The French Kinges letter ſent to the people
of Artois and Henault requeſting them to remooue
the forces gathered by the King of Spain from
the borders of France, otherwiſe de
nouncing
open warre.
MAiſters and freendes, it is a
thing honorable, and the duety
of a worthy and indeed a Chriſtian
prince, to ſpare ſhedding of mans
bloud, and to reppreſſe the afflicting of
innocent people, as much as hee may.
In conſideration whereof God hauing
made vs to be deſcended of a very
famous, couragious & Chriſtian race
euen as the Kinges our predeſeſſors
haue excelled in godlineſſe and vertue,
ſo we imitating them, are deſirous to
crowne our actions & our raigne with
excelling glory: We therefore will not
only call to witnes Gods diuine maieſtie,
who is the alone ſearcher of the
hearts of Princes, but we are content
alſo, (depending on nothing but on
Gods helpe and our owne ſworde) to
make all the worlde iudge togither of
our cauſe: & among other we appeale
to you, who can beſt iudge, and ought
rightly to cenſure, being our neareſt
neighbours, and ſuch as haue more
knowledge of the right of our matters
than all other.
You know that about fiue years paſt,
God by his holy prouidēce hauing put
the ſcepter of France in our hands, by
lawfull ſucceſſion, hee charged vs immediatly
with maintaining the iuſteſt
quarrell that euer prince in the worlde
could vndertake, binding vs to purſue
the reuenge and puniſhing of a moſt execrable
murther and parricide committed
on the perſon of the deceaſſed King
(our moſt honorable and Soueraigne
Lord and brother, of moſt chriſtian memorie)
and to defend our royall patrimonie
againſt the ambition and rebelliō
of thoſe which would haue vſurped
the ſame, who afterward ſpared not any
meanes that might be to haue obtained
their purpoſe. And albeit that euer
ſince wee haue had both courage,
and the ſame right and abilitie that we
now haue, to reuenge our ſelues vpon
ye countries and ſubiects of the King of
Spaine (the principall author and enterpriſer
of this war) yet being holden
backe by many conſiderations of great
importance to al Chriſtendom, we haue
choſe rather to beare much, defending
our ſelues but ſimply, than to ſet vpon
thoſe forcibly, to whome we could peraduenture,
haue procured and done as
much hurt as we haue receiued at their
hands: but hoping to winne them or
moderate them in the end, through our
ſufferance, and the equitie of our cauſe,
which was approued and warranted
of God by many ſpeciall graces and
conqueſts that it pleaſed God to grant
vs ouer our enimies, yet the eagernes
and ſtomachfulneſſe of the Kinge of
Spaine and of his adherents hath ben
ſuch, euen ſince our turning to the Catholicke
Romiſh religion, that perceyuing
the cheefe Citties and the principall
Lordes of our Realme, who had
before made war againſte vs, to haue
now ſworne all fidelitie and obedience:
yet notwithſtanding, in ſteed of doing
as the duty of peace and of good neighbourhood
(couenanted by our predeceſſors
to be betwene our crownes, countries
and ſubiects) did will him to haue
donne: euery man knoweth, howe hee
hath ſtill maintained and openly ſet on
fire the obſtiuate indenours of the reſidue
of our traitors, hath battered our
forts, put our ſubiects to ranſome, hath
prepared and gathered togither from
all partes forces and armies, for to enter
afreſh into our realme, and only for
our ſake laboureth to deſtroy the town
of Cambray and the country of the Cambreſians,
vſing againſt vs, our freends,
ſeruauts, and ſubiects, all deedes of an
open euemy. Which thing being ſo, as
we cannot nor will not any longer forbeare
the protection that wee owe our
ſubiects and our ſelfe. Wee haue alſo
determined to repell the iniuries and
offences which we receiue by the ſame
meanes that they are offered vs. But
calling to mind the olde loue and affection
of kings our predeceſſors toward
you, and your good will and duty yelded
to them, and moreouer it being manifeſt
that you be a little faulty of this
war, you muſt endure the chiefeſt and
moſt fierce aſſaults, when it ſhall be open
war. We haue ben willing to dayn
of the proclamatiō herof for your ſakes
for to giue you to vnderſtande that, if
you can ſo handle the matter to obtaine
that the army gathered togither neare
our fronters, by commandemtnt of the
King of Spaine (by whom ſhall be no
leſſe annoied than we doubt to be) may
be remooued far from vs, and will aſſure
and promiſe vs, that they ſhal not
enterpriſe any hurt againſt vs, our ſubiects
and countries, the Cittie of Cambray
and the country of the Cambreſians
nor that they ſhall not fauor our traytors:
then wil we not go forward with
our proclamation of war, ſo as wee
may ſee the ſame take effect betweene
this and the firſt day of the next yeare.
But, if this be not donne wee ſhall bee
conſtrained for the reaſons aforeſaide,
to proclame & make open war againſte
the Kinge of Spaine, his ſubiects, and
countries that ſhall abide by him and
ayde him in the ſame war, like as the
kings our predeſeſſors haue donne vpon
the like occaſions: Proteſting before
God and his holy angels, that we
ſhall be very ſorie therefore in regard of
the euill that wee foreſee like to enſew
vnto Chriſtendome. For auoiding of
which, wee haue don that a Prince louing
the weale of Chriſtendome and
to liue in concord with his neighbours,
could haue donne. You ſhall receiue
this preſent writing one of our trumpets,
by whome if you ſhall delay to
make anſwere, or by ſome other within
the time appointed, we will take it
as we heare from you. So we pray to
God to keepe you.
From Amiens the xvij. of December. 1594.
THE
Kinges Proclamation.
A declaration of the French kings
proclaming open warre againſt the king
of Spaine and his adherents, with the
cauſes him mouing therto.
THere is no manne in this
Realme, nor that knoweth
any thing of the realm but
knoweth, how the kinge of
Spaine not hauing beene able
to make open warre, &
ſo to deſtroy France (which
God hath protected and defended
with the Kinges thereof, of happy memorie,
the ſaid kinges being ſtill ayded by their
good loyall ſubiects) hath rayſed vp and ſette on
fire diſſentions and partes taking in the ſame,
whereby he thought to bring the realme to vtter
ruine: and yet doe the ſame diſſentions
greatly trouble the realme. For his hatred toward
vs and his couetouſneſſe, haue beene ſo vehement,
that not onely he hath ſpent and beſtowed
many large ſummes of money: employed
and waſted his principall forces and Armyes,
euen ſo farre, that he left his owne countreyes
vnfurniſhed: but alſo he hath enterpriſed vnder
a colour of godlineſſe and religion, to attempte
openly for to inuegle from time to time, naturall
Frenchmen, to abandon their loyaltie due
to their liege princes, and Souereigne Lordes
(a practiſe alwaies wondered at of all nations
in the world) he ſtill ſeeking to get the crowne
of this noble realme for himſelfe, or for his.
Which matter he began to attempt immediatlie
after the deceaſe of king Frances the ſecond,
and hath euer ſince continued the ſame by
diuers meanes ſought, ſtill triumphing and abuſing
the minoritie of our kinges. But he eſpecially
manifeſted the ſame, and made it plainelie
to appear, a little before the end of the raign
of king Henry the third deceaſſed, of moſt chriſtian
memorie, in the yeare one thouſand fiue hundred
foureſcore and fiue: for the Frenchmen
then enioying, wholie and quietlie, Religion,
Iuſtice, the kings great fauonr, and generall
reſt, and being like, nay aſſured to continue in
this happie eſtate to their owne content: the
K. of Spaine euen then vnder falſe forged ſhewes
went about to fill all the Realme with fire, bloodſhed,
and extreame deſolation, arming the Catholikes
one againſt another; yea and againſte
as Catholicke a king as euer raigned.
Wherupon followed his wofull death, which
will bleed continuallie in the harts of thoſe that
are right Frenchmen: beſides other murthers
ſpoiles and miſeries which wee haue ſuffered:
vnder the heauie burden of which, France and
Frenchmen haue and ſhould haue been brought
to yeeld themſelues, yea to haue ſuffered perpetuall
ſhipwracke, had not the ſingular grace of
God (which neuer faileth his) giuen to our K.
and ſouereigne Lorde nowe force and valour to
defend coragiouſlie, the right of his cauſe with
our liberties, goods, liues, houſes and honors:
and to bring to naught the vniuſt purpoſes of
the ſaid king of Spaine and his confederates, to
his ſhame and their confuſion.
So that France may nowe be in hope to
recouer the former happie eſtate, to the glorie of
God, vnder obedience of the kinges royall maieſtie,
if euery body wil be readie to yeelde thereto
his faithfull endeuour, and his maieſtie employing
alſo the ſame meanes and remedies, that other
kings his predeceſſors haue in times paſte
practized, for to defende the realme againſt the
ancient enemies thereof. Which matter conſidered
by his maieſtie, together with the tender
care he hath of maintaining religion, his
owne credite, the defence and protection of his
ſubiects, whereof hee maketh more reckoning
than of his owne life, as he hath often hazarded
willinglie, and is ſtill readie to hazard his life
for their good: for neither the kings turning to
the ſame religion with the Spaniarde aboute
three yeares ſince, nor the preſent danger that
threatneth all chriſtendome (which euerie man
knoweth to haue riſen through the diſcords, and
iuſt gelouſie that the king of Spaine his ambition
hath bred euery where: none of theſe things
could moderat his malitious mind againſt this
realme, the kings maieſties perſon, his good and
faithfull ſubiects, the people of Cambray, whom
his maieſtie hath taken into his protection, againſt
whom the king of Spaine and his people
vſe all hoſtilitie daily continuallie aſſaulting
them violently on euerie ſide, battering and taking
townes, leading away priſoners, putting
them to ranſom, killing his ſubiects, raiſing taxes
and fines vpon them, and dealing in al things
as a ſworne enemy: yea ſo far, as hee hath cauſed
attemptes to be made of taking awaie his
Maieſties life, by trecheries and villainous deteſtable
meanes: as appeared not many daies
paſt: and worſe had it happened, to the greate
woe of France, had not God the true protector of
kings, wonderfullie turned aſide that horrible
ſtroke, offered by the hand of a Frenchman (an
abhominable and monſtrous matter) but driuen
to that act by a ſpirit moſt voide of humanitie
and indeed Spaniardlike, euen againſte the
kings ſacred maieſtie.
The king therfore herevpon giueth notice to
all thoſe vnto whome it ſhall appertaine: that
he will no longer forbeare the maintaining of
his honor, the protection of his ſubiects to whō
he is bound, & of the people of Cambray (whoſe
part he would defend, though he did yet longer
with patience forbeare the going forward with
the attempts) ſeeing thoſe of Artoys and Henault
make ſmall account (to the greefe of his maieſtie)
of exhortations that he by his letters was
about to make them, that they ſhould putte to
their helping hand with him, to turne awaie or
appeaſe the furie of war, raiſed by the ſaid Spaniards,
being no leſſe noyſome and pernitious
to thoſe of Artoys and Henault, than to his ſubiects:)
he hath determined and is reſolued, from
henceforth to make open warre againſt the ſaid
king of Spaine, his ſubiects, vaſſals & countries,
for to be reuenged vpon them, of wrongs, iniuries
and offences, that hee and his haue ſuſtayned
at their hands, like as other kings his predeceſſors
haue done vpon the like occaſions: vndoubtedly
truſting that God who knoweth the
ſecrets of his hart, and the equitie of his cauſe,
will alwaie aſſiſt him with his diuine power, &
will bleſſe him and make him proſper and al his
armie, with the helpe of his good ſubiects.
In regard whereof the kings maieſtie commaundeth
and moſt ſtraightly enioyneth al his
ſaid ſubiects, vaſſals and ſeruants, to make war
hereafter againſt the ſaid king of Spaine, by ſea,
and by land, and againſt his countreys, ſubiects
vaſſals and adherentes, as againſt enemies to
the kings perſon and his realme: and for the accompliſhing
hereof, that they go with forces in
to his ſaide countries, to aſſault and ſurpriſe
townes, Fortes, and places that are vnder his
obeiſance: and there to leuie taxes, fines & ranſomes:
To take his ſubiects and ſeruants pryſoners
and put them to ranſome, and to deale wt
them like enemies, euen as they doe and would
doe with his Maieſties ſubiectes and friendes.
Therefore his Maieſtie hath forbidden, & dooth
by theſe preſents ſtreitly prohibit and forbidde,
all manner of communication, entercourſe of
Merchandiſe, giuing intelligence, company keeping,
or dealing with the ſaide king of Spaine,
his adherents, Seruauntes and Subiectes,
vpon paine of being taken and adiudged Traytors:
He hath alſo reuoked, and doth by theſ preſents
reuoke all licenſes, paſports, and ſafe conducts
giuen aud granted by his maieſtye, or by
his Lieutenants generall or other, being contrarie
to this preſent decree, declaring them
hereby to be of no value, forbidding them to bee
holden of Magiſtrates as things of no regard,
after fifteene daies expired after the publiſhing
of this decree.
Which decree he hath therefore cauſed to be
proclaymed with ſound of Trumpette, and publike
Proclamation throughout the Prouinces
and frontiers of the Realme, to the ende that
none may pretend ignorance, but that euerye
one may obſerue and put the ſame inexecution,
vpon paine of diſobedience.
Yeouen at Paris
the xvii. day of Ianuary, 1595.
Signed
Henry Neuſuille