OF THE ENTERPRISES AND CONSPIRACIES, &c. 143

and other charges, that were layde vpon their shoulders, very hard and vneasie to be borne; but it is not found, that there hath an assault and murder ben done, nor conspired, against the soueraigne authoritie. Wee read of Salomon, who had imposed and layd vpon the backes of the people, that were committed vnto him by the authoritie of God, importable burdens, wherewith the subiccts felt themselves ouerturned and wholy opressed. Ieroboam, his welbeloued seruaunt, albeit hee had received news by Abias, the auncient prophet of God, that hee shold raigne ouer tenne tribes of Israell, and that there should but one of the tribes remaine in the house of Dauid; yet the saide Ieroboam, being at difference and diuision with his mayster, had rather to fie from the face of his mayster Salomon, and to go into Egipt, then to quarrell with him: notwithstanding, when Salomon was dead, and his eldest sonne, Roboam, succeeded in the kingdome, Ieroboam, by the aduertisement of the people, was enformed howe all matters went; who, when hee was returned, togither with the people, exbibited a supplication to the King to ease them of those heauie burdens, that his father had layde vppon them. Whereto King Roboam woulde not yeilde, and they went there waies, very greatly discontented. And the sai de Ieroboam raigned ouer tenne of the tribes of Israell, who crowned him Kinge and ruler ouer them: but they long continued not in that estate, but the vengeance of God fel vppon them after the death of the saide Roboam, And amongest all that is written of this goodly historie, in the book of Paralipomenon, the thirteenthe and fourteenthe chapters, and in the firste booke of Kinges, the firste, seconde, thirde, fourthe, and other chapters following, there is no mention made (though there wanted no meanes) of the practising amongest them of any other meanes, nor of any other kinde of assaulting the King, though hee were constrained to flee vnto Ierusalem) nor of Abias his sonne, that raigned after him. Wee finde also, that, in the warres, many kinges haue bene smitten and slaine; others also, by the iust iudgment of God, haue bene killed and wounded by diuerse straunge mortall woundes. The reuerence due to the king, aswell in the warres, as otherwise, hath bene, and yet is in so great accompt, that there is an obseruation in the warres, when the King is there in person, to crie aloude, Saue the Kinge, saue the Kinge.'

6

They will aledge, it was done vppon wrath and indignation, for that which was executed vppon, Mounsire de Guyse by hys Maiesties commaundement,

I aunsweare them: It is not the part of a seruaunt, nor of any other whomsoeuer, to make himselfe equall and euenlyke, nor to compare himselfe with the aucthority, power, or highnes of an emperor, kinge, or magistrate, who executeth and disposeth of his affaires, as pleaseth himselfe, and according to his good counsell: after whose example, and in imitation of hym, if perticuler persons shoulde take vppon them to make ordinaunces, and to entermeddle in the rule and gouernment of the ciuil estate and the affaires of the kingdome, what order, what gouernment, what iustice shoulde wee haue therein? To whom might it bee saide, that the obedience were due, which wee protest to yeild, in the name of God, to our superiours, whome hee hath ordeined and established ouer his people.

There is no question, nor controuersie, but that a long time there hath bene verie secret practising against the Kinge; for his Maiesties owne selfe hath often discouered verie euident tokens thereof, whereby hee might easilie bee perswaded of their canckred heartes toward him; as may appeare by the serching and sifting, that the house of Guyse hath made, as being descended from Charlemaine, vpholding the bull of Pope Stephen, in the behalfe of Pepin, Kinge of Fraunce, and of his wife, with their two issues males, one of the which was the same Charlemaine the which bull (next after the consecrating and anoynting of the regality, in the person of the saide Pepin and his wife, by the same pope) conteineth a iudgment of curse against them that shoulde persume to enterprise the French scepter, and preuaile to obtaine the same, except they were such, as shoulde discend from the saide Pepin and his race. There haue bene other sufficient occasions brought to light, which I will passe in silence.

But I wonder why they laid that so long aside, and opposed not themselves, to them that have raigned sithence that time. I wotte well that they have ruled and gouerned in Fraunce in their time, and that nothing was done, but what they allowed for the most part.

And to alleadge at this daie, that the king had hardely dealt with them: Hee that had brought to light so many dealinges, and enterprises, they indeuoring and purposing to aide and defend themselves with a league and association (in a manner) of all the townes and communalties of all Fraunce, where they could get audience. This kinde of proceding was, in truth, concluded and determined from the councel of Trent: and being assured of a great number of people, as well churchmen, as gentlemen, and of the thirde estate, vnder colour of the revniting of fayth and religion, and also of the asswaging and lessening, of the impositions, taxes, and subsidies, that the Kinge demanded, by reason of the necessity of the affaires of his kingdome; and of other prankes, wherwith, I may well say, a great number of folke were bewitched, forsaking their kinge, who onlye hath power and authoritie in his kingdome to take order in all such matters, the which people stayed themselues upon certaine perticuler persons, that have not any meane to accomplish the same, but only by taking their swordes in hande, and altogether to inforce the Kinge to graunt to their minds, or else to constraine him to yeild up his scepter; and intending thus to winne the authoritie that they seeke to haue ouer all Fraunce; to bring all things into confusion and disorder; to murder all them that should refuse to be obedient to their will; to sease their goods and possessions; to recompenee the heades of these warres, for their good seruice imployed for this league, at their costes. These matters are wel ynough knowne to many, by the actions that they have committed, yea, and after what sort they have led the Kings Maiestie about, who, for a certaine space, distrusted not their hipocrisie and dissimulation. But they could not so couertlye and cunningly playe their game, but it was espyed, how they had deliberated to shutte the Kinge up in a religious house, there to finish the rest of his dayes.

Now when this confederacie and league was thus confirmed and

setled, and the time of the execution of their intent drewe neere, we know howe the Kinge was constrained to withdrawe himself from Paris, and all those matters that ensued thervppon, vntill the assembly of his general estats at Bloys.. At which place, in the beginning, the Kinge of Nauarra, and all those of his race, are declared to be vnmeet and vncapable to succeed to the crowne of Fraunce, as men attained and convicted of heresie, in their onely judgement, with confiscation of all their possessions. In which place they thought veryly to have accomplished and attained to the perfection of their secrete intents and complots. But when matters stirred and turned otherwise then they expected, and the estates ceased, they must needes open the closet of their heartes, whereby were reuealed their fautors and assisters. And, even as there was left but one tribe of the children of Israell in the house of David, in the handes of Kinge Roboam, the lawful and naturall sonne, and rightfull successor of his father Salomon; so did the Kinge finde himselfe stripped of all his good townes, noblemen, and an infinit number of men at armes, so that that he had no sure accesse nor place of retrait, saving in the lesser part of his kingdome, though there were many of his side in the protestant townes, but the force was not in their hands. Seeing themselues then thus strong, they cried, God saue the League, God saue the League:' The which word, because it seemed odious, they haue changed into Vnion.

The Kinge weighing and considering this kinde of proceeding, and perceiving their demeanors, pride and ambition, setling and rooting in the heartes of these hypocrites, the taking of his townes, borroughes, castels, and strong holdes, with double assurance of men in pay, and out of pay; it was necessarie for him to craue aid els where; and as hee was alwaies well assured of the good will of the Kinge of Nauarra, his brother-in-law, toward him, so did he not sticke nor make any difficultie to call him to his aide: Where to the saide lord would not in any respect disobey, notwithstanding the rigour of the edicts and declarations that the saide King of Fraunce had made against my saide Lord the King of Nauarra, and his aiders, and had caused their goods and possessions, both mouable and unmouable, to bee solde, according to the desire of his enemies the leaguers, besides other matters which they caused the saide deceased kinge to doe by force, for the most part, and wherein most often hee knew not what hee did. Which matters the saide lord, the Kinge of Nauarra, hath sufficiently set downe at large in all his protestations that he hath made to his Maiestie.

Now Sathan, seeking like a roaring lion whom he may deuour, perceiuing this good and holie agreement and reconciliation, with the good will of the faithfull protestantes of the Kings side, he could no longer stay himselfe in assurance, forasmuch as his deuises went euill forward. For these of the Kinges side, taking courage, haue brought manic sheepe backe againe to their owne fold. Herewithall, hee perceived howe the straunger tooke the cause in hand, and stirred against the disturbers of the common tranquilitie. They coulde not otherwise judge, for the behoof of the cause, but to persecute the head, that the members might be the sicker.

In this iudgment and opinion, there bee many sortes of folke. For some of them ought to bee plaine and continent in their willes ; others are bolde and ignorant, ledde by their owne affection without iudgment; other some, contrarie to their solitarines, are forerunners, who, contrarie to their profession, entermeddle to doe things cleane contrarie to all honest conuersation, which causeth them to be euill liked, of such as desire to walke plainlie in their vocation. All the which kindes of folke, thus put together, cannot, in their particular passions, which are without all holines and pietie, rightly nor fitly giue any good counsell for such matters as are to be done; for they prefer their wicked intention (which is transported with pride and vnsatiable couetousnes) before all good affection, and the saftie of the common weale. And all of them so put together, without foresight of that which is to come, reiecting all manner of knowledge of God, cannot deliberate any other thing, sauing onely the cutting away of the head of the tree, that the braunches might wither away the

sooner.

This counsell was holden at Paris, whereat were present at that time the principall heads of this league, in which place, Sathan offered one worse then Iudas, for Iudas kissed his maister after he had sold him, and acknowledged his offence afterwards. But this young man, a lacobin frier of religion, hath made no difficulty nor sticking, to wound to death him, that so hartily loued that order aboue all the whole nations of religious persons, who had cherished them, as they that were welcome about his person. This will I say, it is no noueltie that they begin to doe evill. I will produce an emperour that was poysoned by a halowed hoast, empoisoned notwithstanding, which was presented unto him by a Iacobin. This order of friers preachers haue alwaies bene very desirous to bee welcome amongest men of high calling, and to undertake odious offices, as to be of the inquysition of fayth, and others. These of the league, upon consideration thereof, prouoke and styrre more and more thys poore cursed wretch, within whose hart Sathan lodged, to keepe him alwaies in this cursed mind. Upon the resolution hereof, they prepared him a knife for this purpose, which they double poisoned with such kind of poyson, that, though the party stryken with thys instrument dye not presentlie, yet it shall not be possible for him to escape, nor liue long after.

Upon Tuesday, the first of August, very early in the morning, this divelish person taketh his iorney, purposing to find his Maiesty at S. Clou, two small leagues from Paris: attending his vprising, for feare of losing the occasion to speake with him; being well assured to have entrance to him, in respect of the fauor that the Kinge bore vnto them; hauing in his hand a letter or missive, to deliuer vnto him from the first president of Paris, as the report goeth, whome they detaine prisoner.

Assoone as hee was aduertised that hee might conueniently speake with the Kinge, hee entereth with a bolde face, as hardy as a lyon, and, like a bloody traitor, gave him the lube, with a very lowe and humble curtesie, offering vnto him the said pretended writing of the

same president; and comming neer to his Maiestie, hee signified unto him, how hee had another secret to declare vnto him. The King, hearing the same, caused two gentlemen to goe out, that served him at his vprising. Then this Iacobin, continuing in his wicked mind, drew this knife, and therewith thrust the Kinge into the little belly, as they call it; the which stroke entred not into his body, neyther dyed hee presentlie. The Kinge seeing this, and being mooved, laid hold of a dagger that lay neere unto hym, and therwith stroke the saide monke, who, being hurt with the stroke, and much affrighted, fell presently down for feare: howbeit not dead, but, as is commonly sene, a malefactor is never settled and assured in conscience, when he goeth about to execute such a crueltie. Thys wretched monk, being worse feared then hurt, had leysure to speake.

Upon the which noise, the saide gentlemen sodenly came in againe, with others, who, by the Kings commandement, slue him not, but tooke him up. After the Kinge was dressed, cuen so far, that hee had seuen stiches with a needle, as the report goeth, hee gaue commande ment for the examination of the saide monke, which was accomplished; and he declared who set him on, the authors, and all other informations, with his name and vocation, and that he was not counterfayted, but of the saide order. Which being finished, through impatiency he was kylled, suffering aboue a hundred thrusts with daggers; and, which is worthy the maruayling at, it is reported, that the said monkes flesh became as black as a uery rauen, which ys easie to be beleeued, because Sathan dwelt wythin hym, and then the iudgement of God that appeareth to men in diuerse sorts; behold here a pytyfull tragedy.

But, as God will serue his purpose with men, by many and diuerse sortes, the Kinge, being yet of good chere, with the hope which hee had conceiued that his wound might mend, sent with speede for his brother-in-lawe the King of Nauarra, the lordes of his court, gouernours, captaines that were in his armie, and especially the heads of the straungers that were in his countrie, to the intent that, if it so fell out that hee died, the disorder and misrule should not be so great, that all the armie should be broken up, nor an unmeasurable confusion ensue therevpon. When they were all thus assembled, God put into the Kinges mouth so stedfast and stated speach, as though he had felt no griefe, and began to signify to the assemblie, that the lawfull succession of the royall estate of Fraunce fell not to any other, sauing in the person of Burbon; and, declaring at that time the Kinge of Nauarra first successor, he prayed and exhorted the whole companie so to acknowledge him, and to be faithfull vnto him; and to protest all with one voice the acknowledging and taking in good part of this deede, and true obedience, as to the true and lawfull heire, and to cause the like promise and acknowledgment to bee made in the campe by all true and faithfull captaines and souldiers, that could not bee present at the saide assembly, aswell naturall Frenchmen as straungers, who all, with gladness of hart (though otherwise sad and sorrowful for his Maiesties wound) swore to execute the Kinges will.

Vpon the ordering and disposing of all matters in this sorte, the Kinge sent letters into all places, where he had yet the full gouernment,