THe first troubles moued in this realme by the D. of Guise, anno 1585. haue giuen sufficient no­tice of a far other intent in him, then the same which he preten­ded, therwith to abuse the ouer great credulity of those that are more readie to imbrace nouelties, then wise to con­sider what ensue. For hauing cloked his bad purpo­ses with Catholike religion and the rooting out of heresie, all his exploites haue beene put in executi­on in the Catholike townes, euen in the best that he could seise vppon, to the end to beginne to lay sure and firme foundations of his said purposes, notori­ouslie contriued long since for the atteining to the vsurpation of this crowne. By meanes hereof, so far is heresie from weakening through his rising, that contrariwise it is growne and waxen much stronger then before it was in this lande: and that the rather through his with drawing of a great part of his ma­iesties forces and helpes, whereby he hath bin hin­dered from working those effects that are necessarie to the rooting out thereof: whereof the saide Duke hath beene the onely cause, who neuerthelesse hath made himselfe falsly to be proclaimed, The persecuter of the not Catholike religion.

[Page 4]His maiestie neuerthelesse desiring to reunite all his Catholike subiects, did by his first edict extin­guish this fault, vppon their goodly promises neuer to returne to the like: which notwithstanding, his forces being occupied in the wars, as well in Guyen as in Prouence & Daulphine, the said D. yet seised vp­on other strong holds, and spared no practises or de­uises dayly to withdraw more out of his maiesties obedience.

The seising vpon Paris, was the tipe of al mischief: which notwithstanding his Maiestie purposing to eschew all occasion of warre among his said Catho­like subiects, endeuoured also to bury this transgres­sion with a second edict, and hoping to mollifie the hardnesse of the said D. of Guises heart, by fauours and courtesies bestowed vpon him, so many as hee seemed any way to demand.

But his ambition hauing a farther intent then to depend vppon any other, in lieu of acknowledging his dueties to his maiestie, and conuerting the same to his service, he vsed them as bridges to new pra­ctises and attempts.

He neuer left practising the good townes that yet remained stedfast in his maiesties obedience, and it may be said, that in such of them as he yet could not draw wholly to his side, the deuision was through the saide drifts so great, that the magistrates in the most part were not able any longer to restraine the inhabitants from murthering, & cutting ech others throat.

His partakers being detected of diuers heynous crime, were vnder his support maintained in al free­dome, [Page 5] so as the magistrates haue not beene able to minister iustice.

The insolencie as well of himselfe as of his, pro­ceeded so far, as to face, threaten, and terrifie those that would not be other then his maiesties seruants, to the end to force them to abandon him, that they might afterward the more easelie vse them at their pleasures.

In the assembly of the states they spared no means through the ministery of diuers their partakers whō they had practised throughout the prouinces, to let fall the elections, so to take away all authoritie and obedience from his Maiestie, and make him odious to his subiects: whom they had stirred vp to make vnto him sundry absurd requestes, to the end by ob­teyning them to cast downe the dignitie of his Ma­iestie, or being refused, to take thereof a pretence to break off, and then to impute the cause to his Ma­iestie, and so bring him into hatred with his sayde subiectes.

His Maiestie hath vsed all discretion possible, e­uen so farre foorth, that he knewe himselfe to haue encurred the contempt of his sayde subiects, which was a great preparatiue to the sayde duke of Guize to strike his long forecast blowe: and indeede his Maiestie hath receiued aduice from sundrie places, euen from such persons as otherwise were affected to the saide duke of Guize, and yet abhorred his bad minde, that without speedie regarde to his affayres he was in hazarde to loose both crowne and life.

All this importing not onely his owne person but his whole kingdome, to the preseruation whereof, [Page 6] togither with the peace of his subiectes, he oweth all care, as taking himselfe to be answerable before God if he looke not thereto, finding the mischiefe otherwise irremediable, but onely by the death of him that was the author, and purposed thereof to reape the profite he was forced to put the saide D. of Guize to death, which hee performed the [...] of December last, 1588.

And because there might hereof r [...]ne diuerse reportes, also that according to mens passions the truth might be disguised, and so the action misliked▪ which neuerthelesse can not bee imputed but to Gods iustice, which the sayd Duke had by all means prouoked against himselfe, his Maiestie thought it good to publish this briefe discourse, to the ende as well his subiectes, as all others might thereby bee made capable of the truth of the matter, attending greater light which may in few dayes be gathered.

As also he willeth his sayde subiectes to assure thēselues of his perseuerance in his purpose to pro­secute the rooting out of all heresie, a matter not depending vppon the affection of the sayde Duke of Guize or any other, but onely of his saide Maie­sties proper motion and firme intent, who in heart doth not desire any thing more then to see God honored and serued, and the Catholike Apostolike Romish religion to flourish throughout this realme as much as euer it did.

He is also in the same mind that he alwaies made solemne declaration of, viz. to relieue his subiects so much as possibly he might and hath giuen to vnderstande to the deputies of the generall estates [Page 7] assembled in this town, that his pleasure is, the same to be finished in all libertie, as also that they open vnto him whatsoeuer good motions they can con­ceaue for the attayning to the sayde reliefe, which next vnto the seruice of God, his Maiestie dooth most affect.

Howbeit his will is, that all partialities, leagues, associations, intelligences and practises doo cease among his subiectes, to the ende from hencefoorth next after God to rely vpon no other but their king, whom the diuine goodnesse hath giuen them, assu­ring them, that in so doing he will loue and cherish them as his owne children. As also hee is deter­mined no longer to suffer the contempt of his au­thoritie, but to vse such seuere punishment of those that shall forget their duties in this behalfe, as may be to the example of all others.