SInce Saint Bartle­mewes day, at what time the most cruell and detestable mur­thers whyche euer were committed had driuen mee out of France, by reason of the sim­ple safetie which I perceyued that honest men should in time to come enioye in those countreys, I haue diuers tymes thought vpon a dis­course, which once I heard geuen in the presence of the Kyng, the Q. mother, my Lorde the Duke▪ since K. of Poole, and now King of France, and the Countie of Re [...]z, be­ing at Bloys in the yeare. 1572. a litle before the Q. of Nauarre lately de­ceased came thether, and it was [Page 9] made by a gentleman, named the Knight Poncet, whom as I haue since learned, the Countie of Retz had sent for into Germany, for that he had heard him accompted to be a man of great forecast, iudgemēt, and discourse, who also had lyued eight or nine yeares in Turquye, and now hauyng sundrye tymes with my selfe weyed the sayde dis­course, I perceiue that out of the same might be spronge the origi­nall of the aforesayd murders, ra­ther then of any other thing. And therefore bicause that by diuers thinges which since the same dis­course haue chāced, all men might more assuredly iudge of the same, vnlesse my opinion deceiueth mee, I thought my selfe bound to put the same in writing, and to the end that I might shake of all name of vnthanckfulnesse, for suche great [Page 8] [...] [Page 9] [...] [Page 10] courtesies, fauours, and benefits, as in the space of 18. yeares which I spent in that countrey, I had re­ceiued of the good and myld Frēch nation, to giue the same vnto some suche person as might admonishe them thereof, to the ende that fyn­ding my iudgement not to be far amisse, they might take heede vnto them selues and looke better to their own affayres, then hetherto they haue done, and so to preuent such pernicious practises as might be put in execution agaynst theyr persons and estates. The sayde Knight Poncet, in his discourse dyd fyrst let them vnderstand in howe many Countreys, Principalities, Kingdomes and Monarchies he had bene, then that in anye of the same he could neuer fynde anye perfect obedience vnto the soue­rayne, except in Turquy only, and [Page 11] that the same there proceeded principally of the causes which hereaf­ter shall be expressed.

First the Turke hath no prince or great Lord throughout his Em­pire but such as him self haue cre­ated and made of his owne libera­litie and proper cost, neyther suf­freth he any such to ascend so high, but that he may plucke down and dispatch them at his owne wil and pleasure.

Secondly, he permitteth no other nobilitie to be in estimatiō through out his empire, but hys Ianissa­ryes, who being from their chylde­hood by him brought vp and enter­teyned as his owne creatures, are so bound to his deuotion, that by their meanes and by the auctority of hys ministers and officers, all kynde of obedience is presented vnto hym, as well by the meane [Page 12] man as by the welthy person, nei­ther is there any kinde of accompt of preeminence, by reason of any antiquitie or greatnesse of houses and families, nor any excuse for any man not to obey him whom the Turcke putteth in office.

Thirdlye, hee neuer permitteth throughout his owne dominions any other religion then him selfe doth exercise, except in those coun­treis which he hath lately conque­red, whom he will not constrayne to alter theyr profession, bicause by such meanes he may the more ea­sely enlarge his limittes, and yet there, no man is permitted to dis­pute of religion. Moreouer in all the coūtreys of his dominions, are no Lordships nor seigniores, for all the landes belong to hym­selfe, and those doth he by his offi­cers, ferme out vnto his subiectes [Page 13] for a few yeares, which being ex­pired, the farmers or possessors are dryuen to purchace a newe graunt, and the same to acknow­ledge from fyue yeares, to fyue yeares, insomuch that no man can say, that that which he possesseth is his owne, and so euery man ende­uoureth more and more to shewe his obedience, to the end that ther­by he and hys children may conti­new in possession in the sayde far­mes, and by this means the great Turcke is continually so well sto­red with riches, that vpon no kind of occasiō he euer is forced to rayse taxes or subsidies of his subiectes.

Moreouer, there be neyther for­tresses, neyther any wauled tow­nes in the harte of hys Empire, nor in any other places, but only on the borders and a fewe other, in the which his officers and Cap- [...] [Page 16] pleasures of Kinges, whereby the sayd Princes and great Lordes may rightly be termed controu­lers and hinderers of the Kinges willes, and this proceedeth of the vnitie and agreement of the sayde three estates, and therefore it is sayde that Kinges be chiefe Lords and masters in outwarde appa­rence, but in effecte they are as it wer subiect to their own subiects, in that they can not accomplishe their owne desires, and that theyr own mocions and reasons for the most parte be neuer accepted, not­withstanding diuers tymes they tende to the augmenting of theyr liuing, and sometimes to the ayde of the necessitie of their affayres, and therefore the soner to dispatch himselfe of the sayde Princes and great Lordes, with the rest of the nobilitie, to the end by that means [Page 17] the straightlier to subduce the rest, and so to dispose & alter all things after his owne pleasure and will, it were necessary to vse the trou­bles for religion, for that they bee the best instruments that might be wished to murder and slay on all partes, and yet not to reiect suche meanes as the peace might mini­ster, and which might be executed as well by the parties greeued, as by such as be ingaged and bound to his maiesties seruice, as the af­faires may best minister occasion, also that hereof, they shall fynde choyse of deuises and inuentions inough among the ashes of debate and hatred, which the sayde trou­bles and deuisions haue brought forth. In the meane tyme to la­bour by all meanes possible for the deminishing of the sayde Princes, Lordes, and nobilitie, as well in [Page 18] persons, as in goodes, and not to graunt them any thing whereby to obteyne greater numbers of seruants and bondslaues to them at his maiesties charges, it is ne­cessary that his maiestie absteyne from giuing any rewardes and recompences at the suites of the sayd Lordes, or of any other then of such as shall be founde trustie, and whom his maiestie myndeth to preferre vnto their dignities. Also y ^t if it were possible, it were good that such as receiue any libe­ralitie should come to hys owne presence, to the ende they might perceiue vnto whom they were principally bound, and this ought especially to be obserued among those vnto whom his maiestie shal commit any publick offices, who also after theyr dispatches should be brought to take their leaues of [Page 19] his maieste, whereby he might let them know, him selfe to haue bene the only motioner of this honour and commodity, also that he might commaund them whatsoeuer hys maiesty should thinck good, for this be aling would greatly binde them vnto him and be very profitable. Moreouer that the decayed and ruinous castles and charges shold be giuē to y ^e said Princes, Lords, and noble men which should re­mayne, vntill the tyme were come that they might bee dispatched. Also that in the meane tyme none of their estates, pentions, or wa­ges, should be geuen to any other of them, then to such as his maie­stie should see good, and that so by all meanes possible, their commo­dities might be taken away, or at the leastwise hindered, for that by those meanes he might be the bet­ter [Page 20] assured of them, & keepe them from practising any great enter­prises, but all must bee wrought artificially and vnder fayre pre­tēces. Also that his maiesty should not permit any assembly of estates to be holden eyther generally or perticulerly▪ for that they serue on­ly to bridle Kinges more & more, but rather he ought seuerely to punishe all procurers of the same, whereby the Kinges shall neuer be without occasion to dispatche such as should be odious vnto thē [...] and thus after that his maiesty be dispatched of all hys Princes, Lordes and nobilitie as is afore­sayd, he may easely atteyne vnto the rest, whē as all the chiefe force and principall parte of the sayde estates shal be voyde, and that his maiesty hath with the tyme, made and created others to hys owne [Page 21] mynde, for the common people of themselues dare not practise any thynge, vnlesse they haue some great Captaines which wil either beare them out in their doynges, or egge them forwarde to theyr practises. Lykewise his maiestie hauing made a peace, should in a­ny wyse punish, and for the smalest occasion that might be, put to death all such gouernours and officers of townes, as during these trou­bles, haue bene contrary to hys seruice, for bicause at the first blast of any contrary wynd, they will not fayle but reuolt, to the ende to exempt thēselues from such peyne and punishment as they should feare to haue iustly deserued for their former follyes and offences. Also at such tyme as hys maiestie hath reduced his subiectes to thys obediēce, the people dare not with [Page 22] stand the beating down of fortres­ses, & vnmāteling of walled tow­nes in the hart of his kingdom, or in any other place where his ma­iestie shall thinke them hurtfull: For assuredly the great nūber of Castles and walled townes, doe especially encorage seditious and euil disposed persons, to the prac­tises of such enterprises, and doe make the inhabitauntes of the same more haughty and lesse obe­dient: And doubtlesse the greate number of townes in France were in tymes paste, built by sundrye Lordes, Princes, and common wealthes, which enioyed seuerall dominions, and then serued for bulwarckes & defences to the one agaynst the others, neyther were they gotten and incorporate vnto the crowne as presently they bee, insomuch that that, belōging now [Page 23] to one only, which was wonte to serue diuers, we must needes con­fesse that, in that the pluralityes and diuersities of the grauntes of the sayd townes doth cease, conse­quently suche of them as are situ­ate in the harte of the realme, and farre from the borders, are not only to no vse, and vnprofita­ble, as touching the defence and conseruation of the kingdome, but cōtrariwise, stand in election to bee occasions of diuers euil demea­nures and dealinges.

As concerning religion, at what time his maiesty hath atteined y ^e cō moditie & profite aforesayde, then may he easely force all men to re­ceiue eyther his own, or any other that his maiestie shall thinke good of, and so not to permit, but one only throughout all hys domini­ons and countreys, which will bee [Page 24] farre more assured and strengthe­ned, in case his maiesty would for­bid all disputations of his sayd re­ligion. Heare vpon the time draw­ing on to go to masse, the assembly brake vp, and the sayd Poncet was entreated to set downe these mea­nes which he had discouered and discoursed vpon, with such addici­ons as him self should think good, and that not without great promi­ses and hope of wonderfull com­moditie and reward.