❧ A Summe of the Guisian Ambassage to the Bishop of Rome, founde lately a­mongst the writinges of one Dauid an Aduocate of Paris, and translated out of French into Latin, and from Latin into English.

❧ Jmprinted. 1579.

❧ To the Christian Reader, the Translator sendeth gree­ting in Christ Iesu.

THis little Pamphlet, (good Reader) being fyrst ex­tant in French, and after trans­lated into Latin, came vnto my hands by chaūce, perusing other bookes which were brought from Franckford: and ouerrunning shortly the same, and percey­uing that it contayned the discouerye of a very da [...]ngerous and mischeuous practise of the Papistes in Fraunce, especially of the Guisian faction, which vnder pretence of the maintenaunce of the Catholick or Romish faith, (as it may seeme) beeing thereunto by the Pope, and his fauorers induced for the vpholding of his pride and ambicion, toge­ther with their Haeriticall and erronious doctrine, which by the Gospell in the noble Realme of Fraunce, as in all other places in Christendom is now laide open and plain­ly confuted, to their no small losse & griefe, seeke [Page] I speake rather to aspire to the tytle of the Crowne of that mighty Kingdome, by pri­uye claiming vnto thēselues, the right ther­of as the heyres discending lineallye from Charles the great: and pleading the Valoys, with the Borbones to be but vsurpers, and intruders: who at this daye are the right ap­paraunt heyres thereof: I thought good to publish the same to the view of the worlde, leauing the creadit thereof to the Reporter, that it may appeare both how cruell and bloodthirsty a generation these Papistes are, who can neuer be satisfyed with the shedding of their breathernes bloode, and that from Rome that spirituall Babilon, as from a Fountaine flowing into all Christē ­dome the continuall discords, contentions, tumults, warres vprores, treasons and rebel­lions wherewith the same is lamentably at this day oppressed, and ouerwhelmed: as also to shew how vniustlye they burthen and charge the godly, and zelous nobility, and Subiectes of that Realme and other places with Treason and rebellion against theyr Soueraignes, and Princes, they them­selues [Page] being most giltye thereof, when they withstand with all reasonable, and lawfull meanes the vniust, violent, tirrannicall, and vnnatural oppressions, and inuasions, prac­tised against them, besydes all lawe of God and man, by the Pope, abusinge the Scepters and aucthorite of Princes, to the establishing of his longe vsurped primacie, Pride and Ambition, in the Church of Christ. For how so euer he colloureth his purposes with faire showes: yet is it euident to those that are not blinded with affection malice, or by the iust iudgements of God cast into a reprobate sence, that he seeketh his owne and not those thinges which ap­pertaine vnto Christ, and that he discrieth him selfe to be very Antichriste, in settinge vp his owne kingdom, with the ouerthrow of the kingdom of Christ, and his Gospell, (as much as lyeth in him,) knowing, & fee­ling by experience, to his great griefe (Gods name be praised therefore) that the one can­not stand with the other.

Therefore when it pleased God to make manifest to the world, by the glorious light [Page] of the Gospel of his sonne, how trayterous­lye, wickedlye, and blasphemouslye in the middest of grose and palpable darcknesse, he hath vsurped & intruded vpon the king­dome of his Christ, and he begins to take a­gaine possession thereof, and shaketh, like a tottering wall, the kingdome of Antichrist: he perceiuing the ruine of his vsurped ty­ranny to be threatned in all Christendome, and Christ like to recouer his owne posses­sion againe, ioyned with his confederats, & laid their heads together, sundry and diuers times, especially in the late pretended coun­fell holden at Trent, and considered what was best to be donne in this so desperate a state: and when they had sought by diuers meanes to bringe the same to passe, as by writing of bookes for their defence, by con­fessing sum what to haue bin amisse, and to promisse redresse thereof (which they neuer ment in trueth) by often promising of a generall, lawfull, and free counsel, but ne­uer performing it, by threatnings, sometime force and warres, and vsinge the same some­time, & by diuers other suttle deuises, which [Page] neuerthelesse by the prouidence of God came to nought. Then they determined at last in theyr sayd pretenced Counsell of Trent, that seeing by no other waye they were able to compasse theyr intent, and to hold and proppe vp theyr ruynous state, (which they make more accoumpt of then the glory of God): that ther should be made (forsooth) a holy league betweene the holy father, and all his obedient Children which kisse his feete, against all the professours of the Gospell in Christendome: with a full resolution, that it should be lawful for them by the dispensation of the holy Father, to vse all Treachery, deceite, periury, violence and crueltye against them, as beeing here­tickes, and condemned by the sayde holye Counsell of Trent. And that the executi­on thereof might be donne with more heede, and dylligence, some were in all Countreys appointed who shoulde vnder­take the same. And herehence, hath sith­ens rysen the Fyre and Flame of discenti­ons, mutynes, and tumultes in all Christen­dome.

This I thought good (gentle reader) to admonish thee of, that in reading of this small discourse, thou mightest with more light and iudgement, looke into the popish practises therein contayned. The Lorde God make vs wise in foreseeing their perni­tious coūsels, & auoiding the same in time. For as they haue in that noble Realme of Fraunce, and in other places shewed theyr malitious intents, so mynd they to do the like, it is to be feared in England, if God doo not of his mercy let them, which he graunt, for Iesus Christe his sake. Amen.

❧ A Summe of the Guisian Ambassage to the Bishoppe of Rome, founde lately amongst the writings of one Dauid an Aduo­cate of Paris, &c.

THat the ciuill wars which haue ben in France, Th [...] war [...] Fra [...] mor [...] full [...] fitab [...] Apo [...] Sea [...] haue brought more hinde­raunce, then furtheraunce to the Apostolick Sea, especially for ye lyberty both to write Bookes, which are reprochfull to the sayde Sea, as o­therwise to deface the honour therof: by the which liberty, the minds of the Heretikes are encouraged & hardned, and most of the Catholyques brought to the contempt and scorne of the sayd holy Sea.

That the ende and euent of all the victories which haue bene gotten in Fraunce,Hug [...] and [...] steri [...] curse Apo [...] Sea haue fallen out vnto some peace shamefull, and dishonourable to [Page] the King, wherof it maye be gathered, that the stock of Hugh Capet, albeit it hath succeded in the singular, and only gouernment of the kingdom of Charls the great: Yet it hath not succeeded it in the enioying of the Apostolical bles­sing: which blessing, consecration, and inauguration properly, and peculi­arly was bestowed vpon the lygnage and posterity of Charles the great. And further, like as Capet by taking to him and vsurping the blessing of the kings bestowed on Charles the great, hath by his rashnes and presumption vio­lated the same: so hath he prouoked v­pon his own, and successors heads, the continual curse and malediction of the said Apostolicall Seate: from ye which curse so great falsehood, theft, and re­bellion against the holy Sea haue sprong, to the destruction & ouerthrow wherof, that detestable law, and ordi­naunce hath bene enacted, and put in vre, which commonly amongst the French men, is called the freedome or [Page] liberty of the French Church:The [...] tute [...] the ly [...] of ye [...] Chu [...] brydl [...] Pop [...] which in former tymes hath bene a refuge & ayde to the Albigenses and beggars of Lions, as they termed them, and now in our time to the Lutherans and Cal­uinistes, hath geuen occasion and mat­ter of rebellion. In somuch that it is not to be maruailed that the victories of those kings which these .16. yeares past, haue vndertaken warre for the Catholike church, haue had no happy successe, neither at any time shall, as longe as the Crowne shall rest in the family of Capet.

That it may seeme that God in this conclusion of the last shamefull peace,The of Ch [...] the g [...] waies full t [...] Aposl [...] Sea. hath as it were called home the right­full and lawfull heires of the Crowne vnto their right, and to haue offered occasion and beginning to restore the Crowne vnto the heads of the ryght heires of Charles. Of whome there is not one vntill this day found, which hath not shewed vnto the holy Sea, [Page] fidelity, obedience, and due reuerence: and by that faithfulnes, and dutiful­nes, hath declared him selfe to be the true, right, and lawfull heire of the A­postolicall blessing bestowed vpon the crowne of Fraunce.

[...]ock of [...]pe [...] [...]d by [...]nd to [...]herof.That it is well knowen now to all men that the stocke of those that des­cende from Capet, is caried headlong into a reprobate sence by the iust pla­gue of God, for that some of them are hartles, and wytles, of no wisdome, or courage: some other reprobate, reiec­ted, hated of God and men, Heretikes, excommunicate, and cast of from the holy fellowship of the church.

That it is a token of this maledic­tion, fyrst that some of them are borne of an euyll shape of body, of fowle and stained blood: Further, that in the flowre of their age, they dye, leauing no heyres of their body to enioye the kingdome, and that there remayneth [Page] no hope of their stocke and yssue, and therfore the inheritaunce of the king­dome is like to paste away to Heretiks and excōmunicants, to the great hurt of the Apostolicke Sea.

That where great daunger now is at hand,What Cathol [...] endeuo [...] ought t [...] all the endeuour of all the ca­tholickes ought to be employed, that the crowne of Fraunce be restored to the true and lawfull heires of Charles: especially, seeing they are so fresh and florishing in mind and body, that they are well knowen to be most fyttest to atchieue, and enterprise the greatest matters, and of most accompt.

That the late warres hath aduan­ced them to attaine honors,Warre [...] fitable t [...] Guisian but mu [...] more pe [...] rules and offyces: but that peace shall restore a­gaine to them the lawfull inheritance of the kingdome, with great good will and lyking of all the French Nation. Wherfore it is not to be doubted,Sermo [...] to be n [...] and wh [...] but that the couenants, and conditions of [Page] this dishonourable peace, which are graunted to ye Heretikes by their new Edict of Pacification, although they may seeme profitable, and conuenient to the Heretikes, yet are they framed and deuised not by mans counsell, but by Gods, that the prayse, honour, and glory of the vanquishing of the Here­tikes may rest vpon God onely, and the blessing of his holy Vicar in earth. Wherfore it is to be prouided, that in all catholicke citties, wholsome Ser­mons maye be made, meete to styrre vp the citizens mindes, and to let the assemblyes of the abhominable secte, permitted by the last Edict.

King [...]e war­ [...] and [...] of.That the king is to be warned, that the new styrres which he shall heare euery where to be continually raysed, do not disquiet,Duke uise to [...]t in : and [...] hee [...]de do. and trouble his minde, and that he put the Duke of Guise in trust to compose, and pacify them, who hauing authority from the king, with a stoute and valiant corage, shall make [Page] confederacies betweene the nobility, and the cities, & so shall bynd each one with an oathe, that they be not onely bound to solow his authority, but also priuatly, and properly his fayth, and shall sweare that they wyll acknow­ledge no other chiefe of the confedera­cie, but the Duke of Guise himselfe.

These things being established,Orde [...] taken Duke Guise Parri [...] with t [...] [...] rish Pr [...] the Duke of Guise shal take order, that the Parish Priests, not onely in townes, but also in villages and hamlets, doo write out, and in bookes set downe, the names of all such as are of yeares to beare armour, and doo sende those bookes vnto the sayde Duke of Guise, who incontinēt shal appoint out Cap­taines into those Parishes, which shal see and take a view what kinde of ar­mor, or weapons euery one is fyt, and meete to beare.What Priest doo in cular c [...] sion. The Priests also shall be wylled, that in auricular confession they instruct euery one that is enrol­led, of ye iust cause of this warre, which [Page] is for defence sake of their conscience, and shall exhort them that they with all speede prouide them selues of Ar­mour and weapons.

[...] the oughtThe king in the meane whyle shall prouide that Parliamentes or assem­blies of al Estates and degrees of his Realme be called & summoned (which is a pyt made by the Heretikes for thē selues to fall in) and thervnto shall or­daine very great preparation, pompe, and solemnity (according to the man­ner of his Predecessors) and shall send vnto euery prouince of his kingdome, [...]ylers [...] to be [...], and they do. such councellours as are most faithfull and trusty to him, which shall by their counsayle direct and gouerne the par­ticular assemblies of euery iurisdictiō: Euery one of these shall consider what is most meete for the kings purpose according to their wisdom, and for the faith and oath, wherwith he is bound to God, and his holynes, and the ca­tholyque king.

The Queene mother in the meane tyme, shall go to her yongest Sonne,What [...] Queene mother should who is lewde, & a chaungling, whom she shall easily perswade that he come to his brother ye King, & go with him to the Parliaments of his kingdom, and shall labour by all meanes to en­tice thyther the king of Nauar, her sonne in lawe, and the Prince of Con­die, and she shall threaten them, that if they present not them selues at the Parliaments, they shall be proclay­med rebels, and obstinate.

And to the intent,What t [...] King a [...] the Gui [...] should d [...] take aw [...] all suspi [...] on. that all the occa­sion of suspition and feare be taken a­way from them, the Duke of Guise and all his Brethren, shall first depart from the Court, as if it were for some displeasure conceyued against them, & the king departing out of Paris, shal betake him selfe to some such place, where shall seeme to be most free ac­cesse vnto him & shall receyue & enter­taine his Brother, & all the rest which [Page] shall come vnto him, with all pretence of good wyll, and curtesy.

[...]e Cap­ [...]es of the [...]rishes, at they to [...]ld do.About the time of the Parliamēts, the Captaines of the Parishes, shall euery one take a muster, and view of his soldiours, and of those bands shal chuse out such a number as the chiefe of the holy League shall appoint, that they may be in a readines to do those thinges which shall be commaunded them.

[...]at is to one vpō [...]aye of Parlia­ [...]ts.When the day of the Parliaments shall come, before any thing is refer­red to the assembly, an oath shall be exacted in order of euery one, yt what­soeuer shall be agreed vpon, & decreed in the Parliaments, shall be kept and obserued. The Citizens moreouer shall binde their brotherhooddes to beare the charges of all the warres.

[...]at is to [...]ore of Pope.Lastly, his Holines shalbe entrea­ted, that it woulde please him by his [Page] authority to allowe, and ratify what­soeuer shalbe decreed in these Parlia­ments:Prag [...] call d [...] and that it woulde please him that there maye be lyke force of these decrees, as hath bene accustomed to bee of the pragmaticall decree be­tweene the holye Sea, and this Realme, as heretofore it hath bene done in those things, which haue ben agreed vpon betwene the Kings and the Bishops.

Moreouer,What be don [...] cōuey [...] tytle o [...] Crow [...] the sto [...] Capet [...] to the entent the right of the royal inheritaunce may be con­uayed away from the kinred, stocke, and family of Caper, and that depo­sing of them maye according to the manner and custome of our Forefa­thers be left in the power of the Par­liaments: A decree shall be made, that if any Prince of the blood royall: if any peere, or noble man shall re­fuse to obey the same decree of the Parliaments. The Prince from that daye forwarde shalbe Proclay­med [Page] vnworthy the inheritance of the kingdome. The peere or noble man shall be iudged vnworthy of all his honours and tytles, their goods shall be confiscated: to the ende, that mony of the sale therof gathered together, maye be employed to the vse of the warre, and they them selues shall be adiudged to die. And if they be appre­hended, they shalbe put to death: if not, their counterfaits, or pictures shalbe made fast vpon the Gallous & gibbets, and rewards shalbe propo­sed publikely to such as shall slaye, or kyll them.

[...]ath of [...]tye to Pope, [...]a sub­ [...]tion to [...]ounsel [...]tent to [...]equired.These thinges being establyshed, and an oath to the same exacted, and geuen, the States of the Realme shal yeeld to the successour of Saint Peter, a new oath of fidelity, and shall pro­fesse that they wyl lyue, and die in the forme of that faith, & Religion which hath bene prescribed by the Counsell of Trent, & the States of the Realme [Page] in these Parliaments, shall iudic [...]ide to the sayde Counsell, and shall pro­nounce and protest all Edicts which in this Realme hath bene made a­gainst the authority of that Counsell, to be taken for voyde, vnlawfull, and as if they had neuer bene writtē: But on ye other side all those Edicts which haue bene made to the rooting out, and abolyshing of heresies, to be kept and obserued.

The King by the authoritie,The to dis [...] with King made Prot [...] and dispensation of the holy Sea, shalbe discharged and absolued from that oath which hee hath made to Here­tikes, and their associates, and confe­derates: And to the Heretikes shall a certaine day be appointed before the which they shall professe before ye Ec­clesiastical Magistrats, that they are sory for their enterprise, to the entent they maye obtaine Absolution for so great an offence, & they shal entreat ye Prince to pardō them of high treasō.

And because the execution of this Article may be hindred and stayed by certaine rebellious Prouinces which haue taken Armes,Viceroy made, the sam [...]e the [...]c of [...]se. supplication must be made to the king, that he woulde make some Viccar generall, or Vice­roy of his kingdome, which must be a fytte Prince, and skylfull of warres, able and lustie, for courage, age, and body, apte to geue counsayle, and ad­uise of him selfe, and to endure the paynes of warre: especiallye, such a one, as hath alwayes kept him selfe pure, and vnspotted, from all stayne, contagion, and company of Heretiks. And briefly, he shall be requested, that he woulde geue this honour vnto the Duke of Guise: whome, it is well knowen, to be furnished, and endued, with all helpes of wytte, and bodye, and skyll of warfare, to take in hande such an office.

Then the Kinges Brother must [Page] be admonished, and tolde,Order t [...] taken w [...] Duke [...] lanson. what a great offence he hath commytted, in that hee forsooke his Brother the King, to ioyne him selfe to Heretikes, yea, and to be their Captaine, and to leade an Armie against his Bro­ther the King, and in that he forced his Brother to graunt vnto him, not onely a parte of his kingdome, and very large, and excessiue allowaunce, but also to suffer him to haue a Rely­gion of so execrable impietie. And forasmuch, as this is the fyrst, and highest poynt of treasō against Gods Maiestie, and the Kinges: for that it is not in the Kinges power to par­don so greeuous an offence, request shall be made to the Parliamentes, that Iudges may be appointed to the Duke of Alanson, which maye heare and determine of so great a fault, and the memorie of the most holy, & godly example of the Catholique King, shal be renued, which dyd not spare his onely Sonne.

[...]at is to [...]one in [...]nde of Parlia­ [...]s by the [...]mies of [...]e Pari­ [...].Finally, at the day that the Parlia­ments shalbe dissolued, from all parts of the Realme shall the Armies of the Parishes and other bandes, aswell extraordinarie as ordinarie discouer them selues, to put in execution the decree of the Parliaments, and they shall apprehend the Duke of Alenson, and the rest which haue taken parte with him in his gouernement, and wicked warres.

[...]at by Duke Guise.By this practise the Duke of Guise hauing gathered a strong Army, shal set vpon such Prouinces, as haue re­belled, ye which he shal conquer either by force, and Armes: eyther by polly­cie and deuices, and he shall with ter­rour ouerrunne, both farre and wide, spoyling the Country, and surprising all strong Townes by hunger, force, and want, by buylding and raysing vp Castels and Holdes neare about, by making often outroades vpon the inhabitants, and he shall not to lyttle [Page] purpose spende tyme in subduing by force and Gunshotte, strong Citties, as it came to passe at the assaulte of Rochell.

When the Duke of Guise hath got­ten this famous and noble Victorie,The cōc [...] sion of t [...] whole pl [...] forme betweene t [...] Guisian [...] and the Pope. and hath made his entraunce & way into the chiefest Cities of the Realme, hauing the nobility lincked to him: he shall finde meanes to make inquisiti­on of Duke Alenson the kinges Bro­ther, and other his associates: and at the last by the lycence and counsayle of his holinesse, shall thrust the King and the Queene into a Monasterie, following the example of his great Grandfather king Pepin: Who draue Childerick the king, entrapped by the lyke meanes into a Monastery: and by this deuice, the secular inheritance of the Crowne of Fraunce, together with the Apostolicall blessyng being recouered, he shal restore without ex­ception, and restraint vnto the holy [Page] Sea, the auncient dignitye, power and authoritie: and shall repeale and reuoke the Priuiledges of the Church of Fraunce, as they are com­monly called, yeelding his fayth and oath: fyrst that he wyll when he shall haue gotten vnto him selfe the kingdome, religiously, and inuiolably performe all these thinges.

¶ An Addition.

LEast (good Reader) the ef­fect of this Legacie should not be knowen vnto thee, I haue thought good to annexe to this Reporte the famous, eyther inuention, or declarati­on of Pope Stephan, wherby the weake confirmation of the Guisian right maye be knowen: It is extant in Rhegino, a Moncke of the order of Saint Benet, Ab­bot of Pruniack, in his Cronicles of the yeare of our Lorde. 753.

STephan Byshoppe,A Legen [...] the seruaunt of the seruauntes of God. &c. As no man ought to vaunt him selfe of his owne merites, so ought not the woorkes of God which by him are wrought in his Saynctes, to bee passed ouer in sylence, without his desartes: but rather be set foorth as the Angell warned Tobie.

Whervpon I for the great oppre [...]siō o [...] the holy Church, by the most cruell and vnworthy to be named, King Haistolph, came into Fraunce vnto the good and faithfull Lord to Saint Peter: Pipine, most christian King, where I was sicke vnto death, and for a tyme remayned at the towne of Paris, in the reuerent Mona­stery of Saint Dionise Martir. Of whom when the Phisitions dyd dispayre, I was as it were praying in the Church of the sayde blessed Martyr, vnder the Belles, and I sawe before the aultar Saint Peter, and the teacher of the Gentyles Saynt Paule, and with all my minde I knewe them by their Surplices, and also Saynt Dionise at the right hande of Saynt Peter, being spare, thin and long, and the good Shepheard Saynt Peter sayde. This our Brother doth desire health, and Saynt Paule sayde. He shall be whole strayght wayes, and comming neare, he reached his hand to the brest of S. Dionise louing­ly, and he looked to S. Peter, and S. Peter sayde vnto Saynt Dionise mearely. It [Page] lyes in you to make him whole. And by and by Saint Dionise holding in his hand a Censor, with Frankinsence, and a Palme, hauing a Priest and a Deacon, which stoode by, came vnto mee and sayde Peace be with thee Brother, feare not, thou shalt not dye, vntyll thou re­turne happely vnto thy seate: Arise hole, and dedicate this Aultar to the honour of God, and the Apostles, Peter and Paule, whom thou seest, saying Masse of than­kesgeuing: And out of hand I was made whole, and I woulde haue fulfilled that which they commaunded me, and they that were there, sayde that I was mad: wherfore I told them and the King, and all those that were with him, in order all that I had seene. These thinges were done the yeare from the incarnation of our Lorde .753. the Ides of August. At what tyme being strengthened by the power of Christe, at the celebration of the consecration of the sayd Aultar, and the offering vp of the Sacrifice, I an­noynted as Kinges of Fraunce, King [Page] Pipine, and his two Sonnes, Charles a [...] Charlemaine, also Bertrand the wyfe of the sayde King apparelled with royall at­tyre, and with the seauenfolde grace of the holy spirite, haue ordained them: In the name of God: and sanctifying the Nobles of Fraunce with the Apostoly­call blessing, by the authority of Saynt Peter geuen him by Christ, bound them, and required them that they shoulde ne­uer from thencefoorth presume by any manner of way, to appoynt eyther them selues, or any of their successours af­ter them, a King of any other stocke, sauing of their Progenie.

FINIS.

A faulte escaped in printing.

In the fyrst leafe of the Epistle, the seconde side, and syxeteene line: for flowing, read floweth.

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