Trusty and welbeloued, although you are sufficiently enformed of the occasions which the Duke of Guise now deceased hath gi­uen vs, to reuenge our selues of those troubles which hee hath spread in our Realme, and of the enterprises and attempts which hee hath made of later yeares against our state and Crowne, yea our ho­nour and life: neuerthelesse (expecting vntill we geue you more perticularlie to vnderstand how he hath v­sed himselfe ingratefully towardes vs insteede of a mendes, whereas wee pardoned him all thinges pas­sed, in hope that our gentlenesse, and the good turnes and honour which since then wee haue done vnto him, and did euerie day, to the misliking of our good and Loyall seruantes and Subiectes, which were still offended with it, might bring him to the right way agayne.) Wee will onelie signifie vnto you, that of late his insolencie was growen so farre, that despising our Authoritie, hee hath omitted nothing of that which hee might doe, to bring vs into trouble, and to [Page 4] take our crowne from vs, yea our owne life. And if he hath not done it, it is because hee coulde not doe it, which hath geuen vs iust occasion to make him knowe that GOD hath geuen vs the Authoritie, the meanes, and the courage to chastice him, according to his desart, by the losse of his life. Whereof wee haue not thought amisse to aduertise you by these presentes, to the ende you may knowe the truth of it, least by salse reportes it be colourably altred vnto you, geuing you moreouer to vnderstand, that we will by no meanes leaue our holy entrprise to make warre against the Heritickes, and to roote them out: but rather, as it was not grounded eyther vppon the late deceased Duke of Guyse his life or death, nor his ambition; but vppon the zeale and affection which we haue allwaies borne, and will alwayes haue en­graued in the bottome of our hearte, to the glory of GOD, and the encrease of our Catholicke, Aposto­licke, and Romane Religion; so likewise it cannot be by any occasions whatsoeuer remooued from vs. Our will therefore is, that our Subiectes of our iurisdicti­on be enformed of the iust causes of the punishment which they haue receiued, and of our good and holy purposes. And that likewise, you endeuour your selues to keepe euery one in their obedience which they owe vnto vs, whereby they may assure them­selues to be eased as much as we can, and whiles they shall continewe in their duty, they shall finde vs al­wayes their gratious King, readie to gratifie them as farr as their fidelitie shall deserue; and likewise to chastice them if they forget their dutie, and with­drawe [Page 5] themselues from the respecte and obedience which GOD hath commaunded them to geue vs.

Presented the second of Ianuary 1589.

And on the backe side