An answere to the examination that is sayde to haue bene made of one named Iohn de Poltrot, calling himself the Lord of Merey, vpon the death of the late Duke of Guyse by the Lord of Chastillon admyrall of Fraunce, and others named in the saide examination. At Caen. 1562 — Response a l'interrogatoire qu'on dit avoir este faite a un nommé Jean de Poltrot, soy disant seigneur de Merey, sur la mort du feu duc de Guyse. English

An answere to the examination that is sayde to haue bene made of one named Iohn de Poltrot, calling himself the Lord of Merey, vpon the death of the late Duke of Guyse by the Lord of Chastillon admyrall of Fraunce, and others named in the saide examination. At Caen. 1562 — Response a l'interrogatoire qu'on dit avoir este faite a un nommé Jean de Poltrot, soy disant seigneur de Merey, sur la mort du feu duc de Guyse. English

Table of contents

Title page

An Epistle.

The .xxi. daye of February 1562. in the campe at sainct Hyllaries besyde S. Mesmyn.

Deposition or confession.

Aunswere.

Deposition.

Aunswere.

Deposition.

Aunswere.

Deposition.

Aunswere.

Deposition.

Aunswere.

Deposition.

Aunswere.

Deposition.

Aunswere.

Deposition.

Aunswere.

Deposition.

Aunswere.

Deposition.

Aunswere.

Deposition.

Answer.

Deposition.

Aunswer.

Deposition

Ansvver.

Deposition.

Answer.

Deposition.

Answer.

Deposition.

Ansvvere.

Deposition.

Ansvvere.

Deposition.

Ansvvere.

Deposition

Ansvvere.

Deposition.

Ansvvere.

A copy of the letter sente to the quene by the said lord Admiral with the foresaid aunswer.

§

§

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An answere to the examination that is sayde to haue bene made of one named Iohn de Poltrot, calling himself the Lord of Merey, vppon the death of the late Duke of Guyse By the Lord of Chastillon admyrall of Fraunce, and others named in the saide examination.

At Caen. 1562.

PRINTED AT LONdon by Rouland Hall, for Edwarde Sutton, dwellyng in Lumbard strete at the signe of the Cradell. 1563.

An Epistle.

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A Fewe dayes after the late Duke of Guyse was hurt sodainly before the towne of Orleans, the .xiiij. daye of Februarye laste past there rose a bruyte and rumour, that one called Merey had done the deede at the suggestion of the Lord Admirall which was then and is yet at Caen in Normandy Lieutenant in the kynges army vnder the charge of the prynce of Conde. Whereat the sayd Lord Admirall was not muche moued, for as muche as he thought that this slaunder (as many other) woulde vanishe away of it selfe. But since by the solicitation of a certain man called La Vallette, maister of the campe of the light horsemen vnder the sayde Duke of Guyse, goyng aboute to disvnite the Almaines, and to put the Amirals armie into an vprore and trouble: a copie [Page] of the confession beynge caste abrode in the sayd army, ascribed vnto one called Iohn de Poltrot, naming himselfe Senior of Merey, & signed by the hand of one called Maluaut, Scriuener or Notarie: by the which it appeareth that the said Poltrot being examined by the quene mother in persone, & in the presence of certaine lords of the counsell, & knightes of the order of the kings maiestie, dyd greatly charge the said Lorde admyrall, & certayne other Lords, & also certayne Ministers of the worde of God, to haue induced & allured by wordes & money the saide Poltrot to that which is abouesayde. The sayde Lorde admyrall hauyng respect & regard to the trouth & to his honour, can not attribute such an inuented accusation but to ye ene [...]ies of the rest & quietnes of this realme, cōtinuing in their wicked wil & purpose, which is wholly to ouerthrow & destroye the said Lorde admyrall with all those that professe the gospell bringing them into hatred [Page] to all the worlde by such craftes & practises: whervnto he meaneth spedely to seeke a remedye. And for this cause not regarding the subtelties & deceytes of the aforesaid enemies, but trusting in God & in his own good conscience hath not stickt to publishe the sayd confession word for word, adioyning therevnto his answeres vppon euery article conteyned therein. Protesting before god, to answere it before all Iudges in christendom that be not suspected, but indifferent, & offering him self to maintaine his innocencie in all sortes & maners reasonable & meete in the place & degree that he hath in this realme: to thentent that suche calumnie & slaunder being discouered, & the trouth hauyng vanquished lyes, the faultye and culpable maye be punished, as the déede shall require. (**)

The .xxi. daye of February 1562. in the campe at sainct Hyllaries besyde S. Mesmyn.

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BEfore the Quéene mother of the kinge, my lordes the Cardinall of Bourbon Duke of Etampes, prince of Mantua, ye Erle of Gruyeres the lordes of Martigues, of Sansac, of Cypierre, of Losse, and the byshoppe of Lymoge, respectiuely lordes of the priuie counsell of the king, and knightes of the order being than present. Was brought one Iohn de Poltrot, naming himselfe seniour of merey borne in the country of Angoumois in the lordship of Aubeterre of the age of xxvi. yeares or there about: who being commaunded by the said Quéene to declare truly the cause of his enprisonement who prouoked him to shoote ye dagge wherwith the Duke of Guyse was hurt on thursday last: what his entent was, or theirs which had caused him to doe it, [Page] and what money he receyued for it or trusted for to receyue. Sayd and confessed kneelynge on hys knees before the Quéene and askynge pardon these wordes folowing.

Deposition or confession.

That is to say, yt about the moneth of Iune or Iuly laste. The Prince of Conde beyng at Orleans, and the lord of Soubize in his company whose seruaunt he is, he went to the said towne of Orleans.

Aunswere.

The Lord admirall answereth truly and before God, that he knoweth not when the sayd Poltrot arriued at Orleans, nor when he went from thence, and remembreth not that euer he saw him nor heard him speake in any maner or sort, vntyll Ianuary last by occasion which afterward shalbe declared.

Deposition.

In the which place the Lord of Feuqueres the yong gouernour of Roy & [Page] Captaine Brion, came vnto hym, and sayde: that heretofore they had knowen hym to be a man to execute a matter or enterprise, and that yf he would take in hande to do a good exployte, which should tourne to the seruice of God, and the honour of the kyng, and the comfort of his people, he shoulde be greatlye commended and estemed. And then the Deponent requiring them to declare more, and to open vnto him what enterprise they woulde speake of assuryng them that for his parte, he woulde be alwayes ready to do seruyce to the kynge: they than knowynge hys good wyll, they remitted hym to the Lorde admyrall, & tolde hym that he shoulde gyue him to vnderstande more at large the matter that they had moued vnto hym.

Aunswere.

As touchyng the Captayne Brion, the sayd lorde admyrall declareth that [Page] he neuer heard him speake of the sayde Poltrot, and it is not lyke to be true, that if the sayde Brion had knowen of any such practise he would haue helde his peace synce that he was in the seruice of the Duke of Guyse where he is now dead. And as concernynge Feuqueres, the sayde Lorde Admyrall remembreth well that aboute the latter ende of Ianuarye laste, and neuer before, he tolde hym, speakynge of the sayde Poltrot newly comme from Lyons, that sometyme he had knowen hym a man of seruyce, in the tyme of the warre in Pycardye, whych was the cause that the Lorde Admyrall shortlye after the reporte of the sayde Feuqueres, employed hym as anone shall be declared. And as for the reste, the sayde Lorde Admyrall doubteth not but the saide Feuqueres can well answere for his owne déedes.

Deposition.

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And agayne, two or thre dayes after, the sayde men Feuqueres and Brion presented him to the sayd Lord of Chastillon admyrall beyng lodged at Orleans nigh vnto the house of the prince of Conde. And the sayde Chastillon was then in a low hall vnder the saide lodging: & after the sayde Feuqueres & Brion had presented him to the sayde lord of Chastillon, he commaunded all that were in the hall to depart, whiche thing thei did. And also the said Feuqueres and Brion departed, and he remained alone with the saide Lord of Chastillon, who asked him by these or such like words, yf he would take vpon him to go into the campe of the kyng, (which the sayde lord of Chastillon called the Duke of Guyse campe, beyng then beside Bogency) & that if he wold enterprise to go to ye sayd campe about the matter that he would declare vnto him, he shoulde doe God, the kyng and the common wealth great seruice: and the sayde deponent askyng hym what [Page] enterprise it was, he said vnto him that yf he woulde venter to go to the sayde campe to kyll the sayde Duke of Guise (whiche persecuted the faythfull) he should do a meritorius worke toward God and man. The sayde Deponent hearing these words, which semed vnto him more then he was able to doe or performe, he sayd vnto the sayd lord of Chastillon, that he durst not take vpon hym so great a matter. The which answere being made, the sayde Lorde of Chastillon pressed hym no further: but prayed him to keepe this talke secrete, and not to vtter it to any man.

Aunswere.

The contents of this article are vtterly false and imagined: wherevppon the said Lorde admirall sheweth first that in all this confessiō he is called but Lord of Chastillon, which is a name yt he telleth not scorne of, or disdeineth it: but yet that declareth manifestly out of what shoppe thys confession comcommeth, [Page] seynge he is not so called in no place of all thys Realme nor elles where, but by theym that pretend by suche crafte to beriue and spoyle hym of the state and degree that appertayneth vnto hym.

And secondly these words. The campe of the kyng whyche the sayde Lorde of Chastillon calleth the campe of ye Duk of Guyse being then besyde Bogency, shew sufficiently that whosoeuer wrot or endyted thys deposition of the poore Deponent was to muche in a passyon or affection for to do his occupatiō wel, and went about no other thing but to séeke how he myght not leaue out any thinge that myght charge the said lord Admirall, were it to the purpose or not. Finally when it is sayde that the Lord Admirall for to induce the sayde Poltrot, alledged vnto him yt he should doe a meritorious worke to god & man who seeth not plainly that al this talke was forged by some one all togyther ignorant of the true religion, y• whych [Page] ye said lord admiral professeth? He shuld at the least haue considered what the doctryne of the Gospel is, & how much it condempneth the wordes to Merito and meritorious workes, before he toke in hand to conterfete the talke of a gospeler. But behold howe it fareth wyth false witnesses by the Iust iudgement of God, that by their owne mouthe they be conuinced.

Deposition.

And synce the sayde Lord of Soubize departynge from the sayde towne of Orleans for to goe to Lyons, the sayde Deponent accompanyed hym and there contynuallye remayned wyth hym, vntyll about fiftene dayes after the battaylle foughte besyde Dreux.

Aunswere.

The sayde Lord Admyrall knoweth nothyng of all thys.

Deposition.

[Page] That the sayde lorde of Chastillon, wrot to ye sayd Soubize being at Lions ye he shuld send him the said deponent.

Aunswere.

The sayd lord Admirall wrote then many times to lions to the lord of Soubize: but vppon hys lyfe & his honour it shall not be found that euer he wrote, that the said Poltrot shuld be sent vnto him whom he knoweth not whether euer he saw or knew before, & thought nothyng vpon him.

Deposition.

And thā in dede the said lord of Soubize dispatched him with letters to goe to the said lord of Chastillō, & gaue him a packet to carye not telling him what he wrot vnto the said lord of Chastillō. And being arriued nygh vnto ye towne of Celles in Berry in a place named Villefranche, he found the lord of Chastillon there to whome he delyuered the sayde packet of letters.

Aunswere.

[Page] The lord Admiral remembreth wel that it is so: but so farre of is it yt it was to employ the said Poltrot about thys matter now in question, that contrary wise the said lord of Soubize sent word that he shuld send him againe, bycause he was a man of seruice, as the letters shall declare and specifye.

Deposition.

And when he had sene the letters he commaunded him to go to tarrye hym at Orleans and so he dyd.

Aunswere.

The sayd lord Amirall sent him not to Orleans, but he gaue hym leaue to goe thyther, bycause he sayde he had busynes to doe there.

Deposition.

And shortly after the retourne of the said lord of Chastillon vnto Orleans, this Deponent presenting himself to ye said lord of Chastillon to know & vnderstand his pleasure: he asked him if he remembred the talke that he had wt hym [Page] the somer before: & this Deponent answering said yt he remembred it verye wel but it was to venturous a thinge. The said lord of Chastillon saide vnto him, yt if he wold execute the said enterprise he should do the most notable and most honorable thing for the seruice of god & the comō welth yt euer was done & gaue him courage to put the same in execution frō the which ons againe he wold haue excused himself. But than euen at yt instant came in Theodore de Beze, & another minister of a smal stature somwhat bigge, wt a blacke berd, y• which spake vnto him many things demaunding him if it were not a blessed thing to cary his crosse in this world as Christ had caried it for vs: & after mani discourses & words, they said vnto him yt he shuld be the most happiest man in this world, if he wold execute the enterprise which ye lord Admiral had moued vnto him bicause he should ryd a tirant out of this world, for the which acte he shuld win heauē & be among ye blessed [...]aits if he died in so iust & good a quarel. [Page] By the which persuations the said deponent graunted vnto them, & saide to the lord of Chastillon, yt he was ready to consent to al the sayings of the saide ministers, and that he woulde than the wyll of God, and woulde go to the campe of the said Duke of Guyse, to endeuour to put the said enterprise in execution. For the which he was greatly commended & esteemed as well of the sayd Lord of Chastillon, as of the sayd Ministers: & thei told him that he was not alone that had done such exployts, because there were many other yt had taken vpon them the like charge: & namely ye saide lord of Chastillō said vnto him, yt there were more then fifty other gentilmen of good houses, that had promised him to put in effect other lyke matters: and furthwith caused his steward to geue him .xx. crowns, for to go to the campe at Messas, where then the said Duke of Guyse was, to thende he might thinke & deuise ye meane & way how he might bring his purpose to pas.

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Aunswere.

The sayd lorde admirall answereth truly before god & man, that the foresaid words be falsely & wickedly inuented. And furthermore, to thentent that all the world may know how he behaued himself towarde the sayd Duke of Guyse, he declareth frankly & frely, that before these last tumults, he knew some that were determined to kyll the sayd Duke of Guyse because thei were displeased with him. But so farre of is it that he inticed them thervnto or allowed it, that rather contrariwise he did disuade and tourne them from their wicked purposes, as madame de Guyse her selfe knoweth whome he sufficiently aduertised thereof in tyme and place where. True it is that after the murder at Vassy, after taking of armur for to maintain ye authoritie of the kynges decrees and lawes, and to defend the poore oppressed men agaynst the violence of the sayd Duke of Guyse [Page] and his adherentes, he hath counted & pursued them as publyke enemyes of God, of the kyng, & of the rest & quietnesse of this realme. But vppon hys lyfe & hys honour, it shall neuer be founde that he allowed that anye man shoulde attempt on this sort vppon the person of the sayde Duke, vntyll he was certainelye aduertised that the sayde Duke of Guyse & the Marshall Sainct Andre had hired & suborned certain persons to kil the prince of Conde, him, & his brother Dandelot: as the sayde Lorde Admyrall not longe ago declared amplye vnto the Queene before Paris, and synce vnto the Constable at Orleans. And seyng thys, he confesseth that synce y• tyme when he heard one say that yf he could he would kyll the Duke of Guyse, yea euen in his campe, he dyd not dissuade or withholde hym from it: But vppon hys lyfe and honoure, it shall neuer be founde that he soughte or induced any man to do it, neyther by words, money [Page] or promises by himselfe, nor by anye other directly nor indirectly. And touching the twentye Crownes whereof mencion is made in the article before, he acknowledgeth it to be true, that at his last retourne to Orleans about the end of Ianuary last, after that the saide Feuqueres had tolde him that he had knowen the sayde Poltrot for a man of seruice, he determined to employ and vse hym for the vnderstandynge of newes from the campe of his sayd enemies: & for this cause he gaue hym .xx. Crownes, hauing no other words or talke wt him, nor ons making any mencion of killing or not killing the sayde Duke of Guyse. For namely if the said Lorde admyrall had had any suche enterprise in hand, he would in no wyse haue trusted the said Poltrot: for when he sent him to ye camp of ye said duke of Guyse about ye matter foresaid, it was not wtout mistrusting him, for asmuch as it séemed vnto him that he made the meane & way to easie to enter into the [Page] sayde campe, as the saide lord admirall declared vnto Monsieur de Grammont, who at that tyme was present, & neuerthelesse he letted not to send him for to vnderstande newes of the sayde campe, saying these very wordes that he should be rather tryed & proued than nourysshed & maineteyned.

Vpon this same article also, Thodore de Beze declareth most truly as foloweth for his dyscharge be fore all christendome. To wete that seyng manye so animated & moued against the sayde Duke of Guyse for the murther committed at Vassy, yet he was neuer of the mynde or aduise at that tyme to procede against the sayde Duke, but by way of ordinarye iustice: where of he calleth them to witnes that haue séene & heard him speake at that time, which also was ye cause why he was at Monceaux in the cōpany of other appoynted by the reformed church of Paris: for to require iustice for ye said murder at the kings maiestie, & the quene his mother [Page] & of ye late king of Nauar, beseching thē most hūbly to prouide wt al diligence against the troubles which alredy thretened this realme, & are hapned since indede. And herevpō, the answer y• it pleased ye quene to make him, was such, that thei of ye reformed church wer cōtented & satisfied wt it, for the hope yt was geuē them y• good & spedy iustice shuld be don vpō the trāsgressers. But sone after the said duke of Guise & his cōplices hauīg taken armour, & the matter brought to such a state, y• right & iustice could take no more place: & which is more ye persōs of the king & quene being vsed & handled as euery man knoweth, he cōfesseth to haue at y• time aswell publikly in his sermōs, as by letters & words warned & aduertised aswell ye prince of Conde as thadmirall & al other lords, & men of all cōditiōs & qualities professing y• gospel, of their duty, for to brīg thē to maintein by al meanes possible, ye authoritie of ye kings lawes & ordinances, & thinnocen [...]ie of ye pore oppressed. And since he hath [Page] alwayes cōtinued, & yet now cōtinueth in the same minde: exhorting not wtstanding euery man to vse his armour and weapons wt the most modestie yt is possible, & to seke (next to ye honour of god) peace & concord aboue al things, so that thei suffer not thēselues to be deceiued. Of the which things he taketh to witnes all those which haue hard him publikly or particularly, & such as wyll say the trouth. And furthermore as concerning ye Duke of Guyse, because he hath taken him for the chief authour & main tainour of these troubles, he confesseth to haue manye tymes desyred & prayed God, eyther to tourne the heart of the sayde Duke of Guyse (whyche thyng not withstanding he coulde neuer hope for) or elles to deliuer this realme from him. Whereof he calleth to witnesse all those yt haue hard his sermōs & praiers, and namely madame de Ferrare knoweth what he tolde her both wt mouth and heart, and what he hath often tymes wrytten to her hereof.

[Page] But it shall not be founde that euer he named the said Duke of Guise publikly, not yt euer he spake to the said Poltrot in person, nor by any other, nor that euer he knew him, or had to do wt hym in any thing, & then muche lesse that he did counsell him to do it. The sayde Theodore de Beze sayth more, ouer y• it shall neuer be found that euer he hyred or suborned any other man to do this deede, wherein he acknowledgeth not withstanding a iust iudgement of god, threatening the like or greater punishment vnto all the sworne enemies of his holy ghospell, and those that are the causes of so much miserie & calamitie in this realme. And for the verifiing of his answere, beside the forsayde things, he taketh his aduantage vpon ye very termes ascribed vnto y• sayd Poltrot deponent. For thāks be to god, he is not so ignorant or euill instructed in his charge & calling, as to apply ye scripture so euil in that which is there said, to cary his crosse, & muche lesse to saye, [Page] that men winne heauen. And therfore he sendeth all this confession into the forge from whence it came, being readie also to submitte himselfe generally and particularly, concerning al that he hath done & sayd in this present warre, to the knowledge & vnderstandynge of all vnsuspect Iudges, as well in thys realme as ells where: vpon paine to be punished as the most wicked offēdour vpon the earth, yf he be founde a lyer, or culpable in this aunswere.

Deposition.

The which xx. crownes he receiued, and came to the said campe at Messas where he presented himselfe vnto the sayd Duke of guise, and sayde that he repented him selfe that he had caryed armoure agaynste the Kynge, and that he would from hence forthe render hymselfe vnto hym. The whyche thynge the sayde Duke of Guyse toke in good parte, and sayde that he was wellcome. And when the said Duke [Page] departed from Messas to goe to Blois thys Deponent went thyther and retourned wyth hym.

Aunswere.

The said Lord Admirall beleueth it to be so, forasmuch as the said Poltrot told him the same thinge, not at Orleans where he neuer sawe him synce he sent hym to the saide Campe to knowe & vnderstand newes: but in a place called Neufuille, as afterwarde shall be declared. And the saide Lord Admyrall remembreth well that the said Poltrot bringing report of that he had sene and knowen in the said campe, said that he went to Neung, to one whom he called senior de Lstang who presented him to the said Duke of Guise.

Deposition.

And certaine daies after, he returned to Orleans to the said lord of Chastillon and there excused himself vnto him from taking in hand so great a charge bycause that the saide Duke of Guyse [Page] vsed not to goe out of his house, but wt a great companye. But the sayde Lord of Chastillon encouraged hym more then he dyd before: & said he knew well ynough what he had promysed hym and that he might not make ani excuse in the matter. And furthermore caused the sayde Theodore de Beze and the other minister whyche before had spoken to hym, to gyue hym dyuers instructions, whyche so troubled hys mynd, that he accorded and consented to do what they would. And for to confyrme him in thys wycked mynde and purpose the saide Lorde of Chastillon gaue hym with hys owne handes a C. crownes of the sunne in a paper, for to bie him a horse, if his were not good ynough for to saue himselfe after he had done the deede. The whiche. C. crownes this Deponent receiued, and came to the sayde campe at Messas, to fynde the meanes to put the sayde enterpryse in effecte.

Aunswere.

[Page] It is true that the said Poltrot comming againe to Orleans to make hys report of things, found not the said lord Admyral there, who was already gone on hys iourney towarde Normandye which thing is sufficient to proue that the rest of the former article, is no lesse false & inuented. True it is that Monsieur Dandelot hauinge heard hys report of newes at Orleans sent hym to the said lord Admirall his brother then being ariued at y• village of Neufuille sixe or seuen leagues from Orleans, in his said viage to Normandy, accompanied wt Monsieur de Traues, bi whom he sent him word that he was determined to stay the said Poltrot because he semed to make a doubtfull and an vncertaine reporte of newes. Yet neuertheles the said Lord Admirall hauyng heard hym Iudged that would serue their turne for to vnderstand certayne newes of the enemyes campe: and for this cause he delyuered him ye hundred crownes, whereof there is question, [Page] aswel for to horse himself better, as for to vse diligence requisite in such aduertisementes, and commaunded him to repaire in his absence to the said Monsieur Dandelot his brother: More, the said lord Admirall remembreth well now, that the said Poltrot went so far in making his report of newes that he said it was an easy thing to kyl the said Duke of Guyse. But the said lord Admirall staid not vppon that talke, because he thought it a thyng to vain and folyshe: and vppon his lyfe and hys honour, he neuer opened his mouthe to prouoke hym to take it vpon hym. Vppon the selfe same Article Theodore de Beze aunswereth that he cannot remember that he euer sawe the sayde Poltrot and he neuer knew him nor knoweth hym yet and muche lesse that he euer spake to hym about suche an enterprise.

Deposition.

And synce, the sayd Duke of Guyse [Page] being come wt the armie in thys place of S. Hylary besyde S. Mesmine, he folowed him, hauing bought of Mōsieur de la Mauuoisiniere a spanishe Genet at the saide place of Messas for y• sūme of a C. crownes that he gaue him & the horse wherevppon he rode before. And lodged certaine daies in the Castell of Corneil .ii. or .iii. leagues frō the cāpe at s. Hilaryes, differring to execute the said enterprise vntill he saw the towne of Orleans sore laide vnto, & that they went about by al meanes to take it, & fearing than y• many honest men being in the towne, shuld be slain & spoiled, he fully determined wt himself to kepe his promise. And to do this act, on thursday last ye xviii. of this present moneth, after he had dined in a ferme halfe a league frō the house where the saide Duke of Guise was lodged, it came into hys mind to execute yt day ye said enterprise & in dede the said Duke passing the ryuer of Leret for to go to Pontereau, he [Page] accompanied him & folowed him to the said Pontereau: & than returned by the brydge & village of Olyuet, where the Suyssers were lodged, & there taryed the coming of the said Duke of Guyse at the passage of the sayd riuer of Leret intending whether he were well or euill accompanied, to execute his enterpryse, as he dyd. And hearing a trōpet blowen at the retourne of the sayde Duke of Guyse, whan he woulde enter into the boote to passe the water, he approched neere vnto the Ryuer and after that the sayde Duke of Guyse was landed beynge accompanyed onelye wyth one gentyllman that wente before, and another that spake vnto hym rydynge vppon a lyttle Mulette, he folowed hym behynde, and whan he approched nigh vnto hys lodginge, at the corner of a strete where there were manye wayes turning this way & yt way, he shote hys [Page] dagge at him charged wt thre pellets, about vi. or vii. pase of, thinking to strike him in the shulder, bycause he thought he had bene armed on the body: and by & by set spurres to his spanishe genet whervpon he rode, and saued himselfe swiftly, passing ouer muche wood that was cut down, & rode that night about x. leagues in the countrey, thinking to conuey himselfe far frō Orleans. But god would that the darkenesse of the night turned hym out of his way, and came againe to the village of Oliuet into the myddes of ye gard of Suissers where one of the sayd Suyssers spake vnto him these wordes, Houardot. Vnderstandyng those wordes he knewe it was the gard of the Suyssers, & drewe backe and rode on the spurre vntill the next day nyne of the clocke in the mornyng. And perceyuynge that his horse was wery and sore trauailed, he lodged in a ferme where he rested vntyll the next morrowe, that he was taken and brought as prisoner.

[Page]

Answer.

This article appertaineth particularly to the said Poltrot, and therfore he referreth it vnto hym, praising god in the meane while for all hys iuste iudgementes.

Deposition.

And vpon that, which the said quene mother examined him whether any other were consenting to the said enterprise, beside ye lord of Chastillon & the said ministers. He said yt he was neuer spokē to of it, by any other persōs thē by the said lord of Chastillon, the sayd Theodore de Beze and his fellow: but yet he thinketh that he lord of Roche foucaul knew some thing of the matter, forasmuch as when he arryued at the said Ville [...]ranche, besyde the toun of Celles: the sayde Roche foucault shewed him a good countenance, and said he was welcome.

Aunswer.

This confession is manifestly contrary [Page] to that which before he declared against Feuqueres and Capitain Brion, and yet wrongfullye and without cause, as the said lord Admyrall thynketh. And as for that which concerneth the erle of Rochefoucault he aunswereth truely, that if he had knowen any thing of such an enterprise he woulde not denye it: but he neuer hearde any talke of any suche thing before it was done, and referreth it also to the iudgement of all vpright men, whether the contecture of the saide Deponent bee well grounded or not: and whether it appeareth not that the sayde Poltrot hath beene rather procured to accuse the said erle of Rochefoucault by som manner of meane than to testifye the truth.

Deposition

And as touching the Prince of Conde, beyng therevpon demaunded saith he neuer knewe that he was priuy to the sayde enterprise neyther that he knewe any thyng of it, and thynketh in his conscience that he neuer knewe of it. But contrary wyse the fyrst time [Page] that the sayd lord of Chastillon spake of this enterprise, the said Deponent asked hym if the prince of Conde wold haue him to do it, the said lord Admyrall aunswered, and said, that he needed not aske any thing as concerning the prince of Conde.

Ansvver.

The sayde lorde Admirall perceyneth by this article the crafte and subtiltye of his enemies, goyng about by al meanes to separate hym and al this army from the Prince of Conde lieue tenaunt generall for the kynge in the said army. But he is assured that such practises by the grace of God, shall returne and fall vppon their owne heades. Furthermore he douteth him not but will beare alwayes witnes of the integritye, honestye, and innocencye of the sayde prynce, not onely in thys deede, but also in all that is taken in hande done, saide, or written by hym in this warre, and denieth plainly and expressely the ende of the saide article referring hymselfe to that he hath answered before.

[Page]

Deposition.

Likewise he declareth that Monsieur Dandelot neuer spake to hym of it, nor the lord of Soubize, but contrarye wise when the said Deponent declared vnto him the first talk that the lord of Chastillon hadde with hym, of which he hath before spoken, the sayd Soubize said vnto him, that it oughte not to be done by that meanes, for yf God would punish the saide Duke of Guyse he wold do it another way, not vsyng such maner of doyngs.

Answer.

The sayd lord Admirall thinketh in his conscience, that the saide Poltrot had neuer suche talke with the sayde Soubize, for he neuer vnderstode any thing therof: and also douteth nothing of the innocency of Monsieur Dandelot his brother nor of ye said Soubize.

Deposition.

And also the said Deponent hath aduertised and warned the quene to beware and to take hede to her selfe, because [Page] yt synce the battail besyde Dre [...] the said lord of Chastillon, with the capitains and souldiors being with him beare her euill wil, saying, that she betra [...]ed them, bicause she promised thē before Paris many thinges which she hath not perfourmed.

Answer.

The said lord Admirall saieth, that this aduertisement and warning can not procede but out of a wicked mind, which desireth nothyng elles but the continuāce of the present miseries and calamities of this realme: & for proofe of his fidelity & faithfulnes he cannot haue better witnes thā the quene her self, with ye seruices that he hath done heretofore, protesting before g [...]d that by his grace no euill entreating made him euer nor shal n [...]uer make him forget the duty and obedience that he oweth vnto their maiesties & to his countrey, & he douteth not but the intent & mind of the lordes, capitaines, and other of his army is so likewise.

Deposition.

[Page] Sayeng more ouer, that there wer many persons, as well in the traine of the court as folowing this campe, which were sent by the saide lorde of Chastillon to execute the lyke enterprises: yet he neuer hearde them named, whom the Lorde of Chastillon would haue to be kylled: but onely in generall woordes, he hearde hym say, that after the said duke of Guise shoulde be kylled, he woulde cause the lyke to be doone to all those that successiuely would rule and leade the army, and also that there muste bee slayne sixe or seuen knyghtes of the order, not otherwyse namyng them, but that he vnderstode it commonly by the capitaynes and souldiors beyng at Orleance, which hated greatly the lorde Duke of Montpensier, and monsieur de Sansa [...]: and that if the sayd duke of Guyse were slain together with the sayde knyghtes of the order, to whome they bare euyll wyll, they woulde than come to the courte to submytte theym selues to the grace and pardon of the kynge, [Page] and would doo what he would commaund them.

Ansvvere.

The sayde lorde admyrall answereth to this article, as vnto the next before it, leauing it to al mē to iudge that know him whether it smell lyke a trouthe, that in case he had taken in hande suche enterprises he would haue discouered theym vnto suche a man as the sayd Poltrot is. And as touchyng that he sayth, that he heard it sayde of the capitaynes and souldiours, the sayd lord admirall ought not to aunswere to it, and yet beleueth it not to bee true, specially seynge there is not so greate occasion nor apparēce of hatred against them which are named in the said Article.

Deposition.

He saith moreouer, that being in y• town of Bloys with the said duke of Guyse, whyle the Campe was at Messas, he found in the gardens of ye said town nigh vnto ye king, who thā playd at the mallet & the ball, a mā of a mean stature wt a red berd, red hose and a ierkyn of lether cut, which had [Page] a dagge ready charged and spande in his hande, whome sometyme he had seene at Orleance, in the saide lord of Chastillons hall.

Ansvvere.

The sayd lorde Admyrall can not tell what the sayd Poltrot myght see at Bloys, and therefore ought not to answere to it: but he knoweth verye well, that he and all hys army beare accordyng to their duetie, a singuler affection, obedience and reuerence to his maiestie, as his true and faithfull subiectes and seruants, and that they haue nothyng in this worlde so deare vnto theym, as the prosperitie and wealth of their prince and kyng.

Deposition.

And furthermore, that he sawe in this campe fower men well horsed, whose names he knewe not, but he knoweth them if he see them, whych wer in the hall at Orleance when he spake with the said lord of Chastillon the laste tyme, and the sayde lorde of Chastillon asked him, if he would be knowen vnto the said men, who also [Page] had promised him to execute other enterprises. But this deponent fearyng to be descried, prayed the sayd lord of Chastillon not to discouer hym vnto them: And sayde, that if they woulde geue him libertie to walke about the campe, he trusted to fynde them out, and to shewe them.

Ansvvere.

The said lord Admirall saith that calumnie and false report was forged in the same shoppe that the other were, and for to haue certaine & true knowledge therof, they shold haue suffred ye said Poltrot to walk about the campe with a good & sure gard about hym.

Deposition

Being demanded what the said lord of Chastillon departing frō Orleance to go into Normandie went to doo & worke: said, that he purposed to go to ioyne with the Englishemen, and to bring them to Orleance: & that at his departyng he promised his brother monsieur D'andriot, that if the said duke of Guise wold come to besiege the said towne of Orleance, he wold [Page] come with succour, and wold seke to gyue hym battaile.

Ansvvere.

The sayd lord Admirall answereth that his enemies sekyng so curiously all meanes to destroy hym, vnder the colour and pretext of iustice, shoulde haue sought out thynges by some other of his counsell, than by the sayd Poltrot, or other suche as he is: And also the said Poltrot was not at Orleance whan the sayd lorde Admirall departed from thence at the lest that he knewe of, and therfore could not testifie any thynge but by heresaye, what he had promysed vnto the sayd monsieur Dandelot his brother. And furthermore, the sayd lorde admirall sayth, that it shall not be founde that he euer dyd it, and that he had rather dye, than to thynke ones to doo any thyng contrary to the dutie of a true and faithfull subiecte and seruant of his maiestie: as he wil shewe it at all tymes when nede shall require.

Deposition.

Furthermore, beyng demanded of [Page] the maner of the deathe of the late marshal saint Andre, and after what sort he was killed, said that he heard say at Orleance of many gentilmen that forasmuch as the sayd Marshall Saint Andre had first geuē his faith to a yonge gentylman of a highe stature with a lyttle abern bearde: and afterwarde the seconde tyme had geuen his said faith to the prince of Portian, the said gentylman to whom he had fyrst geuen his fayth, killed hym with his dagge: and more the said deponent sayde not. The mynute he hath signed.

The .xxii. of the said moneths and yere, this present confession or depositions being made yesterday by the said Iohn de Poltrot, before ye quene and the lordes of the counsell, and knightes of the order were red and repeted agayne to the saide Poltrot, in the whiche his confession after an othe by him takē, he persisted, saying that it cōteined the truth: and in witnesse therof, signed euery leafe of the minute, thus signed. P. Maluaut.

[Page]

Ansvvere.

If the said Poltrot, either for feare of deth, or by any other subornatiō or persuasion hath persisted in his false & inuented confessions: The said lorde admirall, & they that by them be charged with him, haue more reason to persist in their answers which contein the pure and plaine truth. And for as much as the verificatiō of all this matter dependeth vpon the bryngyng of the said Poltrot face to face before thē whom he hath charged, the said lorde admirall with the other aforenamed, after hauynge refused the courtes of parliament, & all other iudges which haue manifestly declared themselues their enemies in these present tumultes: most humbly besech the kings maiestie, to appoint & cōmaund y• the said Poltrot may bee wel & safly kept, in place where he may neither be put in feare nor suborned, vntill it shal plese god to graūt the long desired and necessary peace in this realme: and that by this means the whole matter may be verified and ended before vpright & [Page] vnsuspect iudges: and in case that any of the said iudges of the parliament or any other will forthewith procede in iudgement and execution of the sayde Poltrot, and by that meanes take frō the said lord admiral & from al thother the true meane & way to iustify themselues of the said fals accusations, they protest of their integritie, innocency, & honest reputation, and stand against the said iudges and againste all other to whom it shal appertayne.

Geuen at Caen in Normādy the 12. day of Marche. 1562.

Thus signed.

Chastillon. La Rochefoucault. [...] B [...]ze.

A copy of the letter sente to the quene by the said lord Admiral with the foresaid aunswer.

MAdame two daies since I saw an examination whiche was made to one Iohn Poltrot catling himself the lord of Merey, the 21. day of the last moneth: who confesseth [Page] to haue hurt the duke of Guise, by the which also he chargeth yt I should procure him or rather forced hī to do that he hath done: & because it is the thing that I moste feare in this worlde least the said Poltrot shold be put to execution before the truth of this matter be knowen, I most humbly beseche your maiestie to commaund that he may be well kepte. And in the meane tyme I haue set forth certaine articles vpon euery one of his, which me thinketh deserue an aunswer, the whiche I sende vnto your maiestye by this trompet: whereby all men of good iudgement may almost be certified of the matter. And more ouer I saye, that it shal not be found that euer I sought that man nor any other to do such a deede. But rather contrarywyse I haue alwayes stopte and not suffered asmuch as laye in me, that suche enterprises shoulde bee [...]utte in execution. And thereof haue I often tymes talked wyth the Cardinall of Lorayne, and Madame de Guyse, and namely with your maiestye: whome it maye please to be remembred [Page] howe contrary I haue bene thereunto, sauyng within this fyue or syxe monthes, that I haue not muche ben against those which shewed them selues to haue such a mynde. And that hathe bene synce there came certayne personnes whiche I wyll name when tyme shall serue, which sayd, that they were procured to come to kyll me, as it shal please your maiesty to remember what I sayde vnto you at Paris, going out of the Myll where we commoned together: whiche thyng also I haue tolde vnto the Constable, and neuerthelesse I may say, and that truly, that for myne owne part, I neuer soughte procured, nor practised wyth any man aboute suche a matter. And I wyll reporte me vnto all those whiche haue sene suche enterprises putte in effecte beefore me, howe muche I mocked suche doynges. And beecause I will not trouble your maiesty wyth any longer letter, I most hū blye beeseeche the same ones againe [Page] to commaunde that the saide Poltrot be wel and diligently kepte for to verifye of this matter the truthe. Also that beeyng broughte to Parys, as I heare saye, I feare leste they of the court of parliament wil put him to execution, and al for to leaue this calumnye and false accusation in my necke: or els lest they should procede against me for this dede, which thing they cannot do beyng my parties and refused as they be. And in ye meane time think not that which I say, is because I am sory for the duke of Guise: for I think it is the greatest good turne that euer could happen to this realme, and to ye church of god, and particularly to me and to al my house, and also if it please your maiesty it shalbe the mean to set this realme at rest and peace, whiche thing al we of this army desyre, according to y• whiche we haue required of you, as sone as we were aduertised of the death of the said duke of Guyse. Madame I praye god geue you moste parfit helth with happy and long life.

From Caen the. 12. of March. 1562.

FINIS.

[Page]

Information about this book

Title statement

An answere to the examination that is sayde to haue bene made of one named Iohn de Poltrot, calling himself the Lord of Merey, vpon the death of the late Duke of Guyse by the Lord of Chastillon admyrall of Fraunce, and others named in the saide examination. At Caen. 1562Response a l'interrogatoire qu'on dit avoir este faite a un nommé Jean de Poltrot, soy disant seigneur de Merey, sur la mort du feu duc de Guyse. English

Coligny, Gaspard de, seigneur de Châtillon, 1519-1572.

Edition statement

1563

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2008-09 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A19146

ID [STC]

STC 5553

ID [STC]

ESTC S105034

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99840764

ID [PROQUEST]

99840764

ID [VID]

5293

Availability

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

Series

Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A19146)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 5293)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 204:04, 1554:21)

Source

— An answere to the examination that is sayde to haue bene made of one named Iohn de Poltrot, calling himself the Lord of Merey, vpon the death of the late Duke of Guyse by the Lord of Chastillon admyrall of Fraunce, and others named in the saide examination. At Caen. 1562, Response a l'interrogatoire qu'on dit avoir este faite a un nommé Jean de Poltrot, soy disant seigneur de Merey, sur la mort du feu duc de Guyse. English, Coligny, Gaspard de, seigneur de Châtillon, 1519-1572..

Extent

[48] p.

By Rouland Hall, for Edwarde Sutton, dwellyng in Lumbard strete at the signe of the Cradell,. Printed at London :: 1563.. (Translation of: Response a l'interrogatoire qu'on dit avoir este faite a un nommé Jean de Poltrot, soy disant seigneur de Merey, sur la mort du feu duc de Guyse.) (Includes the deposition of Poltrot, apparently not printed separately from this work.) (Signatures: A-C.) (Identified as STC 20094 on UMI microfilm reel 1554.) (Reproductions of the originals in the Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery and the Bodleian Library.) (Appears at reel 204 (Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery copy) and at reel 1554 (Bodleian Library copy).)

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