amongst them and to the same end also was the lord of Luxembourg chosen to go to the Pope to giue him to vnderstand of al that was passed which he acknowledged to be iust holy and most lawfull I doe not here tell you of those house-doues and dormice who in their houses doe watch on which side the storme may light to the ende to apply themselues to the other for these men I account as cyphres so that if you haue no other then those you might much better for your honours sake haue suppressed your request Well on to you do I now denounce warre euen as you haue done to the king for I am of the number of those Catholikes whome you speake of in the beginning of your petition who imitating the ancient christians do continue in his obedience If you be as you say so catholike so good a subiect vnto the king such a louer of publike peace for I must yet returne to our first point sith you will reade a lesson to our maister of that which you thinke to appertayne to his duetie ought you not also to haue done the like to the people of that that belonged to them It is a matter that you forgot not for lacke of notice for it is one of the first dishes where with you haue serued our king when you tolde him that his good subiects did imitate the ancient Christians yet stayed you so sodainely that your word dyed so soone as it was borne and such a word as being wel disgested in good mens consciences would procure a generall peace throughout the realme Let vs therefore beginne here by our selues let vs reade to our selues a lecture of our dueties to our king so being growen wise in our owne dueties we may the better indeuor by supplications aduice or other faire spéeches to teach him that which we thinke méete for him to do First I am of opinion that euery good citizen shoulde wish there were but one religion in ouery well ordered common wealth and euery good Christian that there were no exercise of any other theuthecathol apost religion That is the same wherein we haue béene of all antiquity brought vp in France the same wherein we were baptised the same wherin we should liue and die as being the spring and assurance of our saluation vnder the banner of our sauior Iesus Christ God hath giuen vs a king of an other religion then ours yet a vertuous valeant noble wise and iust prince such a one as accompanyeth all his actions with the feare of God Where the Wise man sayth that the feare of the Lorde is the beginning of wisedome I suppose he meant that the feare of God is the ground of all religion Neuerthelesse if he were other if a Nabuchodâ—nozer who was the greatest scourge vnto the house of God yeâ— were it our partes to doe for him the same that the Prophet Baruch exhorted the children of Israell to do for the said Nabuchodonozer that is to loue honour and obey him and to remember him in our prayers and whie Because God hath giuen him vs and will haue vs to haue such a one whether to be reuenged of vs for our sinnes or to proue the stedfastnesse of our faith or vpon any other reason which he will not any should know but himselfe When our Lord said Giue vnto Caesar that belongeth vnto Caesar c. Peter in one of his Epistles c. Paule to the Romans and to Titus commaunded the christians to pray to God for the earthly powers and to obey them they knewe that all the kings monarches and princes of those dayes were heathen as were all the other the emperours from Augustus to Constantine the great yea Constance the sonne of Constantine albeit a christian was infected with the heresie of Arriux and Iulian his successor from christianitie returned vnto his Idolatrie all which notwithstanding we stil obeyed them For the proposition of our Christianitie imported that wée ought rather to obey the vice-emperour then the inferiour iudge the emperour then the vice-emperour and God then the emperour because vpon the one depended onely the losse of goodes and life things perishable and transitorie on the other eternall damnation of our soules to be briefe that the good christian should make a buckler of his life against such assaults as might be deliuered him by the emperour when he contrarieth the honour of God but that in all other things we owe him our obedience This was the trophée erected by our fathers Reade S. Cyprian S. Hierom S. Augustine and especially Tertullian the ancientest of them all where he writeth to Scapula the gouernour of Affrike We said he do in all and through all obey the emperour we acknowledge him to be our soueraigne Lorde we willingly pay him tributes aides and subsidies One onely thing we desire to obtaine of him that is that he will permit vs to line in peace of conscience The like saith he in his Apologie and aboue all things in this generall obedience he will not that the christian stray one tittle from the common course of his religion but that rather he should abide all kind of forments and this is it that he doth at large discourse vpon in his treatie of the crowne of a souldier And to the ende you should not thinke that they liued so because force so commaunded you shal find that T. of Aquine one of our chiefe schoole diuines discoursing vpon this article is of opinion that of whatsoeuer religion the prince be yet the subiect ought to obey him also that there is one only cause that may dispense with the othe of sidelitie vz. when from christianity the prince declineth to paganisme wherein likewise he is gainesaide by antiquity for it is certaine that the christians neuer doubted to obey Iulian the Apostata Yea that great Saint Martin the holy buckler of our Fraunce was vnder his pay fiue whole yeares while he was a Catechist that is during the time of his probation wherein such as were disposed to make profession of our religion were strictest in their actions This is in my opinion the lesson you shoulde haue taught the French nation and which now I do deliuer in manner of a supply to the second line of your Supplication for being so carefull for the saluation of the kings soule you should not haue neglected the rest of France A lesson as catholike and holy as the heresie is detestable that hath course among the Leaguers vz. to vpholde that because our kings religion is contrary to ours we lawfully may not onely deny him our obedience but also leauy warre against him For were their opinion true wée must condemne the whole doctrine of the primitiue Church we must condemne S. Peter and S. Paule yea we must condemne the great patron and foundation of our religion Iesus Christ yet it is such an heresie as slideth into the harts of those that are taken to be the honestest men for
your selfe do seeme to be somewhat spotted there with sith of set purpose you omitted this principall peece which would greatly haue enriched your worke How then Will I disswade the king from becomming a Catholike because I teach his subiects to obey him God forbid The tipe of all my desires tend to sée him vnited in the same religion with vs but to tel you true I could wish that neither you nor I had vndertaken the vnweauing of this webbe It is very daungerous to become an arbitrator in the causes and opinions of a mighty king especially in an argument of so great consequence as this withall considering the diuersity of humours amongst vs at this day Stand you vpon this that the king ought to become a catholike In hast post hast as you do vnles he follow your counsell sundry tickelish soules will strait imagine that it procéedeth of want of deuotion and mindeth to féede his faythfull subiects with delaies in respect of his promise at his comming to the crowne and so shall you perhaps be the cause of a new commotion against him But let me vpholde the contrary and I shall prouide some conceit for diuers slippery mindes that by his consent I am vnder hand taught by those of his religion to play this part which will be a newe preparation to mistrust a matter no lesse dangerous then the other and wythall it will be thought that in heart I professe an other religion then the same that outwardly I exercise Neyther you nor I are Lisippus or Apelles that we should represent Alexander in imagery or picture I meane we are not sufficient to discourse vpon this high point that aimeth both at religion and the state neuerthelesse sith you abusing the liberty of the tyme wherein euery one thinketh it lawfull to doe what he list séeming to bring a medcine for the state do bring poyson I beléeue the better sort will not mislike that I also do take leaue to bring in a counterpoyson I will tell you then that I am of opinion that the K. become a catholike and that as soone as it may please God to giue him grace for it is a blessing that procéedeth from God not from vs but that he should so become vpon the mould that you prescribe him I do not thinke that any good seruant to God or the king can so thinke good I pray thée Reader haue patience to the end and be not dated at this first step Our religion is the holiest c. I will beginne wyth this word Holie which is the first point of your reason for as for the rest which concerneth the reputation profit and necessity thereof al your subtilties are vaine in the sight of God which notwithstanding I will discourse vpon in their places as I thinke méete Our king must become a catholike because our religion is the best I tell you againe he must but not a state Catholike such a one as you would frame him that is to say a Prince that shall abandon his religion that shall hencefoorth goe to masse that vpon the solemne festiualles shall communicate wyth vs in the holy sacrament so to content his people wyth faire shews but in heart shall scorne all our ceremonies for so shall you forme vs a king without religion who before in the profession of his own reposed his whole confidence in God For why shoulde not I imagine that you woulde make hym such a one euen you who tearme his zeale and deuotion in this behalfe when he offereth to submit himselfe to the ordinances and decrées of a good counsell which hymselfe wil procure sometimes ceremoniall sometimes courtizanicall In the religion that he professeth he doth with his whole heart confes one God and abhorreth by gestures only to acknowledge him Vpon a request exhibited by his princes and great lords that he would vouchsafe to become a Catholike hée besought them not to wish in him a rash alteration of his religion but rather that wyth rype deliberation he might be by our men instructed not in grosse as you wish but particularly and by péece-meale A matter that he desired not vppon courtezany or ceremony but for that he coulde not so easely as you iest wyth his conscience for if néede be vpon his conuersion he will do open penance for his error This manner of dealing do you mislike and would haue him at vnawares and blinfolde take our part and this do you terme a miracle But for my part my spirite is ouer dull to disgest this great metamorphosis of the conscience Yet knowe I that God wrought a greater miracle in the conuersion of S. Paul but in our church there neuer was but one S. Paul whom God had especially chosen to be his trumpet to all the nations of the Gentiles Thus may we sée how euery man misconstrueth the Scriptures and for the most parte applyeth them to couer his owne impietie To this purpose I remember that in the time of S. Cyprian sundry ecclesiasticall persons admitted to lodge wyth them some of their kindred to guyde and as they sayde to ouersée their housesholde affayres But this great and holy parson misliking this vse as knowing the inconuenience that in processe of tyme might growe thereof they for their defences alleadged the example of the Virgins Mary and S. Iohn who dwelt together after the death and passion of our sauior Iesus Christ Oh wretches cryed this holy man dare you gather any consequence of the particular blessing of these two excellent soules therewyth for to couer your impudicities There is no example to be taken of those examples Bring in the mystery of the conuersion of Saint Paule to strengthen your aduice and al Macheuellian princes shall hereafter become S. Paules But the people say you are troubled with a sicknes of mind they feare least the king continuing in this state wherein he now is should suppresse the Catholike religion and therefore there is no other remedy for that disease but that he become a Catholike First who is the people that you speake of Haue you searched into the hearts of all the kings good and loyall subiects You will grant mée as I suppose that all these Princes and great Lordes that haue subscribed the aforementioned declaratiō that he made are none of them as also that they are not those who since wythout subscribing haue come to yéelde hym their due seruice neyther such as accompanyed them Procéede throughout the rest of the people which are many and howe knowe you that they are troubled with this disease of the mynd that you should so boldly assure our king thereof If you should be disaduowed what would you say And séeke you any greater disaduow them thrée answers written against you The quiddities of your Supplication might peraduenture bréede this mischiefe in some weake mindes but not in any such as haue any more certayne information of the affaires both of God and the worlde and wythall thinke that for
the lie to a Gentleman or one that professeth armes when they goe about agréement men vse to bring all kindes of formalities to couer the honor as well of the giuer as of the taker will you not suffer a mighty king to vse some ceremony whereby to shunne the lie which you doe imagine he giueth to our Church thinking to doe well If it stand vpon his reputation I speake now as a worldly wise man you must treade vnder foote both the profite and necessities by you alleadged for not only princes but euen meane gentlemen doe account nothing profitable or necessary that may any what impeach their honor But say you this shall be a great conquest for the K. ouer himselfe nay contrariwise it shall be a braue victorie that his ennemies shall haue obtained against him So that were I in pay with them I would also procure the like supplication as yours The feare nothing so much as that say you you say it but for my parte I thinke the contrarie For were I of their counsel God knows what rate I would set vpon the merchandise and how much I would thinke to gaine by trusting it foorth The mischiefe is that they be destitute of I wote not what hired lack-lattine Preachers whome in their pulpits they cause to play what persons they please My counsel is say you of such efficacie that by one sole Edict by one skinne of parchment wel penned the king shal obtaine that at his peoples handes that fiftie thousand corslets can not obtaine If the Pope doeth gain-say him a faire appeale as of abuse may do him reason So soone as his subiects shal see their king returned into the bosome of the Church they wil immediatly fall downe at his feete as hauing the feare that held them in suspence banished away Indeede you are a great Nostrodamus that doe prognosticate vnto vs wonderfull thinges what pledge or surety haue you for your promise Are you yet to learne that betwéene ligue and guile an olde French word that signifieth deceit there is no difference but the transposition of a sillable Whereupon do you ground your prediction Are you a Sindicque Atturny for all the rebellious townes Are your remembrances signed wherby you think you shall not be disadnowed But grant you haue them doe you take the Leaguers to be so honest men that they will not infringe their faith A woman that hath once abandoned her honor doth afterward with time sell to others good cheape And I shall neuer thinke that man to haue any faith that hath so easily dispensed with his fidelity to his prince But let vs argue euen by common sense whether there be any likelihoode to beléeue that the townes wil submit themselues to the kings obedience The Iudiciall Astrologers that deale with casting our natiuities after they haue erected their figures do stand assured of their predictions to come in case they find they haue hit right in that which is past and therein indéede there is some likelihoode albeit I be not of opinion that we should beléeue such fantasticall prognosticators sith therefore that you do meddle with iudging of that that is to come it is requisite that your iudgement be not fixed vppon some vaine imagination especially in matter of so great importance as this is but you ought to ground it vppon some correspondence and couplement of thinges past with such as are to come You thinke that nothing but religion doth continue warres in France When the townes armed themselues against the late king was it religion that inuited them thereto Was there euer prince more sted fast in Romish religion then be For euen abandoning many times the degrée of his royalty he framed his actions to his subiects somtimes shewing himselfe openly a penitent somtimes making himselfe halfe a Monke in cloisters so to exercise his deuotion neither néed we any greater testimony then this that he had in trueth bin yet aliue had he not reposed too much confidence in monkes and friars Let vs leaue nothing at home that may tend to the fauour of your opinion For in so high an argument as this I sight for the trueth not for victory You may reply that the reason that raised their armes against the other king do cease in this for the murder committed against the two brethren in the assembly of the states together with the extraordinary collections and exactions against his people cried to God for vengeance For these be the two common places where with they shrowd themselues but neither of these considerations haue place in the king now raigning A solution indéede not all amisse But tell me when the D. of Guise openly without all order of law went about by the estates holden at Bloys to cause the king of Nauarre vnheard to be declared vtterly vnworthy and vncapable of the crowne of France there was neither vengeance to be executed neither had the king of Nauarre consented to all the corruptions of the others raigne But contrariwise the house of Guise had had good parte therein for they had gotten for themselues fiue or sixe Edicts to the oppression of the people but especially that great reformer of tyranny the Duke of Mayen I know well enough that the duke of Guise shronded his arme vnder the visard of religion Yet if thou being lieutenant of France but in parchment onely he sollicited this wrong against the king of Nauarre think you the duke of Mayenne that so thinketh himselfe to be indéede were so fond as not to prosecute his first point Doe you yet suppose that such parte of the people as in euery towne by slacking the bridle to all mischiefe haue enriched themselues with the spoiles of good men for to speake truth there is no towne but hath his Rossicux or Bussy le Clerc that they I say that haue the strength in their owne handes wil suffer the rest in the towne houses to propound the yéelding into the kinges obedience or if any shoulde be so bolde woulde not lodge him betwéene foure darke walles Haue they not twenty tormentors in their consciences that accompany them in al places Is this word Relaps wherewith the duke of Guise armed himselfe dead with him You will tell me that the pope shall dispense and I tel you your preachers wil not beléeue it no more then they haue attended his decrée and authority to sound out warre against the late king Can not they adde that the king hauing set so small a price of his conscience wil proue a Catholike for a vantage I meane of worse condition then before and so haue no religion May they not haue a good argument to aduow it If they haue bin so wicked as in their pulpits to proclaime the late king to be of no religion and to giue out his abstinence from meates and other the austerities by him vsed to be but mocks hypocrisies wherewith to abuse the peoples simplicity what may they say of him that so
slightly may haue turned his coate You thinke they will not do it if you thinke so euen in common sense you are deceiued Or you imagine that albeit they should so do yet their Sermons woulde be of too small effect with the people to turne away this their new vow and deuotion that you assure the king of But I am of a contrary opinion Thus you sée vs of contrarie mindes and vpon this contrariety of hopes and opinions would you haue the king hazard his person and state You may say If I were king I would and I wil answere for him That if he had made the Supplication now in question peraduenture he would do it but being K. he must looke well that he do it not My good friend I vnderstand but one Lattin word Tanti poenitere non emam and I thinke it were good for the kings seruice that he should remember it in French If the king agreeing to your opinion by this his new beléefe had lost all his beléefes of his antient seruants that haue wyth him borne the quarrell as taking it to be Gods quarrell And the princes that fauoured him for the communion of their religion rather then of their callings should growe luke warme in his behalfe And on the other side if the rebels should perseuere in their rage into what disorder or rather dispaire should you bring his affaires He should finde himselfe lurched ere he were aware and you shall prooue but a bad warrant for your counsell Neither your parchment nor your appeale as of abuse to be briefe all the petyfoggeries of France woulde not suffice to warrant him His ennemies haue a newe production I say weapons the which conioyned wyth I wot not what coloured title which the strongest do neuer want when the question concerneth a kingdome they will easily by the meanes thereof winne their cause For as for the consistory of Rome which in such affaires is of some waight in the ballance as being composed of sundry lordes who through their long experience do ordinarily conioyne religion with the state and neuer diuide humane wisedome from holines it wil alwaies incline to the strongest But is not this the parte of a very Scholler in State matters to wish that a prince should alter his religion vpon a vaine conceipt thereby to winne the hearts of those whome he would conquere If your Machiauell nowe liued who taught you that a king ought to be of like religion as his subiects he would tell you that a wise prince neuer made so vnclarkly a step as to alter his religion so long as he stood vpon the conquest But hauing atchieued all his enterprises hee should then consult with his friends whether it were good for him to embrace his subiects religion to the ende the better to like them You and such as be like your selfe doe relie onely vpon the catholike religion of the French kings namely for that king Clouis altered his Paganisme into Christianitie which in those daies was dispersed ouer all the Galles Let vs rest vppon this example which may be a good guide to leade vs in the path that we are to passe Did this great king for I account him for the greatest that euer raigned in France without exception either of Charlemaine or of Philip the conquerour become a christian-so long as he stoode vpon his conquests or did he it without any ceremony No verely For when he was to receiue the sacrament of Baptisme it was performed with such dignity by his great counseller S. Remy that afterward the posterity conuerted al the ceremonies thereat obserued into miracles Besides be abandoned not his heathen religion to stoupe to oures vntill he had fréed his estate from the bondage of the Romanes subdued the Burâ—uinion who occupied part of our Galles chased the Visigot that possessed the country of Septimany since called Languedoc into Spaine and through the great battell of Tolbiac brought vnder his obedience al Germany whereby Theodorike king of Italy became a suter vnto him 〈◊〉 which performed he receiued Christendome yet can I not hereupon inferre that for all this he became a state Christian but thus much is certaine that he vsed this discretion at his new purpose that he turned not from his religion vntill he found him selfe to haue the vpper hand I will vse your owne examples you say that the Macedonians abated I wot not how much of their ancient deuotion to their king Alexander because he attired himselfe after the Persian maner This story will I faithfully and at large rehearse as greatly seruing my turne but not yours So long as Alexander was busied about the conquest of Asia he forbare to vse either the habite or customes of the kings of Persia But hauing once conquered it imagining that hée wanted no more for the accomplishement of his victories but the conquest of the hearts of his new subiects whose Country which he had subdued was in extent fiue or sixe times as great as all Macedonia he had recourse vnto the pollicie we speake of He tooke both the attire and diademe of the kinges of Persia and from thenceforth beganne to cause himselfe to be adored by such as came to salute him A matter vnaccustomed among the Grecians yet such as made the conquered so pliable to his obedience that he kept them in peace so long as he liued Hereupon a certaine philosopher or rather a Scholler named Calisthenes who measured a mightie kings imaginations by his owne began to murmure among the souldiours shewing them that it was the way to bury the Grecian liberty in the bondage of the Persians in the conquest whereof they had borne a great parte and portion with Alexander and if néede had so required had he thought vpon it he would haue exhibited a like Supplication as yours wherby to bring Alexanders behauiors into mislike These complaints passing from mouth to mouth among the Macedonians was like to haue stirred vp a great sedition Whereupon the king put the schoolemaister to death not vpon any iniurious wrath as some foolish Historiographers haue written but to the end to stoppe thâ— fluxe of this new commotion and withal to make him an example to the posteritie against such as licentiously abusing their tongues or pennes before they haue serued their apprentisage in state affaires doe in their studies meddle with controuling the actions of their king among his people and subiects This example haue I set you downe to two endes The first to shew you that a soueraigne prince ought neuer to alter his fashions maners or religion for the contentation of a people before he hath gotten the maistery ouer them The other to let you vnderstand that we are not so easily or openly to controll the behauiours of our kings especially in matters concerning the estate For not to penetrate into the botome of their thoughts and yet to publish against them such spéeches or diffamatory libels as may moue their subiectes to reuolt is
a matter of death and you may peraduenture haue deserued the same punishment as Calisthenes he for complayning foolishly and out of season of Alexanders new alteration of the auncient fashions of Gréece you for complaining of the king for not altering his olde religion for an other that shall be new vnto him For to tell you plainely what opinion many haue of you they say that it is the very counsel of one who seeming to loue the king loueth him not or studying vppon his preseruation endeuoureth to destroy him And at one word that your Supplication is the counsell of a wicked Leaguer yet for my part I doe for your excuse tell them that if it includeth any mischiefe the same procéedeth not of any your hatred against the king but of too much loue to your selfe Had I accesse to the kings eare and were I as a state man to counsel him I would not wish him to become a Catholike yet but to stay vntill hée had ouercome his affaires Neither is there any better meane to lincke vnto vs a Countrey that we haue but lately conquered then by purchasing fauour of the people which may be kept by embracing their religion vnlesse we be so strong as without alteration we may commaund the same This is the counsel that speaking as a worldly wise man I woulde giue my king But let vs I pray you returne vnto God who should be our Weathercocke and without whom we cannot arriue in any good hauen I haue suffered my selfe at vnawares to be carried away with the waues of this world All this worldly wisedome is but folly before God Where you doe wish the king to become a Catholike without laying his hand vpon his heart you doe it to no other end say you but to procure him to raigne in assurance ouer his people and to bring peace to his realme though not to his soule What wil you say if I shew you both with the finger and eye that through euen palpable and visible miracles of God al things haue gone against the haire with such Catholikes I wil not séeke out of France neyther from the quarrell that hath béen among vs these thirty yeares and the liuing God I take to witnesse that no passion maketh me to vtter that which I do mind to speake but euen a desire to open the eies of the blind It can not be denied but that the duke of Guise father to the last deceased also the last deceased were great warriors bolde and as valiant as might be Lordes that accompanied their valour with al humane wisedome wherein both they and the Duke of Mayenne alwayes lodged this proposition That they woulde not vse our religion any further then the commodity of their affaires did commaund for their owne aduancement and greatnesse I wil beginne with the father and his brother the Cardinall of Loraine So soone as King Henry the second was dead seized vpon his sonne the young king Frances by a title of _____ because he had married their neece and withall estranged from his presence the princes of his blood and officers of the Crowne namely that wise Constable Montmorencie who was in so great fauour with the former king his master from whom not content with that disgrace they tooke the state of great Maister which he had inioyed euer since the decease of René of Sauoy his father in law This tyranny was euident for all the affaires of France passed through the hands of these two brethren who abused the kings name and youth at their pleasures Many good Frenchmen vnable to beare that tiranny conspired against them The King then soiourned sometimes at Chenonceau sometimes at Ambois The whole communalty swarmed thither insending to banish these our newe Maisters and to present a Supplication to the king for the establishing of a lawfull counsell of the Princes of the bloud and officers of the crowne about his person I thinke there was I wot not what of the newe religion among for I will not in any wise falsifie this historie Their mishap was such that they were discouered by one Desauenelles an aduocate who was of that faction by whom the Guises were aduertised that the peoples quarrell was against them The enterprize thus discouered the principalles were apprehended at the Castell of Noisé and the common people vpon the hie waies who had their directions to méete at Ambois Nowe I beséech you vnderstand what wisedome in mans sense these two brethren vsed to maintaine themselues in their vsurped authoritie Also how in the end God turned al their deuises into smoke Because this history deserueth to be knowen to al so soone as these poore men were taken they are made to beléeue that they came with intent to seize vpon the kinges person and to take him prisoner Their processe is by and by made and briefly finished by a Maister of requestes Mazere Castelnaw Noize and Renne the principall enterprisers are beheaded in the market place of Amboise Renaudy whome Pardillan slew in the fieldes after his death is quartered and made an example and of their followers an infinit number some drowned by heapes others hanged ouer the Castell walles This first stone thus cast for a foundation to their building they considered that this enterprise must procéede from some higher hand Also that in such affaires after they had put in vre the first exemplary punishement against the chiefest offendors it was requisite to pardon the rest of the commons and yet in any wise not to spare the heades of the greatest and Authors That if any had cause to mislike the then gouernement it was the princes of the bloud to whom this charge appertained during the minoritie of the king whome a marriage could make no wiser then his age and therefore by a braue pollicy they were wise enough for propounding their owne interest so that laying downe only the honor of God and the king after the executions at Amboise they publish a generall pardon to all the common people that had consented to this conspiracy wherby no man should afterward be molested therefore They create a new guard of French harquebuziers about the kings person whose Capitains being at their deuotion was an ordinary assurance for them to and against all men Vnderhand they gather informations against the heades of this conspiracy not naming any They fortefie the high wayes to Ambois and Orleance with men of armes so to preuent all newe commotions that might spring out of Guyenne because at that time the late Lord prince of Conde was retired into Bearne with his brother the king of Nauarre who were the men against whom they layde all their snares At Fountain-bel-eau they procure the creation of 17. new knights of the order of saint Michael therein violating all auntient order for before they neuer created aboue one or two at the most at once and that very seldome and with great consideration But these were so many bound vnto them and props
albeit against all pollicie and worldly reason That he that made profession of the catholike religion should support hereticall subiects as they were then tearmed against their soueraigne Lord who warred vpon them only in hatred of their new religion In this voyage al things smiled vpon vs for so soone as the emperor had intelligence that the king was in armes to passe ouer the Rhine he pacified all things with his subiects and graunted them the Interim so that the onely sounde of our comming made them obtaine whatsoeuer they demaunded and at our returne from that voyage we gaue for our badge the imperiall towns of Metz Thoule and Verdare But hath this passed vnpunished The penaunce for this sin was not inflicted during the life of Henry the second but of his children As also we reade of many like punishments in the historie of the Kings in the olde Testament Thou Catholike king saith this great god hast mainteined the German Protestants to the encrease of their opinions so to keep downe thy corronal but I will make thine of-spring to féele howe I am offended herewith For I will chastice them with the same roddes and suffer like diuision to take holde of thy kingdome I will raise vp some of thy owne that shal harry thee vpon the same argument and withall call in the Protestantes to their succour in reuenge of that succor that you meant to giue them whereof shall at length ensue the desolation of your estate Do you not thinke it to be a méere punishment of God which tooke roote in this voyage into Germany For my parte I do not doubt it The ancient heathen said that the gods had féet of wooll and armes of yron thereby to teach vs that they were slow to vengeance but when they beganne they recompenced that slacknesse with wonderfull rigor Nowe will I come to the Duke of Guise last deceased Was there euer L. better beloued among the people Euen beloued I say because he entituled himselfe Protector generall of our religion against the heretikes and withall that there must be no reconcilement with them A proposition with him in such recommendation that euery man of a contrary opinion was straight accursed yet was he alwaies of this aduice No for in the yere 1572. after he had procured the death of his capitall ennemy the Admirall his house was a sanctuary to a number of Huguenotes euen vnto the lordes of Gamach Acier and the vicount of Borniquet principalles of the other party yet at that time were they all Amalekites for proclamation by sound of trumpet and common crie was made throughout al the quarters of Paris not to saue or pardon any Huguenot wythout exception Let vs now come to the D. of Mayenne When the late king sent him to retire into his obedience al Daulphine most of whose towns the Huguenots possessed was he so religious as to enter no composition with them He suffered them to liue in peace of their consciences whereupon without blowes they rendred al their towns Also so long as he was in Daulphine his court was fuller of Huguenot Gentlemen then of Catholikes How commeth it that in selfe soules should harbour two so contrary opinions So long forsooth as their ambition was brideled vnder the kings obedience they thought themselues most happy in hauing many friends and seruants of each religion But after they had cast off that they imagined that for the attaining in time to their last point it was requisite not onely to haue weapons at hand but euen neuer to be diseazed of them Otherwise hauing bin mighty in commaÌ„ding ouer armies in their opinion they should afterward haue bin brought down when by means of peace they might haue bin returned to their owne houses And to say the truth it is the very counsell of Caesar whereby in the end he became soueraigne ouer the state of Rome Now let vs consider I pray you the successe of their purposes for you shall finde that all that they did to the confusion of the king of Nauarre giue me leaue I pray you so to call him when I speake of those daies turned to his aduancement They armed themselues against him with the power of the French king with the king of Spaines double pisâ—olets with the censures of the court of Rome and with the peoples fauour besides they had all the preachers the trumpets of their hypocriticall passions at their backe Since the years 1586. they brought fiue armies into the field to the end quite to haue cut downe the king of Nauarre thrée in Guyen and Poictow and two in Auergne and Daulphine In the yere 1587. they sent against him the D. of Ioieuse with a braue choice of Nobility and a great troope both of horsemen and footemen with expresse commaundement to set vpon him at whatsoeuer price In the yeare 1588. all things wretchedly smiled vpon the duke of Guise he became Maister of Paris without any blowes causeth his king to flie shamefully away establisheth what policie he list changeth al the ancient captaines of the towne to the end to be assured of the new purchaseth abolition at the kings hand vnder the name of vnion for all that is past adioyneth to his estate of greate Maister the function of lieutenaunt generall to the king in matters of armes The estates being holden at Bloys in the face of all the world he commandeth the deputies and commaunding he seeketh by all sorts of purchase to denounce the king of Nauarre incapable of the crowne Was there euer high enterprize guided with greater sense then this What was the Catastrophe All these fiue armies returned with shame from whence they came The king of Nauarre shieldeth the blowes as a man should say with a rebated sword The greatest honour that the D. of Mayenne got was when he tooke Castillon that belonged to his wife where he spent France 60000. crowns and lay sixe wéeks a towne which the Huguenots afterward recouered with ladders that cost them not sixe franks The D. of Ioyeuse was ouerthrowne in set battell at Coutraz The D. of Guise vpon the king of Nauarres birth day slaine in the middest of the estates without any consent of the said king or his partakers The death of him and of his brother the Cardinall conuerted al the common malice against the late king The Townes rebelled against him and chose the D. of Mayen to be their lieutenant general ouer the royall estate and crowne of France In this newe rage of the people he wanted no money and so consequently no men The late king was forced to call vnto his aide the king of Nâ— who came in Being arriued he deliuereth him together with the Cittie of Toures which is at this day the repaire of the soueraigne courtes of France For at the onely sound of his approach the ennemy who with a great Rhodomontade or brag had wonne a suburbe retired the same night that they won it hauing scarce leisure to
take breath Then is the king slaine by a Monke which was one chéese péece of seruice of the holy vnion the preachers in their pulpits exclaimed that that Prince was of no religion Oh very God if they thought him such a one this I speake by the way why did they choose a monke to execute so wretched a purpose vnles they were assured that vnder that habit the murderer might without difficulty haue accesse to this poore princes closot They then imagined that by this vnexpected death all the affaires of the realme woulde chaunge countenance also that the king of Na. vpon hatred to his religion should be abandoned of al men howbeit against this cursed counsell GOD otherwise prouided for the valiant bloud of the French Nobility did wholly vowe it selfe to our natural and lawfull king And as by the death of the D. of Guise al the leaguers gaue ouer their quarell against these of the new religion to set themselues against their king so vppon this second murder executed on the person of our late king all the French Nobilitie forgetting their mallice against the same religion aymed onely at reuenge of this death against the Leaguers hauing neuerthelesse first sworne the king to enter into our religion if once he were well instructed therein Thus our king by two deaths whereto he neuer consented the one of his mortall enemy the other of his greatest friend attained the Crowne and at a time appoynted came before the head city of France which had professed greatest hatred against him enuironed with all the Princes of the bloud officers of the crowne and as braue an army as hath of late béene séene in France Whom is he now to thanke for so many blessings First God onely next his enemies whom God made the principall instruments for al that is aforesaid as being more beholding to them then euer he was to all his seruants and friends for had they without wakening his weapons by anticipation of time suffered him to haue liued close and quiet as he did in an out-corner of France at the length both his minde and weapons had béene ouergrowen with rust but they forced him to stand vppon his defence wherby at one instant of an apprentise they made him a persite maister He who otherwise had beene vndone had not his enemies sought his vndoing for as well his religion as the small knowledge that we had had of his maners woulde not easily haue suffered vs to fauour him after the late kings decease But he hath this gift that so soone as we do but smel him he maketh euery one to loue honour and regarde him yea euen his very enemies Moreouer where could he haue found the passages ouer the riuers open to haue come to Paris Where should he haue found such an army To be short he is indebted both of his crowne and forces to those who by all worldly pollicies sought to bring him into misery Yea he is so indebted albeit he brought no more with him but a stedfast hope that he hath in his great God I doe here omit his victory at Diepe his entry into the suburbs of Paris which doth counteruaile the best Towne in Fraunce where God to the ende euen to leade him by the hand dispersed a thicke mist to blinde the Paristans eyes I will also leaue his Conquestes which after this he obtained in the middest of winter in the Countries of Vendosme Mayenne and almost all Normandie his two victories that he had in one day at Yurie and in Auuergne the shamefull retraict of the D. of Parma his glorious recouery of Corbeil with the turning of a hand where this great beater downe of walles had soiourned fiue weekes with eighteene canons before he could take it and finally that which of late memorie chanced miraculously in the towne of S. Denis for I haue not vndertaken this to trace you an history To what then is al this for now it is time for me to end this argument Peraduenture to turne the king from abandoning his religion wherein he hath receiued so many fauours at Gods hand I would not wish you so thinke for I haue done it onely to shew to al Macheuelists that God rather assisteth princes of whatsoeuer christian profession when in al their aduersities they call vpon him with their whole heartes and repose their whole confidence in him then such as saining themselues to be Catholikes haue no religion in their soules and do referre their stay to the pollicie that they gather out of the visard of religion Let vs therefore blot out of our papers that that you seek to teach the king that is that so long as he was simply king of Nauarre he might vse the new religion but being king of France he must play an other part as if his soule that was then king of Nauarre were other then his that is nowe king of France Let vs not therefore desire him to become a Catholike by groping and march onely in darkenesse Now do I come to my catholike in religion such a one as I wish our king to be Now that he may so be I thinke there be three things requisit first to make him capable next to poure forth our praiers to GOD for that end and lastly that we be penitent To make him capable he must of necessity be instructed I say instructed not by Ministers as you do falsely presuppose he will but by a generall or nationall counsell I tell you againe he must for so haue we agreed in the middest of his army and we may not shrincke from our consent sith it is euident that the fault is not in him that he performeth not his promise Are you eyther wiser or honester then all these great princes and lordes that were of that opinion that now you should propound an other Yea admit we had not consented yet were it his part to feele him selfe and not finding himselfe strong enough to embrace it without being taught our petition were wretched and wicked if we should intreat him to the conerary Yet thinke not that I would wish this instruction to consist onely in words our Bishops Abbots and other prelates of the church must bring example Our L. Iesus Christ to winne the Iewes hearts began first by well doing and afterward he taught The first point requisite in an aduocate to perswade his Iudges is honesty the rest of his arte is but eloquence and the more he vse it the more wary the iudge is specially if he mistrust the speaker Therefore to perswade our K. let vs ioine the word and the effect Why I pray you haue we not prepared him matter sufficient to desire to be instructed There was neuer church with great griefe I must say it more rent then ours I will not speake of the abuses A matter that almost no religion can dispense withall the reason because no religion can be exercised without outward ceremonies to make the peoples hearts intentiue And it
euery one that is of your mind there be an hundred of a contrary opinion And to tell you the trueth you flatter your selfe and do measure others by the mete wand of your opinions yet God grant I do say truth and that it be your opinion and not rather a slie subtilty to wythdrawe the good and loyall Catholikes from their vowed obedience to the king Moreouer you go about to daunt the king wyth an imaginary feare of the people whereas he in his soule is sufficiently terrefied wyth the feare of God He feareth and in good reason least if hée should mocke his Maister as you wish him to do his Master would afterward mocke him he who otherwhiles hath receyued such fauour and graces of God that all the harmes of others haue turned to his profite You may make of your conscience a cameleon that turneth into as many colours as it seeth obiectes But the kings conscience is not made after any such fashion he thinketh that man to haue no soule that can so easily play wyth his soule that he is vtterly voide of religion that can frame his religion according to the diuersity of raignes to be briefe that he is the same Ecebolius mentioned in the Ecclesiasticall history But you haue none say you but the nobilitie to take your parte your enemy hath the Communaltie and yee knowe that one Iulius Caesar with the assistance of the Communaltie defeated Pompey and all the Nobilitie of Rome Oh stay man you iudge boldely of our estate and do not consider that the policie of our France heretofore called Gall doth farre differ from that of the Romanes For euermore euen in the dayes of your Caesar and that by his owne testimony the force of this nation depended vppon the Nobilitie A custome which by succession of time and age is conuerted into nature so that at this day the Duke of Mayenne wyth all his rebellious townes and popular power doth but warde our blows and is driuen to the end to raigne in France to become the Spaniards slaue yet do I make no accompt of this worldly pollicy Our king buildeth not his hope vpon eyther the Nobility or the communalty but vpon God only he is his buckler his fortresse and his vpholder yea he is all in all vnto him and hée beléeueth that wythout him all the forces of the worlde are but winde But let vs graunt all the fashions possible to the argument that we entreate of for to say trueth it is the highest point and must not be weakely handled As the Diuell the father of dissention hath within these thirty yeares party-coloured vs with religions vnder these two words Catholike and Huguenot so are we our selues also as well in the one as in the other parti-alized For some take part for the states sake others for religion onely I will therefore stand vppon the tearmes of Catholike which we will here forme vs and will say that we haue two kindes of Catholikes the one catholikes of estate the other catholikes in religion The first are worldly catholikes and so consequently the diuels Catholikes The second are the true catholikes in our church and so consequently the children of God If we consider the first sort you are not in my iudgement of sufficient practise in the estate to shape vs a Catholike prince by your patterne If the second then albeit you haue learning yet haue you not catholike religion enough in your head to make a prince catholike by religion Now let vs speake of the estate catholike as of him who peraduenture as at this day beareth greatest sway throughout all christendome I meane of him that hath no consideration of the saluation of his soule in the sight of God but of the aduancement of himselfe or his state wherein I beséech those that shal spend some houre in the reading of this my discourse to thinke that I do not in any wise alow of such catholike policies but doe vtterly condemne abhorre and detest them as abhominable in the sight of God Howbeit in as much as now we are to giue the people to vnderstand that there was neuer counsaile more pernitious then that which the Supplication importeth also that it is a marchandise fetcht out of the leaguers backe shop who vnder a false shew of séeking to husband the peace of the realme doe practise a new disunion between the king and his good subiects I beséech you giue me leaue to strike vpon this tenour which hath recourse vnto the state and afterward I will touch the base that hath relation to the catholike church when I come to speake of the catholike in religion I vpholde that if the king become a catholike wythout that which you terme ceremony or courtezany and I call most holy wel ordered deuotion he looseth his reputation among all men and wythall aduentureth the losse both of himselfe and his realme There is nothing of like importance to the mighty as honor That is it that may most perswade them Our king hath from his infancy bin brought vp in the doctrine that he yet followeth he hath as a man should say euen sucked in with his nurses milke his religion together wyth the expresse commandement that his mother the Q. of Nauarre at her decease gaue and lefte vnto him as it were a testamentarie legacie namely that he should perseuere therein vnto the death He hath since defended it against all worldly indeuors with the price of his bloud and life and hath had good successe He that being simply king of Nauarre with a handfull of men hath vpon this opinion braued his ennemy that was armed with the pretence of the holy sea of Rome with the authority of the late king and of the king of Spaine shall now being king of France and assisted wyth so many princes dukes péeres marquesses earles and barons stoope for a weake stripe with a réede to him that doth but warde his blowes This was not the opinion of Pope Sixtus last deceased as may witnes some honorable personages whom he charged to tell the king that as well in respect of his conscience toward God as of his reputation among men it stoode him vpon to take great héede of altering his religion vnlesse with such order as he had taken with his Nobilitie I do expresly alleadge vnto you the authoritie of this great person as well in respect of his degrée of dignity oner vs as for the wisedome that his age and long experience had purchased We other men are but ceremonies Banish the ceremonies of our vows in matters of greatest cōscience as religion and ye shall ere ye be aware banish a great part of all religions There is nothing that a great king ought so much to feare as to incurre an opinion of lightnesse and inconstancie The which to eschue he must vse all possible means in any alteration that he purposeth in matters of cōsequence If when there ariseth any question or argument about the giuing of
for their tyranny in time to come Thence they lead the king to Paris where they do cause him to take assurance of fidelitie of the prouost of Merchants and Sheriffes of the towne to himselfe Al these preparatiues thus made they bring him to Orleance where they decrée vpon commaundementes throughout all France for the assembly of the estates as knowing very well that the deputies do neuer yéelde but where force and authority commandeth them albeit men be perswaded that the same is the vpholding of the peoples libertie Withall they dispatch many missiues in the kings name to the king of Nauarre the Prince of Conde the Constable and the Admirall to come to him to Orleance pretending these commaundements vpon his desire that they should be assistant to this assembly Euery wise man iudged that there was some notable tragedis to be played at the costes of these poore lords for the perpetuall establishment of the house of Guise The Constable hauing some inkling made but slowe haste The king of Nauarre and the lord prince after many reiterated commandements arriued at the towne of Poytiers where they had the first aduertisement of the kings discontentmēt against them but withall at the same instant they were so inuested by the Marshall of Lermes with two companies of men of armes that they could not possibly returne backe againe At their comming to Orleance the lord prince was committed to safe custody and certaine Iudges were expressely sent for from Paris to frame his inditement As for the king of Nauarre they searched so narrowly into his actions that there was no great difference betweene Garde and Regarde The prince perceiuing that it was a match set in hand by the Lorraines for his destruction vnder the borrowed name of the king beganne to linger matters craued distribution of counsell alleadged that he being a prince of the bloud was not to bée iudged by Commissioners but by the whole body of a Court of Parliament But they spurred him so neare that the defences which he propounded were taken for an affected contumacie In the meane time the deputies came in apace which was so prouided to the end that after the indictment had bin fully framed this poore prince who had erred in nothing but in neglecting to withstand their tyranny might haue bin condemned to death not only by a Parliament that should haue béene brought for the nonce but also by the thrée estates of France This once obtained I wote not what should haue become of the king of Nauarre whome at that time all men so forsooke that such as in heart were his humble and affectionat seruants durst not so much as by a winke of the eie be acknowne thereof Was there euer enterprise guided with more worldly wisedome then this Let vs therefore sée the ende Euen when they were ready to smite and that to that effect they were about to remoue the king out of that towne to Chenonceau to the ende he being absent the said L. prince might haue no recourse to his mercy The king booted and spurred and ready to take horse beganne to finde himselfe ill at ease and to be shorte died within lesse then 4. daies Then euen in the twinkling of an eie all the purposes of these two brethren were turned to nothing The bondmen to the court gaue them ouer and drewe to the K. of Nauarre Him did the estates pronounce the kings lieutenant generall ouer all France during the minority of king Charles the 9. Also the L. prince plainetife in a declaration of innocencie by a decrée of Parliament in scarlet robes obtaineth his ful demaunde All that the two brethren had as yet compassed were state blowes but this was a maisters blowe I speake of that maister who laugheth those to scorne that with mans wisedome make a scorne of him For had they not euen with holberds fetcht the king of Nauarre euery man iudgeth that considering his nature he would hardly haue come vnto the court or if he had come it would haue bin with such delaies that in the meane time the others might very easly haue continued their authority about the Q. mother a forren princesse who without the assistance of the princes of the blood had had no great power to withstand them Now will you aske me what correspondence this example hath with the state catholike whome I detest Very great for I aduow and aduowing am not deceiued that neyther of these two brethren troubled his head with any other religion then such as they thought might serue to the aduancement and progresse of the greatnesse of their famely For they were the first that counseled king Henry the second to become protector of the Dutch Nation that is of the Germans religion against Charles the fift and forced the parlement to verefie this braue title This that I say is no fable hatched with my quil for there is none that liued in those daies but knew it neyther concealed they it but accompted it as a matter that they thought might turn to their honor If these our Maisters had bin so zealous to the Romish church as since they would haue made vs beléeue would they haue iustified this iourney into Germany which was the first ruine of our Fraunce Woulde they not rather haue gainesaide it by humble Supplications declaring vnto the king that such a protection was formally as they thought repugnant to the honour of God and his Church But they maintained the contrary as weening so both to purchase their masters fauour and withal to benefit themselues about him as indéede they did For the Duke of Guise the father neuer purchased so much honour as in the Towne of Metz when hee withstoode the fiege against the Emperour Charles the fift This is the reason that I haue noted this example against all Macheuels schollers I will not beléeue you to be anie who care not what the kings religion be so he may content his people I will yet stay vpon the same example for how long soeuer I make this discourse yet wil it be but too briefe to roote out this wretched opinion It is a principle of estate that you neuer suffer a Prince your neighbour to growe too mighty but if your selfe be not strong enough to withstande him you must enter league with other princes and common-wealths weaker then your selfe A principle very familiar with the princes of Italy which they haue bin ready enough to put in practise all and euery time that we haue passed the Mounts for the recouery of the state of Naples or Millaine In those dayes did we sée the Emperor Charles the fift grow mighty by the ouerthrow of all the protestant princes whom he had discomfited in a pitcht fielde and had taken prisoners the D. of Saxony and the Lantgraue of Hesse Hereupon had they recourse to our K. and put themselues into his protection He tooke their quarrell in hand to the ende to stoppe the course of the Emperours purposes
is very difficult yea euen vnpossible but in succession of time there will bee mixed among the ceremonies I wot not what of man and so consequently euill customes I speake not therefore of abuses one of the quarrels of our new commers but I speake of the impiety that harboured in our Church so soone as the name of League was brought in I will not tel you that abandoning the gospell she would needes preuaile by armes which I may well say by the way is an heresy Our Lorde Iesus Christ after whose patterne we are to frame all our actions his Apostles and Disciples and after them the martyres did neuer establish our Church by this meanes They planted our religion by preching and exhortations and with their blood sealed the christian faith in the magistrats hands out of the fountaine whereof sprang a sea of true Christians which ouerflowed the whole earth Afterward when wée taking our selues to be more wise would néeds extend our religion by armes in our voyages ouer the sea we thereby reaped no other fruit but that the East in the end was made the toombe both of vs and our religion This article doe I purposely passe ouer as being a fault which at this day is accounted no fault Let vs come to that which within these two yeares only hath passed before our faces Shal I not call this impiety that a college of Sorbonne abusing the name of the holy-ghost shall aduise the simple people to arme themselues against their king shall I not call it impiety that neuer expecting the popes decrée whereto these our Maisters referred themselues the nexte day after such aduise they proclaymed warres all ouer shall I not call it impiety that wretchedlie murdered their king and hauing no other ministers of their slaughter but monkes shall I not call it impiety that they haue canonized the wretched Iacobin shall I not call it impiety pardon me O good God though I presume to smite euen at the head that in the great consistory of Rome Pope Sirtus compared that wretches entry into the kings cabine to the comming of the Angell Gabriel when he announced to the virgine the future mystery of the natiuitie of our Lord Iesus Christ I wil not affirme that he so did but sure I am that such his Oration was printed in Paris flyeth all ouer France importing more erroneous propositions then this Our king is wise and hath seene all these thinges for whie should not he haue séene them sith the Leaguers haue ambitiously sought to make them their trophée After al this hath he not reason to desire to be instructed in our religion before he come into our Church I thinke him the honester man for desiring it and if he shall doe otherwise I woulde say hée hath no soule Where I set downe that he ought to be instructed yet is not that enough for withall we are to addresse our prayers and supplications to God not to the king When I desire to obtaine some gift of the king I deliuer him my petition but in this case it dependeth vpon Gods grace not vppon his Him therefore we must beséech to touch our kings heart Among so many thousand persons as be in Fraunce we néede not past a dozen good deuout soules to obtaine our desires S. Aug. in his youth was greately infected with heresie S. Cyprian before he became a Christian doated greately in the loue of a discréete christian lady yea he so doated that to the end to seduce her he learned tha Arte Magicke S. Monique S. Augustins mother neuer intreated her sonne to giue ouer his heresie for it had bin lost labour because the same is a leprosie of the soule which is not healed by mans hand But she directed her prayers to God as did also the other lady for S. Cyprian Their prayers were heard with such aduantage that afterwardes these two persons grewe to be two of the greatest doctors of our Church Let vs vse the like and I doubt not but the K. wil be on our side considering how wel he is borne He commendeth himselfe to the prayers of our church as taking the prayers as I suppose of all good men of either religion to be of great force with God as already he hath in part felt the effects For the same day that he obtained the two great victories in two seuerall partes of France the one at Yurie the other in Auuergne there was a generall procession in Toures wherein all the inhabitants were present euen the litle children who in their virgin-like deuotion cried God saue the king round about the towne And while we were yet in our prayers the king grewe to handie strokes and his miraculous victory wherein he was chieflie assisted by the catholike nobility continued so long as the procession lasted Our prayers were the prayers of Moses when the children of Israel fought and his victory was the victorie of Aaron Thinke you he marked not this chace Peraduenture in heart he is the same that we desire The most catholike king that euer we had in France and not onely a founder of an infinit number of Churches and Hospitals but also a wonderfull reformer of the abuses in those dayes in our religion was S. Lewis Thinke not then that after so many reuolutions of yeares God hath reserued the crowne of France to this great and noble race of Burbon the last sprig of this holy stocke but onely to the ende to renew the same piety wherewith that great king was possessed It is therefore requisite that toward this worke we not only addresse our prayers to heauen but also that withal we bring repentance Why shal we be so vnwise as to imagine that God is not displeased with our Church for so many the impieties by me afore rehearsed whereof the priestes and monkes haue béene the chiefe Ministers And who knoweth whether in reuenge of the same he hath sent vs a king of a contrary religion to ours Were it not a iust iustice of God and such a one as a certaine French spirite durst promise to himselfe in this Lattin Epigramme Henricus monachi manu periuit Qui consortia cellulasue fratrum Totus ex animo suo petebat Et quem vel monachum putes fuisse O caedem miseram impiam nefandam Regno nunc lacero potitur alter Henricus monachis acerbus olim Rex purus sceleris boniue custos Infandae necis acer vltor idem Quid mors haec tibi parturit requiris Excors Gallia pacis omnis expers Te nisi immeritam Deus iuuabit Poenas perfidiae lues cruentae Occîdit monachus pium monarcham Occîdet monachos pius monarcha Who euer made this hold epigram spake not as one that knew that the K. was willing to entertaine all monasteries religious houses in their ancient fréedomes and liberties as he hath plainely shewed in all the places where he hath passed but as he that feared least a greater King then
he being wroth at the horrible and abhominable murder of the King committed by a monke would be reueÌ„ged vpon the rest For this is a case wherin the good do sometimes suffer for the bad None is hurt but by himselfe God reuengeth himselfe by his enemies Why saist by his enemies Nay he will be reuenged of vs by our selues Let vs therefore vse the same remedie wherewith good Ieremy counselled the children of Israell to appease the wrath of God We may well preach vnto the K. we may instruct him in our religion we may to that ende furnish him of great diuines All this will nothing aduance our affaires These are but plaisters laid vpon the wounde to supple it but they cannot take away the cause of euil that proceedeth of our impieties that cannot be vncommitted albeit we thought to bury the remembrance of them with God by publike repentance of vs all I do expresly say of vs all because I wish him that thinketh himselfe innocent in this respect may also be a party as well as he that hath consented thereto Our church is composed both of good and bad and when the body of a communalty doth transgres as we haue done in all that hath bin done in France euery one by the rigour of the law is punishable The wicked haue intangled the good if therefore we do otherwise albeit God yéeldeth to our prayers yet in the end it will turne to our confusion by some meane to vs vnknowne One familiar example bred in the calamitie of this time I will set before you There was neuer king that fought with so much religion and discretion against the new religion as did the late king The gate of the gouernement of the prouinces was shut against the professors thereof None of them was admitted to his order of knighthoode of the holy ghost none into the functions of iudgement or treasury for all comfort they liued in some quiet in their owne houses which was a very warre to conquer without weapons those whom we sée to be of a contrary religioÌ„ to ours Thus by a wise discourse he chastised the Huguenot or pretended reformed terme him as you list who by this meanes could not be prouoked to any new rebellion and yet in his family founde the contrary effectes of that hée most desired for there is nothing that the great Lordes of France so much desire as to be neare their king neither is there any thing that so moueth the mindes of the commons as a desire to attaine to offices It is a sicknesse of the mind that destroyeth the French man So soone as a marchant or citizen hath gathered any reasonable stocke of money hée longeth after nothing so much as to imploy it in the purchase of some office of iustice or treasure for his childe so that this new religion in the iudgement of the wisest subuerted it self and peraduenture such as for shame persisted in it because they would not séeme vnconstant were no whit sory to sée their children taught in our Schooles and so consequently in the discipline of our religion By these meanes all thinges grew among vs from bad to good and from good to better The plowman followed his oxen the artificer his trade the marchant his traffike the aduocate and proctor their practise euery one in his calling with some consent the citizen enioyed his renenues the magistrate his fées preheminences and honours the catholike exercised his religion without disturbance throughout all France the â—uguenot liued sequestred from among vs in some corner of the realm without commotion or at the least so as he made no semblant of any All this could not the Parisian be content with he longed for nothing but to see the auntients wauing all ouer France vpon a vaine conceit to ouercome religion wyth temporal weapons onely which God alwayes misliked All his desires tended but to that end God heard his request but to his condemnation Thus we sée France couered with men of armes Thus we sée a generall desolation of the estate and in lieu of rooting out heresie we do thus sée atheisme lodged in the middest of vs. The Parisian longed after nothing so much as the death of the late king at whatsoeuer price A frantike reuenge that he norished in his bowels was his onely god Vpon this opinion he procured processions in his shirt he receiued as he supposed his creator euery Sonday vpon the festiuall dayes he remained at seruice from morning till night not to the end to appease Gods wrath but to prouoke him against the king and his partakers as being at that time possessed of no other religion but passion not passion of Iesus Christ but his owne God yet once againe heareth him the K. is slaine a wicked monke is for the same placed in the kalender of Martyres and for a testimony of their fury these bedlems do weare the gréen scarffe ouer their shoulders But what fruit do they reape thereby This death set the crowne vpon this our kings head who troubleth their braines more then the deceased first as being of another religion theÌ„ theirs next in that he is a prince ready vpon occasion warlike valiant and one who in foure moneths hath done more feates of armes then the late king considering his nature which was slowe and better disposed to discourse then to execution could haue performed in foure yeares Againe they haue wished that our king might not take them who onely tooke care to preserue them in taking them as their king and a true Frenchman They call to their succour the Spaniard an auncient enemy to France who raiseth the siege and in preseruing them hath vtterly lost them Paris being at this day the carcasse of a towne gouerned or rather deuoured by some score of rascalles whose chiefest callings before were but clarks of the rolles notaries commissaries proctours in the parliament chatelet and cleargy courts What do you not thinke them to be gods pastimes who in granting them their demandes doth at this day make them beare the sharpest and most violent punishment for their faults that euer were spoken of For my part albeit I wish not the destruction of that miserable towne which can not come to passe but that as the haile from heauen it will light vpon the good as the bad togither yet did I to my great griefe stedfastly perceiue that as the gréene scarffe that the Parisians put on for the death of the late king was a most assured testimony of their accursed folly so the red which since they borrowed from the Spanish Marrane is a most certaine prognostication of the bloody punishment that God kéepeth in store for them Let vs therefore direct our vowes and prayers to God wythout dissimulation or hypocrisie neyther let vs intermeddle any worldly matters nor let vs imagine that GOD wil be charmed wyth wordes He is not wonne wyth our mouthes but wyth our hearts wherein he hath established the true seate of