The declarations as vvell of the French King, as of the King of Nauarre Concerning the truce agreed vpon betwene their Maiesties: and touching the passage of the riuer of Loire.

THE FRENCH KINGS DECLARATION VPON THE TRVCE BY HIS MAIESTIE, graunted to the king of Nauarre, conteyning the speciall causes and reasons there∣to moouing him.

HEnrie by the grace of God, king of France and Poland. To our trustie and welbeloued, the Officers of our courts of Parlemēt, gouernors and lieutenants general of our Prouin∣ces, Bailiffes, Seneschalles, Pro∣uostes, or their Lieutenants, & to all other our officers & subiects, to whom it may appertaine, Greeting. If the trueth of things be iudged by that which appeareth vnto men, as it ought to be, sith they can haue no other certaine proofe, and that to God onely it appertaineth to search the inward parts and affections of mens hearts: the since∣ritie of our zeale and deuotion to the holy faith, and Catho∣lique, Apostolique and Romane religion doeth sufficientlie defend it selfe against all slaunders & deceits, by the proofes which we haue yeelded from our youth, and alwaies conti∣nued, as well in our life and ordinarie profession, as in fur∣thering by al meanes, yea euen by armes, without sparing our owne life, the aduauncement of Gods glorie, and esta∣blishment of the said Catholique, Apostolique and Roman religion in all places of this Realme, where it hath bene changed & altred through the bringing in of a new opinion,

to our great grief & displeasure. Wherin our principal hin∣derance hath not proceeded so much of the industry and force of the followers and defenders of the said new opinion, as of others, who shrowding themselues vnder a false pretēce of zeale to the said Catholique Religion, haue a long time sought to seduce the most part of our Catholique Subiects by false perswasions, and practised a League and secret as∣sociation among themselues: whereof they were the chiefe∣taines, vnder colour of assuring after vs (if God should call vs out of this world without issue) the preseruation of the said Catholique religion, against such of the new opinion as might pretend to succéede vs in this Crowne.

But their end and purpose tending to the vsurpation and parting of the same among themselues, after they had made them a partie among our said Catholique subiects, and vn∣derpropped them selues by intelligences with strangers, who might seeke the weakening of this Realme, to en∣crease their authoritie and greatnesse. They haue dis∣played against our person & authoritie, the secrets of their damnable driftes: First by backbiting and misreporting our actions, to bring them into hatred with our people, and to drawe their affections to themselues vnder a plausible hope which they ioyned with the pretence of religion, viz. to ease them of the charges, which the troubles of the time had brought vpon them: yet neuerthelesse their behauiours in places vnder their commaund, were no fauourable wit∣nesses of their promises in that behalfe. Then beyng vn∣pacient of farther stay, they tooke and leuied armes openly against vs, the fruite whereof should principally turne to their particular profit, in respect of such aduantages & con∣ditions as they would haue wrested from vs. The effect of the same importing no other then the ruine and destruction of our subiects and all aduancement of the Catholike reli∣gion, against the which the continuall enterprises of the a∣foresaid against vs and our auctoritie, haue debarred vs from doing that endeuour that had bene requisit to represse

their procéedings. And in case the first assayes of their said armies were pernitious to this state, the sequele is yet more hurtfull and daungerous, hauing by their subtil∣ties newly replenished France with trouble and vniuer∣sall ciuill warre, seditions, contempt of magistrates, bloud, pillage, ransomings, sacke of goods both sacred and profane, forcing of women and maidens, and infinite other kinds of inhumanities and disorders, such as the like was ne∣uer séene or heard of, & all to the great preiudice not one∣ly of our auctoritie and royall person (against whom they haue openly declared themselues, not being ashamed to publish that they sought after our very life) but also of this florishing Crowne in generall, which they purpose to share and dismember among themselues, with the associa∣tion of strangers to the great dishonour and obloquie of the French name, but specially of the nobilitie in old time of such fame and estimation through out the whole world for their vertue, prowesse and singular loue & fidelitie to their Kings: yea and which is worse, to the great detriment of the Catholike, Apostolike: Romane religion. For besides that ciuil warre corrupteth good maners, & alienateth mēs harts no lesse from all piety and reuerence to the honour of God, then from all humaine charitie: this diuision is the very meanes for those of the contrarie opinion to enlarge and ncrease their conquests. The which neuerthelesse we pur∣posing to preuent to our power, and endeuoring to reduce all things into a good order, whereto through Gods grace we had brought them, and where from wée were diuerted through these present troubles, wée haue yet since the be∣ginning of y^e same sought al meanes to vs possible by cour∣tesie to reduce all our Catholike subiects to a good & firme re∣union vnder our obedience, and by the meanes of the same to put in execution that which, at their instant request we promi-sed in the assembly of our Estates.

Howbeit so farre was the hardnesse of their hartes from being mollified or bent to any compassion of so many mis∣chiefes

which they haue caused, as not cōtent with the disor∣ders passed, no not with the raising of most of our townes against vs, the slaying, imprisoning or deposing of our offi∣cers, the ransoming of the wealthiest of ourrealme of what degrée, state, qualitie, kind, condition or age soeuer, yea euen the Clergie, the breaking of our seales, defacing of our armes, renting and shamefull handling of our pictures, the establishing of Counsels and officers at their owne fan∣tasies, the spoiling of our treasury, with all other actes of contempt, derision, hostility and cruelty: but also heaping iniury vpon iniury, they prepared to come and assaile our own person with artillery taken out of our storehouses, and armies composed as well of our said rebellious subiects as of strangers in part contrary to the Catholike, Apostolike, and Roman religion, whereof they neuerthelesse proclaime themselues the onely protectors, to the ende togither with our selues to oppresse all our good Catholike subiects and seruaunts, in stéed of addressing themselues against those of the contrary opinion whom they suffer in peace and li∣berty to stretch as farre as they list, as indéed they haue not ouerslipped the occasion. For the king of Nauarre while we were preparing and furnishing our selues of forces for our warrantize against the bad intents of the said rebels, tooke and seazed vpon our townes of Niort, S. Maixant, Maillezais, Chastelleraut, Lodune, Lisle Bouchart, Mon∣treuilbelay, Argenton, and Blanc in Berry, and ad∣uanced his forces néere to this towne, whither we were come vpon the first day of his said exploits, to the ende to take what order we could for the stopping of him from pro∣céeding any farther. Thus in the end knowing our selues vnable to performe with our weapons, at such time as we were vpon necessitie to employ them in the preseruation and defence of our owne person, together withour said good subiects and seruants against the rage and violence of the said rebels whom we found inflexible to any conditions of reconciliation, vpon such motions as we had caused to be

made vnto them: and againe considering that albeit our¦selues did know that he sought not, as they, to assault our life and authoritie, yet our said good subiects might neuer∣thelesse be greatly molested by his weapōs, in case we tooke not from him all occasion to employ them according as the present estate of the affaires of this Realme did minister o∣portunitie: and on the otherside being vrged & pressed by the cries and complaints of our prouinces, molested by his par∣takers, to prouide some remedy, and that rather by some surcease of hostility then otherwise, without the which their force failing for to defend thēselues, togither with the meanes to entertaine men of warre, all hope of ability to sustaine their liues & families was taken from them, and some of them constrained through the violence of the euill, had of themselues compounded already. All these said rea∣sons by vs brought into deliberation with the princes of our bloud, the officers of our Crowne and others of our Coun∣saile about vs, among these extremities we could find no other meanes then to take and yéeld to our said subiects some release from warres on the behalfe of the sayd King of Nauarre. And therefore to the same effect wée haue graunted to him for himselfe and all his partakers a Truce and abstinence of warre and of all hostilitie, according to his request vnto vs made in acknowledgement of his duetie toward vs, and being moued with compassion for the miseries whereunto this realme is now brought, which moueth all such as yet retaine the feeling of good French∣men to helpe to quench the fire of diuision that consumeth it and still threatneth the vtter ruine thereof, wherefro we neuerthelesse hope that God of his goodnesse will yet pre∣serue vs to his glory against the driftes and endeuours of those who for their priuate ambition do desire and prose∣cute the dissipation thereof: which Truce and abstinence from armes we meane shalbe generall throughout our Realme for the space of one whole yeare, beginning the third of this present moneth and ending at the like day

including both the one & the other for all our good and faith∣full subiects that acknowledge our authoritie, yelding vs their due obedience, as also for the state of Auignon and Countie of Venise appertaining to our holy Father the Pope, whom we will to be therein comprised, and that his said subiectes may enioy it as being vnder our protection: with this charge and condition besides promised by the said king of Nauarre, who hath vndertaken for all his parta∣kers, that he shall not during the said Truce employ his power or armies in any place either within or without this Realme without our commaundemēt or consent: That he shall not enterprise or suffer to be enterprised or attempted any thing in such place & places of the coūtreys where our authoritie is acknowledged. And that wheresoeuer he shall passe or soiourne, except in those places which he held before the day aforesaid, he shall not change or permit any change or alteration in matter concerning the Catholicke Aposto∣licke and Romane Religion, neither that any harme or molestation be offered to our Catholicke subiects, Clergie∣men, or others that abide faithfull vnto vs or are good ser∣uaunts, either in their persons, goods or otherwise howsoe∣uer: that if during this warre he or his do take any townes, castles, or other places by force, surprise or intelligence, either do enter in what sorte soeuer, he shall immediatly leaue & permit them to be in our frée disposition, according as he hath promised vs. That in respect of the premisses the said king of Nauarre and his partakers shall haue the benefite of their goods, and the same to enioy so long as the said Truce shall continue: As also interchangeably they shall permit the Catholicks both Clergie men & others our good seruaunts to enioy their goods and reuenewes in those places that they do hold.

We farther will & command you, that euery one of you so farre as it may concerne him, to obserue and procure the obseruing of the said Truce and abstinence of armes with all the contents aboue mentioned from point to point, ac∣cording

to the forme and tenour thereof without gainsay∣ing or suffering any gainsaying of the same. Also to pro∣cure these presentes to be read, published and enrolled, according as néed shall require, to the end no man pretend any cause of ignoraunce: By the which we protest that be∣side so much as concerneth the defence of our person and estat against the violence of the said rebells, we haue bene also moued to make and agrée to the said Truce for the be∣nefite that redoundeth to our Catholicke, Apostolicke & Ro∣mane Religion, and the relief of our good subiects, as there∣by hauing stopped the progresse which the king of Nauarre & his partakers without this present remedy might haue made to the great detriment of our Religiō, & the oppressiō of our said good subiects, whilest our forces, occupied about the effect aforesaid, could not haue bene opposed against him: We do moreouer protest against the said rebells for their infringing of the vnion of all Catholicke subiectes, sworne and confirmed to vs by the Deputies of our Ge∣nerall Estates in their last assembly: as also we vrge them to reioyne themselues vnder our authoritie for the preser∣uation and aduauncement of the Catholicke Apostolicke and Romane Religion, for that they onely are guiltie be∣fore God of all the calamitie that may ensue of the said de∣uision to the preiudice of his honour and his holy Church, whereof the warre that they make against vs is the onely cause. Remaining for our owne part fully resolued ne∣uer to depart from any one poinct that may appertaine to the preseruation and exaltation of the said Catholicke A∣postolick and Romane Religion, and to perseuere in this holy entent through Gods grace, which we continually implore to our helpe for this effect vnto the last gaspe of our life. And for asmuch as in many and diuerse pla∣ces they may haue néede of these presentes, wée will that vpon the sight thereof being duely examined by one of our welbeloued and trustie Notaries or Secretaries,

credit be giuen therto, as to this present original: For such is our pleasure.

Giuen at Tours the sixt and twentieth of April, in the yere of grace, one thousand fiue hundred foure score and nine.
And of our reigne the fifteenth.

Thus Signed.
HENRY.

And vnderneath, By the king.
REVOL.

And sealed vpon a single lable with the great seale in yealow waxe.