a contrary strength against those which were seditious and movers of troubles Therefore he comes into the City though many were greatly disturbed at it to whom when they importunately dehorted him both by letter and word of mouth he after he had given them thanks answered in one word That he was resolved now that Peace was concluded and things past forgotten to rely upon the faith of the King and that he had rather be dragged through the streets of Paris than to take up Civil Arms again 2. Among other letters there was one brought to him being now come to Paris written very smartly after this manner Remember that it is an established Decree of the Papists upon the account of Religion and confirmed by the authority of Councils that Faith is not to be kept with hereticks in the number of which Protestants are accounted Remember also that Protestants upon the account of the former Wars do lie under an eternal odium so that it is not to be doubted but this is the Queens resolution that Protestants be rooted out by any means whatsoever Add to this that it cannot be but that a woman that is a stranger and an Italian descended of the race of the Popes whom they oppose and of a Florentine and guileful nature should study all extremities against her enemies Consider moreover in what School the King was educated in which he drew in with his milk under his good Tutors this Doctrine that he should make it a sport to swear and forswear to use the name of God profanely to defile himself with Whoredomes and Adulteries to dissemble his Faith Religion Counsels to set his countenance according to occasion And that he might be accustomed to the effusion of the bloud of his Subjects he was taught from his childhood to behold the slaughters and butcheries of * And of men also v. l. 24. p. 275. beasts that he is setled in this perswasion to suffer no Religion in his Kingdom but that which may uphold his state according to the opinion of his Master Machiavel otherwise it would never be at Peace so long as two Religions flourished in it and that it was instilled into his ears that the Protestants did decree to spoil him of his Life and Empire And therefore he would never suffer the Protestants who had once whether upon a just or unjust cause taken up Arms against him to enjoy the benefit of his Edict but that he would with Arms revenge what was done with Arms against him nor would he look upon himself obliged to keep his Covenants which he had entred into with his armed Subjects These are the Arts of Princes the Elements of Policy the Arcana Imperii So Commodus of old commanded Julian whom he owned and embraced as his Father to be slain Thus Antonius Caracalla under pretence of mustering slew the prime youth of the City So Lysander cut the throats of eight hundred Milesians called together under pretence of friendship and society So Sergius Galba raged upon six thousand Spaniards and lately by the command of Antonius Spinola the chief men of the Isle of Corsica were called together to a Feast and slain In our memory did Christiern a King of a barbarous nature use the same arts in the Massacre of Stockholm So heretofore Charles 7 though reconciled to the Duke of Burgundy yet abstained not from killing him though he begged for his life Nor are the discourses that the King lately had with his mother at Blois unknown For when in a jocular manner profanely using as his custom is the name of God he asked her whether he had not acted his part handsomely at the coming of the Queen of Navar the Queen answered that he had begun well but these beginnings would little advantage him unless he proceeded But I said he with often repeated oaths will bring them all into your toils From these words the truth whereof you may be assured of you ought to take counsel and if you are wise get out of the City and so from the Court as from a most filthy sink with all the speed as may be 3. Coligni having read this letter though he was not a little troubled at it yet that he might not seem altogether to neglect the admonitions and intreaties of his friends made answer That there was no place left for these suspitions that he could never perswade himself that so great perfidiousness could enter into so good a King than whom France for this many years never had a better That Anjou indeed was more averse to the Protestant party but that hatred would now cease even out of respect to the affinity contracted with the King of Navar. For the rest the League entred into with England and that which the King was now making with the Protestant Princes of the Empire did sufficiently shew how he stood affected to the Protestants when as he would have one of the Sons of the Elector Palatine in his retinue and some one of the English Nobles as Leicester or Burgleii who were most forward for Religion Moreover he had given his Faith to the Prince of Orange and Nassau his Brother concerning aids against the Spaniards and that a great supply was preparing in the place of those who were routed under Jenlis their leader That John Galeacius Fulgosius who lately returned from Florence did assure them that Cosunus would lend the King two hundred thousand Aurei towards that War That the King's Ambassador did carefully pry into the counsels of the Duke of Alva and daily acquaint the King with them That this he knew every day from the King That the Navy that Philip Strossy and Polinius Garda do command at Broage and upon the Coasts of Poictou was not prepared to any other use but to disturb the Spanish Fleet which being done it shall go to help the Prince of Orange at Flushing As for himself and his own particular safety all might be secure of that for that he through the King's means is reconciled to the Guises each engaging their Faith to the King that they would neither of them hereafter impeach one the other Lastly that the King did all he could to make Peace at home and War abroad and that he might transfer the War into the Low-Countreys and against the Spaniards Wherefore he prayed the Author of the writing and others that are of his mind that they would no more with these suspitions trouble his mind which was taken up with more weighty businesses and better designs but rather that they would joyning their prayers with his beg of God that he would prosper things so well begun and bring them at last to an happy end for the good of the Church and Kingdom 4. The same things were written to Coligni from the Rochellers which he did in as friendly manner take off with all moderation and constancy Therefore when they could not divert him from that mind they set upon the King of Navar with
by the association of the Politicks with them there was at last a Peace concluded upon such terms as Thu. l. 62. Davila l. 6. had they been granted in sincerity and justly performed might have produced much happiness to that Kingdom For besides what related to the particular concerns of Alancon D'Anvil and others of the Politicks and male-contents to the Protestants was granted full liberty of Conscience and free exercise of their Religion without exception of times or places c. and Towns for their security till the Articles should be fully and perfectly performed And these Articles were concluded by the Queen-Mother her self in person and confirmed by a publick Edict with all the solemnity that could be the King himself being present in Parliament sitting in his Throne of Justice But these Articles says Davila as soon as they were known to those of the Catholick party exasperated most of their minds in such manner that they not only murmured freely against the King himself and the Queen-Mother but many were disposed to rise and would have taken Arms to disturb the unjustness as they call it of that Peace which was generally by them esteemed shameful and not fit to be kept if within a-while they had not manifestly understood that the King and Queen purposely to recover and draw home the Duke of Alancon had consented to conditions in words which they were resolved not to observe in deeds For as he presently adds having exactly performed all things promised to the Duke of Alancon none of the other Articles were observed either to the Protestants in general or to the King of Navar and Prince of Conde in particular but the King permitting and tacitly consenting to it the Assemblies of the Protestants were every where violently disturbed c. And the Guises who were not slack in laying hold of any opportunity to augment their own greatness and to secure the state of that Religion which was so streightly linked to their interests began upon the conjuncture of so great an occasion secretly to make a league of the Catholicks in all the Provinces of the Kingdom under colour of opposing the progress and establishment of heresy which by the Articles of the Peace was so fully authorized and established And this was the Faith of a Catholick Prince whose Conscience was directed by the religious Jesuites and so great a votary that though a King he would often make one of the Flagellantes and was believed would have changed his Kingdom for a Cell Thu. l. 61 Busbeq epist 20. though Guise had never attempted to force him to it this the obedience and loyalty of his Catholick Subjects But this was nothing to what followed for this was but the beginning of that Holy League which may justly put to silence all clamours and answer all calumnies against the Protestants in France upon occasion of any miscarriages of theirs under so long and grievous oppressions and unjust persecutions and was the pattern and precedent which was followed by that faction here which the Romish Emissaries and Agents partly raised and partly ruled or secretly influenced to promote their own designs as may be perceived by comparing such evidences and testimonies as are to be met with of their mysterious practices in their works of darkness with their Principles laid down to undermine this Church and State extant in printed Books Lib. 6. p. 449. Lib. 8. c. 2. p. 496. Thu. l. 63. The form of the League may be seen in English at large in Davila and Fonlis to this effect The Covenant of the Princes Lords and Gentlemen of the Catholick Religion for the entire restitution of the Law of God and preservation of his holy worship according to the form and rites of the holy Church of Rome abjuring and renouncing all errors contrary to it 2. For the preservation of King Henr. 3. and his Successors in the State Honour Splendor Authority Duty Service and Obedience due to them c. 3. For the restitution of their ancient rites liberties and priviledges to the Provinces of the Kingdom c. In case there be any opposition against this aforesaid or any of the Covenanters their friends or dependants be molested or questioned for this cause by whomsoever it be all that enter into this Covenant shall be bound to imploy their lives and fortunes to take vengeance upon them either by way of justice or force without any exception of persons what-ever They who depart from this Covenant shall be punished both in body and goods All shall likewise swear to yield ready obedience and faithful service unto that Head which shall be deputed and to give all help counsel and assistance as well for the maintenance of this League as for the ruine of all that shall oppose it without exception of persons and those that fail shall be punished by the authority of the Head c. All the Catholicks of the several Cities Towns and Villages shall be secretly advertised by the particular Governors to enter into this League and concur in providing Men Arms and other necessaries c. Into this League framed with so much art Davila p. 451. that making a shew to obey and maintain the King it took from him all his obedience and authority to confer it upon the head of their Union as Davila notes when many were engaged in France they began secretly to treat at Rome for Protection and in Spain for men and money nor did they find in either place any aversness to their desires Da. p. 461. V. Thu. l. 63. And though they thought it unfit to dispute openly whether the States were superior to the King or no yet while these things were acted in secret without his knowledge or consent they sought cunningly by a kind of cheat to take away his prerogative and with his consent to settle it in a certain number who should have power to conclude and determine all business without contradiction or appeal and to that end * At the Assembly of the States at Blois which consisted most of such who had subscribed to the Catholick League petition the King that for the dispatch of all business with speed and general satisfaction he would be pleased to elect a number of Judges not suspected by the States who together with twelve of the Deputies might hear such motions as from time to time should be proposed by every Order and conclude and resolve upon them with this condition that what-ever was joyntly determined by the Judges and Deputies together should have the form and vigour of a Law without being subject to be altered or revoked which had been in effect to unking him and leave him little more than the title But the King not ignorant of the importance of that demand Thu. l. 63. became sensible of their designs and of his own danger which more manifestly appeared in certain secret instructions to Nic. David with which he was sent to the Pope
confirmed But the King utterly averse from it though he would not plainly deny it yet put it off as well as he could but such was the obstinacy of the States that he was forced at last to answer that he agreed to the general vote and would think of causing the Decree to be framed Guise also with all his might urged the receiving of the Council of Trent whereunto though the King consented yet was it rejected with great contradiction not only by the Nobility but by a great many of the Clergy This was urged by him partly as a powerful engine against the Protestants partly further to oblige the Pope if it succeeded and to raise a prejudice in him against the King if it succeeded not by his default And to ingratiate himself the more with the people he moves for ease of grievances by impositions and taxes though a thing inconsistent with the prosecution of the War against the hereticks But the King finding now a convenient opportunity to execute his design acquaints some of his confidents with it and having ordered all things so as to avoid the suspition of Guise much after the manner heretofore used against Colinius he commands him to be slain which was accordingly * The manner of his death see in the notes upon the history of the Massacre Sect. 17. done and the Cardinal his Brother being with many Lords and adherents of that Faction at the same time committed to custody was about two daies after by the King's command in like manner slain Thus do those who had wickedly conspired the barbarous slaughter of so many innocent Protestants now by the just judgment and vengeance of God upon them mutually conspire one anothers destruction And that City which was then so forward in executing the wicked counsels and commands of savage and perfidious men is now as forward in executing the just judgments of the righteous God upon one of the chief Authors of them and they who before had been the instruments of his cruelty are now made the instruments of his punishment Thu. l. 93. Da. l. 10. 53. Upon the news of these things spread abroad the Leaguers are all in an on uproar and at Paris having held a Council where nothing almost was heard but reproaches against the King and cries for revenge the Duke of Aumale is called out of a Monastery to be their Governor the Preachers from their Pulpits thunder out the praises of the Duke of Guise his Martyrdom and detestations of that slaughter most cruelly committed by the King in such manner that not only the minds of the baser people but also of the most noted Citizens were won by their perswasions and inflamed with an infinite desire to take revenge Thu. l. 94 Da. p. 762. Fonl. c. 5. p. 530. and the Council of sixteen cause a writing to be presented to the famous Colledg of Divines called the Sorbon in the name of the Provost and Eschevins of the City containing these two Questions 1. Whether they should not be free from their Oath of Fidelity and Obedience to Henry the third And 2. Whether they might not with safe Conscience arm unite eollect and contribute money for the defence and conservation of the Roman Catholick Religion in this Kingdom against the wicked counsels and endeavours of the King aforesaid and all other his adherents whomsoever and against his breach of publick Faith at Blois c. Whereunto upon mature deliberation at an assembly of seventy Masters of that Faculty and solemn resolution it was answered nemine refragante 1. That the people of this Kingdom are free and at liberty from their Oath of Fidelity and Obedience to King Henry aforesaid 2. That the same people lawfully and with safe conscience * Dav. p. 763. that the King had forfeited his right to the Crown and that his Subjects not only might but ought to cast off their obedience c. may arm unite collect and contribute money for the defence and conservation of the Catholick Apostolick and Roman Religion against the wicked counsels and endeavours of the aforesaid King and whomsoever adhering to him since he hath violated the publick Faith to the prejudice of the Catholick Religion and of the Edict of the holy Vnion and of the natural liberty of the assembly of the three Estates of this Kingdom Moreover they think fit that this Decree or conclusion be sent to the Pope that he may by the authority of the holy See approve and confirm it and afford his help and assistance Fonl. p. 533. And accordingly a Letter is drawn up and sent by the Parisians in the name of themselves and the rest of the Catholicks in France wherein they represent to him the zeal of the people all good men being ready to lay down their lives rather than suffer that Tyranny and more than 10000 of the Parisians filling the streets with cries to Heaven for vengeance against the Tyrant others whipping the statue of the Tyrant breaking it to pieces and throwing it into the fire Da. p. 763. And indeed after this Declaration to use Davila's words the people as it were loosened from the bonds of obedience and having broken the rein of modesty ran violently to the breaking down of the King's Arms and Statues where-ever they found them and began furiously to seek out all those whom they accounted dependants of his party by them called Navarrists and Politicks which forced many quiet men to leave their houses to save their lives which others were fain to compound for with money V. Thu. p. 397. and others unfortunately lost All Churches eccho'd with voices of the Preachers who aggravated the parricide committed by * Hence Charles Steward here Henry Valois no longer called King of France but the Heretick Tyrant and persecuter of the holy Church and all places were full of Libels both in verse and prose which contained and amplified the same things several ways And the Council of sixteen having prepared the Preachers to be ready in case any tumult should arise to appease the people cause all the Counsellors of Parliament and Officers who adhered to the King to be imprisoned in the Bastille as enemies to the publick good This done they assemble a kind of Rump Parliament which substituting others in the place of those they had secluded make a publick Declaration for the deposing of the King and a new Decree and Engagement of holy Vnion for defence of the Catholick Religion the safety of Paris and other united Cities to oppose those who having violated the publick Faith had taken away the lives of the Catholick Princes to take just revenge for their murther and to defend the liberty and dignity of the States of France against all persons whoever without exception c. And this was proposed to be sworn to by all whereupon there was presently a general engagement throughout the whole Kingdom and for a Head of the Vnion they make
Colonel of the Regiment of the Guards that with some choice Bands he should keep watch before the dores of Coligny To these were joyned to avoid suspition some but few in number of the Switzers of the guards of Navar. Moreover for the greater security it was ordered by the King that the Gentlemen of the Protestants who were in the City should lodge near Coligny's house and it was given in command to Quarter-masters forthwith to assign lodgings and the King gave command with a loud voice that all might hear it to one of the Colonels that no Catholick should be suffered to come thither nor should they spare the life of any that should do otherwise Upon this occasion the Corporals went from place to place and wrote down the names of Protestants and advised them to repair near to Coligny for that the King would have it so These and such like signs and whisperings abroad though they had been enough to have warned the Protestants if they had not been infatuated yet by the constant dissimulation of the King it came to pass that Coligny and Teligny could not perswade themselves that any such cruelty was in his mind Therefore when the Nobles entred into consultation in the Chamber of Cornaton in the house of Coligny upon the same matter and the Visdame of Chartres persevered in the same opinion that they should depart the City as soon as might be and prevent that imminent danger though with some disadvantage to Coligny's health who yet was that day somewhat better Teligny was of opinion and Navar and Conde agreed with him that they should stay in the City otherwise they should offer a great affront to the King that was so well affected towards them 14. There was a suspition lest this should be caried to the King by one that was then present that was Buchavanius Bajancurius one very familiar with the Queen who presently hasted to the Tuilleries where a Counsel was held by the Conspirators under a colour of walking there was the last time that they consulted of the manner of executing the design There were present besides the King Queen and Anjou the Dukes of Nevers and Angolesme the Bastard Biragus Tavannes and Radesianus And since by the death of one man whom the Physitians did affirm was like to recover of his wound the grievance of the Kingdom which was nourished by him and diffused into many could not be extinguished it seemed good that it should be suppressed by the ruine of all and that wrath which God would not have to be satisfied with the bloud of Coligny alone should be poured out upon all the Sectaries That was their voluntary resolution at first and now by the event necessity and force is put upon their counsels that the danger that hangs over the King and the whole Kingdom cannot be avoided without the ruine of Coligny and all the Protestants For what would not he do so long as the faction of the Rebels remains entire after such an injury who when he was no way provoked was so long injurious to the King and hurtful to the Kingdom whom now all might foresee and dread going out of Paris with his party as a Lion out of his den raging against all without respect Therefore the reins are to be let loose to the people who are of themselves ready enough nor ought they any longer to withstand the will of God which would not that more mild Counsels should take effect After the thing is effected there will not want reasons whereby it may be excused the fault being laid upon the Guisians which they would gladly take upon them Therefore all agreed upon the utter ruine of the Protestants by a total slaughter To which opinion the Queen was even by her own nature and proper design enclined some time was spent in deliberating * The Duke of Guise was urgent to have the King of Navar and the Prince of Conde slain with the rest Dav. p. 370. It was also debated whether among the rest they should comprehend the Marshal d'Anville and his Brothers who professed the Catholick Religion but were nearly related to Coligny but they were spared because the eldest Brother Marshal Momorancy was absent Da. p. 370. whether Navar and Conde should be exempt from the number of the rest and as for Navar all their suffrages agreed upon the account of his Royal Dignity and the Affinity that he had lately contracted For that fact which of it self could not but be blamed by many would be so much the more blamed if a great Prince near of Bloud to the King joyned in a very late affinity should be slain in the King's Palace in the arms as it were of the King his Brother-in-law and in the embraces of his Wife For there would be no sufficient excuse nor would those arguments prevail to excuse the King which might cast the blame upon the Guisians Concerning Conde there was a greater debate he lying under the load of his Fathers faults yet both the dignity of the man and the authority of Ludovicus Gonzaga Duke of Nevers affirming that he would be loyal and obedient to the King and also offering himself as a surety for him upon the account of that close and manifold relation that was between them for Conde had lately married Mary of Cleve the Sister of Henrica Wife of the Duke of Nevers did prevail that he should be spared and exempt from the number of those that were designed for the slaughter as well as Navar. 15. Upon this the Duke of Anjou and Engolesme the Bastard departing as they rode in their Coach through the City they spread abroad a rumor as if the King had sent for Momorancy and was about to bring him into the City with a select number of horse The very same hour there was one apprehended who was suspected of the hurt of Coligny who confessed himself to be a servant of the Guises which when it was understood Guise and Aumale and others of the Family went to the King to remove that suspition and complain that they were oppressed through the favour that was shewed to their enemies that the ears of Judges were open to calumnies cast upon them and that tho they were guiltless yet they were manifestly set against that they had a long time observed that they were for what cause they knew not every day less gracious with the King but yet that they did dissemble it and hoped that time which is the best Master of truth would at last inform him more certainly of the whole matter But since they find no place for their innocence they did though unwillingly and as forced to it desire that with his good leave they might return home This was done openly and it was observed that the King answered to these things somewhat coldly and the rather that he might perswade the Protestants that he bare no good will to the Guisians Upon this the King adviseth Navar that
he remembred what great mischiefs had befallen him from them Navar and Conde who had headed a company of profligate persons and seditiously raised war against him That he had just reason to revenge these injuries and now also had an opportunity put into his hand but that he would pardon what was past upon the account of their consanguinity and the lately contracted affinity and lastly of their age and that he would think that these things were not done by the advice or fault of them but of Coligny and his followers who had already or should shortly receive the just deserts of their wickedness that he was willing that those things should be buried in oblivion provided they would make amends for their former offences by their future loyalty and obedience and renouncing their profane superstitious Doctrine would return to the Religion of their Ancestors that is to the Roman Catholick Religion for he would have only that Religion professed in his Kingdom which he had received from his fore-Fathers Therefore that they should look to it that they do comply with him herein otherwise they might know that the same punishment which others had suffered did hang over their heads To this the King of Navar did most humbly beg that no violence might be offered to their consciences nor persons and that then they would remain faithful to him and were ready to satisfy him in all things But Conde added that he could not perswade himself that the King who had engaged himself by solemn oath to all the Protestant Princes of his Kingdom would upon any account violate it or hearken to their enemies and adversaries in that matter As to Religion that was not to be commanded that his life and fortunes were in the King's power to do with them what he pleased but that he knew he was to give an account only to God of that Religion that he had received from God Therefore that he was fixed and resolved never to recede from his Religion which he knew assuredly was true no not for any present danger of life With which answer the King being highly provoked he called Conde stubborn seditious Rebel and the son of a Rebel and told him that if he did not change his mind within three days his head should pay for his obstinacy 20. Many of the Protestant Nobles had taken up their lodgings in the Suburbs of St. German and could not be perswaded to lie in the City Among these were Johannes Roanus Frontenaeus Godofridus Caumonlius Vidame of Chartres Gabriel Mongomerius Jo. Lafinius Bellovarius Segurius Pardallanius and others The destroying of whom was given in charge to Laurentius Maugironus and besides Marcells was ordered to take care that 1000 Souldiers of the City Trained-Bands should be sent thither to Maugironus who went but slowly on in his business While this was doing tidings came to Mongomery of the rumor of taking up Arms in the City who signified the same to the Vidame of Chartres and presently they met all together uncertain what was to be done for that many confiding in the King's faithfulness perswaded themselves that this was done without the King's command by the Guisians encouraged by the forwardness of the seditious people therefore they thought it was best to go to the King and that he would succour them against any violence In that doubtfulness of mind though the more prudent did not doubt that these things were done by agreement and by the King's command were many hours spent so that they might easily have been destroyed but that another impediment happened to the Conspirators for whiles Maugironus doth in vain expect Parisians to be sent from Guise who were all busied in plundering Guise impatient of further delays calls forth the King's Guards out of the Louvre intending whiles they passed the River to go thither himselfe And when he came to the gates it did too late appear that they had mistaken the keys therefore while they sent for others it being now broad day the Switzers and others of the King's Guards passing the Siene were seen from the other side and upon the discharging of a Gun on the other side of the River as was thought by the King's command the Associates take counsel to fly and before they came were gotten a good way off Guise pursued Mongomery and others to Montfort but in vain and meeting with Sanleodegarius he commands him that he should follow them with fresh horses There were some sent to Udencum and to Dreux who should intercept them if they went that way but all in vain Franciscus Bricomotius who could not be destroyed in the tumult flies to the English Ambassadors lodgings †In Bernardinorum caio. where he for some days lay hid Arnoldus Cavagnius also hid himself not far from hence with a friend who fearing the danger desired him to provide for himself but both being taken were cast into the Palace prison and with that event which we shall shew anon In the mean time Guise with Aumale and Angolesme return into the City where the King's Guards did commit outrages upon the lives and fortunes of the Protestant Nobles and Gentlemen even of those that were their familiars and well known to them This work being assigned to them in particular whiles the people incited by the Sheriffs wardsmen and tything-men that ran about did furiously rage with all manner of licentiousness and excess against their fellow-Citizens and a sad and horrid face of things did every where appear For the streets and ways did resound with the noise of those that flocked to the slaughter and plunder and the complaints and doleful out-cries of dying men and those that were nigh to danger were every where heard The carkasses of the slain were thrown down from the windows the Courts chambers of houses were full of dead men their dead bodies rolled in dirt were dragged through the streets bloud did flow in such abundance through the chanels of the streets that full streams of bloud did run down into the River the number of the slain men women even those that were great with child and children also was innumerable Annas Terrerius Chapius being eighty years old and an Advocate of great name in the Senate was slain Also Jo. Lomerius Secretary to the King having compounded for his safety was thrown into Gaol by Johannes Parisiensis Judge of Criminals and having sold * Versalium fundum his Estate at Versailles to his adversary with whom he had a Suit depending about it at a low rate and leaving his office upon the account of another was afterwards slain by the command of those with whom he had those dealings Magdalena Brissonetta the Relict of Theobaldus Longiolius an Irish-man Master of the Requests Neece of Cardinal Gulielmus Brissonettus and besides a woman of most rare accomplishments and of no mean learning when in old apparel taking with her her daughter Francisca and Johannes Spina a noted Preacher who was her
them from all injury and the Protestants that they should hold no Synod or Consistories unless the Magistrate first called was present their Pastors should engage to observe the Edict to teach the people the pure word of God and nothing contrary to the Nicene Councel the Creed and the books of the Old and New Testament and that both sides should abstain from all reproachful words speeches and books against one another and when the Senate interceded against the promulgation of the Edict a mandate was sent out to them to promulgate it without further delay which being again and again reiterated they at last obeyed The Guises the Constable and others of their party in the mean time leaving the Court contrive to hinder the Execution of it and oppose the Hugonot Faction as they call it not doubting but having by the Arts aforesaid gotten Navarre to their party to obtain their desires And first they endeavour to insinuate into the Lutheran Princes of Germany and if possible to engage them against the Protestants of France who in a point or two wherein Luther and Calvin differed incline rather to Calvins opinion or at least to render them more slack in affording them their assistance Then after a three days secret consultation with the Duke of Witenberg to this purpose at Zabern to which they had invited him and an out-ragious violence committed in the way by the Duke of Guise his company upon an Assembly of the Protestants at Vassy met to hear a Sermon whereof sixty men and women were by them slain and above two hundred more wounded the Duke with a great retinue speedily repairs to Paris in an insolent manner without any respect to the King by the way and contrary to the Queens express will and pleasure and not contented to go the nearer way by S. Martins he goes about with his attendants being accompanied by the Constable the Duke of Aumale his brother and the Mareshal of S. Andre and enters by S. Denis gate by which the Kings of France in Royal State are used to make their entrance to that Metropolis of the Kingdom being met by divers of the Magistrates of the City with the acclamations of the Rabble in such sort as is used by the people to their Kings Hereupon the Queen after divers other insolencies of this party fearing that under pretext of asserting the Catholick Religion they would usurp the Supreme Power of the Kingdom and get into their hands the King her self and other Children She commends all Dav. l. 3. Thu. l. 29. and the whole Kingdom to the Care of the Prince of Conde the next Prince of the blood and earnestly and frequently importunes his assistance to stop the proceeding of the Confederates But they who upon longer Consultation had made sufficient preparation for what they intended easily prevented him and having exasperated the people with feigned rumours from all the Provinces of the Kingdom of pretended injuries done to the Catholicks by the Protestants an Artifice wherein the Cardinal of Lorain's greatest skill consisted the Duke draws out a party and at Fountain-bleau seiseth upon the King whom with the Queen and Her other Children they carry by force to Paris the King weeping to see himself his mother and brothers carried as it were into Captivity The Queen the same day they were seised renued her importunity to Conde desiring him not to abate his courage or neglect his care for the preservation of the Crown or suffer their enemies to arrogate to themselves the absolute Power in the Government The Confederates on the other side being come to Paris with the young King and the Queen having in the morning by a party led by the Constable fired one of the places without the Gates where the Protestants assembled to Prayers and Sermons and in the afternoon another whereby also the neighbour buildings were consumed and permitted licence to the Rabble to abuse and injure those they suspected for their Religion held frequent Consultations how best to Order their affairs for their own advantage In which Counsels the Duke of Guise openly declared that he thought it most expedient to proceed to a War with the Hugonots so to extinguish the fire before it burst out into a consuming flame and to take away the root of that growing evil Thus was the first Civil War begun the Confederates pretending the Authority of the King and Queen Regent whom they had by force gotten into their power and the Prince alledging the express Authority of the Regent and that the Orders sent out in the Kings Name against him were by the Confederates obtained by force and dures This I have related the more largely because hitherto the Protestants had been onely passive that since now they had engaged in Action as many of them did in this service of the Prince it may the better appear upon what grounds they did Act which was not upon pretense of Religion though no doubt that was a great motive to them but for defence of the Laws and for the Liberty of their Prince and Lawful Governour and against those who did aspire not to the Regency onely but to the Crown and Kingdom it self by a long train of policies and violent Cruelties But this War was rather sharp than long which besides the slaughter of eight thousand men in one battel at Dreux besides great bloodshed and mischief in many other places was in short time the destruction of two of the principal Authors of it Navarre and * He was shot returning from the Camp to his Quarters by Poltrot who being taken upon his examination said he was imployed by Colinius and exhorted to it by Beza but being brought to the rack he utterly denyed it and concerning Beza persevered in his denyal to the last but concerning Colinius being brought to execution and with the terrour of his approaching execution being besides himself he one while affirmed and another while denyed it Colinius and Beza calling God to witness utterly denyed it and Colinius wrote to the Queen that before his execution the business might be further examined but he was in few days after executed Thuanus lib. 34. But was it really so Who employed and exhorted Parry not against a Commander of an Army but against his Prince who Lopez who so many more against Queen Elizabeth who James Clement to murther Henry the third of France who Jo. Chastel to murther Henry the fourth To mention no more Guise being both slain and the Constable the only surviving Triumvir being taken Prisoner thereupon an Accomodation followed without difficulty upon these Conditions among others That all free Lords not holding of any but the Crown might within their Jurisdictions freely exercise the Reformed Religion that the other Feudataries might do the same in their own houses for their own families provided they lived not in †So Davila but Thuanus lib. 35. modo ne in pagis aut municipiis habitent quae majori
From calumnies and slanders they proceed to conspiracies and actions And at Paris they set up a new Council of sixteen Da. p. 606. Thu. l. 86. which hold their secret meetings first at the Colledg of Forlet commonly called the cradle of the League afterwards at the Colledge of the Dominicans and at the Jesuites Colledge they plot to surprize Boulogne and there to admit the Spanish Fleet prepared against England Da. p. 609. Thu. l. 86. They also consult about taking the King himself as he returned from the Boys de Vincernes with a small guard And both these enterprizes being discovered to the King failing Thu. l. 87. they set up a seditious Preacher to inveigh against the King and his Counsellors and not doubting but thereupon the King would send to apprehend him they determine upon that occasion to stir up the people and thereupon take up arms and destroy both him and those about him who were faithful to him Which in part proceeded and perhaps had been accomplished if the King had not timely recalled those he had employed whereupon he was advised to depart from Paris which he did but not long after returning thither he is presented with a Petition which at a Consultation at Nancy where it was concluded that Guise and the other confederate Lord Da. p. 668. Thu. l. 90. should not enter to oppose the King at the very first was so contrived that if he granted it their desires would be effected without noise or trouble and if he refused he should thereby give them occasion and opportunity to make use of arms and to acquire that by force which he would not consent to of his own accord And though the King did not so much refuse as by excuses delay to answer it the Preachers labour to cast all the odium they can upon him inveigh against him as favouring the hereticks and on the other side highly extol and magnify the Catholick Princes so they called the Guisians And Guise his coming to the City is by frequent Letters much importuned which though according to the former conclusion he at present deferred yet were some experienced Souldiers sent to them he not being willing to trust to the City Commanders alone And now reckoning their strength 20000 men there is a new Conspiracy to fall upon the Louvre and killing the guard and all about him whom they suspect to seize upon the King But this was also discovered and the Council of sixteen who thought there might be some hazard in that resolve upon a more safe course to seize upon him when he should be in procession as he was wont in the habit of a Penitent among the whipping Friars and shut him up in a Monastery with a strong Guard and in the mean time a report should be spread abroad as if the King was taken away by the Protestants at which the people should take up arms and fall upon the Politicks and those they suspected And this being also discovered the King consults how to secure himself against the Conspirators In the mean time the Duke of Guise unexpectedly comes to Paris contrary to the King's command And while the King seeks to strengthen himself and preventing the Leaguers to secure the most important places of the City the Parisians are raised at the ringing of the Bells make Barricadoes cross the streets come up to the Louvre and begin to assault it Whereupon the Queen-Mother goes to Guise in her Sedan being denied passage in her Coach and confers with him but brings back nothing but complaints and exorbitant demands But the siege pressing much on the one side when it was feared they would likewise besiege it on the other the Queen-mother going again to Guise and having notice by the way that 15000 men were preparing to enclose the Louvre on the other side holds him in a long treaty while the King with 26 Gentlemen steals secretly away to Chartres to the no small grief of Guise and the Leaguers who had lost so fair an opportunity Whereupon they secure and strengthen Paris lay siege to the Boys de Vincernes which yielded without resistance as did also St. Cloud Lagny Charranton with all the other neighbouring Towns The King being again reduced to his former straits of accepting the assistance of the Protestants or yielding to such terms as the Leaguers would please to give him after long consultation at length resolved to use the same means against Guise which he remembred had been used in the reign of his Brother Charles against the Admiral Coligny and his Adherents and to that end feigned to consent to the opinion of those who perswaded him to unite himself to the Duke of Guise And having upon a treaty concluded a Peace upon almost the same conditions which were contained in the Petition framed at Nancy Thu. l. 91. he receives Guise much after the same manner that his Brother did Coligny with great expressions of honour causes the Edict of the Union to be presently published the War against the Protestants proclaimed for the prosecution whereof according to the Articles of the Peace two several Armies were appointed Guises atchievements were highly magnified by the Leaguers in France and no less by the Pope at Rome who sent to him and to the Cardinal Bourbon his Congratulatory Letters full of high praises which were presently published in print and dispersed abroad Wherein he commends their piety and zeal in promoting the business of Religion comparing Guise to the Holy Maccabees the defenders of the people of Israel so highly extolled in the Sacred Scriptures and exhorting him to continue succesfully and gloriously to fight for the advancement of the Church and the total extirpation of the Protestants acquaints him with his own uncessant prayers for the Divine assistance to him adding that nothing could be more seasonable for the present occasion than that he should have his Legate in France by whose means and authority their endeavours might be promoted for the good of the Kingdom and of the Catholick Religion And if any thing more be necessary to be done by him he desires to be certified of it who shall never be wanting to their cause Guise and the Leaguers being not a little animated by these things Thu. l. 93. the Assembly of the States at Blois which was called upon this late agreement and were most of the faction of the League especially the Order of the Clergy which did in a manner wholly incline to that side with great heat pronounce the King of Navar for his crime of heresy unworthy of the succession of the Kingdom which being decreed by the Clergy and upon their signification and admonition universally subscribed by the other two orders holding it a great fault in the cause of Religion to dissent from the Ecclesiasticks the Arch-Bishop of Ambrun with twelve of each Order repair to the King and desire that by his authority and a publick Edict the Decree may be
the due consideration of their former practices and of their principles Their end in general is pretty well known and what latitude they are like to take to themselves in the choice of means for attaining that end may not only be conjectured by their former practices but demonstrated unanswerably from their certain principles From which considerations though a man that is willing might easily satisfie himself what they are now doing yet because some who are concerned to be convinced of it will not perhaps be so satisfied and because to the more effectual prevention of so great a mischief a more particular discovery of the matter of fact and of the instruments and circumstances of it may be necessary all who have any love to their Country or regard to the interest and safety of themselves or their relations though the consideration of Religion should not move them are concerned to use their utmost endeavour in it But if neither the consideration of the horrid confusions and massacres heretofore raised in France by these Furies nor of their continual Treasons and Conspiracies against Queen Elizabeth and her Kingdoms which they then would have betrayed to the invasions of the King of Spain as now probably they would to the King of France that is those who steer their motions though their common agents may be generally ignorant of the design nor of that horrible Gunpowder Conspiracy against King James the Royal Issue and flower of the English Nobility and Gentry nor lastly of our late Civil Wars which may in time be justly proved and demonstrated to have been the product of the Romish machinations to which might be added their restless endeavors for the subversion of our Government and for the breaking of the great Metropolis of this Nation as the two main obstacles in their way if all this and besides all the safety of his Majesties person which perhaps may be further concerned in it than is commonly apprehended be not sufficient to awaken us of these Nations to a speedy vigilance and activity before it be too late to discover and detect their machinations and couragiously oppose their proceedings especially those who are in authority within their several Jurisdictions to look narrowly if not into their matters of Religion yet at least into their provisions of Arms and Ammunition into their correspondencies and secret negotiations and engagements and especially to discover those who under several disguises not only insinuate themselves into familiarity with persons of Quality and creep into their Families under the notions of Physitians Painters and other employments but also get into publick offices and employments and perhaps to be chosen into the Parliment it self it may be feared we shall ere long smart for our stupidity and supine negligence 3. To those who still continue of the Roman Communion and are in danger to be drawn in to engage in such undertakings for the promotion of their Religion by fraud and force by disturbance or subversion of Governments raising or fomenting wars between Christian Princes and States and such like means that they will well consider the justice and piety thereof For most certain it is and agreed on all hands that they are contrary to the means used by our Saviour and his Apostles and Disciples and their Successors for the original propagation of the Gospel Nor ought it to be replyed as some have impiously said that that was for want of force for he who could command legions of Angels is not to be thought to have wanted force if he had pleased to make use of it nor had the Christians for many ages before these Unchristian Doctrines were ever thought of less power in the World than they have had since or less occasion to have made use of it had they thought it lawful and besides it is no less contrary to their Doctrine than to their Practice 2. The use of such means is most injurious and scandalous to the most holy pure and innocent Religion which hath been always most propagated and glorified by the magnanimous sedate and constant sufferings of its genuine Professors but always most dishonoured by the furious violent and perfidious practices of the spurious Zealots of the abuses of it 3. It is contrary to the very nature of the true Religion and the express Doctrine of the sacred Scriptures 4. It is condemned by the judgment of God disappointing blasting and confounding all attempts of that nature in these Kingdoms for near an hundred years together Nor will their zeal and good intentions excuse them Paul had as much of both when he persecuted the Christians as they can have and of the Jews he testifies to the Romans that they had the zeal of God but not according to knowledge and our Saviour foretold that they who should kill his Disciples would think they do God good service in it Nor will their following of the probable opinions of their Confessors excuse them for when blind guides lead the blind both fall into the ditch as our Saviour saith Nor will it be much comfort to them who dye in their sins through the Priests default that the Priest also shall answer for it as the Prophet saith But that which is the secret root and main prop of their delusion and most effectually deceives them is an unhahpy mistaken opinion deeply rooted in their minds of the infallible authority of the particular Church of Rome For as Cardinal Perron hath well argued V. King James Def. of the Right of Kings if these things be unlawful which have for so many ages been acted by the Papal authority that interposed with all the formality and solemnity that could be it would follow that the Pope hath been Antichrist and the Church of Rome the Synagogue of Satan for so many ages past This is it whatever other specious arguments and pretenses are alledged which makes them no less obstinate in their errors than the Jews are in theirs A deceived heart hath turned them aside and they cannot deliver their soul But if they will but 1. Lay aside the prejudice of Education 2. Consider the great evidence there is that these things are contrary to Christianity 3. And with that compare the little real ground there is to believe this pretended infallible authority it may by God's blessing be a good means to undeceive them but then as to the third particular they must deal candidly and impartially setting aside 1. Such proofs as concern only the perseverance of the Church of Christ in general 2. Such as concern only the authority of particular Churches over their own members for neither of these make any thing for the Church of Rome more than for any other particular Church then what else they can alledge will be found to be far short of what the Jews might alledge to prove that they are still the true Israel of God But the confounding of these things is that which imposeth upon their minds and judgments The
of Anjou and the Duke of Alanson defended Paradise as they called it which many Knights Errant seeking to break into of whom Navar was Captain they were every one of them repulsed and at last thrown headlong down into Hell Then Mercury riding upon a Cock and together with him Cupid came sliding down to the defendants and then after much discourse with them returned into Heaven Then the three defendants came to the Nymphs wandring in the pleasant green fields and led them into the middle of the Hall where the Spectators were with much pleasure entertained with new Dances about the Fountain for a full hour Then the defendants being prevailed upon by their entreaties the Knights Errant that were shut up in Hell were released who presently in a confused skirmish break their spears at last the Gunpowder that was laid by pipes about the Fountain being fired fire-broak forth with a great noise and consumed all their Scenes and so all departed This shew was variously interpreted for that the assailants who were most of them Protestants did in vain attempt to get into the seats of the blessed and were afterwards thrust down into Hell for so they put a mockery upon the Protestants and others did bode that it portended some mischief However certain it is that Francis E. of Momorancy whether suspecting some evil or being indisposed by reason of the tossing of the Sea as lately returned from his Ambassy in England having obtained leave of the King went to Chantilly for his healths sake leaving in the Court Henry d'Anville Carolus Meruvius and Gulielmus Thoraeus his Brethren and that very happily for that most Illustrious Family V. Da. p. 370. for it was the general opinion that the plotters of the following Massacre would have comprehended them all in this conspiracy had they not feared that Momorancy who was now absent would have revenged it The next day being Thursday there was running at Tilts held in the Court-yard of the Louvre in which on the one side the King and his Brethren together with the Duke of Guise and the Duke of Aumale in the habit of Amazons and on the other side the King of Navar with his party in Turkish habits contended with their launces Scaffolds being set up on either side from which the Queen-Mother the King's Wife Lorain and all the Court-Ladies beheld the sports 8. Two days before the Counsel concerning the Massacre being not yet concluded the King with great shew of kindness bespeaks Coligni thus You know Father so he called him upon the account of his age and honour what you undertook to me that you would offer no injury so long as you are at Court to the Guises and they again engaged that they as they ought would behave themselves toward you and yours honourably and modestly I repose very great trust in your words but I have not the like confidence in their promises For besides that I know the Guises do by all means seek revenge I know their daring and haughty nature and in what favour they are with the people of Paris It would be a very great grief to me if they who under pretence of coming to the Marriage have brought with them a great party of souldiers well appointed should attempt any thing to your hurt for that would be an injury to my self Therefore if you think it expedient I think it convenient that the Regiment of the Guards be drawn into the City under these Commanders then he named those who were no way suspected who if any turbulent persons attempt any thing may be ready at hand to secure the publick Peace To such friendly discourse Coligni easily yielded his assent out of a desire of domestick Peace and being already overcome by the Court-flatteries therefore a Regiment is drawn within the walls without any suspition of the Protestants 9. This being done they enter into Counsel * Lib. 51. He mentions a former Consultation between the Queen-Mother Anjou Cardinal Lorain Aumale Guise Birage and others in the same Chamber wherein Guise was afterwards by the King's Command killed and afterwards in the same buildings where the King himself Henr. 3. here called Anjou was murthered by a Fryer again and after some debate the thing was left undetermined their opinions varying according to the condition of places and of the persons admitted to the Council For thus it was discoursed before the King with whom were in Council the Queen-Mother the Duke of Anjou and others There are two factions in the Kingdom one of the Momorancies to whom the Colignies were formerly added but now upon the account of Religion by which they have engaged many to them they constitute a new faction The other is of the Guises nor will France ever be quiet or that Majesty that is taken from Kings by the Civil Wars thence arising ever be restored till the chief of their Heads who disturb the most flourishing Empire and the publick Peace be stricken off They by the troubles of the Kingdom have grown to so great Power that they cannot be taken away at the same time they are severally to be taken off and set-one against the other that they may destroy one another Coligni must be begun with who only survives of his Family who being taken out of the way it would much weaken the Momorancies who lie under so great an odium upon the account of their joyning with Coligni But this is an unworthy thing and not to be suffered by you said they directing their discourse to the King that a man whom only Nobility commends one that is advanced to honour by the favour of Kings now grown burdensom to the Nobility equal to Princes in honour grievous to your self should come to that height of madness and boldness that he should count it a sport to mock at Royal Majesty and every day at his own lust to raise Wars in the Kingdom Certainly his madness is above all things by you if you be indeed King to be restrained that by his example all may learn to bear their fortunes decently and use them modestly Nor only shall the faction of the Momorances be broken by his death but the power of the Protestants shall be over-turned of which when he is the very heart and soul in him alone the Protestants seem to live and he being dead they will fall with him This is not only useful but necessary for setling the publick Peace when as experience doth shew that as one house cannot keep two Dogs nor one tree relieve two Parrots so one and the same Kingdom cannot bear two Religions This may be done without danger or blame if some cut-throat as there are enough of them to be had be suborned to take away the life of Coligni encouraged by some present reward and hopes of future who having done the thing may make his escape by the help of a light horse prepared for that purpose V. Dav. p 368 370. The opinion of
and bidding him throw down the body it was thrown out of the window into the Court-yard as it was all besmeared with bloud when * He was afterâ—ards stabbed â—o death l. 85. Angolesme not believing his own eyes wiped off the bloud from his face with his handkerchief and at last perceiving it was he and as some add kicking the corps in scorn going out of the house with his fellows into the way Go to fellow Souldiers saith he let us prosecute what we have so happily begun for so the King commandeth which words being often repeated when forthwith the Bell of the Palace clock rang out they every where cryed Arm arm and the people presently ran to Coligny's house then the carkass after it had been abused in a strange manner is cast into the next Stable and at last cutting off his head which was sent as far as Rome and his privy-members and his hands and his feet they dragged it about the streets to the bank of Siene which thing he had formerly presaged by an ominous word though he thought no such thing When he was about to be thrown into the River by the boys from thence he was drawn to the Gibbet of Mount Faucon where with his legs upward and his body downward he is hanged in iron-chains then a fire is made under him by which he is only scorched not consumed that he might as it were be tormented through all the Elements slain upon the earth drowned in the water burnt in the fire and hanged in the air There when his corps had been exposed for some days to the lust and rage of all spectators and to the just indignation of many who did boad that that rage would hereafter cost the King and all France dearly Francis Momorancy who had timely withdrawn himself from the danger being near of kin and nearer by friendship to the dead took care that he should by some trusty men be taken down by might and committed to the earth in a Chapel at Chantilly In Coligny's house were slain in the tumult whosoever they met or found hiding themselves and then the Souldiers betake themselves to plunder and breaking open Chests they take away mony and other precious things only they preserve letters and papers for so the Queen commanded 18. Thence Nevers and Tavannes and Monpenser who joyned himself to them through the hatred that he bore to Protestants ride armed through the City and spurred on the people that ran already telling them That Coligny and his Associates had laid a plot against the King the Queen the King's Brethren and Navar himself and that it was detected by the singular Grace of God and that the King prevented them only in time therefore that they should not spare the bloud of those wicked men who are the capital enemies of the King and Country but that they should fly upon their goods as spoil lawfully gotten that it was the King's pleasure that that pestiferous serpentine seed should be extirpated that the poison of heresy being extinguished there should for the future not so much as a word be spoken of any Religion but that of their fore-Fathers Then all being let loose to satisfy their hatreds every one prosecuted his enemy and rival with embittered minds Many brake into houses through desire of prey all ran upon the slaughter without distinction At the same time Francis Count de la Roche fou cault being for his facetiousness and pleasantness in discourse very gracious with the King when as but the day before he had though unseasonably drawn out the night till late in jesting with the King and from thence betook himself to his own house he underwent the same fate with Coligny For Bargius Avernus knocks at Roche-fou-cault's house and telling him he had something to acquaint him with from the King Roche-fou-cault himself commanding the dores to be unlocked he is admitted in when he saw men as he thought in disguises supposing the King was not far off who had sent men in jest to beat him he beggeth them that they would deal better with him but miserable man he found that the thing was not to be acted in jest but in earnest when his house being plundered before his eyes he himself half naked was most cruelly butchered by one that stood by him Also Teligny the son-in-law of Coligny having by running over the tops of houses escaped the hands of many and at last being espied by the Guards of Anjou he is also slain Antonius Claromonlius Marquess of Revel Brother by the Mother to Prince Porcian who had a contest with Ludovieus Claromonlius Bussius of Ambois concerning the Marquesat of Revel came to Paris in the company of Navar hoping there to put an end to his troublesome controversy But the matter had a quite other end than he expected for when in that tumult he fled into the house that was next to his at length he fell into the hands of his Cousin-German pursuing him who being his enemy upon no other account but the matter in controversy cruelly slew him But not long after the controversy being brought to an hearing sentence was given for Bussius but with no more happy success for by virtue of an Edict afterwards made in favour of the Protestants the sentence was repealed and Ludovicus himself was for a far different cause with the same cruelty beheaded Antonius Marasinus Guerchius a stout man who the day before had asked Coligny that he might lodge in his house when being in distress he had not time to hide himself taking his Cloak upon his arm and drawing his sword he for a long time defended himself against the Assasines yet he slew none of them being all in Coats of Male but at last was overpowred by the multitude The same calamity involved Baudineus the Brother of Acierius Pluvialius Bernius being cruelly slain by the King's Souldiers as also Carolus Quellevetus Pontius President of Armorica who had married Katharina Parthenaea daughter and heir of John Subizius but the Mother of Parthenaea complaining of the frigidity of her son-in-law a Suit had been commenced to dissolve the Marriage but was not yet determined Therefore when the bodies of the slain were thrown down as they were slain before the Palace and in the sight of the King and Queen and all the Court retinue many Court-Ladies not being affrighted at the horridness of such a spectacle did with curious eyes shamefully behold the naked bodies and especially fixing their eyes on Pontius did examine if they could by any means discover the signs of his frigidity Carolus Bellomanerius Lavardinus the Kinsman of Pontius and sometime Tutor to the King of Navar in his childhood fell into the hands of Petrus Lupus President of the Court a good man who when he would have saved him and was commanded by the Emissaries of the Court to dispatch his prisoner he as he was a man of a ready and pleasant wit asked so much time as
Coligny and his followers had been performed the Guises should immediately depart the City and go every one to his own house that thereby all might take notice that whatsoever had been done at Paris proceeded from their faction But the Queen and Anjou especially who did both of them with an over weaning affection incline to the party of Guise did intercede seeing the King was at first enraged only against Coligny as not yet forgetting his flight from Meaux drew him on who yet wavered to the slaughter of all the Protestants in the City so that not knowing where he set his foot they brought him by degrees to this pass that he should take the whole blame upon himself and so ease the Guisians who were not able to bear such a burden And to that end Anjou did as it it was laid produce Letters found in Teligny's desk written by the hand of Momorancy in which after the wound given to Coligny he did affirm that he would revenge this injury upon the Authors of it who were not unknown with the same mind as if it had been offered to himself Thereupon the Queen and Anjou took occasion to shew the King That if he persisted in his former dissimulation things were come to that pass that he would endanger the security of the Kingdom his Fortunes Riches and Reputation For the Guisians who do by these Letters and otherwise understand the mind of the Momorancies being men desirous of troubles and seeking grounds of them upon every occasion will never lay down their Arms which they have by the King's command taken up to offer this injury that they will still keep them under pretence of defending their safety which they say is aimed at by the enemy and so that which was thought to have been the end of a most bloudy war will prove to be the beginning of a more dangerous one For the remainders of the Protestants who see their matters distressed will without doubt gather themselves to the Momorancies who are of themselves strong and thence will take new strength and spirits which if it should happen what a face of the Kingdom will appear when the name and authority of the King's Majesty being slighted and trampled upon every one shall take liberty to himself and indulge to private hatred and affections according to his own lust Lastly what will foreign Princes think of the King who suffers himself to be over-ruled by his subjects who cannot keep his subject in their duty and lastly who knows not how to hold the reins of legal power Therefore there is no other way to prevent so great an evil but for the King to approve by his publick Proclamation of what was done as if it had been done by his command For by this means he should take the arbitrement and power to himself and on the one hand disarm the Guises and on the other hand keep the Momorancies from taking up Arms and lastly should bring it about that the Protestant affairs now already very low should be separated from the cause of the Momorancies That the King ought not to fear the odium of the thing for there is not so much danger in the horridness of a fact the odium whereof may be somewhat allayed by excuse as in the confession of weakness and impotency which doth necessarily bring along with it contempt which is almost destructive to Princes By these reasons they easily perswaded an imperious Prince who less feared hatred than contempt that he might recall the Guisians to obedience and retain the Momorancies in their loyalty to confirm by publick testimony that whatsoever had been done was done by his will and command Therefore in the morning viz. upon the Tuesday he came into the Senate with his Brethren the King of Navar and a great retinue of Nobles after they had heard Mass with great solemnity and sitting down in the Chair of State all the orders of the Court being called together He complained of the grievous injuries that he had from a child received from Gaspar Coligny and wicked men falsly pretending the name of Religion but that he had forgiven them by Edicts made for the publick Peace That Coligny that he might leave nothing to be added to his wickedness had entred into a conspiracy how to take away him his mother his brethren and the King of Navar himself though of his own Religion that he might make young Conde King whom he determined afterwards to slay likewise that the Royal Family being extinct he usurping the Kingdom might make himself King That he when it could not otherwise be did though full sore against his will extinguish one mischief by another and as in extream dangers did use extream remedies that he might extirpate that impure contagion out of the bowels of the Kingdom Therefore that all should take notice that whatsoever had been that day done by way of punishment upon those persons had been done by his special command After he had said these things Christophorus Thuanus chief President in a speech fitted to the time commended the King's prudence who by dissembling so many injuries had timely prevented the wicked conspiracy and the danger that was threatned by it and that that being suppressed he had now setled peace in the Kingdom having well learnt that saying of Lewis XI He that knows not how to dissemble knows not how to reign Then the Court was commanded that diligent enquiry should be made concerning the conspiracy of Coligny and his Associates and that they should give sentence according to form of Law as the heinousness of the fact did require Then lastly Vidus Faber Pibraccius Advocate of the Treasury or Attorney-General stood up and asked the King whether he did will and command that this declaration should be entred into the acts of the Court to the preservation of the memory of it whether the orders of Judges and Civil Magistrates which he had complained were corrupted should be reformed And lastly whether by his command there should be an end put to the slaughters and rapines To these things the King answered that he did command the first that he would take care about the second and that for the third he did give command by publick proclamation through all the streets of the City that they should for the future abstain from all slaughters and rapines Which declaration of the King astonished many and among the rest Thuanus himself who was a man of a merciful nature and altogether averse from bloud and feared that example and the danger that was threatned thereby who also did with great freedom privately reprove the King for that if the conspiracy of Coligny and his company had been true he did not rather proceed against them by Law This is most certain he did always detest St. Bartholomews day using those verses of Sâ—â—tius Papinius in a different case Excidat illa dies aevo nec postera credant Saecula nos certe taceamus obruta
multa Nocte regi propriae patiamur crimina Gentis So that he seems to have commended the King's art by a speech fitted to the present time and place rather than from his heart The advising of the King to enquire into this conspiracy is thought to have been from James Morvillerius Bishop of Orleans who had left his Bishoprick to give himself wholly to the Court a man of a cautious nature but moderate and just and who was never the author of that bloudy counsel But when as that which was done could not be undone he thought it was best for the reputation of the King and for the publick Peace that since the odium of it could not be wholly abolished yet that it might by some means be mitigated he perswaded the King and Queen that to the things being now done they should though in a preposterous manner apply the authority of Law and that proof being made of the conspiracy judgment should be passed upon the conspirators in form of Law which thing Thuanus himself approved being consulted about it by Morvillerius upon the King's command Two days after a Jubilee is appointed and Prayers are made by the King and a full Court in a great assembly of people and thanks were returned to God for that things had succeeded so happily and according to their desires And the same day an Edict was published wherein the King declared that Whatsoever had happened in this matter was done by his express command not through hatred of their Religion or that it should derogate from the Edicts of Pacification which he would have to stand still in force and to be religiously observed but that he might prevent the wicked conspiracy of Coligny and his confederates Therefore that he did will and command that all Protestants should live at home quietly and securely under his protection and patronage and did command all his Governors to take diligent care that no violence or injury should be offered to them either in their lives goods or fortunes adding a sanction that whosoever did otherwise should understand that he did it under pain of life To these things a clause was finally added which the Protestants did interpret to contradict what he had said before that Whereas upon the account of their meetings and publick Assemblies great troubles and grievous offences had been stirred up they should for the future abstain from such meetings whether publick or private upon what pretence soever till further order was taken by the King upon pain of life and fortunes to those that disobeyed 26. These Edicts and Mandates were diversly entertained in the Provinces according to the divers natures and factions of the Governors for those that were addicted to the party of the Momorancies made a moderate use of them but great was the rage and fury of others to whom secret commands were brought not in writing but by Emissaries following the example of the Parisian Massacre The beginning was at Meaux as being nearest where the same day that the Massacre had been at Paris above two hundred were thrown into prison by Cossetus Advocate of the Treasury an impudent man who was chiefly assisted by Dionysius Rollandus an Apparitor and Columbus a Mariner The next day they set upon the Market that is out of the City and the men being slipt away they fell upon the women whereof 25 were slain and some of them violated by the rude murderers The day following after they had every where rifled the houses of the suspected they come to those that were imprisoned who being called out one by one by Cossetus himself were there slain as Oxen by Butchers in a Slaughter-house and thrown into the Castle-ditch and the greatest part of them the cut-throats being wearied were drowned in the River Marne And then Cossetus exhorts the neighbouring places that they should proceed in what had been so happily begun But the presence of Momoranty President of I'â—sle la France who was then at Cantilia not far from thence did hinder the seditions from stirring at Senlis But great was the rage at Orleans which being once or twice taken by the Protestants the sad ruines of the demolished Churches lying open to the eyes of all did enkindle the minds of the people to revenge their injuries being yet fresh the day following therefore they began upon Campellus Bovillus one of the King's Counsellors whom being ignorant of what had happened at Paris Curtius a Weaver the leader of the seditious with some of his party went as it were to visit in the evening he thinking that they come as friends to sup with him entertained them as at a feast which entertainment the murderers having received they acquaint him with what was done at Paris and withal demand his Purse which being delivered they in the midst of their entertainment stay their Host From thence as if this had been the sign given they flock together for three days to murder and spoil above 1000 men women and children as it was thought were slain part were cast into the river Loire those that were slain without the City were thrown into the ditch Great was the plunder that was taken in all that time and especially the copious Library of Peter Montaureus a learned man who died four years since of grief of mind at Sancerra furnished with Books of all sorts especially with mathematical Manuscripts the greatest part of them Greek and corrected and illustrated by the labours of Montaureus himself as also with instruments useful in that Science contrived with admirable artifice was with a most barbarous outrage taken away Also some were slain at Gergolium the people raging through the neighbouring Cities Towns and Villages after the manner of the Inhabitants of Orleance The same was done at Angiers they beginning with Johannes Massonius Riverius who was most barbarously slain as he walked in his Garden by a cut-throat let in by his Wife who suspected no such thing as also others Barbeus Ensign of the Prince of Conde's Regiment escaped the danger by flight as also Renatus Roboreus Bressaldus one that was very troublesome to Priests many of whom he had unworthily maimed was after wards executed The Townsmen of Troyes of whom Coligny had a little before complained to the King when they heard of the tumult at Paris presently set guards at the City gates that none might slip forth and having upon 3 Kal. VII bris August 30th cast all the suspected into prison five days after by the command Anna Valdraeus Simphalius Governor of Troyes upon the instigation of Petrus Bellinus who as was believed came lately from Paris with private commands they were brought out one by one and slaughtered by the cut-throats and buried in a ditch digged in the very prison and presently after the King's Proclamation wherein they were commanded to leave of killing and spoiling was published by Simphalius who as it is said received it before the slaughter was committed At Vierzon when as
and they had the Author of it in Custody and Bonds The fame of this being spread abroad for in so great a matter of Joy it could not be concealed the Conspirators fly some this way some that way and meet together at Holbech at the house of Stephen Littleton in the borders of Stafford-shire Thither came those that were privy to the Conspiracy out of Warwick shire and Worcester-shire although they were ignorant of the discovery of the Plot having taken away by force from Gentlemens houses their Warr-horses thereby giving a manifest token what they would have done when they had got the power in their hands when as they ravaged with such boldness while the event was yet doubtful The Leaders of the Faction trusted that great numbers of Men and a considerable Army would flock into them as soon as they should appear in Arms. But the Lieutenants and Sheriffs being before while the Treason was only suspected Commanded by the King to ride about their Counties their attempts were all made void and scarcely an Hundred of all that number appeared in Arms. And they were encompassed by Richard Walsh High Sheriff of the County of Worcester who came upon them unexpectedly with a strong power of Men so that they could not escape When despairing of Pardon and their troubled Consciences putting them upon desperate exploits the Gun-powder that was drying by the Fire took fire by a sparkle that fell into it and so suddenly burnt the Faces Sides Arms Hands of the Besieged that they were rendered unable to handle their Arms and so lost their strength and courage together Catesby and Percy that were most active together with Tho. Winter while they betake themselves to a corner of the house are both shot through with a Leaden Bullet Winter being wounded fell into the hands of the Kings Party both the Wrights were slain Grant Digby Rockwood and Bates were taken Prisoners Tresham whiles shifting his Lodgings in London he sometime escaped yet at last was taken Robert Winter and Littleton a long time wandring up and down the Woods at last fell into the hands of the Guards and were all committed to the Tower at London Being Examined without the rack for only Fawks was put under this way of Examination and that but moderately they severally discovered the whole series of the matter as we have before recounted and taxed none in Holy Orders which many looked upon as purposely avoided because they were bound by Oath not to do it When as Francis Tresham had before he dyed in Prison of his own accord nominated Henry Garnet being admonished thereof by his Wife he wrote a Letter to the Earl of Salisbury and excusing his too rash confession he so discharged Garnet as much as in him lay by a solemn adjuration interposed that he did entangle himself in a notorious lye affirming †He took it upon his Salvation even in articulo mortis a lamentable thing for within three hours after he dyed Proceedings against the late Traitors C c 2.3 that he had not seen Garnet of sixteen years when as it did appear afterward by the confession of Garnet * And of Mrs. Anne Vaux who confessed that she had seen Mr. Tresham with Garnet at her house three or four times since the Kings coming in and that they were at Erith together the last Summer and that Garnet and she were not long since with Mr. Tresham at his house in Northampton-shire and stayed there Proceedings ibid. that they had often and for a long time together conversed one with another before the six Moneths last past MDCVI Digby confessing the matter as it was in truth endeavoured †He sought to clear all the Jesuits of those practises whith they themselves have now confessed ex ore proprio Proceedings ibid. Even at the time of Garnets Tryal was current throughout the Town a report of a Retractation under Bates his hand of his accusation of Greenwell Proceedings ibid. to excuse the horridness of the Fact which he acknowledged and seemed to detect by the desperateness of their condition For being made to hope that the new King upon his coming to the Kingdom would indulge liberty of Conscience to those of the Popish Religion and would permit the exercise thereof with some restriction This being denyed it drove those miserable men unadvisedly to pernicious Counsels Here the Earl of Northampton and Cecil who together with the Earl of Nottingham Suffolk Worcester and Devonshire did sit as Judges in that Cause interposed affirming that the King never gave them any hope of liberty nor ever engaged his word for it but factious persons did maliciously throw such a report abroad that they might have a pretence wherewith to excuse both themselves and such as they were for the Seditions which they raised in the Kingdom At length being Convicted and found Guilty they are condemned to the punishment wont to be inflicted by the Laws of the Realm upon Rebels and Traytors Everard Digby Robert Winter John Grant and Thomas Bates were Executed at London nigh the Western Gate of St. Paul's Church in the later end of January The day following Tho. Winter Ambrose Rockwood Robert Keies and Guido Fawks who confessed that they had wrought in the Vault were Executed at Westmonaster in the Old Palace yard near the Parliament house Upon this many who for this cause were banished or of their own accord changed their Native Soil were most courteously received at Calice by Dominick Wikes Vicus the Governour there for so the King commanded Of whom one was of such a perverse mind that when Wikes did shew himself to bewail his and his Companions fortune and for their comfort added Though they had lost their Native Countrey yet by the Kings grace they had a Neighbouring one allowed them Nay saith the other It is the least part of our grief that we are banished our Native Countrey and that we are forced to change our Soil because every good man counts that his Countrey where he can be well this doth truly and heartily grieve us that we could not bring so generous and wholsom a design to perfection Which as soon as Vicus contrary to his expectation had heard he could hardly for anger abstain from throwing that man into the Sea who gloryed in such a Plot as was damned by all men For so I remember I have heard Vicus often say when together with Alexander Delbenius he came courteously upon the account of our Ancient friendship to visit me a little before he went from us The Plot being discovered the Parliament among publick rejoycings was held with great security To whom the King made a most weighty Oration and set forth the inexpressible Mercy of God over all his works towards Himself his Family and His whole Kingdom largely aggravating the thing from its several circumstances This temperament being * And this conclusion with no less truth That as upon the one part many
honest men seduced with some errors of Popery may yet remaine good faithful Subjects So as on the other part none of those that truly know and believe the whole ground and School conclusions of their Doctrine can ever prove either good Christians or faithful Subjects He had said a little before That many honest men blinded peradventure with some opinions of Popery yet do they either not know or at least not believe all the true grounds of Popery which is indeed the mysterie of Iniquity with great Justice added That he did not say All that were addicted to the Romish Religion were to be included as guilty of this Crime for that there were many among them who although they are involved in Popish Errors so he called them yet had they not lost their true Loyalty to Princes but did observe the Duty both of a Christian man and of a good Subject and that he in return had good thoughts of them and that he thought the Severity of the Puritans was worthy of flames who deny that any Papist can be received into Heaven This likewise was worthy the Wisdom of a most just Prince that he did Judge that no Forreign Prince nor Common-wealth nor none that did manage affairs for them had any hand in this Conspiracy as who did judg of them according to his own mind and temper and would think of others what he would that they should think of him Therefore he did will and require that when any mention should be made of this Conspiracy in Parliament every one should speak and think honourably of them Which thing was done for the respect that he bore to the Spaniards with whom desiring to keep that peace which he of late made with them he would not leave any the least appearance of an alienated affection or a suspicious mind He added this most generously That he would that all men should understand that resting in Gods protection the tranquility and quiet of his mind was not at all disturbed by this accident and that he did wish that his breast were transparent to all that his People might behold the most secret recesses of his heart But when he judged it might conduce much to Example and Publick Security that he should severely punish the Authors of so horrid a Crime and because there was a suspition arising from Letters Confessions and Proofs made that Gerard alias Braek Hen. Garnet Oswald Tesmond alias Greenwell were either privy to or promoters of this Conspiracy therefore upon the XVIII of the Kalends of February 14 Jan. a Proclamation is published against them and a reward proposed to him that should discover and bring them to their Tryal as also a Penalty added against those who after the publishing of this Proclamation should entertain nourish conceal or be any way aiding the persons named in that Proclamation or should at all indeavour that those who are accused of this horrid Crime should not be found out and apprehended In order hereunto diligent search is made and strict enquiry after them who concealed themselves at length Hen. Garnet and Hall and Garnets Servant were taken in the house of Abington a Papist and sent to London and cast into the Tower The wretched Servant for fear least he should be forced by torments to accuse his Master or despairing upon some other account did lay violent hands upon himself in the Prison and with a blunt knife for he was not permitted to have a keen one by him he cut up his own Belly and drew out his Bowels and although his wound was bound up yet before he could be Examined he dyed Garnet was very gently used in his Imprisonment as he himself afterward confessed At first he denyed all things and when it did appear that nothing could be drawn from him voluntarily and the King that he might avoid calumny was unwilling to use torments upon him resolves by craft to illude his cautious pertinacy and to bring him to larger Confessions who would answer little or nothing whether he would or not He secretly imploys a man who by deep groans and frequent complaints against the King and his Counsellors and the deplorable condition of the Catholicks in England did in the end perswade Garnet that he was Popishly enclined and so crept into intimate familiarity with him This man he sends with a Letter to a Gentlewoman that was Imprisoned for her Religion who kept her family at Whitwâ—b and other places and received with great hospitality those whom he commended to her In which Letter he wrote plainly and yet sparingly what things he had already confessed what he was not yet examined upon and by what means he would excuse those things which he had confessed and conceal these He wrote likewise to Rookwood the Priest who was Prisoner in another Prison and wrote his Letter with Ink in the middle about some familiar matters that any one might read but left broad Margents on both sides which he filled with his Secrets written with the juice of an Orange denying all whatsoever he had confessed before the Lords As to the Spanish Expedition he said he had obtained the Kings Pardon As to this last Conspiracy he should avoid Judgment because he knew they could make no sufficient proofs against him But however it went he added having too high an opinion of himself that which was spoken of the only Redeemer of the world It would be necessary that one man should die for the People The Letter was by the Kings Councellors who smelt out the cunning held to the fire and presently the writing appear'd and the fraud was discovered He being every day more and more confident of his instructed Keeper told him he did exceedingly desire to have some conference with Hall his Companion He promised to bring it about and brought both of them to a place where they might easily hear one another and where he himself to avoid all suspition might be seen by them both In the mean time he placed two men of known credit near the place who they knowing no such thing and minding only the return of their Keeper who was gone abroad might hear whatsoever passed between them There each of them freely discover'd what they had confessed what they had been Examined about what excuses and evasions for these were their words they had prepared for every particular and many other such things which being carefully taken were delivered to the Counsel in writing The next day the Prisoners suspecting no such thing Delegates from the King came to them and Examine Garnet and Hall a part and object to them that they had yesterday held private conference with one another Garnet thinking they spoke this only upon conjecture †Upon his Soul reiterating it with so many detestable execrations as wounded the Lords hearts to hear him Proceedings Y 3. stifly denyed it and forswore it upon the word of a Priest At last Hall having confessed the Fact and he
of the happy discovery and prevention of that horrible design in these words Though there be no appearance of any stir yet I say they shall receive a terrible blow this Parliament and yet they shall not see who hurts them This Counsel is not to be contemned because it may do you good and can do you no harm for the danger is past as soon as you have burn'd this Letter To these may be added that rumour cast abroad of another Petition which should be in no danger of being denied here mentioned by Thuanus pag. 1. And though in its first conception this project was doubtless known but to few yet when once resolved on as the time of its execution drew nearer the more frequent were these and such like Indications and Symptoms of it So Parsons Rector of the English Colledge at Rome orders the Students to Pray for the Intention of their Father Rector the meaning whereof when the discovery of the Plot had unriddled to them the horridness of it made divers of them desert the Colledge Foulis pag. 692. So the Jesuites at Lisbon a little before this exploit should have been acted in England are at some expense of Powder on a Festival day to experiment the force of it Foulis page 693. And other Instances of this nature may be observed 9. Here 4. The Time when this notable Instance was published though so long before the discovery of the Plot may be very considerable and perhaps afford us greater evidence than if it had not been published till some years after it was A time when the Pope and his sworn * V. Review of the Counc of Trent l. 5. c. 7. servants the Jesuites were as studious in their Machimations Contrivances and active in their exploits as well against all of the Reformed Religion in general as the Queen and State of England in particular as ever And 1. for this Pope Clem. VIII who was elected 30. Jan. 1592 and died 2 Mar. 1604 5. It was contemporary with the holy league instituted by him against the Protestants wherein almost all Popish Princes except the King of France and the Great Duke of Tuscany were ingaged as we are told by Fr. Brouard the Popes Secretary M S. for the promotion whereof he much indeavoured a Peace between the Emperour and the Tutk and often complained that the war had been continued full forty years against the Turk in which time the Church of Rome might with less cost have recovered her Authority in Europe 2. Contemporary with his Bulls Cambden 1600 pag. 769. to encourage and promote the Irish Rebellion V. Foulis lib. 9. cap. 3. 3. Contemporary with those Bulls Foulis p. 693. the one to the Catholick Nobility Gentry and Laity the other to the Arch-priest and the rest of the English Clergy Not to admit or receive Speed sect 4. Foulis p. 693. after the death of Queen Elizabeth when ever she should happen to depart this life any for King how near soever in blood except they were such who should not only tolerate the Catholick Faith but withal endeavour and study to promote it and after the manner of their ancestors undertake upon Oath to perform it Proceedings Q. 3. And these are the Bulls which have been long since deemed the foundation of this Conspiracy Tortura Torti pag. 279. Foulis pag. 693. And this is the Pope who had formerly sc * Note the same year that Parsons came from Spain to Rome Font. pag. 686. 1597 exhorted the French and Spaniard to unite invade England and divide it between them Foul. pag. 677. ex D'Ossat Let. 87. who had he lived but some few moneths longer might have been as ready with his Breves to second the success of this Conspiracy as was his Successor Paul V. with * V. Andrews Resp ad Bellar. cap. 5. p. 113. Foul. p. 692. his 5. Nor were they only the heads of the Pope and Grandees at Rome and other places who were busie and active at that time in contriving projects and conspiracies for the subversion and ruine of our Government and Religion but of persons also of meaner quality and they not only the Popish Incendiaries of our own Nation but forreiners also of the Romish Faction Thus we may observe Campanella's book de Monarchia Hispanica exactly contemporary with this of Del Rio as the Preface to the English Edition doth demonstrate viz. that it was written between the years 1599 1600. In this book he shews in part what Preparations may be made before hand that so soon as ever Queen Elizabeth who is now very old is dead they may be immediately put into Execution These saith he and the like Preparations may be made c. But what are these Why in general 1. Causing Divisions and Dissentions among themselves and continually keeping up the same 2. Sowing the seeds of a continual war betwixt England and Scotland 3. Rouzing up and encouraging to action the Spirits of the English Catholicks 4. Dealing with the chief of the Irish Nobility to new model Ireland as soon as they hear of the Queen's death For the accomplishing of all which he hath several subservient means Chap. 25. But for the like what they may be is left to the Readers judgement to conceive Only it may be noted that he who would not scruple to cause and keep up Dissentions to sow the seeds of a continual war to excite Rebellions among us would hardly have scrupled at such a project as by one blow would have put us quite out of our pain It would be too long to note all the Projects of private men to this purpose which were on foot at that time but this of Campanella for the promotion of the Interest and designs of the King of Spain is the more pertinent and observable because our conspirators had their Negotiations with him their Leger there and built their greatest hopes upon his assistance at the same time 10. But there is an other particular as to this circumstance of Time very considerable which is intimated to us in those words of Campanella For as we may easily perceive many heads at work at this time many projects on foot contemporary in the contrivance so do they all agree in the Time designed for Execution So Campanella's Preparations so soon as ever Queen Elizabeth is dead are immediately to be put in Execution So Pope Clements Bulls had respect to the same time Quandocunque contingeret miseram illam foeminam ex hac vita excedere Proceed Q. 4. And the Reason of all this is very apparent For now the King of Scots as Campanella observes Pag. 158. hovers as it were at this time over England not only by reason of his neighborhood to it but also because of his Right of Succession And therefore the time now draweth on that after the death of the said Queen Elizabeth who is now very old the Kingdom of England must fall into
the hands of their Antient and Continual Rivals the Scots a thing very grievous no doubt both to Rome Spain and Flanders and therefore no wonder if all beat their brains to prevent so great a mischief For whereas England alone Pag. 158. notwithstanding in a manner continually at wars with their ancient and continual Rivals Pag. 155. appeared both against the Catholick King in the Low-Countries and against the most Christian King in France assisting the Hereticks both with her Counsels and Forces what will Great Britain do when not only the occasion of those wars shall cease but both Nations be united under one and the same King No question but the forethoughts of this set wiser heads on work than Catesbys or any other of those unhappy Gentlemen who are vainly pretended to have been trapan'd by Cecil and something no doubt was resolved upon the time drawing on and the Queen very old And this might be the reason of their long expectation that change of State would change Religion also Speed sect 37. And if we consider the Principles and practises of these men and what before had been attempted against the late Queen not only by open Hostility as becomes Kings and States where they have just cause but also by base secret conspiracies and treacheries against her person instigated and fomented as well by other Princes and by their Embassadors even whilst Legers here as Mendoza and Labespineus as by the Pope we can hardly think any thing so base or barbarous that they were not like to attempt upon this occasion And if we again consider how all their former endeavours whether more justifyable before men as by open hostility or more base and unworthy not only by promoting rebellions but also by poison assasination had hitherto been ineffectual and defeated we may not unreasonably think that they might at last arrive at some such project as this as their last refuge and most effectual and infallible means to accomplish at last their so long studied designs And lastly that it really was so the punctual observance both of Campanella's preparations by indeavouring to alienate affections and raise jealousies between the English and Scots and other differences and dissentions among us and stirring up the spirits of the English Catholicks c. which were practised immediately upon the Queens death and the Kings coming to the Crown of England and have ever since been prosecuted too long here to be related and also of Del Rio's Instance and Doctrine of Concealing Confessions and that by Equivocation even in examination upon Oath so well fitted to this purpose and as well and exactly followed and prosecuted may reasonably incline us to believe This circumstance of the time designed for the Execution of this Plot is also visible in Catesby's Reasonings see the Hist pag. 4.5 which he might well learn from the same Tutors from whom he learnt the project of the Plot it self for if to take off King James alone unless also the Prince the Duke and moreover the Peers and whole Parliament would not serve their turn much less would it have served to have taken off Queen Elizabeth now ready to die of her self though with her Parliament while the King together with the addition of another Nation to this was ready to succeed her 11. And thus we see the business is very plain as to the time so long before resolved on in all their Councels both at Rome and Spain It now remains to consider how the attempt in point of Time did answer this resolution The Queen deceased the 24 of March 1602. the next day was King James proclaimed who came to Barwick 6. April and to Lond. 7. May following Anno 1603. and was Crowned July after The Parliament began 19. March following and continued till 7. July 1604. Then was prorogued till 7. Feb. and then again till 5. Octob. 1605. and then at last till the fatal day 5. Novemb. following when this unhappy Plot was happily discovered From whence we again run it counter to its Original thus 11. Decemb. 1604 was the Mine begun †Fawkes Confes and in May preceding did the Conspirators actually engage in the design under an Oath of Secrecy * Proceedings R. 4. The Lent before Catesby imparted the design to Thomas Winter †Winters Confes and in September before that which was Anno 1603. to * Proceedings R. 2. Percy which was before the Parliament began and that being the time designed it is a very fair evidence to our purpose that find it on foot at that very time which was by all those Councels so long before designed and before this we cannot reasonably think that it should have been imparted to many even of the most trusty of their party by the first contrivers of it who notwithstanding might long before have resolved upon it and did all the while secretly and as behind the curtain steer and manage the motions of those who were to be imployed in it But before we follow the trace further if any one should here make this question Why they had not prepared their mine against the first sitting of the Parliament though we might well content our selves with this answer that it may be sufficient in all reason to satisfie us and them too that we have this evidence that the project was then on foot and that many accidents might unexpectedly intervene which might though unknown to us move them for some time to defer their preparations as even after it was begun Thuanus tells us that the work was often intermitted and often repeated and we find that by such an accident as the Scotch Lords sitting at Percy 's house Winters Confes it was for some time deferred yet to leave no scruple or pretence for it we can tell them the true reason viz. that being a thing so horrid and inhumane in it self and also * V. Winters Confes scandalous to their Religion it was thought fit that first more gentle means should be used as a Treaty of Peace by the King of Spain and Petition by the Papists at home whereunto they were incouraged by some great hopes they had conceived but upon very uncertain grounds of a Toleration But when the King of Spain being well-pleased for his own part with the proceedings of the Treatie fell off from his former promises of assistance and their Petition was rejected at home they presently conclude that a desperate disease must have a desperate remedy and in order thereunto V. Winters Confes Catesby begins to broach the project which against this time had been kept secret in store and imparts it to some of his most trusty confidents who thereupon might probably think that it was of his contrivance as others from thence have since thought it to have been and that the rather because in all their dealings preceding this even to the first intimation of it by Del Rio nothing visible did appear as to
Onel Earl of Tyron Captain General of the Catholick Army in Ireland who with their Souldiers had in process of time performed many brave atchievements fighting manfully against the enemy and for the future are ready to perform the like that they may all the more cheerfully do it and assist against the said Hereticks being willing after the example of his Predecessors to vouchsafe them some Spiritual Graces and Favours he favourably grants to all and every one who shall joyn with the said Hugh and his Army asserting and fighting for the Catholick Faith or any way aid or assist them if they be truly penitent and have confessed and if it may be received the Sacrament a Plenary Pardon and Remission of All their Sins the same which used to be granted by the Popes of Rome to those who go to war against the Turks 18. April 1600. Camd. p. 750. Foul. p. 651. And the next year again for their further encouragement year 1601 he sends a particular letter to Tyrone wherein he Commends their Devotion in engaging in a Holy League and their valour and atcheivements Exhorts them to continue unanimous in the same mind and Promises to write effectually to his Sons the Catholick Kings and Princes to give all manner of Assistance to them and their cause and tells him he thinks to send them a peculiar Nuncio who may be helpful to them in all things as occasion shall serve 20. Jan. 1601. Foul. p. 655. The King of Spain likewise sends his Assistance a great fleet who landed at King-Sale 20. Sept. under the conduct of Don John d'Aquila who sets out a Declaration shewing the King of Spain's pretense in the war which he saith is with the Apostolick Authority to be administred by him that they perswade not any to deny due Obedience according to the word of God to their Prince but that all know that for many years since Elizabeth was deprived of her Kingdom and All her Subjects Absolved from their Fidelity by the Pope unto whom he that reigneth in the Heavens the King of Kings hath committed All Power that he should Root up Destroy Plant and Build in such sort that he may punish temporal Kings if it should be good for the Spiritual Building even to their Deposing which thing hath been done in the Kingdoms of England and Ireland by many Popes viz. by Pope Pius v. Gregory XIII and now by Clement VIII as is well known whose Bulls are extant that the Pope and the King of Spain have resolved to send Souldiers Silver Gold and Arms with a most liberal hand that the Pope Christs Vicar on Earth doth command them the Papists in Ireland to take Arms for the defense of their Faith c. Camd. p. 829. Foul. 658. And not long after more Supplies were sent from Spain under Alonso de Ocampo Thu. l. 125. Cam. an 1601. 1602. But it pleased God to make the Queen still Victorious over All and part of them with the Irish Rebels being beaten and routed in the Field the rest are brought to articles upon which they Surrender All and are sent home when more forces were coming from Spain to their recruit The next year most of the other Rebels being defeated and subdued last of all Mac Eggan the Popes Vicar Apostolick 1602. with a party of the Rebels which he himself led with his Sword drawn in one hand and his Breviary and Beads in the other was slain by the Queens forces and the Rebels routed in January 1602 3. and so the whole Kingdom Tyrone also submitting to mercy totally subdued Camd. an 1603. Foul. p. 664. 37. And now this Blessed Queen having by an Admirable Providence of Almighty God been Preserved from All these both Secret Conspiracies and Open Invasions through a long Reign of four and forty years compleat and made victorious over All her Enemies as well abroad as at home Out-lived her great and bitter enemy Phil. 11. King of Spain who himself lived to be sensible of the Divine Judgment of the Iniquity of his Actions against her and to desire a Peace with her though he lived not to enjoy it Out-lived four Kings of France eight Popes and the greatest part of the ninth and maugre all the Powers of Hell the Malice and Wicked Machinations of Men of most turbulent and Anti-christian Spirits Defended that Purity of Religion which even at the very beginning of Her Reign she had with Mature Deliberation and a Generous and most Christian Courage and Resolution notwithstanding all Difficulties and Dangers which on every side threatened her undertakings established was by the same at last brought to her Grave in Peace 1603. in a Good Old Age. Her very Enemies admiring as well her Worth and Excellence as her Glory and Felicity see the one extolled by Sixtus v. Thu. l. 82. p. 48. and the other by An. Atestina l 129. and both more largly described by the Noble and Ingenuous Thuanus l. 129. and Sir Francis Bacon in his Collection of her Felicities while her Neighbours who wickedly and barbarously persecuted the Professors of that Reformed Religion for their Religion sake which she with great and Christian Moderation towards the adversaries of it happily established and defended either lived not out half their days or died violent deaths and were murthered by their own Subjects of the same Religion with themselves or were otherwise unhappy in their attempts in that Eminently Remarkable manner as is so far from being impertinent to our subject and design briefly to note that it would be a great fault and unworthy neglect not to do it Certainly who ever shall impartially and without prejudice consider the History of this blessed and happy Queen and with it compare the History of the Times both precedent and subsequent to her reign and especially of her neighbours in France dur ng her own times must needs acknowledge not only an Admirable Providence over Her in both Preserving and Blessing her in all her Affairs but a Special Distinguishing Providence thus favouring her and at the same time in a very remarkable manner dis-favouring Crossing Blasting and Severely Punishing and Revenging the different and contrary Courses and Practises of her Neighbours and others 38. We might here remember the Story of Don Sebastian King of Portugal who in the heat of his youth and devotion to the See of Rome had tendered his service to the Pope and engaged in an Expedition against England and Ireland but having raised a great Army and prepared a great Fleet was by the King of Fesse prevailed with to assist him in the recovery of his Kingdom in Mauritania Where with Stukely who commanded the Italian Forces raised by the Pope and King of Spain for the service against Ireland whom he perswaded to go with him first to the African war he was slain dyed without issue and left his Kingdom a prey to the Spaniard whereby not only the present storm which threatned the Queen was
many horrid crimes whereof they were accused did raise in mens minds one only of the offenders for want of friends at Court being executed but the principal actors of that wickedness restored to their former dignity and places so that instead of that Justice which if duly executed upon the offenders might possibly have averted or mitigated the Divine vengeance which hath since prosecuted his fathers guilt in his posterity he not only by neglect thereof but also by his own continuance of the like cruelties and for the same cause of Religion appropriated his fathers guilt to himself and with the addition of his own transmitted the same to his posterity with the Divine Vengeance further provoked attending it He began his Persecutions of the Protestants in the first year of his reign and continued the same to the last days of his life with that resolution that no sollicitation of neighbour Princes his allies could mitigate his fury He used his uttermost endeavour says Davila p. 40. to extirpate the roots of those seeds in their first growth and therefore with Inexorable Severity resolved that All who were found convict of this imputation should suffer death without mercy And although Many of the Counsellors in Every Parliament either Favouring the same Opinions or Abhorring the Continual Effusion of blood made use of all their skill to preserve as many as they could from the Severity of his Execution notwithstanding the Kings Vigilance and Constancy was such chiefly by the Incitements of the Cardinal of Lorain one of the Guises that he had reduced things to such a point as would in the end though with the Effusion of much blood have expelled all the peccant humours he means the Protestants out of the bowels of the Kingdom if the accident which followed had not interrupted the course of his resolution That which he calls an accident was the violent and in respect of the course of nature untimely but in respect of Gods Providence most seasonable death of that cruel King in the height of his Resolutions of Inexorable Severity against the Protestants by the hands of that same man whom he had but few days before imployed to apprehend and imprison some of the chief Senators for no other cause but their Religion and their free delivering of their Sentence according to the Laws in Parliament concerning the cause of the Protestants and at the same that Queen Elizabeth was 〈◊〉 Her Senators Consulting and Resolved to Establish that Religion which he persecuted which she happily by Gods Blessing effected and procured a Blessing upon her self and her Kingdom while he furiously fighting against God was in a Ludicrous fight running at Tilt by a Splinter of a broken lance which found entrance at his eye though his head and body were clad in armour cut off from further prosecuting his resolutions in the midst of his years and in the midst of his publick Solemnities of the Nuptials of his eldest daughter to the King of Spain which whom he had concluded to make a war against the Protestants and of his only Sister to the Duke of Savoy in the view of the Bastile where those Senators were kept in Prison and within two or three days if not less after one of the chief of them was declared heritick and delivered over to the Secular Power Leaving behind him a Curse upon his posterity and Misery and Confusion to his Kingdom principally caused and promoted by those very instruments whose Counsels and Instigations he had followed in his wicked and bloody practises year 1559 40. He left four sons all in a manner children the eldest Francis 11. who succeeded him under the age of sixteen who by reason of his youth Lib. 1. or rather as says Davila his natural incapacity requiring if not a direct Regent yet a prudent assiduous Governour till his natural weakness was overcome by maturity of years the Ancient Customs of the Kingdom called to that Charge the Princes of the Blood among which for nearness and reputation it belonged to the Prince of Conde and the King of Navarre But Katherine of Medicis the Kings mother and Francis Duke of Guise with Charles his brother Cardinal of Lorain uncles to Mary Queen of Scots whom the King in the life-time of his father had married severally aspiring to the Government to which neither had right by the Laws of the Kingdom and therefore despairing by their own power and interest to obtain and retain it alone they resolved to unite their several interests and powers and to share it among them and they quickly obtained she by her interest in the King her Son and they by the means of their Niece 〈◊〉 Queen that to the Duke was committed the Care of the Militia Davil l. 1. the Civil affairs to the Cardinal and to the Queen-mother the Superintendance of all the Princes of the blood and others of the prime Nobility being excluded not only from the Government but also by arts and affronts removed or repulsed from the Court it self The Guises having thus intruded into the Authority aforesaid continued the same Resolutions of Severity against those of the Reformed Religion which they had infused or at least fomented and agitated in the former King which they instantly put in execution And the same moneth that this King came to the Crown his Order is sent out for the tryal of the Senators imprisoned by his father Whereof one Anne du Boury was afterward for his Religion executed but the rest not being convicted were only degraded While these were brought to their Tryal by the command of the Cardinal Severe Inquisition is made at Paris Thu. l. 23. into all suspected of that Religion and many both Men and Women are taken and clapt into Prison and many to avoid the danger forced to fly many leaving their infants and little children behind them who filled the streets with the noise of their lamentable crys their goods taken out of their houses were publickly sold and their empty houses proscribed and to increase the Odium of the people against them the same Calumnies which were heretofore cast upon the Primitive Christians of promiscuous copulation in their Nocturnal Meetings the lights being put out were now renued against these and base people produced by the Cardinal to prove it who though upon tryal convicted of fraud and falshood were yet suffered to go unpunished The City being thus diligently searched the same Course is immediately taken in the Suburbes at S. Germans and presently after in the rest of the Cities of France especially at Poictiers Tholouse Aix and throughout the whole Province of Narbon Shortly after command is given to the Court to proceed severely against those who were suspected and with all diligence to attend to the tryal of them without intermission Whereupon the Prisons were all soon emptied some being condemned to death others banished and the rest punished with other mulcts and penalties Nor did all this satiate the
all their Arts to renue the former differences between them She is made Regent and He President of the Provinces Thu. l. 26. Dav. l. 2. and a Decree is made by the King with the counsel and advice of the Queen Regent Navarre the rest of the Princes of the blood and others Privy Counsellors whereby the Supreme Regimen of all is committed to Her Hereupon the Guises being accustomed to govern and not able to conform their minds to their present condition sought all manner of opportunities whereby they might again raise themselves to their former greatness And whereas at the instance of Navarre with the consent of the Regent and the Councel many disliking the effusion of so much blood for no other fault than profession of the Reformed Religion a Decree of Councel passed 28. Jan. 1560 1. for the Release of all Prisoners committed only for matters of Religion and to stop all Inquisition appointed for that cause to prohibit disputations in matters of Religion and particular persons from reviling one another with the names of Heretick Papist commanding all to live together in Peace c. this served them to dissemble the true cause of their grief and therefore they made shew of being moved and offended only at the tacit toleration permitted the Calvinists covering in this manner says Davila with a pious pretence under the vail of Religion the interests of private passion And having by the arts and subtilty of Diana late Mistress to Hen. 2. gained to their party An Momorancy Constable of France who being at that time in the same danger with them and others of being called to refund the large donations which they had obtained of the two last Kings and besides had been very active in the former persecutions against the Protestants was with the less difficulty wrought upon especially in the absence of his son a sober and prudent person who disswaded him all he could they enter into a league for the preservation of the Catholick Religion and mutual defence of their several Estates And when the Protestants Thu. l. 28. after some other Edicts and Decrees partly indulging some kind of liberty to them and partly restraining it were permitted a publick Disputation at Poisey which was first proposed by the Cardinal of Lorain and as was thought to hinder the Convention of a National Synod which he knew would be little pleasing to the Pope but was much desired in France by the most sober and pious of both sides who were studious of the peace and good of the Church there was presently a V. Thu. in l. 36. a Conspiracy between Guise and the King of Spain qua nulla audacior in regno memoratur which also was in agitation at this time though not discovered till after Guise his death an 1564 secret consultation held by the Grandees of the Popish Faction of France with them of Spain King Philip being wonderfully moved at the news of that Conference and Arturius Desiderius incited by the Sorbon Doctors and as was believed by many not without the privity of the Cardinal of Lorain hastens to King Philip with a Supplication and Private Instructions Complaining of the increase of the Protestants the remisness of the King and his Counsellors in restraining them and imploring his Aid and committing to his Patronage the Honour Lives Fortunes and Estates of the French Nobility with which he was intercepted in his journey at Orleans Not long after this Thesis among others is set up to be disputed publickly That the Pope as the sole Vicar of Christ and Monarch of the Church hath All Christian Princes subject to his Spiritual and Secular Power and that he may turn out of their Kingdoms those that are rebellious to his Commands Wherewith the King being acquainted his Delegates were sent to complain of it to the Parliament which ordered the Sorbon Doctors to deprecate the offence and to recant this errour brought in * About the year 1300. by Pope Boniface 8. and since his death generally condemned The Guises in the mean time dreading a National Synod so much desired as fearing that the Protestants would prevail in it spared no endeavours to keep it off To which end also Philip of Spain sollicited by the Pope sends over his Ambassadour who with threats added to his intreaties daily importunes the Queen R. to Severities against the Sectaries But because the Guises thought that Navarre would be a main obstacle to these endeavours to keep off the Synod they resolve with the Spanish Ambassador and the Popes Legate who was admitted in France but held strictly to the conditions by the Laws appointed to set upon him a man though otherwise of parts yet through indulgence to pleasures and ease grown facile and easie to draw him to their party To which end having first corrupted some of his confidents they first propose to him to divorce his Queen for her heresie and marry their niece the Queen of Scots with whom he should have also the Kingdom of England of which the Pope was about to deprive Elizabeth for her heresie But when this by reason of his love to his Queen a woman of great worth and by whom he enjoyed a good estate though they promised him the continuance of this by the Popes Authority notwithstanding the divorce and to his children he had by her would not take with him they propose that the King of Spain for satisfaction for his Kingdom of Navarre which the Spaniard unjustly held from him should give him the Isle of Sardinia which though a pitiful thing they very much magnified and promised the assistance of Spains Treasures and Forces if he would desert the Lutherans whom by the means of his Queen he was brought to favour and take upon him the Patronage of the Catholicks in France By which abuse for it proved no other they prevailed upon him and so made up the Triumvirate of Navarre the Duke of Guise and Momorancy the Constable and layd the foundation of that Civil war which shortly after ensued and in the compass of about a year after put an end to his hopes and life also Thu. l. 33. when being wounded he became sensible of his abuse and declared that if he recovered he would embrace the Protestant Confession of Augsburg and live and die in it About the same time or not long after the Queen Regent and the Councel upon the complaint of the Protestants of that little liberty Thu. l. 28. which was permitted them by former Edicts being abridged by or under pretence of the Late Edict of Italy which they said was surreptitiously obtained by a fraud in numbering the Votes resolve upon another Assembly at S. Germans where was made that famous and much Celebrated Edict of January 1561 2. Thu. l. 29. whereby the Protestants are permitted to assemble at Sermons so it be out of any City and the Magistrates commanded not to molest but protect and defend
Thu. l. 53. And though to the Pope and Spaniard he owned that he did it upon the score of Religion yet knowing that with others this would not so much excuse as aggravate and increase the odium of it some other cause was to be devised and pretended And therefore first to extenuate the fact V. l. 54. he pretends that his commands extended only to the cutting off of Colinius and his Confederates which thing being once undertaken the tumult at Paris proceeded further than he intended or was able so soon as he desired to restrain and that other Cities taking example from thence did the like without his license and to his great grief and trouble and then for the cause pretends a Conspiracy against himself his Mother and Brothers and Navar himself and to make Conde King and afterwards to kill him also and set up Colinius And though the causes pretended against Colinius in the judgment of the most prudent men who were not at all addicted to the Protestant party says Thuanus had not so much colour of truth as will perswade even children to believe them much less any sufficient proof yet to put some colour upon the business a Trial was ordered to be had in form of Law and two days after a Jubilee as hath been said was appointed and an Edict published wherein the King declares that what had happened was done by his express command but not out of hatred to the Protestant Religion or to derogate from the Edicts of Pacification which he still desired should be inviolably and religiously observed but to prevent the Conspiracy of Colinius and his Confederates c. and Letters to like purpose were sent to the Presidents of the Provinces declaring as was pretended the TRUE causes of the tumult and commanding them to treat the Protestants in all friendly manner Thu. l. 53. c. And that nothing might be wanting says Thuanus to the height of madness that they might seem to glory and triumph in so detestable an enterprise in emulation of the ancient Emperors Medals were coyned with the Inscriptions VIRTUS IN REBELLEIS PIETAS EXCITAVIT JUSTITIAM Divers other such like arts were used to put a face upon the business and make it look like a happy prevention of some terrible Conspiracy But what was the most detestable of all by the accumulating of sin upon sin as is usual in such cases was the gross abuse of Justice it self whereby the Courts of Justice were drawn into the participation of the guilt by an horrible and abominable Sentence not only against Colinius who was dead but his children who were alive and also against Monsieur de Briquemaut who had fled to the English Ambassadors and Arnald Cavagnes Master of Requests who had hid himself hard-by with a friend who admonished him of the danger but were both taken and imprisoned in the Palace and the same day that Sentence was given against Colinius were condemned to death which Cavagnes suffered with admirable constancy reciting Prayers out of the Psalms by heart in Latin for three hours together with his eyes steadily fixed towards Heaven but his companion at first affrighted with his approaching death made an unworthy offer for the redemption of his life to discover a means how to surprize Rochel yet afterwards when the King refused that condition but offered him another which was that he should acknowledg himself guilty of the crimes objected to him and confess before the people that there was a Conspiracy entred into by Colinius against the King he refused that and chose rather to suffer death which accordingly he did with Cavagnes While these such like arts were used to excuse and disguise the business at home to do it abroad besides the Queens Letters above-mentioned were several Ambassadors employed in Helvetia Germany England Poland and other foreign Countries where they either resided before or were sent on purpose for this service and Learned men suborned and perswaded to do it by printed Books But all these not having any certain ground of truth as a common foundation for all to build upon while each alledged not what he did know or believe to be true but what his own genius dictated as most plausible and likely to put some colour upon the business some extenuating the fact as to the King 's acting in it and others on the contrary justifying the same some excusing it only by way of recrimination for things done in the late Wars and others insisting upon the pretended conspiracy of Colinius were not only confuted by others who also in print answered their writings and speeches but of themselves betrayed and detected the vanity of their several pretences and allegations by their inconsistency and disagreement one with another The Learned Lawyer Fr. Baldwin was hereunto sollicited but was more ingenuous than to be retained in the patronage of so foul a cause and yet among those who undertook this office besides the Mercenaries were some persons otherwise of honour and repute who because what was done could not be undone partly to consult the credit of their King and Countrey partly to accommodate the present state of affairs endeavoured either by feigned praises or officious excuses to cover and palliate that fact which in their hearts they detected And some were therein so far transported and over-shot themselves out of zeal for the honour and good of their Countrey that our ingenuous author deplores their actings in it especially as to that foul business of the Trial and Sentence above-mentioned But generally the French Courtiers who were more ingenuous than to prostitute their reputation by asserting that pitiful pretence of the conspiracy yet used all their art to represent the case as a sudden accidental thing and not so long before contrived as the Italians and Spaniards relate 48. It is very usual and even natural to men especially to the more considering minds when any thing rare and extraordinary doth occur not to rest satisfied with the bare contemplation of the thing but also to reflect back and enquire into the causes of it And therefore since Thuanus relates that the more prudent of those Lib. 53. who being no way addicted to the Protestant party with good and honest meaning sought how to excuse this execrable fact yet in their heart detesting the same did also seriously consider the causes of it their sense and judgment in that respect may likewise deserve our observation They saw apparently that so infamous and pernitious counsels could not proceed but from minds so strangely infatuated and blinded and did seem to argue a special judgment of God upon them And of that the causes to which it might be reasonably attributed were very obvious and easy to be discovered For such was the profaneness debauchery and wickedness which prevailing in the King through his evil Education by his Mother and those Tutors to whom she committed him and in the Court were by the evil example
that party she in some sort repaired the loss which the Protestant party had sustained by the massacres the Providence of God undoubtedly thus ordering it to manifest the vanity of their former hopes of peace and tranquility by such wicked courses for the destruction of the Protestants and to punish by their mutual dissentions among themselves their former unanimity in persecuting them The chief of this party were the sons of the old Constable Momorancy in his time an active persecutor of the Protestants the Viscount de Turenne and others whom the Queen favouring the contrary faction of the Guises continually by divers calumnies incensing and exasperating the King against them and by other stratagems which they discovered drove into despair of safety by any other means which no doubt was not a little increased by the experience which they had seen of her perfidiousness and cruelty in the case of the Protestants all men being suspitious of those whom they have observed false and perfidious to others And to these Alancon the King's younger Brother upon the same occasions besides some other causes of discontent joyned himself as head Besides those of the Nobility there were two other subsidiary Factions in the Court. Thu. l. 59. pr. The one of those who desirous by any means to retain the Religion of their Ancestors and careless for any amendment or reformation of it did easily suffer themselves in favour of them who took up Arms under pretence of defending it to be drawn in either by fraudulent interpretations to elude or plainly and altogether to violate the Faith given to the Protestants The other of those who would not depart from the religion of their ancestors but yet desired many things in it in tract of time through covetousness and gross ignorance brought in to the dishonour of God and offence of many to be corrected and therefore being more favourable to the Protestants held that things ought to be transacted in a friendly manner with them that the Faith publickly given them should be faithfully kept and that by any means peace without which the business of reformation could not proceed should be setled The first favoured the Guises who sought all occasions of War the latter the Momorances who perswaded Peace Of this last opinion were those famous men Michael Hospitalius Chancellor of France Paulus Foxius Many others were of the same mind as Jo. Monlue Bishop of Valence and Car. Marillac Arch-Bishop of Vienna Thu. l. 25. Christophorus Thuanus Christophorus Menilius though they never engaged in Arms on either side And this was the party which were called Politicks a name saith our Author by the seditious attributed to them who were studious for the good of the King and peace of the Kingdom li. 52. and male contents But that faction which desired stirs alwaies prevailing in the Court hence it came to pass that so many Edicts of Pacification were made one upon another and as often violated the War being so often renewed and with the same levity where-with it was begun laid down again Whereof the King by this time became sensible and observed but when it was too late Thu. l. 57. that that unhappy massacre had contrary to what was expected dissolved the bonds of peace and publick security And therefore with indignation perceiving that the Counsellors of it had more respect to the satisfaction of their own private hatred and ambition than to the publick Faith and quiet of the Kingdom without which he could never keep up his Royal Majesty being not a little incensed against them he resolved from that time to remove them from the Council and to send away from him his mother her self under a more honourable colour of visiting her son Anjou in Poland whom he had newly almost by force thrust out of France having to be rid of him procured him to be chosen King there And believing that the Civil Wars in France were raised not so much for the cause of Religion as through the factions of that Kingdom that the chief leaders of them were the Guises and the Momorances he resolved without any regard of the Law or the justice of either cause to destroy both these potent Families being no less exasperated against Guise than Momorancy and therefore had often thoughts of taking him out of the way But in the midst of these troubles without in his Kingdom and others within in his mind and body after very grievous and long pains so that long before his death he felt himself dying he ended his life every way miserable by that sickness which few thought natural but rather procured by his own Mother and Brother Anjou Pauci naturalem ei rebantur memores quae summus dissimulandi artifex prae impatientia interminatus matri fratri esset neque ignari quam non sponte nonus Rex Galliam relinqueret p. 441. in octav and again p. 493. Mortui corpus a Chirurgis medicis apertum in quo livores ex causa incognita reperti conceptam multorum opinionem auxerunt potius quam minuerunt l. 57. as our Author doth sufficiently intimate and was further remarkable by the effusion of his own bloud who had so perfidiously and barbarously shed the bloud of so many of his subjects Davila saith he began some months before to spit bloud others that he died of a Bloudy-flux and that much bloud issued out of all the passages of his body and that he happened to fall down and wallowed in his own bloud And whereas Davila says that he ended his life with grave and pious discourses others say that he ended it with imprecations and cursings and that his last words were meer blasphemies Whereof which is most credible the reader considering his natural temper life and actions may easily judge He died under five and twenty years of age without issue male to succeed him leaving only a daughter by his Queen with whom he had been above four years married and a bastard-son And these were the fruits which he reaped of his bloudy and perfidious counsels and practices 51. Nor did his next Brother Anjou called Henr. 3. reap any better fruits of his counsels and actions in the massacre and other enterprizes against the Protestants who in great haste Thu. l. 58. upon notice of his Brother's death shamefully stealing from his Kingdom of Poland in his return to France was well admonished by the Emperor Maximilian that at the beginning of his Reign and first entrance into France he should settle peace among his subjects and the same counsel was often repeated to him by the Duke of Venice in the name of the Senate Yet he was no sooner arrived in France but by the counsel of his Mother and the Guisian and Italian faction the same Cabal which contrived the massacre he resolved the contrary till finding it a work too hard by open force to destroy the remaining part of the Protestants being moreover strengthened
choice of the D. of Mayenne Brother to the late D. of Guise who at the request of the Leaguers comes to Paris where a Council of the Vnion consisting of 40 of the chief Leaguers whose Orders all are to obey upon pain of death being instituted he is by the Parliament declared Lieutenant-General of the State and Crown of France and solemnly sworn to defend the Roman Catholick Apostolick Religion the Royal State the Authority of the Supreme Courts the priviledges of the Church and of the Nobility the Laws and Customs of the Kingdom c. In the mean time to heighten and inflame the odium of the people against the King nothing is omitted either in the Pulpit or out of it by slanders calumnies and false reports And while among other devises they endeavour to represent him as a worshipper of Satyrs and a Magitian they exercise a kind of magick or witchcraft against him devising religious execrations and instituting strange superstitious rites women and maids clad only in such fine linen that their bodies might be seen through it and some carrying burning tapers in their hands they sang over certain mysterious rithms with dissonant and confused tones and voices and then suddenly extinguished their torches as if they hoped or wished that the King's life should be thereby or in like manner also extinguished and a great deal such stuff too long to be here related By these means were the people every where incensed and enraged against the King but especially by the new Doctrines of the Preachers and Confessors were the minds of men generally so perverted that they made it almost a sport to break Faith with him and betray their trust and many thought it their duty so that the Cities daily revolted from his obedience Thu. l. 94. fin At Bourdeaux the Jesuites for a conspiracy and tumult raised there were by the President of the Province expelled the City to prevent the like for the future And when from thence they repaired for refuge to Agen and * Vesuna Paetrocariorum Vesuna those Cities thereupon presently rebelled But the greatest fury and rage of the people was at Tholouse stirred up as was believed by these new Theologists While the Leaguers are thus busy both at home and abroad Thu. l. 95. pr. Thu. l. 94. the King is not idle but treats with his Neighbour Princes and States for men and money and to mitigate the fury of his own people with great importunity and submission solicits for absolution for killing the Cardinal from the Pope who was highly enraged against him for that sacrilegious act as he pretended but probably more for killing the Duke if that be true which the State of Venice and the Dukes of Tuscany and Mantua certified the King that the Pope and the Duke had agreed in secret to marry the Pope's Niece to Prince Jonvil the Duke's Son and to depose the King thrust him into a Monastery and make the Duke King in his place His Ambassador going about this affair to Rome was by the way admonished by the Duke of Tuscany that the King should do well to trust more to his own forces and strength at home than to the Pope's favour for if things succeedeed well with him in the beginning of those commotions in France he should have friends enough at Rome and among them the Pope himself but if otherwise he should find them his bitter enemies And so it proved for when this proud and insolent Pope to gratifie his own pride and ambition and magnify his authority in the opinion of the people had drawn on the King and his Ministers to do all acts of submission and base prostration to him as far as he could he turned him off at last without any absolution and not not long after began to proceed to Excommunication against him Wherefore the King when he could obtain no favour from the Pope Thu. l. 95. treats more openly with the King of Navar and concludes an agreement with him to the no little joy of all sober men who thought there was no such way for setling that Kingdom as by this reconciliation of the King of France with Navar the first Prince of the Bloud the next Heir of the Crown and an excellent General and Commander Had he done this at first rather than so basely and foully broak his Faith he had certainly by God's blessing which he might then with more reason have expected prevented the growth of this faction of the League to this height and most of this trouble to himself and his Kingdoms But this now afforded new matter for the Preachers and Writers to exasperate the minds of the people withal And the Pulpits ring and the Presses sweat with virulent Sermons and Books against the two Kings Among those who bestirred themselves in this kind were Father Comolet the Jesuit Genebrard Fr. Feu-ardentius and Bucherus famous for his Book de Justa Henrici 3 Abdicatione and many others mentioned by our Author And in their Sermons besides those ways of moving the people by stirring up their passions of fear and hatred they had another part to act which was to encourage them to action by moving their hopes and expectations and this was done by acquainting them with the victories and happy progress and prosperous success of their Armies and friends abroad amplifying the same as much as might be And what-ever news came whether good or bad the Preachers were generally the publishers of it if good to magnify and set it out to the best advantage if bad to represent it to the people as occasion served partly comforting and encouraging them under the misfortune and partly stirring them up to more forwardness and greater assistance to the War So that these matters were the general and ordinary subject of their Sermons And besides these good services which they performed severally the famous Colledge of Sorbon it self by a publick Decree order that the Kings name and the Prayers for him be put out of the Canon of the Mass and instead thereof other Prayers for the Catholick Princes be inserted and that those who shall say Mass otherwise than by this Decree is appointed shall be held for excommunicate c. And not to be wanting to the encouragement of his devoted Sons in so meritorious undertakings their good Father the Pope sends out his Monitory against the King whereby he is excommunicate unless within ten days he will do the Leaguers the kindness to set at liberty the Cardinal of Bourbon whom they having already agreed to the deposing of him may set up for their King and moreover make his submission within the term of 60 days from the publication of the Monitory which was posted up in Rome the 23 of May Da. p. 811. and within a few days after published at Meaux ten leagues from Paris These dealings of the Pope with the King seemed so hard and unreasonable to the Princes of Italy that they advised the
King no longer to treat with him as a suppliant Thu. p. 430. but to deal with him according to his own rough nature and presently to seize upon Avignon and the County of Veniessine Da. p. 811. But the King was not a little grieved at it and said That he thought it very hard that he who had ever fought and laboured for Religion should be rashly excommunicated because he would not suffer his own throat to be cut by the arms of his Rebel-subjects and that those who had * Charles V. anno 1527. sacked Rome and kept the Pope himself prisoner had never been excommunicated to which the King of Navar who was present answered but they were victorious Sir Let your Majesty endeavour to conquer and be assured the censures shall be revoked but if we be overcome we shall all die condemned hereticks Whereunto the King assented and all the by-standers did the like and upon that hope order was given that the Army should march and the Kings affairs began to proceed very prosperously against the Leaguers For having first by supplies coming in from the King of Navar put a stop to the D. of Mayenne's progress at Tours and about the same time given a great defeat to the D. of Aumale by the assistance of La Noue one of the chief Commanders of the Protestants taken Gergean Thu. l. 96. Piviers Chartres Estampes Poissy Montereau Pontoise and all such places and passages of the Rivers which were fit to strengthen the City of Paris or furnish it with victuals he forthwith with an Army of 42000 fighting men laies close siege to the City it self himself on the one side and the King of Navar on the other whereby the Parisians were so straitned and dejected Da. p. 814. though the Preachers used all their arts in their Pulpits to animate them and the Priests and Friers themselves took up arms putting themselves generally upon Military Duty that there was no man but thought that within a few days the King would be Master of it But in the midst of this success and height of his hopes a zealous young Frier †Da p. 816 819. Thu. l. 96. Jaques Clement stirred up by the Sermons which he heard daily against Henry Valois the Tyrant and Persecutor of the Faith resolved in conscience as hath been mentioned before exhorted thereunto by the Prior one of the chief Counsellors of the League and other Fathers of his Convent in all likelihood It being unlikely that the chief men of the Union and particularly the Prior a trusty Counsellor of the Grand-Council of it should not have confered about the fact with the Princes and with their privity exhorted and with effectual motives spurred on the simplicity of the Frier Da. p. 819. v. Thu. l. 96. Serres p. 879. not without the privity of the Catholick Princes affirming to him that if he lived he should be made a Cardinal and if he died for freeing the City and killing the Persecutor of the Faith he should without doubt be Canonized for Saint by an expected stab put an end to his hopes and his life together within * Duobus post mentibus aliquot diebus quam Pontifex hanc Sententiam excommunicationis tulerat Cicarel p. 446. few days after the aforesaid term of 60 days prefixed by the Pope who had foretold his unfortunate end was expired to the great joy of the Leaguers and the Pope as hath been related before Sect. 34. this account of the French Story not being then intended The †Da. p. 857. Thu. l. 98. Prior of the Convent was Father Edmond Bourgoin who being afterward taken at Paris and convicted by witness to have publickly in the Pulpit for several days together praised this murder in studied speeches and to have counselled and instigated the murderer comparing him also in his Sermons after the fact to Judith and the dead King to Holofernes and the City delivered to Bethulia he was by judgment of the Parliament of Tours sentenced to be drawn in pieces by four horses his quarters burned and his ashes scattered in the wind which sentence was afterward severely executed Not long after at Vendosme was taken and likewise condemned to death Da. p. 861. Thu. l. 97. Father Robert Chesse a Cordelier or Franciscan Frier who had there publickly praised the King's murderer and with his Sermons stirred up the common people 54. This end had Henry 3. when he had scarce lived out half his days and in him thus dying without issue after 14 years Marriage many visits to Saints and the use of hallowed shirts and smocks for obtaining of issue the whole life of Valois his Bastard brother also the Duke of Angolesme not escaping a violent death some years before by a stab Thu. l. 85. In this King besides the hereditary guilt of his Ancestors descended upon him there are two things especially observable in his own actions whereby he involved himself in the participation of the common guilt of his Family and aggravated the load of it upon his own head the one during the Reign of his Brother in the Massacre wherein he was both a Counsellor and an Actor the other after he came to the Crown himself in his breach of publick Faith with the Protestants Of both which we may observe a very correspondent and exemplary judgment and punishment His sickness of a * Da. p. 777. Thu. l. 94. Bloudy-flux for some time before he was stabbed his death without issue and ere he had lived out half his days may perhaps have respect to his Grand-fathers and Fathers sins seeking by bloudy courses to extirpate the Protestants because these were not peculiar to himself but common to him with his other Brothers But when we see that very City of Paris where the Protestants with the concurrence of his †Eorumque Lotaringorum in gratiam praecipuus author suasor Parisiensis lanienae fuisse creditur de qua gloriari saepius auditus est Thu. l. 96. counsel and assistance had been so furiously destroyed now no less furious against him that City which to others had given example of cruelty against the Protestants now gives them example of rebellion against him and him on the other side no less enraged against it saying but the day before that fatal stroke that he hoped within a few days there should be neither walls nor houses but only the very foot-steps of Paris when we see almost all those who had been the executors of that Massacre and were not cut off at the Siege of Rochel as most of them were of the common sort especially now engaged in Arms against him and those who had joyned with him to destroy the Protestants now conspiring his destruction when we see him excommunicated by the Pope whose pretended authority is the principal part of that Religion which with so much cruelty and perfidiousness was sought to be established by that
openly embrace the Protestant Profession and live and die in it His son Henry 4. of France was bred up from his childhood in the Reformed Religion and when he was grown up * 1569. professed himself Head of that party and so continued till his †Thu. l. 45. 1572. unhappy Marriage with a Popish Lady Margaret Sister to Charles 9. then King of France which though for its warrant it had the specious colour and pretence of confirming the Pacification and begetting and establishing a better accord between the two parties by so near an alliance between the two Heads of them yet proved as it was intended by the others a snare to the destruction of the chief persons and of great numbers of the rest of his own party and to himself not only unsuccesful in respect of his wife and that not so much through her sterility as her inconstancy and unfaithfulness to his bed but also a snare whereby after he had seen the lives of his best friends and of great numbers of innocent people of his own Religion most barbarously and inhumanely taken away he was himself forced for the saving of his own life to change his Religion in shew and appearance at least But this being by constraint Thu. l. 96. and only in appearance for Religion as was well perceived by Henr. 3. after he had received his deaths-wound which is planted in mens minds by God cannot be commanded or forced by men year 1576 Upon the first opportunity he returned again to the open profession of that Religion which in the mean time he retained in his heart and constantly professed and maintained the same till after the descent of the Crown of France to him This happened very seasonable for him in many respects being then not a child or youth unexperienced in the World year 1589 but of mature age about 35. and firm judgment well experienced in affairs both Military and Civil of State and Government being then reconciled to and in perfect amity with the deceased King who upon his death-bed acknowledged him for his lawful Successor Thu. l 69. recommended the Kingdom to him and exhorted the Lords there present to acknowledg him for their lawful Sovereign notwithstanding his Religion and obey him accordingly being then not in Bearn or the remoter parts of the Kingdom with small or no forces but before the chief City of it in the head of a great Army under his command many of those in the Army who disliked his Religion yet being by the consideration of his undoubted right the recommendation of the deceased King and their own fresh experience of his virtue since his coming to the Army reconciled to his person acknowledging his sovereignty and submitting to his obedience now not as General but as their lawful and undoubted Prince This was 20 years after he had first professed himself Head of the Protestants 13 years after he had again returned to the profession of that Religion wherein he had been bred and educated when he had been all this while preserved notwithstanding all the power of France against him and had withstood all the tentations which after the death of Alancon whereby he became next heir to the Crown of France could invite him to change his Religion and when after all opposition he was as it were led by the hand to the possession of the Kingdom Yet was he not so entirely possessed of it but that there was still matter and occasion left him to make him sensible of that Providence which having preserved him all this while had at last raised him to the Throne and to exercise his dependance upon the same for the future for his entire possession of the Kingdom He was like David after many and long trials advanced to the Throne but yet like him not presently put into the full possession of the Kingdom For the Leaguers who thought his being an Heretick as they reputed him was a sufficient disability to his right to the Crown thought the same a sufficient warrant for them to keep him from it and to continue the rebellion against him which they had begun against his predecessor Thu. l. 98. Foul. 8. c. 7. And to remove or prevent all scruple of Conscience in that respect the Colledge of Sorbon gave them their solemn resolution May 7. 1590. That they who opposed him should merit much before God and Men and if they resisted so mindful were they of the Apostles Doctrine Rom. 13. to the effusion of their bloud should obtain a reward in Heaven and an immarcessible or never-fading Crown of Martyrdom And lest this should not be sufficient they institute a Procession which was made in the presence of the Pope's Legate Cardinal Bellarmine and all the Bishops who came with him from Italy wherein Rose Bishop of Senlis and the Prior of the Carthusians holding in one hand a Cross and in the other a Halberd led the Van the Fathers of the Capucins Foliacens Paulians Franciscans Dominicans Carmelites following in order all accoutred their Cowles hanging back upon their shoulders and having on instead of them Head-pieces and Coats of Male and after them the younger Monks in the same habit but armed with Muskets which they frequently and inconsiderately fired at those they met with a shot whereof one of Cardinal Cajetans domesticks was killed who being slain at so religious a shew was therefore held to be received into the blessed companies of the Confessors After this was made another Procession by the Duke of Nemours and Claud Brother to the Duke of Aumale who commanded the Infantry and the rest of the Officers of the Army who upon the great Altar of the principal Church renewed their League and Covenant and swore upon the Gospel to live and die for the cause of Religion and to defend the City against Navar. The Pope also that this Rebellion might want no authority which his infallibility could give it though there was no other scruple to his right and title but only his Religion fought against him with both swords by his Monitory against the Prelates c. who submitted to his obedience by his Legate Cardinals and other Emissaries sent to encourage the Rebels and by his forces and mony whereof in about 10 months time he wasted 5000000 of aureos Thu. l. 102. most upon the French War when there was more need of it to have relieved the poor who in the mean time died of famine at home and Clem. 8. who not long after succeeded in that Chair Thu. l. 103. said he was resolved in himself to spend all his treasures and bloud too if there was need to exclude Navar from his expected possession of the Kingdom Nor was their good son the Catholick King of Spain wanting to the promotion of so just a cause And in his own Army though many Thu. l. 97. otherwise of the Romish Religion submitted to him without any conditions or delay and
others were satisfied with his word and promise which his former faithfulness had made of great authority even with his enemies v. Perefix p. 112. that he would refer all matters of Religion to a Lawful General or National Council and others with his Oath yet many having more regard to their own private interest and concerns than to their duty deserted him and either stood neuter to see which way the scales would turn or turned to the Leaguers Nevertheless not only of the Nobility Gentry and Laity but also of the Clergy Prelates Arch-Bishops Bishops and others many were more sensible of their duty than either to be drawn with such false though specious pretences or to be affrighted with the terrors of the Pope's pretended authority from it And therefore when the Pope's Mandates were read in the Parliament which sat at Tours Thu. l. 101. they made an Act of Parliament whereby the Monitorials made at Rome Mar. 1. were declared Nul Abusive Seditious to be damned full of impieties and importunes contrary to the sacred Decrees Rights Immunities and liberties of the Gallican Church and it was decreed that the Copies of them sealed with the seal of Marsil Landiranus and signed by Sextil Lampinetus should be by the common Hangman publickly torne and burnt before the Palace Gates c. that Landiranus who pretending himself the Popes Legate brought those Mandates should be apprehended c. and Gregory calling himself Pope the 14 th of that name was declared an enemy of the publick Peace of the Vnion of the Catholick Church and of the King and Kingdom a partaker of the Spanish Conspiracy a Favourer of Rebels and guilty of the cruel detestable and inhumane parricide treacherously committed upon the most Christian and truly Catholick King Henr. 3. And this was required to be published by the Arch-Bishops and Bishops through their Diocesses The like was also done at Chaulom and Caen. The next day after this was an Edict made in favour of the Protestants with the general consent of all as necessary published whereby the Edict of July was revoked and the former Edicts in favour of the Protestants restored And very fair they were to have created a Patriarch of their own in France which the Senate urged but was opposed by the new Cardinal of Bourbon a man of no worth who was out of hope of being the man himself and was a promoter of a new faction of the Thirdlings among the King's party yet in those things which concerned the Collation of Benefices they gave that power to the Arch-Bishop which the Pope had usurped or pretended The King in a speech to a great Assembly of the Nobility and Officers of his Army upon the death of the former King had told them that of those things which Thu. l. 97. as they knew his Predecessor had at his death recommended to him this was the chief That he should maintain his Subjects of the Roman Catholick and of the Reformed Religion in equal liberty aequabili in libertate till by the authority of a lawful Oecumenical or National Council something should be decreed concerning that difference which he would religiously observe and professed before them all that he had rather that day should be his last than to do any thing whereby he might be said to waver in his Faith or to have renounced that Religion which hitherto he had professed before he should be further instructed by a lawful Council to whose authority he did submit himself and therefore he gave free leave to those who were not satisfied with this to depart adding and when they have forsaken me yet God will never forsake me who I call your selves to witness from my childhood hath as it were led me by the hand and heaped upon me great and unconceivable benefits Nor did the beneficence of God toward David appear greater or more miraculous than when beyond the expectation of all through so many difficulties and dangers he brought me to the Throne so that I ought not in the least to doubt but he who breaking through so many obstacles hath called me to the Kingdom will preserve me in it and defend me against all the assaults of my enemies c. I value not the Kingdom of France no nor the Empire of the whole World so much that for the obtaining of them I would make any defection from that Religion which as true I have from my tender years imbibed with my Mothers milk and embrace any other faith than what as I have said before should be resolved in a lawful Council The like confidence in God Da. p. 900. Perefix p. 147. Thu. l. 98. with resignation to his will he afterwards expressed in a pious Prayer in the head of his Army before the Battel of Yvry after which he obtained a very notable Victory over a much greater Army Yet notwithstanding after all this whether through the importunity of the Roman Catholicks of his own party or the violence of his enemies who were assembled to elect a Catholick King which was much urged by the Pope and the King of Spain he fell off from his constancy Thu. l. 106 107. and without the determination or instruction of any lawful General or National Council changed his Religion and at last also submitted himself to the Pope The report of this being brought to Queen Elizabeth who had been very liberal in her assistance to him upon the score of Religion Camden an 1593. and was very solicitous for him she presently dispatched Th. Wilkes to know the truth of it and if not already done earnestly with reasons which she sent in writing to disswade him from it To whom the King excused himself from the necessity of his condition which he also did by Morlantius to the Queen her self with great offers of amity and kindness calling her his Sister as is usual whereat being much grieved and troubled she presently took her pen and wrote the ensuing Letter in what Language I know not but thus in English out of the Latine in Camden Alas how great grief what a floud of sorrow what sighs did I feel in my mind from those things which Morlantius hath told me O the faith of men is this the World Could it be that any earthly thing could drive the fear of God from you Can we expect an happy issue of this deed Or can you think that he who with his right hand had hitherto sustained and preserved you was now about to leave you It is a thing very dangerous to do evil that good may come of it Yet the good Spirit as I hope will inspire a better mind into you In the mean time I will not cease in the first place of my Prayers to commend you to the Divine Majesty and to beseech him that the hands of Esau may not spoil the blessing of Jacob. That you solemnly offer me your Amity I know that I have indeed well deserved it nor truly
would it repent me had you not changed your * * This hath respect to his submission to the Pope and to some passages wherein he called her Sister or himself her Brother Father Certainly now can I not from thence be your Sister by the Father However I for my part will always more dearly love my own than our adscititious Father which God best knows whom I beseech reduce you to the right path of a more sound judgment Your Sister if it may be after the old mode With the new will I have nothing to do ELIZABETHA R. 56. Thus this good Queen but the King who had before loosened the ties of Conscience for the saving of his life and began now to break through the same for the satisfaction of his lust and the enjoyment of a †Gabrielle d'Estrees v. Perefix p. 194. woman it is no wonder if he did the same for the enjoyment of a Kingdom which perhaps he might have better secured otherwise and his life with it It is true he never went so far as to persecute the Protestants as his Predecessors in the Kingdom of France did and his Father began to do and perhaps had proceeded further had he escaped that fatal wound but while he took liberty to himself to change that profession gave them the liberty to retain and enjoy it and under better conditions than ever they enjoyed or were granted them before which was a principal cause which made his Reign so much more prosperous and happy than theirs Yet as in those two particulars for his lust and for his Kingdom he did forsake his Conscience and Religion so did God at last after several fair warnings forsake and leave him to the * V. Perefix p. 400 461 462. ruine of his health by the satisfaction of his lusts the disappointment of his counsels by the treachery of the Jesuits and the loss of his life by the hand of a zealot of that Religion which he had chosen whereas this blessed Queen who gave him this pious admonition and her self continued faithful to her God and constant in her pious resolutions to the last was to the last blessed and preserved notwithstanding all the Plots and Conspiracies Rebellions and Invasions and attempts of her enemies the Romanists against her By this act of his he broke indeed the faction of the Leaguers and so more easily quieted his possession of the Kingdom yet had he soon an occasion to immind him how uncertain and short his enjoyment of it was like to be unless still preserved in the midst of Peace by the same Providence by which he had been hitherto preserved in his Wars and advanced to it through so many dangers and difficulties Thu. l. 107. For within a month after his conversion to the Romish profession was apprehended an assasin Peter Barrier who from place to place had followed him to kill him This fellow had confered about it with a Carmelite and a Capuchin who both encouraged him to it and when he made some scruple by reason the King was turned Catholick as he said he was confirmed in it by Chr. Aubre Curate of St. Andrea who for his further confirmation led him to Varade Rector of the Jesuites Colledge who eased him of all scruples and further animated him to perform the undertaking and when he had been confessed and received the Sacrament in their Colledge dismissed him to that purpose Having provided him a knife for the purpose it was not long before he had an opportunity to have done it but was strangely restrained being pulled back as it were with cords tied about his heart as he afterward confessed The like opportunities he often had at other places whither he followed the King for that purpose but was by some little accident or other still prevented or had not the power to do it though otherwise a fearless man At last being discovered and apprehended and brought to his trial he confidently confessed the whole matter railing upon the Sectaries and his Judges Before his execution he was ordered to be racked to make him confess his complices but in the mean time it was thought fit to send some to him to admonish him of his error whereof he was so throughly convinced by Oliver Barengarius a Dominican who had all along been of the King's party that acknowledging his error he reckoned himself happy that he was prevented from committing so great a wickedness as he intended though by his own most miserable death detesting his purpose and those who had perswaded him to it and told him that if he died in the enterprize his soul should immediately be received by Angels into Heaven there to enjoy an eternal happiness with God and admonished him that if he should happen to be taken and tortured he should not name any of them who had perswaded him to it for then he must know he should incur the pains of eternal damnation and before his execution he gave notice of two Priests who at Lions had undertaken to kill the King and for the greater caution described their persons This renewed the odium of the Jesuits who were reputed not only to have been the * So Dav. in the Story of Chastel calls them the first authors and continual fomentors of the League p. 1232. first inventers of this mischievous War but also what by their profane Sermons what by the poison of their naughty Doctrine secretly in confession instilled into the minds of the inraged people to have exposed by a pernitious example the sacred persons of Princes to be murdered by every one The next danger of this kind which he was in came yet a little nearer to him Thu. l. 111. when in the Chamber of his †Perefix p. 229. beloved Mistress happily at the instant stooping to salute a Gentleman that came in he received that stroke only at his mouth and without greater hurt than the loss of a tooth which was designed at his heart by John Chastel a Scholar of the Jesuites who through a flagitious life grown desperate hoped by so heroick an act for the cause of the Roman Catholick Religion to merit though not Salvation whereof he despaired yet some mitigation of his punishment perhaps from the eighth degree to the fourth He was educated and studied in the Jesuites School and was assistant in Philosophy to John Guerret a Priest of that Society and though vitious above his age yet was in esteem with those Fathers who used to admit him among their choice disciples to their more secret conferences and religious exercises and had often heard in that Society that it was not only lawful to kill the King but a thing much conducing to the cause of Religion whereof it seems he was so throughly perswaded that notwithstanding the terribleness of his execution he expressed no signs of sorrow or repentance but on the contrary being first put to the rack gave out such assertions as the Court
declared seditious contrary to the word of God and condemned by the sacred Decrees and made it treason to repeat them As he had before freely confessed Da. p. 1332. so when he was tortured he confirmed the same that he was bred up in the Schools of the Jesuites and had often heard it discoursed and disputed that it was not only lawful but also meritorious to kill Henry of Bourbon the King a relapsed Heretick and often said that he learned that Doctrine from them Whereupon their Colledge being searched among the papers of F. John Guignard were found many writings that taught that Doctrine many things against the late King and that praised the murder of him and likewise against the present King that perswaded the killing of him and tending to sedition and parricide that it would be well done to thrust Navar though professing the Catholick Religion into a Monastery there to do penance if without war he cannot be deposed war is to be made against him if war cannot be made he must by any means be taken out of the way c. all which he was convicted to have written with his own hand and was therefore hanged Also John Gueret the ordinary Confessor of Chastel F. Alexander Haye and John Bell all of the same Society were likewise convicted of the like offences but were condemned only to perpetual banishment and confiscation of their goods Thu. l. 37. 57. The Society of the Jesuites to whom the Bishop of Clermont gave his house in Paris called Clermont house from whence they were called the Society of Clermont by those who disliked their ambitious arrogant appropriating to themselves the Title of Jesuites as that which doth belong to all true Christians was by the recommendation of Charles Cardinal of Lorrain the Guisians alwaies highly favouring this new Society first admitted in France in the year 1550. by Henr. 2. of whom was obtained a Charter for them to build and erect a School at Paris but there only and not in other Cities But when this Charter and the Pope's Bull of confirmation of their institution were brought into the Court to be allowed and were read the Parliament referred them both to the consideration of the Bishop of Paris and of the Colledge of Divines Whereupon they gave their Sentence in writing to this effect That this new Society by an insolent Title appropriating to themselves the name of Jesus and so licentiously admitting any persons howsoever illegitimate facinorous and infamous without any respect and which nothing differs from other secular persons in Rites Ceremonies or rule of living whereby the Orders of Monks are distinguished moreover is endowed with so many Priviledges Liberties and Immunities especially in the Administration of the Sacraments to the prejudice of the Prelates and of the Sacred Order and also even of the Princes and Lords and to the great grievance of the people contrary to the Priviledges of the Vniversity of Paris seems to violate the honourableness of the Monastick Order to enervate the studious pious and necessary exercise of Virtue Abstinence Ceremonies and Authority and also to give occasion to others to forsake their Vows to withdraw their due Obedience from the Prelates unjustly deprive the Lords both Eeclesiastical and others of their rights to introduce great disturbance in the Civil Ecclesiastical Government Quarrels Suits Dissentions Contentions Emulations Rebellions and various Scissures that for these causes this Society seems very dangerous in respect of Religion as that which is like to disturb the Peace of the Church to enervate the Monastick Discipline and to tend more to Destruction than to Edification This so startled the Society that they desisted from any further prosecution till the Reign of Francis 2. When the Guisians who highly favoured this new Society carrying all before them they resumed the business again and first the Bishop of Paris Eust Bellaius was required to give his Sentence which he did in writing That that Society as all new Orders was very dangerous and at these times instituted rather to stir up Commotions than to make up the Peace of the Church and after a sharp censure of their arrogant title adding that in the priviledges granted to it by Paul 3. are many things repugnant to the Common Law and prejudicial to the power and authority of the Bishops Curates and Vniversities and therefore it would be more advisable that since they are by the Pope appointed and bound to instruct the Turks and Infidels and publish the Gospel among them yet in places which are near to them they should have their Colledges assigned as heretofore the Knights of Rhodes had in the borders and out-skirts of the Christians This and the other sentence being read and considered by the King in Counsel the Court notwithstanding through the instigation of the Cardinal of Lorrain was commanded to publish as well the Pope's as the King's Charter without any regard to the intercession of the Bishop and Colledge of Divines and the Jesuites exhibited a supplication to the Court whereby they subjected themselves to the Common Law and renounced all priviledges contrary to it But the Parliament thought fit rather to remit the whole business to a General Council or to a Convention of the Gallicane Church And at a great meeting of the Bishops at the Conference at Poisy they were admitted to teach but under many conditions to change their name be subject to the Bishop of the Diocess to do nothing to the prejudice of the Bishops Colledges Curates Universities or other Orders or their Jurisdiction and Function but be governed according to the prescript of the Common Law and renounce all contrary priviledges c. Hereupon was opened Clermont School at Paris But when this liberty was interrupted by the whole University of Paris the business was again brought before the Parliament The University having before advised with Carolus Molinaeus his Consultation or opinion and resolution of the Case which was afterwards published was that the University had good cause to declare against them for a Nusance because they had erected a new Colledge contrary to the ancient decrees of Synods the General Council under Innocent 3. the Decrees of the Court c. their Institution was not only to the detriment of the several Orders but to the danger of the whole Kingdom and every wise man might justly fear that they might prove spies and betray the secrets of the Kingdom they seemed to be instituted to lie in wait for the estates of dying people they set up a new School in a University to which they would not obey which was not only monstrous but a kind of sedition c. And it was argued on both sides in full Parliament by Pet. Versorius for the Society highly commending their Original and Institution and by Steph. Paescasius for the University as much condemning both their Institution and their Practice their Institution in respect of their obligation by vow both
he was gone and could not be found and that not a year before the King was murdered he was in disgrace for writing * P. du Moulin ibid. divers things to the Provincial of the Jesuites in Spain which the King had revealed to him in confession and that †Foul. 9. c. 2. the D. of Sully proved to the King that he was guilty of betraying his secrets What these secrets were I find not but this is to be noted that he had then a great design in hand which whether the same or not which he pretended and which is related by the D. of Sully and from him by Perefix the Arch-Bishop of Paris he had in pursuance of it raised a great Army which startled both Spain and Rome Perefix an 1608. He had about two years before his death entred into a League Offensive and Defensive with those Hereticks and Rebels against the Catholick King the Hollanders whereof the Spaniards grievously complained Don Pedro de Toledo representing to him that the ruine or conversion of the Hereticks was the common interest of all the Catholick Princes and what great wars his Master had made upon that design Foul. ibid. Per. an 1609 and was now though the Pope had earnestly dehorted him from any more arming going in person with an Army of 40000 choice men to assist the D. of Brandingburg with his Allies the Protestant Princes in the business of Cleves and Juliers whereof the Emperor complained as that which could not be without wrong to the Catholick Religion and what was worst of all this expedition was not doubted to be only a cover for some greater design that business of Cleves falling out very opportunely to furnish him with a good occasion to commence the execution of his projects Foul. ibid. While the King was raising this Army in France was a great Book secretly kept by some Priests wherein many did subscribe their fidelity and obedience to the Pope many of the subscriptions in blood and at Rome the Pope having dehorted him from arming four months before he was murthered Moulin ibid. was the Decree against John Chastel censured and forbidden to be read by an Act of the Consistory together with the History of Thuanus for relating too plainly that horrid action of Chastel and the part which the Jesuites had in it and likewise a Book of Mariana the Jesuite but not that which approveth the murthering of King's which by that means was in some sort that is tacitly and implicitly approved At last having as well ordered all things for the Government at home in his absence as perfected his preparations for the Expedition he was impatient to be gone from the City partly through his eager desire of pursuing the exploit partly boding and presaging some mischief to his person if he should stay longer there But the Queen to whom he had committed the Regency in his absence assigning her a select Council Per. p. 489 Quaere who was this Conchini who put this into the Queens head I think an Italian of Florence through the instigation of Conchini and his Wife being very importunate with him that she might be crowned before his departure he would not deny her that testimony of his affection though otherwise very unwilling and withal told her That that Coronation did presage him some mischief they would kill him he should never go from that City his enemies had no other remedy but his death it was told him that he should be slain at the first grand magnificence that he should make and that he should die in a Coach which made him taken with a trembling when he was in one He was counselled for the avoiding of the unhappy prophecies to depart the next day and to leave the Coronation which might well be done without him but this extremely offended the Queen and therefore to satisfie her he staid with such success as was foretold For the next day after the Coronation when in the morning * Continuation of de Serres he had been very sad and pensive one while casting himself upon his bed to sleep then again when he could not sleep arising to his prayers doing this several times in the afternoon he would needs go to the Arsenal to visit the Duke of Sully who was there indisposed though the Duke of Vendosme imminded him that he had been warned to beware of the fourteenth day but contemning the warning and predictions out of a desire to conceal his fear just as he had done before in the restitution of the Jesuites contrary to the advice and perswasions of his best friends in the way his Coach being stayed by a stop made by two Carts accidentally meeting in a narrow street he was stabbed between the second and third rib Peref and at a second blow to the heart whereof he died presently The Assassin was one Francis Ravaillac formerly a Monk but at that time a Sollicitor What motives perswasions or instigations he might have to this wicked act is much in the dark but that it was not out of revenge for any personal injury the meanness of his quality may induce us to believe and besides no such thing was ever pretended or alledged Nor was it out of hope of any temporal advantage for then he would have fled and endeavoured to have saved himself which he did not in the least but therefore upon the score of Religion which is further manifest for it seems he had in him some of the leven of the League and was perswaded that the King went to overthrow the Catholick Religion in Germany He †See the Petition of the University of Paris in the continuation of Serres K. James's Defence of the Right of Kings sub finem Foul. p. 646. from the Examination and Process said that the King made War contrary to the Pope's liking and boldly alledged at his examination this reason for what he did That the King had a design to make war against God because he prepared war against his Holiness for making war against the Pope is the same as to make war against God This is further confirmed by his carriage both at his Apprehension Examination and Execution When he had redoubled his stroke and offered a third he never so much as stirred from the place or offered to conceal the knife but stood still as if he desired to be taken notice of and gloried in the exploit and which may also help to satisfie us that he did it not of his own meer motion at his examination V. The Petition and Moulin p. 126. 137. were evident marks found in him of the Doctrine of the Jesuites and to the Divines who were sent to him he shewed himself perfectly instructed in all their distinctions and evasions about Rebellion and King-killing though otherwise very ignorant in all other Learning Lastly at his Execution such was his constancy in the midst of his terrible tortures as strongly confirmed
of a lawful General or National Council had be been sincere and continued constant in this resolution V. Thu. l. 98. 101 103. Nor did he want encouragement in this respect from the forward and couragious opposition which on his behalf was made against the Pope's Bulls by his Subjects even of the Roman Communion and not only by the Civil Power but the Clergy also concurring therein who moreover gave him a fair opportunity and kind of invitation either by setting up a Patriarch in France V. Thu. l. 103. which had been very agreeable to the first flourishing state of the Church after the times of Persecution or by restoring to the Arch-Bishops and Bishops their ancient authority which was in some sort done and held for four years after to have cast of that Antichristian yoke of the Papal Usurpations under which he afterwards neglecting that opportunity unhappily enslaved himself and his Kingdom and so having reformed that grand abominable abuse he might with the more facility afterwards have established by the mature deliberation of a lawful Council such a Reformation of the Gallican Church as perhaps might not have been inferior to any which hath been made in other places And afterwards L. 107. when he resolved to be reconciled to the Church they admitted and absolved him notwithstanding the Pope's Legate opposed it all he could contending that he could not be absolved by any but the Pope But these things which might have given encouragement to a conscientious and truly pious mind to constancy and further dependance upon God to him perhaps proved a further tentation their fidelity to him making their perswasions to change his Religion the more prevalent with him especially concurring with a more powerful motive viz. the reducing of the rest of the Kingdom to his obedience And therefore though like David he waxed stronger and stronger and the League like the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker yet in about half the time that David was kept out of the greatest part of his Kingdom he began to yield to the tentation And first when the Leaguers through the incitations of the Pope and the King of Spain were about to assemble to choose a Catholick King though that was not unlikely to break their party by their emulations and divisions concerning the person forgetting his former resolutions and neglecting his conscience instead of dependance upon the Divine Providence he applies himself to humane Policies and resolves to change his Religion without staying for the determination of a lawful either General or National Council L. 107. And this after a few hours instruction whereby he pretended he was much informed of what he was ignorant before being solemnly done he next not long after by a * L. 107 108. special Embassador makes supplication to the Pope to be admitted to his favour And though he had presently hereupon two notable experiments by the attempts of Barriere and Chastel of the vanity and deceitfulness of such shifts and humane Policies without the favour of the Divine Protection and Blessing besides a faithful and sound admonition from the good Queen Elizabeth yet his confidence and reliance upon God being before weakned it commonly proving with perverted minds as with corrupted stomachs which turn their natural food and nourishment into the nourishment of their disease these did but provoke him to the more earnest pursuit of humane politick means and therefore again when he had already broken the party of the League and Paris wherein their chief strength lay L. 109. L. 108. had submitted to him and besides all this the Pope had unworthily repulsed his Embassador and given him a just provocation which certainly he might have improved with the concurrence and good liking of the French Nobility and Clergy toward the reformation of that abominable abuse of the Papacy which is the original or prop of all the rest he was notwithstanding easily wrought upon at the slight intimation of the Pope who when he saw it was in vain longer to oppose him was very willing to receive his submission to send another Embassie and basely prostrate himself to him basely I say L. 113. because it is not likely that he did it out of Conscience or Religion but rather out of fear of Emissaries and Assassins which is * A percussoribus qui quotidie vitae ejus insidiantur metuentem expresly mentioned by his Agents to the Pope as a motive to his reconciliation and for the same reason 't is likely as hath been shewed before he at last notwithstanding all perswasions earnest intercessions and supplications to the contrary restored the Jesuites again and among other favours subjected the government of his conscience to them This was the foundation upon which he built his Greatness which having laid for his security he presently set himself to heap up Treasures and at last raised a great Army for the execution of some grand design which whatever it was in truth he pretended to be for the promotion of the Christian cause against the Infidels But alas all was built upon a sandy foundation he had forsaken the rock of his salvation and relying upon vain policies had ungratefully forsaken him by whom he never had nor should have been forsaken so long as he continued faithful and constant to his duty and prostituting his conscience to obtain a staff of reed had broken the staff of his surest confidence Isa 36.6 aggravating also the offence of his spiritual Fornication and the burden of his galled conscience which is alwaies heaviest in times of danger by persisting in the continual scandals of his Amores whereof the Arch-Bishop Perefix often complains as justly to be blamed * Pag. 461. in a Christian Prince a man of his age who was married on whom God had conferred so great mercies and who had such great enterprizes in his hand This was it which made his apprehension of his approaching death so strong and lamentable and subjected him to the effects of that Religion to which he had subjected himself as those who consult and crave the assistance of witches and evil spirits make themselves thereby the more obnoxious to their power and malice Thus did he fall from that Grandure which by the space of near another eighteens years he had been raising upon this false foundation Such profane policies subjecting Religion to a subservience to secular ends though succesful for a while yet frequently at last concluding in an unhappy catastrophie Nor could the specious pretence of his grand design find acceptance with him who prefers obedience before sacrifice This was it which was in general foreseen and foretold by our good Queen by a more genuine spirit of Prophesie and from better Principles than they were moved by who foretold the same indeed more particularly but yet only like witches and evil spirits who foretell the storms they mean to raise And she her self who built her assurance upon
ancient Apostolick Creed and what-ever other rule of Faith is mentioned by Irenaeus Tertullian or any of the Ancients and were held to contain the sum of the Christian Faith are to this day generally received and believed by all the Christian World so that Christ hath still a Church upon Earth what-ever become of the Church of Rome the like may be said of the sacred Scriptures but in none of these is the least mention of any such infallible authority of the Church of Rome no nor of any such authority of the Church of Christ as the Church of Rome does pretend to Nor is there any colour or pretence of proof that that authority was ever in any one age to this day the general belief of the Christian World no nor so much as of the Church of Rome it self for 700 years I may truly say for 1100 years and more 2. That they will likewise well consider the prudence of such undertakings the Nobility and Gentry especially of these Nations who embrace the Roman Religion They have had almost an hundred years experience of the ill success and unhappy consequence of such attempts to themselves and their party whereby they have only made a rod for their own backs provoking and exasperating the severity of Laws against themselves and when the Romish Agents had lately dissolved the Government and brought all things into confusion as is not a little apparent they did when they had crept into the Court and insinuated themselves into the several Factions of the Kingdom by underhand dealings incensing them one against another what did they advance their cause by it but only involved themselves in the same publick calamity wherein they embroyled the Nation The Emissaries are men who have neither Estates nor Fortunes to lose or hazard nor wives and children to suffer with them and if their attempts prove unsuccesful can easily retire to their Colledges again beyond Sea And their motions and actions are steered by foreigners who sit far enough out of all danger and in great security expect to make their profit and advantage of us all So that both these have hopes of advantage without any or any great hazard only the more honest and well meaning Nobility and Gentry do certainly run a very great hazard without any probability if things be rightly calculated of much mending their condition at the best For did they now suffer something in their Estates according to the Laws which certainly would never much be pressed did they not continually incense the Kingdom against them by restless attempts through the instigations of the Emissaries endangering the peace and quiet of it yet is that in some measure recompenced by their freedom from the trouble and charge of divers publick employments and the rest would be dearly bought off by enslaving the Kingdom again to the Roman Usurpations and that with so much hazard both to themselves as in respect of conscience and the justice of the undertaking for there is but little of true Christianity in him who will not readily suffer a greater loss rather than venture upon an unlawful or but doubtful action so also of the prudence of it for the higher they go in their attempts there is no doubt but it will fall more heavy upon them after so many and great provocations if they miscarry therein and of that the danger is greater than can easily be foreseen and to the Kingdom in general the peace and prosperity whereof they ought to desire and endeavour upon the account both of natural duty and of interest For whatever some who do not well consider it may promise themselves those who have Estates and Fortunes here be their Religion what it will are like to have their shares of whatever publick calamity or mischief is brought upon the Nation which they who at Rome and from other foreign parts do steer the motions of the Emissaries and other sticklers here in that cause are not much concerned to consider *** 4. And lastly to those who either through weakness and inconsiderateness are scandalized at these and such like wicked practices of the Romanists or any others professing Christianity or through wilfulness and wickedness do make use thereof to confirm or encourage themselves in their affected infidelity who having first sinned themselves into despair of any good by the observance of Religion at last seek to encourage themselves against all fear of evil by the neglect of it This last sort I intended not among Christians in general and yet do here joyn them with the other sort here mentioned because what is to be said to those may be said also to these The scandal and ill use that is made of these practices is either more particular from abuse of pretended miracles and martyrdoms whereby some may be induced to doubt of the ancient Christian Miracles and Martyrs and for satisfaction in this particular I shall here for brevity sake refer them to the writings already written and extant in print some in the English Tongue of the verity of the Christian Religion or from such practices in general of men in great place in Church or State or repute for Learning as are thought inconsistent with a real belief of what they possess whence some who affect to know more than the vulgar will needs perswade themselves and others that all such are Atheists and Infidels and thereupon bring all Religion under a suspition of being nothing else but a more refined piece of policy and because I have found by experience that many have no better arguments for their affected infidelity than this and yet few of those who have written of the verity of the Christian Religion have taken any notice of it or thought it worth a particular answer I shall recommend these things to their consideration 1. That this is no argument or evidence against Religion but only a bare supposed opinion and judgment of such persons without any evident and express ground or reason for it 2. That the opinion or judgment of great Statesmen or Scholars meerly as such is of no greater authority in this particular than the judgment or opinion of other men for such men may in general well deserve that reputation which they have and yet be utterly ignorant of those Principles which are necessary to be known to ground a judgment in this case There are very rarely found any men that are well skilled in all the parts of Learning or of some one profession as for example of the Law some are good Conveyancers who are very unskilful in Bar-Practice many good Chancery-men who are no great Common Lawyers c. So in Divinity some are well skilled in Textual some in Polemical or Scholastical some in Casuistical Divinity and yet but meanly skilled in the other parts of it and this part which considers the evidences of Religion is but rarely studied by any but such as have to do with Infidels each man ordinarily applying himself especially to