MOnsieur the Duke of Mayenne, Lieutenant of the estate and Crowne of France, the Duke of Guise, the Constable d'Aumale, the Countie of Chaligny, Princes of Lorraine, and the other deputies of Spayne, Flanders, Naples, and other townes of the vnion, being assembled at Paris, being found amongst the estates called together thither on the tenth of Februarie 1593. would that before they began so holie a worke, there should bee kept a procession, like vnto that which was plaied in the presence of Monsieur the Cardinal Caietan, which was almost as soone done as it was sayd. For Monsieur Roze not long since Bishop of Senlis, and now the great Master of the Colledge of Nauarre, and Rector of the Vniuersitie, caused the morrow after, and that by his most ancient Bedle, or staffe bearer, both furniture and persons to be prepared therefore. Now the procession was on this manner.
A good proce
[...]sion where the diuell beareth the crosse The foresayd Doctor Roze, leauing off his Rectors hood, tooke his Master of Arts gowne, with a camaile and a linnen garment, and a tippet vppermost: his beard and his head were new shauen, his sword by his side, and a pertisane on his shoulder. The Curats,
Holy men, holie matter. Amilthon, Boucher, and Lincester being somewhat more strangely armed, made the first ranke, and before them marched three little Monkes and nouices, their gownes or frockes being trussed vp, hauing euerie one a head-peece on their heads, vnder their hoodes or cowles, and a target hanging at their necke, in which were painted the armes and deuises of the sayd Lords. Master Iames Pelletier, curat of S. Iames, marched on the
[Page 15] one side, one while before, another while behinde, clothed with violet, in a souldiers scholasticall attire, his crowne and his beard were new shauen, he had a coate of maile vpon his backe, with a rapier and a dagger, and a halberd vpon his left shoulder, after the manner of a Serieant of a band, who did sweat, pant and breathe, to place euery man in his ranke and order. Afterwards there followed three by three, some fiftie or threescore religious persons, as well Franciscane Friers, as Iacobins, blacke Friers, hoodded Friers, Minimes, bon hommes, Feuillants, and others all couered with their cowles and habits, buckled and armed, according to the ancient catholike fashion,
Much. and according to the manner of the Epistles of S. Paul. Amongst the rest there were sixe Capuchins, or blacke Iacobine Friers, hauing euery one a morraine on his head, and vpon the same a cockes feather, cloathed also with coates of maile, their sword girt to their side vpon their habits, one carrying a speare, another a crosse, the one a sword, the other a harquebuze, and the other a crossebow, all rusticall and clownish thorough Catholike humilitie: all the rest almost had pikes, which they did oftentimes shake, for want of better pastime, sauing a fueillant Frier which was lame, who armed all vpon the bare, assayed to make roume with a two handed sword, and a battaile axe at his girdle, his Portuise hanging behinde, and he made a goodly shewe vpon one foote, turning as it were a little mill before the Ladies. And at his taile there were three Minimes or Friers all in one array or apparell, that is to say, euery one of them hauing vpon their habits a plate or armour of carraies or proofe, & the hinder part discouered or vnarmed, a sallet on their head, and a sword and a pistoll at their girdle, and euery one a harquebuze a crocke, without forke or stay for it. Behind was the Prior of the Iacobins, very well appoynted, drawing a bowed or crooked haldberd after him, and armed lightly or sleightly, as one in a dead pay. I could not perceiue either Charterhouse Monkes or Celestins
[Page 16] that were excused or exempted from this trafficke or busines, but all these went forward and marched in much good order, I meane Catholigue, Apostoligue, and Romaine, and they seemed to be the ancient Cranequiniers of France. They ment as they passed by to salute them with a volley or peale of shot:
Wise enough to looke to himselfe. but the Legate forbad them that, for feare least some such mischance might happen to him or some of his, as did to Cardinall Caietan. After these goodly fathers, there marched the foure sorts of begging Friers,
Leane like locusts. which were multiplied and increased to many orders, as well ecclesiasticall as secular: after,
Belike some of them were dead, or els they were foure more, but not to the course of their conuersation. Such cuppe, such couer. the parishes: then the sixteene great persons of Paris foure and foure together, reduced to the number of the Apostles, and attyred like them that play at Corpus Christ-tide. After them marched the Prouost of the Merchants, and Sheriffes or Aldermen, arraied with diuersitie of colours: afterwards the Court of Parliament, such a one as it was: the Italian, Spanish and Wallon gards of Monsieur the Lieutenant: afterwards a hundred Gentlemen newly aduanced by the holie vnion: and after them certaine old souldiers of the brotherhood of Saint Eloy. There followed afterwards Monsieur the Bishop of Lyō, and that very sweetly: the Cardinall of Pelue, very humblie:
Great praises. and after them Monsieur the Popes Legate, a very mirror of perfect beautie, and before him marched the Deane of Sorbonne, with a Crosse, vpon which hung the buls of his power. Also there came Madam de Nemours, representing the Queene Mother, or the grandmother (but that is doubtfull) of the King that should be, and there bare vp her taile, or (if we should speake courtlike) her traine, Madamoiselle de la rue, the daughter of that noble and discreet person,
Honorable attendance. Monsieur de la rue, heretofore a cutter of garments, or a tailor, dwelling vpon S. Michaels bridge, and now one of the hundred Gentlemen and Councellors of the estate of the vnion: and then followed Madame the Dowagir of Montpensier with her greene scarfe, which was very foule with much vsing
[Page 17] of it, and Madame the Lieutenant of the estate & crowne of France, waited vpon with the Ladies of Belin, and of Bussie the Clerke. Then Monsieur the Lieutenant set forward and caused himselfe to bee seene, and before him two Heraults furred with Hermines, and at his sides two Wallons carrying coates of armes very blacke, all beset with the red crosses of Lorraine, hauing before and behind, a deuise in imbroiderie, the bodie whereof represented the historie of Phaeton, and the poesie was this:
Phaetons storie fit for this procession.
In magnis voluisse sat est: that is, in great matters it is enough to haue a will. As soone as they were come in this apparell and order into the Chappell of Bourbon, Monsieur the Rector Roze, putting off his halfe cowle, or tippet, as also his sword and partisane, went vp into the pulpit,
As well as he could. where hauing prooued by good and forcible arguments, that this was the time, wherein all should go well with them, propounded vnto them one godly, expedient and profitable way, to put an ende to the warre within sixe moneths at the furthest, reasoning thus. In France there are seuenteene hundred thousand steeples or churches, whereof Paris is accounted but for one alone:
Soone sayd. now take out of euery church one catholike man to be a souldier, and to goe to warre at the charges of the parish, and let the monies be managed by the Doctors of Diuinitie, or at the least by certaine Graduats to be named, we shal make twelue hundred thousand fighting men,
They neede many for so great vnderminings. and fiue hundred thousand pioners. Then al the assistants or companie were seene to leape for great ioy, and to crie, O stroke or blow from heauen. Afterwards he did liuelie exhort them to warre, and to die for the Lorraine Princes, yea and if neede were, and rather then faile, for the most Catholike King: and this he did with such earnestnes and vehemencie, that hardly could they restraine his regiment of Friers, & tutors, or schoolemasters, that they had not presently runne to take the forts of Gournay, and S. Denis,
A strange power in so simple a meane. but they were restrained and kept backe with a little holie water, as men quiet and pacifie flyes & bries
[Page 18] with a little dust. After this Monsieur, the pulpit man ended with this conclusion,
But he & they were none of them.
Blessed are the poore in spirit, &c. The sermon being finished, Masse was sung in a high note, by Monsieur the most reuerend Cardinall of Pelue: at the end whereof the chanters & songs men did thunder out this verse:
If a man knew them.
How beloued are thy tabernacles, &c. Then all those that were to bee of the assemblie, accompanied Monsieur the Lieutenant to the
Louvre,
No meruaile where there was such a cō fused troupe. the rest did confusedly withdraw themselues, some hither, some thither, euery one to himselfe or his owne.
The Oration of Monsieur the Rector Roze, heretofore Bishop of Senlis.
MOst famous, most noble,
As right as can be. and most Catholike Synagogue: euen as the virtue of Themistocles waxed hot, by the consideration of the triumphs and trophees of Miltiades: so doe I feele my selfe to haue my courage inwarmed, in the contemplation of the braue discourses, of this riuer of rhetorike and flood of eloquēce, I meane Monsieur the Chancellor of the Lieutenancie, who commeth to triumph in speech. And after his example,
Oh what force thete is in eluish examples. I am moued with an vntollerable ardure, to set out my rhetorike, and to set vpon a stall my merchandise in this place,
[Page 68] where oftentimes I haue made preachments, that by the meanes of the late King, haue made me of a miller to become a Bishop,
Great preferments. as by your meanes, I am of a Bishop become a miller. But I thinke that I haue sufficiently declared by my passed actions, that I am not ingrate, and that I haue not done any thing, but that which I haue seene to be done, by diuers others of this noble assistāce, who yet haue receiued more benefites then me of the dead King, and haue notwithstanding brauely chased him out of his kingdome, and caused him to bee murthered, for the good of the Catholike faith, vnder hope to haue much more, as wee were gently promised. Now I will not here rubbe againe the things passed,
It needeth not. nor catch your beneuolence by a long exordium or entrance, but summarily I wil tel you, Messieurs, that the eldest daughter of the King, I say not of the King of Nauarre, but of the King that we shall chuse here, if God be pleased, and waiting for that I will say, the eldest daughter of Monsieur the Lieutenant of the Estate and crowne of France, the vniuersitie of Paris doth declare vnto you in all obseruance, that from her very swadling cloutes, and first beginnings, she hath not been so well nurtured, mannered, modest and peaceable, as she is now, by the grace and fauour of you the rest Messieurs. For in steed that we were wont to see so many men and women sellers of old apparell, sellers also of old mantles, pattins, great pots, & other sorts of wicked people to runne vp and downe the streetes, to haunt brothell houses, to draw wooll, and to braule with the cookes of the little bridge,
Notable orders. you see no more a man of such people throughout al the colledges: All the supposts of the faculties and nations, that made hurlie burlie for the suites of licenses, appeare no more: they play no more these scandalous playes, and biting satyres vpon the scaffolds of colledges, and ye see there a goodly reformation, all these same young regents being retired, that in disdaine would shewe it, that they knew more Greeke and Latine then other men. These
[Page 69] factions amongst the master of artes, wherein they did beate one another with the blowes of their cappes and their hoods, are ceased: all these schollers of great or good house, little and great haue giuen vs the slippe. The booke sellers, printers, binders, guilders, and other people of paper and parchment, to the number of more than 30000. haue charitably deuided the wind, in a 100. quarters, to liue thereof, and haue yet left sufficient for them that haue remained behinde them. The publike professors, who were all royall and politikes, come not any more to breake our heads, and trouble our braines with their orations, and with their congregations in the three Bishops,
Spoken cunningly, & like an Alchymist. they haue put themselues to doe Alchymie, euery one by himselfe. Briefelie, all is quiet and peacefull: and I will say much more vnto you. Heretofore in the time of the politikes and heretikes Ramus, Galandius and Turnebus, no man made profession of letters, vnles he had with a long hand and great charges studied, and gotten artes and sciences in our colledges, and passed thorough all the degrees of the scholasticall discipline. But now by the meane of you the rest Messieurs, and the virtue of the holy vnion, and principallie, by your blowes from heauen, Monsieur the Lieutenant, the butter men and butter wiues of Vanues, the ruffians of Mont-rouge, and of Vaugirard, the vine dressers of Saint Cloud, coblers of Villejuifue,
A monstrous change. and other catholike cantons, are become Masters in artes, bachelors, principals, presidents, and bousiers of colledges, regents of classes, and so sharpe, subtill and argute Philosophers, that better than Cicero, now they dispute
de inuentione, that is of inuention, and learne euery day to be aftodidactos,
Or rather Assodidactos. that is teachers of themselues, without any other Master than you, Monsieur the Lieutenant, they learne I say, to dye of famine,
per regulas, that is to say, by rules. Also now you heare no more in the classes that clamorment and brawling of latine, amongst the regents, that did batter and
[Page 70] beate the eares of all the world: in steede of this bablerie and pedlers French, you heare euery houre of the daye the Argentine harmonie,
Meruailous Metaphors. and the very idiome and proper speech of kine, and weaned calues, and the sweete singing of asses, and of swine, as if it were of the nightingales, that stand vs in steede of clockes or belles, for the first, second, and third. Sometimes heretofore wee were wonderous desirous, to learne and to haue the Hebrew, Greeke, and Latine tongues, but at this present wee haue more neede of an oxe or neats tongue salted and poudred, that would bee a good commentarie, I can tell you, after our oaten bread. But le Mains and Laual, and these infallible weigh Masters of Angers, with their Capons of high grease, and their wonderfull fatte hennes, haue deceiued vs as well as the tongues, and we haue no more but a sower and bitter remembrie of these same academicall messengers, that came downe or lighted at the crosse, and other famous Innes, in the harpe streete, and that at the daye and very poynte of time named, to the great contentment of the schollers waiting for them, and of their regents selling olde garments. You Monsieur Lieutenant, are the cause of all this: and all these miracles and monstrous things are the workes of your hands: and yet it is true that our predications,
A high commendation. preachments and decrees, haue not hurt or hindred them: but yet for all that, you were the principall motiue and instrument thereof: and to speake to you in one worde, you haue vndone vs, and more than vndone vs: Excuse me if I speake so, I will say with the Prophet Dauid,
Loquebar in conspectu regum,
Such as you Monsieur are.
& non confundebar. I did speake in the sight of Kings, and I was not confounded, nay I did not blush, no more than a blacke dogge. You haue I say so defiled and defamed this faire eldest daughter,
Whether wilt thou Rector. this shamefaste virgin, this flourishing damsell, the onely pearle of the world, the diamond of this Fraunce, the carbuncle of the Kingdome, and one of the most white floure deluces of
[Page 71] Paris, that forraine and strange vniuersities make Greeke and Latin sonnets thereof,
Et versa est in opprobrium gentium, And it is turned into the shame of the nations. In the meane while my masters our doctors, finde nothing therein but to laugh: for they haue not the quodlibetarie questions so frequent:
He would haue sayd proceede. there passe out no more Bachelers, Licenciats, nor Doctors, where they were wont to haue their banquets, drinkings one to another and feasts, and did crambe themselues vp to the throate: the wine of Orleans commeth no more here, much lesse that of Gascoigne, so that all ergoes are ceased and layd aside. And though some one of these that are most Spaniolized by meanes of some double Duckets, and doe receiue some pension of the Legate closely or secretly, yet that is not as much to say that the others feele it. Moreouer, Monsieur the Lieutenant, you haue caused Louchard,
And why not? for of like there should be the like cō sideration. your steward or pursebearer, and a very zealous man, to be hanged, and haue by consequēt declared to be hangable, all they that haue been present at the ceremonie of the order of the vnion, which hath been giuen to the president Brisson. Now so it is, that all the young Curats, Priests and Friers of our vniuersitie, and our other Doctors for the most part,
That is, we are caught in the lime twigge. we haue all been promoters of this tragedie, therefore
gluc. And I tell you, that if you had not hasted your selfe to come, wee had indeede serued our turnes with others, and wee had not remayned in so faire a way, and such speech at this day is very high to them, whose teeth could haue done no euill, if you had yet lingered but three daies to come. But to come backe to my first theame, I argument thus: Louchard and his companions were iustly hanged,
Doctorly done because they were gallowclappers and deserued hanging.
Atqui, but the more part of our other Doctors were consorts and adherents, and counsellors of the aforesayd hanged one: therefore crackropes, gallowclappers, are pendable, or worthie to be hanged. And it serueth to no purpose to alleadge the abolition that was graunted vnto vs, touching the Catholike
[Page 72] murther, for the maxime of the law will be strōg,
Remissio non dicitur nisi ratione criminis: that is, remission is not sayd to bee, but as in regard of a crime, the aforesayd abolition not being able to abolish the merited paine, no though you should mollifie or soake it a hundred times in the Catholicon of Spayne, which is a sope that scoureth, and that cleane away, euery thing. And therefore we must necessarily argument thus in
Baroquo. Whosoeuer causeth zealous Catholikes to be hanged,
He concludeth in mood and figure full finely. is a tyrant, and fauourer of heretikes: but Monsieur the Lieutenant hath caused Louchard to be hanged and his companions, the most Catholike Catholikes, and zealous zealous aboue all: therefore Monsieur the Lieutenant is a tyrant, and fauourer of heretikes, worse then Hēry of Valois, who pardoned Louchard, & la Morliere, worthie of the gibbet, three yeares before the barricadoes. And that it is not so, I proue the minor,
à maiori ad minus: that is, from the greater to the lesse. That Biarnois held in his hands prisoners, the principall heads of the League, as Boisdaulphin, Pescher, Fontaine, Martel, Flavacourt, Tramblecourt, the Cluzeaux, and many other, that owe me thankes, if I name them not, whom he caused not to be hanged, though he were able & might haue done it before:
Well spoken, and like a Diuine.
Quia non vult mortem peccatoris, sed vt resipiscat: that is, because he will not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should repent, as some haue done: and notwithstanding he is an heretike, or accounted for such a one:
Ergo, Monsieur the Lieutenant is worse then an heretike, because he hath caused to bee hanged his best friends, who put the bread into his hands To say that this was done,
ad maiorem cautelam: that is, for better heede and greater subtiltie, or to bring downe the pride and insolencie of the sixteene, that is good: notwithstanding in the meane while they were hanged. And this saying cannot hinder, that we bee not alwaies iudged and reputed great dolts & blockheads, that is in Latin and French sots, for that we haue indured
[Page 73] him so long: and which is worse, that the politikes may conclude in mood and figure, that Sorbonne can erre: a matter I tel you, that would make me once againe to become mad, and runne vp and downe the streetes. For if this one should haue place, wee should neuer bee able to proue, by all the flowers of our rhetorike, nor by all the fundamental lawes of the kingdome, on which Monsieur of Lions hath relied so much, and made so great reckoning, that so many ten thousands of poore christians, as wee haue made, and daily doe make to dye, with sword,
Death for treason, counted martyrdome, with these reuerēd doctors. with famine, with fire, by our headlong decree, should be iudged true martyrs, if it be so that our foresayd decree be not able to absolue them from the oth of fidelitie and naturall obedience, that subiects owe vnto their Prince. Wherfore Messieurs, I supplicate you, in the name of our Academie, to couer with a cloake this worthie fact here, the most catholikely that you can, as Monsieur the Legate doth the intentions of Pope Sixtus, who loued not the League so dearly as some sayd he did. Furthermore, I will furnish you with so many places and passages of scripture, as you would haue, for I haue of them euen to sell againe. But aboue all things, I recommend vnto you,
The belly hath no eares, though it haue a mouth to speake. Messieurs, our pensions, and of my masters or fellow Doctors of the holie facultie of theologie, as also of my masters the Curats and Preachers for whom I speake. For you haue to doe with vs, and you are not able to passe these things. And Madame of Montpensier knoweth well enough to say, that she gayned more townes, and dispatched more work with a very few double Duckets, which she distributed to the preachers and Doctors, then the King of Nauarre did with all his taxes and armies. I doe in good time aduertise you, that if you furnish and fit not the appoyntment, there is danger, least wee giue our selues whollie ouer to proue,
He meaneth their rents and reuenues, ordinarie or extraordinarie. that it is best to haue a lawfull King, though wayward and wicked, seeing hee will leaue vnto vs the bread of the chapiter, and purgatorie, without innouating any thing till the Councel that shall
[Page 74] be. But in expecting that, aduise ye whether wee shall make a King or no. I know that Monsieur the Lieutenant would gladly bee he: so also would his nephew bee: and likewise his brother the Duke of Nemours: and I doubt not, but that the Dukes of Sauoy and of Lorraine haue as great desire of it: for of a trueth they haue as much right to it one as another. Now concerning Duke Mercurie, his agents will doe as much for it as he himselfe. If he had taken in good faith and earnest Don Anthonio the King of Portugall,
Practise to apprehend Don Anthonio. and had deliuered him to his very good friend, the most Catholike King, as hee promised him, I beleeue that he would haue been content with the rights and claimes that hee hath to the Dutchie of Bretaigne, like vnto those which his grandfather Iohn had by his wife. But here, he that is not he, taketh not he. First of all, I counsell you not to stay your selues vpon the Duke of Sauoy, or vpon the Duke of Lorraine: for they are not (in speaking with reuerence) but cods or bladders that haue enough to doe in their owne house: and I assure my selfe that they will be content with very little. If you wil leaue to the Savoyard, Daulphin & Prouence, with some little part of Lionnois & of Languedoc (yet so that you make him to take Geneua also) I would ingage my life that he will demaund no more of you,
If you can, or be able. but the confiscation of Esdiguieres.
The name of a worthie man that holdeth him touch. As touching the Duke of Lorraine, take frō him the Dukedome of Bouillon, and giue him Sedan, Mets, all Champagne, and part of Bourgongne, which is for the good seating of him, you shall appease him afterwards for a morsell of bread, though it bee but browne. I come now vnto you Monsieur of Guise, the sonne of a good father and of a good mother, one whom the prophecies haue of long time destined to kingdomes and empires, and haue surnamed you Pepin the short, or curtalled. You, behold you, vpon the poynt to be another great Charles the great, your great great grandfather, if the fayre or market hold. But regard, I pray you, that you suffer not your selfe to bee deceiued. These Messieurs of
[Page 75] Spayne,
Spanyards paynted out. although they be our very good friends & good Catholikes, be not merchants at one word, and buy & sell with no more: and that is found true in them, not at this time only, for there are almost two thousand yeares since that they haue medled with more matters then they should, and that men haue giuen them this name to bee fine and cunning in doubling of poynts. They promise you this diuine damosel or daughter in mariage, to make her a Queene
in solidum, that is, altogether and wholly with you: but take you heede that the Duke de Feria haue not filled his seates signed without charge. He hath a boxe full of such things, wherewith he serueth himselfe vpon all occurrences, as of a last for euery shooe, and as one saddle for all horses: he dates them, or he antedates them with his chamber pot when pleaseth him. I haue feare, something that he hath propounded vnto vs, that this is nothing but arte and subtiltie to amaze vs withal, when he hath seene that we will not vnderstand, or be of minde to breake the law Salick. If you haue but neuer so little nose, you shall smell it. For we knowe in good part, that the marriage is alreadie accorded of her and of her cousin the Archduke Ernest.
Adde, that is, ioyne hereunto, that those of the house of Austrich doe as the Iewes doe, that doe not marrie but in their tribe or familie, and hold one another by the tayle as hannekins and hannetons doe.
Leaue of therefore this vaine hope of Gynecocratie,
That is gouernment of women together. and beleeue that little children mocke at it, and goe from it to mustard. I heard the other day one, that comming verie brauely from the tauerne, did sing these foure verses.
The League finding it selfe flat nosed,
And the Leaguers much without repose,
Aduised themselues of a fetch, which is
To make a King without a nose.
But if I had been able to haue made him to haue been caught by the commissarie Bazin, who ranne after him,
[Page 76] he had had no lesse then the miller that mocked our Estates. What wil you say to these impudent politikes, that haue put you in a shape in a faire leafe of paper,
A prety deuise. alreadie crowned as a king of the cardes, by anticipation, and in the same leafe haue also put the figure of the sayd infant or daughter, crowned for Queene of France as you, you regarding huze a huze one the other? And in the neather part of the sayd painture, haue placed these verses, which I haue kept by heart, because that therein it goeth as on your side.
The French Spanalized haue made a King of France,
To the daughter of Spayne they promised haue this King:
A royaltie very small, and of slender importance:
For their France is comprised within Paris, a strange thing.
O Hymen mariage god, for this cold mariage
Thy quiet torch, I pray at this time doe not bring:
Of these disioyned corps, men set out the image,
That make the loue of eyes both two within one thing.
It is a royaltie onely in shew most sure:
Deceit and not true loue hatched hath this mariage:
Good cause that being King of France in portraiture,
They cause him to espouse of a Queene the image.
If Monsieur of Orleans in the qualitie of Aduocate general, would cause to be searched out these same wicked politike Printers, it is his charge, and they might bee knowne by their caracters, and his good gossips Bichon, N. Niuelle, Chaudiere, Morel, and Thiere, will discouer the matrice. Touching my selfe, I willingly forbeare it, for these heretikes are euill speakers as diuels, & I should feare they would make some booke against me, as they did against the Catholike Doctor and Lawyer Chopin, vnder the name of Turlupin.
And neuer mend it is like lie. Messieurs of the hall, or place of hearing, will therein doe their duetie,
more & loco solitis, after their wonted manner and place. I will hold my selfe content to preach the word of God, to maintaine my Beadles, and carefully to solicite my pensions. Let all this be spoken by a parenthesis. But Monsieur de
[Page 77] Guise, my good child, beleeue me, and you shall beleeue a very foole: stay no more vpon that,
Neuer better spoken. it is not foode for our foules or birds. Lift not vp your traine for all this: we doe not inlarge or make longer your table by reason of this. There is hay: there are none but beasts that delight in it: but doe better: obtaine of the holie father a croisade, or an expedition and voyage against the Turkes, and goe and reconquer that goodly kingdome of Ierusalem, which appertaineth to you by reason of Godfrey, your great vncle, euen as wel as that of Sicilie and the kingdome of Naples. How many scepters and crownes are prepared for you, if your horoscopus lie not, as you your selfe are wont to say, that you haue not a limited fortune. Leaue this same wretched and miserable kingdome of France to him that will vouchsafe to take the burthen of it. It is not fit that your spirit borne for Empires, and the vniuersall monarchie of the habitable world, should stoope to so small morsels or matters, and vnworthie of you and of your late father,
A carefull caution. whom God absolue, if it be permitted to speake so of Saints. And you Monsier the Lieutenant, to whom I must needes now speake. What thinke you to doe? you are grosse and fully panched: you are heauie and deformed: you haue head big enough in deede to beare a crowne. But what? you say you will none of it, and that it would too much ouer burthē you. The politikes say, that the foxe sayd so touching mulberies which he would faine haue had.
The foxe will eate no grapes. You hinder vnder hād that your nephew shuld not be chosē: you forbid the deputies, that none of them bee so bold as to touch this great string of the royaltie or kingdom. What shall we do then? We must haue a King: who as the politike doctors say, is better takē thē sought. You make the K. of Spaine beleeue, that you keep the kingdom of Frāce for him, & for his daughter: & vnder this hope, you sucke & draw from the honest man all that that the Indies and Peru can send him, he maintaineth vnto you your plate, he sendeth you armor & armies, but not at your deuotion
[Page 78] or disposition. For he looketh to himselfe for all you, and hee distrusteth you both one and other, as though ye were blinde,
A iust iudgement. and taketh you as theeues. In the meane while, yee haue prouoked the sixteene, who accuse you to bee a marchant of crownes, and haue offered this of Fraunce to him that would giue most. They make books of this to your preiudice, wherein they discipher all your actions. They say that you haue close practises with the Biarnois, and cause wordes and messages to be caried vnto him by Villeroy and Zamet, to lull him a sleepe, and to cause him to vnderstand that you are a good Frenchman, and will neuer be a Spaniard, and that you can giue him Paris backe againe, and make peaceable vnto him all his kingdome, when hee shall haue been at Masse, and acknowledged our holy father, and vnder this baite and deceite, you haue drawne or gotten fortie thousand politike crownes for three moneths, which indeede should bee rated for foure,
A good arithmetician. euery one tenne thousand crownes a peece, making you to vnderstand that the Spanish King would pare and clip your distributions, if he knew that you treated concerning accord and agreement with heretikes. But it is discouered that secretly you send your agents to Rome and into Spaine, to lette that the Pope should not giue him absolution, if hee demaunde it, and to stirre vp the King of Spayne, to send new forces towards the frontiers, you thinke you are very subtile: but your subtleties and fetches are sowen together with white thred:
And therefore easilie discouered. in fine, all the worlde seeth them. For these politikes haue dragons in the fieldes, that take all your packets, and by diuelish arte diuine and decipher al your ciphers, as also those of the King of Spaine and of the Pope, though they bee neuer so subtile and craftie, so well that they know all your affaires, both at Rome, and at Madrill, and in Sauoy and in Germanie. You iuggle and deale craftily with all the world, and all the world doth deale so with you likewise. Danger there is that you become not that, that the Countie Saint Pol
[Page 79] constable of France, in the time of King Lewis the eleuenth was: who after that he had abused his master, and the Duke of Bourgongne,
That is, lost his head in the place of execution, as wee would say at Tiburne, or the tower hill. and the King of England all at one time, in the end was made Cardinall in Greue. As for being King of your head, looke not for it: your parte is perished, frozen, or runne into the fire: all your elders set themselues against it Your cousines competitors, would rather goe and departe to the other sides, than to indure it, the sixteene make no more account of you, for they say that they haue made you that that you are, and you hang them vp and diminish their number as much as you can, the people had hope vpon your word, that you would vnlock and open the riuer, and make the wares and trade free: but they see to the contrarie, that they are more locked vp and straitned than before, and that the bread and the small good they haue to liue of, commeth not thorow your well dooing nor by your valour, but of the liberalitie of the Biarnois, and of his good nature, or of the couetousnes of the getters of it, which drawe out of it all the profit. Briefelie, the greater parte beleeueth that you will prolong as long as you can, the Lieutenancie, in the which men haue placed you, and liue alwaies in warre and in trouble, and yet well to your ease, well serued, well intreated, well guarded of the Swissers and of the Archers, that there lacketh nothing, but the coates of armes, and the applause of the people to be King, whilest all the rest of the people dieth starke mad through famine. You will keepe the pledges, and bee the perpetuall person, who will haue the charge of, and looke well to the goods that are vacant, which hindereth and prolongeth, as much as hee can the deliuerance of the things cried, least hee should render an account.
Mōsieur Lieutenants lets. Besides you cannot be King by the mariage of the infant or daughter of Spaine, you are maried alreadie, and would you put your finger in the hole? For you haue ridden the olde one, that keepeth hirselfe well from the hee Goate: and besides there must bee ano
[...]her more
[Page 80] lustie fellow than your selfe, for this girle of thirtie yeres, blacke as pepper, and of an oken appetite. Moreouer though we should haue chosen you King, yet you should haue to doe with the Biarnois, who knoweth a thousand feates or prankes of Basque, and who sleepeth not but as much as he will, and at the houre that hee will, who making himselfe a catholike, as he threatneth you hee will doe, will drawe on his side all the potentates of Italie, and of Almaine, and withall, the heart of all the French gentry, or gentlemen of France: of which you see alreadie the greatest parte, with so many poore afflicted townes, wearie of their warre and of their pouertie, part to shake in the haft, and to make a writing of their retraict, that demaunde nothing else but that colour and good occasion, to withdrawe themselues from the couple, & therewith to couer or colour their repentance. Doe you dreame thereof, Monsieur the Lieutenant for the like you haue counterfeited the King, and yee haue farted against, or like the Biarnois, in edicts and declarations, in seales, in guardes, and great prouosts, and masters of requests of your house. Though you would burst, and would blow vp your selfe, great as an oxe, as doth the female frogge, yet shall you neuer be so great a Lord as he, although some say, that he hath not so much fat vpon all his bodie, as is able to feede a larke. But doe you knowe what you doe? I would counsell you, but that you haue been Bigamus, or haue had two wiues, to make your selfe an Abbot:
A good preferment for so great a seruice. whosoeuer shall be King, he will not refuse to bestow vpon you the Abby of Clugny, which is of your house: you loue a fatte soppe or brewis as wee say, and you thrust your selfe willingly into the kitchin: you haue a very ample and spacious belly, and so you shall be crowned, I say crowned with the same crowne, and your crowne made with the same cissers,
It needeth not: an honest man may be taken vpon his word. that Madam your sister saide hung at her girdle, to make the monkelike or frierlie crowne of the late Henrie of Valois. You will not demaund of me neither fidelitie nor
[Page 81] oath for this matter, but I am of this aduise. I will not speake here of Monsieur of Nemours, your
vterin (but the politikes say
adulterin) brother:
Speake cleanly for shame. he hath done his caca or needes in our little chests: he hath his purposes and attemptes by himselfe, and is like to Picrocolus, that by discourses well reasoned of, made himselfe Monarch of the world, foote by foote. If he can gouerne the King of beasts, as hee hath done the shippe of Paris, I will say that he hath skill to doe more, than Master Mousche, or flie. These beastes forget some times their gouernours, speciallie if they change their habite or attire: hee shall not bee ill parted with, if hee come to his pretentions, whereto you Monsieur the Lieutenant, and Monsieur of Lyons will doe him, I beleeue, very good offices. The whole summe, Messieurs, you are too many dogges to gnawe one boane: you are iealous and enuious one of another, and you can neuer tell how to agree, or liue without warre, that would put vs into worse estate than before. But I will tell you: let vs doe,
Deepe counsell. as they haue done in the consistorie, for the election or choyse of a holy father: when two Cardinals sued and laboured for the popedome, the other Cardinals, for feare they should incurre the hatred of the one or of the other, chose one amongst themselues, the weakest backed of them all, and made him Pope. Let vs doe so, you are foure or fiue robbers in the realme, all great Princes, and such as haue no want of appetite and stomacke. I am of aduise, that not one of you should be king: wherefore I giue my voyce to Guillot Fagotin, the keeper of Gentilly, a good vine dresser, and an honest man, who singeth well at the deske, and knoweth all his office or seruice booke by heart.
A worthie example. This will not be found without example, in such times as this is: witnesse the Harelle of Roane, where they made king one named le Grasse, or the fatte, one as wee would say, who was much worse aduised than Guillot. And thus you see whereupon I founde and grounde mine aduise. I haue read sometimes the great and diuine Philosopher
[Page 82] Plato, who saith, that those realmes are happie, where Philosophers are kings, and where kings are Philosophers. Now I know that it is little more than three yeares since that this good gardian of Gentilly and his familie, together with his kine meditated day and night Philosophie, in a hall of our colledge, in which there is more than two hundred good yeares, that men haue read and treated, and disputed publikely, philosophie, and all Aristotle,
The place sanctifieth the person with these men, in all matters. and all sortes of good morall bookes. It is not possible that this good man hauing raued, slumbred and slept, so many dayes and nights, within these philosophicall walles, where there haue been made so many skillfull lessons and disputes, and so many goodly wordes vttered, that there should not something thereof abide, that hath entred, pierced and penetrated into his braine, as it did to the poet Hesiodus, when hee had slept vpon mount Parnassus. And this is the cause why I persist and meane, that he may as well be king as another.
Now as Monsieur Roze ended these wordes, there sprong out a great murmuring amongst the deputies, some approuing, other some reprouing his opinion, and the princes and the princesses were seene, to whisper in the eare one of another: yea it was hard that Monsieur the Lieutenant saide very basely to the Legate, this foole here will marre all our misterie.
A prophesie and no lie. Notwithstanding, the foresaid Roze would haue continued his speech: but when hee sawe the noyse to begin againe, with a certaine generall clacking of hands, he rose vp in choler, and cried with a very loude and outstretched voyce. How now, Messieurs? Is it permitted here to speake what one thinketh? Haue not I libertie to speake and conclude my arguments, as Monsieur of Lyon hath done? I know well that if I had been a courtier as he, I should not haue named a person: for he hath charge from the clergie, to name Countie du Bouchage, Frier Angell, for the hope that this Prince louing change, would change also our miseries, into stroakes or blowes from heauen. But I pray
[Page 83] you keepe him to beare the golden torch in the battailes: for it ought to be enough for him, that he hath quite forsaken the bagge and the wallet. At these wordes euery one began againe to crie, to whistle, to hisse: and though the heraulds, the vshers, porters and all cried aloude,
Hush and be still: the word peace is a bull-begger. let euery man holde his tongue (not dating to speake the worde peace there) and that Monsieur the Lieutenant sundrie times commaunded them to make silence, yet it was not possible to appease the bruite and noise, in so much that the sayd Lord Rector, sweate, fret, fomed, and stroke with his foote, and seeing that there was no more meane to take his theame againe, cryed as loude as hee could, Messieurs, Messieurs, I see well that you are in the Court of King Petault, where eueryone is master. I leaue it to you, and you to your selues: let another speake: I haue spoken.
And thereupon he set himselfe downe againe, mumbling very much, and wiping the sweate from his forehead; and there scaped from him, as some say, certaine odoriferant belchings of the stomacke, that smelled of the perfume of his choller, with certain words in a low note, complaining that they had defrauded the assignation sent out of Spayne, for my masters the Doctors,
Good stuffe: but there can come nothing els from thēce. and that others had made their profite of it, but that this was the gold of Tholouze, which should cost them very dearely. At the last, the rumour beginning a little to bee reappeased, Monsieur du Rieu the younger, Countie and gardien or keeper of Pierre-font, deputie for the Nobilitie of France, apparrelled with a little cape, after the Spanish fashion, and a certaine high coppin tancked hat, lifted vp himselfe to speake, and hauing twise or thrise put his hand to his throate, which did itch, he began in forme following.
The oration of Monsieur d' Aubray for the third Estate.
BY our Ladie, Messieurs,
A patheticall exordium. you haue giuen vs a goodly speech. There is no neede now that our Curats should preach vnto vs, that we ought to drawe our selues out of the mudde, and to make our selues cleane. As touching that which I see by your discourse,
It is a maruaile, if euer they can come out. the poore Parisiens haue enough of it already within their bootes and it will bee very hard, to pull them out of the mudde and
[Page 92] mire. From henceforth it is time for vs to perceiue, that the false Catholicon of Spayne, is a drugge that taketh men by the nose: and that it is not without cause, that other nations call vs little quailes, because that as poore quailes that are hooded, and very credulous, the preachers and Sorbonists,
No vnfit resemblance. by their inchaunting quaile pipes, haue caused vs euen to giue our selues into the nettes of tyrants, who haue afterwards put vs into a cage, and shut vs vp within our walles to teach vs to sing: wee cannot but confesse, that wee are at this time taken and made greater seruants and slaues, than the Christians in Turkie, or the Iewes in Auignon. We haue no more either will or voyce in the chapiter or assembly. We haue no more any thing proper, or that wee may well say this is mine. You, Messieurs, that set your foote vpon our throate, and fill our houses with garnisons, haue and possesse all. Our priuiledges, franchises, freedomes and auncient liberties are ouerthrowne, and taken away. Our towne house, which I haue seene to bee the sure refuge of the succors of our kings in their vrgent and weightie affaires,
A sore change. is become a butcherie: our court of Parliament is none at all: our Sorbonne is a brothell house, and the vniuersitie become sauage or wilde. And yet the extremitie of our miseries is this, that in the middest of so many mischiefes and needes, it is not permitted vs to complaine, nor to demaunde succor, and hauing death as it were betweene our teeth, we must of necessitie say, that we are in good health,
A pittifull and iust complaint. and that we are very happie, to be so wretched for so good a cause. O Paris that art no more Paris, but a denne of outragious beasts, and a citadell of Spaniards, Wallons and Neapolitanes, a sanctuarie and sure retrait of robbers, murtherers and killers. Wilt thou neuer thinke againe of thy dignities, and remember thy selfe what thou hast been, in comparison of that thou art? Wilt thou neuer cure thy selfe of this frensie, that for a lawfull and gracious king, hast begotten vnto thy selfe fiftie little kings, or wrens rather, and yet fiftie tyrants?
[Page 93] Beholde thou art in irons:
The spanish Inquisition. beholde thou art in the inquisition of Spayne, more intollerable a thousand folde, and more hard to bee borne and indured of spirits, that are borne liberall and free (as French men are) than the most cruell deaths that Spaniards can deuise. Thou wast not able to beare a small augmentation and increase of taxes and offices, or some new edicts,
The fruites of senseles treason. that did not much import thee: and yet now thou indurest men to poll thy houses, to pill and to sacke thee euen vnto blood, to imprison the Senators to driue away, and banish thy good citizens, and counsellors, yea to hang and to murther thy principall magistrates. Thou seest this, thou indurest this: yea thou doest not onely indure it, but thou doest approue it and praise it, and thou darest not, neither canst thou tell how to doe otherwise. Thou couldest not support and beare with thy king, so gracious, so gentle, so easie, so familiar, that made himselfe a fellow citizen with thee, and burgesse of thy towne, that hee inriched thee, that he hath garnished thee with glorious and sumptuous buildings, increased thy forts and stately ramperts, and adorned thee with honorable priuiledges and immunities. What say I, couldest not support and beare with? It is much worse.
Kindenes rendred for good. Thou hast chased him out of his owne towne, out of his owne house, out of his owne bed. What, say I chased him? thou hast pursued him: what? pursued? thou hast murthered him, and canonized the murtherer for a saint, and made bonfires for his death. And now thou seest how much that death of his hath profited thee. For that is the cause why another is ascended into his place, much more watchfull, much more laborious, and a far better warriour, & that knoweth better to keepe thee in, somewhat more straitely, as to thy damage and hurt thou hast alreadie proued. I pray you, Messieurs, if it were permitted, to cast yet these last abois, in libertie, let vs a little consider, what good or what profit hath come vnto vs, by this detestable death, which our preachers did make vs beleeue, was the sole
[Page 94] and the onely meane to make vs blessed.
The great difference betweene good gouernement and tyrannie. But I cannot discourse vpon this poynte, but with very great griefe to see things in the estate in which they are, in comparison of that they were then. At that time, euery one had yet corne in his garner, and wine in his seller: euery one had his vessell of siluer or plate as we call it, his tapistrie, and his costly moueables: the women had then their girdles halfe of siluer: the reliques were hole and sound: they had not so much as touched the iewels of the crowne. But now who is there, that can boast that he hath whereof to liue for three weekes, vnles it be these theeues and robbers, that haue made themselues fat with the wealth of the people, and that haue on all hands pilled and polled the moueables, both of present and absent? Haue we not by little and little consumed all our prouisions, sould our moueables, molten our vessell, and pledged all that wee haue to the garments on our backs, to liue not onely poorely, but verie wretchedly and caytife like? Where are our halles and our chambers so well garnished, and so decked with diaper and tapistrie? Where are our feastes and bankets, and our licorous and daintie tables? Loe we are brought to milke and white cheese like the Swissers. Our bankets are of a bitte of biefe, yea the biefe of a cowe, for all the messes and seruices wee were wont to haue: and happie is he that hath not eaten the flesh of horses and of dogges: and happie is hee that alwaies hath had oaten bread, and coulde make a little paste of it, with the broath of brawne sold at the corner of the streetes, in the places where heretofore they did sell the delicious and daintie tongues, young quailes, and legges of mutton. And it hath not been long of Monsieur the Legate, and of the Embassador Mendoza, that we haue not eaten our fathers bones, as the sauage and wilde people of new Spayne doe.
If he can, he is a man of no sense. Can any man thinke of, or remember all these things without teares, and without horror? And they that in their conscience knowe well inough, that they are the cause thereof, can they
[Page 95] heare speake of these things without blushing and without apprehending the punishment that God reserueth for them, for so many euils and mischiefes whereof they are authors? Yea when they shall represent vnto themselues the images of so many poore citizens, as they haue seene fallen in the streetes, all starke and stone dead through famine: the little infants and sucking babes to die at the breasts of their languishing mothers, drawing the breast for nothing, and not finding what to sucke: the better sorte of the inhabitants, and the souldiers to goe through the towne, leaning vpon a staffe pale and feeble, more white and more wanne than images of stone, resembling rather ghosts than men:
If they be so good, how bad are the rest and the inhumaine and discourteous answer of some, euen of the Ecclesiasticall persons, who accused them, and threatned them, in steed of succouring or comforting them. Was there euer barbarousnes or crueltie like to that, which we haue seene and indured? Was there euer tyrannie and domination matchable to that, which we see and indure? Where is the honour of our vniuersitie? Where are the colledges? Where are the schollers? Where are the publike readings and lectures, to which people did run from all the partes of the world?
Bookes turned into blades, a good change. Where bee the religious students in the couents? They haue all taken armes, and beholde they are become all of them vnruly and wicked souldiers? Where are our chaffes? Where are our precious reliques? Some of them are molten and eaten vp: other some are buried in the grounde, for feare of robbers and sacreligious persons. Where is that reuerence that men caried once, to the people of the Church or Clergie, and to the sacred mysteries?
The diuell a lie it is. Euery one now maketh a religion after his owne manner, and diuine seruice, serueth for no other vse, but to deceiue the world through hypocrisie: the priests and preachers haue so set themselues on sale, and made themselues so contemptible, by their offensiue life, that men regarde them no more, nor their sermons neither, but when they are to be vsed to preach
[Page 96] and spread abroade some false newes. Where are the princes of the blood, that haue been alwaies sacred persons, euen as the pillars and staies of the crowne, and of the French Monarchie? Where are the Peeres of France, that should be the first here to opē to, & to honor the Estates? Al these names, are no more but the names of porters, wherof some make litter for the horses of the Messieurs of Spayne and of Lorraine. Where is the Maiestie and grauitie of the Parliament, heretofore the defender of Kings, and the mediator betweene the people and the Prince?
A prison, as we would say here, the Fleete or Tower. You haue caried it in triumph to the Bastille: and authoritie and iustice, ye haue led them captiue more insolently and more shameleslie, than the Turkes woulde haue done. You haue driuen away the best sorte of people, and retained none but rascals or of scourings: who are either full of passions or else base minded. Besides euen of them that doe remaine, ye will not suffer so few as foure or fiue to say what they thinke, and you threaten them also,
Hee meaneth some kinde of torture or torment. to giue them a billet, as vnto heretikes, or politikes. And yet you would make men beleeue, that that you doe, is for no other respect, but for the preseruation of religion, and of the estate. This is well said: but let vs a little examine your actions, and the cariage or behauiour of the King of Spayne towards vs: and if I lie one word,
A fearefull execration. let Monsieur Saint Denis, and Madame Saint Genuiefue, the great patrons of Fraunce neuer helpe me. I studied a little while in the schooles, and yet not so much as I desired: but since I haue seene diuers countries, and trauailed into Turkie, and thorow out all Natolia, and Sclauonia, euen vnto Archipelagus, and mare maior,
A good touchstone indeede. and Tripoli of Syria: where I found the saying of our Sauiour Christ to bee true: By their fruites yee shall know them. Men knowe sufficiently enough, what are the intentions and inuentions of men, by their works and by their effects. First, I will speake it (and yet with an honorable preface) that the King of Spayne,
A mannerly man. is a great prince, wise, subtill, and very aduised, the most mightie,
[Page 97] and hauing the greatest territories of all Christian princes, and that he should be yet so much the more, if all his lands, countries, and kingdomes were sure and ioyned one of them to another. But France which is betweene Spayne and the lowe countries, is the cause that his separa
[...]e and disioyned Lordships, cost him more than they are worth. For aboue all nations hee feareth the French,
No lie surely. Beare with bragging and lying a little. as that which he knoweth to be most noble, and to haue the greatest valure and impatience against the rest and rule of a strange people. And that is the cause, why being wise, prouident, and well counselled as hee is, since that hee was constrained to make that miserable peace which was sealed and signed by the death of our good King Henry the second,
Ah wilie foxe: but yet well discouered subtiltie. and not daring either openly to gainesay the same, or beginne waire, whilest that France was flourishing, vnited, agreed and of the same minde and will together, hee indeuoured to sowe diuision and discord amongst vs our selues: and so soone as hee sawe our princes to be miscontent, or to iarre amongst themselues, he did secretly and closely conueigh himselfe into the action, and incouraged the one of the sides, to nourish and foster our diuisions, and to make them immortall, and to busie our selues, to quarrell and fight one with another, yea to kill one another, that whilest these troubles were amongst vs, hee might bee left in peace, and so long as we did inweaken our selues, to grow & increase, without losse and lessening.
Plaine & pregnant proofes. This was the course and proceeding that hee held, after that hee sawe the princes of Vendosme, and of Condie malecontent, who also drew and caried with them the house of Montmorencie and of Chastillon, and to set themselues against the aduantageable aduancements and proceedings of your father, and of your Vncles (Monsieur Lieutenant) who had inuaded and vsurped all authoritie and kingly power,
Bleare eyed men and barbers, as it is in the prouerbe, are acquainted therewith. in the time of young King Frauncis their nephew. I speake nothing but that all Fraunce, euen to the smallest and basest of them, yea that the whole worlde knoweth.
[Page 98] For all the bloudie tragedies, which since that time haue been plaied vpon this pitifull scaffold of France, haue all of them been borne and proceeded from these first quarrels, and not from the diuersitie or difference of religions, as without reason men doe yet to this day, make the simple and idiots to beleeue. I am old and haue seene the affayres of the world, as much as another, yea by the grace of God, and the goodnes of my friends, I haue been Sheriffe, and prouost of the merchants also in this citie, in the time that men proceeded thereunto by free election, and that they did not constraine nor vse violence to men, for their suffrages and voyces, as you haue done,
Plaine speech and particular application. Monsieur Lieutenant, not long sithence minding and purposing to continue Monsieur Boucher at your deuotion. But I remēber yet those old times, as if it were but yesterday past, or this day present. I can remē ber well from the beginning of the quarell, that fell out betweene Monsieur your late father, and late Monsieur the Constable, which proceeded from no other cause, but from the iealousie of one of them ouer another, both of them being the great minions and fauourits of Henrie the second their master,
Figulus figulū
[...]dit, as it is in the prouerbe. as wee haue seene also Messieurs de Ioyeuse, and d'Espernō, vnder King Henrie the third his sonne. Their first falling out was for the estate of great Master, which the King had giuen to Monsieur your father, when he made Monsieur of Montmorency Constable, who had been great Master before, and who had the Kings promise, that the sayd estate should be reserued for his sonne. Another cause of their ill husbandrie, or bad carriage of themselues, was the Countie de Dampmartin, which both of them had gotten after diuers sorts:
Sum ego mihi metipsi proximus: I loue my selfe best. and being entred into suite about the same, Monsieur the Constable got it by an arrest or decree. This did so alter and chaunge them, that either of them indeuored to cast his cōpanion out of the saddle, or as we say, to set him beside the cushion. And from thence proceeded the voyage, that Monsieur your father made into
[Page 99] Italie, where he did no great matter, because that Monsieur the Constable (who caused him to bee sent thither, that so he might the more quietly, wholly and alone possesse the King) it may be hindred, or slacked the affayres: but he remained not long vnpunished for it: for he was taken afterwards on S. Laurence day, while your father was absent, who being returned, did by a certaine good happe, and the same indeed very wonderfull,
It was well done of the Guise to ouercome euil with well doing. take againe the townes of Picardie (which wee had lost) and Calais besides. And that he might the better reuenge himselfe of the euill dueties that he knew were done against him in his voyage, caused also the imprisonment of Monsieur the Constable to bee prolonged, and forgot no arte that might hinder or delay his deliuerance, which gaue an occasion to my Lords of Chastillon, to desire the ayde, and to cast themselues into the armes and protection of the King of Nauarre, this Kings father, and of Monsieur the Prince of Conde his brother, who had married their neece. Also these two great houses fell into factions and partakings, which were yet stirred vp and incensed by the contention begun betweene the Prince of Conde, & Monsieur d'Aumale your vncle, for the office of the colonel of the light horse: there was as yet no mētion of religion or Huguenots. Hardly did any know what was the doctrine of Caluin and Luther,
A little fire maketh a great flame. but by the death of them that we sawe burne stiffe in their opinions: and yet notwithstanding the matter of the warres, and of the enimities that we haue seene, were then in preparing, and hath continued vntill this present time. But the trueth is, that when my Lords of Chastillon, very couragious men, and not able to indure the iniuries offered them, saw that the fauour of your house did ouertoppe theirs, and that they had not any meane to finde credite and fauour about the King, by reason of the lets that they of your race & house cast in the way, they were counselled to withdraw themselues from the Court, and as they were in their retraite, they shewed themselues (but whether it were in good
[Page 100] earnest, or of policie and prudence I know not) to fauour the new Lutherans, who till then preached no where but in caues and dennes, and by little and little ioyned themselues with them in faction and intelligence,
It is not good to fall into the clawes and pawes of vnreasonable men. the rather to defend and keepe themselues from your father & your vncle, then to attempt any stirring or bringing in of noueltie, except then when the King, at the prouocation of your vncle (who had made the Pope to write vnto him thereabout) did himselfe take Monsieur d'Andelot at Crecy, and sent him prisoner to Melun. After this imprisonment, and that also of the Vidame of Chartres, and of certaine counsellors of parliament, fell out the violent and miraculous death of the King,
Whē the wicked rise vp, mē hide themselues. which exalted your house to the soueraigne degree of power, neere about the young King Francis: and on the other side, did abate and almost altogether beate downe the house of Monsieur the Constable, and of all those that did belong vnto him. And this was then when his kindred (voyde of all hope of ordinarie meanes, because that all was executed vnder the fauour of your allies) ioyned themselues in secrete intelligence with the Lutherans here and there scattered in diuers corners of the kingdom. And though they had as yet but little credit with them, as who were people vnknowne vnto them, and had not partaked, neither in the Supper, nor in Synode, or Consistorie, notwithstanding by the meanes of their agents, well skilled and practised in secrets, they made that memorable enterprise of Amboyse, and assembled from all the quarters of the world,
Taciturnitie a good virtue. and that with meruailous silence, such a great number of people, that they were readie at the day named, to accomplish a cruell execution vpon your side, vnder this pretext to deliuer the King out of the captiuitie,
A Iudas amongst the twelue. wherein your fathers and your vncles held him. But these good people could not keep themselues from traitors, whereupon followed the execution done at Amboise, which discouered also the authors of the faction. And thereupon insued the rigorous commaundement which they gaue to the King of Nauarre, and the imprisonment
[Page 101] of Monsieur the Prince of Conde in the estates at Orleans, and sundrie other heauie accidents too long now to recite:
Mens malice ouerthrowne when God will. which had continued and increased farre worse, if the sodaine death of the young King had not altered the course, and broken the blow, which some went about to cause to light vpon these chiefest princes of the bloud royall, and vpon the familie of Monsieur the Constable, and of the Chastillons. A man may easily iudge, how much your house was shaken and tossed, as it were by this vnlooked for death: and you may beleeue (Monsieur Lieutenant) that Monsieur your father, and Messieurs your vncles played all at one time, at one kinde of game or blushing,
A fit comparison. as you might do if a man should bring you newes of the death of your two brethren. But they lost not their courage no more then you doe: and had afterwards very good counsels and consolations from the King of Spayne (of whom we will speake by and by) who during these first dissentions was vpon the skoutes, and watched to whom hee might offer his fauour, and how he might blow and stirre the fire, on the one side & on the other, to make it to increase to that power and greatnes, in which we haue seene it,
Holy purposes for so catholike a prince. and doe yet now see it burne and consume all France, which is the finall but of his pretensions. Vpon hope then of the support of so great a prince, which would not spare to promise men & money, your father without being astonished with so lumpish a fall, perceiuing the King of Nauarre to be placed in his ranke of the first prince of the bloud, for the sauegard of young king Charles, and Monsieur the Constable put in his charge or office againe, knew so well & rightly to play his ball, that he practised them both, and drew them to his lure, against their owne brethren,
The recouerie of Nauarre & some such conceits. and against their owne kinsmen: feeding one of them with a hope that I dare not speake of, and flattering the other by submissions and honors, that he bestowed vpon him. And this he did so artificially and wel, that entring againe into the paths and waies that he had forsaken, and
[Page 102] taking his old aduantage, after that Monsieur the Prince of Conde was set at libertie (who had fairely preuented him but two or three daies onely) he went with a number of men of warre, and in great troupes, to seize the young King and the Queene his mother at Fountainebleau, & brought them to Melun. And this was then when my sayd Lord the Prince, and Messieurs of Chastillon, perceiuing themselues, neither by their head, nor by their houses, strong enough to resist so puissant enemies, couered with kingly authoritie and power, became Lutherans at one clap, and declared themselues to be heads & protectors of the new heretikes, whom they called to their succour, and by their meanes did in open warre seaze and take many great townes of the kingdome, without making yet any mention of their religion, but onely for the defence of the King and of his mother, and to deliuer them out of the captiuitie & bondage, wherein Monsieur your father held them. And you Monsieur Lieutenant know, that these people alwaies boasted, that what they did as in this behalfe, it was at the request and commandement of the Queene Mother, whose letters written and sent by her to them for that purpose, they haue caused to be published and imprinted. You are not ignorant of that which passed in this warre, and how afterwards the King of Spayne sent your father succour, but yet the same such,
Fit fellowes to fight a field. as I am ashamed to speake of it: al labourers and handicrafts men, gathered together, who would neuer fight at the battaile of Dreux, but couered themselues with the wagons and carriages appoynted for the baggage. Notwithstanding, this was a baite to inkindle the courage of the partakers, and to cause them to hope that they should indeed some other time doe some aduantageable thing, if they would yet once again come to fight together. But afterwards the diuers changings and alterations of our affayres, did indeed offer vnto the Spanyard another sport. For your father being dead, and peace being made, knowing notwithstanding these
[Page 103] mightie families animated and stifly set one of them against another, and that without hope of reconciliation,
When a bad cannot preuaile, a worse will be prouided. he practised Monsieur the Cardinall your vncle (which on his behalfe did not sleepe) to maintaine the troubles and diuisions in this realme, vnder the beautifull name of religion, of which in former time mē made little or no account. Monsieur your vncle,
Cardinall of Lorraine commended. being (as he was indeed) wittie, and pleasing whom he would, had skill in such sort to gaine the heart of the Queene Mother, and the Queene Mother the heart of the King her sonne, that he perswaded them, specially the Queene mother, that Messieurs the Princes of Bourbon, ayded by them of Montmorency and Chastillon, sought nothing but her ruine, and would neuer bee quiet or leaue off, till they had driuen her out of the realme, and sent her into Italie to her kinsfolkes. God pardon that good Ladie.
A deuout praier for a holie woman. But for the apprehension and conceit that she had of these things, I feare much that she was the cause of many euils, that we saw in her time. For vpon this matter, she did so hate thē, that she neuer ceased till she had destroyed them, as she did the one of them in the battaile of Iarnac, and the other at the massacre of S. Bartholomew, where if all they of Montmorency had been found, they had had no better market of it then the rest. To which poynt Messieur your vncle, did very nimbly put his hand, and valiantly pushed or lifted at the wheele, that so he might put fire in the head of that young King Charles: without whose death wee neede not doubt, but that he had had the like scorne, that Monsieur the Mareschall of Montmorency gaue him and Monsieur your brother in this towne, whē he made them do all in their breeches,
Doubtie Dukes, and very cleanly. because they bare weapons and armour forbidden them, without his passeport and leaue. But it seemeth, that the sodaine death of these their Kings one after another, did alwaies breake & set out of square the goodly attempts of your house, and saued, or at the least prolonged the liues of your principall enemies. Now let vs come to that which fell out
[Page 104] afterwards, for it is time to speak of you, and of Monsieur your brother, who began from that time forward to appeare in armes, and to walke in the footsteps and tracts of your predecessors.
A fardle of frumps against Duke du Mayenne. You haue alreadie caused your valours and valiances to appeare in the siege of Poictiers, which you brauely defended, contrarie to the aduise of the first husband of Madame la Lieutenant, Monsieur of Montpezat, your predecessor, who counselled you to forsake all, and to get you packing thence. Afterwards you were at the battaile of Montcontour: and after that, at the iourney or exployt done vpon S. Bartholomews day: where the companions on the other side were taken napping, if not on sleepe, and prouoked to say, whence come you.
Cardinall of Lorraine. And though Monsieur your vncle at that time was turning ouer his portuise in Italie, yet the play was not performed without his intermedling, and seeking to haue the King of Spaynes approbation of it, & the Popes absolution, touching the marriage, which seemed for a lure, and a trappe also to the Huguenots. Afterwards you continued your blowes at the siege of Rochel, where mē did perceiue, that he that is at this day the King of Nauarre, and Monsieur your brother, were but one heart & one soule:
Men may maske, but dissimulation wil break out. and their great puritie and familiaritie, ingendred ielousie and suspition in all the world. But we must come to the matter. When you sawe that King Charles was dead, who otherwise did not loue you very much, & had sundrie times repeated the saying of the great King Francis,
For he had no cause so to do. whereof he himselfe had made these foure verses, now very rife and common in euery mans mouth.
King Francis was no whit beguiled,
When he foretold that the Guisian race
Would spoyle his sonnes of all they had,
And leaue his subiects in worse case.
A steppe to the scepter as they thought.When you saw him, I say dead without children, and the late King his brother married with your barren and vnfruitfull cousin, you began (Monsieur your brother and you I meane) to attempt and assay many practises and
[Page 105] plots, which many people sayd were the cause of all our miseries. I am not of that number which beleeue that Messieurs your father and vncle, had from their time layd the foundation of the building that your brother & you haue builded since, though there bee that speake of the notes of Dauid and of Piles, who haue better then Nostradamus prognosticated & foretold all that which we haue seene since their death: and though some assure vs, that Monsieur your vncle,
Cardinall of Lorraine. had framed a certaine forme of all the order that was to beheld therein. But I cannot beleeue, that he that had as much vnderstanding as a mā could haue, could hope to make his nephewes kings of France, seeing as yet three brethren, children of the Kings house in the right line, all of thē very puissant, and in the floure of their age, readie to be married; and he could not diuine or gesse, that they should dye without issue, as they did afterwards. Besides, hee sawe a great number of the Princes of the royall bloud, that kept not themselues warme with the robe of heretikes; that should haue cut off all hope from his desires. I knowe very well that in his time, he was the author that the Archdeacon of Thoul writ this much, that those of the house of Lorraine were descended from Charles the great, by the males,
A pedigree published, but to small purpose. that is to say, of Charles Duke of Lorraine, to whom the kingdome appertained, after the death of Lewes the fifth king of France: and that Hugh Capet hauing taken him at Laon, and brought him and his wife prisoner to Orleans, he had a sonne or male child, of whom he affirmed the Dukes of Lorraine are descended: this was vnder hand cast amongst the people,
As all did well perceiue. and you were neuer a whit grieued with it, though that the common and true histories doe plainly enough shew and witnesse, that there was an interruption & breaking off of males in the race of Lorraine, by two women, and namely in the wife of Godfrey of Bouillon, named Idain. So the sayd Archdeacon made an honourable amends for it,
A worthie Archdeacon. according to the arrest and sentence giuen against him, and like a lewd fellowe,
[Page 106] and sloathfull, or fainthearted man, vnsayd that he had spoken. But in fine, there was small appearance, that at that time my sayd Lord your vncle could aspire to the kingdome, hauing so many hinderances and heads, either to fight against,
Two worthie waies to work by. or to cause to dye by the sword, or by poyson. It is very true, that euen from his beginning, he was very ambitious and desirous of greatnes, and of the gouernment of the state, more then any other of his age: and I make no doubt of it, but that he desired to possesse the Kings, and to haue held them, had hee been able, in tutorship and vnder gouernment, as in olde time the Maiors of the palace did, that so he might dispose of all according to his pleasure, and set vp or pull downe those whom hee had listed:
Wicked mens purposes and practises are vaine. which is the thing whereto commonly the greatest aspire Notwithstanding, being almost come thereunto, while he was liuing, he gathered together and prepared for you the materiall stuffe, with which you haue built this proued attempt, with your foot to hold the crowne of France, hauing left in your hand, first great riches, great estates, the chiefe offices & charges of the kingdome, great gouernments, many souldiers bound by good turnes done them, many seruants also, great intelligences with the Pope & the King of Spayne, and other Princes your kinsfolkes and allies: and which is more, a great opinion amongst the common people, that you were good Catholikes and sworne enemies to the Huguenots. You knew very well how to make great profite to your selues by these preparations, and sundrie sorts of stuffe, which ye found after his death, all readie to bring vnto the worke. When I say you, I meane your self brethren and cousins. After King Charles his death, many things succeeded well to you one after another,
Diuers deuises to strengthen the Guisian faction. and to very good purpose. First the barrennes of the King, or of your cousin his wife: then the retraite and absence of the King of Nauarre, of which you were in part a cause, for the distrusts into which you brought him: and after that the diuision and dissention between the King and Monsieur
[Page 107] the Duke his brother, whereof you were the onely authors and promoters, vnder hand and closely sharpening the spirits of the one against the other, and secretly promising them to ayd them. Another thing wherewith you thought to strengthen your selues well, was the assistance that Messieurs the Princes of Conty and of Soyssons, yeelded for a time to the King of Nauarre their cousin germane, when they sawe that the things you went about, were directly against all their familie, and that you boasted you would supplant or vndermine them: for thereupon you vndertooke the matter, which you haue neuer since forsaken or forgotten, namely, to cause to be comprehended by and vnder the Popes bull,
If Spayne play not a part in this pageant, nothing can be done. and by oths and protestations of the King of Spayne, neuer to approue hereticall princes, nor the children of heretikes, and then ye found out and first deuised these goodly names of adherents and fautors of heretikes. After all this, ye made your practises with the King of Spayne more openly, and assured your conditions, and couenanted then for your pensions, promising him the kingdome of Nauarre & Bern for his share, with the townes that should serue his turne in Picardie and Champagne, and ye communed with him concerning the meanes, that you would vse to get hold of the estate. And the pretext that ye pretended thereto, was the wicked gouernment of the king,
Good pretexts to countenāce a bad cause. the prodigalities which he bestowed vpon his two minions, Esperon and Mercurie, whereof you drew one to your owne line, which was thought neuer a whit the better. You imployed all your diligence to make the poore prince odious to his people: you counselled him to raise the taxes, to inuent new imposts, to create newe officers, by which you your selues profited: for some did maintaine to Monsieur your brother at Chartres, after the barricades, that he had receiued halfe the money of three edicts made to fill the purse, and which also were very pernicious or hurtfull,
Fine deuises to shred him of his king
[...]ome. whereof notwithstanding you cast and layd the hatred vpon that poore king,
[Page 108] whom you made to muse vpon and dwell in ridiculous deuotions, whilest you your selues sued for the good fauour of the people, and contrarie to his liking, tooke vpō you the charge and conducting of great armies, drawing vnto you the heads and captaines of warre, & courting and making much of in words, the very simple and meane souldiers, that ye might get them to bee on your side, practising the townes, buying the gouernmēts, and putting into the best places gouernours & folke at your owne deuotion. And this was then that you conceiued the kingdome present almost (euen as the appetite commeth many times by eating) when you sawe King Henry without hope of issue, the chiefe Princes accounted for heretikes,
He must needs goe that the diuell driueth. or fautors of heretikes, the Consistorie of Rome to lay the raines or bridle in your necke, and the King of Spayne to giue you the spurre. You had no more to hinder you, but the late Monsieur, who was a shrewd hollow dreamer, and who vnderstood well with what wood you warmed your selues. He must be dispatched out of the way: and Salcede his testament discouered vnto vs the meanes of it:
Who can stād against such deadly attēpts. but force preuailing not, poyson did the deede. All your seruants foretold this his death more then three moneths before it came to passe. Afterwards ye made no more small mouths, or spake closely for the dissembling of your purpose: you went no more creeping as cunnies, nor in secret: but you plainly layd open your selues. And yet notwithstanding the better to set forward your affayres, you would make honest people beleeue, that this was for the publique benefite, and for the defence of the Catholique religion,
Catholike religion a fayre pretext. which is a pretext and cloake that seditious persons and stirrers vp of nouelties, haue alwaies taken to couer themselues withall. Into this insensible net you drew that good man Monsieur the Cardinall of Bourbon, a prince without malice, and ye were able so cunningly to turne and wind him, that yee seized him with a foolish and vndiscreet ambition, that in the end ye might deale with him, as the cat doth with the mouse, that is to say, after ye had plaied
[Page 109] with him, to eate him vp.
No vnapt cō parison. No vntrue exposition. You drew thereunto sundry Lordes of the Realme, diuers gentlemen and captaines, many cities, townes, and communalties: and amongst others this miserable citie, which suffered it selfe to bee taken as it were with birde lime, partly by reason of the hatred that they had against the misdemeanours of the late King: partly also by reason of the impression, which you put into them, that the Catholike religion would vtterly be ouerthrowne, if the King did die without childrē, & the succession of the kingdom shuld come to the King of Nauar, who called himself the first prince of the blood. Hereupon you forged & framed your first declaration or manifestatiō, that had not in it so much as one only word of religiō, but you did indeed demaund therein,
They will hardly agree with others that dissent frō themselues. that al the states, & gouernments of this kingdome, shuld be taken from them that possessed them, and were not at your deuotion, which escape you amended in your second declaration, by the counsell of Rosne, who (to the end hee might set al on a fire) said, that there needed nothing else but the setting out of religion: and then you preached vnto vs, of a Synod at Montauban,
A fine deuise to foster the fire of faction in Fraunce. and of a diet in Germanie, where you saide that all the Huguenots of the worlde had plotted together, to seize the Kingdome of Fraunce, and to drawe the priests out of it. Some verily beleeued you, yea and I my selfe (who am not of the craftiest) had some opinion thereof, and thereupon ioyned my selfe with this partie, for the feare that I alwaies had, to forgoe my religion: many good people did as my selfe, that are for all that in no better estate. The others that demaunded nothing but newe hurlie burlies and stirres, made shew as though they did beleeue it. Sundry saffron sellers, indebted and bankrouts,
A braue band and a very holy company. yea stubborn and criminous persons, and such as were worthy of death for the offences they had committed, followed you, as people that had neede of ciuill warre. Hauing thus plaied your part, and receiued many doublons or double duckets out of Spaine, you put your selues into the fieldes,
[Page 110] with a very good and braue armie.
Whether it were or not the fact was euil. Some say that this, was not done without the knowledge and consent of Queene mother, who loued troubles, that shee might make her selfe necessary, and a person to be imployed in doing all thinges, whereunto she was very apt and fitte. But as much Italicanated and craftie as she was, yet she was deceiued therein For at the first she did not beleeue, that your desseignes and attempts did fly so high, and did not discouer the lampe or light, which brake out somewhat late after that you had set your foote so forwarde, that there was no more meane for you to retire, this being not very likely, though she had conceiued some discontentment against, and mislike of her sonne, (who indeed suffered himselfe to be gouerned rather by others, than by her) that she would suffer him to fall,
Yet natural people commit vnnatural things. and to see him depriued of the crowne, to establish your brother therein, in whom she trusted not but for fashion sake only. Wherefore the aide that that good Ladie yeelded you, was not to destroy her sonne, but to bring him to humilitie and acknowledgment of his fault: which she thinking she had done by your meane, she caused you afterwards to disperse your armie, which serued you for no other purpose, but to acquaint you with your forces, and to extort by violence,
Law against law. this edict of Iulie, which did frustrate and disanull all the other edicts, made for pacification, and did yet once againe renew fire, fagot, slaughter, and all in Fraunce against the Huguenots. But you continued not in so faire and good a way. For hauing vnderstood, that the good townes that had promised you to rise vp for you against the King, (when they should see you in the fields with an armie) had failed you and were yet retained, with some feare & reuerence of the name of Kings, and of the ro
[...]all maiestie: you practised without vnarming your selues,
And who wil not
[...]u
[...]h things make almost desperate. and that within al the cities & townes, you practised I say, such of the inhabitants, as you knew had any credit, or dignitie aboue the people. You corrupted some by money, that came to you in great abundance
[Page 111] out of Spaine: other some ye corrupted by promises of riches, offices, benefices: and other some by impunitie of the faultes they had committed, and for which they were pursued by iustice and lawe: but principally you prepared your engines against this miserable citie,
For what wil not wicked men do to obtaine their purpose? where you forgot no art or cunning, and that euen vnto the most abiect and shamefull submitting of your selues, that so you might winne and obtaine the simple people. Your brother went for that purpose to arme himselfe in Champagne, and Bourgongne, that so he might surprize and take the places appertaining to the King, and not those of the Huguenots, whereof there was no speech in that country, sauing at Sedan,
Two armies and neuer a good or godly leader. where hee accomplished his businesses very ill. And you Monsieur the Lieutenant went into Guienne, with a mightie armie, to watch the occasion to play your part: and this in my minde is the reason, that yee performed no greater matter there, because ye would temporize, and looke to giue your blow on the other side, as not long sithence you sayd. But the heretikes of Xaintongne, ceased not to mocke you therfore: for vpon your returne, they made a little rime in their prittle prattle, which deserueth that you shuld know it, and lo it is this.
Lift vp ye vaults your great gates I say,
Fine frumps in verse though not of the best.
Ye gates of Paris lift vp and giue way.
For so there shall enter the Duke of glory,
Who a hundred Huguenots to kill,
A thousand papists hath slaine with good will:
Hath he not well gotten thereby?
The quatraine or foure verses also that in those quarters were made therof are common, touching the townes and places which ye tooke.
Oronce is a goose, and Theuet a ducke perchance,
Two Geographers.
Who in setting out the mappe or card of Fraunce,
Haue forgot to put downe, or els left out in disdaine
The townes & castles, that this great Duke hath taine.
I will not speake of the goodly taking that you made,
[Page 112] of the castle of Fronsac,
No, but rather he should be arraigned for it, at a better barre. and of a young Ladie that was there, who was the heire of the house of Caumont. That deserueth not to bee rehearsed in this good companie, though that that good man de la Vanguyon, died for griefe of it, neuer being able to haue iustice against you for it. Neither indeede was this any thing in comparison of that that you had purposed to doe in this towne vpon your returne, whereof you know that I know some thing, though not all.
Who could haue knowne this, and haue beene silent. For I knewe not, that at that time you had plotted to take the King in the
Louure, and to kill, or to imprison all his best and chiefest seruants, if the Lieutenant of the Prouost Hardy had not reuealed it, who discouered all your assemblies and enterprises by their limits and bounds: and was the cause that the King well aduertised thereof, caused to bee taken, both the great and little castle, the Arsenac, and the towne house, and hartened and strengthened his gards, that he might hinder the execution of your purpose and attempt. You will confesse,
A little pitie, spilleth a citie. I am sure, that had hee done then, that which he should and could, that both you and all your agents and facients had been cast away, whom they then knewe by their names, and by their surnames, euen as well as when they were declared afterwards. But they proceeded therein too gently, and that by the counsell those, which then saide, and yet at this day affirme, that we must not prouoke or sharpen any thing. Afterwards you ceased not to practise and solicite all the world,
They will prophecie for old shoes. euen openly, and principally the preachers and curates, vpon whom you bestowed some small part of your double duckets: you sent another armie into Guyenne, whereof you made great account, and which you thought should either haue shut vp or taken the King of Nauarre. Oh goodly things, you went and thrust headlong, euen into death and destruction, that yong Lord, being ouer presumptuous of the hopes that you had giuen him, that he should be the King of Tholoze. Your brother had other forces on foote, that stood him in good steed, to bea
[...]e
[Page 113] backe the Reisters,
Pride goet
[...] before shame. that came to the succour of the Huguenots of Guyenne: and you Monsieur the Lieutenant, must needs goe thither in person, and yet you were not able to hinder their passage. And if he had had no more but you and yours, who would needs meddle therewithall (whatsoeuer thing ye would make men beleeue to the contrary) they had come to drinke our wine euen at our gates, and you had beene brought to a marueilous exigent. And yet forsooth you would haue all the glory of their ouerthrow giuen to you, and robbe therof the King and his good seruants, who temporizing therein, and setting themselues against their passage ouer the riuer Seyne, brought and wrought the greatest effects thereof,
Some grow great by other mens actions. that indeed got you a great deale of honor and fauour amongst the Parisiens, the greatest part whereof knewe not as yet at what you aimed: but they that were partakers of your secretes, and that then first tooke the name of zealous catholikes, made alreadie a God of your brother, called vpon him in their affliction, and had recourse vnto him, when men did threaten them with the King & iustice. Whereupon he became so proud, rash and headie, that he durst enter into this citie with eight horse only, and that against the very expresse forbidding, that the King had giuen him concerning the same, although we know well enough, that hee had appointed fiue or sixe hundred horsemen,
No pageant without the Pope play a part. that should the same day approch & draw nigh vnto him. Pope Xistus the fifth could well declare what punishment that deserued, when he vnderstood the newes of it, and would not haue failed to haue done and executed the same, had such a thing fallen out to him. But the good mother and the counsellors made by her hand,
It is vnnatural to be for others against her sonne. and according to her humor (of whom wee haue yet too many remaining) were able so aptly to stāpe and imprint feare, in the feeble spirit of this poore prince, that he durst enterprise nothing, lest hee should exasperate the Parisiens, and lest he might yet bring againe the troubles and miseries of warre into his kingdome. For
[Page 114] albeit he loued not the Huguenots more than you, yet so it fell out that hauing a long time tried their selfe willednes and stubbornes, and seeing that to no purpose, they went about to ouercome them, and to carry them to reason, by the violence of warre, hee resolued with himselfe, no more to assay or vse forcible meanes or waies,
Or rather lesse crueltie. but by a more gracious remedie began to drawe them vnto his obedience, and to the acknowledgement of their former faultes, depriuing them of his court and of his company, of honours, charges, gouernements, offices, and benefices, from which the greatest part of them were grieued to see themselues excluded, which fell out so prosperously,
Mischieuous policie. that I cannot but aduow that their forces were lesse earnest and more diminished by fiue or sixe yeeres of peace, than by tenne yeeres of open warre. And there sprong vp no new Huguenots, the old waxing colde and wearie also of the length of their troubles, and the greatest number of them permitting their children to become catholikes, that so they might bee made partakers of honors, and benefits, or good turnes, as well as others. But you and yours, being impatient of peace, and hauing alwaies small regard of religion, so that you might come to your attempts and purposes, would not suffer this trā quillitie,
Fit similitude. which was not healthfull or good for you. You had learned that fishing was the best, when the water was most troubled, so that indeede you neuer had had rest, had you not seene borne this goodly day of the barricades, which hath ruinated and ouerthrowne both vs to you, and you to vs. Albeit it bee notorious and euident enough, and your brother were he liuing would not deny it, and all they that were of the enterprise or attempt, and are here present will confesse it with mee, that if the King would haue vsed his power and authoritie, wee had beene that day all cast away, he being very certaine, that you were preuented and ouertaken three whole dayes, and that the day of the exploit, which should haue been done, was not appointed but vpon the Sunday. So well,
[Page 115] that the King,
When men will not take opportunitie, and vse the meanes God hath giuen them, good reason they should smart. who knew all the enterprise (though those that came neerest vnto his persō indeuoured to disswade him, and to turne him away from beleeuing the reportes which wee made vnto him thereof) had his Swissers, and his gards, and other men of warre all readie before day, who had alreadie taken the places, foure corner streetes or wayes, and quarters of the citie, the morninge before that your brother or any of his enterprisers or accomplices were awake, who (as you know) vnderstanding vpon his awaking that which was passed, thought himselfe so surprised, ouertaken and vndone, that hee expected nothing else, but that they would come to besiege, and take, or kill him in the house of Guise, where he was resolute to defend himselfe, with his sworde onely, hauing for that purpose as yet made no preparation of any armour or weapons, least they should come thither to search, and to take away al suspition concerning him. After the same manner the sixteene, and the most mutinous of the faction, hid themselues in caues and holes, and in their friends and neighbours houses, looking for nothing but present death,
Euery one that euill dooth, hateth the light. yea there was none of them so hardie, as that he durst be seene or appeare in the streete, except it were more than eyght or nine of the clocke at night. So that the King was able enough, and that without any resistance, to haue seized vpon them, and vpon your brother also, and absolutely to haue established his authoritie againe, if hee would haue suffered his men of warre, to haue laide about them with their hands, and to haue charged the first, that aduanced themselues to make the barricadoes, and to stoppe the passages of the streetes. But his fearefulnes,
A mitigation but how true, let mē regarde: or rather his naturall goodnes, together with the impressions, that his mother, and his traiterous counsellors had wrought in him, hindred him from vsing the aduantage which hee had in his hand or power, causing all his men of warre, to be forbidden to strike or hurt any person, and to keep themselues quiet, without enterprising any thing, or offering
[Page 116] violence to any of the inhabitants, which was the cause, that the mutinous taking heart and courage vpon the waies of their plotted enterprise, had leasure to arme themselues, and to shut vp as it were betweene two gulfes or streames those that before they durst not looke in the face. And your brother also, seeing that they were so slow to come to take him, there came vnto him, and that from all quar
[...]ers, people in armes, whome those of the Kings side did let freelie passe, because they had no charge giuen them to looke to him, and knowing that they of his part, began to acknowledge him, and to make head in the quarters,
A dastard in the faint hartednes of his foe gathereth strength. according to the order that they had before plotted, of a desperate man that he was, he became fully assured and resolute, and sent his appoynted gentlemen through the streetes and quarters of the citie, to assist and encourage the inhabitants to take the gates and places. For his part, after that he was hartened by a great number of men of armes, who had their meeting at his lodging, he went out of his house, about tenne or an eleuen of the clocke, that he might be seene in the streetes, and by his presence giue them the signe of a generall reuolt, which presently set fire in the head of all the conspirators, who as madde and furious people, fell vpon the Kings Swissers, and cut them all in peeces, and the other men of warre seeing themselues shut vp betweene two barricadoes,
They that spare others are smitten themselues. before and behinde, without daring to defend themselues, because that the King had forbidden it them, yeelded themselues to the mercie of your brother,
Crueltie couered with clemencie. who caused them to bee conducted in safetie out of the towne, which hee did not so much of clemencie and gentlenes, that was naturall in him, as by sleight and subtiltie, the better to come to his last but, which was to seize himselfe of the King, whom he sawe to be in armes, and vpō his guardes in the house of Louvre, hardly to be forced so readily, without great murther. His cūning therfore was to spin gently, & to counterfeite a man of poore estate, saying that he was greatly grieued with that that
[Page 117] had fallen out: in the meane season he visited the streetes, to incourage the inhabitants, hee assured himselfe of the strong places, hee made himselfe master of the arsenac, where he had good intelligence with Selincourt,
Who it should seeme, was as it were the master of the ordinance. that he might haue the Cannon, the pouder & bullets at his deuotion. He besotted with faire words, the poore knight that kept the watch, who yeelded him the Bastille, because he lacked good furniture for defence of it. He lacked nothing but the Louvre. He had the palace: but that was no hard thing, because it held not the master, who had a backe gate, to withdrawe himselfe. And this was the cause why step by step, they aduanced the barricades, that so they might gaine the new gate, & that also of S. Honorus.
He was sure in a pittifull taking But the poore prince well aduertised of that, which they purposed to do, & that they ment nothing against others but him, neither daring to trust his mother, neither the gouernour of Paris that then was, that intertained him with speech, & with agreement, tooke a couragious resolutiō, and such a one as was approoued by many good people, which was to flie away, and to leaue the place and al, with which your brother thought himselfe much astonished,
Some mens feare, spoyles other of their hope.
A vehement exclamation, and worthie wish doubtles. seeing the praye that hee supposed hee had in his snares, was escaped from him. O memorable feaste of the barricades. Let thy eeuens, and thy octaues be long. From that time hitherto, what haue wee had but wretchednes and pouertie? But anguishes, feares, tremblings, onsets, ouerthrowes, defiances, and all sortes of miseries? These were nothing else but subtilties, craftes, dissimulations and counterfeitings, on the one side, and on the other, practised and managed by him that could best take it, and that could deceiue his companion: yea, began to goe cheeke by
[...]ole with your master, and because you were not able to take him by open force, you tooke counsell, to set vpon him by crafte and subtiltie. You made shew, as though you had been heauie and sad for that which fell out,
The Crocodiles teares. specially to thē whom you sent vnto him, but to straungers you braued it, and vaunted your
[Page 118] selues,
Out of ore fountain commeth sweet & sowre water. that you were masters of all, and that there was no let but in your selues, that you were not Kings: and that in that day of the barricadoes, you had gotten more, then if you had gained three battailes or foughten fields. Concerning which matter, your owne letters, and those of your agents, giue large credit. You sent diuers times sundrie sorts of Ambassadors to the King, as well to Roan, as to Chartres, to make him beleeue that the people of Paris were then more at his deuotion then euer, and that they did desire to see him, and to welcome him into his good citie, and you indeuoured nothing but to draw him thither, that so you might perfit the busines begun. But he would doe nothing in that matter, and so he did well. In fine, after manifold declarations, which you drew from him (whereof he was no niggard) in which was shewed how he did forget and remit all that was past (wherein you would neuer suffer to bee vsed the word of pardoning) you went and carried your selues very churlishly and vnciuilly in the promoting of the Estates,
The more the wicked are forborne, the worse they are. wherein you promised vnto your selues, that all should passe at your pleasure, by the meanes of your running vp and downe, and suites that you made in the election of the deputies of the prouinces. In which neuer did any man see such shamelesnes as you vsed, that sent from citie to citie, and from towne to towne, to cause men of your faction to bee chosen,
Fie vpon such free election. that they might come to the foresayd estates prepared with notes and furnished with remembrances fit for your purpose: whereof some were chosen by violence, othersome by corruption of money or briberie, and othersome thorowe feare and threatnings. Amongst others from this towne you sent the president de Nully, la Chapelle Marteau, Compan, Rowland, and the aduocate of Orleans, who were euen in open shewe the principall authors of the rebellion, and the instruments which you most vsed to deceiue the people. What neede is there to rehearse here that which passed in the sayd Estates of Bloys,
The Lord is knowne by executing iudgement: the wicked is snared in the workes of his owne hands: Marke this, marke this. and how God blinded the eyes of
[Page 119] them of your familie, that they might goe and throwe themselues into the ditch or pit which they had prepared for another man? Then when ye thought to be aloft euen aboue the winde, after that goodly fundamentall lawe, by which you declared the late Cardinall of Bourbon to bee the first prince of the bloud, and the King of Nauarre vnworthie euer to succeed to the crowne, as also his cousins, adherents, fauourers of heretikes: euen thē I say, behold a great storme that tooke away those two great pillers of the faith, Messieurs your brethren, the one naming himselfe Lieutenant generall, great Master and Constable of France, and the other the Patriarch of the French Church, and cast them into such a deepe gulfe of the sea, that they were neuer seene nor heard of since. Was not this thinke you,
Yes surely was it. a great stroake or blow from heauen, and a wonderfull iudgement of God, that they that thought to hold their master in a chaine, and made an account to leade him within three daies, by force or otherwise, into this towne, to cause him to be shauen for a monke, and shut vp in a Cloyster, should sodainly finde and feele themselues taken and shut vp by him, whom they thought to intrap and take? Some are of this mind, and haue not spared to speake it, that you Monsieur the Lieutenant, being iealous of the greatnes and high fortune of Mōsieur your brother,
If he did so it was well, though that he a, med at therein was euill. did aduertise the King that dead is, of the enterprise they had in hand, to leade him away, and that you admonished him to make haste to preuent it. Whether this bee true yea or no, I report mee to your selfe: but this is a matter very vulgar and common, that Madame d'Aurnale your cousin, was expresly at Bloys, to discouer all the secret to the King: where she lost not her labour and some say that her husband & she would from thence forward haue been banqueroute to the League, if the King would haue giuen him the gouernment of Picardie and of Boulongne,
A charitable, but whether a true iudgement, it is vncertaine. and haue payd his debts. Concerning your selfe, I thinke not that you had so dastardly and wicked a minde to betray your brethren,
[Page 120] and men know wel enough, that you were called to come and to bee present at the mariage, where they would haue made you of their liuerie. But whether it were that you distrusted the inclosing, or that you would not hazard all three together, you kept your selfe at Liōs vpon the scoutes, to watch the issue and execution of the enterprise, which was farre otherwise then you hoped for, and it missed but a very little, that you your selfe had not been of the play, sauing that Seigneur Alphonsus Corse was somewhat before you, or indeed a little too forward. Madame your sister had the same feare that you had,
A shrewd womans wit. who knowing the newes, thought not her selfe sure enough in the suburbes, but got her selfe into the towne. Oh how had we been now at peace and quietnes, if this prince had had the courage to haue proceeded further, and to haue continued these blowes and stroakes?
Bitter effects following wāt of execution of iustice. Then surely we should not haue seene Monsieur of Lions sit so nigh you, and seruing you for a gunner, or instrument, to performe your practises and his owne by at Rome and in Spayne, and to hinder by his sermons, and his reasons coloured with religiō, that we cannot haue peace, which we stand so much in neede of. Then we should not haue seene the furious administrations and gouernments of Marteau, Nully, Compan, and Rowland, who haue brought the people to desperation, if that iustice (the credit and renowne wherof we haue carried hitherto) should after their apprehension be executed, as indeed it ought. Then should we not haue seene all the other great cities and townes burne with the fire of rebellion, as they doe, if their deputies had passed by the same order. But the gentlenes of that King (who in no sort was bloudie) was content to see his principall enemie and competitor beaten downe and ouerthrowne:
A pitie marring all. and then he rested or staied when he should most liuely and quickly haue pursued his way. Notwithstanding, if the Lord d'Antragues had done that which hee promised for the reducing of Orleans, (which he thought to heale, as he had indeede spoyled it)
[Page 121] and had he not suffered himselfe to be out runne and preuented by S. Maurice and Rossieux,
As haste many times maketh waste, so there is a foreslowing that worketh great mischiefe. matters had not been so farre out of square, as they were for want of giuing order to that first tumult: whither you came vpon the very beginning of their first reuolt, and incouraged them to rebell, and to be in good earnest obstinate: and according to their example you caused vs to doe as much. Afterwards, euen as it were very sodainly, this fire inflamed all the great cities and townes of this kingdome, & there are very fewe thereof that can boast they were exempted therefrom, so skilfull were you,
Wilie and wicked perswasions may doe much: men are so inclined to the worst. nimbly to practise men of all sides. And thereupon to make vs without hope of reconciliation to our Lord and Master, you caused vs to make out our processe against him: you caused vs to hang and to burne his picture: you forbad vs to speake of him, but in the qualitie of a tyrant: you caused him to be excommunicate: you caused him to bee execrate, detested, and accursed, by the Curats, by the Preachers, and by little children in their prayers. And can any thing so horrible and fearful be spoken or alleadged, as that which you caused to be done to Bussie the Clerke,
A fit instrument for such a foule fact. the pettie aduocate, accustomed to kneele vpon his knees before the court of parliament, of which he had the heartie affection and loue; and the great rage to goe and take him from the venerable seate of soueraigne iustice, and to leade him capture and prisoner in triumph thorow the streetes, euen vnto his fort and denne of the Bastille, from whence he came not out but in peeces, with a thousand concussions, exactions, and villanies, which he exercised against honest and good people besides? I cease to speake of the pilling of sundrie rich houses, the selling of precious moueables, the imprisoning and raunsoming of the inhabitants and gentlemen, that they knewe to haue money, and to be furnished with siluer,
New baptisms in poperie, besides them that are done at the font. whom they baptized with and called by the names of politikes, or adherents, and fauourers of heretikes. And vpon this speech, there was made a pleasant rime of that time, which I thinke
[Page 122] worthie to bee inserted into the registers and quiets of our estates.
To know them that are politikes,
Adherents, or fauourers of heretikes:
Let them be close and hid as you can,
You neede little more, but these verses to scan.
He that of times or men doth complaine,
In this golden world wherein we remaine:
He that all his goods will not freely bring
To vphold this cause, is iust worth nothing:
He that is slow to the vnion to sweare:
He that his well furred gowne daily doth weare,
In steed of putting on his harnois:
He that saith not the Biarnois,
But saith the King, and him doth allow,
And at the sixteene doth mocke and mow:
Thinking them men farre from all credit still
That murmureth at them, or of them speaketh ill:
That by the fourtie a figge doth not set,
That hath not his beard after the League very net:
That hath seene letters from the other side of the land,
Trust you not in all this, beware at any hand,
That with the Princes and states doth not goe,
That at Easter heareth Masses two and no moe:
That hath not his beades about his big necke,
Deserueth therefore a halter, rather then a checke.
That is greatly grieued when they him call out
To watch at the gate, or by night to be a skout:
To be called to the trenches, or to the rampart,
He is none of the right side, he hath no good hart.
He that speakes of peace, or conceiues thereof hope,
Shall be sure to feele the fagot or the rope.
He that much trusteth in his odde deuotions,
And runneth vp and downe in all processions,
Ʋsing many prayers and often pilgrimages,
If therewith he intermingle in his suffrages
A poore sigh and say, Lord some peace doe vs giue,
[Page 123]
He is at the least an adherent, not worthie to liue.
And though that he make a faire shewe euery houre,
Take heed he white you not with meale or with flowre.
He that loueth not these men preach to heare
Commelet, Guincestre, and Bouchar the Friar:
Or that willingly doth not bid, God speede
To Louchard, Morliere, or la Rue indeede:
He is a Maheutre, and a very sorie man,
Worse by much then a Turke, or a Mahometan.
He that honoureth not the Lordship say I
Of Baston, Machault, and of Acarie:
And that hath sayd, at any time or place,
That the law will not goe vpright in any case,
Who askes at his window by night or day
Of his next neighbours, what this meane may
By so many alarmes, and Toxsains also,
That all the saints doth not feare on a row,
That the good and renowmed feast pardie
Of Barricades the blest hath not kept holie.
He that reuerently hath not spoken or ment
Of the bloudie knife of Frier Iames Clement,
Who, then when Bichon, or els Niuell
Some newes did print or began to tell,
Doubteth thereof and enquireth of the author,
I will pawne my credit he is sure a fautor.
Some others there are that men marke full well
With a more sure marke, then any we doe tell,
S. Cosme, Oliuier, and the Clerke Bussy,
Lay hands on these galants and bring them to me,
They are so, and why so? this is most sure,
The money they haue in their purse you cannot indure.
I haue kept these verses by heart or in memorie, because they are so common, that women and little children haue learned them, and because there can bee nothing more naturally put downe, to expresse our proceedings,
It commeth now well in to lay open their sinne. and the manner that wee haue vsed to finde out money and siluer. But they had forgotten to set in order
[Page 124] therein the gold of Molan, and the treasure of the great Prior of Champagne, who holpe vs to set forward your voyage to Tours: which indeede was neither long, nor of great effect. For after that you had brought I knowe not what troupe (gathered together of people mislead thorow error, and with a loue and desire of noueltie, that you had put into their heads) to braue your master, whom you thought to take vnprouided, or els in hope that they of Tours would make some tumult, to deliuer him into your hands, so soone as you saw that they spake vnto you with cannon shot, & that the King of Nauarre was come, to assist and succour his brother, hauing a notable interest and care indeede, that hee might not fall into your hands,
The vngodly flieth, when no mā almost pursueth. feare at the shew & sight of the white scarfes, did so seize and take hold of you, that you must needes retire with diligence, and that by wandring waies, where there were no stones. And this your foule flying you would haue couered with the request, that we made vnto you to succour vs against the courses of Messieurs de Longueville,
Better a bad excuse, then none at all. de la Nouë, and d'Givry, after the shamefull leuie of the siege of Senlis. And being here, you distrusted your selfe, that they would not long delay to followe you at your heeles, hauing two so mightie whelps at your taile. Whereupon you gaue some order for the defence of Paris,
[...] such Phi
[...]ns. but it was by a medicine against poyson, worse (if wee had taken it) then the disease it selfe would or could haue been. And this was then when the Parisiens began to perceiue, and see guests liuing at their owne discretion and pleasure in their houses, contrary to all the ancient priuiledges, granted them by the former Kings: but these were but little fleurets or filips, in comparison of that which wee suffered afterwards, and yet notwithstanding you suffered them to take euen before and vnder your nose Estampes and Pontoise, without succouring of thē. And you seeing that they returned vpon you, minding either to draw you foorth to the field, or to shut you vp within our walles, you I say did then well perceiue by the
[Page 125] proceeding of the Kings affayres, that yours went continually to ruine,
Neede made them monkes, or to vse mōks. and that there was now no more meane to saue & deliuer you, but a blow or stroake from heauen, which was by the death of your master, your benefactor, your prince, your king. I say your king, for I perceiue emphasis or force in this, word which importeth a person, consecrated, annoynted, & highly esteemed of God, as a mean betwixt angels & men, or as a man may say, mingled or made of thē both. For how shuld it be possible, that one man alone, weake, naked, vnarmed, could command so many hundred thousand men,
A reasonable good speech. and make himselfe to be feared, followed and obeyed, in all his pleasures, if he had not, as wee may say, some diuinitie or some part or parcell of the power of God intermingled therewith? as some say that the spirits intermingle, and cast the thunder betweene, and within the clowdes, in which they make these straunge and fearfull fires, that doe very farre and much passe the materiall and elementarie fire? I will not say, that you were he that chose particularly that wicked fellowe, which hell created,
He meaneth Frier Iames Clement. to goe and giue that execrable blowe, which the very furies of hell themselues would haue feared to haue done. But it is very evident, that before he went about this accursed enterprise,
Sometimes it is not amisse to be a blabbe of a mans tongue. you saw him, and I could well tell the places where, and the times when, if I would. You incouraged him: you promised him Abbeyes, Bishoprickes, mountaines and meruailes, and ye left the rest to bee done to Madame your sister, to the Iesuits, and to the Prior of his order, who passed some what further, & promised him nothing lesse, thē a place in paradise aboue the Apostles, if it fell out that he were martyred. That it was so, & that ye were very well aduertised of all the mysterie or secret, you caused the people, that spake of yeelding themselues to be preached vnto and taught, that they would yet haue patience but seuen or eight daies,
Good reason: all lead by one murthering spirit. and that before the ende of the weeke, they should see some great matter, that should set vs in our former rest and quietnes. The preachers of
[Page 126] Roan, of Orleans, and of Amiens, preached it at the same time, and in the same tearmes. Afterwarde so soone as your Frier possessed with a diuell was departed, you caused to bee arrested and apprehended for prisoners in this citie, more than two hundred of the principall citizens and others, whom yee thought to haue goods & friends, and to be of credit with them of the Kings side, as a precaution or forewarning, wherwith you purposed to serue your selues,
The name of some diuel, signifying therby the murtherer Clement. to redeeme that wicked Astaroth, in case he were either taken before the facte or after the facte. For hauing the pledge of so many honest men, you supposed that they durst neuer put that murtherer to death, because of the threatning which yee had giuen out, that yee would cause to die in the way of change for him, those whom you kept prisoners: who in truth are much bound to them, that in a headlong heate or choller, slewe with the blowes of their rapiers that wicked wretch, after hee had giuen his stroake. And you your selfe ought not lesse to thanke them. For had they suffred him to liue (as they might haue done) and put him into the hands of iustice,
It is almost as wel discouered now. we had had the whole thread of the enterprise, naturally and liuely deducted, and you had beene there incouched in white clothes, for a marke of your disloyaltie and felonie, that neuer would haue beene blotted out. But God did no so permit it, and we know not yet the end wherto he keepeth you. For if the examples of former times doe carrie with them any consequence,
A very large assertion, but yet for the most part true. to iudge of the affaires of the time present, wee neuer sawe yet vassall or subiecte, that enterprised to driue his Prince out of his kingdome, to die in his bed. I will not strengthen this maxime or rule, by many histories, nor resute those, which our preachers alledge, to defende and iustifie that horrible act. I will speake of no more but two, the one out of the Bible, and the other out of the Romane histories. You haue heard it may be, some preach, that those that slew Absalom, though he were vp in armes against his father, his King, and his countrie, were notwithstanding
[Page 127] punished with death,
A man shall hardly see such iustice in Frāce or Spaine. by the commaundement of Dauid, against whom hee made warre. If you haue read the conflicts that were made between Galba, Otho, and Vitellius, for the Empire of Rome, you haue read & found that Vitellius put to death, more then sixe hundred men, who bragged that they had slaine Galba his predecessor, & had presented a petition to be recompenced therfore:
It may be he meaneth Machiuel. which he did not, as saith the author (who at this day serueth insteede of an Euangelist to many) for the friendship that he caried to Galba, nor for the honour that hee ment to doe him, but to teach all princes to assure their life and their present estate, and to cause them, that shuld dare to attempt any thing against their persons, to know & vnderstand, that an other prince their successor (though perhaps their enemie) after some one sort or other would reueng their death. And this is the cause, wherefore you Monsieur the Lieutenant had great wrong, to make shew of so great ioy,
Woe to them that laugh now, for they shal weepe. hauing knowne the newes of that cruell accident that befel him, by whose death you should enter into the waies of the kingdome. You made bonfires, or fires of reioycing, where you should indeed haue obserued funerals▪ you tooke indeed a greene scarfe in token of reioycing, whereas ye ought to haue doubled and redoubled your blackes in signe of mourning.
Good & imitable exāples. You should haue imitated Dauid, who caused Saules bones to be gathered together, and to bee honorably buried, although that by the meanes of his death, he remained a peaceable King, and lost thereby his greatest enemie. Or to haue done as Alexander the great, who caused sumptuous obsequies to bee made for Darius: or as Iulius Caesar, who wept with hotte and bitter reares, vnderstanding of the death of Pompey his competitor, and deadly aduersary, and put them to death that had slaine him.
What could a man of a base and bad mind doe els? But you cōtrarie to the practises of these great personages, did laugh, & make feastes and bonfires, and all fortes of ioy, when you vnderstoode of the cruell death of him, from whome you held all that you and your predecessors had or haue, of wealth, of honour, and of authoritie. And not content
[Page 128] with these common reioycings, which did sufficiētly witnesse, how much you approued this accursed acte, you caused the murtherers picture to be made, & shewed it publikely abroad,
All this whatsoeuer, is but the reward of iniquitie. as if it had beene of a canonized saint. You caused his mother and kinred to be sought out, that you might enrich them with publike almes, to the end that this might be a lure, and a baite for others, that would vndertake to giue yet such an other blowe, to the King of Nauar, vnder hope & assurāce, which they might receiue by the example of this new martyr, that after their death, they shuld be so sanctified, & their kinred wel recōpensed. But I wil not further examine your conscience, nor prognosticate vnto you,
A plaine and true speech. that which may fall out vnto you for this fact. But Gods word must needes be false and ful of lying (which it is not nor cānot be) if you do not very quickly receiue the wages & hire that God promiseth to manquellers and murtherers, as your brother did, for hauing slaine the late Admirall. But I will leaue this matter to the diuines to treate hereof, that so I may come to put you in minde of a great and stale faulte, which you committed at the very same time. For sith you feared not in so many places to declare, that your speciall marke was to raigne and be a King, you had then, and by reason of the blow, a good occasion offered you to cause your selfe to be chosen King, and you might better then haue attayned thereto, than you can at this present, when you sue,
Many deuises are in mans heart: but the Lords purposes shall stand for euer. ride, runne, corrupt and all to get it. The Cardinall of Bourbon (to whom vnaduisedly you gaue the title of the King) was a prisoner. Your nephew (vpon whome they did bestowe all the commendations and glorie of his father) was so likewise, and neither the one nor the other could hurte you therein or hinder you, as your nephew doth at this day: you had yet the people harmed, earnest and running after noueltie and change, who had a great opinion of your valour, from which you are much fallen since, and I make no doubt but that you had caried it away, thorow the hatred of the lawfull successor, who
[Page 129] was notoriouslie knowne to be a Hugue not. And besides, you had diuers preachers, who had laide out a thousand reasons to perswade the people, that the Crowne did belong rather to you than to him.
Nay foule and false. The occasion for it was faire, namely, the changing of it from one line to another. And although it bee all but one familie, and of the same stalke, as we may say, notwithstāding the distāce of more than ten degrees (in which the doctors say, there ceaseth all the bond and right of consanguinitie) made a goodly shew, although that Doctor Baldus hath written, that this rule faileth in the familie of the Bourbonians. Wherunto adde, that you had the force and the fauour of the time in your hand, wherewith you could not serue your owne turne, or helpe your selfe, but rather, thorough a certaine fainthartednes, and very foule and grosse cowardise, you would obserue forsooth some little modestie, and forme of the ciuill lawe, giuing the title of the King to a poore priest that was a prisoner:
The Cardinall of Bourbon. although that in all other things, you did shameleslie violate all the lawes of the realme, and all lawe besides of God and of man, whether it were naturall or ciuill. You forgot all the maximaes and rules of our great masters, touching the matter of enterprise, vpon the estates of an other man, euen that of Iulius Caesar, which oftentimes for his excuse and defence spake these verses, out of a certaine Greeke Poet.
If that thou must needes wicked be, be so a kingdome to obtaine:
But yet in other things be iust, and eke the lawes maintaine.
You were afraide to take the title of a King,
Stumble at a straw, and leap ouer a blocke. and yet you were not afraide to vsurpe the power of it, which you disguised and masked, with a qualitie or estate altogether new, & such a one, as was neuer heard spoken of in Fraunce? And I knowe not, who was the author thereof, yet some attribute it to the president Brisson, or to Ianin. But whosoeuer inuented this expedient, fayled in the termes of Grammer, and of Estate also.
A fitte and good reason. They might haue giuen you the name of Regent, or of Lieutenant generall
[Page 130] of the King, as they haue done sometimes heretofore, when the Kings were prisoners, or absent off their kingdome and realme. But Lieutenant of the estate and Crowne, is a title vnheard of, & very strange, which also hath too lōg a taile, as it were a chimer, or mōster against nature that maketh little children afraid. Whosoeuer is a Lieutenant, is Lieutenant to another whose, place he holdeth, & who is not able to do his functiō or office, by reason of his absence, or some other hinderance or let: and a Lieutenant is the Lieutenant of some other mā: but to say that a man shuld be the Lieutenāt of a thing without life, as the estate or crowne of a King, is a very absurd thing, & such a one as cannot be mainteined. And it had bin more tolerable to say, Lieutenant in the estate and crowne of France, than Lieutenāt of the estate. But this is but a smal matter to faile in speech or words,
A true assertion. in cōparison of failing in deeds. When you were clothed and cloaked with this goodly qualitie, you did so rudely & roughly empty our purses, that you had the meane to raise vp a great armie, with the which you promised to pursue, besiege, take and bring prisoner,
He that reckoneth without his host must count againe. this newe successor to the crowne, who did not call himself Lieutenant, but in plaine termes King. You had made vs then to gard and keep our places, & to hire shops in S. Anthonies street, that we might see him passe in chaines, whē ye brought him prisoner from Diepe, what did yee withal this great armie, (very grosse indeed by al your strāge succours, of Italie, of Spaine, & of Germanie,
The horse and man are prepared against the day of battell, but victorie is from the Lord.) but to lay opē and cause to be knowne your own reachles weaknes, & vnorderly gouernment, not so much as once daring with thirtie thousand mē, to set vpon fiue or sixe thousand, which gaue you the head at Arques, and in the end constrained you, shamefully to turne your backs, & you your selues to seeke surety & safety, in the riuer of Somme? We were greatly deceiued, when in steede of seeing this new King in the Bastile, wee beheld him in our suburbs, with his armie as a certaine lightning or clap of warre, that preuented our thoughts, & yours also.
[Page 131] But you came and succoured vs,
A needlesse worke. then when we were assured, that he would do vs no hurt. And we must confesse, that without the resistance that one (who is at this day his seruant) made against him at the gate of Bussy, he had taken vs before you arriued. From that time hitherto, you haue done nothing in your Lieutenancy worthy the remembrance, but the establishment of your councell of fourtie persons, and of sixteene,
If this be his commendation, praise him for tyrannie. which you haue since reuoked and scattered, as much as you could. And whilest that you laboured the aduancement and estate of your owne house, and that you suffered your imagined King to wast & weare away in prison, without succouring him, either with mony or with meanes, to maintaine his royall estate: he that is King indeed, put himselfe in possession of Dunoys, of Vendosmois, of Maine, of Perch, and of the better part of Normandie, in so much that at the last, whē hee had in conquering compassed the third parte of his kingdome, you were constrained, partly thorow shame,
Fit motiues for such manner of men. partly thorow despaire, & partly thorow mens importunitie towards you, to come before him, or into his sight, then when hee besieged Dreux, where hee shewed you a tricke of an old souldier, that so he might haue the better meane to fight with you. For he raised his siege, & made shew to retire into Perche, to draw you on more forward & to cause you to passe the riuers in following of him: but so soone as hee sawe you were ouer, and incamped in the plaine, he turned his face directly vpon you, & gaue you the battel,
It is all one with God to ouercome by few, or by many. which you lost more for lacke of courage and good guidance, than for want of mē, the number of those on your side farre passing his. And yet in this great affliction you could not refraine your selfe from giuing vs a newe deuised tale (which is a common thing with you) you and your sister feeding vs with lies and false newes, and the more to comforte vs in this losse, you went about to make vs beleeue that the Biarnois was dead, whose face you durst not looke vpon,
They were wont to say: a dead mā hurteth none. nor attende his recountring of you. But wee saw this dead man quickly after, nigh vnto our gates, and you your selfe were
[Page 132] so afrayd of his shadowe, that you were not at leisure to repose or rest your selfe, till you were passed into Flanders, where you made that goodly market with the Duke of Parma, which sithence hath cost vs so deare, & which hath so ruinated your reputation, and ouerthrowne your honor, that I see not any meane at all, able for euer hereafter to raise you vp againe.
The Spanyards he meaneth, and it is no lye: as also in particular the Prince of Parma. For in steed of being a master, you went and made your selfe a seruant and a slaue, of the most insolent and proudest nation vnder heauen: and you your selfe serued the most cruell and ambicious man that you were able to chuse, as afterwards you proued, whē he made you to serue him as a boy doth his master at tennise, yea to lackey after him, and to waite at his gate, before he would giue you an answere, though when it came it was of very small importance also. Which thing the gentlemen of France that accompanied you, despised and disdained, and you alone were not ashamed to make your selfe vile and abiect, dishonouring your linage, race & nation, so much were you transported with a desire of reuenge and ambition. But in the middest of these indignities, and dishonest submissions, which you made to the preiudice of the name of France, and of your qualitie,
Carefulnes & painefulnes, two good vertues. our new Kings staied not, nor kept holie day, as we say, for want of worke: for he shut vp our riuer aboue and below, by taking Mante, Poissy, Corbeil, Melun, and Montreau: after that he came & tooke from vs the plaine of France, by the taking of S. Denis. That being done, there was no more difficultie to besiege vs, as indeed we were by and by after. What did you to succour vs? or rather what did you not to cast vs away, and to make vs most miserable?
A kinde and carefull Captaine. I will not speake that, which some haue reported of you, that ye did commōly say, that the taking of this citie should be more hurtfull to your enemie than profitable, and that his armie should bee destroyed and dispersed in taking of it. I could neuer beleeue, that ye would haue taken pleasure to see your wife, your childrē, your brother, & your sister, to fall into the enemies hand,
[Page 133] and to stand at their mercie: And yet we must needs say, that the time which you set to come to succour vs was so long,
Hee giueth twise that giueth in good season: then what is the contrarie. that it made vs readie many times to fall into despaire: and I beleeue, that if the King had demanded some terme or time of you to take vs in, he would not haue demanded more, than you would haue giuen him. Oh how happie had we bin, if we had bin taken the morowe after we were first besieged? Oh how rich should we haue bin now had we made that lost? But we haue burned in a smal fire: we haue languished and yet we are not healed.
A worthy & no vnfit comparison. Then should the valiant and victorious souldier haue taken away our moueables, but we shuld haue had siluer to haue ransomed and redeemed them againe: but since, we haue eaten vp our moueables, and our money also. It may be hee would haue inforced some women and maides: yet surely he would haue spared the most noble, and thē that had had any abilitie to heale or to helpe their chastitie, by respect or by friendes: but sithence they haue of themselues put themselues into the stewes, and are yet therin, thorow the force and power of necessitie, which is much more violent, and of longer infamie and ill name, than the transitorie and short violence of the souldier, which is dissembled, and is presently buried & forgotten, wheras this is spread abroad, is continued, and becommeth at the last a very shamelesse custome without returning.
Nothing spared in an anarchie or confusion. Our reliques had been safe and sound: the auncient iewels of the crowne of our Kinges had not beene molten as they are: our suburbs had been in their former estate, and inhabited as they were, whereas now they are ruinated, forsaken, beaten downe and spoyled: our citie had been rich, wealthie, and well peopled as it was: our rents due to the towne house, should haue been paid, whereas you drawe out the marrow thereof, and the last pennie: our farmes in the countrie had beene laboured and tilled, and we should haue receiued the reuenewes thereof, whereas nowe they are abandoned, forsaken, and vnoccupied. We should not haue seene die a hundred thousand men,
[Page 134] by famine,
A pitiful spectacle, and yet who had remorse. sorrow, & pouertie, who died within the space of three moneths in the streets and in the hospitals, without mercie or succour. We should yet haue seene our vniuersitie flourishing and frequented, where it is now altogether solitarie and left alone, seruing now for no other vse, but for peasants, and for the kine and beasts of the villages nigh thereto. We should haue seene our palace replenished with honourable persons of all qualities and estates,
The differēce between good gouernment and tyranny. and the hall and the gallerie with Mercers, Haberdashers, &c. continually full of people: whereas now we see none but idle loyterers walking vp & downe at large; and greene grasse grow there, where men had hardly roome or space to stirre themselues: the shops of our streetes had been garnished with artisans and handicrafts men, whereas now they are emptie and shut vp. We should haue had presse and multitude of carres, chariots, and coches vpon our bridges, whereas now in eight daies space we saw but one onely passe, and that was the Popes Legates.
Mischiefs foreseene and not remedied, increase griefe. Our storehouses & market places should haue been couered with beasts, full of corne, of wine, of hay and of wood. Our places appoynted for selling of victuals, and our markets had been thronged with the prease and multitude of merchants, and of victuals, where now they are all voyd and emptie, and we haue nothing but at the mercie of the souldiers of S. Denis, of the fort de Gournay, Chevreuse, and Corbeil. Ha Monsieur the Lieutenant, suffer mee as in this regard, to vse one exclamation, by the way of some short digression, besides the course (I confesse) and order of my oration, that I may bewaile the pitiful estate of this citie the Queene of cities, of this little world, and the abridgment of the world it selfe! Ha ye my masters the deputies of Lions,
Happie is he who is warned by other mens harmes. Tholouze, Roā, Amiens, Troies, & Orleans, look vpon vs, & take example by vs. Let our miseries make you wise by our losses. You all know well enough what we haue been, & now ye see what we are. All of you know in what a gulfe & bottomles pit of desolation we haue been thorow this long and miserable siege: & if you do not know it, reade the historie
[Page 135] of Iosephus touchi
[...]g the wars of the Iewes,
Former examples and ours alike in many things. & the besieging of Ierusalē by Titus, which doth naturally & liuely expresse this of our citie. There is nothing in the world that may be so well compared one with another as Ierusalem and Paris, excepting the issue and end of the siege. Ierusalem was the greatest, the richest, and the best peopled citie of the world: so was Paris.
Which did her head lift vp as farre aboue all other townes,
As the firre tree aboue the furze, or briers that vse doe clownes.
Ierusalem could not indure the holy Prophets,
All that haue grace may profite by this comparison as well as Paris. that laid before them their errors and idolatries: & Paris could not suffer her Pastors & Curats that blamed & accused her superstitious & foolish vanities, and the ambition of her princes. We made warre against the Curats of S. Eustachius, and of S. Mederic, because they told vs our faults, & did foretell the miseries and mischiefe that should come vpon vs therefore. Ierusalem put to death her King & her annoynted one, of the race and stock of Dauid, & caused him to be betraied by one of his disciples, & of his owne nation: Paris hath chased & driuen away her prince, her king, her natural annointed one, & afterwards caused him to be betraied & murthered by one of her Friers. The doctors of Ierusalē gaue the people to vnderstand that their king had a diuel within him,
God will cut out & destroy lying tongues: but they regard not that. in whose name he wrought his miracles: Our preachers and doctors haue they not preached this vnto vs, that our late king was a sorcerer, & that he worshipped the diuel, in whose name he did al his deuotions? Yea some haue bin so impudent & shameles to shewe in the pulpit publikely to their hearers, certaine shapes or images made according to their own pleasure & fantasie, which they did sweare was the idoll of the diuel, that that tyrant did worship: so lewdly did they speak of their master and of their king. These same doctors of Ierusalem proued by the scriptures, that Iesus Christ deserued to dye, and cryed with a lowd voyce,
Wee haue a lawe, and according to the lawe he ought to dye. And haue not our preachers and Sorbonists, proued and approued,
The diuel will alleadge scripture, but yet not rightly. by their texts applied according to their owne fantasie, that it was permitted, yea praise worthie and meritorious
[Page 136] to kill the King? and haue they not yet preached it after his death? Within Ierusalem there were three factions, which caused themselues to be called by diuerse names, but the most wicked of them, called themselues zealous, and were assisted with the Idumeans that were strangers. Paris hath been tossed and vexed altogether in the selfe same sorte, with three factions, that is of Lorraine, Spayne, and the sixteene, participating of both the other two, vnder the same name of zealous, who haue their Eleazars,
A pretie allusion, and yet no illusion. and their Zacharies, & Acaries, and more Iohns, than there were in Ierusalem. Ierusalem was besieged by Titus, a Prince of diuers religiō from the Iewes, he going at that time to the hazards and dangers of the assault, as a simple souldier, and yet so gentle and gracious was he, that he procured himselfe thereby to be called the delights of mankinde. Paris was besieged by a Prince of a differing religion, but yet more courteous and gentle, more bolde also, and readie to goe to the blowes,
Would to God he had neuer strēgthned your hope or heart that way. than euer was Titus. Besides, Titus would not innouate or change any thing in the religion of the Iewes, no more doth this prince in ours, but contrariwise giueth vs hope, that one daye hee will imbrace it and that very shortly. Ierusalem suffered all extremitie, before it would acknowledge a fault, and acknowledging it, had no more power to redresse it, and was hindred from it by the heads of the faction. How much haue we suffered before we would know our selues? And since our sufferings, how often haue we desired, that wee might yeelde, if wee had not beene hindred therefrom by them that holde vs vnder the yoke? Ierusalem had the fort of Anthonia, the temple and the fort of Sion, that bridled the people, and let them that they could not stirre nor complaine. We haue the forte of S. Anthonie, the temple & the Louvre, as it were the forte of Sion,
Comparisons fitte enough. that serue vs for snaffles and for bittes, to holde vs in and to bring vs to the appetite of the gouernours. Iosephus, of the same nation and religion that the Iewes were, exhorted them to preuent
[Page 137] the wrath of God, and made them vnderstand, that they themselues destroyed their temples, their sacrifices, and their religion, for which they sayd they fought, and yet for it would doe nothing.
Good counsell not regarded, bringeth sundrie mischiefs. We haue had in the middest of vs many good French citizens, and catholikes euen as our selues, that haue giuen vs the like exhortations, and declared by good reasons, that our selfe-willednes, and our ciuill warres, would ouerthrow the Catholike religion, & the Church, & all ecclesiasticall order, causing the priests, religious men and religious women and all, to fall to wicked life, wasting benefices, and abolishing Gods seruice, throughout all the plaine countrie, and notwithstanding we persisted as before, without hauing any pitie of so many desolate and straying soules, forsaken also of their pastors, which languished and pined away, without religiō, without feeding, and without administration of any Sacrament. In fine, sith we agree together,
Like sinnes, like punishments. and are like in so many meetings of things to the citie of Ierusalem, what other thing can we look for, than a whole ruine and vtter desolation, as theirs was, vnles God by an extraordinarie miracle, giue vs againe our right wit and sense? For it is impossible that wee can any longer time indure thus, being alreadie so beatē down, fainting & sluggish with lōg sicknes, that the very sighs and groanes which we fetch, are nothing els, but the very hickcockes or pangs going before death. We are shut vp pressed, inuaded,
And that is not very good. cōpassed in on all sides, and wee take not the ayre, but the stinking ayre that is within our walles, from our myres and sinkes, for all the rest of the ayre, from the libertie of the fields is withheld from vs. Wherfore ye free cities, learne, learne, I say, by our damage and losse, to gouerne your selues from this time forward, after another fashion, & suffer not your selues to be mislead, and haltred as you haue been, by the charmes and inchauntments of the preachers, who are corrupted with money, & with some hope, which some princes giue thē, who aspire nothing but to ingage you, and to make you so weake, so souple, & easie to bee bent,
[Page 139] that they may play with and enioy at their own pleasure, your selues, your riches, your libertie and all. For concerning that which they would make you beleeue touching religion,
An apt comparision. it is but a maske or visor, wherewith they busie the simple (as the foxes couer their footing, with their long tailes) that so they might catch them, & eate them vp at their pleasure.
A common vse indeede. Haue you euer seene any other respects in them that haue aspired after tyrannous gouernment ouer the people, than this, that they haue alwaies made, taken, and vsed, some goodly title and shew of the common wealth or of religion? And yet when question hath been of comming to some agreement, their particular interest and profit, hath alwaies been in the vantgard, and they haue set the benefit and good of the people behinde, as a matter that did not touch them. Or else if they were victors and did ouercome, their end was alwaies to bring vnder, and churlishly to vse the people, by whome they were ayded and assisted, to come to the very top of their desires.
But so are not they that defend such things. And I am abashed (seeing that all histories, as well olde as new, are full of such examples) to behold, that yet there are found men so poore in vnderstanding, as to rush vpon, and to flie vnto this false lure. The historie of the ciuill warres, and of the reuolt which was made against Lewis the eleuenth, is yet fresh, and as wee say, bleeding new.
An example. The Duke of Berry his brother, and certaine Princes of Fraunce, raised vp and hartened by the King of England, and yet somewhat more encouraged by the Countie of Charolois, vsed no other colour for leuying of their armies, than the benefite and comfort of the people and kingdome. But in the ende, when they were to come to composition or agreement, they intreated of nothing, but to increase to one his yearely pension, and to giue offices and friendly conditions of agreement to all those, that had assisted them, without any more mention of the commō wealth than of the Turke. If you will wade somewhat higher in the French Chronicles, you shall see that the factions of Bourgongne, and
[Page 138] of Orleans, were alwaies coloured with the comforting or easing of the taxes, or of the euill gouernment of the affaires: and yet notwithstanding the intent of the principall heads thereof, was nothing else, but to keepe vnder the authoritie of the kingdome, and to giue one house aduātage against another, as the issue hath alwaies made plaine proof of it.
Though hee should haue done it, & did it indeed sometimes, yet of late you haue vniustly detayned the same. For in the end the King of Englād caried alwaies away some part of it for his share, & the Duke of Bourgongne did neuer depart, without some citie or countrie, which he tooke for his bootie. Whosoeuer will finde leasure to reade this historie, shall finde therein our miserable age naturally and liuely set out vnto vs. He shal see our preachers the blowfires and bellowes of contention, that ceased not to intermeddle therein, as they doe at this daye, though at no hand, there was then question touching religion: they preached against their King, they caused him to bee excommunicated, as they doe at this present. They set vp propositions, and vsed disputations in Sorbonne, against the good citizens and common wealths men, as they doe now. A man might haue behelde then murders and slaughters of innocent people, and of furies and outrages committed by the people themselues, euen as ours doe. Our mynion the late Duke of Guise, is there represented and set out, in the person of the Duke of Bourgongue,
False, and spoken like a Frenchman: for our Kings had and haue a lawfull right. and our good protector the King of Spaine, in that of the King of England. You therein see our easines to beleeue, and simplicitie, accompanied with ruines, desolations, sackings, burnings of townes and suburbes, such as we haue seene, and see continuallie vpon vs, and vpon our neighbours. The common good, was the charme or witcherie that stopped vp our predecessors eares: but indeede the ambition and the reuengement of these two great houses, was the true and first cause, as the ende discouered it. And thus haue I deducted and laide out vnto you, that first the iealousie and enuie of those two houses, of Bourbon and of Lorraine, and since the onely ambition and couetousnes of
[Page 140] these of Guyse, haue bin and are the only cause of all our mischiefes & miseries. But as for the catholike & Romane religion,
It is the cup of fornication mentioned in the Apocalyps. it is the drinke wherewith they haue infatuated vs, and caused vs to fall on sleep, and a poyson wel sweetned with sugar, and which serueth for an obs
[...]upatiue, or benumming medicine, to astonish or benumme all our members, which whilest we are on sleepe wee feele not, when they cut away now one piece, then an other, euen one after an other, and that which remaineth be but as a truncke, which very quickly will leese all the blood and the heate, and the very life it selfe, thorow ouermuch euacuation. In the same historie doe yee not find also, as it were the very type of our goodly estates here assembled?
That remaineth yet to be proued. Those that were held at Troies, in which they disinherited the true and the lawfull heire of the crowne, as an excommunicated and reagrauated person, are they not altogether like these of ours? God knoweth what manner of people were in those estates. Doubt yee not that they were all such, as you here my maisters chosen out of the dregges of the people, openly mutinous and seditious, corrupted by money, and all pretending and aiming at some one particular profite, by change, and by noueltie, as you my masters doe. For I assure my selfe that there is not one of you,
Notable men and very fit for such an assemblie. that hath not herein some speciall interest, and who desireth not, that the affaires may remaine in the same troublous estate, wherein they are. There is not one of you, but he occupieth and enioyeth the benefice, or the office, or the house of his neighbour, or that hath not taken their moueables from them, or raised any reuenewes thereof, or committed some thieuerie and murther thorow reuengment, wherof hee is afraid lest he should be tried, if peace were once made. Notwithstanding at the last after so many murthers, and penuries, these wicked and ill disposed persons, must needs come and acknowledge Charles the seuenth for their King, and throwing themselues downe at his
[Page 141] feete, demaund pardon for their rebellion, though that before that they had excommunicated him, and declared him vncapable to be their King.
A good and right application as now appeareth by the successe. As who seeth not and may easily iudge, by the bad course that wee take, that wee euen in the same sort must doe as much as that commeth vnto, though it bee foreslowed for a while, and that in short space wee shall bee constrained thereto, by fine force of necessitie, which hath neither lawe, nor respecte, nor shamefastnes. If I sawe here some of the princes of the blood of Fraunce, and of the peeres of the crowne, who are the principall persons, and without the which cannot assemble nor holde iust and lawfull estates. If I sawe here the Constable, the Chauncellour, the Mareschals of Fraunce, that are the very officers indeede to authorize the assembly. If I sawe here the presidents of the soueraigne courts: the proctors generall of the King in his parliament, and a number of men of qualitie and reputation, knowne a long time to haue loued the good of the people, and their owne honour: ha, in trueth I should hope that this gathering together and assembly, should bring vs much fruite:
Good reason, fo
[...] there were some probability at the least. and I would be contented, simply to declare the charge that I haue of the third estate, which is to represent and set out the great desire that euery one hath to haue peace, and the great benefite or profite that shall come thereby. But I see here, none but strangers full of passion in thirsting after vs, and altered from our blood, and from our substance. I see here none but ambicious women, and such as are giuen to reuengement.
A worthy cō panie to b
[...] the assēbly of the estates. I see none but corrupted and wicked priests, and such as are full of foolish hopes. All the rest is nothing els, but light chaffe full of necessitie, that loue war & trouble, because they liue of other good mens goods, and know not how to liue of their own, nor to maintaine their traine in time of peace. All the gentlemen of noble race and valour, are on the other side neere vnto their King,
And so would euery honest man. and standing
[Page 142] for him and their countrie. I should be ashamed to speake the words for them, or in the name of them that are here for the third estate, if I were not indeed aduowed and allowed by other honest people, that will not meddle with this rascall sort, that are come scatteringlie out of the Prouinces, as the Franciscane Friers doe to a prouinciall chapiter. What doth Monsieur the Legate here,
Plaine & particular dealing but to hinder the libertie of our free speech, and to incourage them that haue promised to doe meruailous things for the affayres of Rome and of Spayne. He that is an Italian, and the vassall of a strange prince, ought not here to haue either order or place. Here are to be handled the affayres of Frenchmen, yea such as touch them very nigh, and not those of Italie and of Spayne. From whence should he haue this curiositie, if it be not to profit thereby with our hurt?
A Frenchman Italianated, Spaniolized, & Lorainized. And you Monsieur de Pelue, doe not you make a goodly shew in this companie, to pleade the cause of the King of Spayne, and the right or title of Lorraine? You I say, which are a Frenchman, and who (we know) was borne in Frāce, to haue proceeded so farre, as to haue renounced your chrisme & your nation, to serue the idols of Lorraine,
Spanyards wel set out. and the southernly diuels? you should yet haue brought and caused to sit here euen aboue the flouredeluce, the Duke of Feria and Mendoza, & Don Diego, to take their counsell, how France ought to be gouerned, for they haue interest in it, and you haue wrong Monsieur the Lieutenant, that haue not admitted them thereto,
Spanyards will seeke and aske enough. as they did impudently demaund the same. But indeede their presence should haue been vnprofitable, seeing that they haue here their agents & aduocates, that haue spoken so worthilie for them, and besides you will not forget to communicate vnto them euery thing of the issue of our consultations. But I would willingly demaund of you, Monsieur the Lieutenant, to what end or purpose haue you assembled these good and honest people here? Are these those noble estates, in which you promised vs to giue such good order to our
[Page 143] affayres, and to make vs all blessed? I cannot much meruaile, that you haue so much reculed to be found here, & so long delayed,
Meet men to attend such a master. and made the poore masters of the deputies to trot so much vp and downe after you. For you doubted much that here would be found some blunt fellow that would tell you your owne, and would scratch you where you did not itch. You alwaies had a minde to draw out your Lieutenancie to the length, and to continue this soueraigne power which you haue vsurped, that so you might also continue the way, without which you could not be so well intreated, nor so well followed and obeyed as you are. But now we will put an end thereto;
If you doe so, it is well. and in so doing put an end to our miseries also. We neuer bestowed vpon you this goodly and new deuised qualitie of the Lieutenant of the Estates (which in trueth sauoureth rather the stile of some clerke of the palace, or of some pettie schoolemaster,
Things graunted for a time are not so easily reuoked. then the grauitie or waight of the charge) but for a time, and till such time as there were other prouision made by the Estates and generall. In so much that now it is time that you bee put downe therefrom & dispossessed therof, and that we aduise now to take another gouernment, and another gouernour. You haue liued sufficiently enough in anarchie and disorder. Is it your minde that for your pleasure, & to make your selfe and yours great, against all right and reason,
Necessarie demaunds. wee should for euer continue miserable and wretched? Will you proceed to destroy that little that remayneth? How long will you be sustained and nourished with our bloud and our bowels? When wil you bee full with eating vs, and satisfied with seeing vs to kill one another, to cause you to liue at your ease?
Let not thine owne mouth praise thee, but anothers. Doe ye not suppose that you haue to doe with Frenchmen, that is to say, with a warrelike nation, which though it be sometimes easie to be deceiued, yet very quickly returneth to their duetie, and aboue all things loueth their naturall Kings, and therein cannot be passed? You will be altogether astonished, when you shall finde your selfe abandoned of all
[Page 144] the good cities and townes, who will make their agreement and composition without you. You shall see ere long,
As fell out in Villeroy, Vitry, and others. now one, then another, euen of them whom you take to be your most familiar friends, that wil treate without you, and will returne themselues to the hauen of safetie, because they haue knowne you to bee an vnskilfull pilot, that could not tell how to gouerne the ship, whereof you had taken charge, and haue made shipwracke of it, or cast it away very farre from the port. Haue you then the name of peace so much in horror, that you will not conceiue any whit at all thereof? They that are able to ouercome, doe yet demaund it. To what end then haue serued so many voyages, so many goings and commings, which you haue caused Monsieur de Villeroy, and others to make, vnder this pretext, to speake of agreement, and to bring the matters to some tranquilitie, if it might bee? You are then a cogger, and an abuser, that deceiue both your friends and your enemies, and against the naturall disposition of your nature, vse nothing but crafts and deceits, to hold vs alwaies vnder your pawes, at your owne pleasure.
A politike course to vphold their corruption. You neuer yet would haue publique affayres handled by publique persons, but in corners and secretly, by people of meane place, made by your owne hand and depending vpon you, to whom you whispered a word in the eare, altogether resolute to do nothing of that which should be agreed. By this meanes you haue lost the credit, and good will of the people (which was the principall stay of your authoritie) and haue caused to be slandered the proceedings of sundrie notable men that you haue imployed therein, in manner of purchase, and to graunt some thing vnto them that intreated you therefore. You haue feared to offende strangers that assisted you, who yet notwithstanding did not take it very well at your hand.
Ill works deserue ill words at the least. For if you knew the speeches that they vse of you, and in what termes the King of Spayne writeth, concerning your deedes and manners, I thinke you not to haue so slauish and abiect an heart to entertaine him, and
[Page 145] to seeke after him as you doe. There haue been seene letters surprised and deciphered, in which he nameth you hogge, and sometimes swelling toade, and in others,
L
[...] cho profiado: and generally their king mocketh you, and plaieth with your nose, and commaundeth his agents to entertaine you with sweete and pleasant words,
Faire words make fooles faine. yet voyd of effect, and to regard that you take not ouer sure footing, and too much authoritie vpon you. Your aduersaries on the Kings side beleeue, that you demand and seek for truce to no other end, but to waite for your forces, & the better to prepare your partie at Rome & in Spaine, & wee say that it is to make the warre to continue, and the better to dispatch your priuate affayres. This being so, how can you (so feeble and weake as you are) hope to make men beleeue that you either would or could saue vs? It cannot be done but by a publique and authentical negotiation, which iustifieth, authoriseth, and giueth credite to a right meaning. This is the thing that you might doe, vnder the good will or pleasure of the Pope, to the end that ye may yeeld his holines the respect which you owe him. Could he take it ill,
If he did, he shewed not himself a man of peace. that you had a minde to hearken vnto peace, with your neighbours, with your King? For though you would not acknowledge him for such a one, yet you cannot deny, but that he is a prince of the bloud of France, and King of Nauarre, who hath alwaies held a higher degree and state than you, and hath continually gone before and aboue you, and all your ancestors. On the other side,
A good perswasiō touching a bad person. we would beleeue that the holie Father, imitating the example of his predecessors, would stirre you vp to that good worke, if he sawe you inclined thereto, that so he might quench the fire of ciuil warre, which consumeth so goodly a flowre of Christenstome, and ouerthroweth the strongest piller that vpholdeth the Christian Church, and the authoritie of the holy seate, neither would he stand any longer vpon this terme heretikes.
A reason, but Popes may crosse one anothers perswasion and practise, and yet neither of thē erre any way. For Pope Iohn the second went indeed himself to seeke the Emperour of Constantinople, and to intreate
[Page 146] him to make peace with the Arrians, worse than these, and to commit and commend the whole quarrell into the hands of God, who would accomplish that, that men could not doe. For mine owne part (Monsieur the Lieutenant) I beleeue, that if you would take this way and course, without coūterfeiting or dissimulatiō, it could not but be very sure & profitable to the generalitie of France, and to you, as in respect of your owne particular very honorable, and to your great vnburthening, and the contentment of your spirit. Also that this is the one, and the only meane, and that there remaineth
[...]r
[...] other, to stay or vphold the present fall of all our building, I freely speake vnto you after this manner, without feare of the racke or of proscription:
That is great braggers and boasters, as Rodomont was. neither doe I feare these Rodomon
[...]ade Spaniards, nor the sowre countenances, & writings of the mouthes of the sixteene, which are but beggerly & needy fellowes, which I wil not vouchsafe euer to salute for the slēder accoūt that I make of thē. I am a friend to my coū try, as becōmeth a good burgesse, & citizen of Paris. I am iealous for the preseruation of my religion, and am in all that I am able, your seruāt, & the seruant of your house. To be short, euery one is wearie of warre, in which we now very well perceiue, there is no more question touching our religion, but concerning our bondage, and to whom amongst you the carcases of our bones shall remaine.
That is the point indeed. Thinke not to finde in time to come, so many men as you haue done, that in liuelines of heart will cast themselues away, and be troth or marry themselues to desperation, for the rest of their life, and of their posteritie also. Wee very well perceiue, that you your selues are in the snares of the King of Spaine, and that ye can neuer come out of them, but wretched, and as it were forlorne. You haue done like the horse,
A fable, but yet good in the morall and meaning of it. who to defende himselfe from the hart, who (he perceiued) was more liuely and full of strength than he, called for man to his succour. But man put a bridle in his mouth, sadled him, and betrapped him, afterwards he put on his spurs & backed him, & brought
[Page 147] him to the hunting of the hart, and to euery other place, where he thought good,
[...] comming on of his backe, nor taking off his bridle and saddle, and by this meanes made himselfe subiect to the hollie crap, and to the sput, to serue his turne in euery worke, in euery charge, yea and in the very cart it selfe, as the King of Spaine hath done with you. And doubt ye not of this, but if by your meanes he were once made master of the kingdome,
This is no lye, for he hath practised it vpon others, as nigh to him as he. but that he would very quickly be rid of you by poyson, by flaūders, or otherwise, for this is the fashion that he vseth, & wherwith he commonly saith, hee must needes recompence them, that betray their prince and their countrie. Let them serue for witnesses and examples, that wickedly deliuered vnto him the kingdome of Portugall: who comming vnto him to demaund the recompence which hee had promised them, before he was in possession of it, sent them vnto that councell of his, which is called the councell of conscience, where answer was giuen them, that if they had brought Portugall into the hands of the King of Spaine, as a thing appertaining vnto him, they had done nothing but that which good and loyall subiectes should haue done, and they should haue their recompence and hire for it in heauen. But if they deliuered it vp, beleeuing that it did not appertaine vnto him, meaning so to take it from their master, they deserued to be hāged as traytors. And this is the wages that you must looke for,
A good reason: for of like sins, there should be the like punishment. after that you shall haue deliuered vs vp vnto such people: which we for our parts are not purposed to endure. We knowe too well, that the Spaniards, and Castillians, and Bourguignons, are our auncient and deadly enemies, which of two thinges demaund the one, either to bring vs vnder,
Spaine hath a double practise and purpose in assaulting Fraunce. and to make vs slaues if they can, that so they may ioyne Spaine, Fraunce, and the low countries, in one tenure and vnder one gouernement: or else if they cannot (as indeed the best aduised and most wise amongst them, doe not hope for that) yet they may at the least in weaken vs, and bring vs so low, that neuer or for a long season, we should
[Page 148] neuer bee able to relieue our selues, nor withstand them to the face. For the King of Spaine (which is an old fo
[...]) knoweth wel the iniurie that he doth vs, vsurping against all right and iustice, the Kingdome of Naples, the Duchy of Millan, and the Countie of Roussillon, which belong vnto vs: he knoweth the natural disposition of the french nation, that knoweth not how any long season to continue in peace, without setting vpon their neighbours. Whereof the Flemmings haue made a prouerbe, which saith,
A wittie sentence. that when the Frenchman sleepeth, the diuell rocketh the cradle. Besides he seeth his estates and countries deuided and almost all of them vsurped by violence, against the good will and liking of the inhabitants, who are ill affected to him w
[...]rd. He seeth himselfe to be olde and brittle, and his eldest sonne smally valiant, & of euill health, and the rest of his familie, to be in two daughters, one whereof he hath married with the most ambitious, and yet needie prince of Europe:
The Duke of Sauoy. and the other that maketh a partie, and cannot faile but find a great one. If after his death, (which cannot in the very course of nature be very farre off) his estates and countries should bee deuided, and that one of his sonnes in law should set vpon his owne sonne, he knoweth that the Frenchmen would not sleepe, and that they would wake againe their olde pretenses, titles and claimes. Doth hee not then herein play the part of a very prudent, & fore seeing prince, to infeeble vs by our selues, & to bring vs to so low an estate, that wee shall not bee able to hurt him, no not after his death? You see also how hee hath caried himselfe in the succours that hee hath sent vs:
All bewraieth the treachery of Spaine. the greatest part in paper and in hope, the waiting for whereof hath wrought vs more euil, then the comming thereof hath done vs good. His double duckets and his men came not, but euen whē we had a long time drawn out breath, and were not able to doe any more, although hee might much more soone haue succoured & relieued vs. He maketh vs not fatte to sell vs, as the butchers doe their hogges: but for feare we
[Page 149] should die ouer soone, and minding to reserue vs to a greater destruction, hee prolongeth our languishing life,
Weigh these comparisons. with a little water, brued and tossed with crummes of browne bread, which also hee giueth vs, with a licked or cleane finger, as iaylors nourish and feede condemned persons, the better to reserue them to the execution of punishment. What is become of so many millions of double duckets, which he braggeth he hath spent for the safetie of our estate?
And why should not the people haue them, seeing it is the price of themselues? except you wil sell them for nothing. We see none of them amongst the people, the greatest parte thereof are in the hands of our aduersaries, or amongst you Messieurs, the princes, gouernors, captaines, and preachers, who keepe them very fast locked vp in your coffers: there remaineth to the people nothing but redde or copper coyne for the stamping whereof we haue imployed al our kettles, caldrons, chafers, weights, chaynes and copper vessell, and will imploy therein our gunnes and our belles, if our necessitie indure yet but a small time longer: for the double duckets, and the twise double duckets of the fine golde of Peru are vanished away, and are no more to bee seene. And this is the poynt vpon which a Poet of our age, hath made a very pleasant and proper quartain, or foure verses in sorte as they follow.
By thee (O thou proude Spayne) and by thy double duckets of gold,
Whole poore France, we sots daylie vexe with troubles manifolde,
And yet of all the duckets, that so many troubles doe raise
In fine nothing remaineth to vs, but doublings and delaies.
Touching the same matter, another honest man hath not spoken much amisse, when though in another time he said,
The French that before simple were and kinde,
By double duckets are double now become,
And the double duckettes thēselues are turned into winde
Or into copper and red doubles, that hardly will
[...]unne.
To perswade our selues this day,
Spanish practises sauour not of, or sauour not religion. that that which this good prince doth in this behalfe, is for no other purpose, but the preseruation of Catholike religion and nothing els, that cannot be. We doe very well know, and that by
[Page 150] his agents, and by his notes of remembrance or instructions, what is his intent and purpose. We know how he hath liued, and treated heretofore with the Huguenots of the Low Countries. The articles of their agreement are imprinted and published by his authoritie, by which also he permitteth them the exercise of their religion. And made he no other reckoning but of this, it is long agoe since he offered so much to Duke Maurice, and to Messieurs the Estates, that so he might haue had peace with them.
Father and sonne both alike affected to the Catholike faith. He would not do worse then his father, who (as we haue heard) yeelded vnto the protestants of Germanie, and to the Lutherans, that that they desired to haue, so that they would acknowledge him for their prince, and would pay him his rights and due. If he doe so much loue the Catholike religion, and hate them that are not such, how can he suffer the Iewes & Moores in his countries? How can he agree with the Turkes and the Mahometists of Africke, from whom he purchaseth peace very dearly? It needeth not now,
Away with such trash. that his spies the Iesuits Scopetines should come to sell vs these snaile shels or scallope shels of S. Iames: the sport is alreadie very much discouered. The Duke of Feria hath let vs see his remembrances or instructions, by degrees and peece after peece, as though he had brought out of Africke (a countrie fruitfull in venims and poysons) by the commaundement of his master, a wooden boxe full of diuers drugges, of diuers qualities: one that killeth quickly, another that killeth somewhat slowlie, another more fit in summer, another that hath better operation in winter,
Beastly and bad phisicke. to serue his owne turne therewith and to vse them, as in respect of vs, according to occasions and occurrences that may fall out: hauing in charge to giue vs such a one, if he finde vs disposed to such a humour, and to giue vs another, if he find vs otherwise affected. Before that we gaue out that wee ment to maintaine and vphold the law Salick (a law that for these eight hundred yeares hath maintained the kingdome of France in his force and manly courage) they did speake
[Page 151] vnto vs of the rare virtues of that diuine daughter,
To wit, of the K. of Spayne. that so she might be chosen inheritor of the crowne, when they sawe that we ment to holde the ancient custome of the males, they offered vs to bestowe her vpon some prince that we should chuse for King, and thereupon suites were made for the Archduke Ernestus,
Many fetches, and all full of fraud. to whom she is indeede appoynted wife. Afterwards, when they perceiued that this Ernestus was not the harnesse that would fit vs, they spake of some prince of France, to whom the daughter might bee married, and so they would make them Kings of France wholly and together. And yet for all this there were found notes of remembrances, instructiōs,
A meete man to promote such a cause. & mandates very plaine, signed also with the proper hand of,
I the King: whereunto Monsieur the Legate serued for a broaker, to make the merchandise of value and prise: for he came not hither for any other ende or purpose, as also he was not made Cardinall, but by the fauour of the King of Spayne, with protestatiō to ruinate France, or to cause it to fall into peeces, in the hands of them that haue made it that it is: and we know that he hath a speciall briefe or direction to bee present at the election of the King of France. Ha Monsieur the Legate, you are discouered, the vaile is taken from you, there are no more enchantments that hinder vs from seeing cleerely: our necessitie hath taken the pearle out of our eyes, as your ambition hath put it into your owne: you see cleere enough into our destruction, but you see no whit at all into your owne dutie, of a pastor of the Church. You come hither to pull away the fleece from the flocke,
So doe all of his coate and order. and to take away her fat pastures, and her grasings. Your owne priuate profit blindeth you: thinke well of this, that wee respect our owne. The interest, profite, and purpose of your masters (that set you on worke, as a day labourer to his taske, about the pulling downe of a house) is to make themselues great with our morsels, and to hold their owne seigneuries and Lordships in quiet. But it is our part to lay our selues open, and to compound our disagreements by taking away
[Page 152] the foolish vanities,
Good words, so they may be wel performed. that yee haue put into our head, and by making of peace. Wee will get out of this same deadly labyrinth or maze, what price soeuer it cost vs. No paradise, though neuer so well hanged with tapistrie and orras, no processions, no brotherhoods, nor assemblies of fourtie, nor preachings, whether they bee ordinary or extraordinary, giue vs any thing to eate. The pardons, stations,
And wil not feed the soule, or strengthen the body, but rather destroy both. indulgences, briefes, and buls of Rome, are al of them hollow and light meate that satisfie none but emptie braines. Neither the glorious boasting of Spaine, nor the brauery of Naples, nor the mutinie of the Wallons, nor the fort of Anthonie, nor that of the temple or citadel, (wherewith men vse to threaten vs) that can hinder vs from desiring and demaunding of peace. Wee will haue no more feare that our wiues and our daughters should bee rauished or defiled by souldiers, and that such of thē, as need hath turned from regard of their honour and credit,
Who could describe them better. shall returne to the right way. We will haue no more of these horseleaches, exacters and greedie guttes: we will remoue these foule and shamefull imposts, (which they haue deuised in the towne house) set vpō the moueables and free marchandise, that come into the good townes (where there are committed a thousand abuses and disorders) the profite whereof redoundeth not to the publik good, but vnto them that manage the money, and giue it away cheek by iole as we say, and without discretion. Wee will haue no more of these caterpillers, that sucke & gnaw the fairest floures of the garden of France,
Notable comparisons and resemblances. and paint themselues with diuers colours, and become in a moment, of little wormes that creepe vpon the ground, great butterflies, flying painted with gold and azure: wee will cut off the shamelesse number of treasurers, that make their owne benefite of the taxes of the people, and turne to their owne vse the best and the last pennie of the treasure, and with the rest cut and lash out at their pleasure, to distribute it to them onely, from whō they hope to receiue the like, and inuent a thousand elegant
[Page 163] and fine termes, to shew the neede of the state,
It is not alone in France, but it may be foūd elswhere. and to refuse to shew curtesie or fauour to an honorable person. We will haue no more so many gouernours, that play the little Kinges or wrens rather, and boast that they are rich enough, when they haue a peece of a riuer of sixe foote long and large, at their commaundement. We wil be exempted from their tyrannies and exactions, and we wil bee no more subiect to watchings, and wardings, and night scouts, in which we lose the halfe of our time, and consume our best age, and get nothing but catarrhes, reumes, and diseases, that ouerthrow our health.
Do it, and doe wel. We wil haue a King, who shall giue order to all & shal keep all these pettie tyrants in fear & duetie: that shal chastice the violēt, that shal punish the stubborne, that shal roote out thieues and robbers, that shall cut off the winges of the ambitious, that shall cause these spunges and thieues of the common treasures, to cast their gorge; that shal make euery one to remaine in the boundes of his office, and shall keepe all the worlde in peace and tranquillitie. To be short, wee will haue a King,
A fable, but yet applied to good purpose. that so wee may haue peace: but yet we will not doe as the frogges did, that waxing weary of their peaceable King, chose the storke who deuoured them all. We demaund a King, and a naturall head, not an artificiall: a King alreadie made, and not to be made:
If you doe, wo to you. and therein we will not take the counsell of the Spaniards, our olde and ancient enemies, who by force would become our tutors, and teach vs to beleeue in God, and in the christian faith, in which they are not baptized, and haue not known it past three daies. We will not haue for Counsellors and Phisitians those of Lorraine, who of a long time haue breathed and thirst after our death. The King that wee demaund, is alreadie made by nature, borne in the very plot of ground, of the floure deluce of Fraunce, a right branch and flourishing, and springing from the right stalke of Saint Lewes. They that speake of making an other deceiue themselues, & know not therein how to come to an end.
[Page 154] Men may make scepters and crownes, but not Kings to weare them and beare them. Men may make an house, but not a tree or a greene bough. Nature must needes bring it foorth in time, out of the iuice and marrowe of the earth, that maintaineth the stalke in her bloud and vigor. A man may make a legge of wood, an arme of yron, a nose of siluer, but yet not a head: So we may make Marshals, Peeres, Admirals, Secretaries, and Counsellors of estate, and that in grosse also, and many at one time, as wee say, but yet not a King. He alone must spring onely from himself, that so he may haue life and lustines in him. That one eyed fellowe Bourcher,
A familiar example and
[...]et from a bad person. the pettie schoolemaster of the most wicked and lewd people of this citie and land, wil confesse vnto you, that his eye, enammeled with the gold of Spayne, seeth not any thing: Euen so an elected and artificiall King, should neuer bee able to see vs, and so he should bee not onely blind in our affayres, but also deafe, insensible, & vnmoueable in our complaints. And this is the cause why wee will not heare speech neither of the daughter of Spayne, whom we leaue to her father:
If he can doe any thing against them. nor of the Archduke Ernestus, whom wee recommend to the Turkes, and to Duke Maurice: nor of the Duke of Lorraine, or of his eldest sonne, whom wee will leaue to treate of the matter with the Duke of Bouillon, and with them of Strausbourgh: nor of the Duke of Sauoy,
Yea & shame him also in the warres against him. whō we put ouer to the Lord of Diguieres, that doth not much helpe him. That fellowe should bee content with this, that by fraude and treason he hath taken from vs the Marquesdome of Saluces, in danger to yeeld it very quickly and that twise told, if we may haue but a little time to take our breathe in. In the meane season he shall haue this fauour, to call himselfe King of Cypres, and to draw his antiquitie out of Saxonie:
A fine
[...]rump. but France is not a morsell for his mouth: how double footed, and large mouthed soeuer he be, no more then Geneua, Genes, Finall, Monaco, and the Figons, which haue alwaies giuen him the figge, or garbumble, as we say. Besides, he will
[Page 155] make a goodly molehill, and a braue shew indeed,
He meaneth King Philips daughter. with the disdainfull highnes of the daughter he hath maried, who will serue rather to ouerthrowe him with expence and sumptuous pride, thē to make him waxe great. Concerning the Duke de Nemours (for whom the Baron of Tenecay hath remembrances and instructions, by which he mindes to make him more worthie to bee preferred, then the Duke of Guise) we would counsell him (for the good he hath done vs, by freeing vs from warre, and for his valiant deedes,
Scoffe on, and that drily. standing I tell you vpon very good proofe) if he be well there where he is, that he hold him there, and keepe him from the beast. I will say nothing touching the Duke of Guise. Monsieur the Lieutenant shall speake for himselfe,
You may trust him therein, but in nothing els. and he will commend himselfe to his sister. But so it is that these robbers and theeues of the kingdome, are neither fit nor sufficient, nor seruing for our taste to command vs: besides, we minde to keepe our ancient lawes and customes, we will not at any hand haue a king by election, nor by lot, as the zealous and hot men of Ierusalem, that chose for their priest a countrie man named Phanias, contrary to the good manners, and contrarie to the ancient lawes of Iudea. In a word,
Plaine dealing is best. wee would that Monsieur the Lieutenant should know, that wee acknowledge for our true King and lawfull, naturall and soueraigne Lord, Henry of Bourbon, heretofore King of Nauarre. This is he alone, who for a thousand good reasons,
The person & power of the King commended. we doe acknowledge to bee capable of and able to vphold the state of France, and the greatnes of the reputation of Frenchmen: he alone that can relieue and lift vs vp from our fall: that is able to put the crowne in her first beautie and honor, and to giue vs peace. It is he alone and no other, that can (as a natural Hercules borne in France) discomfite these hideous monsters, that make all France horrible and fearfull to her owne children. It is he alone and no other, that will roote out these pettie halfe Kings of Bretaigne, of Languedoc, of Prouence, of Lyonnois, of Bourgongne, and of Champagne: that will
[Page 156] scatter these Dukes of Normandie, of Berrie, and Solongne, of Reims and of Soissons: all these vaine visions shall vanish away at the glorie of his presence, when hee shall be set in the throne of his auncestors, and in his bed of iustice, which waiteth for him in his kingly palace. You haue nothing,
To wit either of trueth or of shew of truth. Messieurs, nor you Monsieur the Lieutenant haue nothing, that ye can obiect against him. The Pretext of the Vnckle before the Nephew, is taken from you by the death of Monsieur the Cardinall his Vnckle. I will not speake of him either by flattery, or in slanderous sort:
A very worthy sentence. the one sauoureth a slauish minde: the other is proper to the seditious. But I can tell you in trueth (which thing also you your selues, and all those that trauaile in the world will not denie) that of all the Princes which France hath set before vs, marked with the floure deluce, and that appertaine to the crowne, yea of all those that desire to come nigh it, there is none deserueth so much as hee, nor that hath so many royall virtues, nor so many aduantages and prerogatiues, aboue the common sort of men. I will not speake of other mens wants:
A pretie pretetition. but if they themselues were all set out or written in the table appoynted for election and choyse, he should bee found by very much the most capable, and the most worthie to be chosen. One thing indeede hee wanteth, which I coulde tell in the eare of some, if I listed. I will not say it is his different religion from ours, which you so much vpbraide him with: for in some good measure we knowe,
No, GOD wrought not that work, but his owne corruption. that God hath touched his heart, and that he is willing to be taught, and doth alreadie applie himselfe to instruction, yea that he hath caused word to be sent to the holy father, concerning his very nigh conuersion: of which I make such account, as if I had alreadie seene it, he hath alwaies shewed himselfe to haue such regarde of his promises, and to be so religious a keeper of his words. But though it were so that he should continue in his opinion,
Put the hardest the best will saue it self, as we say. must we therefore put him by his lawfull right of succession to the crowne? What lawes, what councels,
[Page 157] what Gospell teacheth vs to dispossesse men of their goods,
Good reasons, why Kings of erronious and corrupt religions are not to be deposed. and Kings of their kingdomes for diuersitie of their religions? Excommunication stretcheth not but vnto the soules, and not vnto mens bodies and goods. Innocent the third, exalting the most proudely that possibly he could his popelike power, said, that as God had made two great lights in the firmament, to wit the sunne for the day, and the moone for the night, so hath he made two in the Church, the one for mens soules, which is the Pope, whom he compared to the sunne, and the other for mens bodies, which is the King. Mens bodies enioye outward goods, and not their soules:
The right ende of excommunication. excommunication therefore cannot take them away, for that is but a medicine for the soule to heale it, and to bring it to health, and not for to kill it, it is not to condemne it, but to make it afraide of damnation. Some say that men would not feare it, if it did not take from them some sensible or worldlie cōmoditie touching this life, as for example, their goods,
Absurdities insuing the abuse of excommunication. and conuersation or companie keeping with men: but if that might haue place, they must when they excommunicate a drunkard, forbid him wine and strong drinke, and when they excommunicate whoremongers, they must take from them their wiues, or women, and forbid the leprous to scratch and rubbe. Saint Paul to the Corinthians forbiddeth men to eate and drinke with fornicators, backbiters, drunkards, theeues, but yet hee saith not, that they must take their goods from them to make them afraide, and to drawe them backe from their vices. I woulde willingly demaunde when they haue taken the kingdome, and the crowne from a King, because hee is excommunicate, or an heretike, whether then they must choose another, and put that other in his place, for it is not reasonable that the people shoulde remaine without a King, as you Messieurs, would worthilie indeede prouide for it.
A question not
[...]asie to be absolued. But if it should so fall out afterwardes, that this King being excommunicated, and destituted of his estates, should come to
[Page 158] repentance, and be conuerted to the true faith, & obtaine his absolution either of the same Pope, or of another succeeding him (as they are very much accustomed to reuoke and vndoe that,
A girde indeede. which their predecessors haue done) how could it bee, that that poore King spoyled of his kingdome, should enter into it againe? Those that should bee seized of it, and holde it by iust title, as three yeares possessors thereof,
The Duke de Mayn may speake to this. would they put themselues from it againe thinke you, and yeeld him the places, forts, treasures, armes and ordinances, which they withheld? These are but the reckonings and accounts of olde doting men, neither is there reason nor shew of reason in all of it, or in any parte thereof. It is long since this axiome or sentence generall was concluded, that the Popes haue not any power, to iudge of or concerning temporall kingdomes.
Good authorities. And it is long agoe also since S. Bernard saith: I reade that the Apostles stoode to be iudged, but that they sate and iudged others, I neuer reade. The Apostles appeared very humbly before iudges, to bee iudged by thē, but they neuer sate in the chayre to iudge others: wee knowe also very well,
He reasoneth from the greater. that many Arrian Emperors, comming to the empire by succession or by adoption and choyse, were not reiected or repelled, by their right beleeuing people and subiects, but were receiued and admitted into the imperiall authoritie and gouernment, without tumult or sedition. And the christians alwaies had this maxime or rule, as a perpetuall marke or cognisance of their religion, that they did obey such Kings and Emperors, as it pleased God to giue or set ouer them, whether they were Arrians or Pagans,
Sufficient proofes. conforming themselues therein to the example of Iesus Christ, that did obey the lawes of Tiberius the Emperour, imitating likewise Saint Paul and Saint Peter, that obeyed Nero, and haue in their epistles expressely commaunded, to obeye Kings and Princes, because all soueraigne power is of God,
Application of th
[...]t that was deliuered. and representeth the image of God himselfe. This differeth much from the mindes of our mutinous men, that driue them away, and murther them. And it is contrarie
[Page 159] to you, Monsieur the Legate, that would haue the whole race to bee destroyed. In deede if wee had no more of the blood of this noble kingly familie & stocke, or that we were in a kingdome that goeth by election, as in Polonia or in Hungarie,
And yet his deuise of destruction full of blood. I would not much sticke to say, that men should hearken vnto you. But hauing had time out of minde, this worthie lawe (which also is the first, and the most auncient law of nature) that the sonne should succeede the father, and the nearest kinsmen in degree of consanguinitie, to them that are nearest of the same line, stocke, and familie, and hauing one so braue and noble a prince in that degree or respect, without controuersie or disputation, that hee is the true naturall and lawfull heire, and most able and fitte to succeede to the crowne, there is now no more place for election: and we ought to receiue with ioy and gladnes,
Men must not fight (as it were giants) against God. this great king that God sendeth vs, who hath no neede of our aide to make him to bee, but is alreadie without vs, and will bee still in despite of vs, though wee would, what we coulde, hinder him in it. But I haue straied from my purpose, that so I might say something, concerning that which men obiect against him, touching religion, but this is not it that I meant, when I said that he wanted somewhat, and which much hindreth the aduancement of his affaires: neither is this it, that the preachers and praters, doe vpbraide him with touching the loue of women.
And why not the Clergie men also, then and there present?
A prophane speech, and therefore to be read with iudgement. I am sure of this, that the greatest parte of this companie, and specially you Monsieur the Lieutenant, cannot giue him that reproach, without blushing. For indeede, this is not the imperfection that can hinder valiant acts: but contrariewise there was neuer braue warriour, that loued not Ladies and women, and did not delite to get honor, that so hee might bee the better beloued of them. This is the reason why Plato wished to haue an armie or hoast, wholly compounded and consisting of amorous people, for they would be inuincible,
Groundes good enough for so badde a spee
[...]h. and would performe a thousand goodly exploytes of armes and deedes of cheualrie,
[Page 170] to please their mistresses. Likewise the poets, good naturalists, and great masters in the knoweledge of dispositions and maners, alwaies haue made Mars the God of battle,
The more, the worse. the friend of Venus. Consider, if you will, all the great captaines, and monarchs of the world, there shall very few of them be found sober, and stayed in this matter or busines. Titus the Emperor, who is set forth vnto vs, for the most vertuous, most wise, & gentle prince, that euer bare scepter, did not hee desperately loue the Queene Berenice, yet so notwithstanding, as that his loue neuer preiudiced himselfe, nor brought any hinderance or backwardnes to his affaires?
True, but that is not in fleshly filthines. Princes must haue yeelded vnto them some refreshings or recreations of their spirits, after that they haue trauailed in such serious affaires, as bring with them our quietnes, and after that they haue ceased from their great actions of besiegings, of foughten battles, of pitching their tents, of dispersing and lodging their armies, &c. It is not possible, that the spirite should be alwaies (as if it were a bow continually bent) occupied in these graue and waightie administrations, without some refreshing, and turning aside to other thoughts,
A iolly proofe. more pleasant and comfortable. This is the cause why the wise man himselfe hath saide,
Bonum est pauxillum amare sanè: insanè non est bonum.
To loue a little and wisely also, is a very good thing,
But foolishly to loue & ouermuch too, no goodnes doth bring.
It hath euer bin too rife, that the people haue giuē vniust iudgements concerning their princes actions,
A bad collection. and haue alwaies medled wrongfully to interpret their manners and complexions, neuer thinking vpon this, that there is not so much as one amongst them, that iudgeth thereof, but hee doth worse and hath greater imperfections. Kings, though they be Kings, cease not for all that to be men, subiect to the same passions that their subiects are: and yet we must needs confesse, that this man hath fewer faults in him, then any of those that haue gone before him. And though he haue an inclination to loue faire
[Page 171] and goodly things, he loueth none but such as are perfect and excellent,
It is a foule fault to mitigate great sins. euen as he himselfe is excellent in iudgement, and to know the price and the valour of all things. And yet this little withdrawing play or pastime in pleasure, is to him as it were an exercise of vertue, insteed of hunting & hauking, without leauing euen in the midst of his recreations, to know the matters that fall out in his army,
These things are good, but yet cannot make vice to be virtue. or to obserue & marke the situation of cities & places, thorow which he passeth: the nature of mē with whō he meeteth, of places and countries, which he trauerseth: and he curiously learneth the passages and watches of riuers, and keepeth in memory the distances of cities and townes: marketh in what quarters it shal be fit and commodious to campe his armie, when it shal passe that way, and alwaies he enquireth and learneth some thing touching his enemies actes, neuer hauing as yet vndertaken such voyages, but that he had in hād one or two enterprises against certaine rebellious places. But though it be a goodly thing to be continent, wise, temperate, austere,
And who wil deny it, but Atheists. graue and withdrawne, as a man may say, from the pleasures of this life, yet some mē wil haue alwaies somewhat to say against it. When men are once set vpō hating of an other mā, they interpret in the worst part al that he doth, yea euen the very good it self that he doth. It were a goodly thing I confesse, to abstaine from all pleasures,
The power of truth and hon
[...]sty wil
[...]a
[...]s
[...] you to con
[...]esse it. & to do nothing but pray to God, and giue almes: and yet some would say, this were but counterfeiting & hypocrisie. If it be lawful thus to iudge of another mans actions, against the expresse forbidding that God hath made therof, why shal it not be lawful for me to beleeue, y
t all these Moores and Spaniards, that make so many signes of the crosse, and strike themselues so hard,
Perhaps you may iudge so, & not breake ch
[...]itie. & with such a noyse vpon their breastes in masse time, are notwithstāding Iewes & Mahometists, whatsoeuer goodly shew they make? why shal I not say, that Monsieur of Lions is a Lutherane, as he was sometimes, although he turne vp the white of his eye, and cause it so to appeare, in lifting it to the Church rooses or
[Page 172] vaults,
Better a bad excuse then none at all. when hee either worshippeth or maketh show to worship the crucifix? But it is not in this age only, that mē vse to speake so of Kings, & there is an old prouerbe that sayth, that Iupiter himselfe when he raineth, pleaseth not all men. Some would haue raine for their coleworts: others feare it because of their haruests. But that which I haue deferred hitherto to speake of, and which as I think, is wanting vnto him, it is that for which you and I are most bound vnto him, that is, that he handleth vs ouer gently,
Commendation of clemencie. and spareth vs too much. Clemencie (in which he is aboundant and excessiue) is a very laudable virtue, and which bringeth in the ende very great fruites, and such as will continue long, though that they be long and slow in comming Howbeit, it belongeth to none but to Conquerours to vse it, and to them that haue none to resist them.
Difference betweene clemē cie and feare, faintheartednes, &c. Some attribute it to faintheartednes and fearefulnes, rather then to valiancie and noblenes. For it seemeth that such as spare their enemies, desire that others should practise as much towards them, and that they demaund recompence for their generositie: or els they feare, that if they shew themselues seuere, that they can haue no reason of their other enemies, that rest yet to be subdued. Othersome name it very plainly, imbecilitie or weakenes of heart, supposing that he that dare not vse his right, is not yet assured of victorie, but rather feareth that he shuld be ouercome. But the Philosophers that haue intreated this poynt to the full or to the bottome and depth of it, haue not ascribed it to virtue, whē those that enterprised to trouble an estate, haue shewed themselues gentle and courteous in the beginning of their attempts and executions,
A bad exāple. as that gentlenes that Iulius Caesar vsed towards the souldiers and citizens of Rome before that he was conquerour, was not clemencie but flatterie, and ambitious curtesie, by which he would make himself acceptable to the people,
A good sentence though not well applied. and draw euery one to his side. And this is it that that great master of Estates sayth, The fame of clemencie is profitable to such as affect authoritie, or
[Page 173] els vsurpe rule. For to such as inuade a kingdome against right and lawe (as you Monsieur Lieutenant doe) the account or reputation of being gentle and gracious, is of very great vse. But this rather was Caesars clemencie, that hauing ouercome Pompey, & discomfited all that might resist him, he came to Rome without triumph, and pardoned all his deadly enemies, putting them all in possession of their goods, honors and dignities, of which notwithstanding there was but a bad issue to himward: for those whom he had pardoned,
A foe well vsed, will continue a foe still. and shewed most fauours vnto, were they that betrayed him, and miserably murthered him. Wherefore there is a difference betweene clemencie and gentlenes. Gentlenes ordinarily is to bee found in women, and in men of small courage: but clemēcie is not in any but in him that is an absolute master, and that doth good, when he is able to doe all manner of euill. Wherfore let vs conclude then, that our King ought to haue reserued the vse of his clemencie, till he had had vs all in his power. This is inclemencie, yea crueltie sayth Cicero, to pardon them that deserue to dye,
A good sentence in reason and religion both. and the ciuill warres shall neuer haue end, if we will hold on to be gracious, and shewe fauour, where seueritie of iustice is necessarie. The malice of rebels waxeth more stiffe & hard, by the gentlenes that is vsed towards them, because they imagine that men dare not prouoke them nor put them to doe worse. I make no doubt of this,
Nor any man els. but had he hotly & earnestly corrected all those that fell into his fingers and hands, since these troubles, wee had been all at this present vnder his obedience. But sith God hath been pleased to giue him and to worke in him a naturall disposition, so sweet, gracious and fauourable as we see and feele it is, let vs yet hope much better of him, when he shall see vs lye flat at his feete,
A good and strong reas
[...]n. and to offer vnto him our liues and our goods, and to aske him pardon for the offences past, seeing that finding vs armed to resist and to assault him, he receiueth vs to mercie, and giueth vs our life, and all that we demaund. Let vs goe, let vs goe therefore my friends,
[Page 174] and that all of vs with one voyce, and demaund peace of him. There is no peace so vniust, which is not much better then a most iust warre.
A place of scripture▪ but not so rightly alleadged as should be. Oh how beautifull are the feet of them that declare peace, that declare good things and saluation, sayth Isai? Oh how goodly feet haue they that bring peace, and declare the health and safetie of the people? Why stay wee to chase away from vs these troublous guests, cruell citizens, proude beasts, who deuoure our substance and wealth like grashoppers? Are we not yet wearie in furnishing, and that to ryot and pleasures, these harpies?
Monstrous birds hauing the faces of women or maides, but clawes of meruailous capacitie, yea rapinitie. Monsieur Legate, let vs goe: and as for you, returne to Rome, and leade away with you your porter of rogations and pardons, the Cardinall of Pelve: wee haue more neede of holie bread, then of hallowed beades and graines: let vs goe Messieurs, the Agents and Ambassadors of Spayne, we are wearie with seruing you, as fencers to vphold your pride, & with killing our selues to shew you pleasure. Let vs goe Messieurs of Lorraine, with your great companie of princes, wee hold you but for shadowes of protection & defence, the horseleaches of the bloud of the Princes of France, bapelourdes, little ships or foists without wares, reliques of faints, that haue neither force nor virtue.
They are but feare-bugges in such mens mouthes. And let not Monsieur the Lieutenant thinke either to hinder vs, or to backward vs by his threats: we tell him aloude and plainly, yea wee declare it to all you Messieurs, his cousins and allies, that we are Frenchmen, and that wee will goe with the Frenchmen to hazard our life, and that little that is yet left vnto vs, to assist therewith our King, our good King, our rightfull King, who will also very quickly bring you vnto the same confession either by force, or by some good counsell,
A necessarie addition. which God will inspire into you, if you be worthie of it. I know very well, that before I depart from this place, you will either giue me some little pretie pill, or it may be you will send me from hence to the Bastille, where you will cause me to bee murthered, as ye did Sacre-More, S. Maigrin, the Marques of Menelay, and diuers others. But
[Page 175] I shall account it for a good peece of fauour, if ye will cause me to dye quickly,
Feare cannot put out fidelitie to prince, &c. rather then to let me languish a long while in these anguishing and grieuous miseries. And yet before I dye, I will shut vp and finish my verie long oration with a poeticall epilogue or conclusion, such as I haue made long agoe.
Messieurs the princes Lorraines,
You are full weake in your reines:
For the crowne thus to quarrell,
You cause your selues to be beate well:
You are valiant and strong amaine,
Yet your indeuours are all but vaine.
No force can be like in any thing
To the puissance of a King:
And reason this is not indeede,
That on the children which succeede,
The seruants base should make warre,
Out of their land to driue them farre.
Great folly he doth performe and make▪
That from his master ought doth take:
God against rebels and their maine
Kings and their good causes will sustaine.
To the Nauarrias then leaue and lay downe,
Of our mightie Kings the noble crowne,
Wrongfully by your selues pretended,
So well haue you it molten and ended.
If any right you had had thereto,
You should not haue molten it as you doe:
Or els you must haue for name of renowne
The title of Kings without a crowne.
Our Kings from God set vp renownd,
Are alwaies borne to vs well crownd.
The Frenchman true neuer doth range
To King or prince that is but strange.
All the villaines, or the greatest part
Haue made you their head with all their hart.
[Page 176]
They of the nobilitie that doe your part take,
Are such as with haste their owne wounds doe make.
But the very King of Frenchmen hard,
In steed of his poore and Scottish gard,
Is now assisted with none but great Princes,
Or els with Barons and Lords of Prouinces.
Wherefore then my friends let vs rise and goe
Our blessed S. Denis all vnto,
There deuoutly to acknowledge and confesse
This great King our master, he is no lesse.
Let vs all goe together as thicke as the raine,
Of him to craue peace, and the same to obtaine,
Vnto his table without feare we will goe,
A prince so familiar he is, and gentle also.
All the princes of the Bourbon race
Haue euer had in them this rare and good grace,
Very meeke for to be, and gentle also,
And yet couragious in all whereabout they goe.
But ô you princes that to vs are strangers,
And daily vs thrust into thousands of dangers,
And with nothing but smoake still doe vs feede,
Keeping warre kindled, and vpholding it indeede,
Get you soone packing into your owne land,
Ʋery hatefull to vs, here doe you stand:
And reckon your race from Charlemaigne pardie,
Ʋpon the bounds and borders of vpper Germanie:
Proue thee by your Romans or men of Rome,
That from Charles the great you descend and come,
That good people after the depth of their drinke,
Of that mysticall matter somewhat may thinke.
I haue sayd.
Plain speeches hath good effects.This oration being finished (which indeede was heard with great silence and attention) many people remained very flat nosed and much astonied, and a good while after there were no coughing, hemming, spitting, nor any noise made, as if the hearers had bin striken with a blow from heauen, o
[...] brought into some deep dreame,
[Page 177] or drowsines of their spirite, vntill a certaine Spaniard one of the mutinous crewe, first rose vp and sayd with a very loud voice, Let all of vs kill these villachoes,
Take a Spaniard without pride and mutinie, and the diuel without a lye. or villaines, which when hee had sayd, hee departed out of his place, without shewing any reuerence to any man. Whereupon euery one was willing to arise & to depart. But the Admirall de Villaris, the present & newe King of Iuetot, did beseech the estates in the name of the catholik cantons, & of the leaguers of Catillonnois, Lipans,
The firebrand of contention. Gualtiers, & other zealous communalties, not to make peace with the heretikes, vnlesse he might remaine admirall of the East, and of the West part, and were paide his costs, with the detaining of such benefites and fauours as hee thought belonged vnto him: also that they would not chuse a King, but such a one as shuld be a good cōpanion, and a friende of the Cantons. Afterwards there rose vp Ribault and Roland, and besought the assembly,
Two honest men, I warrāt you. to frustrate and abrogate the law
de Repetundis, that is a lawe made against such as were accused of extortion, or money vniustly taken, in time of their office, because this law as they tooke it, was neither catholike nor fundamē tall. This being done, euery one rose vp with a certaine marueilous stilnes: & in going out the herauld aduertised them at the gate as they went out to returne to the councell againe, at two of the clocke in the after noone. At which houre I that now speake, ment not to faile,
Goodly things to be seene & heard at Paris garden. for the great desire that I had to see rare and singular things, and the ceremonies that should bee kept there, to the ende I might the better aduertise thereof my master, and the Princes of Italie, which with an earnest desire waite for the proceeding and issue of these famous estates, held against all order & maner vsed and accustomed in France. Wherefore I came againe to the Louvre after dinner, and that in good time also:
You might do so, for your fare was but short. and offering my selfe to enter into the vppermost hall, as I had done before in the morning, the herauld or vsher put me backe, because hee saw that I was not marked with L. and I had no token,
[Page 178] as I saw many had that entred in much worse state, and more ragged and rent then my selfe, whereupon I conceiued some small displeasure.
Honorable persons for so high an assemblie. For amongst others, I saw admitted thereto, of butchers more then three, of tauerners, brasiers, sergeants, pelt or felmongers, that I knewe, and who were to haue a voyce in the election. Yet my curiositie made me to passe my disdaigne: and that I might know whether the princes and princesses without taile, entred in the same ceremonie and order that they did in the morning, I ment to waite their comming, and in waiting therefore, I gaue my selfe in the meane while, to behold and consider the tables of open and plain painting,
Neither is that materiall, but marke the deuises. which were set aboue the steps of the staires. I know not whether they were there placed expresly to decke the place, or to sell. But this I can say, that I tooke meruailous great pleasure to behold them one after another, for the workmans hand in them was excellent, and the work it selfe was very neat and naturall, full of dark speeches of diuers meanings, which made al to bend their spirits, that they might diuine or gesse thereupon.
This was Duke de Maynne.The first, vpon which I cast mine eye, was the figure of a giant, hauing both his feete vpon a wheele that was ill greased, the spokes whereof were all writhen and crooked: and belowe his head, as if it were two soote and a halfe off, or therabout, there was figured a crowne of fine gold, but yet without precious stones, because Monsieur of Nemours had eaten them vp, & neere vnto it was a kingly scepter,
A patterne of their presi
[...]encie & gouernment. somewhat eaten with mice, and a sword of iustice, but yet rustie, because it had not been worne & vsed: to which the sayd giant stretched out his armes as much or as farre as he could, and lifted vp himselfe vpon his feete, with such aduantage, that he stayed not himselfe vpon the wheele, but vpon the nethermost part of the artels, and yet he could not attaine thereto, because it was altogether full of cities, and of good and great townes betweene them both.
The K
[...]ng that now raigneth. And on the right hand there was an arme crowned, that as it were with a small rod of yron
[Page 179] did strike him on the fingers: vnder this wheele,
And why might not these be women of his kinred? there appeared (as there doth aboue that of Saint Katherine) a mōster with three womens heads, who had their names written comming out of their mouthes: Ambition, rebellion, counterfeited religion. I could not tell at the first shew, what this might signifie, but hauing looked somewhat more warily vpon the visage or face of the giant, it seemed to me that it did resemble that of Monsieur the Lieutenannt, and had a head and a panch as bigge as his, with all the linaments of eyes, of nose, and of beard, sauing that hee had not the Pelade of Roane, and aboue were written these foure verses, that made me to vnderstand the whole mysterie.
O giant thou takest pleasure thy selfe vp to reare,
And aboue this wheele thy selfe to exalt,
But if God will vouchsafe our prayers to heare,
To the crowes and rauens a mouth make thou shalt.
Next vnto this table, there was an other, of no lesse workemanship and pleasure,
The Cardinal Pelve. where there was painted a very little man, made and mingled of white and of red, apparelled after the Spanish fashion, and bearing notwithstanding a french face, who had also two names. At his right side hee had an inckehorne hanging, and at his left side a sword or rapier, which was fastened belowe: the pummell whereof was crowned with a garlande of floures, such as maids haue when they goe to bee buried. His countenance was double, and so was his hatte also,
If he had said his heart also, he had not lyed. and his pouch or purse was foure folde, and ouer his head on the side betweene the sunne in the South and his setting, there showred a very small raine of gold, that caused him to betray his master.
The daughter of Spaine. And he had in his hand a paper crowne which hee presented to a young Ladie, that was speechlesse and withered, which made shew to take it altogether, with a very faire little husband of butter,
Duke Ernestus belike. molten against the sunne. I could not comprehend what the figure ment, but by the inscription which I sawe beneath in these wordes.
Ʋendidit hic auro patriam, dominumque
[Page 180] potentem, imposuit: that is in plaine english.
This wretch his countrie for gold did sell,
And his mightie master betraied, a shame to tell.
And belowe the same table there was this verse also.
Eheu: ne tibi sit priuata iniuria tanti.
Alas, the priuate wrong or feare,
Let it not be to thee so deare.
He meaneth the Lieutenāt the legate, and Pelve.Which made me to doubt, that this was one of the persons of the Trinitie, though indeed hee had forsaken and shaken off the holy Ghost.
I saw on the other side of the staires, another table, that was more great and large than the first were, and mingled with sundry, diuers and pleasant inuentions, which made me to turne to looke vpon them, because also that on the top there was written the description of the Iland of Ruach, newly augmented since the time of Rabelais. In the midst was a certaine Lady, hooded or vailed after the manner of a widdow,
Belike he meaneth the Dutches of montpensier. that had many husbands dead and liuing, and shee had her bumme or taile vpon the ground, between two stooles, and about her were a great companie of Churchmen, Friers, Iacobins, and Iesuites, some of them bringing her packets sealed and bridled,
Secret mutinous persons and light people easily led. and vnto others shee her selfe deliuered the like: the others that were apparelled like priests, that had fat benefices or parishes, had the bellowes of organs, wherwith they did blowe in the breach of many of the inhabitants, who suffered themselues to be caried away with the winde. Others stoode vpright, their throate being wide and open, & the foresaid curats or priests did blowe into their mouths, and nourished them with winde, as if it had beene with some heauenly food, fitte to heale the goutie, such as had the stone, or abundance of corrupt humors,
A description of the famine of Paris. in the whole bodie. In the nethermost part of the said figure, a man might see as it had bin a publike place, representing hals or markets, or the place Maubert o
[...] Paris, where insteed of bread & meat, they set out to sale footbals, the skinnes wherin rammes stones were,
[Page 181] and the same skinnes much blowed vp, and the great bladder of a hogge, with which they traffiqued in the market, and sold it from hand to hand, at a good reckoning. There was also an other sorte of victuall in paper, whereof some made great account, so that euery one that would, could not haue of it, which the retailers caried vp and downe the streetes, and they cryed newes, newes,
Newes described. as men crie, haue you any mise or rats to kill. The foresaide Lady furnished the counter-cariers therewith, for from her, they came out in abundance from vnder her coate or gowne: and there was great pleasure to beholde the diuers deformed countenances of them, that rooted as hogges doe, vnder her taile, to tast thereof. The rest of the countrie of the saide table, was full of windmils, turning emptie, and hauing fanes or weather cocks in the aire, together with sundry cocks of the Church. And at the foure corners,
It shuld seeme he meaneth troubles from Spaine. there was the foure winds reft into two, whereof it seemeth, that the southeast was the greatest, and blowed most mightily, and sent the cloudes towards the North, north East. In the neather part of the said table, there was written this little quartaine.
Lo here you may see the new found land,
Where the queene feedeth her selfe with wind,
He that gladly would newes know or vnderstand,
Let him smell to hir forepart and not behind.
Whilest I was rauished in the contemplation of this third table, and before that I had cast mine eies vpon the other that followed, the princes and princesses aforesaid passed by, and I must needs runne after,
A pretie fictiō. that I might enter as one of their followers: but because that the prease was not very great, the herauld or porter, that had once alreadie put me backe, marked me, and did more roughly and rudely thrust mee backe, than at the first, which made me to be fully resolued, to withdraw my selfe, and to leaue there the Estates, very close and shut vp. That was the first session, wherein at the euening I vnderstood that they were in consultation, with what wood they
[Page 182] should warme themselues the next lent, and vpon what foote the vnion should goe.
High poynts in a low house I also vnderstood, that the issue of the councel was, that men should obserue sundry lents in a yeare, with often commandings of double fasts, which in continuance would turne themselues as double tertian agues doe. Also they there forbad to sell speckled egges after Easter, because that children had plaied with thē before, which was a matter of very ill example. They forbad also the plaies and games of Bourgongne, and the nine pins or nine holes of master Iohn Roseau.
Specially gentles & nobles. Likewise they enioyned women to weare great bums, and in all safetie to increase vnder the same, without fearing the babble and vaine speech of midwiues. Some whispered and murmured also, that dauncings should be censured, and mules banished Paris. It was aduised also, to turne the lodging house or Inne of Bourgongne, into a colledge for the Iesuits,
Iesuites well deciphered. who had neede of recreation, by reason of the great quantitie of bloud, wherewith they were swollen and puffed vp, as a filled bagge, and had neede of a surgeon to let them bloud. Sundrie other holie and praise worthie ordinances were made at the beginning of the play, whereof one promised to giue mee the list or catalogue. But aboue all other things, they commended the paines of Monsieur of Lions,
A necessarie law among many needeles before. who framed a fundamental law, by which it should be inacted, that whosoeuer within Paris, or within any other towne, brideled by the vniō, should speake of peace for twentie yeres space, or should demaund for traffique and trade, or should lament for the good time past, he should bee sent into exile to Soissons, as an heretike, or Maheuter, or should pay to the bagge or purse of the vnion, a certaine quantitie of dales, towards the maintenance and entertaining of the Doctors.
For there must alwaies be an opposition, or else their state cannot stand. Some also propounded this, that if the King of Nauarre became a Catholike, Monsieur the Lieutenant must needes become a Huguenot, and that his late brother had indeede a minde to bee so, if they would haue
[Page 183] receiued him. As touching the choise of a King altogether new, some say that it was readie to be adiudged and determined, but yet that it was not without great disputation, because that some spake to this purpose, that it was better to haue a Common-wealth, as the ancient French had:
That is a confused gouernment by the people.
A state of gouernement consisting of few. othersome demaunded an anarchicall democratie: othersome would haue the Athenian Oligarchie: othersome spake of a perpetuall Dictator & yearely Consuls, which was the cause, that by reason of the diuersitie of opinions, they could not resolue any thing thereof. Notwithstanding, there was some appearance that they spake to haue a King. For one named Trepelu the vine dresser of Suresnes, stoutly and stiffely defended, that the king was the very starre, and the very sunne, which so long since had gouerned and inlightened the kingdome of France, and with his heate nourished,
Necessitie of a king notwithstanding corruption in him that executeth the office. fostered, and sustained the same. And what though sometimes the sunne comming after a frostie night, it caused the vines to freeze, yet it did not thereupon insue, that we should spit against it, and not vse it any more, nor for all that to leaue the good quaffing of quarts at a time, though that wine were very deare. And this is almost all that I could learne, and that I can report, of that which passed in the estates of Paris, from whom notwithstanding men looke that there will come out very fearefull clappes and noyses.
I would it were so, that that Babylonian kingdom diuided might come to ruine. For they say that Kings and Popes will intermingle one with another, and that the Primate of Lions sleepeth not day nor night to hatch a writing, that will make all the world to lay downe weapons and armour, and constraine all the Maheutres to flie from hence into England, or els that way. Wee shall in short time see what it will bee. God is aboue all. The rest of the wordes and speeches,
A pretie iest, though I approoue not therein the vse of scripture words. and all the things that were done there, are they not written in the booke of the words of the daies of the Kings, not of Iudah, but of Spayne.
Whilest these sayd estates were assembled, there were certaine little verses made both in Latin and in French, which did runne vp and downe the streetes, whereof I haue made a collection, that the Italians, who are curious and desirous of such things, may see them.