in Citties and Townes in which cases they are vnited by well gouerned lawes and ordinances euery one according to his charge and necessary function but that the mischiefe was that in these daies lawes are nothing else but written papers hee set downe the vnexcusable faults committed in obseruation of lawes pollices and ordinances made for the punishment of swearers blasphemers players idle persons vsurers vnlawfull exacters cousoners wicked liuers men vsing prohibited and vnlawfull places with all such kinde of vices Idle Schollers the libertie of liuing idlely and desolutely without pollicie or gouernment but only by bad and disordered meanes causes and originalles of troubles and seditions which ouerthrow and subuert all kingdomes and good Common-wealths adding therevnto a most earnest exhortation to seeke remedies to all those michiefes The kings debts Lastly hee shewed the great debts the king hadde fallen into his great diligences and hazards by making warres against the hereticques his pietie religion and deuotion to the Romish Church with the rare behauiour actions and counsell of the Queene his mother Ending his Oration with the vnitie and concord that ought to bee as a most necessary thing in that assembly thereby to holde the Catholicque Apostolicque and Romane Church with general and particular estate of all that are comprehended therin in true obedience to the king in all vnion and concord which doing this Monarchie would bee found to be inuironed with all happinesse vnder the authoritie of the most christian king and to the contrary dooing otherwise they should feele a continuall greefe and remorse of conscience within their mindes for disobeying God their King and countrie The Archbishop of Bourges Oration The Archbishop of Bourges Patriarch and Primate of Aquitaine thanked the king in that it pleased him to shewe his great good will towards his subiects saying that thereby the poore and miserable countrie of France which for the space of eight and twentie yeares hadde beene so much tormented beganne to receiue some strength and to take courage hearing the sweete and pleasing voyce of her king witnessing his more then fatherly affection towards his subiects which would cause him to bee honoured and belooued within his Realme as much as in auncient time the world worshipped Herculus Theseus and other valiant men that eased and relieued them from the burthen of oppressions and violences vsed in those daies by Tyrants and monstrous Gyants Saying that as God when his people were afflicted raised Moyses Iosue Dauid Manasses Iosaphat Ezechias and other good kings so by his prouidence hee hadde sent into this desolate kingdome a King who from his young yeares hadde beene guided by the Spirite of the Kings beloued of God wisedome of God to gouerne his people and as the young Eagle a celestiall bird comming out of her nest his Maiestie pricked and prouoked by the vengeance and generositie of his Predecessors hath throwne the thunder of the eternall GOD vppon the faces and heades of the enemies of his diuine Maiestie not once sparing his owne life for the honour of God and tranquillitie of his Realme who in his voyage to Polonia His voyage to Polonia passing and repassing through so many and diuers Nations hath hadde and gotten so much experience in all actions that by the onely wisedome and eye of his vertues hee hath dispearsed a great and puissant armie of straungers Rutters and Switzers A happie houre of his raigne Concluding therewith by so certaine a hope that vnder so good and so mightie a king they should see heresie suppressed and repulsed peace assured the seruice of God established all the Churches restored and reedified Townes franchised and freed from caliuers and drummes the Temple of warres closed and shutte vppe and that of peace opened vnto all men iustice and peace imbrasing each other lawes flourishing charitie abounding among men and by one consent and vnion of religion vnder the obedience of God and the King who representing the person of GOD beareth the sword of Gods iustice heere on earth the kingdome of Christ would thereby beginne to flourish as an example of all goodnesse in the world to come wherevnto wee all aspire Great ioy made by the estates And therewith in the name of them all adding this exclamation Viue Rex in sempiternum Liue King liue and liue eternally and for the gracious vertues and notable inspirations wherewith God hath touched your Princely heart all your Realme of France singeth Benedictus Deus qui misit talem voluntatem in cor regis Blessed and praised bee God that hath inspired so good and notable a desire into the heart of our King which wee beseech his diuine Maiestie to assist fortifie and conduct to a most happie and prosperous end for his honour and glorie The Earle of Brssac his OratioÌ„ made in â—ame of the whole Nobilitie After the Archbishop of Bourges sat downe the Earle of Brissac stood vppe and for a congratulation of those of his order hee shewed the King that the Nobilitie in generall hadde giuen him in charge to thanke his Grace for the good and honour they receiued beeing by his commaundements called and conuoked togither by an assembly of the generall estates and in his royall presence there to heare and vnderstand his holy and good resolutions assuring themselues that the effects would bee as prompt and certaine as it was a naturall and iust thing in him to be a true king acknowledging that by that meanes onely it would make them such as they ought to be The affectioÌ„ of the French Nobilitie in the seruice of the king and state touching the reestablishing of the honour of God the Catholicque Apostolicque and Romane religion and of other things profitable to his estate and necessarie for his poore people Promising for their partes to vse the fidelitie zeale affection and generositie that hath allwaies beene naturall in the Gentlemen of France towardes their Kings and soueraigne Princes Offering vnto his Maiestie the most humble seruice of their armes persons and liues to cause him to bee obeyed honoured feared respected and acknowledged of all men as both diuine and humane lawes haue constituted and appoynted And withall to restore his Realme purged of heresies the spring and cause of all diuisions to her first and ancient dignitie wherevnto they would expose themselues freely generously and liberally vnder his authoritie euen to the last drop of their blood The Crati of the third estate The Prouost of Merchants within Parris President for the thirde estate fell on his knees and for those of his degree spake and sayde That seeing it had pleased his Maiestie so to open his minde and to declare his holy intents vnto his people thereby assuring them of his great charitie truely named most fatherly in their behalfes his most humble most obedient and most faithfull subiects of the third estate first praised God that it had pleased him to cast the eyes of his mercie
And when the Admirall kneeled downe to do his dutie the king protested that in all his life hee had not seene any day more agreeable vnto his minde then that wherein hee assured himselfe to see the end of all the troubles and the beginning of a firme rest and quietnesse in his Realme And among other speeches vsed smiling hee said vnto him Wee haue you now heere with vs you shall not go from hence when you would The Queen-mother the Dukes of Anion and Alancon and almost all the chiefe Courtiers receiued him with greater fauour then hee expected All these courtesies were suddainely seconded by a great liberallitie from the king that caused a hondreth thousand franks to bee giuen him out of his coffers in recompence of the losses he had receiued by the forepassed wars gaue him like wise a yeares reuenues of all the benefices holden by the Cardinall of Chastillon his brother deceased made him a note of his hand to haue full power and authoritie to seeke for the mooueables that had been taken from him at Chastilon sur Loing and to cause them by expresse commaundement to bee deliuered vnto him againe Teligny his sonne in lawe was likewise honoured with certaine fauors Cauagnes Councellour of Toulouse Agent for the Princes touching the obseruation of the Edict of peace was prouided of an office of Maister of Requests Diuers other Lords and Gentlemen of the religion at that time felt the liberallitie of the king wherewith their aduersaries were much displeased specially that the Admirall was restored to bee one of the priuie Councell and that the king priuately asked his counsell in his affaires of importance touching the warres in the lowe Countries which the Admirall affected very much as beeing one of the most assured meanes to holde France in quietnesse alleaging that by iust reason hee might doo that to the Spaniard which vniustly he had done and would doo vnto France War against Spaine consulted vpon which was to trouble him at home to impeach him from spoyling other men hee shewed likewise to the king that fained to like well of that aduice that it would bee good for him to agree with the Qu. of England and the Princes of Almaine the easiler to make the K. of Spaine beleeue by an ample discourse prooued vnto him that the foundations of the warre in the lowe Countries is iust and profitable Pope Pius Quintus beeing dead who in his life time seemed a stay and hinderance to the marriage of the Prince of Nauarre and the kings sister the Cardinall of Lorraine faining to bee in great feare tooke his voyage to Rome about the election of a new Pope although before his setting forward it was done and being in his voyage letters that were sent him by Cardinal Pelue who of a Sculliō in the Colledge of Montague in Parris afterward following his studie varlet to the Cardinall of Lorraine had in few yeares attained the red hat directed to his Maister the contents whereof imported that in regard of the good course that hee see the king the Queen-mother and the Duke of Aniou take hee could not but hope well of all the affaires That at the Admirals returne to Court the king shewed himself so warie as his most inward friends did wonder at it for thereby hee had brought the Admirall out of all suspect so that now the matter that the Cardinal wist of might the better be put in execution That there was much speech of warre against the King of Spaine whereto the king seemed to incline the rather thereby to stay the Admirall that such pollicies were to be practised vntill they might find opportunitie to put in execution the secret counsell That the king of Spaine was sufficiently informed of the whole least he should finde himselfe agreeued at this present prouision for warres which was neuer ment against him Wherevppon hee besought his Maister notwihstanding whatsoeuer packets hee might receiue to assure himselfe that the king would neuer vary from the resolution That the Queene-mother and the Duke of Aniou bent their whole indeuours to that matter Touching the marriage of the Prince of Nauarre that hee hoped the same would shortly be effected that the same was the entrie to the execution and in the meane time the day drew on for deliuerie of the Townes of hostage And although the Admirall had the copies heereof sent him hee made no great account thereof no more then of other aduertisements expresly giuen him both before and after His minde beeing altered by the countenances and words of the king The Admirall trusteth vpō the kings words who in all things seemed to contrarie his brother the Duke of Aniou for whom hee practised the voyage of Polonia that hee might send him to play the Great-maister somewhat farre from France In the Admirall who alwaies shewed to bee wise and diligent in his affaires appeared that wisedome faileth in wise men when it pleaseth the only wise Gouernour of the word to dul the most sharp and excellent wittes and make passage vnto his terrible iudgements as not long after they shewed throughout all France the which euer since that time vntill this present hath felt the waightinesse of his mightie blowes whose hand as yet is stretched foorth readie to strike againe A nationall Synode at Nismes Some men of each faction of a good meaning to the state of France especially some protestants alreadie apprehending the terror of that terrible storme that followed trembled and bending their neckes lay looking for the fatall blowe At Nismes they held a nationall Sinode in the moneth of May. Others of a more stirring spirit after the manner of Frenchmen who doo performe much in prosperitie and neuer feare any aduersitie vntil it commeth would needes bee busie about discipline but they were soone put to silence Many mens consciences beganne alreadie to bee wauering and fewe there were that shewed themselues zealously bent to religion but all both great and small thinking deeply vpon worldly matters built them goodly castles in the ayre The Princes trusting to an assured peace three moneths before the time restored the townes of assurance wherein the king placed his Garrisons satisfying the Princes with letters which hee had sent to all his Courts of Parliaments wherein he declared his great good liking of the good meaning of the Princes in that they did him so much honour as faithfully to relye vppon his Edict which he wished to bee inuiolably obserued The Rochelers whom Strossy Landereau and the Barron de la Garde watched vppon would not accept of any Garrison but stood vpon their priuiledges so that at length for feare of scarring of others they were let alone The Marshall of Montmorency was sent into England to practise a league who returned sooner then hee was looked for but toward the marriage gat him home to his owne house and might hee haue beene beloued the affaires had beene otherwise mannaged then they were At the same
want of flesh had in one moneth dispatched all their asses and moyles A note of the famin in Sancerre In the end they were constrained to eate Horses Cattes Rattes Moles Mice and dogges hides of oxen calues and sheepes skinnes parchment horsehoues hornes of lanterns halters and furnitures for horses girdles of leather hearbs and wilde rootes and in the end of Iune the third part of the besieged eate no more bread such as could get linseede and other seedes which they neuer thought on caused them to bee ground or beate them in morters and made bread thereof as also of all sorts of hearbs mixed with a litle bran if they could get it They eat bread of straw-meale of powder of nutshels and of slate suet olde oyntment and other olde greace serued to make pottage and to frie the excrements of horses and of men and the filth in the streetes were not spared And the twentieth of Iuly a poore labourer and his wife were taken and executed for eating the head the entrailes and the braines of their daughter of three yeares of age that died by famine and miserie hauing dressed all the rest of the bodie to eate it at other times an other olde woman lodged in their house and that had eaten part of that costly banquet died in prison not long after her apprehension There were that were found guiltie of other faults but that which agrauated the latter fault was that the same day when they did the fact they had bin comforted with certaine pottage made of hearbs and wine which might well haue satisfied them in that time of necessitie Such as went and were put foorth of the Towne to seeke reliefe seeking to passe were either slaine by the enemie or constrained by blowes with staues to turne backe againe And staying without as not being able or else wold not enter into the towne they liued of the sprigs of vines blackberries in hedges of red snailes of hearbs And most of them died betweene the trenches and the ditches Among other pittifull spectacles the bodie of a laborour his wife were found dead one hard by the other among the vines and two of their children weeping by them the lesser being but sixe weekes olde which a reuerent and charitable widow in the Towne tooke home to her house If many died among the vines hard by the trenches and in the ditches there died many more in the houses and streetes where they fell downe in euerie place and some daies they buried fiue and twentie or thirtie that died for hunger almost all the young childrē vnder the age of twelue yeares died great pittie it was to heare the poore fathers mothers lament and mourne the greatest part of them neuerthelesse strengthening themselues with the assurance of the grace of God of the which I will recite two notable accidents A young boy of the age of fiue yeares hauing languished certaine weekes running along the streets in the end nature failing fell down before his father and mother who at that instant perceiued the sinues of their infant to shrinke in as if they had been cut and presently the body died An other young boy of tenne yeares of age lying at the poynt of death hearing and seeing his father and mother weeping and lamenting about him whom hee felt vppon the armes and legges that were as drie as wood said vnto them Why do you weepe in this sort to see me die for hunger I aske you no breade mother for I know you haue it not but seeing it is the will of God that I should die in this sort I must take it thankfully The holy man Lazarus had hee not hunger haue I not red that in the Bible and saying so hee yeelded his spirit vnto God Vpon the thirtieth day of Iuly the meanes that stayed the death of all this people in the end of Iuly was certaine horses of seruice reserued for the extremitie and six kine kept to giue milke for certaine young children which beastes were killed and the flesh sold to comfort those that liued with a little corne which some by stealth brought into the Towne cut and gathered by night where 's pound of corne was sold for halfe a crowne but this meanes continued not long by reason of the watch which the enemie kept straight The warre killed but eightie foure persons within Sancerre but famine killed both within and without the Town aboue fiue hundreth besides those that languished who hauing escaped had much paine and labour to recouer themselues During these miseries diuers souldiers and fugitiues in Sancerre got out by seuerall meanes shunning the famine desiring rather to die by sword some of them being slaine the rest kept prisoners and some executed So all hope in mans iudgement failing to those of Sancerre the king hauing sworne that hee would make them to deuour each other the prouidence of the king of all kings holpe them by a straunge meanes Through the endeuours of the Bishop of Valence By what meanes they were deliuered Henry Duke of Aniou brother to the king and his Lieftenant generall in France had been accepted for king of Poland by the states of the realm as hereafter we will more at large declare in the siege of Rochel It fel out well for those of Sancerre that the Ambassadours of Poland came into France during their extremitie of famine to fetch the Duke of Anion for they vnderstanding that Sancerre was yet besieged solicited the Bishop of Valence and Lansac his associate to keepe the promise they had made sworne vnto them in the name of the king their maister to set at libertie all the towns and people of France that were molested for the religion which not being wholly to be denied the poore Sancerreans half dead for hunger as yet al resolute to end their daies in that sort one after the other before they would yeelde vnto the enemie that had so oftentimes threatned them with a generall massacre were deliuered by means of those good mē y◠came out of so far a countrie and as it were frō the end of the world their neighbours those of the countries next adioyning not hauing the meanes neither once seeking to aide them So that in the end Composition with Sancerre after certaine conferences meeting and iournying too fro hostages beeing giuen on each side it was agreed that they should issue with their armes and goods and such as would stay not to bee called in question for any thing past permitting thē to dispose of their goods as they thought good with promise to preserue the honour of women and maides vppon condition that the Inhabitants and other fugitiues should pay the summe of fortie thousand frankes to Monsieur de Chastre who by that agreement entered vppon the last of August The Ministers diuers Inhabitants Captaines souldiers and refuged persons retired with pasports with safe conduct some to one place some to an other Not long
his side then the first For it restored the exercise of the Catholicque religion in the places where it had been prohibited continuing and commending it to bee vsed in all places it suffered mens consciences to bee free yet without publicke exercise but onely in the Townes and places where as then it was openly preached and to Gentlemen of quallitie degree in their own houses yet there was some difficultie in the execution and obseruation of this peace which the conference at Nerac betweene the Queene-mother and the King of Nauarre soone auoyded but the wound not well healed did still bleed by meanes of the furious disorders of those that were his chiefe doers but in the yeare one thousand fiue hundreth eightie and one it was wholly ioyned and drawne vnto a scarre Peace being made what became of those that desired nothing but warre Monsieurs voyage into Flaunders The King of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde withdrew themselues And the Queene-mother caused her title which she pretended to the Crowne of Portugall as onely heire of the house of Boulongne to be discided And Monsieur the kings brother after the example of the Arch-duke Matthias went into Flaunders there to make worke for the king of Spaine where he made a goodly entrie but an euill retrait Mean time what did the king he to ouerthrow impietie by godlinesse and heresie by trueth and to shew by all his actions that he desired nothing more then the ending of all diuisions in his Realme and knowing that the Prince is as it were a spring from whence there issueth either vice or vertue that the people follow his steps that they do more by example then by commaundement hee shewed himselfe the mirrour of deuotion and christian reformation Institution of the order of the holy ghost 1579. hee ordained many holy Congregations true Schooles and Gardens of pietie he built Monasteries he frequented religious persons he ware the order and by the example of Lois the eleuenth to vnite great persons in concord and inuiolable amitie both for the benefite of the estate and Countrie he instituted the order of the holy Ghost as an authentike declaration that he neither could loue nor do good to hereticques binding al the knights of the Order by a solemne oath vnto such conditions as only pleased Catholicque mindes hee esteemed that by spirituall remedies hee might heale the disease of the spirit and frenzie of new opinions that force or mans pollicie could not constraine mens consciences that we must not kill to make men beleeue that the conuersion of such as are strayed out of the way is the onely worke of the hand of God and that the wisest Princes had bin constrained to giue ouer violence and terrour of warres and haue recourse to catechisings for the reducing of the consciences of their subiects hee bestowed Bishoppricks and spirituall promotions vpon such as hee knewe to bee no lesse learned then religious hee caused all sorts of bookes of pietie and deuotion to be printed forbidding and defending the impression of heretickes writings And to conclude he liued more like a Capuc in theÌ„ a King he desired no more war his Diana was the singing of the Foueilantins his Campe-royal a Cloyster his armour Maners fashions of Henry the third An Anagramme made of the king Henticus terâ—ius inte vere Christus a Penitentiaries sack he liued continually with a Crucifix in his hand and if he liued it was no more he but Iesus Christ that liued in him Such witnesse of his actions was giuen by the Capucins of Parris such was the commendation he had by Father Bernard Fueillantin and Father Edmund Anger that had well searched tried sounded and tasted the conscience of this Prince both publikely and priuately assured and perswade euery man that France in long time before had not any Prince more religious nor more humble as hauing no other care then onely to keepe and maintaine his subiects first in their obedience to God and next vnto himselfe Neuerthelesse he that in a litle booke intituled Francophile sheweth the greatnes of his spirit as the common Prouerb is maketh the Lyon known by his feet writeth cleane contrarie of the actions of this king while he led that sollitarie life Whose proper words I will rehearse and ioyne them to this treatise either in trueth they are of greater eloquence copiousnes of matter then mine own which areas followeth He was soon wearie of wars as of nature he was sost delicate his spirit weak Francophile imprinted at Chartres Anno. 1591. Fâ—l 31. and 32. lowe impatient to indure trauel or paine all his complexions vnequal differing too base for a souldier he sought a peaceable quiet life And so hee soone turned to delight in weddings dauncings and all ordinary pastimes which procured long peace But the Queene and those of the house of Guise perceiuing him to take that course thoght to vse him as a sipher and while hee busied himselfe with deuising of measures and concordes of dauncings to hold the rule of the Common-wealth and to dispose the gouernment thereof but they found themselues soone frustrate of their intent for as a fore eye desireth shad dowe and cannot indure the light so the spirit of this Prince alreadie molten and in a manner mollified in this profound rest and quietnesse could not indure the presence of great persons whether it were because in his delights hee feared their checkes or that hee more desired the priuitie of meaner men in such maner that finding themselues farre out of their accounts they had recourse to wicked practises and inuentions wherewith in time they filled all the countrie of France Meane time certaine yeares past ouer wherein to furnish the superfluities of the Court the Commons of France were so straungely oppressed that they knewe not what course to holde wherein those of Guise were not ydle And as the hunter watcheth in narrowe places for the Quailes which the rigor of winter season driueth into more temperate and pleasant countries so among so many publike disorders they were alwaies watching in the Court to take vp and entertaine male contents where no houre in the day passed ouer their heads but they cought a new Pigeon And this hunting was not only holden in that place but in all the Townes of France where the people were so hardly pressed and beaten down with the waight of those burthens that all the hopes and comforts of better intertainment by the Guises offered they presently imbrased without iudgement or discretion And among all these discontents of the subiects oppressed with great taxes of the Clargies impatieÌ„ce at the increasing of their enemies and of the Princes of Lorraine The faith obedience of the people began to decline 1582. restrained from the kings fauour it was an easie matter to renue the league of Peronne and to animate their hearts that were disposed to reuolt
ingenious and sweete not pompious with arrogancie nor furred with artificialnesse not boulstered with blasphemies not fantasticated with nouelties nor false nor ridiculous as those of the eloquent Orators of the league and if you take away but two or three bookes issuing out of the shops of these Apothicaries wherein neuerthelesse there is nothing to bee redde but olde fables well composed vnder a goodly and a faire couerture you shall finde that as they desire not to doo well so they connot speake well and all the harmony of their writings is but a rude discord of the strings of some olde viole and a building of diuers peeces weake and very feeble The Orations pronounced in this assembly are not in such manner and although there are some that sauour of the kennell from whence they issue yet I esteeme this Historie would thereby be much bewtified but we will reserue them for a larger volume for that the breuitie wee haue promised in the beginning permitteth mee not at large to induce them heerein That onely of the king full of liuely affection of true magnanimitie of reasons pertinent and very likely is like liuely portratures of the beauties of France and the euill fauourednesse which the League hath borrowed vppon her face ought to be placed herein in her proper originall splendure as not being a long preambulation or discourse such as Theopompus Ephorus and Anaximenes vsed to the Captains when they receiued their charge and that it is time rather to doo then say but a discourse woorthie the Maiestie of a King of France and of Henry the third that had that great aduantage aboue all the Princes of his time to aunswere promptly wisely and aptly to all important occasions that were presented that like an ignorant Pilot committed not the guiding of his shippe to his mates and neuer spake by an other mans mouth had within himselfe the knowledge of mannaging the rurther and the wordes that gaue the vnderstanding of his will The places then beeing appoynted and filled according to the greatnesse order and degrees of euery man all the Deputies standing vppe bare-headed the King beganne in this manner to make his Oration by a graue choise of goodly wordes and with a tongue truely ledde by his passions and that yeelded no other sound then the naturall harmonie The kings Oration to the estates MY Lords and friends I will beginne with an humble supplication vnto God from whom proceedeth all good gifts and holy operations that it will please him to ayde me with his holy Spirit conducting me as it were by the hand in this serious action therein to acquit that which I take in hand as woorthily as the worke is holy desired attended and necessary for the vniuersall good of my subiects which is the restoring of my estate by the generall reformation of all the parts of the same which I haue sought as much or rather more then the preseruation of my own proper life Ioyne with mee therefore I pray you in this most instant request which I now make vnto him beseeching him that he wil more and more strenthen that constant desire by him alreadie for that cause rooted within my heart and that likewise hee will take from you all particular passions if there bee any that reiecting all other parts but that of your king you haue no regard but imbrace the honour of God the dignitie and authoritie of soueraigne Prince and to restore the countrie in such manner that there may ensue so laudable and fruitfull a resolution accompanied with so good effects that my estate may receiue his ancient splendure And this will be a worke woorthy of the place wherevnto I am called and witnesse both your capacities and loyalties He whom I haue now inuoked to ayde both me and my estate that is the searcher of all our hearts if it pleaseth can bee a witnesse that assoone as hee appoynted me to be commaunder ouer you an incredible greefe entered into me touching your publike and particular miseries together with a care that euer since hath much increased in mee to procure some wholesome remedies with as happy an end as therein it is much more then necessary What greefe thinke you hath penitrated in my entrals within these fewe yeares since age and experience haue made more capable to apprehend the desolation oppression and ouerthrow of my poore people withall seeming vnto me that my raigne should bee reserued for a light of the iust wrath of God which I acknowledge iustly to hang ouer our heades both for mine and the sinnes of my subiects in generall For this cause I stroue as much as I could to fluffe vp the corruptions and disorders that had made so violent an habitation there and to resist the euilles which had not all been done by mee and which by my onely means if remedie might be had I will appease For I would say without boasting of my selfe that there hath been no meanes to reforme the depriuation of my estate but that I haue called it to minde thereby to establish the same if I had been as well assisted as I was by you good Madame and as necessitie and my good will deserued but I cannot sufficiently shewe how much I haue been ayded by my good mother the Queene which cannot in any sort bee declared and I must say that among so many assistances and strickt obligations whereby shee holdeth all my subiects tyed vnto her that therein they haue aspeciall and my selfe a particular cause that with you in this notable assembly you should yeeld her most humble and hartie thankes Which is that shee is not onely the cause that by the grace of God I am now in this world to bee your king but by her continuall and holy instigations laudable actions and vertuous examples shee hath in such sort ingraued in my soule a right and true intent to the aduancement of the honour of GOD the preferment of his holy Catholicque and Romish Church and the reformation of my estate that the intentions which I haue heeretofore declared wholly tending vnto all good things wherevnto more then euer I was I am resolued proceedeth onely from her not once complaining of the labours indispositions or discommodities of her age in any thing wherein she hath perceiued or found the meanes to aduance this estate hauing so oftentimes preserued the same that shee not onely deserueth the name of the Mother of your King but also of your estate and kingdome Now my principall care and pleasure beeing wholly set to restore this goodly Monarchie and iudging particular remedies not to bee conuenient for the time I determined to assemble my generall estates wherein as in all other things for the good of this Realme it pleased her much to incourage mee knowing that by assembling them I should not leese one houres time what generall oppositions soeuer entered into my my minde and with the which many men peraduenture thought I should bee so
with wisedome affection loue and fidelitie wherein you shall do good seruice vnto God and also to your King you shall bee bleffed in this world and thereby obtaine the name of couseruators of your lande and countries The Chancellours Oration This oration finished with an extraordinary applauding of all the assemblie the Chauncellour named Monsieur de Montelon hauing made two greatreuerences beganne to speake and confirming the Kings speeches hee commended the zeale and integritie of his minde declared the honour and Maiestie of Kings with the inuiolable bond of obedience due vnto them assuring them that vnder his happie and prosperous conduction they should by that assembly of all the estates of France reape the same effects which in times past had beene found and experiented vnder the raignes of Philippe le Bell Iohn the first and Charles the eight charging them all euery one in his estate and degree to ioyne and vnite their wise and learned aduises vnto the kings good pleasure therewith to ayde and assist him And directing the thunders of his eloquence against the disorders of the estate hee exhorted the Cleargie to reerect the beautie and dignitie of the Church vsing therein the meanes and originall disciplines of auncient and holy Councels as when riuers or kennelles are stopped men seeke to finde out their Springs and so to cleare them shewing that if the doctrine and preaching of the word had been carefully administred vnto the people so many heresies and notorious vices hadde neuer sprung vppe nor taken roote in this Realme nor yet so much breach of lawes and disobedience towards the Kings Nobles Iudges and Magistrates had euer beene practised and performed Obedience preached by Ministers That obedience then is most commonly knowne and obserued when by the preachings instructions and examples of Ministers and Pastors it is ingraued into the hearts of the common people alleadging this place of the Scripture The word of God is liuely and effectuall and sharper then any two edged sword Against admission into benefices That the King had oftentimes by Edicts and Ordinances incited and mooued them vnto their duties but neuer could reape the fruite which hee desired and therewith complained of their weake prouisions their incapable admissions into Ecclesiasticall functions of their ambition and auarice of their multiplicitie of benefices against the cannons and decrees of their non residences to the despising of holy lawe of the corruption and deprauations of Monasteries and of their rules and disciplines almost left off and in such sort weakened that hee said there was but very fewe orders wherein great numbers of Monkes and Fryers had not wholly forgotten their promises and vowes The integritie of religious persons Excepting some that might iustly be termed like holy men the pearles of religion who by the perfection of their liues good workes prayers and Orations had surmounted the obscurities and mystes of this world pearced the cloudes and attained so neare to heauen that they are as Saint Barnard saith In susurio cum Deo and with their extacies and rauishings of Spirits they did diuert and turne the wrath of God from vs. The praise of the French Nobilitie From them hee turned his speech vnto the Nobilitie whose vertues are set downe in all our auncient Histories recommending vnto them pietie bountie and iustice wherein they ought to bee examples to their subiects Obedience to the king and to the principal supporters of equitie iustice The auncient oath of Gentlemen and hauing long dilated vppon that poynt by many examples taken both out of Pagans and French Histories hee set before them the vices that at this day raigneth among them specially swearing and blaspheming of the name of God where in times past the ancient oath of the Nobilitie was vsually to say Foy de Gentil-homme that is by the faith of a Gentleman which they did with reuerence and requisite circumstances as time and place required Shewing them likewise what mischiefes proceeded of priuate quarrels the onely name whereof is horrible in the eares of all christians and haue alwaies been seuerely punished and forbidden by auncient and holy lawes The mischiefe of priuate quarrels that in their daily praters they promised to forgiue such as offended them and that they were bound vnto it which if they did they should not onely preserue their owne persons but their friends and kinsmen and withall participating with that great glory which they should onely desire which is to knowe how to rule their passions and themselues in their behalfes And that reuenge would bee so well wrought by the king and his iustice with so great opportunitie that thereby they should not onely preserue themselues but bee fully satisfied to their contentments Benefices held commēdably To the said vices hee added their holding of Benefices Hospitalles and Spittle-houses founded by their predecessors shewing them that it was not onely an abuse but impietie committed towards God and his holy Church Lastly hee recommended vnto them the bearing and vsing of armes according to the examples of their auncestors To the third estate he shewed that their chiefe support and maintenance is iustice and ciuill pollicie that the iudges in that poynt held the first place iustice beeing the foundation and establishment of all Monarchies soueraignties and powers whatsoeuer alleadging the saying of Traian who beeing required by the king of Partheans that the riuer of Euphrates might serue as a border betweene their Empires Iustice limiteth the borders of the Empire aunswered that not the riuer but iustice should limit the borders of the Romane Empire and that kingdomes without iustice are but dennes of theeues Dealing much vppon the ouerthrowing of particular iustices the great abuses therein committed with the prolongations subtilties and deuises to hide the trueth therein vsed comparing it vnto a shippe tossed and tormented in the waues of the sea seeking for a safe port and cannot finde it beeing hindered by the crosse-waues and rockes that meete therewith shewing that such at this day is the miserie of those that seeke to end their suites in lawes Prolonging and deceit in suites by the subtiltie of men and negligences of the Iudges by so many delaies incidences and prolongations wherein iustice is not to bee vsed but to the contrary it is rather vexed troubled and oftentimes wholly ouerthrowne That the particular faults of some men were the principall causes thereof who by that meanes thinking to aduance themselues and their posterities would in the end hauing attained to the full ripenesse of their wickednesse felt the mischiefe thereof An intollerable number of Officers That among those abuses was to bee numbred the multiplicitie of offices that oppressed the Realme The euill gouernments the ignorances of diuers officers which the king had left vnto his Iudges to reforme but that his commaundement had beene as good vndone as done altogither proouing wholly vnfruitfull ioyning therevnto all sorts of pollicie
this most true and certaine maxime that were the fault of treason against the diuinitie of God left vnpunished there the fault of treason against man will proceed so farre that in the end it will bee esteemed no offence Straungers authors of new impositions to oppresse the people They assured him that the greatest scourge of this Realme is the straunger from whose extreame auarice proceedeth all the inuentions of new imposts which most cruelly impouerish all the Realme of France that laugh at her ruine make them of great authoritie who alreadie haue made a great part of his people to become male contents and in the end will cause the rest to reuolt if they bee not speedily dispatched out of the Realme like the diuell that causeth perpetuall diuision still hindering the rest and quietnesse of the common people Disorders in pollicie Among diuers disorders crept into the common pollicie of the Realme they mooued him of two most great abuses which by continuance produced all the rest The first touching the giuing of benefices vnto all persons without choise or exception either of men or souldiers that all the Bishoppes of those daies some fewe onely excepted that as yet haue some remembrance of their estates and some sparke of the feare of God imprinted in their minds The pride and couetonsnesse of Prelates are daily seene not to shed teares before the Lord of heauen and by praiers to mittigate his wrath and furie bent against vs but proudly to walke within the Court and in all places with great troupes of men the most desperate and vaine persons that are within this Realme Their houses are not filled with the noyse of Himnes and Psalmes sung to the honour of God but with barking of dogges breeding of hawkes and all kindes of vaine and dissembling speeches And to bee short there is nothing seene but ignorance slaunders adulteries and shame among them the onely beholding of their countenances mooueth men more to go out of the Church then all the Ministers and Preachers of heresie are able to inforce them The second is the sale of offices and places of iustice which causeth the most wicked to bee most esteemed that the strongest without reproach oppressethe weak that without scruple of conscience they sell iustice by retaile which they themselues haue bought by grosse that Townes and Prouinces abound in murthers and diuers vnpunished crimes that there is no more order in pollicic nor faith in bargening no respect to the lawe nor loue to vertue The pollicie of the estate of the church and that a most vnbrideled libertie to all euill runneth throughout the whole Realme Which two abuses to extirpe they said vnto him Your Maiestie is not to deale in any sort with the spiritualtie but if you will vndertake so great a charge when you haue first taken order for your cruill pollicie you must imploy your time therein with all holinesse such as belongeth to the handling of diuine causes you are carefull to seeke and finde out men that are excellent and of good conscience to serue about your person but what excuse will you alleadge in beeing lesse carefull to prouide sufficient men for the seruice of God your Grace conceiueth not the importance of this fault you are the cause that a million of soules are lost and it is a most great fault in those that should aduertise your Maiestie thereof if they do it not If you repent not great and forepassed abuses and heereafter suffer it not to proceed any further it is most certaine you can neuer auoyde eternall damnation Ministers disturbers of the church of iustice and pollicie And let your Maiestie bee assured that if you diuert not these ruines that are likely to fall vpon vs if presently you do degrade a great number as well of Ecclesiasticall Prelates as ciuill Magistrates who at this day are officers in al your soueraigne Courts and iurisdictions you cannot preserue your estate you must degrade and punish with death a great number of the most manifest offenders therein for that hath already been done within your Realme and bred a great contentment Then you must inquire and search out for men of good and honest behauiour wherewith you must replenish your Councell and then God will bee assistant vnto them for Gods spirit is alwaies with the iust man and thereby your enterprises will surely take effect sooner by the hands of those whom he doth blesse then by such as are prophane persons whose works are accursed It is very true that we finde not so great numbers of honest men walking abroad Rari quippe boni yet how corrupt soeuer the world may be it was neuer known or found to be voyde of some most excellent vertuous men what numbers of excellent wits zealous persons are yet at this day in al the Prouinces of this Realme how many hereticall courages replenished with holy magnanimitie and incredible boldnesse as among the Nobilitie of this land not blasphemous Gentlemen but such as loue and feare God that neuer were in your Court but rather dwell and remaine in their owne houses without any imployment How many great rich and commendable wittes are distributed and lye hidde within the heads and mindes of men of all sorts and yet wholly despised of diuers persons who if they were imployed in diuers charges would within short time wholly redresse all the disorders and ruines of our estate but such men are onely knowne of GOD and of some honest men if in your Maiesties Court there were a zeale and a desire of saluation and amendment their places and habitations would be continually sought and found out Reformatiof the excesse and disorders in the court and men vppon their knees would intreate them desiring them to helpe to redresse this fauage and barbarous time wherein wee liue and that in steade of ciuill warres of pouertie of miserable seruitude and infinite other mischiefes they would bring vs a holy peace togither with the aboundance of all good things But the blinde prouidence of your Court is onely to finde out new meanes of recouering mony it onely regardeth that as an Angel of desence it placeth all her confidence in gold siluer wherein are seen nothing but Italian banquers and inuentions of new imposts it is much deceiued it is not the great and massy Scepter of golde as an auncient wise man saith that is not the great treasures that maketh Princes to flourish but rather the dutifull amitie of their subiects which proceedeth only from the good order of iustice and the election of capable persons fit for the gouernment of all estates Touching the proposition made to the king to cut off the superfluous number of officers and to abolish the corruption of the sale of offices from whence hee receiueth not one penny profit which is not tempered in the blood of the common people such as found themselues interested thereby fearing to loose the
King that it would bee necessary for him to make peace within his Realme and to reuenge that iniurie to driue away the Goate that eateth the colewoorths while the Good-man is fighting with his wife to chase the wolfe that assayleth the sheepfolde while the Sheepheards are quarrelling togither For so the Romanes agreed togither when they perceiued the enemie before their Capitoll so the Spaniards left of their mutenie when they beheld the white crosse before Fontarabie so the Frenchmen appeased their debates to ioyne togither for the driuing of the Englishmen out of Normandie They tolde the King it would bee accounted a poynt of great cowardise in them if they should seeme to bee offended thereat if they should indure the pride and ambition of their so weake an enemie if they should suffer the Crowne of France to bee dismembred specially the places which are particularly allotted vnto the eldest sonne of the King The king is resolued to folow strange wars and to pacifie ciuil broyles To suffer that a meane Prince should in a brauado take away from a King of France that little plot that rested vnto him of the territories of Italie togither with foure hundreth peeces of Cannon-shotte the Frontiertowne of France lying beyond the Mountaines that place that was able to withstand the most proude forces of the Spaniards which onely rested vnto vs as an assured pawne therewith in short space to recouer againe the countries of Naples and Milan The King beeing in flamed with iust greefe was fully mooued at this tyranny and iudged this branch of mischiefe to spring out from the bodie of the coniurations of the League for the which cause he said hee would make peace with the Huguenot to serue himselfe by their means against such as sought to pull off his cloathes before he ment to go to bedde minding to quit himselfe from the rule of such as like maiors of the Pallace sougt nothing but his subiection vnto their passions The Duke of Guise excuseth himselfe The Duke of Guise perceiuing that all the assembly the whole Parliament all the kings seruants iudged this inuation to be done by his means and to bee the onely effect of the League and that it bred hatred and repentance in the hearts of those that esteemed his proceedings to bee most iust he besought the king not to bee mooued thereat assuring him that assoone as his Maiestie should haue quenched the fire which the Huguenots had begun to kindle within his realm he would be one of the first that should passe the Mountaines to make his forraine enemies yeeld their praye desiring his Maiestie to giue him that commission but first he said hee ought to assure his people of that hee had promised them by oath touching the holy vnion and the good resolution of the Parliament The king that could not well disiest this aduise receiuing it as from the heart of him that had giuen the spirit motion to the mischiefe by his continuall practises with straungers perceiuing that neither his Edict of vnion nor yet the obligation of the oath which he had taken concerning religion of all the Princes of the League to make them depart and leaue their secret associations as well within as without the Realme had not wrought that effect which hee expected hee determined from that time forward to bee reuenged of all forepassed offences perswading himselfe not to bee bound to obserue the Edict of vnion seeing the League had first begunne to breake it consenting to the pernicious intents of strangers Reade the wars of Geneua in the booke following not withdrawing themselues from the mutuall intelligences it had with him but in the meane time while hee dissembled his displeasure against the Duke of Cuise hee vsed another meanes against the Duke of Sauoy which I will shewe heereafter That the king of Nauarre was not much greeued at the iniurie which a meane Duke had done vnto a mightie king it is not to bee doubted yet he reioyced thereat being in hope of some good fortune that might thereby ensue and that it would be occasions to end the diuisions partiallities within the Realme of France At such time as this new trouble sprang vp among the assembly at Blois hee was in Rochel where hee called an other assembly of the Churches of his religion seeing the artificiall deuises of the League had shut the gate against him where hee ought to holde the principall place as the first Prince and chiefe Magistrate of France An assembly at Rochel This assembly began the fourteenth day of Nouember in the Town-house of Rochel the King of Nauarre beeing present assisted by Moniseur de Turenne Monsieur de Trimouille and other Gentlemen of his house and Councell as in a manner there is not any Prouince in France wherein this religion hath not purchased some acres of land and by that meanes there were Deputies from all places By whose aduise and resolution sprang the request presented vnto the States at Blois The Protestants demaundeth a Councell vnder the name and title of the Frenchmen exiled for the religion beseeching the king to restore them vnto the libertie of the first Edict which from the name of the moneth wherein it was published was called the edict of Ianuary to ordaine that a national Councell might be assembled where the Doctors on both parts with good securitie in presence of his Maiestie and all the assembly might peaceably debatetheir differences and holily decide and resolue vpon the same to graunt them the free libertie of possessing their goods for supplying their necessities to permit the registring of their supplication together with the consenting therevnto by his Maiesties pleasure to the end that nothing might bee done in that assembly to preiudice them This petition was badly framed at that time as beeing wholly contrary to the principall intent of that assembly which beeing for the most part composed of men chosen and purposely taken out from among the most passionate aduancers of the League desire rather to destroy then instruct such as had strayed aside and sooner to drowne then to wash the infected And therefore not beeing satisfied with the Edict of vnion the right destruction of the Protestants they ceased not vntill both from the king himselfe and all the assembly they had procured a declaratiō of the perpetual disabilitie of the king of Nauarre to the succession of the Crowne Yet their artificiall poysons do not so fully infect all the body of that assembly and their mindes were not in such manner tyed vnto the opinions of the League but that there were some persons both of dignitie reputation that would not permit that the means should bee taken from the king to revnite his subiects in one religion seeing that the intent of the Parliament ought onely to tend vnto a publike peace and therefore they counselled him to procure a lawfull Councell against this schisme of conscience