A discourse vpon the De­claration published by the Lord De la Noue.

THe diuers conditions and qualities of such persons as enter into the tragedie whereuppon the Lorde de la Noue was constrai­ned to publish this defence, doth yeeld vs a bare argument whereby to finde out sundrie such effects as may teach vs to guide our liues with more dis­cretion, and the same to refer principally to the honor of God (which is the first degree of pi­etie) and next to the preserua­tion of the countrie (which is the second) and may make vs better aduised, thereby to es­chew the falling into those er­rors that sundrie commit, as well in the one as in the other.

The graue, couragious, and sentencious speeches of the L. de la Noue, doth shewe that as the marriners haue still their eies vpon the north starre, or the needle that pointeth to the same, so the obligation where­in we stande bound to men of whatsoeuer calling, ought not so to hinder vs, but that in all [Page 4]our actions we cast our eye vp­on the holy will of God and ac­cording to the same, so often as our vocation calleth vs, we enter cheerefully into the de­fence of Iustice, though for the same, we should suffer per­secution. Sith also that our benefites can not clymbe to God himselfe, it resteth that we employ them vppon these who by his maiestie are prin­cipally commended & in grea­test fauour with his bountie: of these, the first is the Church, for the which hee hath giuen that which he helde most dee­rest vnto him, viz. his sonne. And albeit all the members thereof doo rest in his pro­tection as the apple of his eye, yet the widowe and Orphane haue the preheminence and most sacred degree among all those whome it hath pleased him to commende vnto vs.

In as much therefore, as for the defence of Gods Church, and a poore Orphane, the Lorde de la Noue, hath vowed and consecrated himselfe, not rashly, but vppon mature ex­amination [Page 5]of this master, and after hath couragiously vn­dertaken the same, as making in respect of his duetie no ac­count of the daungers that might ensue, I will not saye that he hath purchased great commendations with men (for he seeketh none) but hath left a goodly example to all those to whom God hath im­parted meanes of helpe in goods, authoritie, knowledge, or valiantnes to releeue Gods iustice oppressed by Tyrantes, and to bestowe what so euer their power, for his cause, to whom they must giue account, and by whome (if they abuse his giftes) they shall eyther without remission be cast into vtter darkenesse, or else re­ceiue his fauourable sentence, to enter into the ioyes of the Lorde. And besides, by this example GOD sheweth how hee bringeth into practise as it were perforce, the valour that he hath imparted to men, when themselues vpon terrene considerations do endeuour to blemish & keepe it buried. For as sayeth a certayne Poet, [Page 6] vertue hidden diffreth litle from cowardlinesse.

On the other side, they which wrested from this gentleman, and that after so cruell impri­sonment, so harde and vnto­warde promises, do shewe the nature of Tyrants: who de­clare themselues terrible, fello­nious, and mischieuous, so soone as they weene to haue gotten time conuenient to play the part of the cruell Lion: but when with stayed sense, and as­sured iudgment we come more neerely to consider of them, we shall finde, that among all cre­atures the tyrant is the most timorous and faint-hearted beast, also that crueltye and cowardlinesse are two insepa­rable qualities of a Tyrant. For what other interpretation can they make of these cruell promises wrested out of the mouth of a simple knight? And therefore wee cannot suf­ficiently extoll the valiaunt courage of that noble and worthy Prince of Wales, who hearing that the valiant Ber­trand du Guesclein, as then but [Page 7]a simple gentleman of Britan, (as also is the Lorde De la Noue) reported that the sayde Prince feared him, hauing a­greed vppon his ransome, did immediatly set him at libertie vpon his faith.

The Prince of Parma affec­teth the name of a victorious, glorious, inuincible and mighty captaine, with other the ambi­tious & proud titles which the flattering Italians doo giue him: and not content with such titles seeketh ouer foolishly and with manifest and shamelesse ambition, the name of Alexan­der the Great, and therefore beareth in his deuise Sa-Tyros the deuise of great Alexander. Besides, after the Romish, that is the Popish manner, christe­ning the Galeon that he caused to be built at Antwerp, not by y^e countrie workmen, for they are but spilchipe, but by our goldē and veluet masters come out of Italy, he was not content to haue it called by his own name which is Alexander, but named it as Godfather to that Buce­phall, Great Alexander: and yet [Page 8]considering their braue effects, both the godfather & the god­childe are two neere Sander­kyns. Howbeit I would gladly know of this foolish and proud person, whether Great Alexan­der euer hare himselfe so to­ward his enemies as hee hath done towarde the Lorde de la Noue, and therefore whether with so base a minde he dare affect the name of that braue Prince? Whether if George Castriot a valiant Captaine in deede, and surnamed Scander­bech, which signifieth Great Alexander, did so behaue him­selfe towarde his enimies, al­beit they were Turkes? Whe­ther that Arragonois Gon­salue, who in troth deserued the title of a mighty Captaine, did euer commit action so vn­worthie or shewing so base a minde? Yea and whether hee thinketh that the valiant don Iohn of Austrich, whome hee scorneth, woulde euer haue stooped to such villanie? So that had he neuer committed other cowardlinesse than this, yet doth he sufficiently giue all the worlde to wit, yea euen [Page 9]those who vnder the shadowes of his casuall prosperities haue for a time beene abused, that there neuer was any mightie Capteine, no not any Cap­taine that could brooke or ad­mit so vile and base minded counsell, neyther neede I here shewe his ignorance in warlike affaires layde open in his pre­paratiues at Antwerp, with those his monstrous vessels that could scarse swimme vpon the water, and other his small prouision to crosse ouer into England withall, and with so miserable furniture to passe o­uer the bellies of the Hollan­ders and Zealanders: as also it were needelesse here to speake of his two yeares follye in his assembly of flatte bottoms and his irresolute counsell to remooue them from place to place, to Scluce, to Niewport, to Dunkerke, &c. neither of his faint heart that durst not with fourtie thousande figh­ting men of two whole yeares preparation, ioyne with a smal troup of Zealanders and Hol­landers, but before his face see the English men beate and [Page 10]whippe so proud an armie, that came thether thorough his counsell, as a man shall whippe bondilaues, I say, see so much nobilitie perishe before his face. But imagine you, my masters the readers heereof, whether euer great Alexan­der, Iulius Caesar, or any other valiant Captaines would e­uer haue committed such and so great ouer-fightes. In vaine also is it here to speake of his beastlinesse in his en­terprises of Berghen and Ter Tolen, for that his onely to­wardly action sufficiently with shewe him vnwoorthie such a name, as also that his sundry good successes, neuer procee­ded of any his rare vertue, who hath no other then had his predecessors, the monsters of nature. And indeede if euer his spring of Indian golde should drie vppe, we shoulde euidently see that hee is the verie asse, that made the other beastes afrayde, when he had gotten on the Lions skinne, but when they behelde his long eares, they entreated him as he deserued: Such a [Page 11]one (I say) is that man, who promised so great recompence to those that were so foolish as to beleeue him, and who prepared to be crowned King of Englande by the handes of Cardinall Allen. Beeing therefore such a one as this declaration sheweth, we may sufficiently learne no more to feare him, then his master is to trust him, who one daye if hee can, will shewe him but a bad tricke, in respect of his pretended right to Por­tingall, according to the con­sultations of his father and his vncle Cardinall Fernesi­us: whereof alreadie he shew­eth proofe sufficient in his euill entreating of the Spaniards, which also is not the course of a great Captaine.

As for those mutinous and rebellious persons, men de­stinate vnto all euill mis­happe, who made the last commotions in France, wee may in their persons note, as it were in a liuely table the countenance of an Hipocrite [Page 12]which taketh the vizard of re­ligion to couer the plague of his ambition. And as there ne­uer was good man, in heart possessed of the feare of GOD that would vse Gods name to so vile and infamous an acti­on, so dooth it appeare that they be men voide of God and voide of all religion, yea per­secuters of Gods children, to the ende they might compasse to become kinges ouer the children of men, vnder a false title of beeing successors to Charles the Great, to whome they are nothing allyed. But admitte they were of his race, yet had hee nothing, but was an vsurper vppon the race of the Merouees, the true and lawfull kinges, from whome in right masculine line are de­scended the kinges nowe reig­ning, and all they which haue reigned these sixe hundred yeares, as also the Bourbons the onely Princes next to the king, who also haue the peace­able prescription of sixe ages: yet haue these men without constraint either of conscience or honour, of life or goods, [Page 13]presumed to leauie open warre against their king and benefa­ctor: to raise the Parisiens, a mutinous people, and those who throughout all the trou­bles of France, haue euer fol­lowed the worser part, and all by reason of certaine treaties and secret promises made to the Pope of Rome, the gene­rall and vniuersall tyrant of Christendom, and to some for­reine Princes for certaine summes of money which they haue fingered: A matter that could neuer sinke in other than the heart of a traytor.

Such men I say, being men without God or honour, who with all their power could ne­uer performe any other thing but to set a franticke commu­naltie in vprore, are not to bee feared, neither are we to doubt of Gods assistance against such peruers persons, who coue­ring their wickednesse with his holy name, doo make open warre against him.

As for the Baron of Ausson­uille, who besieged Iamets, what is there to be founde in [Page 14]him but that he is that hogge that both with snout and heeles troad downe the holie pearles, and turned againe to bite them? For that great and fatte hogge hauing tasted of the heauenly gift and professed the same, euen so farre foorth as to haue accompanied Lewes Prince of Conde euen to the siege of Poictiers from whence hee departed into Germanie with the euer praise woorthie Prince of Orange, beganne first to tread the gospell vnder his feete by iesting speeches. Afterwarde, beholding the bloudie feast of Saint Bartholo­mewe, and seeing those Lords dead by whome he hoped for aduancement in France, hee sate him downe vpon the seate of the scornefust, soyning his counselles with the contem­ners. And finally not as a sim­ple Apostata, but as a per­secuting Apostata, he beganne to persecute those whome in his conscience he knewe to be honester men then himselfe, whereby euerie one may take warning to looke so himselfe, that hee which standeth, fall [Page 15]not: for God the iust iudge dooth in such contemners pu­nish one sinne by an other, vntill such persons doo cast themselues headlong into the darke pitte, the habitation of Dragons and wilde beastes, and fulfilling of all miserie. All which dooth happen tho­rough the iust iudgement of Al­mightie God, who leaueth no­thing vnpunished.

Discours sur la decla ration faicte par le Sieur de la Noue.

LA qualité & condition differente des person­nes qui entrent en la tragedie sur laquelle le Sieur de la Noue a esté con­trainct de publier ceste De­fense, nous donne vn beau subiect pour recognoistre diuers effects, qui nous ap­pendront à conduire nostre vie plus sagement, & la rap­porter principalement à l'honneur de Dieu, (qui est le premier degré de pieté) & au salut du païs (qui est lesecond) & nous rendra aduiséz pour ne tomber és defaults que plusieurs font en l'vn & en l'aultre poinct.

Le graue, magnanime, & sententieux parler du Sieur de la Noue, monstre, comme les mariniers ont tousiours l'oeil sur l'estoille du Nort, ou sur l'eguille qui la mar­que; aussi que l'obligation qu'on a aux hommes de quelque qualité qu'elle soit, ne nous doibt empescher, [Page 4]qu'en toutes nos actions nous ne iettions l'oeil sur la saincte volonté de Dieu, & suiuant icelle, toutes les fois que nostre vocation nous y appelle: que nous n'entri­ons alaigremēt à la defense de la iustice, encores q̄ pour icelle nous deussiōs souffrir persecutiō. Et puis que nos bienfaicts ne peuuent mon­ter iusques à Dieu, il reste q̄ nous les employons vers ceux qui nous sont princi­pallement recōmandez par sa majesté, & les plus ayméz de la bōté. L'eglise est la pre­miere, pour laquelle il a liu­rece qui luy estoit le plus cher, cest son Filz. Et cōbien que touts les membres d'i­celle sont en sa garde cōme la prunelle de l'oeil: toutes­fois la Veufue & l'orphelin tiennēt le premier lieu, & le plus sacré degré entre ceulx qui luy plaist nous recōmā­der. Puis-donc, que pour la iuste defense de l'Eglise de Dieu, & d'vn paouure Or­phelin, le Sieur de la Noue s'est vouè, & consacrè, non point legierement, mais ay­ant [Page 5]meuremēt examiné cest affaire, & en apres, l'auoir entreprise couragcusement, ne faisant (au pris de son de­buoir) aulcune estime des dangers qui en peu [...]ent ad­uenir: Ie ne diray point, c'est acquis vne grande louange deuant les hōmes (car il ne la cerche point) mais a laissé vn bel exemple à tous ceulx auxquels dieu a departi des moyēs pouraider es biens, en authorité, en sçauoir, en vaillantise, de secourrir la iustice de Dieu pressèe par les tyrans, de rapportertout ce qu'ils ont de puissance à celuy auquel il fault qu'ils en rēdēt cōpte, & par lequel (s'ils en abusent) serōt iettez és tenebres exterieures, sās remissiō, ou biē ils receurōt sa gratieuse sētēce, pour en­trer en la ioye du Seigneur. D'auātage, en cest exemple dieu mōstre cōmēt il tire en practique, ainsi q̄ par force, la valeur qu'il a donnee aux hōmes, quād pour des rai­sos de terre ils là veulēt ob­scurcir & tenir enseuelie, d'aultāt (cōme dict vn Poët. [Page 6] Que la vertu cachée ne dif­fere guerez de faineantise.

Ceulx d'aultre part qui ont tiré violentement de ce Gētil-homme, & apres vne prisō si cruelle, des promes­ses si rudes & si mal grati­euses, monstrent le naturel des tyrans: lesquels se mon­strēt assez effroiables, felōs, & terribles, quand ils pen­sent auoir le temps propre à iouër le personnage cruel du Lyon: Mais quand auec vn sens rassis, & iugement asseuré, on vient à les consi­derer de plus prest, on trou­ue, qu'entre touts les ani­maux, le Tyran est la plus craintifue & pusillāime be­ste, & que cruauté & lasche­té de courage, sont deux qualitez inseparables du ty­ran: Car comment peuuēt ils aultrement interpreter ces cruelles promesses tiré­es par force de la bouche d'un simple Cheualier? Pourtant ne pouuons nous assez hauloner le coeur Ma­gnanime du noble & gentil Prince de Galles, lequel ayāt eu rapport que le vaillant [Page 7] Bertrant du Guesclein, pour lors encores simple Gētil-homme Bretō (comme aus­si est le Sieur de la Noue) di­soit qu'il le craignoit, le mist incontinēt en liberté sur sa foy, ay āt accordé de sa rāçō.

Le Prince de Parme, affe­cte le nom de victorieux, glorieux, inuincible, & grād Capitaine, & aultres tiltres ambitieux & superbes, que les flatteurs Italiens luy at­tribuent: & ne se contentant de tels tiltres, cerche par trop sottemēt, & d'une am­bition descouuerte & ef­frontée, le nom de grand A­lexandre, pourtāt porte il en sa deuise, Sa. Tyros, deuise du grand Alexandre: & baptisāt à la mode Romaine, c'est à dire Papale, le gallion qu'il a faict bastir en Anuers, nō pas des ouuriers dupaïs, car ce ne sont que forfātes, mais par des Messers venus d'I­talie, dorez & velouttez; il ne se contēta de le faire ap­peller de son nom, qui est Alexandre, mais le nomma, cōme parrain de ce Buce­phale, le grād Alexandre: veu [Page 8]qu'attēdu les beaux effects, & le parrain & le filleul e­stoiēt deux vrais Sādrekeu­ken. Mais ie demāderois vo­lontiers à ce sot & superbe tout ensemble, si Alexan­dre le Grand s'est ainsi gou­uerné enuers ses ennemis, comme il a faict enuers le Sieur de la Noue, s'il ose auec vn coeur si bas affe­cter le nom de ce braue Prince? Si George Castriot vrayement Grand Capi­taine & nommé Scander­berch, qui signifie Alexandre le Grand, a esté tel enuers ses ennimis, ores qu'ils fus­sent Tures? Si l' Arragonois Gonsalue qui a vraiement merite le tiltre de Grand Capitaine, a commis actes si indignes & d'vn courage si raualle? Et s'il croit que le vaillant Don Iean d' Au­striche duquel il se moc­que, eust voulu s'abbaisser iusques à vne telle villai­nie? Tellement quand il n'auroit commisé aultre la­scheté que cest-cy il fait assez cognoistre à tout le monde, voir à ceulx [Page 9]qui soubs vmbre de ses pro­speritéz fortuites s'y sont pour vn temps abuséz, que iamais ne fustny grand cap­pitaine, ny Capitaine, au coeur desquels n'entre ia­mais si vil & si rabbaisse cō­seil. Et n'est de besoing icy de mōstrer son ignorāce au faict de la guerre en ses pre­paratiss d'Anuers, auec des monstrueux vaisseaux qui ne pourroient pas seulemēt nauiger sur l'eau, & aultre petit appareil, pour trauer­ser iusques en Angleterre, & passer auec si miserable equippage par dessus le vē­tre des Hollandois & Zeelan­dois? Il ne seroit besoing de parler de sa sottise biēnalle en son assemblee de Pleyttes, & son irresolu conseil de les chāger de place en place, à l'Escluse, à Nieuport, à Dunc­kercke, ny sō peu de courage, de n'auoir osé auec quarāte mil hommes de cōbat, ap­prestez deux ans entiers, ve­nir aux mains auec vne pe­tite trouppe de Zeelandois & Hollandois, & deuāt ses yeulx veoir vne si orgueilleuse ar­mée, [Page 10]venue sur son cons [...]il, estre battue & fouettée des Anglois, comme qui cha­stieroit des Esclaues, & veoir dis-ie, perir tant de Noblesse deuant ses yeux. Et pēsez Messieurs qui lisez cecy, si Alexandre le Grand, Iulius Caesar, & aultres grāds Capitaines eussent faict telles & si lourdes faultes. Il ne faudroit aussy mettre en compte sa bestise en ses entreprinses de Berghes & Ter Tolen▪ car ce seul acte lasche, monstre assez, qu'il est indigne d'un tel nom, & que les succes quil a eu, ne procedent d'alcune vertu qui soit en luy, qui n'en a aultre que celle de ses predecesseurs, monstres de nature. Et de faict, si vne fois ceste fontaine d'or des Indes, luy venoit à ta­rir, lors on verroit à clair, qu'il est vrayement l'asne, qui faisort peur aux aultres animaulx, quand il estoit vestu de la peau du Lyon: mais quand ils descouuri­rent ses longues oreilles, ils le traicterent selon ses [Page 11]merites: Et c'est vn tel hom­me qui promettoit tant de recompenses à ceulx qui estoient si fols de le croire, & qui s'apprestoit pour se faire couronner Roy d' An­gleterre, par le Cardinal A­lain. Estant donc tel comme ceste Declaration nous le descouure, il nous apprend assez, que nous ne le debu­ons craindre, non plus que son maistre ne s'y debu­roit fier, cōme à celuy qui lui fera vn iour s'il peult, vn meschant tour, pour ses droictspretēdus en Portagal, suiuāt les cōsultatiōs faictes par son Pere & son Oncle le Cardinal Farnese, & cōme sia il en dōne assez de preu­ues par le mauuais traite­ment qu'il faict aux Espaig­nols, qui n'est pas encores vn traict de grand capitain.

Quant aux mutins & seditieux, destinéz à toute malediction, qui ont faict ces dernieres esmotions en France, on peut en leurs personnes remarquer comme en vn vif rable­au, la hace de l'hypotrite, [Page 12]qui prend le masque de la Religiō pour couurir la pe­ste de son ambitiō. Et cōme iamais vn homme de bien, & qui a la crainte de Dieu au coeur, ne vouldroit faire seruir le nom de Dieu à vn si vil & si infame effect: aussi il appert que sont gens sans Dieu, & sans religion, qui persecutent les enfans de Dieu, pour paruenir à estre Rois des enfans des hōmes, soubs vn fauls nom d'estre successours de Charles le Grand, auquel ils n'apparti­ennent de rien: Et quand ils luy appartiendroient, si est ce qu'il ny auoit rien, mais en estoit vsurpateur sur la race des Meroueens, vrais Rois & legitimes, desquels sont descendus, en droitte ligne masculine, les rois qui regnent, & ceulx qui ont regné depuis six cents ans, cōme aussy ceulx de Bour­bon, seuls Princes restants a­pres le Roy, lequel aussi tiēt la prescription paisible de six siecles: Et neantmoins contre leur Roy, leur bien­faicteur, sās estre cōtraincts [Page 13]ny en la conscience, nylen l'honneur, ny en vie, ny en biens, ont osé faire guerre ouuerte, faire soubsleuer les Parisiens, gents mutins & lesquels aux troubles de France, ont tousiours fuiuy le meschant parti, & le tout à raisō de quelques tractez & promesses secretes faictes au Pape de Rome, Tyrā Ca­tholique & vniuersel de la chrestienté, & à quelques Princes estrangiers, pour quelque argēt qu'ils en ont tiré, ce qui ne peut tumber en ame que de trahistre.

Telles gens doncques ne sont à craindre, gens sans Dieu, sans honneur, & qui auec tant de puissāce, n'ont peu aultre chose executer, que de faire mutiner vne in­sensee populace. Et ne fault doubter. de l'asistance de Dieu contre des hommes si peruers, & qui luy font la guerre ouuertemēt se couu­rants neantmoins meschā­ment de son nom sacré.

Quant au Baron d' Aussō­uille qui assiege Iamets, que peut on veoir en luy, sinon [Page 14]ce pourceau qui foulloit du groing & des pieds les sain­ctes perles? & se retournoit pour mordre? car ce gros & gras pourceau ayant gou­sté le dō celeste, & en ayant faict profession, iusques à auoir accompaigné le vail­lant Prince de Conde Louis, & mesmes iusques au siege de Poictiers, duquel lieu il se retira en Allemaigne, auec le non iamais assez loué Prince d'Orange, cōmencea premierement à fouller au pieds l'Euangile par mots de risée: Depuis voiant la sanglante iournée de Saint Barthelemi, & les Seigneurs morts par lesquels il espe­roit s'aduancer en France, il s'assist au banc des moc­qucurs, & cōioignist fes cō­seils auecles contempteurs, & finalemēt non plus cōme vn Apostat simple, mais cō­me vn Apostat persecuteur, s'est mis à poursuiure ceulx qu'il cognoist en sa consci­ence estre plus gens de bien que luy, ce qui aduertist vn chascun de prendre garde à soy, affin que celuy qui est [Page 15]debout, ne vienne à tūber, car Dieu iuste iuge punist en tels mocqueurs vn pe­ché par vn autre, iusques à ce que telles gens se precipi­tent en la fosse obscure, ha­bitation des Dragons & bestes saluages, accomplis­sement de toutes miseres: Le tout par vn iuste iuge­ment de Dieu, qui ne laisse rien impuni.