abbay of Saintflo rent won spoyled Sancer besieged The batail in which the Prince of Conde Was slaine The oathe of the Prince of Nauar. l'Endureau reuoltes Brissac slaine Conte Pâ—… padon slaine The Lord Boccarde dead Charite besieged and taken The Duke de Deux Pons dead Description of the Dukes Campe. description of the princes army Snccours from the Pope â–ª the Quene mother en courageth the Souldiours The Lorde Strossi takeÌ„ Strossies men flame â–ª The death of â—…e lord of Moruill The siege of Niort The Lord pluneau succours it The protes tants request to the king for peace To whom the troubles ought to be imputed Luzig rendered Lordes Captains within poâ—… tyers Poictiâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…esieged Battry against Poytâ—…ers Battery against Poie Three assaults giueÌ„ to the suburbes of Roell Assault of Italians The Edict of peace Concord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Noble men that are 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Noble men of 〈◊〉 calling The Queene of 〈◊〉 All 〈◊〉 Places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Kinges Courâ—… â–ª Paris 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â–ª Hospitals and Colleges The good will of the king toward â—…he prince of Conde and the rest The Duke of Sweburge other Princes The Queene of 〈◊〉 Priuiledges of Cities Offices Payments to be indifferent Deliuery of prisoners Raunsomes All vnder the Kings protecon Mouables restored Reuenewes Of houses castles cities Princes of Nassau Writings of Landes Iudgementes Abrogation of Sentences â–ª Obseruaaion of dollitique Lawes Instice equal ly ministred Appeales froÌ„ Parliaments â–ª Refusall of Iudges Foure Citties graunted for Securities sake Concerning this Edict Trafike Punishments for breaking this Edict Disanulling of all former Edictes The othe of Magistrates Solem proclamation of this Edict
thus Trâ—…aeus hauing no hope to preuaile by wars against these meÌ„ certified the Duke what a hard matter he had taken in hand Afterward the men of the valleys were called to parley with whom these couenantes were made namely That they shoulde vse their accustomed exerciâ—…es of Religion that they should by no maner of meanes be accused or called to account for this warre that they shoulde haue free libertie and intercourse to bie and sell through all parts of the Dukes dominion that they shuld render vnto the Duke all dutie and obedience belonging vnto him that they also should liâ—…e without offence There were diuers other particular matters which because they serue not for our purpose we omit While these things were thus handled Philip King of Spaine on the other side left nothing vndone to punishe vex with all maner of torments so many as imbraced the Gospel in any part of his dominioÌ„s but specially in Spaine Belgio the murdering inquisitioÌ„ in euery place most cruelly was executed the houses in the which the faithfull came together were burned they which were taken were spedilye put to death some being burned some drowned some tormentes with new kinds of death yea there was no respect of persoÌ„s had were he poore or rich gentlemaÌ„ or noble maÌ„ he was not frée froÌ„ these torments The king being greatly inflamed pricked forward herevnto by the Cardinall Granuellan who a little before was made Cardinall in Belgio at the creation of new bishops Neuerthelesse the faithful of the pâ—…rsecuted churches offer their confessioÌ„ to the king of Spaine and publish the same euery where abrode by publique writing open their cause to the magistrates shew how iniurious a thing it is to condemne a man before his cause be heard beséech that they might haue libertie to be heard that their confessioÌ„ might be read which would manifestly declare that they were vniustly condemned these troubles say they do arise of two sorts of men The first are such as are led by rashe vndiscrete zeale to defend their errors which haue long time continued in the Romish Church The second are such as are afeard to haue the Gospell preuaile bicause they know that the doctrine therof reproueth their wicked doings affections It is great arrogancie to condemne those that leane to the worde of God to prefer the inuentions of meÌ„ before the same Wherfore they desire that before they be coÌ„deÌ„ned they might be coÌ„uinced by the word of God that the disputatioÌ„ might not be with fire and sword for say they the word of God is the vndoubted certaine rule of truth But this was the sum of their confession We beleue in one true God which by his glorious names titles may be discerned froÌ„ false counterfeite Gods which may also be knowne by that most mighty worke of the whole world but specially by his word we also imâ—…race receiue the only word of God by faith not so much bicause the Church receiueth the same but bicause it is sealed in the hartes of the faithful by the holy ghost We beleue that one God in esseÌ„ce is distinguished into thrée persons which are the father the sonne the holy Ghost reseruing notwithstanding to euery persoÌ„ his special propertie We beleue that God which hath created the worlde doth gouerne preserue the same by his prouidence We beleue that he created man after his owne image liknesse that is to say holy good perfect that he fell by his owne faulte hath wrapped his prosteritie in y same giltinesse of sinne corruptioÌ„ that he him selfe was in We beleue that Iesus Christ both God and man in one person is a true mediator the onely meane way to saluation We beleue that he beyng promysed long before vnto the Fathers and represented and shadowed vnder the Ceremonyes and fygures of the lawe came in his time and fulfilled all things that pertayned to oure saluation and that withoute greate sacrilege and robbing him of his honor no other meane can be taken also that the faithful are partakers of these benefites which are the Church of God which is gouerned by the holy ghost and not tyed to places or perfons We beléeue that the pure and sincere preaching of Gods worde the pure Ministration of the sacraments and the discipline by the which the Churche is gouerned according to the rule of Gods worde are notes and markes of the visible Churche We beléeue that the Sacraments were ordained to confirme our faith and doe then profite when they are ioyned to the power of the holy Ghost We beléeue that there doe belong onely two sacraments to the Church namely Baptisme which is a seale of remission of sinnes and of our regeneration and therefore a testimonie of our entrance into the Churche And the Lords supper which signifieth that we are truely made partakers of the body of Christ and of all his graces and benefites that is to saye that oure soules are nourished to euerlasting life by his fleshe and bloude euen as our bodyes are nourished with breade and wine but we muste bring faith to receiue the truth of that Sacrament that is to say Christ therefore we beléeue that the Lords Supper doth only profite the faithfull bringeth to the vnworthie that is to the vnbeléeuing condemnation We beléeue that God to defende and preserue the societie of men hath ordayned lawes and pollitique gouernement which al men ought to obey that tributes custome and other taxes ought to be payed to Magistrates who ought to be reuerenced and for whome we ought to pray vnto God. We beleeue also that Christ shall come againe with al power maiestie and glory in the latter day to iudge the quicke and the dead Thus much concerning their persecution But now to returne to our selues againe When the Duke of Guise had bene at no small variance with the Prince of Conde he purposed with himselfe partlye by his owne mind in hope of profite partly by the Counsel of his friends to come into his fauour and friendship again the Quéene and the Constable exhorting him ther vnto and helping him to haue hys purpose Therefore the King when he had called the Prime Councell together and all the Princes beyng present he called both of them before hym and when the matter was opened he commaunded the Duke of Guise to declare the whole matter to the Prince of Conde The which the Duke of Guise did protesting that he neuer caused nor counselled the King which was departed to apprehend the Prince of Conde To which the Prince of Conde answered that he did counte him a wicked and naughtie person which wente aboute to worke him that mischiefe what so euer he was The Duke of Guise sayde that hée thoughte him in lyke manner to be no lesse but he coulde not helpe it At the length by the Kings