HEnry by the grace of God king of France and Nauarre, to our welbeloued and trusty, the Gouernours of our Prouinces, our Lieu [...]e­nants general in the same, our Captains and particular Gouernours of our towns and ca­stels, also to our Bailifes and Stewards, and other our Iustices, Officers and subiects, grée­ting. Vpon the complaints and lamentations which daily out of sundry parts of our realme we do receiue concerning such ex­cesse and violences as are still offered against our poore subiectes of the plaine champion by our men of warre, and their bad beha­uiours, and vpon a singular desire that we haue to preserue and warrant them from the same: We with the aduice of our prin­ces, officers of our crowne, and other notable persons of our pri­uy counsaile about vs, haue made and decréede the Ordinances hereunto affixed vnder the counterseale of our Chancery, which we intend to cause diligently to be kept and obserued. And in as much as the execution of the same dependeth wholly vppon you, we will and commaund, and expressely do enioine euery of you whome it m [...]y any way concerne, so exactly to execute the said decrée, that our saide subiectes may reape that reliefe which we wish vnto them, to our owne content and the discharge of our consciences, in fréeing them from such oppressions as vn­iustly are practised against them, as also that the care and affec­tion which for your partes you shall employ, may iustifie you as vnguiltie of such transgressions as through toleration are grow­en so common, and withall so offensiue to God, that we are to beléeue that the same doth most procure his wrath against this estate, which he will neuer turne away vntill they that are pos­sessed of the power and gouernments do take into their protecti­on the poore inhabitants of the said Champion, who in al reason are the most innocent, and to whome we stand most bound, as [Page] being next vnto God and chiefe workmen and ministers of such fruits as the earth bringeth forth for the sustenance and norish­ment of others. Faile ye not therfore hereof as ye will answer vs at your owne and particular perill. We also enioyne our Bailifes and Stewards to cause the said ordinaunces to be pub­lished and enroled in the seaze of our Bailiwikes and Steward­ships, and besides to proclaime them throughout all the parishes in their precincts. As also we will that to the same effecte vpon the sight thereof, and of these presents duly collationed togither, they be beléeued euen as these presents originall, for such is our pleasure.

THe King meaning to take order against such complaints as are vsually made vnto him concerning the infinite oppressi­ons wherewith his poore subiects of the plaine Champion are o­uerlaid, besides the charges that they beare, by tallages and o­ther impostes, leuyed among them vpon his Maiesties commis­sions, through the enterprises of sundry men of warre, who of their owne authoritie do force them to contribute mony, meate, and munition, notwithstanding the most of them haue neyther charge nor commission from his Maiestie to make any leauy of souldiors: whereby the said poore subiects being thus layde open to the discretion of euery one that list to vexe and oppresse them, shal be forced to abandon their habitations, and the tilth of the earth withall, whereof must ensue a generall famine with the curse of God against the whole estate, in case such wickednesse be any longer tollerated: doth commaund, will, and enioyne all and euery the gouernors of his prouinces, and his lientenants generall in the same, exactly to procure the obseruation of the contents of the articles ensuing. Whereupon his Maiestis protesteth to charge their persons in case he heareth any further complaint of their slacking of their dueties, in that they can not enterprize or execute any thing that may more redounde to the [Page] discharge of their consciences and honour, and their duety to his Maiesty and the common wealth.

According to the former prohibitions, that no man leauy any company or troupe of horsemen or footemen wythout his Maiesties commission, the sayd gouernours and lieutenantes of the sayd prouinces are also enioined to ouer runne and cut in péeces all such as shall doe otherwise: and where they can by any meanes apprehend the Captaines and leaders of such troups, they shall hang them wythout further order or forme of processe.

If any of the sayde men of warre doe seaze vppon anie place, whether Towne, Borough Village, Church, Castell, or priuate house, to the ende, in the same to keepe strength or garrison wythout commission from his Maiesty, the gouer­nour of the prouince, or the lieutenant general in his absence, he also enioyneth the sayde gouernours and lieutenants ge­nerall wyth all spéede to beseege and force them, and all such as they can take aliue to hang vp wythout other order of pro­cesse.

That it be published in all Parishes, that his Maiesty meaneth not that his subiects be forced to any contribution of coyne, victuall, hay, straw or other munition wythout ex­presse commission from his sayde Maiesty vnder his Letters patents signed by himself, and one of his secretaries of estate, directed to the treasurours generall of France, and the elec­ted to make diuision thereof. Also in case they be forced or compelled thereto by their particular garrisons, his Maiesty willeth them to complayne to the lieutenant generall of the Prouince, whome he enioyneth presently to repaire vnto the place where the garrison remaineth that forceth the leauy of any such contribution, or to send strength sufficient to appre­hend the Captaine that may haue fayned any such decrée, whose precesse he willeth to be framed and finished according to the ordinances thereupon made. As also his Maiesty com­maundeth vpon like paine such inhabitants of the sayde Vil­lages as may haue béene forced to the payment of the sayde contributions, not to fayle but to make their complaint to the said gouernors and lieutenants generall by petition to them exhibited, to the end, if it be not remedied, his Maiesty may know where the fault is.

[Page] If any of the sayde men of warre contrary to the former decrées vnder pretence of going to leauy the tallages to them appoynted for their pay and maintenaunce shall exact of his Maiesties said subiects any more then for his owne reléefe, during the time of his or their abode in the sayde village whi­ther he is sent, his Maiesty willeth the same to be hanged immediatly.

If likewise it be found that any, whether he be of the com­pany of those that rise wythout the commission aforesayde, or of such as belong to any garrison appoynted by his Maiesty, hath taken from the sayde peasants any horse, mare, oxe, or cowe vsed to labour, his pleasure is that the same be also han­ged and strangled.

His Maiesty also declareth that his will and meaning is not that any of the said peasants be denounced a prisoner of warre, notwithstanding he hath paid any tallages or contri­butions to the rebellious townes, vnlesse the same be taken bearing armes against his Maiesties seruice, or be found in places holden by the said rebels, and haue béene beséeged or taken by force, or carrying of Letters or messages to such as be in the sayd rebellious townes, eyther conueying of victu­alles into the same, or being met in the high way within two leagues thitherward and so found by good and sufficiēt proofe. His Maiesty vnder paine of death forbiddeth the taking or detaining of them in any other manner, eyther the forcing of them to pay any ransome, or stopping of them from trans­porting to market townes, boroughs or villages their cattell or other merchandize to buy or sell. As also vnder the pains aforesaid he forbiddeth the taking prisoners of any children vnder fiftéene yeares of age, or any maidens or women vpon any cause or occasion whatsoeuer.

He also forbiddeth vnder paine of death to take prisoners, or to put to ransome any Priests, religious men, or other ec­clesiasticall persons, vnlesse the same he taken bearing arms against his Maiesties seruice, and the order of their professi­on: or that they be found comming out of the said rebellious townes wythout pasport from his Maiesty, or the gouernors or lieutenants generall, eyther carrying of letters or messa­ges to the enemy as is aforesayd.

It is likewise prohibited vpon like paine of death, not to [Page] robbe any Churches, monasteries, or other places dedicated to the diuine seruice, or therein to lodge any horse or other cattell, or therein to commit any acte contrary vnto the reue­rence due to the same.

That no iudgements of ransomes of such as haue béene detayned prisoners shall be assessed but by his Maiesty, the Marshals of France, the Gouernours and Lieutenants ge­nerall of the Prouinces, or the Marshalles of the Campe of his armies, all others being prohibited and forbidden to deale in the same.

All men whatsoeuer, whether souldiours, peasants, or others, are also vnder the like paynes prohibited from forte­fying of the sayd Churches, to the end to vse them for warre, the sayde places in duety being reserued for prayer and sup­plications to God, and therefore exempt from al violence and warlike exercise.

His Maiesty also forbiddeth all gouernours or Captaines of his townes, forts, or castels, not to conuert into coyne the labour that the pesants do owe to the fortifications of the said places, which he willeth to be ordered by the elect or iudges of the places, who shall appoynt euery parish one day at the most in euery moneth to come to worke, yet so as the sayde Gouernours shall not force them wythout the permission of his Maiesty or his Gouernours for the time limitted in the Commissions which vnto them shall be deliuered.

Also in as much as his said Maiesty meaneth to employ the goodes of the Leaguers vppon his affaires, his pleasure is that no man shall take the same wythout the especiall gifte of his Maiesty, and that by the handes of his officers of ius­tice according to the tenure of their giftes, vnlesse it be the moueables of such as may be found in those townes and pla­ces which the sayd rebels do detayne at such tyme as be force the same be recouered out of their handes.

Giuen at our Campe before Chartres the 8. day of March. 1591.

⟨Signed Henry. and beneath Potier.⟩

IN the yeare 1591. vpon Saturday the thirtieth day of March in the presence of vs Iohn Vauquelin Esquier, Counsellour to the King, and lieutenant generall of my L. the Bayliffe of Caen, the Kings letters patents and ordi­nances made in his campe before Chartres the eight day of this moneth and yeare, for the rule and gouernement of hys men of warre, the audience of the sayde Bayliwike sitting, were read and published. And vpon the request of the Kings Procurer it is ordayned that they shall be registred vpon the roll proclaymed in the corner wayes of this sayd towne, and at the exhortations in the great parochiall masses in the pa­rishes of this vicount, and the sight thereof sent to all other the vicounties of this Bayliwike that the like may be done, and to that end they shall be printed.