¶ Articles presented to the Kyng by the Deputies of the reformed Churches of the countrey of Languedoc, and other places adioyning. VVith the Kyngs answere.
we the Vicounts, Barons, Gentlemē, and other here vnder writtē, making profession of the reformed Religion, both in our owne name particularly and of our adherents, & also as persons deputed by the reformed Churches of the countreyes of Guyenne, Viuaraiz, Giuaudan, the Seneshalsee of Tholouze, Auuergne, Rouergue, hie and base Marche, Quercy, Perigord, Limosin, Agennois, Armaignac, Commanges, Conserans, Bigorre, Albi and Foys, Lauragais, Albigeois, the countreys of Castres, Villelongue, Mirepoix, Carcassois, and other Prouinces [Page] adioyning, assembled by the permission and vnder the safe conductes of my Lord the Kyng of Polonia your Mastiesties brother, in the town of Montauban: Hauing perused sundry letters missiue of your Maiestie concerning declaration of your good intention and will to reestablishe and maintaine a good and firme peace in this Realme, to performe the parts of your Royall office to al your subiects, and namely to those of the Religion, whom your Maiestie willeth and meaneth from henceforth to enbrace & entreat with all fauor, protection, and in the right of true and naturall subiects, and to take order by way of iustice for the request that by them shalbe made and presented most humbly to your Maiestie, touching all the particulars that to thē shall seeme to be requisite and necessary for the maintaining of a true & sincere peace: We protest to this effect, [Page] and with al our hart make most humble petition of that which followeth, vnder the instant and oft repeted promises of my Lorde your Brother the Kyng of Polonia.
First we protest before God & his Angels, that it neuer entred into our harts, before these last troubles, nor since, to take awaye nor withdraw frō your Maiestie our duties of most humble, most obedient, and faithfull subiection: But with true and firme loyaltie of subiectes wee haue alway acknowledged & do acknowledge, that it is our vocation and naturall estate by the ordinance of God, to yeeld to your maiestie all things due by a faithfull subiect to his Kyng and soueraigne Lord.
If that your Maiestie haue taken in euil part and in displeasure that which by vs hath bene done, protested, and executed, since the moneth of August 1572 vntil this present: [Page] we most humbly besech you to cal to mind your letters of declaration dated the xxiiii. day of the sayd month, and to haue in your most wise consideration the most iust occasions yt haue by force & constraynt compelled vs to take weapō in hand, with all other thinges requisite to a iust and necessarie defence: to turne your eyes to the poore decessed persones slaughtered and cruely put to death in sondrie townes & places of youre realme, vnder the pretence of a conspiracie, but truly in hatred of the reformed religion: & that it will please you in pitie to looke vppon the smal remnāt escaped out of ye sayd slaughters, wt a true remorse & compassion of a father of your countrie: to enter into your selfe and deeply and intentiuely to behold yt benefit that your Maiestie receiueth of the singular and wonderfull goodnes of God: and there vppon to meruell with vs [Page] aswel of our preseruation, as of this ouerture of peace in youre realme, like as a good Father would doe in his howse, when after that he hath beholden in his howse some of his naturall children murdered before his face, and his whole familie in manifest danger of vtter ruine, he doth at length see by the grace of god all the rest of his children and his house restored to a good peaceable and sure estate.
If it shalbe by any man thought euill and vnmeete for the greatnesse of your royall estate, to make open declaration and protestation of such a griefe, surely (vnder the fauor and [...]orrection of such as so thinketh) so [...]o thinke should be to do so much ye more wrong, first to God, and after [...]o your owne conscience, to your ho [...]or and suertie, and to your iustice [...]nd office royall, and to throw vpon [...]oure subiects professing the religion [Page] aswel those that be murdered as these that be left alyue, an euerlasting infamie ioyned with reproch of a pretenced conspiracie and rebellion, wherunto, next after the seruice of God we ought to haue regard aboue al other things that be nedeful for vs, for by such mean, also shuld in plaine termes and openly be iustified aswell the authors as executers of those murders, which should be to vs reprochfull and impossible to be dissemblingly passed ouer.
And therfore, for the first article of our request, we holding vs to youre Letter of the 24. of August, do most humbly beseche your Maiestie, that folowing the course that was begon vppon the hurt of the late Counte de Coligny Admirall of France, it wil [...] please you according to the purport of your sayd Letter, to do exemplar [...] iustice vpon the sayd murders, by vnsuspected Iudges thereto specially [Page] apoynted, of like and equall number of both religions, and namely other then those of the courtes of Parliamentes and Presidencies of Paris, Tholouze, Bordeaux, Rouen, Orleans, and Lyon, in which the principall presidents and councellers are reputed to haue bene the fauorers approuers & practisers of ye sayd slaughters, at least of those that haue bene cōmitted within their townes, yea and within your prisons, and at open assemblies: and with as greate spede as may be, to depute & apoynt the sayd Iudges in all places wher it shalbe nedfull, enioyning them vppon a great paine to proceed therin spedely, diligenly & vprightly, wtout maintenance, without parciall wynking and desembling of Iustice: for so shall your Maiestie begin to pull out of the hartes of your subiectes that be of the religion, the iust and great distruste that they haue cōceyued [Page] by seing themselues giuen vp & abandoned to the crueltie of murderers, and so shal they the more spedely take to them selues occasion to trust in your onely worde and promise.
Also it may please your Maiestie to remember that in certaine youre Letters of instructions and declarations, sent to the gouerners & your Liefenantes of your prouinces, in ye monethes of September, October, and December, there is specially reserued the punishment of those that shalbe found charged with the supposed conspiracy against the persons of you and yours, and with intellygences, practises and conducting of matters done during the last peace, which thing might be a cause that vnder this false pretence of reseruacion, we or some of vs might be here after touched enquired vppon and molested in this realme iudicially or [Page] otherwise: And to mete with suche captious dealinges & oppressions, it may please your maiestie by expresse wordes to reuoke the sayd reseruation, and declare that youre maiestie holdeth and alwaye reputeth vs for good & faythfull subiectes innocent and gyltlesse of al conspiracie and rebellion, with inhibition to your aduocats & atourneys gennerall, their substitutes and all other for euer, to make thervpon any pursute processe mencion or reproch.
That ye same declaration be made of the sayde Lord Admirall, ye Countie dela Roche-foucaut, the Ladies de Briquemaut and Cauaignes, and the others that were murdered condemned and put to death for the sayde supposed conspiracie. And that all arestes and Iudgments giuen, and all procedinges had or passed vnder that pretence, against those ot the religion, be reuersed, adnulled, and [Page] declared to be of no effect and value, and to haue bene geuen vpon false & sclanderous information, and that the persons decessed shalbe restored to their good renounes, and their heires to their goods and rights of inheritance: And that their children which for hatred to their fathers are imprisoned, or put or holden in any other distresse, be spedely deliuered, and restored to their former honor & libertie into the hands of their next friendes. And to ordeyne that those to whome their estates, dignities, charges, and offices, subiect to ye finances haue bene giuen, shall be bound to pay the finance to the sayd heyres as shall be awarded by two of the kindred or friendes knowen, and neuerthelesse that their goodes & money taken shalbe restored them, & ye withholders constrayned there vnto by all wayes of iustice.
That likewise al declarations, ordinaunces, [Page] and rules made against those of the Religion since the xxiiii. of August last past, be reuersed, reuoked and declared of no effect and value.
And to extinguish the memorie of the said iudgements and arrestes & the execution of them, that likewise the sayd declarations, ordinances, & rules be rased and withdrawne out of all registers of Courtes as well soueraigne as inferior, and that the same iudgements, arrestes, and executions, declarations, ordinances, and rules be taken away, cancelled & defaced: That also all monumēts, markes, and tokens of the said executions be destroyed, together with the Bookes and infamous actes against the personages, memory and posteritie of the said persons deceased and executed, and that namely & specially shalbe defaced suppressed & (as much as shalbe requisite) there [Page] shalbe prohibited all proceedinges, generall and ordinary, as well by arrest of the Parliament of Paris, in memorie of the said slaughters, as by an other arrest of Tholouze, reuersed by arrest of you priuie counsell touching the taking of the town house in the sayd first troubles, and that all bee done in the presence of foure speciall persons, whereof two shalbe of the Religion, hauing continued in the same during the troubles. And ye record examplified word by word of ye proceeding herein shalbe expedited and deliuered to those which shall haue expresse charge of procuration for that intent.
That it be declared that those of the Religion, haue iustly and vpon good occasion taken armes, withdrawen them selues & made warre in these last troubles, as being therto cōstrained by violence done, wher with they haue ben terrified and put in feare.
And forasmuch as by the hearing of the word, and by Ecclesiastical discipline your subiects are the better bolden in dutie of their subiection, first toward God, and next to your Maiestie, and to their other superiors whom it hath pleased you to appoint ouer them, they most humbly & with most entire affection beseech your Maiestie in this behalfe to extend to them ye most of your fauour, and therin to ordeine that of your graunt and perpetuall benefite, the exercise of their Religion, and Ecclesiasticall Discipline, and namely of their Synodes, conferences, and cō sistories Ecclesiasticall be freely permitted to thē for euer, & in all parts of this Realme, as well publikely, as priuately, comprising therin by speciall name the libertie of honest & seemely burial without difference of time, in the same common Church-yardes, about which matter many [Page] of the Catholiques haue oftentimes stirred vp great riots and debates in the townes where the sayd exercise was not permitted. And that al exemptions from the exercise of the sayd Religion, limitted in ye townes and places as well of the Queene your Maiesties honorable mother, as of my Lord the Kyng of Polonia your Maiesties Brother, and other within your dominion, be reuoked & declared frō henceforth of no effect.
And to preuent all suspiscions yt oftentimes heretofore haue bene raised touching the collectiōs made & leuied among those of the religion for the charges and maintenance of the ecclesiasticall ministerie. It may please your maiesty from henceforth to exempt those of the religion from the payment of tithes in those places where the sayd exercise shall be, for as much as the tithes of their owne nature are apoynted for the sayd ministerie.
That none of the religion shall be sommoned or constrayned by youre officers, vniuersities, colledges and Comunalties, to any ceremonie and contribution contrary to the sayd religion, and that so much as the case shall require there be expresse prohibicion in your courtes and vniuersities in any wise to exact of them atteyning to any office and degre, the othes accustomed in the churche of Rome contrarie to their sayd religion.
That all ye houses rents and reuenewes of colledges and scholes appoynted for the instruction of youth shalbe accompted and holden as ordeyned for euer for your subiects yt will be there receiued, without making difference of religion, neyther as touching the Rector or Regent, nor for the Scholers and officers, consultes of townes & places: wher the sayd scholers and Colledges [Page] shall be bound to receiue rectors, & regents of both religions, for ye satisfaction & instruction of both sortes without fraud or parcialitie.
That the mariages of Priestes & Ecclesiasticall persons that now bee or hereafter shalbe of the said Religion, be declared lawfull, and likewise their children issuing of their mariage for their inheritance and other rights of lawfull legitimation: And that as well the father as the children be declared capable of publike offices estates and administrations.
That the deciding of mariages, that is to say, whether they be lawfull and perfect or no, shalbe from henceforth determined by the consistories and others of the religion, or at least by their superior Iudge of your Iustice being a man of the same Religion.
That the gardians of Orphanes [Page] whose father was of the Religion shalbe bound to cause them to be instructed and taught in the Religion of their Fathers, at the least vntill their age of discretion, like as your Maiestie hath at other time heretofore ordained.
That the same benefit of the exercise of the Religion be accorded and ordained to the inhabitants and dwellers that be of the Religion in the Countie of Venisse, and the Archbishopricke of Auignon: And that it please your Maiestie to doe so much with the Kyng of Nauarre, that all thinges maye abide in Nauarre and Bearne in the same estate as the late Queene of Nauarre his mother left them at the time of hir deceasse: & also to treat so with the Pope & Archbishop of Auignon that your graunt and good pleasure in this behalfe may be confirmed and approued in due forme, specially for the restitution [Page] and full recompence of the goods of those of the sayd Countie of Venisse.
That the Frenchmen which haue borne Armes with those of Bearne, may enioye the profit and benefit of this Edict.
As touching the administration of iustice, it may please your Maiestie to consider the demeanors of youre courts of Parliament against those of ye religion, specially in your towne of Tholouze, wherby may be iudged what is and alway may be their intention. For this cause, it may bee your good pleasure to assigne them iudges vnsuspected, and to ordaine that all proces betwene parties of two religions shalbe iudged as wel in cases ciuill, as criminall, in instances as well superior, as inferior, by equal number of iudges, wherof the halfe shalbe Catholique, and the other of the Religion: and where all [Page] the parties bee of one religion, that there all the iudges likewise may be taken and appoynted of the same religion, except such as bee suspected. And that for this intent there be ordeined one chamber or court for the resort of euery Parliament, and one peaceable and vnsuspected town for those of the Religion.
That all prouisions and declaratiōs obtained during these troubles and since the 24. of August last by the Catholikes, against such sentences iudgements and arrestes as vppon learning of the parties, and in time of peace haue bene giuen for the benefit of those of the Religion, shalbe reuoked and delayed of no effect and value, as obteined by stealth, the sayd arrests remaining in their full force & vertue executorie, according to your ordinances, although those that haue had the said arrests haue bene persons Ecclesiasticall of the [Page] Church of Rome.
That all seates of iustice that of olde time and before the troubles, haue ben holden in the towns now presently possessed by those of the religion shalbe there continued: or if they haue ben remoued, they may be restored & brought thither againe: And generally that all those of the Religion be restored, & from henceforth without any staye for circumstance of forme, fully placed againe in the exercise of their estates and dignities, charges and offices, as well of your Maiestie as of inferior Seignories, and that al prouisions to the cōtrary be reuoked, and other fees and pensions payed as well for the time past as for ye time to come.
And for asmuch as diuers of the religion haue had by resignation & for money, according to the vsage of your permissiō, certein offices either Iudiciall or other, alitle before the [Page] beginning of ye present trobles since which trobles being happened, the resignes by reason of ye hatred borne to their religion, and for their iuste feare of murder, haue not bene able to obtein the Letters of graunt nor to get the resignator aducted of your Maistie. In the meane time some of them haue payd the fine promised wholy or in part, some other haue entred into bondes and giuen sureties to paye within a short time which time being incurred ye sureties haue ben constreyned to make payment which is not resonable: it may please your Maiestie to declare the sayd bondes and promises discharged and as not made, and so to ordein without hauing respect to the Iudgments which possibly may haue ben giuen in the meane time: And that the sayd iudgements also be declared voyd and of no efect. That the money payed for these causes, whether [Page] it be to the resigner or his heyres shalbe repayed to the resignes being of the religion, being preuented by iust impedimentes. And where payment hath not bene made, that in yt case there bond shall remaine not suable and exempt from constraint of Iustice.
That these of the religion be admitted and receiued indifferently to estates charges of offices aswell iudicial as other, without difference of religion, specially of resignes, and yt the receiuing and admitting of them shalbe exempte from other courtes, and reserued to the chamber yt shallbe erected for the iudgment of their Princes.
That all prescriptions either by conuenient custome or Lawe, wherof ye time may haue ben incurred during & since ye first troubles & ye later troubles that since haue happened, vntill this present shalbe deemed & [Page] holden as not incurred.
As touching policies, your Maiestie may well haue vnderstood how great disorder and confusiō the parcialitie, difference and distinction of persons for Religion, hath brought in this behalfe in all townes and places where the Catholikes do in number and power exceede those of the Religion, accompting them alway as degraded vnworthy and depriued of publike charges and administrations: It may therfore be your good pleasure beside the declaratiōs already made by all your Edictes as touching the capabilitie of those of the Religion, and their common enioying and participation of those charges, to ordeine that from hence forth in all the townes and places of this Realme the sayd charges be distributed equally betweene the Catholikes and these of the religion, and namely to auoide the ouerchargings [Page] of taxes forbidden by your Maiestie.
That those of the religion remain quite and discharged for all their assemblies aswell generall as perticularlly establishment of iustice, policy, and rule among them selues, iudgments and executions thereof, voyages, treaties, negotiactions, & contractes made with all strange princes and estates, and of all moneyes taken of your fiances and receiptes, coynages, mouables, debtes, arerages of rentes and reuenues, felling of woodes, sale of goodes mouable, assessing of rentes of ye immouables and rightes belonging to Eclesiasticall persones and other catholikes taxes, impositions of money and other thinges, exactions and leueyinges of the same, baylyes ransomming of prisoners, and of all other kindes of money which by occasion of these trobles haue bene taken by [Page] them, of the ordeining of these that haue had commandement among them, or of counceles prouinciall & poletike according to their rules, so as neyther they, nor those that haue bene apoynted for the leueyeng and disposition of the sayd moneys mouables & other thinges abouesayd, nor these that haue deliuered and furnished the same, may in any wise be answerable therfore now nor her after, but that ye sumes to that effect payd by your sayd officers & others be alowed by your chambers of accomptes, tresorers of finances and others by vertue of this Edict with out other warrant.
And that all persons accomptant whether it be of ye receiptes by them established or other dealing with any thing what soeuer it be, shalbe bound to verifie theyr accomptes of their dealinges by those that haue had generall authoritie ouer them, [Page] and to the sayd councels prouincial. And that the like be done of all those that haue had the handeling charge & administration of money during the former trobles & since the yeare 1567. And the remaine that shalbe found due by the sayd accomptantes and other detters of ye sayd moneys shalbe employed to the acquital and discharge of those of the religion for charges by occasion of the trouble and maintenance of the warre. And this done, the sayd accomptantes shall remaine acquited of their sayd administration and dealinges, and wholy discharged thereof, bringing the aquitance of those that had the commaunding of them in these last trobles made by the aduise of ye sayd councels Prouincial and according to their rule, so as in time to come neyther they nor their successors shall in any wise be put to answere therfore, forbidding to al your chambers [Page] of accountes & other Iudges ordinary or extraordinary all Iurisdiction and conusance, and to youre attorneyes generall or perticular al power to sue for the same. That also those of the religion remaine acquited and discharged for all actes of hostilitie, leuyeng and conducting of men of Warre, founding and taking of artilerie and munitions, making of pouder and saltpeter, takinges dismantellinges and rasinges of townes and Castles, enterprises against the same, burninges and destroyings of Churches and houses, and fortifications and reparations of Townes & places holden in their holding, & generally of all that hath bene by them don and practised during the aforesayd and the former trobles although ye same be not perticularly expressed and declared, so as for any of the thinges abouesayd nor other that haue happened in the [Page] sayd trobles, none of them nor of their posteritie in generall or in perticular be charged nor in any wise reproched with any matter of Rebellion Disobedience or Treason, notwithstanding all declarations, Edicts, and ordinances which your Maiestie may haue made, to the contrarie and that ye same according to ye case, may be reuoked and declared of no effect and value, as wel in this respect as in respect of all other thinges proceding or depending vpon the sayd trobles.
That all thinges taken by priuat persones without publike authoritie, Magistrate, Gouernoure, Consull, Captaine, or other by their commission, or by the assemblies of the Comunalties on both parties, and against the rules of the sayd assemblies, be restored to those to whome they apertaine, if ye things be found remaining in their former kinde, and [Page] if not, then ye value by iuste appraisment. And as touching moueables and other thinges taken by hostilitie, although they be found remaining in their kinde, they shall not be chalenged nor subiect to restitution.
That the fruites of this present yeare that haue ben taken and leuied vntill the daye and date of these present Articles, be declared not to be subiect to any restitution on the one part or the other, to the intent to stope all variances & processe that by this occasion may arise amonge your subiectes.
That these of the Religion be not constrained nor drawen into yt lawe for payment of impositions ordinarie and extraordinarie assessed by the Catholikes during the present and former trobles, but shall thereof remaine acquited and discharged.
And for asmuch as in all places [Page] where we haue warred for our defense, ye charges haue bene so expressed and importable, that the moste part of vs are greatly in detted and charged, It may please your Maiestie to giue vs leaue to haue an imposition and taxe to be sett among all vs of the Religion, at the least to the some of sixe score thousand poundes payable in two yeares to be employed to the ful discharg of our sayd deftes: And for the leuyeng thereof to grant vs necessary meanes of constraint as it were for youre owne money.
It may please your Maiestie to grant to those of ye Religion which in the trobles passed haue bought any thing Temporall of Eclesiasticall persons & truly payd ye price therof, that they may continue the possession and enioying of the thinges by them bought for ye assurance of their Money, vntill they be recompenced [Page] by the sayd Ecclesiasticall persons or other yt will or may redeme the same wt this condition yt they shall leaue the possession immediatly after such repayment to them made.
Now Sir, resteth ye principal point, namely the meanes of a true & iuste suretie for the holding, enduring, assurance and perpetuall inuiolable mainteyning of your Maiesties promises and ordinances touching al the matters aboue sayd by a firme and continuing peace, wherin we are most sorie and much agreued to propounde, and to demaund of your Maiestie by our most humble supplication such meanes as seme to vs pertinent and reasonable yea & necessarie to the establishment for euer of a good and firme peace in this Realme. For we had rather that these meanes had bene offered vs of your Fatherly good will and fauor, and of your owne proper motion.
But for asmuch as it pleaseth your Maiestie to permit vs and to do vs that honor to demaund it of you, we most humbly beseech your goodnes that it be your good pleasure, for the commoditie of your estate, the reste of your consience, the greatnesse and assurance of this Crowne, and the common benefite and quiet of your Subiectes, to contracte an vnitie & League of new promise, coniuncti, on, and Amitie to endure, with all the Princes Potentates and estates of Almaigne and Swisserland that be of the Religion, and the Queenes of England and Scotland, to this intent, with one common hand and consent to maintaine vnitie aswell betwene them and their Subiectes, as betwene your Maiestie and all your Subiectes entierly both those that be called Catholikes and those that be named of the Religion reformed, & this to be don [Page] in all ciuile and humaine thinges. That al these allies promise & swear to mayntaine ye sayd vnitie coniunccion and amitie for the common continuing of all in the sayd estate and communitie of all Ciuile & humaine thinges, in like manner as if they were all of one religion, and this to be done in euery estate of the Countries Landes and Seignories of ye sayd Kinges Princes Potentates or common weales.
That they swere and promise that none of the sayd Lordes Kinges or theyr successors, Princes Potentats or common weales shal breake the sayd vnitie, nor violate the publike faith and promisses as well betwene the sayd allies as betwene any of their subiectes: yt those which shall obserue it on their part, may by all wayes of force constraine him or them that shall doe to the contrarie. And that they be bound to do ye [Page] like at the only request of those whō it shall concerne, truely obseruing ye sayd vnitie, of whether soeuer religion they be.
That for eschewing a conspiracy of a Sicilian euensong) as they terme it) those of the religion in this realm may haue by speciall priueledge and graunt in perpetuitie, the keping of the townes and places which wee holde at this present, and also of certayne other townes in euerye prouince, such as shalbe thought mete by the eight speciall persones indifferently chosen by two that youre Maiestie will depute and two that those of ye religion shall name: which is to be done with expedicion at the place to be agreed vpon.
That your Maiesties garrisons be placed onely in ye frontier townes and places where garrisons hath of ancient time bene vsed, or at the least as farre of as well may be from [Page] the sayd townes and places nowe presently holden by those of the religion, be it in comming or going of the sayd garrisōs, and that there be not lodged greater nomber of horse with their armures without the consent of these of the religion, and that they come and seiourne so modestly, that thereof arise no suspicion nor inconuenience.
It may please your Maiestie to take in good parte, that wee moste humbly beseeche you, that your Gouernours and Lieuetenants generall that wil passe by or visit the said townes and places nowe holden by those of the Religion, may not come thyther with force nor with great companie, than with their ordinarie and accustomed traine in tyme of peace, and that they be admonished, so to behaue them selues in the said townes and places, as those of the Religiō may haue no occasion therby [Page] to enter into feare and suspicion, And that the like be obserued by the Lordes of the sayde Townes and places.
That nothing of the sayd townes and places holden by those of the religion be rased, that hath ben made for fortification, sauing only so farre as they shall thinke it expedient for their suretie. And that there be not required or taken from them any of their munitiōs of warre or armour, whether it be artillary or other.
And for the greater and better efficacie of your royall authoritie and good will to the vpright and sincere obseruation of the Articles of this peace: We most humbly besech your Maiestie that first in full assembly of your priuie counsell, and afterward in your court of Parliament of Paris, in full audience, by your Maiestie, the Queenes your most honorable mother & spouse, our soueraigne [Page] Ladies, my Lordes your brethred, and the Lords the Princes of your bloud, the Lordes Mareschals of Fraunce, and the counsellers of your priuie counsell, it be confirmed and sworne that the Articles of this peace shalbe entirely mainteined, & perpetually and faithfully obserued. And that the like be done by al your presidents, counsellers, aduocates, procurators or attorneys, and euery of them in all other your Courtes of Parliaments, and presidencies.
That for mutuall obseruation of a perpetuall obedience and fidelitie, those of the Religion throughout this Realme generally, together with the Catholikes, renue their othes offidelitie before your officers in their places, with enterchangeable condition and promise on both partes, neuer hereafter to commit any slaughters one against an other generally or particularly, by whom [Page] so euer the same bee commaunded, without exception: but to leaue the whole conusance of crimes and publike reuenge to the course of youre lawes, as is agreed in these articles of peace.
And to the intent to come by little and little to a true entier and generall reconciliation of amitie among all your subiectes of both the religions: We most humbly beseech your Maistie to ordaine that euerie yere during fiue yeares the sayd othe be renued, as well by the assemblies of the estates of euerie Prouince in one of the most peaceable townes in ech Prouince, as at other general assemblies of the inhabitants of euery principal Towne of ye diocesse, which shall be holden at sundry termes among those of the two Religions, that is to say, in the principal assemblie by the Deputies of either Religion aswell of the nobilitie as of the [Page] comons of the whole prouince, and in the assembly of euery Dioces and Bayliwicke: wher they shal promise and swere not onely to keepe firme peace and amitie mutually, but also to employe their liues and goodes for your seruice, & specially to maintaine this vnitie and pacification against all breakers and disturbers thereof without any exception as is abouesayd.
Finally we hope that your Maiestie shall well like, that we your most humble and most obedient subiectes continue our standing vppon our Garde, without doing any force or hostilitie, vnder the suspencion and intermission which it hath pleased your Maiestie to enioyne vs.
At Montauban, the vi. day of August. 1573. Thus signed, Paulin, Gourdon, Lomasin. Verlhac, Ferrieres, Monsegon, Yollec, Bressac, Sainct bon, [Page] Donzac, Derboras, B. de Narbonne, Stopuihart, Brecquet, Drephelipon, de la Source, Galheuste, Sebin, de Lautrech, P. de la Tour, Decluuier, P. Clement, S. Chamayot, Corraire, Porcel, Payau, Rigord, de Robert, de l'Armoire, A. Nolhac, de Rosier, Vuisaud, Hibert, Auoum, du Port, Reuires, Roysse, G. Moragnes, Pomyer, de Chastellet, de Voyau, du Cros, de Fulger, Degau, A. Gardes, du Poncet, du Busquet, Pradelses, Merlein, Ymbert de la Place, G. Rodyer, I. Cabanie, Nohesau, Baches Deueunsin, de Noalhan.
The Kings aunswere to the Deputies of the reformed Churches of the countrey of Languedoc and other places adioyning.
THE Kyng hauing vnderstood the declaratiōs that to him haue bene made by those of the Religion called reformed being sent vnto his Maiestie, vsing toward them his clemencie and naturall goodnes, hath by mouth declared vnto them the assurance that they ought to haue of his good grace fauour and protection when they shall by the effectes shewe them selues such towarde him as al good and loyall subiectes ought to be to their Prince: whereunto he hath sufficiently moued them by his last Edict, vnder the benefit wherof they haue all due satisfaction of that which they haue alwaye shewed themselues to desire touching the exercise of their pretensed Religion & the suretie of their persons & goods. And for as much as they haue alway declared that they [Page] haue no other will but to satisfie the commaundements of his sayd Maiestie, he hath thought good, for their better conformitie, to send the Duke de Vses peere of Fraunce, and the Lord of Caplus Knight of his order to Monsieur de Dampuille Marshall of Fraunce his Gouernour and Lieutenant generall in Languedoc, to saye to him on his Maiesties behalfe, that he chuse some towne or place of his gouernement neere to Montauban, and which he shal thinke fittest for the purpose, and that he repaire thither, and there aduertise those of the Religion called reformed, that they send thither the sayd Deputies or other whom they will on their behalfe, for conference to be had with them by the sayd Lord Marshall, touching their quiet, suretie, and preseruation, and other things concerning and appertaining vnto the executiō & obseruing of the sayd Edict, and also the course of law and iustice, which his Maiestie meaneth to haue ministred vnto them with all vprightnesse and equitie: Also to be aduised of such procurations as shall be necessary for the particularities depending vpon the sayd case, to the end that by the xv. day of December, by which tyme his Maiestie hopeth to be retourned to his towne of Compiegne from the voyage that [Page] he presently maketh to the frontiers of his realme, for conducting his brother the king of Polonia going towardes his kingdome, his Maiestie being then aduertised of the whole by the sayd Lord Mareshal, may giue order as to him shall seeme necessarie. And where he is required by the sayd deputies to prolong the ceassing of armes, his Maiestie will write to the sayde Lorde Mareshall, to cause all actes of hostilitie to cease, prouided alwaye that they of the religion giue order on their part, that nothing bee atttempted to the contrary, as of late hath bene done, which his Maiestie doth expresly forbid.
A request exhibited to the King by the Deputies of the third estate of the Countries of Languedocke, Dolphine, and Prouince.
before we wēt in hande wt the charge that was committed vnto vs by your most humble and obedient subiectes ye people of the third estate of your coū trie and Countie of Prouence, Folcaquier, & the Landes bordering therevpon, we wel foresawe three poynts which would make our sute odious or at leastwyse not so well fauoured as we gladly would haue desired, that we might returne into our coū trie with good speed of the thing for which we come & present our selues sewters vnto your Maiestie.
The first is, that it is an vnseemly thing for Subiectes to inquire of ye peculiar affaiers of their King, or to go about to demaund a reason why he doeth them. The Second is, that subiectes ought to haue a sure good opinion of their Princes good meaning towardes them, and that hee will not greue them with extraordinary subsidies, without great cause and vrgent necessitie, and therefore that the sessing of them lieth not in the controlment of the Subiectes. The third is, that it is an vnseemly and intolerable rashnes of the Subiectes, to intend to brydle or restrain the affaires of the state, wherof they haue no knowlege but superficially and by coniecture. And in very deed these three poyntes haue made vs to refuse our commission often tymes, & we had not condescended to haue receiued it, but for three other considerations that were layed afore vs [Page] in the assembly of the three estates, held in the Moneth of Iuly last past in your town of Aix. One was the consideration of your natural goodnesse and clemencie, sufficiently shewed by experience towardes your subiectes, where through we ought to hope for gentle and fauorable audience in the wofull state of your sayd Countrie of Prouence, wherof it may be that your Maiestie is not faythfully aduertised. An other is, that good Kings, Princes, and Potentates, haue at al times not only harkened to the complaintes and griefes of their people, but also receiued thē and gently disburdened the Deputies of such and so importunat charges. The last is, yt in extremities mē ought to haue free and vnrestreyned recourse to him that is onely able to apply the needfull remedye. Wherevnto we may ad, that many things are don vnder ye authoritie of Kings [Page] without their knowledg, for which they be now and then displeased wt such as haue not aduertised them of them. Surely Sir, all these considerations haue we set afore vs, to the intent that all men may know, that we come not as Mutiners, Rebels, or Sedicious persons, to countermaund your treasure, or to inquyre perticulerly of the imployment therof, or to call in question the faithfulnesse and vpright dealing of such as haue the ordering of your receytes: but onely to giue you true intelligence how great charges, impositiōs, aydes subsidies, tallages, taxes, increases, & other contributiōs, this poore & miserable third state payeth and beareth. But peraduenture Sir, you will thinke it strange that we which are Deputies for Prouēce, should also interlace the griefs and complaints of the Third estate of your Contries of Languedocke & [Page] Dolphenie. Neuerthelesse I which am the messenger, am assisted by the Deputies of the sayd Contries here present, who gaue me in commission so to do as we met to gether by chaunce at Tarrare, bycause wee had all one message and sute. Therfore sir, it is done to the intent your Maiesty shuld not be troubled with the repetition of like matters. And forasmuch as our griefes are all vpon the selfe same points and tend to one selfe same end: they haue chosen me alone to speake indifferently for all the three countries alike, which thing I haue so much the more willingly and boldly taken vpon me, bicause your highnes hath had experience of my loyaltie, honestie, and sinceritie in your Countrey of Prouence, where it hath pleased your Maiestie to aduaunce me, to one of your chiefe roomes of your Counsel.
Sir, your Countie of Prouence belonged [Page] of old time to the kyngdome of Austrasie, and vntill the time of Reyner kyng of Sicili, who made a gift of it to king Lewes the eleuenth, it continued alwayes vnder the dominion of the Dukes of Lorraine & Barre. In the time of the sayd good kyng, (whom some haue seene that are aliue at this day) the men of Prouence payd not any tallages, impositions, ayds, subsidies, gables, or other maner of contributions at all, but liued welthely & merely of the reuenues of their demayns, in peace withal their neighbors, and passing their time in making those excellent kind of peytings which are yet still to be seene in the pallace of Aix the chiefe Citie of Prouence.
Kyng Lewes at his taking of possession of the countrey of Prouence, graunted and confirmed all their priuileges which they had in ye time of good kyng Reyner, which continued [Page] so to the time of the great king Francis the first, who vppon necessity of the defence of the same countrey when Charles the fifth came downe into it, made the people therof taxable and subiect to other impositions of his Realme.
The countrey of Viennoys & Dolphenie, at such time as it was sold to your Maiesties predecessors by Sir Humbert Dolphine, did enioye like fraunchises and liberties as the coū trey of Prouence.
So likewise did the countrey of Languedoc in the times of Raymond & Berrager Earles of Tholouze. And to say the truth, neither taxes, ayds, subsidies nor impositiōs were heard of, any where throughout all the shires of the Realme, till the Englishmen had gotten the better part therof, for the dispossessing of whose vsurpations, our kynges were constrayned to rayse great powers and [Page] armies of men. And bicause the soueraigne dominiō was held by ye Englishmen: the Frenchmen, (whose faythfulnesse and loyaltie passeth al other nations of the earth) graūted to kyng Charles the sixth, to tax thē and cease them: and that was the first time that tallages began, as ye Registers of the Parliament and of the chamber of accompts doo beare record.
When these so light Taxes and of so small estimation could not counteruaile so great an enterprise, he desired the estates to help him in yt necessitie. Then they gaunted him a Twentith of their wines, & afterward an Eighth and a Fourth. In the end it came to setting of impost vppon Salt. And all these Impositions were named helpes, as ye end of their deuice witnesseth, which was to take place but so long as the Warres lasted, as the Recordes of [Page] the sayd Court and Chamber of accountes do purport. Neuerthelesse the People of Fraunce are so obedient to their Kinges, that they haue continued the paying of them freely, & are verye wel contented to continue thē still, notwithstanding yt they had ceassed for a time after that the Englishmen were driuen quite & cleane out of the Realme.
The great King Frauncis who was as sore vexed and weried with warres as was possible, died happely without ouer charging of his people, saying with a custome of the xx. penny set vppon the Marchandises that went out of the Realme, and wt certaine tolles set vppon the wines, that were brought into the great Townes, wherunto were added certayne tenthes, taken of the Clergie.
King Henry inhaunced againe the Tenths, and established the rights of Douāne, high passage, forreine [Page] warres, and forrein Impositions. As for ye poore people, they for their owne succor were charged with no more but Taxe faithfully ordeyned for the payment of the men of War, and yet it is well knowne that the sayd good Prince was combred wt as many affaires as any Prince. At this daye Sir, it is cleane contrarie to that it was in King Lewis the Eleuenths time. For the ordinarie taxes of Dolphenie were but lxx. Thousand Poundes turnoyes, and the taxes of Languedocke were sixe score and twelue Thousand Pound Turnoyes.
In the time of great King Frauncis, and at his taking at Pauie, they were increased: in Dolphenie fortie thousande pound Turnoys, and in Languedocke three score & ten thousand & eight hundred. Which ought to be counted no great matter, considering the great need that was for [Page] the deliuerance of the king and of the Princes his children.
Afterwarde in the tyme of kinge Henrie, the taxes of Dolphine & Languedocke were let alone in the same state that they were at the decease of King Frauncis. Likewise also were the taxes newly imposed vpon Prouence, which were fower score & six thousand pound turnoyes. And at that time the tallage was for Prouence but two and thirtie thousand: for Dolphine seuen and twenty thousand: and for Languedoc fiftie two thousand, three hundred, three score and two pounds turnoyes.
At the beginning of your Maiesties reigne, which was altogyther peaceable and without ciuill dissention, the ordinarie taxe of Languedocke was raysed to fyue hundred and twelue thousand seuen hundred fower score and ten poundes: The taxe of Prouence to three hundred, [Page] three score & sixtene thousand, fower hundred twentie and eight pounds turnoyes, with the increases of two, three, & fower sowses of ye pound, amounting to more than a moytie of the foresaid summes. And the tallages are doubled. Vpon euery tonne of wyne is set an impost of fyue shillings. And imposition is set vppon ye Oyles by assignation of processe. Leuies of money haue bin made now six times already by extraordinarie Commissioners, and loans as well generall as particular, amounting in Prouence to twelue hundred thousand pound turnoyes, comprehending therein the taxes of the parishes: in Dolphinie to nine hundred thousand poundes: and in Languedocke to more than two millions & three hundred thousande poundes turnoyes, besides the vent of Ecclesiasticall goods and the tenthes, which is fower times as much as [Page] the old taxation was wont to bee, togither with a general subsidie neuer erst sessed vpon the cities & great townes, to be payed in three yeeres, whereof the last payment fel out the last yeere, and a new custome is set vpon cloth. We speake not of other small gatheringes of money yt haue bin made in those three. Shyres for the waging, furnishinge, and intertayning of men of war during these ciuill troubles. But the straunge thinges that haue bin done in the playne Countrie, and the fyning & raunsoming of the poore people in the sayd Shyres, dooth in estimation exceede all the taxes, increaces, helpes, subsidies, impositions, and all other leuyings, ordinarie and extraordinarie. For if the Souldiour were not payed his wages, he burst out intoo all licentiousenesse of pilling, pollinge, oppressinge, raunsoming, and other outrages which ar [Page] not wont to be done in ye cōntries of enemies or of conquest. See I beseeche you, howe youre Maiesties poore people haue their fatte, their flesh, and their bloude drayned from them. Let your highnesse thinke you see a true anatomie of a mans bodie, whereof there remayneth nothing but skinne and bones, & yet those also all too torne and broozed. For your people resembleth it with great compassion, desiring too bee relieued and strengthened agayne, which thing can not bee among so many impositions, & specially with warre. A true King is lykened to a good Shepherd, whose propertie it is to fleece his sheepe, but not too flea them.
Wherfore your Maiesties people of the third state of those three poore and desolate Countries, doe moste humbly beseeche your Highnesse to vouchsafe to prouide for ye generall [Page] pacification of these troubles, and to haue regard of the miseries, ruines, pouertie, calamities, desolations, murthers, wastinges, sackinges of townes, hauockes, exactiōs, oppressions, pillinges, ransominges, mischeues, forcing of wiues, deflouring of maydens, and other wickednesses comming thervppon: and to bring the sayd shyres again to good tranquilitie vnion and concord, by such meanes as your Maiestie shall perceiue most reasonable: for other wise it is impossible for men too liue in such disorder as ye vngratiousnesse of the time hath brought vppon the sayd shyres, which are drayned so drye both of money and means, that the people of the sayd third state can hardly shift to liue, bycause ye men of warre haue pilled and fleesed awaye all yt euer is, so as there remayneth not any great Cattel or money for ye people to helpe them selues wtall
These are the causes that driue vs to sue vnto your Maiestye, to discharge the thyrd estate of the sayde Countries for these sixe Yeares of the sayde taxes, Increaces, and other Subsidies and of all other impositions both ordinarie and extraordinary, and after ye sayde terme of six years, to bring all thinges againe to the state that they were at in the time of King Lewis ye twelfth or at the leastwise vnder the reigne of Francis the first. Neuerthelesse, in cases of necessity, euen during ye sayd terme the people of the sayde Third estate, doe willingly offer your Maiestie all their goodes & their liues without restraint. Which sute we beseech your Highnesse to wey well, and to apoynte some trustie & faythfull men of authoritie, to inquire to what vses so great sumes of money hitherto leuyed of your people haue bene imployed, and to cause the men [Page] of warre to be well payd hereafter, which is the onely meanes to make them liue in order vnder good rule and warlike discipline: and the people of the sayde thirde Estate, will praye to GOD for the preseruation and increase of your highnesse in all prosperitie and health.
¶ The Kings aunswere to the Deputies of the third State of the three Countries of Dolphine, Languedocke, and Prouence.
THE King hath taken in very good parte the complaintes, griefes, and requests made by the deputies of the third state of the Countries of Languedocke, Dolphine, and Prouince, and assureth them that he will relieue thē as soone [Page] as his affaires may giue him leaue. It maruelously greeueth his Maiestie, that his poore people haue suffered so many wrong full troubles. For the appeasing whereof he hath caused his Edict to be proclaymed, intending to haue it kept, and will to the vttermost of his power reache out his hand yit further to a greater pacification. And his sayde maiestie doeth all his subiectes to vnderstand, that he is charged with allowances to the Princes his bretherne, and of the Ladies his Sisters, with the interteynement of the Queene, with the dowries of his mother and of the Scottish Queene, with the allowances of the old Queene Elinor, & of the Duchesses of Berrey and Ferrara, wherwith the kyngs his Grandfather and Father were not charged, ouer and besides an infinit masse of dettes, wherof the sayd kyngs his Graundfather and Father left him in arrerages: which things haue ben the cause of his further charging of his saide people, to his great grief.
Made to Villiers-Cotterets the 18. of October. 1573.
¶ The aunswere and aduertisement of the Lord Lodowicke Earle of Nassau to the Kyng.
THe Lord Lodowicke Earle of Nassau, for the zeale which hee hath of the good successe of the kynges Maiesties affaires, hauing not long agoe talked freely and plainely with the Lords of Schombert and Fregouza at Frankford, and afterward with the sayd Lord Schombert at Cassel, thought that his Maiestie shold haue had intelligēce of all, as well by the letters of the sayd Lord Schombert, as by word of mouth of the said Fregouza, hoping also that hee would haue taken all things in good part, according as it proceeded from a hart that was at his commaundement. Neuerthelesse the sayd Earle perceiueth by instructions from the sayde Fregouza lately roturned vnto him, and vnderstandeth throughly by his wordes, that his Maiestie taketh all things as though hee had ment to bridle him in his owne Realme. VVherein notwithstanding, it was the said [Page] Earles intent but to shew his Maiestie freely and vprightly, the only meanes whereby he knew he might attaine to the thing that he pretended, which was to knit a firme friendship and good league with the Protestant Princes, and to put away and bury the euill report that went of his Maiestie, as well by common deuises of pictures, as by reprochfull Bookes, and finally to assure him selfe of good aid against the kyng of Spaine, in whō he espieth dayly diuers euill meanings towards him. And forasmuch as his Maiesties sayd mistaking of things hath caused the sayd Earle to feare, least he were not informed of the thing which hee woulde faynest haue him to know, and which hee thinketh in sound conscience to be the fittest waye to bring the thing to passe which his Maiestie pretendeth: he hath dispatched to him the Lord Chastelier, to informe him more particularly of his meaning, and of the thinges which he seeth to be expedient for the compassing of his desire, Humbly beseechinge his Maiestie to beleue that his so doing, is not vppon any peculiar passion, or for any affection that he hath to any other thing, than to see him in better estimation and reputation than he is among strange Princes and Potentates, and further of from the destruction [Page] that preaseth hard at his heeles.
The meanes for him to come to the foresayd ends with the sayd Protestant Princes, and to recouer the reputation wherof the former outrages haue bereft him, is that his Maiestie should first and formest surcease his warres against them of the Religion, which is the true and onely ground woorke whereuppon he may build his reputation new againe, & whatsoeuer he listeth besides with the Protestant Princes. For otherwise it is impossible for him to preuayle.
And it is no brideling of his Maiestie, but a receiuing of fauour at his hand, when the sayd Princes may so trust in him as in them selues, and shall see in good earnest that there lurketh none euill meaning towardes them: which thing cannot be, so long as his Maiestie shall persecute them of the same Religion in his Realme, whereof the sayde Princes make profession, and whereuppon they ground themselues. By reason wherof they can neuer hope for any stedfast friendship or league with his Maiestie, so long as he sheweth him selfe so sore against them in the chiefe poynt, namely Religion, which is the thinge that ouer ruleth the doinges of men. VVherefore it is requisite to giue his Maiestie a Blanke wheron he might contitinually [Page] set his eye, that first and formest he let the Protestants alone in peace.
And to the end that his Maiestie shoulde thinke, that these be no discourses in the aire: the sayd Earle beseecheth him to remē ber, that the same had ben the welspring of all his reputation: and to call to mind what he had sayd to his hignes the first day of his comming to Bloys, in the euening and many other times duringe the treatie of the king of Nauarres mariage, namely that forasmuch as his Maiesty had labored so much to set peace among his subiectes, and freely graunted the Protestāts the exercise of their Religion: the sayd Lords and Princes desiring to be mayntained in like libertie, bare him so hartie good will, that in deuising ere whiles among themselues whō they might wish to be their Lord (if the case shoulde so fall out as to come to election) they desired his Maiestie with one mind, wishing his auauncement and increase, and hauing not any thing more common in their mouthes than his prayses. VVhereuppon the sayde Earle sayd vnto his Maiestie, that he hoped one day to see the imperiall Crowne vppon his head, and that his Maiestie might beleue that that saying of his came not of himself, but of such as hauing the authoritie and [Page] power to do it, made their full accompt to chuse him to be kyng of Romanes. VVherin his Maiestie should haue this aduantage, that wheras other Princes were wont to buy and purchace it by all meanes, and to offer all maner of condicions of aduauntage that they could deuise for the purpose, (like as the Emperour now present, his Maiesties father in law had neuer ben chosen without earnest sute and solemne promises made, wherof one among many other was that hee sware to maintaine euery man in freedome of conscience and exercise of the Religion:) his Maiestie should bee intreated and sued vnto, to take that great dignitie vpon him.
That was the very cause why they of the lowe coūtreys perceiuing their Prince to depart frō his promises, and frō the condiciōs whereunto he was bound, & that on the cō trary part, his Maiestie vsed his subiectes so louingly: wished withall their hearts to haue him to their soueraigne Lord, casting themselues into his armes, to the end to haue the freedome of their consciences and the exercise of their religion, and generally to inioy the selfsame benefit which his Maiesties subiectes then did by his permission.
It was the selfsame and the chiefest reason that moued the Queene of England to [Page] make league with his Maiestie a litle before the murther.
But now contrariwise his Maiestie is nere his fall, his state is weakened on all sides, and he is as it were abandoned to the praye to whosoeuer listeth to take it bycause that through his last outrage and former warres made to force the consciēces of his subiects, he is so destitute of noble men and men of warre, yea and of the strongest fortresse or hold of his Realme, which is the loue and good will of his subiectes, that he is become like an old house, that is dayly shored vp with some proppes, and yit in the end cannot be kept from falling downe.
His Maiestie maye see how the Spanishe kyng his mortall enemie maketh his hand of the backwardnesse of his estate, laughing with open mouth at his misfortunes, and imploying al his studie, & indeuer to maintayne trouble in his realme: assuringe him selfe (and not without good cause) that it is the onely meanes to attayne to his purpose without stroke stryking, sith that the Spaniard hath more weakened his Maiestie by the former warres, late slaughter & present troubles, than if he had made thirtie yeeres warre against him himselfe. Furthermore, the Spaniard serueth his owne turne against [Page] his Maiestie euery where where he can, with the late outrage, as he did alate in Poleland as his Maiestie vnderstandeth well ynough: and the same was the only cause of courtesie and faithfulnesse which the Duke of Alua vsed towardes the sayd Earle at his goinge out of Mons, as he himselfe reported to diuers afterward, namely that hee did it to shew that hee would not commit so foule a trecherie as the French kyng had done, and that he was not sory for the Admirals mischaunce, bycause hee was the kyng his Masters deadly enemy, but yit hee had leuer to haue lost both his armes, than to haue done that deede.
And if his Maiestie continue his purpose of making warre against the protestants, and wil not suffer them in his realm: the sayd Earle can assure him, that the Duke his brother leauing him in that plight to goe into Polonia, shall neuer bee welcome thither. But the people of that coūtry thinking that he cōmeth to set them in a broyle as Fraunce is, will count him but as a cypher in Agrim, and the Princes of the land, in steed of comming foorth euery where to meete him on the waye for his honor, will drawne back a ten leagues of for feare to see him. And contrary wyse, if he make himselfe [Page] a meane of good peace in Fraunce be, fore he goe thence, he shalbee receyued, loued and honored as much as hart can think-and the foresayd Princes will wayte for him by the way, to doe him all the honor and solemnitie in receiuing him, that they can deuise.
And so long as his Maiestie abydeth in the same mind that he is in at this day, the sayd Earle seeth not that it is to any purpose for him to hope that the Prince Elector the Palsgraue should send to the Queene of England for the accomplishing of mariage betwene hir and the Duke: and much lesse that the sayd prince Elector should consent that the Prince Casimire his sonne should serue his Maiestie: for the sayde Earle was sure that it shold smally boote him to moue the matter, neither could he doe it with a safe conscience, so longe as his Maiestie is in armes against the protestants.
His Maiestie hath all occasions that can be wished to drawe awaye his armed hande from his subiectes, and to ceasse his warres against them, besides that the Duke his brother the chosen king of Polonia, if hee desire to be well receyued, and to assure those country men, that his being among them, shall not be to trouble them or to disquiet [Page] their consciences, but to maintaine them in the freedome wherein hee found them, may also as the Duke his brother, vppon like occasion make meanes to his Maiestie, not to disquiet the protestantes: and that if they depart otherwyse, the one into Poland, and the other into Englande: besydes that it should fall out ill for them selues in respect of the reasons aforesayd, they should leaue his Maiestie with such a warre vppon his hand as should be so much the more harde and daungerouse, in respect of the abatemēt of his power, with the smalnesse of his comfort, and (which worse is) for that he should not haue any man whom hee might truste with the leading of his armie, for as much as some are too seruisable and affectioned towards the Spanish King as his feed men, & his Maiestie could not trust any man by reason of the things that had passed.
Moreouer, the sayd Earle could not forget to aduertise his maiestie, that beyond the seas men began to bee greeued at the French fashions, and to waxe loth to deale with them, bycause they bewray themselues to goe vnsoundly to worke, and to seeke for nothing but dissimulation: as not long ago whyle the Queene of England was deliberating vppon the treatie of mariage betweene [Page] hir Maiestie and the Duke, in the meane whyle shippes of warre were sent priuily in to Scotlande, to stirre vp and mayntayne troubles there, and to make them spred by little and little into England.
Agayne, the brute goeth commonly here, that the men whom his Maiestie sendeth abroad, are all of them spies which come to discouer what is done in princes houses, & moreouer that all the discourses which his Maiestie maketh with Ambassadours, (specially in the name of the Pope) and all the dispatches which he maketh vnto Rome, are but tales and colours of assurance of good will, too ouerthrowe the protestantes on all sydes, and namely the foresayd princes.
And that there appeareth so much dissimulation and vntruth in his maiesties letters and wordes, as men cannot tell howe to trust them in any good case: lyke as in his letters written to the sayd princes vpon the wounding of the Lord Admirall, when hee had giuen them to vnderstande that he was sore displeased at the receyt of suche a mischaunce, and would make such an example of iustice of it, as shoulde bee remembered while the world indured: A two dayes after, he caused it to be proclaymed that it was his owne dooing.
Furthermore, how much assurance so euer his maiestie gaue after the death of the sayd L. Admirall throughout all places of his dominion, that he meant not neyther would, that any man should by any meanes alter his Edict of pacification: it can not in any wyse agree with the warre which he maketh presently against his subiectes of the religion, and much lesse with his own saying that he would not suffer any other Religion thā his owne within his realme.
By reason of which persuasions, the prince cannot thinke that his Maiesties promising to succour him in the offer which he caused to be made to the sayd Earle without condicion, was spoken with a playnmeaning hart, but rather feareth that the same proceeded out of the selfesame shopp that the former things came, because that in the letters of the Spanishe Ambassadour which were surprised a while agoe as they were comminge out of Fraunce to the Duke of Alua, it was seene that the Queene mother vsed suche speech as this: I cannot thinke that these so good Christians will make any agreement with the Heretikes: shee spake those words of the Prince to his hinderaunce, and therefore it is vnlykely that there was any good meaning towards the furtherance of his affayres.
The said Earle besecheth his Maiestie yit further, to set before his eyes what hee hath oftentymes tolde him of the Cardinall of Lorreine: namely, that his dooings were so suspiciouse on all sydes, that whereas he was in credit with his Maiestie, and had the ordering of all his affaires, it was not too bee thought (so farre as could bee seene) that hee would deale soundly or vncorruptly in any thing, by reason of the great priuitie which he had with the Spaniardes: yea and muche lesse, in asmuch as it is reported, that he hath offered his maiestie a great summe of money, to imploy it against the protestants.
Moreouer, the sayd Earle beseecheth his Maiestie to call to mynd, what his highnesse hath sayd vnto him oftētimes: namely, that he considered well the mischiefes that had assayled him on all sydes, and that if hee might by Gods grace once remedie them, by the peace which he hath payned himself so much to make, he would take good heed, that he fell no more into them. For wheras he is at this hower further ouer the shoes thā euer he was, through the counsell of such as vnder his name doe bring those in suspicion which are called the heads of the factiōs, and prouoke him to make cleane riddance of them by what meanes so euer it bee, as hee [Page] dyd by the last slaughter: his Maiestie maye wel see, it was not to leaue of so, but to make him bathe himselfe more than before in the bloud of his poore subiectes, to the ende to hasten his own ruine the more, wherof they haue layd the platt a long tyme afore hand: which skarre his maiestie may yet for al this heale vp agayne, by making a good peace in his realme, & by ceassing to trouble his subiectes of the reformed religion.
Finally, the sayd Earle desireth his Maiestie to bethinke him of this poynt, that although he had taken all the townes that are hild by the Protestantes in his Realme, yit should hee not haue rooted out the Religion: and to consider also, that the late Emperour Charles the fifth did not onely take the townes, but also had the persones in his hands that did set thēselues against his procedings, seazed vpon their landes, and beate downe their fortresses, and yit for all that could nor driue the Religion out of Germanie, because it is a thing so rooted in mennes hartes, that it cānot be weeded out by force of armes.
VVherefore the sayd Earle most humbly beseecheth his Maiestie, to take these reasons in as good part, as the Earle hath without passion or particular affection, soundly, [Page] truly, and with good conscience commaunded the Lord of Chastelier to preferre them to his vnderstanding, and to wey them and consider them well and throughly, not suffering himselfe to be flattered by such as play the leud Phisitions, which tell not their pacient the least part of his disease, wherevppon followeth his vndoing, but rather crediting such as seeke nothing but his good furtherance and great increase. If hee do so: his affaires shal haue as good successe, as he would wishe. If not, but that he continue stil in his former behauiour: all that euer he can doo shall but turne to his vndoing, and imbattell both God and men still more and more against him.
Concerning the conclusiō and effect that hath ensued of these requestes and aduises, and touching rhe decease of the French Kyng.
IT is good for subiectes to trust and pray that Kyngs shall liue. It is good for Kynges to thinke and knowe that kynges may and must die. Many haue bin the examples therof, and great is the fruite to the wise cōsiderers. Gods is the iudgement and execution, mannes is the good or harme as God is to dispose in wrath or fauour. The end is Gods honour. It is therfore good for all, euen the highest, to feare God, and to gouerne subiectes as Gods people. And sweete is the comfort to those noble Princes, whose hearts and consciences the spirite of God feelingly assureth, that they haue lead their people in truth, holden them in Iustice, and preserued them in mercy and equitie. Let the one Realme of Fraūce, in their Kyngs, their subiectes, [Page] and their state, preach to Christendome the mortalitie of kyngs, the miseries of ciuill warres, the losses by disloyaltie of word and deede, the fruits of truth, right, and peace. Gods is the iustice, and iudgement, whose be the honour of all things seeming to men good or euill.
The valiant and famous French king Henry the second, when he was in greatest apparance of felicitie and ioye, in the entric of peace, in the feastes of mariage, in the very actes of triumph, and euen than when after execution of sundry for the cause of conscience he had Annas du Burg and other counsellers of the Parliament of Paris in prison, whom for their Religion he thought meete and intented to haue put to death, was hurt and slaine, to the great losse, dissolution & lamentation of that mightie kingdome.
His sonne Francis the second, enriched with one kingdome more than euer his father or his auncestors enioyed, the Realme of Scotland, when after execution [Page] of many persons vppon the tumult of Amboise, & the death of the Vidame of Chartres, he had the prince of Cōde, Madame de Roye, and other noble persons & gentlemen, prisoners in the Bastile of Paris and elsewhere, was suddenly taken away by the hand of God to the great destitution and sorow of those that depended vppon his Maiestie.
Charles the ninth, now lately deceased second sonne of King Henry, and yonger Brother to the sayd Frauncis, when he thought himselfe deliuered of those whom he supposed daungerous to his estate, and whom he charged with most haynous conspiracie, found afterward mightie resistance by the remnants of that execution, by whom these Articles of request were presented vnto him: whereuppon hath not followed such full conclusion as had ben to bee wished for the quiet of that kyngdom. Since which time, and the lamentable troubles depending, when the sayd kyng had his owne [Page] Brother, with the next Prince of his bloud, his greatest Mareshals of his Realme, and a number of noble men, in custodie and prison, and dayly expectation was of a totall destruction of some part of his subiectes, God hath added him to his auncesters.
The circumstances of his disease, the cause, occasion and maner of his death, pertayneth not to vs. It was the woorke of God. No doubt, hee lacked not the care of a mother, the counsell of Phisicians and cunning persons, the helpe, aduise, wish and praier of the famous king his brother, and all that men might do. But Kynges who to vs in resemblance are Gods, to them selues in Nature be men. God giue to all Princes, not that opinion onely, but also that cogitation, both to thinke it, and thinke vppon it. God giue quiet to that christiā region of our neighbours, and an hart to all Christiā gouernour:, to haue care of the safetie and peace of their posteritie. For beyond [Page] all posteritie there is a Kyng of Kynges to be aunswered, And GOD giue vs Englishmen quiet and thankfull hartes, that we may rest in vnitie, cleaue to present state, abhorre changes, and so vse our Religion that God find it not necessary to withdraw our highest treasure. Amen.