MY Lorde, the auncient dutie that I beare to your house, & the seruice which (after none) I haue vowed vnto you: commaundeth mee to make you these remon­strances; which (in most humble manner) I beseech you to reade with such affection as I present them vnto you withal, from him, which (after the honor of GOD) hath nothing in so much esteeme as the re­pose of this estate, and in like manner of you, & al which is yours. VVe all aspyre vnto peace, and yet there is none that hopeth it: great mis-fortune, euery man diuines his owne ill, knoweth, and seeth the cause of it: I must tell you freely my opinion of the matter. I haue since these troubles alwaies excused your demeanure vntill this day, I say (expresly) excused, although it may seeme that this [Page] word may fal vnrespectiuely from my pen: but in regard that the question was not of smal consequence, VVhether it were standing with law that a Subiect might take Armes against his King? yet notwithstanding, the iust passion which you haue conceiued of the death of my Lordes your two Bretheren, the people whom you founde vo­luntarily disposed, and aboue all, seeing he that pretends for the Crowne, is diuers from our auncient Religion, al that (I say) considered, gaue you cause to take Armes, & after, not to desist from the bearing of them. So much as concernes the first poynt, the true blood cannot lie, none can say how pleasing that reuenge is, but he that hath re­ceiued iniury: and withall, what the fashion of their two endes hath procured, may be the more a meane to good minds to extinguish the memory of it, (though doubtles they were of great importance.) As touching the second cause, the people had a farre off confirmed themselues in an obstinate enuie to their King, which euen died of ioy to heare the newes of Bloys. And as concerning the last, it is very hard to take from vs the feare which wee haue conceiued of the subuersion of our auncient Religion, if we submit our selues vnto a King diuers from vs therein.

I desire not to impeach the famous memorie of the last King, neyther that of my Lords your Bretheren, nei­ther yet the proceeding of the King of Nauarre, and farre lesse your owne: for it is my intent to proceede with few words, not of sharp intention, or ceremonies, to the drift of my discourse: for I call God to witnes, I haue no in­tention to write in a partiall humor.

You represent (at this time) in the infortunate Theater of Fraunce a mighty Prince: think not that your procee­dings, by howe much the more they are apparant, may [Page 3] not but be so much the more exposed to adulation, and bee subiect to slaunderous inuectiues: and surelie it is hard to iudge which of these two is aptest to preiudice your fortune. Those which adapt themselues to im­peach it with slaunders, say: That neither reuenge nor disorder in affayres beseemes you to take Armes, but that they were only pretexts to culler your desseignes. And as touching the new religion of the King, that it is apparant by your proceedings, that you take holde of it, as an op­portunity or masque to shadow your pretence, & haue v­sed the same as a mist to delude our eyes withall, whilst (meane while) you couer in your heart an vnmeasured ambition, intending the subuersion of the whole state. That vntill nowe they remained as blinde in conceiued passion, but now that time hath taught them to see cleer­ly, euen as before they had their eares stopped against whatsoeuer proposition might be obiected to you: and that contrariwise, they haue both eyes & eares too great to afflict your honor and reputation; For first as touch­ing the reuenge, they all affirme vna voce, that your own selfe was the first and last that condemned the progresse of my Lorde the deceassed Duke of Guyse, your Brother his policies. And firstly, because that in the yeere 1585. beeing solicited by him to enter into that part of the ho­ly League, you were sixe whole weekes before you would condiscend; Lastly, for that fiue or sixe daies be­fore his death, you aduertised the King of an enterprise that he intended against his Maiestie.

And withal, these fellowes can tell that you were not of such internety with him, but that to infest, or hasten his death, you would sette fire in the midst & euery cor­ner of the kingdom: for you complained your selfe most [Page] apparantly at Vimory, that hee had layd waite to butcher you, though against his expectation you had had good successe, & at the last adiewe of you two, you failed to come to the enterprise.

If the same be true (or not) you best know: sure it is that who so wold enter into the demeanure of your two Bretheren with the Estates of Bloys, should necessarily be inforced to confesse, that there was sufficient subiect to induce the King to a dispaire. They had so wel grounded their desseignments, that the three parts of the Deputies (of which the fourth did all,) was at their will and deuo­tion: the chiefe Presidents of euery order, were theyr principall partakers; There past not any Holy-daie in which our Ministers preach't not amongst the Iacobins, and with a holy throate tore not in peeces the honour of the King & his Seruaunts. From day to day Embassages went betweene Paris and the two Bretheren: we conti­nued euery day in making prouisions, not against the King of Nauarre, but against the King our Soueraigne.

The Duke of Guyse made publique protestations, that he would not bee disseuered from the confederacie be­tweene him and the King of Spayne, and al this, notwith­stood the vnion by him sworne with the same King vpon the holy Sacrament of the Altar; Nothing was conclu­ded in the assembly, which before was not at large deba­ted on betweene the two Bretheren in secrete, & which tended not to the shame & confusion of the King; of all which there were made braues & vauntings by litle litle men, which els had not dared to haue lift vp theyr eyes, vnlesse vnder the protection of these two Princes. The King came to prayers, as wel amongst the Deputies, to be amongst them more acceptable, as to the Duke of Guyse [Page 4] to mollefie him. And to all this there will be no lystning. It was not aboue foure or fiue dayes before theyr two endes, that the Duke of Guyse himselfe iniured the King about the Towne of Orleance: It cannot bee but that some of his seruaunts (euen my Lady your Mother, full of all goodnes and vnderstanding) knowing that al these goades might sting the King to the hart, and gyue hym cause to misdeeme, counsailed him to retire to Orleance, where his life shold quickly be disposed of, for the con­seruation of that of my Lord the Cardinal your brother, which shoulde haue contained himselfe within Bloys: your selfe can witnes all this. And this is the reason why these fellowes that impeach your proceedings so slaun­derously, say, that measuring the opinion and respect of the King by your owne, you would neuer haue concei­ued hard opinion of their ends, for your selfe fell into the like desaster with Sacremore, for some (I know not what) desire he had to attempt against the family of your wiues house, and after those troubles in the person of the Mar­quis of Menelay, (murdered onely vpon a bare suspition that he would broach newe deuises against your selfe:) And more-ouer, that you fel into dislike with ill gouern­ments of the deceased K. to the end therby to make your selfe Protector of the people; the same contemplatiue Doctors play vpon you thus in that respect, inferring that you haue borne a great sway in these matters, & withall, for further confirmation, produce diuers Edicts, pre­tending their vtter subuersion, which by often importu­neties you haue obtained of the King; As for example, that of the particuler Lieuetenant of the chosen, through all Citties, Townes, Borroughes, and townshippes of Fraunce, the most wicked & infortunate that hath hap­pened [Page] in our age: and to confirme this desire, no better witnesse then your selfe, of Mounsier Ribault, Treasurer generall of your reuenewes, which then sollicited the pursuit of the verification, as well in the Court of wardes as elswhere.

They persist and affirme, that what countenaunce so euer either you or the Duke of Cuyse, had sette vpon the beginning of these troubles, you intended to be irrecon­cileable enemies to the Heretiques: and to make that more apparant, you had diuerse Preachers in pay vnder you, which shold serue you for trumpets: yet neuerthe­lesse I know there is no such meaning betweene GOD and your soule; For that after the death of the Admirall Chastillon, in the yeere 1572. the house of Guyse was a secure Sanctuary to the most parte of the Nobility that professed the religion: and your selfe (my Lord) had ne­uer better meanes to reduce the Dalphinate vnder the o­bedience of the last King, then by a truce wrought by your selfe, twixt the Lord D' Ediguire and his partakers, which you knewe so well to entertaine, that from that time you were surnamed The Prince of the fayth, by rea­son you had so faithfully kept your faith and promise.

Loe, such be the discourses and reports which these slaunderous enemies of yours make to your disaduan­tage, which I woulde desire might bee buried with the death of the deceassed King.

How then more-ouer will you fore-stall this, if fortu­nately it shoulde be obiected, that you onely intende to haue peace, which most freely is profered by our ene­mies: VVhy? all the quarrel that we haue with the King of Nauarre, is but for matter of Religion; But take away that obstacle, you cannot deny but that the Crowne is [Page 5] peculier to him, notwithstanding al the declarations that the Duke of Feria would not long since haue preuented it with; For if after the death of the deceassed King, we should adiudge the Crowne to my Lord the Cardinall of Bourbon, as next in degree, (notwithstanding the much distance of consanguinitie which there is between them) I see no cause of sufficient argument why we should re­iect this auncient and first of the bloode, but onely for this, that we hold him diuers from vs in regard of religi­on: which might worthely be proued no obstacle at all, if we respect his promise which hee hath made conditio­nally, that he would be content to yeeld himselfe, vppon the conuent of Estates and Prelats of his kingdom.

Now, in respect of the peace treated on the last yeere, between the Lordes of Villeroy and Plessis Mornay, the first proposition that the first of these two made, (and I thinke that hee did it vppon the instructions from your own mouth) was, that we would acknowledge the King of Nauarre for our right and lawfull King, and that wee had no desire to force his conscience, but recommen­ding the whole to God, whom it might please to shyne forth the beames of all happines on him: insomuch, that all their conference was vpon the assuraunce required of you. VVhich notwithstanding it was aunswered euen to your minde, yet vppon the last gaspe you reuoked your Deputy, shewing in kinde (at that time) that you neuer had such feare as that which then returned vnto you, of parting with any thing that might detract from the main­tayning of you in your wonted greatnesse. In which, (if poore I may belieued) you did most wisely: For, for to mooue dispute with the King of Nauarre, (touching matter of Religion) it was asmuch to say silently, an ac­cord, [Page] that you had beene instructed, not to lay by Armes after the death of the deceassed King, for other subiect then a singuler zeale: and in so dooing, you layd an espe­ciall ground of your reputation in euery place, but aboue all in Rome; And there is the principall drift of all your affayres.

Since which time of treaty, you haue assembled the Estates of Prouinces and Citties, with intent to chuse vn­to vs a King: but before ouerture to this matter, you made a protestation full of all piety, importing most ex­presse significations, that you neuer had vndertaken thys quarrel, but only in this regard, that the King of Nauarre was an Hereticke: and that when he should be reconci­led to the Church, you would be most content to holde him for your King.

Protestations which awake both the one & the other, vppon which since that time we are entred into confe­rence, with an vnspeakeable ioy euen of those which be­fore helde nothing in like feare with peace: and in thys conference we haue vtterly derogated from that of the last yeere; For first wee sticke at this, that it is questiona­ble whether the King of Nauarre woulde make himselfe Catholicke, or no, declaring, that where he woulde not be such, that there this conference was to no effect: But in case that he were found conformable, we should after­ward bethinke vs of assurance. I haue neuer hearde a matter proceeded on with lesse simplicitie, vnlesse by our enemies: for euen from the first motion they embraced thys proposition, and commended two Lordes of theyr part to communicate it to the King: which not by anie intreatie of his owne people, but of his proper motion, pronounced his wil not to be of himselfe, but to insist in [Page 6] that of his own Bishops & Prelats. This worde was no sooner spoke, but through all the Townes vnder him, general Processions were made, to giue God thanks that he had inspired so holy a desire into their Prince: VVe a­lone haue sung the Requiem, as feareful that through this desperate passage, issue might be found for the souerane­ties which we now hold hauing none aboue vs. VVher­in (my good Lord) you shall be pleased to giue mee thus much leaue, as to say I am nothing edified in one respect: for before, I coniectured that all these mischiefes were neither familier with GOD nor the diuell, or that it was not respected whether they were mad men or Machia­uils. And through this publique ioy in the Church of God, they are all as we are, true Romane Catholicks, but of a more warie conscience then we. They esteeme that of what religion soeuer it pleaseth God to giue vs a King, we are all bound to obey him: and that wee are so com­maunded by S. Peter in two places, and by S. Paule wry­ting both to the Romans and to Titus: In briefe, that our Sauiour Iesus Christ, vppon the moulde on which wee ought to frame all our actions, sayd: That we ought to giue that to God, which belongeth to God, and to Caesar, that which belonged to Caesar: and hold, that if they do amisse after Iesus Christ, that then that faulte is pardonable.

But to the ende that I may not too long dwell vppon thys poynt, or to sounde deeper in theyr consciences: presentlie after the King had made thys protestation to become Catholique, with solemnities aunswerable, the wise Gentlemen our Deputies demaunde day of aun­swere with deliberation: and after respette, at length made aunswere: That they sawe nothing in him that might minister this hope vnto them: That hee vvas [Page] onely in wordes, and his Ministers performed nothing. Ho, ho, quoth I, is the game to that? And I pray you what hinders, that so much may not be said of my Lord the Duke de Mayne: That they saw nothing in him why they might iudge he would alter his opinion, any of hys protestations not withstood: That he is the man that he hath beene from the beginning of foure yeeres: That he fauours and authoriseth the Preachers of the Religi­on, which (among all other,) are the principall Orators and ministers of these troubles; And that it is not to be thought strange that theyr King desireth not to perseuer in error, but will not forget to prayse God, so that hee re­ceiues the instructions of our Church: otherwise, it shold be a meane to open a way to Atheisme & impiety.

After hauing persused these Articles, I returne vnto that by which our Deputies inferre, that the King of Na­uarre may receiue instructions from the Prelates & Doc­ters of Fraunce, but that hauing receiued it, it appertai­ned to the holy Father of Rome to haue the especiall gouernment in that businesse: sith it was onely hee that had authority to approue the conuersion, & to giue hym absolution, without which, he could not be held for one conuerted or reconciled to the Church. And did I ex­clayme then? Loe here the consummation of our work: The phisick of the Duke of Feria hath not had his ope­ration in Paris, it shold be carried to Rome there to haue his working; Say that you will not goe, vvhy this were to found a new heresie amongst the people. But put case that fortunatly you may goe, vvho knowes not the Spa­nish concetis, to whose iudgement you must commende the conuersion of a Prince of the bloode? Hath not the Duke of Feria sufficiently instructed you in the grounde [Page 7] of his intended pollicies? which is to no other ende then to auere the Crowne of Fraunce to his owne state. My good Lorde, the Legate which at this instance is in Paris, shewes he not by his demeanure, what commaun­dements he hath from the holy Father?

No, I must haue patience: it is to you my Lord that I must speake, for I can gather no other but that this coun­sell proceedes with your owne aduise: as from him that in respect of the degree you are in, haue more reason to hinder the course of these affayres: or at the least wise, that it may not seeme so intricate, as thereby it may ap­peare illusiue vnto you whilst you gather vp the fruite of your greatnes. Say, I beseech your excellence, vvhen you tooke Armes against the deceassed King, which wee acknowledged for the most Christian King in al Europe, sude you to the Court of Rome for lycence? Haue you since craued absolution of the holy See; For indeed we are not to doubt, but that such bearing of Armes was a very heresie, beeing borne against a King so far from be­ing an Hereticke: VVell then you haue not doone so, & yet will you willingly sende your King? (so I am forced to name him, if I see him abiure that error which he hath been nourisht in from his infancie.) Certes you addresse your selfe to thinke vpon your ill-willers, which respect not the See of Rome, but so much as you profit by it.

Let vs shunne all shadowe and dissimulation of thys quarrell: let vs leaue apart all ambitions, and let vs ac­knowledge that which is of the auncient fayth of our Church, which Saint Ierome sayde had neuer nourisht Monsters, meaning (vnder that word) Hereticks.

The generall proposition of our Church, since and from the passion of Christ, was to reduce al her thoughts [Page] to the vnion of the Romane Church: to holde it for chiefe: to simbolize with it in the Articles of our fayth: And if our Prelates entred into any doubts touching it, to haue recourse to it, as the true source from which they ought to drawe all water of life. And further, all hauing Diocesse, had all power and authority to performe theyr owne will within their owne Diocesses, but onelie in matters of especiall importance; in which they had re­course one while to the Councels prouinciall, another while to another place, without any interposition of Romish Authority. And in this order lyued they from the death of our Sauiour, euen vntill the first lyne of our Kings, and from that to the seconde; And howbeit that it was not so when the great Pagan King Clouis reuolted from his paganisme, yet, did he sue for pardon at Rome? surely no: but hee receiued the holy Sacrament of Bap­tisme at the hands of S. Remy, Archbishop of Reims, who was so francke a Catholicke, as hee woulde neuer haue done it to the preiudice of the holy See, if he had thought that in such matters recourse thether had been needfull. I acknowledge that vnder the seconde lyne, the See be­gan to authorize it selfe more in Fraunce then before it had done: and why then? but because that King Pepin, to the intent he might in better sort vsurpe the kingdom, had beene at Rome to seeke instructions for his tyran­nous raigne: and coulde not sette any glosse on his aspy­ring, vnlesse it were by making the See a wonderment a­boue all things: which is the same artefice which nowe we infer as especiall engine of your greatnes. Neuerthe­les, what preheminence soeuer his holines then tooke to himselfe, yet shal you neuer find, that he made so bold as to condemne any K. in Fraunce for what offence soeuer [Page 8] they had committed, but did it in an open assembled counsel of our Prelats, which thing was continued vnder the 3. line, witnesse the great counsell of Cleremont in Au­uergne. In briefe, I see not any one Pope which hath so much forgot himselfe, but only (good-face, or) Boneface the 8. against Phillip the faire: but God would that with open signes he shold confesse the repentance of such sin▪ to serue as an example vnto his successors, how to enterprise any thing a­gainst any king. When the Emperor Theodosius had caused the generall massacre of the Thessalonians to be made, what stopt the doore of the Church against him? S. Ambrose Archbishoppe of Mylan, who opened it vnto him after penitence. Went the Em­peror to Rome? No, it was the selfe same Ambrose. And are wee better Christians then S. Ambrose or S. Remy? Shal we cōdemne the actions of al our auncient Prelats of Fraunce? It shall folow that they were hereticks, if the Maxime which we propounde to the king of Nauarre be true: & yet there is no doubt made but that they were all most holy and sanctified men. But what religion is this of ours? VVee haue taken Armes against our most dread Soueraigne and indoubtable king, without any licence from the See: we haue made a Saint or canonized brother, Fryer Iacques Clement his murtherer, without going to Rome: trea­ding vnder feete the example of Dauid toward Saul. VVe are commanded to obey our kings notwithstanding they be euen Pagans. Now after all this, our King will be Ca­tholick, & do penance worthy his fault, euen in the midst of the French-church, & yet we wil indent with him, & turn him ouer to Rome. Good God, what neede haue we of further ceremony then that which wee woulde vse, if willingly we would submit our selues to his obedience? Tis true, but you wil tel me that you suspect deceits. Call you thē deceits? when in the face of the church, & before [Page] all our Bishops and Prelats, he wil make confession of his fayth, in the presence of the Princes and the Officers of the Crowne, which shall be there called to witnesse? If he hyde any deceipt in his heade, he will be the first that shall be deceiued: for GOD often-times deceiues the deceiuer. It cannot be thought, but that all good Catho­liques, which haue made generall professions onelie on his bare declaration, will be prompt enough to forsake him, if he againe forsakes God; It woulde be the grea­test and easiest victory which you could obtaine of him, if he be so obstinate as not to yeeld, after a faith plighted of all his owne Friendes.

And as touching you my Lord, whom I honour and reuerence aboue all other, (thinking that there could be nothing but a holy zeale that did accompany your holie actions,) thinke not but God will confounde all those counsels and deceits, (what masque soeuer of authority you passe them vnder,) if it fortune so that the King of Nauarre should but onely satis-fie hys fayth. You shal be neither the first nor the last of yours, which shalbe fallen into this desaster. I will acknowledge freely, that to in­crease your greatnes in ful perfection, you haue not for­gotten any one poynt; First, seeing the fury of the peo­ple to haue all authority, you made your selfe altogether popular: leauing the Controwlershippe generall of the Towne of Paris, to sixteene persons of most lowe con­dition, which the lycence of time gaue reason to suspect: and to one counsell of forty, you commended almost all the affayres of estate, in retayning them from you, and then dyd you scarce knowe the way of Paris: Not long after, you broke of this counsell of fortie, approching it neere to your person: The necessity after the siedge was [Page 9] raised, taught vs for our owne security not to refuse a ga­rison of Spaniards; From that time forward you fought betweene two extremities, between the King of Spayne and the Comminaltie. For notwithstanding you make fayre wether with the King of Spayne, yet you would be right sorry that he shoulde haue attained the drift of all his inuentions; And in like case, although he aydes you for the defray of thys warre, yet he would be sorrie too, that you shoulde haue your wish. The Duke of Parma, the interpositus in these affayres, hath shewed it wel as of­ten as euer he came to our succours: well, he is dead, and that makes you more assured of your hope.

The Sixteene by a desperate fury, haue lost the decea­sed Mounsier, the President Brisson, and Arcter counsel­ler in the Parliament. This iniustice inuites a publique choller of all in generall, and moueth you by these means to make the boldest trait of estate that euer was since these troubles, because you caused foure of these 16. to be hanged: and that at one instant you brought to beg­gery that little Tyrant of Paris, Bussy le Cleere, chasing him from the Bastillion, the sanctuary of all his robbe­ries and thefts. And since, you haue much more familia­risde your selfe with our Towne of Paris then erst: such be the meanes, by the which you haue made your selfe Maister of the people, beeing assisted of the Spanish gar­rison; and hauing swallowed downe the whole autho­ritie of those 16. now you haue to combat with the king of Spayne, which feedes on the wind of the Crowne of Fraunce. But to keepe him in breath betwixt hope and feare, you enter into dyuerse motions of peace, which e­uen withall you breake as soone as you make them, and that after fayre proffers; These you break (I say) to shew [Page] that you haue both peace and warre in your hands, and that you haue meanes to bring all these Spanish vanities to nought, if he still aydes you not with men and money; by this meanes stretching the very quintescence of euen halfe halfe a farthing, to make thereof the principall stay of your greatnes: And since wee are nowe in some path toward peace, let Mounsier the Spanish Legate be ridde till his backe be gauld.

O but you haue erected Marshals of the vnion, to the intent that if a peace should fortune, these woulde be a singuler peece of good to you: and that beeing nowe in war, the peace may confirme them. Is it possible to haue acted with more wittie endeuours then you haue doone euen to the end? and yet I despayre to: for I iudge it fa­tall to your house to worke ruine to that of Burbon, & to be as circumspect as may be: yet neuerthelesse at length all vanisheth to idle smokes, and that euen then when you thinke your selfe neerest the perfection of your will. Euen so did it befall my Lord your Father in Orleance, the yeere 1560. when vnder the authority of Frauncis the se­cond, (whom he was possessed of) intending to spoyle both of lands, goods and life, the deceassed King of Na­uarre and the Prince of Conde, God tooke away the king euen when he thought that he could not chuse but haue his full will euery way. Euen so of latest memory fortu­ned it to your Brothers, which neuer endeuoured anie thing so much, as to declare the vnhability of the King of Nauarre, and hovv incapable he was of the Crown. Such fatall discent is there betvveene your two houses: bee it that the quarrell of the house of Bourbon is more iust, (in regarde of hys blood royall) or that the desaster of your house is such.

[Page 10]I am not that Nostradamus, that by an interlaced cop­pie of words obscure, in 1553. wold by his fore-smellings diuine the mishaps in which we are novv plunged. Sure it is, that seeing the late Kings dissolute liuing, had ingen­dered in the harts of his subiects a generall discontent­ment, I held it for sure, that he should liue to see the vt­ter ruine of his estate & himselfe: for in his actions there was such a flowing of particularities, as the very least was sufficient to ouerthrowe a Prince. But when on the o­therside, I considered the demeanures of the Duke of Guyse, his arriuall vnexpected in Paris: the shameful (and yet happy) retreate of the King, the election of Prouosts, made of Merchants and chiefe men of that Towne in all poast: the Brauadoes that they gaue the King, demaun­ding theyr confirmation, assignments, and pryces of Townes to his teeth, whilst a treaty of peace was con­cluding: the stay of the verification of the Proclamation of vnitie, to disapoynt entertaining the auncient Cap­taines of the Towne and their Lieu-tenaunts, and to su­borne other to his deuotion, and al that which since that time he enterprised in Bloys, (by me heere-to-fore parti­cularised) I promised vnto my selfe no lesse matter and man of him then the king; the one by growing too loose in his actions toward his Subiects, the other too ambiti­ously familiar towards hys King: insomuch that the o­uer-crowing of the people towardes their King the day of the Barracades, vvas euen the same of the King ouer the Duke of Guyse the third of December following.

You perhaps will tell mee, that I doe nothing but re­capitulate things as they haue fortuned: I pray God they may most happily liue, and ioy eternall felicity, to whom I haue afore-hande (diuiningly) imparted them. There [Page] be some matters of estates as infallible, as the rules run­ning according to the Mathematiques. It is the very same that made me feare some (I know not vvhat) mis-fortune of you: I doubt not but the Baise les mains euidences, vvhich you receiue now, of a troupe of such as are slaues to your fortune, hath caused you to fore-see asmuch to theyr promotions: vvhich fortune proueth as improue­dently to them, as improuedently dooth that of you to your selfe.

They furnish you vvith sophisticall memoratiues, to make this effect of conference and agreement vtterlie voyde, doubting that if such a peace shoulde fortune, theyr fine knacks vvoulde haue no longer induraunce: none of them are capable of the auncient modestie of a Romane Cincinatus. My Lorde, I most humbly beseech you, hold not your selfe scandelisde, if I terme those so­phistical memoratiues, the returne which you commend to the King of Nauarre vnto the See of Rome, whom we ought to esteeme for our most dread Soueraigne, vvhen­soeuer he shall be made a true Catholick: for before that time I shall neuer agree vpon that poynt or Article. For our auncient decrees & Canons of Fraunce, cannot, nei­ther doe accord vpon this sending of the king to Rome. Yet neuerthelesse, if this See of the Pope vvere implaca­ble, if in our Popes there were not found a thousand an­gry & intractable passions, tovvards those Princes which prosterne themselues euen at his feete: in briefe, if they were not disturbers of all estates politique when soeuer we suffer them to raigne ouer vs.

VVell, say vvee that wee may lawfully sende hym to Rome, yet euen in this we trouble the estate of Fraunce, and that of the holy Church thereof, which is the espe­ciall [Page 11] sinew and dependant of the Romish Church; but are not all histories full of the miserable spectacles? It is no heresie to reade them, since we read them in one Pla­tin, which by reason they haue altogether beene nouri­shed in the Court of Rome, doe what they may for the aduauncement thereof.

More-ouer, I say that if the case were put that such a thing might be tollerated, (let vs speake with a true hart) the Pope which now is, hath he not beene and is he not a creature of the King of Spayne, before but Cardinall Cremone: a Towne at his deuotion, and brother to one of the greatest fauorites? It is well known what bribes King Phillip gaue to haue him preferd, how much of his purse was bestowed in effecting that complot, what sup­porters he hath in Rome whilst obstacles are layd, before any that is friend to the French-king. It is well knowne how that most wise and right Catholique Marquis of Pi­sam hath beene intreated. All knowe, that the Pope is content to sende vs into a Fraunce a Legate altogether Spanish, and yet to second him he would haue sent ano­ther, Cardinall de Pelce, a Norman espaniolised, a man which neuer did good but when he intended worst, & esteemed for such almost in euery Consistory wheresoe­uer Pope Sixtus the fift had to doe. I hold that by hazard and not by any good policie he sent these vnto vs.

Thinke you that he dare incounter with the King of Spayne his neighbour, beeing so ambicious as hee is, in regard of Naples and Sicelie which holdes so many in­telligences with Rome? Hath not my Lord the Legate, (with reuerence be it spoken) spend out all the venim which he had hid in his breast, when hee sawe that the King of Nauarre was fully bent to become a Catholique, [Page] and that the matter of peace was not spoken of vvyth small likelihoode? And at his departing, is there any man (any honest man I meane) that beares but the least zeale to the peace, that would find the sending of the King of Nauarre to the See of Rome eyther honest or profitable, of which if so we would gratefie the King of Spayne, we should find eternall matter of perpetuall troubles.

My Lord, I desire to be held, and would that al shold know, I humble my selfe as most obedient, and desire to be held most aunswerable in all seruice to you: & to that intent I haue vndertooke thus much. Sure I am that di­uers about you ambitious of promotions, and that feede themselues fatte with your ruine, will say that I am a turne-coate, which would make semblance to be of your side, notwithstanding that otherwise I nourish no such intentment in my mind. Be not wondered at my name, let it suffice that I am onely a poore Cittizen of Fraunce, without charge or publique office: farre from ambition, that know not what the meaning is of riches or auarice, but onely so farre as the necessities of my house do com­maund: but happily auare and couetous of the quiet of the VVeale-publique; Otherwise, such a man as thinks he can haue no other treasure thē an honest liberty, with which I accompany my actions: a liberty which causeth me to tell you the trueth plainly.

The Chirurgion which flatters the wound, spoiles it, and you should haue no greater enemy then your selfe, in flattering your selfe more then needed. But to vvhat purpose is this preamble? To tell you that by this expe­dient of Rome which nowe is proposed, you diuert the course of the peace; I denounce and prognosticate vn­to you, not a taxe, (for the King of Nauarre was neuer [Page 12] familier with such a beast) but a ruinous end, and that as certain as the end of the late King, or as that of my Lords your Brothers.

Indeed this is somewhat boldly sayde, and yet such as beseemes a loyall and faithful seruaunt towards his good Lord: I doubt not but since you swallowed or receiued downe the whole authority of Sixteene, and since lost the obiect of the Prince of Parma, that you may haue gained 45. to the aduantage. I on the otherside feare ve­ry much, that, that on which you shall establish your for­tune, will be the cause of your mis-fortune; For the iust punishment which you layd on the 16. was a blood-let­ting very necessary for the health of the people, and to purge that euill spyrite of which they were possessed: And the life of the Duke of Parma, nourisht an ambiti­ous feauer of our estate in the body of his Maister, know­ing that so long as he was liuing, he woulde hinder your incroach vpon his intentions: and now that he is deade, it is vnpossible to meete with any man of his own forces which were a man of like vallor. He which would not make himselfe a stocke of mockery to all strange Nati­ons, it is very easie to be thought, that he will haue finer conceits, when he shall see that all his hopes depend but vpon you onely, which haue another mark in your head, and yet seeme to shoote at him.

Yet neuerthelesse, I pray you my Lord let it be consi­dered of in your minde, the meanes by which you haue aspired so high; Hath it beene by your owne grauity? I would willingly say it was by a popular fury, but I dare not. Hath it beene by your prowesse, which I hold most high? Pardon me if I sette before your eyes, a good part of that which is past betweene the King of Nauarre and [Page] you; All that which was done at Deepe: the battaile of Pure: the vnexpected surprise of our Subburbs: the re­ducing vnder the Kings power the Country of Maine, Alancon, & of the greater part of Normandie teach vs the cleane contrary: I represent this vnto you in grosse, not standing to particularise them: for I woulde be humblie sorry, that it shoulde be thought I woulde obscure anie thing of your glory.

Needes must I affyrme thus much, that in matter of ruine against a poore inhabitant that knowes not what warre meanes, we onely haue the Superficies, but from VVarriour to VVarriour I cannot say it: If there be any notable theefe, hee makes himselfe cheefe in one Coun­try, vnder the Standard of punishment which hee awaits from vs, if so it be that by any meanes whatsoeuer hee af­flicts the contrary parte, vvithout exception of persons; but when we shal haue leaue to enioy a rightful combat, then will vve leaue the lystes, because that euery one that makes profession of theeuery, neuer makes profession of a lavvfull quarrell. In this there lyes gayne of golde and Siluer, in that nothing els but bare blovves. I wil not say but that at one time or other vve may haue good successe in vvarres, for vvarres resemble the fortune of the Dyce: but so it is, that mis-fortune vvils thus much ill reporte to be sayd of you, That you neuer durst encounter with the King of Nauarre but you vvent by the worst: which I coniecture to haue beene the cause vvhy you vvould not come to combat any more, although he hath oftentimes sommoned you; And yet (O God forbid that I should blame you) for hauing conquered a great part of Fraunce without any blowes, it is passing wisedome not to ha­zard all by decision of one battaile.

[Page 13]Let vs then (if it standes with your good lyking) ac­knowledge howe you came to this highnes of your de­gree and estate, which you enioy heere amongst vs; The Towne of Paris, (vpon the modell of which all other are ruled) put it selfe in Armes and made you her chiefe, not so much for any amity or familiarity which it hath had with you or your house, as for an extreame hate concei­ued against the late King: And withall, remembring vs of the day of the Barrecades and other things which in­sued, that we were put in feare to be most grieuously pu­nished, hauing lost Mounsier De Guyse our chiefe stay: rather chusing to play to loose all, then to see our selues exposed to so ignominious a punishment. And so be­tween quaking fearefull, and bloody hatefull, & muzing what might haue become of your Bretheren, vvhich ought to haue mou'd you, either by honor or by iust de­sire of vengeaunce: we, and (by our example) all other Townes, had recourse to you. Loe heere in generall, the cause why you are entituled Lieu-tenaunt generall of the estate and Crowne of Fraunce: to whom (after the deceasse of the late King) all the sway of the people ge­nerally inclined. And in all this you knew so well to de­meane your selfe, that you had diuers Fryers ready, which in their Pulpits, did openly declaime against the late King, and the King of Nauarre, which was no small secrete in matter of ciuill warre. It followes then (my good Lord) that you acknowledge, to hold in faith and homage to the people, both your promotion, the pro­gresse thereof, and your workings vnder-hand: yea, & euen that you had no power of your selfe, to bring in the Spaniards into Paris, (which nowe seekes to sette foote on her throate) but by the consentment of the same peo­ple [Page] after the siedge, and that for the conseruation and surety thereof. If this foundation be true, then withall you must agree with me in this, that in like quantitie as the loue of the people diminisheth towards you, euen so your greatnes must agree with the same, since it is a gene­rall and infallible rule of nature, that all things haue their decrease, with the decrease of humor, from which they haue life, and increase themselues. But as touching the hate betweene the late King and the people, it lies buri­ed with his body; And as touching that which remains towards the King of Nauarre, thinke not that if hee ab­iures his error, and that we see him goe to masse, and sub­mit himselfe in as full sort as we, we would thinke him­selfe lesse Catholicke then eyther you or yours. Nay, but you will say, O he leaues the way of Rome: so doth the Common-people to, when we say in common prouerb.

So that then the cause of that hatred ceasing, in lyke manner the effect shall ende: VVell may you redouble your Guardes, disperse them in corners, create new Mar­shals, haue recource to the Spaniard, and yet al these shal be but so many instruments of your ruine; You are like the man that would holde a handfull of Ants in his fist perforce. The redoubling of the late Kinges Guardes, could not preuent the day of the Barricades. The esta­blishing of new Captains and Lieutenaunts, made by my Lord your Brother, could not for stall his ill happe when the time was come.

And touching the Spaniards, if you hope to haue any ayde of them, to resist the common hate of the people which I see altogether framed against you, I doubt not [Page 14] but a while they will bridle thē, & yet at last scape. It was a rule which neuer succeeded well to any Prince, when he sayd: Let them hate me, yet they shall feare me: because that it brings this comentary with it, that there is nothing so long a depositaire as feare. But let vs giue all fashions that wee may to our discourse, for I desire nothing so much as that I may see you prosper. There remaines one meanes which shall be more sweet and myld, to haue re­course to Fryers, which oftentimes tyrannise our consci­ences by places of the Scripture, which they appropri­ate to their passions; That had beene good at the fyrst, when choller did transport and beare vs away, for then they might haue made vs haue beleeued, that you were enterd into some towne of Tours, into the Suburbe of the which you were no sooner entred then you retired: and as touching the battayle of Yuny, sith victorie shoulde doubtedly haue been on your side: and when they shold assure vs, that in all the Townes of the Kings side there was publique Religion preached. These were thinges which be beleeued, and yet notwithstanding the tyme hath proued them false. Then we were in a burning A­gue, which since is turned into a Tertian, hauing certain dayes of respit, and some hope that our Feuer will be gone. The often letting of blood, & long dyeting which we haue kept, hath now healed vs. VVee begin nowe all (God be thanked) to reknow our selues on al parts. Eue­rie man is starued for want of peace, and perhaps the Pa­risians worst starued then all the rest. VVee see our great Suburbs turnd topsie turuy, which before coulde com­pare with the greatest Townes and Citties of Fraunce: VVe see our noble Colledges (sometime Nurses of all nobilitie in Europe) serue nowe for Milk-houses for [Page] wenches, lodgings for Souldiours, and stalls or Cattell. That great house of Loure, the auncient place of aboade of our Kings, to haue serued for the pryson and executi­on place: infinite Citties to be enoblised with the ruine of ours, which now is now no more then a carkasse: the greater part of the Lords of the Parliament, Chamber of Accounts, & Generals of iustice, to keepe prison in theyr houses, yea, and to carry their prisons with them: al­though to please you they seeme not to doe so. VVee see a multitude of Brothels & Stewes almost at euery doore: and that amongst the greater. (O the good and holy Reli­gion.) If in the Courte of the King of Nauarre such a thing should be, they should knowe and heare of it. In this meane season the poore people die for hunger and thirst.

The gladdest of the Bourgesses, is happy to become a Cow-heard to gette his lyuing, other to liue by the sight of a little Rabbit, as if this great and royall Cittie were be­come altogether Desert. All the playne Countrie remains desolate and barren. You haue promised euen from the beginning of these troubles, vtterly to confounde the part of the professors: and vnder these promises, both you and my Lords your Brothers haue sette all Fraunce on fyre. VVee see not so much as one poore Cottage where the religion was exercised, which you haue brought vnder obedience to the Church. It is nowe a yeere since you made vs promise, to make vs Maisters of Saint Denis, Pont de Gournay, Corbeil, and Melun, vvhich stop the passage of our Conuoyes; VVhere is the execu­tion of your promise? For consolation of all our ils, you haue taken one poore Towne of Noyon, and is not that a fayre peece of worke? But what fruite haue we of it in [Page 15] Paris? VVhat Towne haue you taken, in which wee poore Catholicks haue not indured more ils then they of the Religion? Haue wee not then great cause of discon­tentment against you, that to maintain your greatnes, the poore man hath neither foode nor peace. VVhen I say your greatnes, I most humbly beseech you (my good L.) to be pleased, onely to open your eyes, and but see what are the instruments thereof. You are entituled Lieu-te­naunt generall of the Crowne of Fraunce, that Crowne which without a King is but a thing imaginary.

You shyne outwardly, but inwardly you conceiue a thousand sorrowes that oppresse your minde; For not­withstanding all the Lieutenantshippe generall that you beare, neither Mounsier de Nemoux your Brother, nor Mounsier de Guyse your Nephew, nor Mounsier de Mer­cliel your Cosin, will scarce holde you for such in those places which they hold. As concerning Townes, hovv many are there which acknowledge not you but from the teeth outwarde? and withall, woulde neuer receiue garrison? and at a neede, are ready enough to deny you theyr gates? These are populer estates in regarde of the King of Spayne; you nourish the one against the other an inward malice among your selues. He aydes you, vn­der a sure purpose which he hath to impatronise himselfe of our Realme, and to play you such a tricke, as hee dyd the Duke De Horne, and the Countie De Aeiguemont, af­ter that (according to your authority and guiding) the King of Nauarre shalbe expulst. You on the other side, call him to your succour, esteeming, that when you are come to the height of your work, you shal haue meanes enough to frustrate him of his hopes. Call you that raig­ning, or rather to bee tyrannised in your selfe by your [Page] proper conscience? And after all these things, you think to haue the winde at your will; If the King of Spayne liue, he will be weary of that, if hee die, where are you? If he be not wearie of it, the people will be weary of him and his: for there is nothing so incompetible as the na­ture of the French with the Spanish. And to seperate the will of the people from you, (to speake in good and true English) is to cast you away. Consider you not the cheer and ioy that was generally conceiued, whilst yet there was nothing but euen a litle speech of peace? with what good will it hath gathered together the refuges, vvhich vnder the publique faith of this conference are entred into this Towne? Did you not see them at the first pre­sent themselues before our Deputies in whole swarmes, beseeching them (in all humblenesse) to haue pittie on them, & to be Mediators for this so much desired peace? You now hinder them by deafe means. Did I say deafe? nay, rather most open: and truely this ioy, these sightes, the prayers and vowes of the poore for peace, are but e­uen so many instruments of the extraordinary proces of your fortune. VVe mourne most hartilie for the breach of peace, and are sorry for it in our soules: you by your presence make vs shed our teares; God graunt that the patience of the Parisians cease not, euen as the headlong downfall of some Riuer which we would stop. I feare, I beleeue, and see, that by the same progression which the King vsed, by the same you will cast away your selfe. He assembled estates at Bloys, to ruine our house, & that was his owne: you assemble the Estates at Paris, thinking to strike the last blow at the fortune of the King of Nauarre, God graunt it may be the last to your selfe.

I hold opinion, that the Parisians of force must accord [Page 16] to your pleasure, indeed there wants but two or three Townes, which should band themselues on your side, to serue for example to all other: euen so as when wee for­sooke the late King of Fraunce. VVel, I make no doubt, that if to oppose themselues against a King that was their lawful and vndoubted heyre, they woulde make Barra­cades against him, they ende not like your tragedy, that gourmandize in deuouring them. Against you (I say) who from henceforth shall be accounted a most notable vsurper of that greatnes you hold. You haue beene the rod of God to chastice our Kings, which I trust he wil at last throw into the fire of his indignation; and if he doe it not, the most excellent victory which euer you can ob­taine, is that against Sampson, to remaine amidst all the ru­ines of Fraunce.

It is there where I will end my remonstrance, which I most humbly beseech you (my most excellent good Lord) to read, and examine in your selfe, which hauing done, I shall haue attained the furthest of my desires: but if your leysure be not such, yet at the least wise, let them be imparted to the people. Conditionally, that if anie of ours think that I haue failed in any poynt, I will not be sorry that they make me aunswere, promising them to shew that I haue left more behind then I haue spoken.