ALthough it bee their parte which arme thē selues firste by their owne priuate autho­ritie, to gyue a rea­son and cause of their doynge: Yet the Lorde Prince of Conde considering how muche this present sturre and tumult, by reasō of diuers circumstaunces, is subiect to many & sondrie iudgemētes, besi­des that the common domage requi­reth a sure and speedye reamedie, thought it good to preuent al sclaū ­derous tales and misreportes, and to declare as here foloweth, the causes whiche haue moued hym to asso­ciate hym selfe wyth hys kynsfolke frendes, and seruauntes, for to do seruice vnto the Kynge, to the [Page] Queene, and to all this realme, in their great necessitie and nede.

Euery man knoweth, that after the great troubles happened aboute matters of religion (where with it is moste manifest that manye abu­singe the naturall goodnesse of our kinges, haue serued their owne tur­nes to establishe & to maintein their greatnes and honour). Finallye in the moneth of Ianuarye laste paste, there was and edicte or decree made by his maiestie, to rule and order both the partes, with the aduise of the most notable and best chosen as­semblye that the kinge coulde chose in all his parlements.

This decre and commaundement being shortly after published, in the most part of the parlements of this Realme, gaue a great hope of rest and quietnes as the effect declared: and no doubt, if y ^e parlement of Pa­ris had not vsed suche a delay, the tranquillitie of y ^e towne and of the whole parlement therof had bene, & shoulde yet haue bene muche more then we se it now to be.

[Page] The let of this publication hathe engendred by iuste occasion diuers suspicions, that that was not done w ^tout great practise whiche tended to a further ende, whiche thing was cōfirmed by the goings & commings and drifts of the prouoste of the Marchauntes of Paris, with the parcia­lities that euerye man knew to bee betwene the presidents and counsai­lers of the said courte. Also y ^t all men knew how the Constable being su­ed vnto and layed vpon by certaine parcial Marchaūts had filled thē w ^t a certain hope y ^t this decre cōcerning religion, should not continue long: Notwithstandinge, y ^t moued not y ^e said lord prince any thing at all, nor yet others of the reformed churches, to saye or do any thing that shoulde trouble the cōmon quietnes of this realme: but in the middst of an infi­nite number of violences & outragi­ous wronges wherof they could ne­uer haue iustice, thei haue taried & loked for the issue of the publication w ^t the greatest modestie and pacience that they coulde.

[Page] This publication being made at Paris with great, earnest, and impor­tunate suyte, and rather by prayer and request than by the commaun­dement of the king or of the quene. The sayd lord prince after a greuo­us sickenes, toke hys leaue of the king and the queene, in hope to rest him selfe a whyle at his house.

In the meane tyme newes were broughte of the cruell and horrible but cherlye slaughter committed at Wassye in the presence and compa­ny of y ^e duke of Guyse, where were most tyrannously slayne many of the kinges subiectes, as well men as women and children, whiche were assembled togyther to heare a Ser­mon, and to pray vnto God, folow­ing the religion and pure worde of god, which y ^e sayd lord prynce main tayneth with them, and trusteth to mayntayne vnto death, by all mea­nes lawfull.

This cruelty thus reported at Paris, moued in sundrie wyse, the one partye and the other, in suche sorte that there was euen at that tyme [Page] greate likely hode that some greate mischefe woulde ensue of it, the ru­mour being spredde abrode that the sayde Duke of Guyse came in ar­mour & w ^t a great company beyng determined to roote vp and destroye all the congregations whiche they call of the newe religion, the whi­che also for their part, consydering that the kings decre and ordinance semed not to be able to maintayne them against the force, violence and rage of their enemies, stode at their defence hauinge firste sente to the Quene certayne men of learnynge and vertue, for to demaunde of her iustice for the murder committed in the sayd place of wassy. Thys was the cause why the sayd lord Prince beinge at that tyme in good houre arryued at Paris, for to goe to his house, and desyringe to remedie the inconueniences that threatened the towne of Paris, went at the commaūdement of the Queene to meete the king & her at Monceaux, where he told them what he feared, and ad­uertised them that for the auoyding [Page] of trouble it should be good that the Duke of Guyse whom men sayd did come with great power, and with a great company armed withstādinge the kinges decree and ordenaunce, at the lest shoulde not passe through the sayde towne of Paris, whyche thing was found good by the quene and vpon occasion she wrote vnto him with her owne hand.

Now the saide Prince hoped that the said duke of Guyse woulde haue obeyd the Queene, and whiche is more, that in laying a syde his weapons would haue submitted himself with all his companye, to the order of iustice equalye obserued in this realme, as well in the behalfe of the lest as of the greatest when they be accused of anye crime, and that he woulde haue come straighte to the kinge and the quene with al humi­litie, according to his dutie: But it chaunced clene contrary, for making no other answere, but that he was busyed at Mantuil in feastinge his frendes, he went strayght to Paris with a very great companye of hys [Page] kinsfolke and frends, and seruaun­tes, and others, with open armour. And he may not go about to excuse him selfe for taking the said armour and gathering suche a company to­gether for feare y ^t he had of them of y ^e reformed churches w ^c men call Hu­guenots whiche is as muche to saye as heretikes. For it is wel knowen that before the murder at Wassye. he marched with weapons forbid­den by the kinges decree and orde­naunce. Also that the most parte of them that did accompany hym had bene longe before called together by him, and by others, out of al pla­ces of this realme, so that longe be­fore there was no talke at Paris but of that, and of his comming.

Furthermore, knowing that those of the reformed churches tooke the way of lawe and iustice accordynge to their duetie, it appeareth playn­ly that if he had not sought but hys owne saftie, he woulde haue gone strayghte to the courte accordynge to the commaundemente of the Kynge and Queene.

[Page] It appeared also, y ^t this comming was practised of longe tyme be­fore: because that not onely the company of the Constable and diuers o­ther which in the meane time were gathered togither, did ioyne them­selues with him but: also the prouost of the Marchauntes with a greate troupe of the said towne went to receyue him, and this entrey was made in open armoure with great acclamation of men hyred and su­borned, as if the kinge him selfe had entred in person. The Duke of guyse nor anye of his bande not shewing any signe or tokē that thei were displeased any thing at it.

Nowe the sayd lord prince beyng retourned from Monceaux the daye before, as is sayd, fully determined to goe on his iourney towarde hys house, and being soddenlye aduerti­sed of the comming of the sayd duke of Guyse with such a companye and route armed, determined lyke a prynce of the bloode royall for the seruyce of the kynges Maiestie, and the profite of the common wealth, [Page] to see and prouyde for that whiche the sodeynesse of suche a matter re­quired, folowynge the prayers and instaunt request of an infinite number of poore men, fearynge that it should happē to them as it did vnto those of Wassye. And for this cause & effecte, where as he neuer thought of any suche thynge before, finding in his company a certayne smal nū ­ber of gentle men, then meting to­gether at Paris aboute certaine af­fayres, professinge the same religi­on that he doth, prayed them to ac­pany him to the preaching of godds worde, appoynted and furnished as muche as was requisite for theyr owne defence, w ^t all modestie, ho­nestie and simplicitie. And al this cō pany was but .CC. horse, compting the gentelmen & seruāts of the sayd prince: others also there were dwel­ling in the said towne, haunting or­dinarily the preaching of the worde of God, whiche wente and came without offendynge anye man in worde or deede.

[Page] The morowe after, bycause that the sayd Duke of guyse in steade of going strayght to the court began to fortifye him selfe more and more in the saide towne, the sayd lord prince dyd also the lyke for the defence of those of the reformed church y ^e which semed (with Iuste occasion) to think that all the sayde force and strength was against them, consydering the late deede of Wassy, and that there was in this realme no warre beside the common report, that men went aboute to make at Paris a newe de­cree formably contrary to the first.

Besydes all this, you muste note that the sayde Duke of Guyse, con­tynuyng his course and trade with the Constable and marshall Sayncte Andre and certayne other of theyr companyons without the authoritie of the Kynge and quene and whiche is more, not making them pryuye to anye thing, althoughe the state of the realme requyred not any ex­traordinarye prouisyon, kept neuer­theles his counsell styll, wherin sate certaine presydents of the court [Page] offycers of the kinges, the prouoste and Bourgeses of the towne, euen as thoughe h [...] had bene maister and lorde of this realme. A thinge truly very strange, and suffycient to de­clare and shewe, that there was a­monge them some practyses and se­crete enterprises. For as for the constable he was departed from y ^e court syxe weekes before beynge greatly discontend with the quene, bycause she would not endure nor suffer hys strang facions and maner of doing.

And synce that tyme, for to re­uenge him selfe, beynge departed frō his house to go to Paris to hold this goodly counsell, mett the Kinge and the Quene in the waye neyther saluting them, nor yet staying for them made as thoughe he had not know­en them.

On the other parte also, the mar­shal of Sainct Andre not long before these thyngs was not content to disobeye the expresse commaundement y ^t the Queene had gyuen hym to go furthw ^t to his charge of gouernemēt but in the open counsel, answered [Page] her so arrogantly and prowdly that men might easely perceyue y ^t he le­aned vpon some counsell, and priuye intelligence.

More than this, the sayde Duke of Guyse euen at the begynninge of his comminge to Paris in steade of going streyght to the court, dyd em­ploye all the frendes he had, and sought all meanes he coulde to kepe the Queene at Fontayne bleaux, for feare she shulde go to Orleans. Yet neuertheles hauinge obtained that whiche he had moste instantly required, he sturryd not for all that from Paris: and helped him selfe wyth a newe excuse, bycause that the sayde Lorde prince was there also accom­panyed wyth a greate number of gentyll men, and that the towne fearinge to be spoyled and saccadged had desyred and prayed hym to tar­rye there for to defende it, and thus [Page] doynge he hathe priuilye rebuked the saide Lorde prynce of to vila­nous an intent and purpose. But the contrarye was sone perceyued.

For the sayde lorde prince to take from hym all pretence, or colour in any thinge, by and by offred hym by the Cardynall of Bourbon his bro­ther and gouernour of Paris to go oute at one gate whan he shoulde goe oute at the other.

And than afterward being ad­uertysed that the Queene desyred that bothe the companyes myghte goe oute, and that for thys purpose the King of Nauarre should be come into the towne of Paris, he was so readye and willynge to obeye this commaundement, that althoughe he had bene sycke the space of two dayes in hys bedde, yet he depar­ted quyckely wyth hys companye strayghte towarde hys house of la [Page] Ferte, from whence he hoped to haue sent them awaye incontinent yf the sayde Duke of Guise had done the lyke.

Nowe the sayde Duke of Guyse cleane contrarye sheweyng in effect with hys complyces, that by the willing departure of the sayde Lorde prynce, he had gotten that he loked for, went to the Kinge with all hys force and armyed power as in y ^e time of warre and against his greatest e­nemyes, a thinge truly, not sene nor vsed, neyther is it in anye wyse to be allowed or accepted considering the base and tender age of the king, and that the Queene hys mother althoughe she be endued with a sin­guler vertue, and constance could not chose but be a frayde, with a Iust feare, seynge her self beset roūd aboute wyth suche force and power to gyther wyth the Kynge Duke of Orleans, and my Lorde chanceler contrarye to her wyll and ex­presse commaundement, wher­of [Page] of sufficient profe maye bee made by the teares that fell from our kinges eyes, and by the talke that he had being forced to suffer him selfe to be caried to Meleum these dayes late past. The which it shall please them to remember that were present. So that suche a comminge of the sayde Duke of Guise, and seasynge vpon the persons of the King, and queene his mother, and of the Duke of Or­leans his brother, ioynynge here­with all the foresaid thinges, it can not be, nor ought to be estemed other than a takynge and captiuitie of them, and that y ^e most hurtful, most miserable and shamefull, that euer chaunced or coulde chaunce to this Realme. And vppon this it maye please the Queene (mother) to re­member the admonicion and coun­sell that was gyuen her by a cer­ten Portugal, together with a man of Spaine, & another sent out of Sauoye, as touching y ^t which she nowe at this day feeleth & findeth true, to the great and extreme greefe of her most obedyent subiects & seruaunts. [Page] And to thintent that this may be yet better knowen and vnderstode of all true subiectes and faithful seruants. The said lord prince besides that he declareth things past desyreth al mē to be aduertised of the enterprises which is very easy to coniecture and gather, which the fordsaid men doe pretend to execute, to the intent that if they be put in effect by thē, no mā can doubte but y ^t they are very ene­mies to the king and to his crowne, and on the other side if there be other let them haue so much the more cer­taine meanes to declare & shewe it in abstaining frō suche enterprises. That is, that hauing beset, and then caried to Meleum y ^e kinge, the quene the yong duke of Orleans, and those which they thought good with ar­med men, to enioye them at their pleasure they entend to helpe them selues with their authoritie against the saide Lorde prince, and all other which withstand and resist theyr en­terprises, declarynge them culpable of that which they them selues haue alreadye partlye executed and done, [Page] and whereof the sayde lorde Prynce neede not take the payne to excuse him selfe: seynge the experience and profe sheweth sufficientlye that all the dayes of his lyfe he hath mysly­ked and despysed all that they haue sought and sewed for, that haue gro­wen and encreased so sone into such an honour & greatnesse, that there is none but Iudgeth with al the states of this realme that it is muche more reasonable to demande of them the cause of it, than it can be easye for them to giue a reason why.

And if the sayde Duke of Guyse with his, fynde themselues vnfaulty in this behalf, they shall do much for them to purge themselues of it according to y ^e request that y ^e estats haue made therin, in steade of troublynge both heauen and earth, and to gyue this occasyon to men to thynke that they feare nothing more than to en­ter into this matter.

The occasyon of that counsell is euydente ynoughe, to weete to the intente that all lettes beynge taken awaye, they myghte [Page] dispose & rule the realme of Fraūce at their pleasure, and for asmuch as to attayne to these ende and purpo­ses, they knowe they muste haue o­ther ayde and shores, men saye that their drift and policie is, to roote vp and destroy all those of the reformed churches, that is to say all thei that resist them, in makynge a certayne newe decree at theyr owne wyll, by the meanes of certain hyred and su­borned persons, as well of the Par­lement of Paris as of elles where, to the intent that the other parte shoulde bee as it were indebted to them, in ruynynge at the least halfe the realme, for to haue it rather half at their desyre, than to see it enioye whollye the quietnes and reste so muche desyred of all good men, and as reiected of those whiche neuer made their profit but with the losse and domage of another man, and of the rui­ne of the com­mons.

THese things consydered wyth many other whiche time shall discouer y ^t said lord prince protesteth this that foloweth before the king, y ^e quene, and the states of this realme, with y ^e realmes, potentates, lordes, frendes, and allyes, of thys Crowne, and generally before all Chrystendome.

First that the onely consideration of that which he owyth to god and to his churche, with the zeale y ^t he hath particularly to y ^e crowne of Fraunce vnder the gouernemēt of the quene, and finally the hartye affection that he beareth to the quietnes and tran­quillity of this realme, cōstraine him to seke all lawful meanes according to gods lawe & mans, according to the order and decre y ^t he hath in thys realme, for to delyuer oute of Capti­uitie the persō of the king of y ^e quene his mother, & my lordes her children [Page] and to maintain y ^e keping of y ^e kings decres & ordenāces, and specially vp on y ^e matter of religiō, set vp, & made by y ^e aduise of the princes of y ^e bloude ryall, lords of the coūsel presydentes and conselours of the parlements, sauing the said men of y ^e house of guise which now will trust & beleue their owne particular aduises. It cannot fayle to be such as mē se it to be if it were no more but to iustify y ^e cruelty more than barbarous, which was cō mytted in the sayd place of Wassye. Also the said lord prince with a good nūber of other prīces, knights, lords of the counsel, captaines, gentillmē, men of warre, mē of Iustice, & lawe, marchants, and men of the three e­states of this realme, moste affectu­ously besecheth and requireth with all his hart all good faithful & trusty subiects and seruants of his maiestie carefully and diligētly to see, reade, and way al these foresaid things, for feare that lest vnwares in steade of succoring and ayding the kynge the quene & my lords her children, in their captiuitie they be by y ^e practises [Page] and false aduertisements of the ene­mies of y ^e peace & tranquillitie of this realme, brought to be y ^e ministers of y ^e destructiō of y ^e same. And to preuent and w ^tstand these things he prayeth them to help him and to staye vp the crowne of Fraūce now fallen downe if god of his infinite mercy lifte it not vp again whervnto after hauīg, called vpō his grace he craueth y ^e aide y ^e assistance & fauour of al kīgs prīces and potentates alyes & confederates of this crowne the w ^c he taketh al for beholders wyttnesses and Iudges of his fidelite, & integryte, in the cōser­uation of the state of y ^e kinge, whose inuocencye full of al good hope hath not deserued to be ī captiuity of those which by y ^e benefites of his predeces­sours & fathers haue bene raysed vp in authorite, so that now they shuld so manifestly conspire y ^e ruyne of the sōne, of the quene his mother, & of al the estates of this realme.

Moreouer by thys present prote­station he meaneth wyth all his companye to declare hym selfe pure and [Page] innocent of the bloud shed and of the calamites and myseryes wherwyth this realme is threatned throughe the partyculare ambytyon of those which hauing nothing to doe but to looke to the gouernement of thys realme are comme vnto it them sel­ues by armes, for to chase them oute whom both goddes lawe, and mans dyd call vnto, and which were borne counselours. Against the violence of the which distourbers and disquye­ters of thys realme, breakers of the decrees, and ordenances of all the e­states, he entendeth with al his companye to bestowe and to spend hys body and goodes vnto his last breath as a good and faithefull subiecte and seruant of the crowne of Fraunce, and specially beinge of the house of Fraunce.

Also bycause the sayde men wyll not fayle to abuse the auctorye of the king and y ^e Quene whom they kepe in a myserable and vnworthye Captiuitye, for to serue their owne turnes agaynste the faythefull and trustye subiectes of his maiestie. For [Page] this cause the sayde lord prince pro­testeth and declareth presently that he wil not credyte any letters, messages cōmandemētes, decres, ordenances, whatsoeuer they be made by the sayde men vnder the name of hys mayestie. For asmuche as it is well knowen that they shall be forced and gotten by manifeste violence, agaynst all lawe of God and man. For, that accepted, the lorde prynce wyl neuer giue place to any mā, ly­uinge in the humble obedience that he oweth and wyll giue to his ma­iestie, and to the Queene hys mo­ther.

More, as touching the king of Nauare his brother, the sayde Lorde Prynce protesteth, that wyth the band of brotherly loue, & y ^e particu­ler respect that he oweth vnto him, he meaneth to acknowledge hī after the order and degree that he hath in this realme, with all obedience next to the king and Queene, whiche by the common consent of the states, the agrement of the Prynces of the bloode royall, the approbation of [Page] the parlements of Fraunce, hath re­ceyued y ^e gouernance of this realme as also he is assured y ^t the sayd kinge of Nauarre consyderinge these fore­sayd thinges will haue suche regard to it as reason and the present ne­cessyte requireth.

The which also the sayd lord prince moste humbly and moste instantely besecheth him to doe.

Also the sayd lord prince to shewe that he speaketh syncerly and truely protesteth, presently that in steade of comminge to hande strokes he is ready to vnarme him selfe vpō these conditions folowing, whiche are so reasonable y ^t they cannot be refused but of those, that prefer their owne gayne before the quyetnesse of thys realme. That is to weete, that the king and quene, y ^e Duke of orleans, my lord chauncelour, and other of y ^e counsell be firste of all set agayne at suche libertie & safftye as they ought to be: which thing cānot be done vntill all weapons be laid asyde vnder the name of the king, & in the hands of others than of those which folow [Page] the sayde men of the counsel holden at Paris.

Further more that the sayd of the house of Guise, the constable & mar­shall, of S. Andre be sent agayne to their houses, & that they haue a daye and place appointed them to come & appeare before y ^e king and the quene to offer themselues w ^t al humilite as they ought to do, for to render a rea­son of this that is before sayd, & like­wise of that which was layd against them before by the estates of thys realme. For y ^e which it is moste rea­sonable & necessarye that prouisyon be made by the kīg & the quene. And the sayde lord prince for his part of­freth likewise to make accompt and to Iustifie him selfe of all y ^t men can laie to his charge or to them of hys companye, whan and before whome it shall appartayne,