AN ADMIRABLE DISCOVERY OF AN HORRIBLE Attempt; slaunderously Fathered vpon those of ROCHELL.
Liuely described in a Letter, sent by the Seignior of Montmartin; one of the Generall Deputies of the Reformed Churches of FRANCE, vnto a Friend of his. M.DC.XXIIII.
LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Nathaniel Newbery: and are to be sold at his Shop, at the Signe of the Starre vnder S. Peters Church in Corn-hill, and in Popes-head Alley. 1624.
AN ADMIRABLE DISCOVERIE of an horrible Attempt, slaunderously fathered vpon those of Rochell.
The long experience which by your age and worth, you haue gotten in this World, having often invited me to take your advice in the discharge of my place, doth binde me likewise to giue you notice of any notable Accident hapning therein.
Of late we haue beene busied about the discovery of a strange Imposture and Supposition, drawne from false witnesses, who by the suggestion of one Guillot of Lyons, had caused one du Bois, of the Countrie of Pourin (a man of the Reformed Religion, and deputed to exhibit our grievances, which we haue often cause to complaine of) to be imprisoned, accusing him of high treason; the information, hearing, and confrontment whereof, being orderly performed, during the time of his long imprisonment, there remained but one onely witnesse, and he not very constant neither, who averred to haue heard from the mouth of the said Du Bois: That the King might perhaps repent the so little keeping of his Word in the last Treatie of Peace; Wherevpon although it were but doubtfull, the Iudges (being according to their duties very nice in that which concernes the sacred person of our King) condemned the said du Bois, in an hundred and fiftie Franckes fine, banishing him from out of the jurisdiction of Paris for three yeeres, and forced [Page 3] him to passe ouer an office which hee held. After all this he was yet detained a moneth longer in Prison, to giue the more way to any newe accusation, nor was there any instance made in favour of him, considering the waight of his accusation, although there appeared some manifest wrong therein: In the ende his libertie being obtained hee comes foorth: But it happens that within two houres after, That the same first Appeacher delivers into the hands of Father Sigueran, a letter found (as he affirmed) in the straw-bed of the afore-sayd du Bois, directed vnto him, and written and signed by the supposed name of de la Roche a fained inhabitant of the Towne of Rochell; and in the name as it were of the whole body thereof: the fearefull tenure whereof, tended vnto horrible and damnable Designes against the life of our King. Father Sigueran, without consideration of the astonishment it might haue bred, carrieth it forthwith to the King, and his Maiestie referreth it to an appointed Iudge.
Now as it was not onely his end who [Page 4] set this Informer on worke, to ayme simplie at the ruine of the said Du Bois, but also to involue in this Diuelish crime the Townesmen of Rochell, yea even endeuouring to bring into a generall hatred (which ought to be common to all good Frenchmen against all such sacrilegious and detestable paracides) all those of our profession, hoping to stirre vp by iust executions, or massacres, amongst the people, or by the indignation of our Prince in a generall warre, new troubles, and some mightie breach for the common enemie of our Estate: So the said Inventor suggested such matter in this Letter, as was able to ensnare vs all in the net of an inevitable ruine, as wee should haue very well deserved, if these suppositions had beene true, and recommends in expresse tearmes in his sayd discourse vnto the sayd du Bois, the resolution to aime his stroake at the sacred bosome of our King, and from thence to passe vnto the person of Monsieur the Kings brother, by the direction and enchantment of a most notorious Magitian, whom he faines to haue [Page 5] beene sent vnto him, to metamorphoze him into a straw after the execution. And to spurre him on the better to this resolution, he remonstrates vnto him that Mansfield is weary of his long stay: That Monsieur de Soubife looseth the fruit of his surprisalls: That he shall finde a safe retreate vnder the Constable: and that the summe of six thousand Crownes, promised vnto him by those of Rochell, is readie. Thus you may see how this Project doth wholly tend to muster vp all matter which may seeme to further the inventors hatred, and our ruine.
But the more this busines seemed monsterous, the more it stirred vp the Iudges affection to vse all due circumspection and consideration; which presently invite him happily to a second seazure of du Bois, and vpon exact examination of the said Letter, comes by a number of notable circumstances, to suspect and discover the perfidiousnesse of this plot; so as every severall successe of this his travaile, doth worthily deserue an entire Description: [Page 6] for presently he runnes over all the Scriueners, Coppiers, and Clerkes, discovers by an Advocats Clerke of Lions, the very same Caracter, the foresayd letter was written withall; then hee visiteth all the Gravers shopps, and found who made the Seale▪ goes to the Stationers, compares there his paper, and findes where the sayd Clerke had bought the very same leafe so written: seazeth on him, the Graver, and the Accuser, who condemnes himselfe and craues pardon, and discloseth and avoucheth a certaine Deputie of the Clergie of Baye vpon Baye, to haue hired him thereunto for 600. Crownes. Thus the meanes and progresse of these discoveries doe much recommend this good. Iudge vnto all posteritie, and to haue well deserved of the Common-wealth, which is euery day in expectation: through this his good iustice and by the authoritie and expresse commandement of his Maiestie, to see exemplarie punishment performed vpon these cursed machavillians. And now you may plainely see Syr how many iust occasions [Page 7] wee haue, to lift vp with thankes giving pure hands vnto God, for his holy protection, and defending of vs, and more particular preservation of his Royall Maiestie: For what more plausible subiect can we haue, to exercise our sinceritie and good intentions, then vpon this occasion to procure by our renewed fidelities and obedience, that true protection of his Maiesties Scepter, which wee craue. And from hence he may iustly hereafter be invited, vnto such a particular examinatiō as shall distinctly averre that which they publiquely and so lightly impose vpon vs: so as observing with what spirit our Enemies are possessed, hee shall plainely see (if it please him) that by bending and leaning to their desires against his good subiects, hee shall destroy by his Armes, that which he may more profitably win by his protection, and withstand as couragiously our common enemie, as we naturally hate him: It may please God that his Maiesty perceiving vs to be glewed to his Scepter alone, may conclude it as a [Page 8] thing iust in his iustice, to grant vs the entire accomplishment, and execution of those things which it pleased him to grant vs in the treatie of peace, and which we dare say by our behaviour, and His clemencie, wee haue deserved: least the inexecutions so notoriously observed towards vs, become so many staines, not able to bee washed out, but with the ground and all; and dimme the luster of that firme fidelitie, which is the ground and preservation of Kingdoms, as well as of ordinarie commerce amongst men. Nor doe these direfull and strong garrisons serue to any other end, then as baites vnto such as make sinister conclusions of his Maiesties intentions.
But returning to our Historie, you shall vnderstand, that this good Iudge, endevoureth to finde out the source of this instigation as aspiring vnto the publique peace: Yet I doubt me wee shall not attaine therevnto, yet although wee discover not the arme which did shoote them, wee haue seized on the arrowes of their [Page 9] pernitious designes, and by the blessing of our good God, this slaunder hath not yet beene able to set her viperous teeth on our reputation, since the murdering of the Lords Annointed ones hath beene in vse; for we know what is due even to the very skirt of Saules garment: all those of our profession being alwayes well instructed, to yeeld obedience to our Kings by nature and for conscience sake; And wee alone are they throughout all their Dominions, which take the oath of fidelitie vnto them exclusiuely against all others. Certainely you which know by reading al our chronicles and your owne experience, what those Fryars be, of which there are yet a thousand brands smoaking, haue often represented vnto me, that in the heat of so many slaughters and executions wrongfully exercised against vs, there was never found any sparke of attempt amongst vs, nor any thing which hath had power, to stirre vs vp to affect a forraine Rule, and with-draw vs from the Scepter of our Birth. This is it which makes vs so iealous [Page 10] of our reputation, and so passionatly and openly to cry out for iustice, as well for the common good as our particular preservation. The which beeing often assured vnto vs by the principall Ministers of State here, with the observation of our Edicts: I dare as often vpon their credits confirme the apparencies, and the good words which his Maiestie is pleased to giue vs concerning the continuāce of the peace, the onely supporter of our state and procurement of our felicitie; And which besides makes vs hope to be found fitt to transport the generous Designes of our Noble King, beyond the ordinarie limmits, which the Spaniard hath too strickly measured out. In the meane time attending to heare from you, I will pray to God for the prosperitie of you and your braue Children, and euer remaine
HOwsoever, if we consider the puritie of Gods Word and Gospell, the integritie of Christian Religion, and the meeke simplicitie of the Professors thereof, it may well be wondred at, that crymes of Treachery, Conspiracy, and fury, should be imputed vnto them who haue (following our Saviours counsell and example) suffered patiently, intollerable and most horrible persecutions, iniuries, and reproaches, without rendring the like to their Adversaries, as iustly they haue beene incited vnto; and might haue done by the law of Retribution; yet if we call to minde the inveterate malice of Sathan, and his children, against God, his Word, and his Church, with their accustomed dealings in this kinde from time to time ever since the beginning of the world, it may be esteemed no wonder at all; No, although these of later and present times, out strip their forefathers, and Sathan now goe beyond himselfe, in inventing new and prodigious [Page 12] persecutions and slaunders against Gods people; for the Devill is grown old and cunning, and hath distilled the quintessence of fury and villany into his Imps, especially into the Iesuits heads & hearts; who having set all Christendome together by the eares, by their subtile plots and devises, to the vtter ruine thereof, (if God in mercy doe not miraculously prevent it) while themselues sit aloft and laugh to see how they make fooles of all the world, thus to dance after their Pipe, and yet can so finely carry the matter, as (good soules) not once to be suspected; but rather it appeares to vulgar eyes, that they bestow much care and labour, to discover the authors of these combustions, and to that purpose doe they (like vnholy Fathers as they are) cry out in their Bookes of the Insurrections and Rebellions of Protestants in all Countries; and here they lay on load, raking all kennels for filthy lyes and foule imputations, to bedaub vs withall, and so to make vs vgly and odious in all mens sight; but let not this temptation trouble [Page 13] vs, for its no newes, for Gods servants to be slaine and slaundered both at once: all Histories both sacred and prophane, make it manifest by multitudes of Examples, which it would be too long to rehearse in this short discourse; onely we may well wonder, that these fellowes who haue such long memories to relate what they suppose Protestants haue done; yet are so short in their owne rebellions and trecherous actions; insomuch, as one would thinke they had learned in Father Aubiguyes Schoole, the Art to forget any thing that may impeach their Catholicke cause. And therefore it were to be wished that some man of good sufficiencie would call to their remembrance, their transcendant trecheries and cruelties against Protestants, almost in all Countries of Christendome; such as the massacring of many thousands in one Kingdome, within three dayes space: Blowing vp with Gun-powder the whole State of another; besides their familiar burning of poore Christians, of all degrees, sexes, and ages; esteeming it no [Page 14] more (as one of them sayd) then the burning of an Earewig: or as another of them makes it but a matter of sport, to burne a man for some foolish opinions (as he cals them): Surely these were hugely Catholicke, but it was in monstrous crueltie and villanie.
Now that it may appeare they haue not changed their qualities, behold here one knack of their Knavery, presently set on foote; whereby thou maist perceiue, that as their father the Devill was a lyar and a murtherer from the beginning, so they as his naturall Children, will continue murtherers and lyers to the end: God Almightie send an end vnto their malice and mischiefe at length for Christs sake. Amen.