The history of the famous Edict of Nantes containing an account of all the persecutions that have been in France from its first publication to this present time : faithfully extracted from all the publick and private memoirs, that could possibly be procured / printed first in French, by the authority of the states of Holland and West-Friezland, and now translated into English.

The First Book.

A Summary of the Contents of the First Book.

The Occasion, Design, and Platform of this Work. The Beginning of the Reformation, and its Causes. Its Entrance into France. How it was received at Meaux, and at Bearn. The Execution of John le Clerc, and Lewis Berquin. The State of Religion in Germany. The Schismin England. The Inclination of Francis the I. towards the Reformation, and how he was diverted from it by the Cardinal de Tournon. An Accommodation proposed. The Synods of Bourges, and of Paris. The Beginning of Cal∣vin's Doctrine. The Year of the Placards, or Remonstrances. The Devotions and Executions ordered upon them. Edicts against the Lutherans. The Council of Trent, and its Translation. The Death of King Francis. Henry the Second persecutes the Prote∣stants. The Edict of Chateau-Briant. The King protests a∣gainst the Councils being transferred back again to Trent. The Dutchess of Valentinois Cruel to the Protestants. The Great Cre∣dit and Influence of the Clergy. The Business of Merindol and Cabrieres. New Severities and Punishments that forward the pro∣gress

of the Reformation. Protestant Churches formed at Paris, and other places. The Spirit of Moderation prevails upon several Judges. An Assembly at Paris. The Character of Catharine de Medicis. Calumnies against the Protestants. The Psalms sung in publick. The Original of the Factions. The Constancy of Andelot, and his Disgrace. The Counsellors of the Parliament of Paris suspected as to their Religion. The first Protestant Na∣tional Synod in France. The Death of Henry the Second. The State of the Court. The Nature of the Intrigues then carri∣eh on there, with the Character of the Heads of them. How Re∣ligion came to be made use of in them. Courts of Justice Erected for the Burning of pretended Hereticks, called, Burning Cham∣bers. The ensnaring Superstitions used towards Images, to disco∣ver and intrap the Protestants. The Tragical Execution of Counsellour Du Bourg. The Apologetical Writings, published by the Protestants, which exasperate the Higher Powers. A Project against Arbitrary Power. The Enterprise of Amboise. The Cru∣elties of the Court. The Original of the Word Huguenot. An appearance of Moderation. The Imprisonment of the Prince of Conde. The Death of Francis the Second, falsly imputed to the Protestants. The General Estates assembled, who seem to favour them. The Rise of the Triumvirate. The Conference at Poissy. The setling of the Jesuits at Paris. The Fickleness and Inconstancy of the Car∣dinal of Lorrain, and of the King of Navarr. A Sedition at Paris a∣gainst the Protestants. The Massacre of Vaissy after the Edict pub∣lished in January. The strength of the Protestants. The Admirals short continuance in Favour. The first War against the Protestants be∣gun by the Queens Orders, but afterward disowned by her. The League between the Pope, the King of Spain, and the Guises, against the Protestants. The Cruelties of Monluc, and of Adrets, and of the Roman Catholicks in general. The Massacre at Sens. Foreign For∣ces brought into France. The Battel of Dreux. The Siege of Orleans. The Death of the Duke of Guise, with which our Author charges the Admiral. Peace agreed upon. The Marriage of the Cardinal of Cha∣tillon, and what followed thereupon. Tithes secured to the Roman Clergy. The retaking of Havrede Grace from the English. Prosecuti∣ons against the Admiral. The End of the Council of Trent. A Revo∣lution in Bearn. New causes of Jealousie given to the Protestants. The

Voyage of the Court, and the Counsel of the Duke of Alva. The pro∣gress of the Reformed Churches, The Reconciliation of the Admiral with the Guises. The Enterprise of Meaux, and its consequences. A Peace clapt up before Chartres, without any design to observe it. The 3d War. The Death of the Prince of Conde, and of Andelot. Bat∣tels lost. The Admiral restores the Party, and gives new life to them. A fraudulent peace. The incredible Artifices of the Court. The Massa∣cre of St. Bartholomew. The Princes of the Blood obliged by force to change their Religion. The Inconstancy of Des Rosiers. The Sieges of Rochelle and Sancerve. Factions in France. The Duke of A∣lanson Protector of the Protestants, and of those called the Politicks. The Death of Charles the 9th. Henry the 3d returning from Poland, and succeeding him, continues the War. The Retreat of the Princes. A peace broken as soon as made. The Edict of 1577. Synods. The Con∣ferences of Nerca and de Fleix. The King eludes the Edict under pretence of observing it. Outrages committed by the Leaguers against the King, who is forced against his Will, to make War upon the Protestants. The Courage of the King of Navar. La Trimouille turns Protestant. The Battle of Courtras. The Defeat of the Reiters. The Death of the Prince of Conde. The Edict of Ʋnion. The Insolence of the Leaguers. The Estates held at Blois. The Death of the Duke of Guise, and of the Cardinal his Brother. The Duke of Mayenne es∣caping revives the Leaguers party. The extremity of the King's Af∣fairs. He makes a Truce with the Protestants. The King's Affairs in a State of Recovery. He besieges Paris, and is stabb'd by a Monk.

THE Reformation, which changed the Face of Religion all over Europe, at the beginning of the last Age, met with great Oppositions wherever it was preached. For the Court of Rome used her utmost Endeavours to extinguish at its very Birth a Light that was likely to prove so fatal to her Grandeur, and set in motion all the Springs of her most Refined Politicks, to maintain the Errors and Abuses from which she drew such vast gains, against those Enemies that so clearly revealed and laid open its ambitious Artifices. She raised against them all the dif∣ferent Bodies of her Clergy, whose miserable Ignorance and Corrup∣tion they so briskly attackt. She spared neither her Bulls nor Ana∣thema's, to render them odious to all the World. She armed against

them all the Temporal Powers, where she had Credit enough to procure her Maxims to be embrac'd; and on the other side, the Princes of those Times, who had their secret aims for the advan∣cing of their Authority, were glad of so fair an occasion to satis∣fy their Ambition, and greedily laid hold on't. For the aspiring passion after Arbitrary Power had so possest the Heads of the Sove∣raigns then Reigning, that thinking their Power too much confi∣ned by some certain Relicks of Liberty, which were by the Laws preserved to the people, they were ravish'd to meet so patly with a Religious Pretence to employ one part of their Subjects to ruine the other, as being very confident, that when the soundest and most understanding part of them should be once oppressed, they should easily master the rest. And the Court of Rome likewise in her turn, when she smelt out the Intentions of the Princes, was in no small fear of them, as well as of her pretended Heretick Enemies; and looking upon Absolute Power as a Jewel fit only to be reserv'd fot the Triple Crown, she never sincerely assisted those whose power was in a State of giving her any Umbrage in that ticklish preten∣sion. Yet for all these precautions the Emperor Charles the 5th up∣on this occasion, had very like to have reduced all Germany under his Yoak, but that after he had defeated the Protestants, an unexpe∣cted Revolution reduced into Smoke all the prosperities of his life; And his Son Philip the 2d was still more unfortunate, in that by his ill-managed attempts upon the Liberties of the 17 Provinces, he gave the first Motion to those mighty concussions that have since proved so ruinous to the Greatness of his House. But the Crown of France has succeeded better in those designs; for tho in the con∣test it has been reduced more than once to the very brink of Ru∣in, yet Religion has been at last so useful an Expedient to its Mo∣narchs, to advance their power beyond all bounds, that they at this day acknowledge no other limits to it but their own lawless Wills. However, all the Oppositions formed by divers Interests a∣gainst the progress of the Reformation, were not able to hinder it from spreading every where in a very few years time. It was too necessary and too just, not to find some hearts disposed to embrace it; and a multitude of good Souls had too long groaned under the intolerable Yoke of the Superstitions and Tyranny of Rome, not to receive with open arms those which preached with such forcible

Evidence against her Corruptions, as well in points of Doctrine and Worship, as of Manners and Discipline. But yet it met not every where with the same contradictions, nor with the same easie suc∣cesses. For there were some States where it was receiv'd almost without resistance, others where it found such Obstacles which it could never surmount, and others again where the Difficulties it met with could not be mastered but by an infinite number of Cros∣ses and Pains. France was one of the places where the longest op∣positions were raised against it, and it was firmly setled in many o∣ther parts of Europe, before it was known what would be its de∣stiny in France; and if we except the 10 or 12 last years of Henry IV. it may truly be said, it never enjoyed any peace there, and that since its first dawning in that great Kingdom, till now it has always been persecuted. For if its Adversaries have seemed sometimes to give it any respite, and to renounce the further use of any violent means to oppress it, 'Twas only to gain opportunity to compass it by other more hidden, and consequently more dangerous and ef∣fectual practices. They have successively employ'd against it Capital punishments, Wars, fraudulent Treaties, Massacres, and all the Artifi∣ces of a profound and refined policy, and whenever they met with a Juncture of time they thought favourable to their design, they ne∣ver were ashamed divers times to make use of the most odious and infamous methods of Sham Processes, Law quirks, and down right breach of Faith, to promote its Ruin. And even in our days they have pursued the Remainder of the Reformed, with penal Executi∣ons and Massacres, because they found them too weak and disu∣nited to defend themselves. It is not to be imagined what has passed in that Kingdom upon this occasion, especially within these last 30 years. Certainly never did over powering Force, or wheed∣ling Treachery, in any other Age or Place produce Effects either so infamous to their Authors, or so dismal and fatal to Millions of ignorant people who demanded nothing else but bare Liberty of Conscience, and who giving no occasion by their Conduct, either to be fear'd or hated, had reason to expect nothing less than to be treated with those unparallel'd Cruelties and Injustices with which they have all along been so implacably pursued.

I have undertaken in this Work to inform Posterity of what has been done in France towards the bringing that design to its

proposed end. But my project would be too much above my Power, if I should take upon me to give you the History of all that has hap'ned in that Kingdom upon that account, from the first Preaching of the Reformation, to our days, such a work as that would be great enough to deserve to be parted among se∣veral persons. And therefore observing that the time relapsed since that new Light first begun to shine in the World, till our time may naturally be divided into 2 periods almost equal in du∣ration, viz. The first, containing all the Occurrences of about 80 Years, till the Edict of Nants, when the Churches enjoyed a little Respite. And the other comprehending the Transactions which have past since that famous Edict to our days. I thought I might pass over the first period, without speaking much upon it, as well because the Histories of that Time are so full of events that re∣late to Religion, whose concerns were then so intermixed with those of the State, that it was impossible to separate them; as be∣cause the short Account I shall give of them, will be sufficient to inform the Reader of all he needs to know of the affairs of those times, to enable him to understand those which have followed since; but I shall make it my main business to unfold the Events of the second Period, because the affairs of Religion that belong to that space of time, are not so well known, and that we have as yet no faithful Collection of them in any History extant.

The ground of my subject shall therefore be the Edict of Nants, all the consequences and dependencies of which, I here undertake to represent as exactly as I could draw them out of all the publick and private Memoirs it was possible for me to get, having bound myself under the obligations of a very strict Resolution, not to write any thing for which I could not produce good Authority. But first, that they which are not better informed otherwise▪ may see at least in general what passed before that Edict, without some knowledg of which he cannot perfectly understand the justice and advantage of it; I will premise a summary account of what past in France about Religion, till the Death of Henry III. And be∣cause Henry IV. who succeeded him, was the Author of the Edict which is the principal Subject of my Discourse, and which that Prince granted to his Protestant Subjects, as a Recompence of their faithful Services, I will begin to treat amply of those transactions

that concern the Reformation, since the Crown was devolved upon that K. After which it will be much more easy to discern whether that Edict was a Favour extorted, or a pure Effect of Gratitude and Justice; and whether the continual Contraventions of the Successors of that Great Monarch, in prejudice to that Work of his Wisdom, and the solemn Revocation that was made of it some few years a∣go, to the great astonishment of all Europe, be proper Motives to induce posterity to bless the Memory of their Authors.

After Luther once began to preach against Popery in Germany, there past but a very little time before his Doctrine was commu∣nicated to France; and tho the Faculties of Divinity, and parti∣cularly that of the Sorbon, as well as the rest, had condemned it, yet inspite of all they could do, it found Disciples every where which greedily received it. Learning, which the favour and encourage∣ment of Francis I. had newly revived, had inlightned many per∣sons, and made them ashamed of the great number of Errors which had been introduced and establisht in the times of Ignorance; and the Benevolence of that liberal Prince inticed into his Dominions all the choice men of Learning that were to be found in the rest of Europe, because the Pensions and Priviledges he bestowed upon them sufficiently secured them both from contempt and misery; Among whom there were some that came from Germany, where they had taken some tincture of the Doctrine which was called New, either out of the Sermons and Books of Luther, or by read∣ing of the Scriptures, which were dispersed into the hands of all the World. They imparted the same light to others, many of which took a liking to those Opinions accounted New, because they were already disposed to it by the contempt they had justly conceived for their blind Conductors. For in earnest, the Ignorance of the ordinary▪ Pastors was so great, that many of them could only read, almost all of them led scandalous Lives, and their Corruption was so general, that those of them which had no other Vice but an in∣sat••able Covetousness, and an unmeasurable Ambition, might be called vertuous men, in comparison of their other more profligate compani∣ons. Yet among the very Clergy themselves, they which had any relicks left them of Modesty or Piety, were asham'd of the abuses which were laid to the Charge of the Roman Church; and tho the greatest part of them were more inclin'd to keep their Vices and their Errors

than to hazard by a Reformation, both their Greatness and Re∣venues, or to subject their Lives to the Rules of a stricter Morali∣ty, yet there were not wanting even some Bishops whose Eyes were stricken with this Light; Brissonnet, Bishop of Meaux, was one of that number; He got some tincture of the Reformation at Paris, at some Conferences there held between 3 or 4 Learned Men, whom he heard with so much delight, that he carried them into his Dio∣cess, and permitted them to spread their Opinions there. He further gave leave to his people to read the holy Scriptures, and made no opposition to Conferences and Meetings, and sometimes he took the liberty himself to preach the same Doctrine which those private men taught; so that in little time there were at Meaux above 400 persons who had imbibed Luther's Opinions. But at last, the Re∣proaches of the other Bishops, the threats of being prosecuted for Heresy, and the fear of losing a Bishoprick so commodious for them that love the Court for the Neighbourhood of Paris, prevail'd o∣ver Brissonnet, and reduc'd him to the profession of his former Er∣rors; after which, his Doctors finding no longer security in his Diocess, separated, and shifted every one for himself. Le Fevre, who was one of them, found protection at the Court of Navar, where he was well received by the Queen, who was Sister to Francis I. and as great a Favourer of Learned Men, as the King her Brother. Roussel, one of his Companions, after a Journey into Germany, came back to Bearn, where the same Princess gave him a like entertainment as to the former, and both of them together so strongly inspired her with their Opinions, that she retained them to her dying day, tho for several years 'twas thought she had quitted them.

These two men lost no time in those remote Provinces, and pre∣pared the minds of the people there the more easily to embrace the Doctrine of Calvin, when it came to be preached there 10 or 12 years after. Their Retreat hindred not the Church which they had in some measure formed at Meaux, from preserving itself, and in∣creasing, which was the Reason that was the first place where the Courts of Justice began to take cognizance of those pretended No∣velties. One John Clerk, who had an indifferent understanding in the Scriptures, the only book he had studied, served for a Guide to those converted people, who received corporal punishment for calling the Pope Antichrist, and after he had been banished from Meaux up∣on

that account, was not long after burnt at Mets, because his Zeal had transported him so far as to break an Image. Six years af∣ter, Lewis Berquin was condemn'd at Paris, to the same punishment, for teaching the Doctrine of Luther.

The progress of the Reformation was more rapid in Germany, where it was embrac'd by several Princes and States, who in the year 1530, presented their Confession of Faith to the Emperor, and within a little while found themselves strong enough to League to∣gether at Smalcalde, against those which designed to oppress them. The Schism made in England by Henry VIII. was only a step which open'd the way to a greater Work carried on in the following Reigns. But yet that Prince, who had done Luther the Honour to write against him, and was answer'd by that Dr. in somewhat too harsh and insolent a strain, would never suffer the Opinions of his Adversary to take root in his Kingdom, tho at the same time he would fain have perswaded Francis I. to have broken with Rome, as himself had done. The K. of France would by no means hearken to him, and answer'd him with this Compliment, That he was his Friend as far as the Altar, but there he must leave him. But he conti∣nu'd not always so obstinate, for he was almost perswaded once time to yield to the earnest solicitations of the Q. of Navar; for the had inspired him with some inclination for the Doctrine which she herself had embrac'd, and of which she also had communicated some tincture to the King her Husband, whom she carried privately with her to hear the Sermons of her Teachers. The Dutchess of Estam∣pes, who possest the heart of Francis I. and may likewise be reason∣ably suppos'd to have abetted the same inclination in him, because she was instructed and principled in the Lutheran Opinions, openly favoured those that profess'd them, and, after the King's Death, li∣ved a very retir'd life in all the exercises of the Protestant Religion, protecting all those that profess'd it, to the utmost of her power.

This at least is certain that the King writ to Melanchton, the most renown'd of Luther's Disciples, and esteem'd the most moderate of them, inviting him to come into France, and assuring him he should take pleasure to hear him. But whilst Melanchton spun out the time in delays, the Cardinal of Tournon put by the design, and wrought so absolute a change upon the King's Mind, who had let him gain a very strong Ascendant over him, that he would after∣ward

listen neither to his Sister nor Mistress, nor be perswaded to shew the least favour to those accus'd of Heresie. There is no doubt but the Cardinal had Orders from Rome, to that purpose. For the King had discovered his Mind to that Court himself, in the In∣structions he gave to Cardinal du Bellai, whom he sent thither, in which he ordered him to give the Pope an account of the Letter he had written to Melanchton, and of that Dr's Answer, and most especially to move his Holiness to consent to a kind of Accommo∣dation, which he had a design to negotiate in Germany, by an Em∣bassy on purpose. The most important Article of that Accommo∣dation was to be, That the Pope should be acknowledged to be Head of the Ʋniversal Church, and in other things the King would take from the Protestants as much as he could, and as far as he could: That is to say, He would consent to gratifie the Protestants in ma∣ny things that concerned Faith, Religion, Ceremonies, Institutions and Doctrine, at least till a Council should determine them, and it was already agreed what Concessions and abatements to make them; which consisted of 7 Articles, in which the Mass was to be reform'd, without changing any thing in the Ceremonies of its ce∣lebration; viz. 1. That Mass should never be said without a publick Communion. 2. That the Elevation should be retrenched. 3. And Ado∣ration abolished. 4. That the Cup should be restored to the Laity. 5. That in it no Commemoration should be made either of male or female Saints. 6. That it should be celebrated only with ordinary fine Bread, which should be broken by the Priest, and distributed to the people. 7. And that Marriage should be allowed to Priests. The Mass so reform'd was called by the Vulgar, The Mass with 7 points. But alas, an Accom∣modation of this Nature could not find acceptance at the Court of Rome, which was very sensible, that the Authority of the Holy See could never be sufficiently supported by the bare Title which was, given there to the Pope, and that to maintain it in so exorbitanta power as it had assumed, it had need of the united force of all those Errors, by which it first mounted to, and afterwards establisht it self in its present Greatness. And therefore that Court employed all their policy to divert the King from that dangerous project.

The Cardinal of Tournon had already signaliz'd his Zeal against the Reformation, in a Synod assembled at Bourges, of which he was Archbishop, and had there condemn'd the Doctrine of Luther. The

Cardinal du Prat did the same, about the same time, in a Synod of the Province of Sens, which he held at Paris, as fearing perhaps the Reformation might ruin the Concordat, which was his Work, and by which he had compleated the Corruption of Ecclesiastical Disci∣pline in France. But all this hindred not the Number of the Prote∣stants from daily increasing, especially after Mr. John Calvin had be∣gun to preach and write about Religion, who had several years be∣fore already taken distaste at the Roman Doctrine, and already run great dangers upon that account at Paris, where he had some Dis∣ciples. He had likewise made himself known in Berri, whilst he was yet a Student in Law, in the Ʋniversity of Bourges, and a Lord of that Neighbourhood had permitted him to preach privately in his Parish. He had afterwards conferred about Religion at Nerac, with Roussel and Le Ferre, whom he found concurring almost in the same principles with himself. But he spread his Doctrine most effectually in Saintonge and Poitou, in the latter of which Provinces 'tis thought he gave the first Form of a Church to the Assemblies of those who had embraced his Opinions. When by persecution he was forc'd to leave the Kingdom, he made some stay at Basil, where he publisht his Institutions dedicated to Francis I. But that Prince being prejudiced against all Works of that Nature, would never read them. From thence Calvin passed into Italy, where he was well receiv'd by the Dutchess of Ferrara, Daughter to Lewis XII. who testify'd a great affection to such as labour'd to reform Abuses. At his return he was detain'd at Geneva, which had newly shaken off the yoke of its Bishop, where, after he had weather'd some Oppositi∣ons and Encounters, he setled his Residence for the rest of his life. From thence he filled all Europe with his Writings, which were greedily read, both for their matter and eloquent stile.

There was a seeming prospect then as if Francis I. who had so great an inclination to an Accommodation, would have conniv'd at the progress of the Reformation in his Kingdom, especially because of the Confederacy he was engag'd in with the Protestants of Ger∣many, who were always either in War with, or apprehension of the Emperour. But it hapned quite contrary to expectation; for the Placards, or Libels which were found fixed all about Paris, and at the very Court it self, and which treated the mysteries of the Ro∣man Religion in very injurious terms, and the Clergy in a very Saty∣rical

manner, put the King into a great Rage. So that to ex∣piate those pretended Blasphemies, at the Request of the Clergy, he made a solemn Procession, at which he assisted in Person with his Children, and all his Court, and ordered the Pomp to be concluded with the Execution of some of the poor supposed Criminals, who were burnt. He publisht a very severe Edict at the same time a∣gainst the Lutherans, in which all that harbour'd, or conceal'd them were made liable to the same punishments with them, and the In∣former against them encourag'd with the reward of the 4th part of all their Confiscations. The Germans were offended at it, but some Lutherans of their Nation reporting at their return into their Country, that they had been very kindly used in France, took off the edg of their Resentments, and dissipated their fears. Neverthe∣less, the King, about 5 years after, by a new Edict, stirred up all per∣sons of every Order and Degree, against the French Lutherans, and the Emperour making a new War upon them, the King afforded them but little aid, because the Cardinal of Tournon filled his Head with scruples concerning Alliances with Hereticks; and he further gain'd so much power over that Prince, that he perswaded him to renew the punishment of Death against them all over France, that he might not appear less religious, and less an Enemy to those pretended Heresies than the Emperour, who had taken the way of Arms to de∣stroy them.

The Pope not being able to resist any longer the instances of the Emperour, nor the desires of all Europe, after he had been long importun'd to call a Council, and for a long time by divers Artifi∣ces eluded the Solicitations of the Princes, had at last resolved to fix it at Trent, and publish a Bull of Indiction for that effect in the year 1542. But yet it was not opened till 3 years after, by reason of new difficulties that arose every day. The K. being willing to con∣tribute to the success of that assembly summon'd to Melun several il∣lustrious Drs. in order to confer there together, and prepare matters fit to be represented to the Council. But there were but few Prelates, one of which being the Bishop of Lavaur, appear'd there as Ambas∣sador, who signaliz'd himself chiefly by the answer he made to a Par∣tisan of the Court of Rome, who being minded to droll upon the Remonstrances of a French Dr. concerning the Abuses committed in the matter of Benefices, in allusion to the Latin word Gallus, that

signifies both a Cock and a Frenchman, had said to one of his Com∣panions, 'Tis but a Cock that crows. The Bishop keeping still to the same allusion, and applying it to the story of St. Peter, whose Succes∣sor the Pope pretends to be, answer'd him immediately, God grant that by the crowing of this Cock Peter may be stirred up to tears and repentance. Some time after, the translation of the Council to Bolonia, and the King's Death, changed the state of affairs, and made most of the Potentates take new Measures.

But the Condition of the Protestants in France was never the better for that; The new K. Henry II. proving more rigorous to them than his Father, being pusht on to it by the D. of Aumale, who was afterward D. of Guise, and in favour of whom the Land of Au∣male was erected into a Dutchy and Peerage. He therefore in imi∣tation of Francis. I. made such another like Procession at Paris, and terminated it as he did his, with a like Sacrifice of some poor Wretches who were condemned to the fire. And besides, tho he was at first in very good intelligence with Paul III. so far as to de∣clare himself for the translation of the Council, and to send his Ambas∣sadors to Bolonia with good instructions, yet he soon fell out with Rome after the Exaltation of Julius III. which still redoubled but the more the persecution against the Protestants, and produced against them a very severe Edict at Chateau-Briant, by which it was for∣bidden so much as to solicit for those accused of Heresie. Since which time it has been remark'd, that the same policy has been of∣ten followed in France, always to persecute the Protestants every time they had any difference with the Pope, and that they never were more cruelly handled than when there hapned any Quarrels between the Courts of France and Rome. Those contestations were great at that time, and produced the Protestation which the King made afterward by the Abbot of Bello••ane, against the Council which the Pope had removed back to Trent.

The Dutchess of Valentinois the King's Mistress, exasperated him likewise against the Protestants, both out of spite to the Dutch¦ess of Estampes, whom she mortally hated, and out of interest, to gain by the Confiscations of the Goods and Estates of the Condemn∣ed, which she obtain'd for her self. But especially after the Edict of Chateau-Briant, she was accused of making advantage by the rigorous Prosecutions then carried on against the Protestants, and

was thought even to have kept Emissaries on purpose to inform against those who were rich enough to tempt her covetous incli∣nation. The Clergy on their side took pleasure in seeing so many innocent people Sacrificed to the flames for their interests, tho on the other side, they had a great deal of Indulgence for themselves; and accordingly, to put the world out of all hope of the amend∣ment of the Church-men, they obtained from the Kings Council, the annulling of an Act of the Parliament of Tholouse, which tended to nothing else but the suppression of the looseness and debauchery of Priests. That Parliament was likewise lasht with bloody Satyrs, published by the Clergy on that occasion, and when one of the Members of that Court had written an Apology for that venerable Body, in which the Vices of the Ecclesiasticks were too openly re∣prehended, they yet had so much power as to cause it to be cen∣sured. However all this hindred not some seeming Justice to be done for the cruelties committed some years before by Oppeda the Exe∣cutioner of an Act of the Parliament of Provence, against certain re∣mains of the Vaudois inhabiting about Merindol and Cabrieres. That affair had been husht up in silence during the Life of Fran∣cis I. because the Cardinal of Tournon, who then was very power∣ful at Court, was suspected to have been the Counsellor, or chief com∣plice of that Barbarous Action; but after the Government was pass∣ed into other hands, that Cardinal was removed from the helm of Affairs, and the Constable who bore him no great good will, was suspected in his turn to have excited those that were left of those poor People, to demand Justice on purpose to bring the Cardinal into trouble by the success of their Complaints, There was much ado about fixing upon Judges fit for that business. The Great Council first took Cognisance of it, from thence it was call'd up before the King, and by him at last turn'd over to the Parlia∣ment of Paris, where it was pleaded for 50 Audiences together; but yet after all that great Bustle, it came to little effect, the principal Criminals escaping unpunisht; and the King's Advocate in the Par∣liament of Provence, was the only man that lost his life for it; as for the Count de Grignan he was only frighted with the fear of losing his Estate, which was preserved to him by the favour of the Duke of Guise; and Oppeda himself was acquitted by producing his Orders, and by the Dukes interposition, who served him with

all his credit; so that the Protestants obtain'd no other vengeance for his Cruelties, than the satisfaction of being inform'd, he Died after∣wards a horrible Death; and of saying openly, That he suffered it by a just Judgment of God.

Those Executions did not at all diminish the number of the Pro∣testants, the constancy of those who were burned serving to make more sensible impressions upon peoples minds in their favour, than either their Books or Preaching; but the King however, was in∣exorable, and tho the doleful spectacle of those he had caused to be burned, after the procession above mentioned, and their horri∣ble cries in the torments of their sufferings, had so deeply struck his imagination, that the remembrance of them was a lasting Ter∣our to him all his life after, yet did he not at all abate his severi∣ties; for they burned, after that, some persons come from Bearn into France, where they preached the Doctrine of their Country, among whom Lewis de Marsac was most taken notice of, for that having been a Soldier all his life, and being dispensed with from having a rope put about his neck at the stake like other sufferers, out of respect to that noble profession, he complain'd, that such a difference should be made between him and his Brethren, as if by retrenching any thing from the infamy of his Punishment, they had design'd to lessen the glory of his Constancy.

That year the use of the Gag was first practised, invented pur∣posely to hinder the Protestants that were put to death from speak∣ing to the People, or singing Psalms for their consolation, when they were led to Execution: And 'tis reported, that Aubespine, who was the inventor of it, was some years after struck with the lowsie disease, which put him into so great a despair, that he would needs let himself starve to death; which furious resolution oblig∣ed those which were about him to open his jaws with a Gag, to make him take nourishment by force, so that he increased the number of those, that have been known to suffer those torments themselves, of which they were the first inventors. Amidst these Executions, the Churches took the firmer root; and there were al∣ready some that were governed by a regular discipline, and setled Pa∣stors. And at Paris it self, where the fires never went out▪ and under the King's Nose, there was one which had its peculiar Pastor. The se∣veral Jurisdictions of the Kingdom accused one another reciprocally

upon this occasion, for not executing rigorously enough the Court-Orders; for which Reason the cognizance of Crimes of Heresy was sometimes committed to the Royal, and sometimes to the Ecclesiastical Judges, and sometimes parted between both those Tribunals; so that since the first introduction of that kind of Processe, there had been publisht 5 or 6 Edicts about the competence of Judges, which revo∣ked one another by turns. Nay, and in the following Reigns, there was nothing fully fixed as to that matter. That year the Cardinal of Lorrain, to please the Pope, depriv'd the Parliaments, in spite of their Remonstrances to the contrary, of the power of hearing Causes of Heresy, which was transferred to the Bishops, leaving to the Royal Judges nothing but the Executions of the Criminals. And indeed this proceeding of the Cardinal was very reasonable, if measur'd by the interest of the Clergy. For the Parliaments began to incline to a Temper of Moderation, and there were some Spirits among them that could not think those Rigours agreeable to Justice. Nay, there were some Judges at Bordeaux that maintain'd, it was a thing un∣heard of, that ever so many cruelties were at any time before pra∣ctised, as had been exercised within the last 40 years; and that it was against Equity, to condem any man for simple Errors, before Endea∣vours had been used to instruct and reclaim the person accused: And that since the Council was still on foot, as being only suspen∣ded, which was finally to determine that affair.

Their Decisions ought to be waited for, before they proceeded to condemn, to such extraordinary punishments, any persons before∣hand accused upon such accounts. The party of those moderate men was so strong, that the Judges were equally divided. But the zeal of Religion carried it against the Order of Justice, and instead of follow∣ing, according to rule, the favourablest side in criminal matters; when Opinions are equally divided about them, they turned over the Cause to the great Chamber, where the Order in case of division was over ruled, and the severest Opinions preferr'd before the most mild and equitable.

The perplexity into which the Court was put, by the loss of the Battle at St. Quentin, gave the Protestants some hopes they should be allowed a little respite; and therefore they assembled with less caution than before, and among other meetings, they had one at Paris, in St. James's street, so numerous, that it being impossible to escape the eyes

of the people who saw them come out of the House where they met. The Rabble fell upon them, which caused such an uproar, that the Officers of Justice were fain to come to appease it. In which scuf∣fle some of the Meeters defended themselves against the aggressours and got away, and others escaped by several means; but however, above 100 of them were seised, among which, were some Maids of Honour to the Q. And that Princess her self who was nothing less than what she had a mind to appear, and who desired to pass for a sober chast Lady, was not unwilling to be suspected to incline to the Protestant opinions. The better sort of People had a high con∣ceit of them, and thought them of unblameable Manners; but the Rabble were incensed against them by most horrible calumnies; for sometimes it was reported they were Jews, and used to eat a Pas∣chal Lamb at their Nightly Meetings; sometimes that they eat a Pig there instead of a Lamb, and sometimes, that they roasted Chil∣dren there, and made great chear at those monstrous entertainments, after which they put out the Candles, and coupled together with all man∣ner of unlawful Embraces. Nay, and there were some so furiously Zealous against them, that they had the impudence to affirm they had participated at those infernal Devotions. Several of those thus taken were burnt, but the rest fortunately made use of all the shifts they could find out in Law, to delay their Sentence, during which time, the Germans and Swissers, of whom the K. at that time stood in great need, interceded for them, and those severities were by little and little moderated, for fear of offending such necessary Friends as they. The next Summer the people took a fancy to sing in the Clerks Meadow, a place where all the Town used to divert themselves with walking, Marot's singing Psalms that were set to very fine Musical Tunes: which novelty at first was so pleasing, that the next day after, the K. and Q. of Navar went thither, with an incredible multitude of People: but the Clergy were terribly a∣larm'd at it, and endeavoured with all their power, to procure all such Assemblies to be supprest; and their zeal in that was very singular, because they could not endure people should sing in the open Field what they had without controul sung in their Houses several years together, and at the Court it self; during all which time, that singing was never thought any mark of Heresie. But ever since that Enterprise, to these last years, the singing of

Psalms has always been insupportable to the Clergy; and tho they never employed any serious efforts to hinder the singing of Prophane and filthy Songs, which have been too rise at all times; yet on the contrary, they never pursued any thing with so much eagerness as their endeavours to deprive the Protestants of the Consolation of singing with freedom those holy Canticles.

About that time first appear'd in France that competition of those two Rival Parties, that afterwards had like to have ruin'd it, and which was, as 'twere the Fountain-head of all the other Factions. One of them was that of the Princes of Lorain, who took advan∣tage by the defeat and taking of the Constable to augment their own greatness. The other was that of the Constable himself, and his Family, who possessed most of the great Employments. That Lord huddled up the Treaty of Cateau in Cambresis, out of eagerness, by a Peace, to procure his liberty and opportunity to return to the Court, to prevent the ruin of his house. But the Cardinal of Lorain made use of the same Treaty to find occasions to destroy him; for he had a secret Conference with Granvelle Cardinal, Bp. of Arras, who complain'd to him how highly persons tainted with Heresie, were favoured in the Court of France, and named in particular Andelot, Brother to the Admiral of Chatillon, and Nephew to the Consta∣ble; which was an Artifice to engage the Lorain Cardinal whose Genius Granvelle very well knew, in a Quarrel with the Family of those Lords, in assured expectation that by the mutual oppositi∣on of those two Parties, the Kingdom would be brought into great confusions which would be of considerable advantage to the House of Austria. The Cardinal being a vain and busy man, and who in his great designs had not always the prudence and constancy to carry them on, snapt presently at the Bait, thinking to find his account in the News he had heard, because he knew the suspicion of He∣resie was enough to Exasperate Henry II. to ruin the greatest of his Favourites. And accordingly he accuses Andelot, upon which the K. immediately sending for him, and requiring to know the truth from his own Mouth, he answered in so resolute a manner, and declared his sense about the Mysteries of the Roman Church in such vigorous terms, that the Historians of that time durst not repeat his Expressions. At which the K. fell into such a fit of fury, that he suf∣fered his passion to transport him to commit very undecent Actions,

for he would have Kill'd him, and in the attempt, wounded the Dauphin his Son who was near him. In fine, Andelot was sent to Prison, and depriv'd of all his places. But when the K's passion was over, the Constable, after some difficulty, found credit enough to procure his Restoration. And so the Cardinal's artifice had no o∣ther effect for that time, than to provoke against him the Resent∣ment of those puissant Houses, and to inform the Protestants, That some of the most considerable Lords of the Kingdom were of their Opinion.

This then hindred not the Reformation to continue its progress, for it was embraced by persons of all sorts of conditions. It gain'd a great number of Church-men and Men of Learning, and was well re∣lished by the most eminent Persons in the very Parliament of Paris; so that the severities there went on more heavily than ordinary, tho the K. hotly pressed the Execution of his Edict of Chateau-Briant. Having then sent a new Order to the Parliament, commanding them exactly to observe it; Some Spies inform'd him, that notwithstand∣ing that, their Votes tended still towards moderation; upon which, he goes suddenly thither, when he was least expected, and surpris∣es them when their deliberations were already very far advanced, and after he had patiently heard them till they came to a conclu∣sion, he ordered several of them to be seised. Du Bourg and Du Faur were taken in their Houses, and search was made after others which could not be found. The Prisoners were Tryed by special Commissioners; but tho they drove on the business with all the hast they could to satisfy the K's impatience, yet he had not the pleasure to see the end of it; for Death prevented him, and when he thought of nothing but Joy and Divertisement, he was kill'd by Mongomery whom he would needs force to break a Lance with him. A little before the renewing of those severities, the Deputies of the Churches already form'd in the Provinces, held, in the Suburbs of St. Germain at Paris, their first National Synod, and drew up that con∣fession of Faith, which they retain to this day, and the first articles of the Discipline which has since been observ'd in all the Churches of the Kingdom. That Synod lasted four days in the midst of the Fires and Gibbets, which were prepared in all quarters of the Town, and it was held with so exact a secrecy, that the Assembly was nei∣ther discovered nor disturbed.

After the Death of Henry II. all things changed at Court, except Vices, which having taken root there during his Luxurious Reign, assumed still a greater Empire under those of his Children. The In∣terests there were very different, and the Intrigues much divided. The Q. Katharine being Ambitious, Voluptuous, Cruel, Vindica∣tive, Perfidious, and of a humour to sacrifice every thing to her Pas∣sions, had a mind to retain the Authority in her own hands. The K. of Navar was of an unequal Temper, wavering in his Religion, weak∣spirited, timorous, devoted to his Pleasure, and easy to be govern'd by any that knew how to take him at their advantage, and bore a greater Figure than sway at Court. The Prince his Brother was Bold, Valiant, Active, firm in his Resolutions, and fixed in the Reformed Religion by motives mixed with Ambition and Conscience, but most extremely poor for a person of his high Quality. Mompensier and la Roche-sur yon had more zeal than knowledg in matters of Religi∣on. The Guises were animated with a violent Ambition, and besides were all-powerful at Court, as well by the consideration of the great Merits of the Duke of that Name, and because they were Uncles of the young Queen, Wife to Francis II. who being a very beautiful Prin∣cess, was in power, by vertue of that charming Prerogative, to assume a great Empire over the K. who was of an easy disposition, and even confining upon down right simplicity. And besides, she was able the more powerfully to second her Uncles Ambition, because she was a very apt Scholar in Politicks, and knew to a hair, how to imitate all the Maximes of her mother in Law, as by the Sequel of her Life sufficiently appeared. The Constable was a little wedded to his In∣terest, but otherwise superstitious, and not very knowing in Reli∣gion. The Title of the first Christian Baron, and the Cry of War used by those of his House, founded upon the same Fable from which his Ancestors had drawn that Elogy, was to him a decisive argument in all controversies. The Coligni's were puissant, brave, and persons of Great Honour, and if their Uncle had not abandoned them, they might easily have made Head against the Lorain Princes. But he supposed to find his account better in joyning with the Guises, as likewise did Mompensier and La Roche-sur yon, which obliged his Nephews to joyn with the Prince of Conde, whose Constancy and ex∣act fidelity to his Word, gave them sufficient assurance he would never sacrifice them to his Fortune. All which Combinations were

in their first Original nothing but pure Court-Intrigues, and Reli∣gion was taken into them only by accident, the Guises making use of it as a pretence to clear the Court of all those that gave them any jealousie; and the others were obliged for their better defence against such powerful Enemies, to unite themselves in interest with those which were already united with them in Religion. Philip II. then K. of Spain, follow'd the Maxims of his great Grandfather Fer∣dinand, and like him, in all things he did, improved the pretence of Religion to the utmost advantage. He had signalized himself by the persecution of the Protestants in all his Dominions, to that de∣gree of Rigour, that he spared not the Memory of his own Father; and therefore was far from neglecting so fair an occasion as the same pretence of Religion then gave him to divide France, by ex∣citing one of these Parties to ruin the other. All this, joyned to the extream corruption of the Court, in which debauchery and impiety were made soon after, the most powerful Tools of Policy, were the Cause why the Condition of the Protestants was rendred not a whit better than before.

There were erected in the Parliaments certain Courts of Ju∣stice called Burning Chambers, which burn'd a sufficient number of those who past for Hereticks, to deserve the Title given them. The President de St. Andre signalized himself by his Cruelties, in the Jurisdiction of the Parliament of Paris, being vigorously seconded by Le Moine, Inquisitor de Mouchi, so named from the Village where he was born, from whence likewise those that served him for Spies or Informers, to discover the Protestant meetings, took the Name of Mouchards, which has since remain'd to all those that have fol∣low'd the same Employments. That bloody Hangman afterwards changed his Name, and assumed the barbarous appellation of De∣mochares, under which he is known in History. And those Spies, or some like them, who were almost all of them Apostates from the Reformation, were the men that published those Calumnies against the Protestants I have before recited. A little while after, the people, the better to discover those that were season'd with Protestant prin∣ciples being mov'd thereto, either by their own Superstition, or by the Zealots, took a Freak to set up Images at the corners of streets, and to force all passers by to salute them, and they that refused it were accounted to have good luck, if they escaped only with a basting,

because such a Refusal was reckon'd a mark of Heresy. It's true in∣deed, many of those Objects of Superstition were taken from the people, but instead of being abolisht, they were placed in the Chur∣ches; And since that, their Passion for Images has increased so pro∣digiously, that there is not a Town in which they have not ere∣cted new ones, and where the people are not used to paint them, to dress them up, to light Lamps and Wax Candles before them, to meet and kneel down before them in the middle of the streets at certain Hours, and sing Hymns and Litanies, all which Extrava∣gancies are at this Day committed more than ever in the open view of those very same Guides that take Heaven and Earth to witness they pay no manner of homage to Images. In the mean while, the Trials went on against the Prisoners, most of which came off with a slight punishment. But Counsellor du Bourg, after he had shewn some weak∣ness, which he soon retracted, by the Exhortations of the Ministers, and others who writ to him, or visited him, was condemned to the flames, as if he had been a common person. They endeavour'd to blacken him, by accusing him as a Complice in the assassination of the President de St. Andre, who had been one of the Commissiona∣ted Judges appointed to try him. But that Accusation being suffi∣ciently refuted by the known Probity of that Venerable Senator, fell of it self. That President had acted in the whole Examination and Prosecution of that business, more like a passionate Adversa∣ry, than an equitable Judge, which Du Faur, one of the Prisoners, charged him with very couragiously one day; which cruel man hapning to be kill'd before the Trial of the Prisoners was over, one Mr. Stuart, a Scotch Gentleman, and who pretended some Relation to the Queen, but in complaisance to her Ʋncles, was disowned by her, was taken up upon suspicion for that murder; to which, to make weight, they added several other Accusations. But with all their Tricks, they could not convict him by any sufficient Proofs, nor ex∣tort any confession out of his Mouth, no not by the torments of the Wrack, which he suffer'd with such an unshaken constancy, that as they were unwilling to condemn him upon imperfect Evidence, so they durst not acquit him, because they fear'd him.

Whilst the Protestants were thus outragiously handled, their se∣vere usage exasperated them both to speak and write somewhat warmly in their own defence. But their Apologies had the ill luck to

incense the higher Powers but so much the more against them because they maintain'd, That Women Foreigners ought to be excluded from the Government, and that the administration of it belong'd to the General Estates of the Kingdom, and to the Princes of the Blood, during the mi∣nority of Kings, whom they would by no means acknowledg at age fit to govern at 14 years. And about 3 years after, they still brought upon themselves more mischief, by reading in a Synod a Writing drawn up by a certain Author, exhorting them to unite together a∣gainst despotick Power, Popery and Abuses in Law, which they called the three plagues of human Kind, from which they who live by the Corruption of Religion and Justice, fail'd not to give a malicious turn to the aversion they shew'd for Arbitrary Power, and to take advan∣tage there-from, to reproach and traduce them to this day, as Repub∣licans, and sworn enemies to Monarchy; as if not to flatter Tyran∣ny, were the same thing as to Rebel against a legal Government. The power of the Guises began to grow Insupportable, and there began likewise from that very time, to arise between them and the Royal House of Bourbon, a competition that soon after degenerated into a declared Enmity, so that from that time forward, those two Houses became Irreconcileable foes, which was the true occasion of the at∣tempt of Amboise, tho some will needs have it pass for a pure bu∣siness of Religion. I shall leave that talk to others, to treat more amply of that subject, and to make use of the Testimony of those who assure us that Q Katharine had secretly solicited the Admiral to free her out of the hands of the Guises who had assumed all the Authority, and for my own part, shall only be content to assert, That Religion was concern'd in it only by accident, by reason that those who were deprived of their part in the Government due to them by their high Birth, professed the Reformed Religion. Among near 1200 unhappy persons that were destroyed upon that occasi∣on by divers sorts of Punishments, and most of which suffered all the severities of the Tortures; there were but two in all, whom they could force by Torments to say what they would have them; all the rest unanimously maintaining, that their design was only to seise the Lorrain-Princes, and divest them of an Authority, which they ought not to enjoy to the prejudice of the Princes of the Blood. There is therefore as little reason to charge the Reformed Religion with the blame of that Enterprise, supposing that accord∣ing

to the Rules of Policy it deserved any, as to impute to the Ro∣man Religion, the conspiracies of the Catholick Princes and Lords, against the Tyranny of the Marshal D'Ancre; or that of the D. of Orleans, against the excessive power of Cardinal Richelieu; or those of the Parliaments, and of the Prince of Conde, against the Ministry of Cardinal Richelieu, who went on in the steps of his Predecessour, to oppress the publick liberty: The heads and principal Members of those Conspiracies, being Catholicks, as those concerned in the de∣sign of Amboise were Protestants. Since therefore the persons con∣cerned in all those several Intrigues, were all engaged by the same motives, and the same prospects, they must either be equally im∣puted to the Religion of their Authors, and by consequence the Ro∣man Religion must be judged so much the more Guilty in this mat∣ter, than the Protestant, as it has oftener stirr'd in those sorts of Com∣motions than the other; or else it must be confessed, that Religion had no share, but by accident, in those affairs, which were purely Politick of their own Nature, and that those Interests which set the Wheels of those attempts in motion, were indeed properly none of Hers. But the Cruelty of the Court, the principal heads of which diverted themselves with the horrible Spectacle of so many Executions, and seeing the blood run down in all the streets of Amboise, struck a horrour in all moderate persons: And this first Essay which was follow'd by so many Massacres that stain'd the succeeding reign with so much Blood, touched the Chancellour Oliver so much to the Heart, that he Died with grief, and L'Hopital was put in his place, who in acknowledgment of that Favour, always adhered to the Q's interest as his own. That Princess seeing the Authority of the Guises increased by their Success in the Enterprise of Amboise, would not suffer the Protestants to be prosecuted to extremity, yet could not induce them by that to place any confidence in her, since for all that they examined in one of their Synods, a Memorial to be presented to the General Estates, in which several things were made use of not at all to her advantage. But however the Court kept fair for a while with the Prince of Conde, tho they were well enough persuaded, he was privately the chief contriver of that Enterprise; and the D. of Guise, by a profound Dissimulation of his Thoughts, seemed to assent to his justification.

About the same time the name of Huguenot was introduced into

the World, and because it has been ever since retain'd as the di∣stinguishing name of a Party, I may very well without breaking off the thread of my History, say something of its Original, than which nothing perhaps is more unknown. For they themselves that saw this word first brought forth, yet give very different reports of its rise, and perhaps it may not without reason be concluded from thence, that it is one of those names the rabble invent they know not why, and that they retain in use without knowing how they came by it. Only every one endeavouring to explain the Original of the word, according to their own particular passion and Interest, have by false Etymologies produced by those causes, made us lose all traces of the true one. For some derive that word from John Hus, or from a certain Sacramentarian, named Hugues, who is seign'd to have liv'd in the time of Charles VI. which is grounded only upon an Analogy of Grammer, or upon some conformity be∣tween the Doctrin of the one with the other in some Articles. Some think it comes from the word Gnostick ill pronounced, which was applied to the Protestants, because they were charged with the like abominations those Hereticks were accused of, which seems to be a meer conjecture, without any ground; as is likewise the Fancy of those that fetch it from a certain Speech made by some German Envoys, which begun with these words, Huc nos, and which were so ill pronounced, that they made our Courtiers laugh, which is in∣deed a story only fit to be laught at. They who have observed, that in process of time the Protestants were offended at that Name, as an injurious Term, imagined it came from certain words in the Suissers Tongue, signifying seditious people, or that it was taken from a sort of small mony, of less value than the Mailles, which because they were currant in the time of Hugh Capet, were called Huguenots, which Name was afterwards in contempt applied to the Protestants. But there are 3 Opinions, which as they are more common, so they are more probable than the rest. That which is most follow'd, is, That it is deriv'd from a certain Spirit, or Robin Goodfellow, called at Tours, King Hugon, from which one of the Gates of the Town was by corruption named the Gate Fourgon, instead of the Porte Hu∣gon, because that Spectre appear'd sometimes in the Night, near that Gate, in the form of Fire. Now because the Protestants held their Meetings about that quarter, in the night time, by reason that the

persecution was too hot to let them do it in the day time. Occasi∣on was thence taken to call them Huguenots: To which they fur∣ther add this story, That the first advice of that Conspiracy came from Tours, and that they which gave it made use of the term of Hu∣guenot already known in their Town, and which has ever since re∣main'd in use. But there is one thing remark'd by Historians, that gives us great reason to doubt of the solidity of this conjecture, which is, That according to them, that Enterprise was carried on so se∣cretly, that the Guises received the first notice of it out of Forein Countries, and that the first man who informed them of it in France, was one Des Avenelles, an Advocate of the Parliament of Paris, at whose House La Renaudie, a known Ringleader in that Conspira∣cy, was lodged, and to whom he was forced to reveal it, to obvi∣ate the suspicions the great concourse of people to his house had justly raised against him: So that it could not be from Tours that the Court received the first Information of that Mystery. The 2d Opinion is much more probable, which deduces that word from those words in the Swiss Language, Eid genossen, which signifies, Allies, and which were brought into France by the Ministers which come from that Country, as for a like reason they were called Fribours, in Poitou, whilst it was believ'd that the Canton of Fribourg corresponded with those of Geneva, in matters of Religion. Which Name became more common after the Enterprise of Amboise, because that was the first occasion in which the Protestants appeared united for their common Interest, and in which they most constantly observed the Faith they had mutually given to one another. And yet the 3d O∣pinion is no less probable than that, which pretends that Name to be derived from Hugh Capet, because the Protestants were headed by a Prince of that Royal House, and stiffly maintain'd their Inte∣rest against the Intrigues of Forein Princes, who endeavour'd to deprive it of the Government. 'Tis true, it is not very likely the Guises had as yet framed any designs upon the Crown; but there are several unquestionable Circumstances that give a great appearance of probability to this Opinion. The Guises were then become very newly allied to the Throne, by the marriage of their Niece to the K. and had any Children proceeded from it, they would have been much nearer a kin to them than the Bourbons, who 〈…〉〈…〉 so Re∣moves off; That is to say, at such a degree of distance, in which

all Hereditary Right seems naturally to cease of it self. They had likewise at that time a great power at Court, close correspondence with Spain, a particular Enemy to the House of Bourbon, because of their mutual competition for the usurped Kingdom of Navar, and had entertain'd a formal design entirely to usurp the administrati∣on of affairs from that Noble House. Besides, it appears by the Wri∣tings, and by the Acts of the Synods of the Protestants, that even in those early days they already asserted the Rights of the Bourbons, and endeavour'd to maintain them in that Authority, against the encroaching attempts of all Foreiners, not excepting the Q. Mother her self: So that they were declared Partisans of the Capetians. As therefore from the Name of Pope, the Guises, and their Adherents, who made Religion a serviceable Tool for their Interests, were called Papists, and from the Name of Guises were called Guisards, or Gui∣sians, by the Protestants; It is probable, that from the Name of Hu∣gues, i. e. Hugh, the Rights of whose Family the Protestants so stiffly maintain'd, they were called Hugenots, which Name grew publick at the time of the Enterprise of Amboise, because that was an emi∣nent occasion in which the opposition of those 2 Factions first broke out, and put the world upon inventing Names to distinguish them. Which is the more confirmed, because in the Memorials of that time we find that the Protestants at first esteem'd it an honourable Name, as thinking without doubt, it was in effect a Glorious Mo∣nument of their Loyalty, in defending the Interests of their lawful Princes against the attempts of Ʋsurpers. But after the Memory of those Transactions was abolish'd by divers Edicts, and especially by the Extinction of the Guisian Faction, they had reason to complain they should still be called by that Name, because it renewed the Memory of those Troubles, and was given them by the people, who were ignorant of the Original word, as a Name of some party of Conspirators, on purpose to brand them with disgrace. But to re∣turn from this digression, and re-continue the Series of Events, I shall remark, That attempts were made about that time to establish the Inquisition in France, and that the Chancellor, who would fain have hindered that pernicious Institution, unwillingly consented, that Causes of Heresie should be once more turned over to the Bishops, of whom there were some not very ill-inclin'd to the Protestants: For Marillac, Archbishop of Vienna, and Monluc, Bp. of Valence,

spoke favourably for them in an Assembly held at Fountain-Bleau, where the Admiral presented a Petition in the Name of the perse∣cuted party, for whom he begg'd Liberty of Conscience. The Court seem'd dispos'd to moderation, and accordingly talkt of calling a National Council, prohibited all provocations on either side, and put a stop to any further Executions; so that during that sha∣dow of peace the Protestants began to hold publick Meetings in several Provinces. But yet when they least expected it, the P. of Con∣de was made Prisoner, his Enemies having gain'd time in that de∣ceitful Calm with which they had purposely amused the World, to take the surer measures against him, and pretended a discovery of his being engag'd in new designs; upon which he was prosecu∣ted with such extraordinary diligence, that the Sentence of Condem∣nation was already signed by all his Judges, except only the Chan∣cellor, who held off as long as he could; and he had certainly lost his Life, if the K's sudden death had not deliver'd him from that tragical end; which hap'ned so patly for his advantage, that it gave occasion to their Adversaries to impute it to the Protestants, to insinuate as if they had shortned that Princes days by the hands of his Surgeon who was of their Religion. But sincere Historians have discharged them of that reproachful Calumny, by informing the World, That Francis II. had some natural Infirmities that brought on him that fate; that his Brain had no vent at all to purge it self by the ordinary Conduits made for that use, as in other men; that about a year be∣fore his Death there appeared upon his Face, some pimples that were taken for signs of some extraordinary Distemper, which 'tis reported, his Physicians went about to cure by a yet more extra∣ordinary Remedy. From which it may easily be judged, how much his Blood was tainted, and how extreme full his Body was of corrupt humours.

The Estates who were in great haste Assembled towards the end of the year, gave the Protestants some hopes that the Q. Mother would be no longer so much against them; because the Chancel∣lor her Creature was so bold there, as openly to censure all violent proceedings upon the account of Religion; the Guises were fallen from their former Credit, as not having the same Ascendant over Charles IX. who succeeded his Brother, as they had had over the deceased K. who had Married their Niece; the Admiral having

been offensively treated in the Speech made by the Deputy of the Clergy at the opening of the Assembly, reparation was made him for the Indignity. The Prince of Conde was acquitted; and the Bishops of Seez and Valens having Preached at the Court something very like the Doctrin of those called Hereticks, were by the Q. protect∣ed against the clamours of the Zealots; nay, she writ to the Pope himself in their favour, and seconded their demands for the Resti∣tution of the Cup to the Laity, and for the celebration of Divine service in the vulgar Tongue; and granted them the first Edict for Polera∣tion that ever was vouchsafed them: but she not being a Woman that could long forbear shewing her self in her true Colours, she her self stir'd up the Constable to Murmur at it; and the more ef∣fectually to hinder the Parliaments from obeying it, she slily or∣dered it to be directed contrary to custom, to the Presidial Courts, and accordingly the Parliaments fail'd not to complain of such an Irregularity, and to oppose it by contrary Decrees. And the Court fell again into the same irresolution they had often been in before, whom to declare the most competent Judges of Causes of Heresy, and by an Edict of the Month of July, divided a new that Jurisdiction between the Presidial and Bishops Courts, authorising the one, to judg of the unlawfulness of Assemblies, and the other, of the Doctrin Preached in them, the Clergy having well Bribed them for that fa∣vour; for taking a hot Alarm at some proceedings of the Estates who were removed to Pontoise, that tended to favour the Protestants, they politickly ransomed themselves from that fear, by consenting to a sub∣sidy of four tenths of six years. But the best thing done in the Edict of the Protestants was, That it moderated the punishment of Heresies, which before was Death, to Banishment only.

In that year was the first rise of the Triumvirate, that is to say, of the threefold League between the D. of Guise, the Constable, and the Marshal de St. Andre; the last of which engaged in it to exempt himself from giving an account of immense sums of Money he had embezel'd And the Constable did the same, for fear of being oblig∣ed to pay back a sum of 100000 Crowns. And tho Religion was one of the pretences of the Ʋnion, by which they did a World of Mis∣chief to the Protestants, yet it was to those other sordid interests that the Roman Religion was chiefly obliged to for its preservation. But there was nothing more remarkable in the whole course of that year

than the Colloquy or Conference of Poissy, which held all Europe for some time in suspence. There never was any Assembly that ever made so much noise, nor yet any that produced so little effect, excepting only that they gave some Alarm to Rome. The beginnings of it were pompous and stately, for all the Court was present at it, as well as several Cardinals and Bishops; it began on both sides with very solid and grave Orations; but one word which Beza un∣luckily let fall in his Discourse, served for a pretence to the Car∣dinal de Tournon, and others of his party, to make a noise, and to dissuade the K. from continuing to honour those Disputes any lon∣ger with his Presence. And so that publick Conference dwindled in∣to private Disputations, and the Bps. either disdaining, or being afraid to confer with the Ministers, the whole business was com∣mitted only to some private Doctors, and at last the Conferences were quite broken off; after which, instances being made in vain to Renew them, The Protestant Deputies grew weary of being shamm'd off with so many delays, and went away when they found they were amused only with vain hopes. They spent some Months in reconciling the differences about some controverted Articles; but when the persons commissionated to treat of them, had agreed upon any point, it was always travers'd by some zealous Drs. who made Oppositions and Protestations against such Accomodations; which particularly hapned about the matter of Image-Worship. For the Dean of the Colledge of Divinity hotly opposed what had been concluded concerning their use, and stiffly maintain'd, that they ought not to abateanace of what the Roman Church had once au∣thorised, tho own'd to be introduc'd at first by evil custom. And so obstinately have the Clergy of our times adher'd to that Maxim, that they never would consent to purchase the return of the Protestants to their Communion, with the price of any of the least Abuses tole∣rated by the Roman Church. And besides, from the very beginning of that Conference, there appear'd a certain presage, That no good could be expected from it, since the Clergy at Poissy, about 11 days after the opening of their Assembly, which was the 4th of September, when the Parliament had referred to them the Jesuits Petition, for leave to settle in France, authorised them to fix in Paris, upon con∣ditions which that Society never observed. And so that very Assem∣bly from whom the World expected an equitable accommodation of

differences in Religion, effectually served for nothing else but to e∣stablish in the Kingdom the most mortal enemies of all equity, and that have taken up ambition, perfidiousness and cruelty for the chief max∣ims of their Politicks.

The Cardinal of Lorrain had shewn some little inclination to the Lutherans Opinion about the real presence, and had order'd a Formulary to be drawn up, that differ'd not from their principles. Now whether he was really of that Opinion, or only dissembled an inclination for it, out of some politick consideration, is not known. But certain it is, at least, that he, and the Duke his Brother, made use of that Artifice effectually to hinder the Duke of Wirtem∣berg, with whom they had an interview with Savern, from con∣federating with the P. of Conde,, who sought his Alliance. The K. of Navar likewise, at the persuasion of the Tutor to his Natural Son, had testified the same inclination, but yet never stuck to any setled O∣pinion in Religion, but continued wavering and doubtful in that matter to his dying day.

There hapned a great sedition that year at Paris, where the Pro∣testants were met for their Religious Exercises. For the Catholicks ha∣ving a Church hard by their Meeting, were so malicious as to ring their Bells with more noise, and much longer than ordinary, purposely to disturb the Minister, and his Auditors, by their jangling; upon which the Protestants sending 2 men unarmed, civilly to intreat them to leave off that troublesome ringing, The Catholicks were pleased to knock one of the messengers on the head, but the other got away. Upon that, the people easily took fire on both sides, and fell so fiercely together by the ears, that the City Guards, which were then employed to prevent such Accidents, were not able to suppress them. The Protestants over-powered their Adversaries in this Scuffle, and the doors of the Church were broken open, the I∣mages battered to peices, some Catholicks killed, and some Priests put in prison. But the Protestants were made to pay dearly for that advantage; for the Parliament condemn'd them for it, and ••••••••∣ed up 2 or 3 of them, and imprison'd their very Witnesses 〈◊〉〈◊〉 p••••ting in their favour. Which Example has been followed 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…nd the unhappy party always judged in the•…•… •…•…been treated with the most•…•… •…•…am•…•…

casion of the Massacre at Vassi, which the Domestick Servants of the D. of Guise committed in their Mrs. presence, killing about 60 per∣sons, and wounding above 200. For tho The Q. promised them Justice for it, yet the K. of Navar, whom the Triumvirs had wrought over to their Interests, received Beza but very ill, when he came to complain of it to him; and the Duke of Guise, and Marshal de St. Andre baffled all their Prosecutions for the punishment of the Criminals, and the whole blame of the Massacre was at last thrown upon the pretended impatient humour of the Protestants. And yet that action was a thing of no slight consequence, because besides the cruelty of the Fact, it was a Breach of the Edict of January, which was the first that granted a free exercise of the Reformed Re∣ligion in publick, and was drawn up with the approbation of an Assembly of the Notables, or select Council of Nobility, but notverifi∣ed without great opposition, especially at Paris, where after se∣veral reiterated commands, it was at last Registred with this provi∣sional clause; That it was done in consideration of the present con∣juncture of Affairs, without approving the new Religion, and to re∣main in force no longer than the K. should order otherwise. That E∣dict was an effect of the extraordinary favour the Admiral was then in with the Q. who highly caress'd him, which gave so much jealousie to the Triumvirs, that they retired from Court. But that great Lord suffering his eyes to be dazled, by the Artifices of the Queen, discovered to her a little too much the strength of his Par∣ty by demanding of her the liberty of building Temples or Churches for 2150 Protestant Congregations. For the Q. thereupon demand∣ed to see a particular account of the number of each Congregation, which he refufing, as being sensible he had already been too open∣hearted with her. Ever after that she was shie of the Admiral, as being unwilling to depend on him.

But the Triumvirs were not long absent from the Court, but re∣turning and restoring to the Parisians, who where passionately af∣fected to them, their Arms again, they reduced the Q. into such danger of losing her Authority, that she was forced to have re∣course to the Prince of Conde to deliver her out of their hands, authorising him by pressing Letters, wherein she recommended to him the K. the Kingdom and her self, and complains, That the

Guises kept her in Captivity, requiring him to take up Arms, under the specious pretence of delivering the King and Queen. But that Princess afterwards falling into the power of the Confederates, and being constrain'd to disown the Commission she had given the Prince to take Arms, he sent her Original Letters to those German Princes to whom he had a mind to justifie his Conduct, which she took for so heinous an Affront, that she would never pardon it to him However, to hinder the people from joyning with the Prince, another Edict was publisht in the King's Name, to confirm the Edict of January, which granted an Indemnity for all that was past, and permission for the free publick Exercise of the Reformed Religi∣on every where, but in the City and Suburbs of Paris. But the Prince baf∣fled that Stratagem, by publishing the Copy of a Treaty of Confe∣deracy concluded between the Pope, the King of Spain, and the Gui¦ses, against the Protestants, which he had newly intercepted. Not but that on that, and all other like occasions, there was always a consider∣able number of Protestants that suffer'd themselves to be deceived by those Illusory Edicts; Nay, and that there always was some of them that have been wheedled in to bear Arms too against their Brethren, for the Court-Interest. But yet still the Division was not so great as very much to weaken the Princes Party; who, sometime after the Queen had disowned them, having called a Council of Conscience of six∣ty Ministers, to consult whether it were lawful after that, to continue the War; they came to this Resolution, That since those Arms were at first taken up by Order of that Princess, whilst free, against the E∣nemies of the King, and the State, and the Violaters of Edicts, they were lawfully taken up, and ought not to be laid down (by any Counter-Order proceeding from her) whilst under the force of hers, and their common Enemies.

This War was very cruel in many places, because there were some Commanders on each side, that prosecuted it without any Mercy. For Des Adrets, on the Protestant side, was noted for his Cruelties, and Mon∣luc, on the other, would spare no body; Nay, and Mompensier too, signalised himself not a little by his Inhumanities. However, this difference there was between the Cruelties of the Two Parties, That those of the Catholicks were a continuation of what they had exerci∣sed for near 40 years past, by so many Butcherly Executions; and those of the Protestants were but actions of men made desperate by so long and barbarous a persecution. Which, by the way, deserves to be remarked against the Roman Catholick Historians, who always ex∣cuse, as much as they can, the Excesses of their own people, though never so villainous, but represent the Violences of the Princes Forces much horrider than they were. And indeed the Protestants found no mercy at all; No Faith of Treaties was ever kept with them, and not being content to destroy them by Fights and Massacres, The Catholicks wherever they had power, further employed against them he forms of Justice. But nothing more furiously incensed the Peo∣ple

against them, than their breaking of Images, and burning of Re∣licks in several places. That likewise occasioned many bloody Edicts against them; and the Parliaments would needs stretch the severity of those Acts of the Council yet to a higher pitch, by their Decrees, especially those of Paris, Roan, Dijon and Tholouse. And tho the Ca∣tholick Armies were guilty of as many outrages as the others, yet the Protestants bore the blame of all, and were charged with the Sacri∣ledges even of their Enemies.

A new Massacre of the Protestants which hapned at Sens, by the Car∣dinal of Lorrain's fault, who was Archbishop of that Town, broke off the Negotiations for a Peace, and the War was continued a fresh both by Arms and Writings. In which the Catholicks were the first that had recourse to Foreign Aid, and the Protestants imitated them, by procuring assistance from Queen Elizabeth of England who seised of Havre de Grace for her security. But before her Forces could joyn the Princes Army, a Battle was fought near Dreux, the success of which on both sides was so equal, that the Duke of Guise was the only gain∣er by it. The King of Navar died some time before of a wound he received at the Siege of Roan, the Marshal de St. Andre was Killed, and the Constable taken in this Battle, so that the Duke had now neither superiour nor competitour at Court. The Prince of Conde was likewise taken Prisoner, but that hindred not his party from standing upon such high conditions, that no Peace could be a∣greed upon. The Duke afterwards laying Siege to Orleans, was there Assassinated by one Poltrot, which miserable wretch being taken, Ac∣cused the Admiral and Beza, and several others as his Instigatours to that enterprise, and tho he often varied in his answers upon Exami∣nations, yet he accused the Admiral with a little more constancy than the rest. However he was willingly credited in that point; and the young Duke of Guise continuing, ever from that time, a resentment against that Lord, as guilty of the Charge, revenged himself nine years after, upon several thousands of Innocents, whose blood he mingled with the Admirals, to expiate the death of his Father.

The Tragical Death of that great Man, dampt the vain thoughts of the Cardinal of Lorrain then at Trent, whither the Council had been re∣moved the third time by a Bull of Pius IV. where the French Ambas∣sadours had waited a good while for the coming of the Bishops of their Nation; but the Cardinal came thither at last, attended with some Pre∣lates, with a full Resolution to insist upon thirty four Articles of Reforma∣tion which seemed to be much desired by the Queen, and especially the Restitution of the Cup, and the Marriage of Priests The same accident like∣wise put the Court upon other Measures, and disposed matters to a Peace; for which an Edict was agreed upon at Amboise. The Prince took advice only of the Nobility of his Party who were weary of the War, and would not hearken to the Counsel of threescore and ten Ministers, who would have persuaded him to abate nothing of the

Edict of January. The Admiral was not at all content with this pro∣ceeding. But however he was forced to seem to approve of what he could not hinder; and to accept an Edict much less favourable than the former, and where the Distinction of Rights of Exercise by vertue of Fiefs, Possession and Bailywicks, was introduced.

The Peace was followed by an Event at which the Court of Rome was highly offended. The Cardinal of Chatillon Bishop of Beauvais, which is one of the most antient Peerages of the Kingdom, turning to the Religion of the Admiral his Brother, quitted both the Name and Ha∣bit of his Ecclesiastical Dignity, and retain'd only that of Count of Beau∣vais. The Pope thereupon cited him, and depriv'd him of his Cardinals Hat. But that Lord, to shew how little he valued the Papal Censure immediately took up again his Cardinals Habit, and wore it at all Ce∣remonies at which he was present, and even at the Registring of the Kings Declaration upon the Subject of his Majority; nay and to carry his contempt further he Married a Lady, and wore his Cardi∣nals Habit on his Wedding day. The same year the Cardinal of Lorrain called a Synod at Rheims, where the Cardinal of Chatillon ap∣peared not, tho he were Suffragan of Rheims, as Bishop of Beauvais. They who were present at it, were content only to agree upon a resolution to give notice to the King, that that Prelate was Excommunicated at Rome for a Heretick. But that was put off till 1569. when the Parliament Declared him a Rebel, and de∣prived him of all his Dignities, turning him over to the Judgment of his Superiour as to what concern'd the Common Crime▪ But they durst not at first explain what they meant by the term Superiour, for fear of of∣fending the Pope; but in another Decree, they plainly owned, that by Superiour, they meant his Metropolitan, the Archbishop of Rheims with the Bishops his Suffragans, conformably to the Liberties of the Gallican Church. And in fine, when this Cardinals Widow moved after the passing of that Edict, to have her Marriage confirmed, she could not obtain it, as I shall shew more fully in time and place. The pretence urged against her, was, That there appear'd no Evidence neither by writing nor witnesses, to prove it an Authentick Marri∣age, and not Clandestine. It's true indeed it was then 40 years since it was done, and there remain'd but one man alive that could witness it; but yet that hindred it not from being very true, that the Marri∣age was celebrated by the consent, and in the presence of the Cardi∣nals Brothers, and with all the Solemnity that the Simplicity of the Reformation, and the circumstances of that juncture of time could permit.

That Cardinal passed in the time of the following Wars, into England, to demand assistance from Queen Elisabeth, but as he was a∣bout to return into France, he was basely poysoned by one of his own domestick Servants.

The Chancellor took his opportunity after the Edict of Peace, to publish another commanding all the King's Subjects to pay Tithes as before, to the Church-men: And it was not doubted, but that Edict

was the preservation of the Roman Church, because had the Protestants been suffered to escape free from paying those dues, all that had any Goods or Estates lyable to pay Tithes, would have wheeled about to their Party, out of greediness to augment their Revenues at one jerko a full tenth part. Yet for all that, it appears by the repeated com∣plaints of the Clergy in all their Assemblies, that they had much ado to enjoy the benefit of that Edict. And 'tis only since the Edict of Nants, that they have been established in the full possession of those dues. And then indeed that question was contradictorily decided to the advantage of the Church-men, and the recompense granted to the Protestants to indemnify them for what they paid in Tyths, took from them all colour of renewing any more pretences on that Sub∣ject; for till then, the Clergy had not been able to keep possession of those Rights, because the Protestants paid them nothing in places where they were strong enough to avoid it; and the Catholicks in many places, and especially the Gentry paid them but 'en what they li••ted. But that Edict fortifying them with a new Title, they reco∣vered by little and little the full enjoyment of all their Rights, and under pretence of explaining, or confirming them against the pre∣tensions of the Protestants, they often procured orders, which they made use of to the Disadvantage of the Catholicks themselves; So that they that for time out of mind had been obliged only to pay certain fixed Tythes, were then forced to pay Tyths of the Arti∣chokes, Melons, Pumpions, nay, and of their Marjoram, and in a word, of all the Herbs of their Gardens. And for the obtaining those Or∣ders, the Clergy was not ashamed to vacate the old customs that were confirmed by an interrupted possession of 2 or 300 years. After the Peace, both Parties contended which should be most active in re-taking Havre de Grace from the English, who had a mind to keep it; and the Protestants seemed to espouse the cause with more heat than the o∣thers, the better to wipe off the reproach cast upon them, of having giv∣en new footing in the Kingdom, to a Foraign People that had been so long its mortal Enemies. At his return from that Expedition, the King was declared Major at Roan, and put forth a new Edict to con∣firm that of Amboise, which was again renewed towards the end of the year by another which explained some dubious Articles of it. But when the King was return'd to Paris, the Admiral was impeacht for the Murther of the Duke of Guise; the affairs was very difficult to decide at that Juncture of time, because of the equal Ballance that seemed to be between the power of the Accusers, and that of the Ac∣cused, and therefore after several insignificant proceedings, it was cun∣ningly put off for three years.

The same year likewise there began to appear, at Tholouse and elsewhere, some seeds of a League against the Protestants, and the fa∣mous Council of Trent was at last terminated, which having been long desired, as the only salve for the Divisions of Europe, was for some∣time

as 'twere the Shittle-cock of the Policy of Princes, and the Ter∣rour of the Court of Rome, which was afraid, that in such a ticklish time in which she was so much cried down, a Council would in spite of her attempt a Reformation of her intolerable Errours and Abuses. But yet at last that Court found its account well enough here, and that Council degenerated into a manifest Cabal, confirmed all Abuses to the advantage of the Roman See, exalted her above Princes, and made the yoke of the Roman Church more heavy than ever upon mens Con∣sciences.

The next year, the Spaniards did what they could to re-kindle a new War; but the time was not yet seasonable to hearken to them. In expectation therefore of a better occasion, they conspired with the Catholicks of Bearn to seise the Queen of Navar and her Children, and to deliver them to the Inquisition for Hereticks, which if effected, would have given a fair occasion to Philp I••. to make himself Master of the rest of their Dominions, which had escaped from the Ambition of his Great Grandfather. The Conspiracy was discovered, but yet Queen Katharine had particular reasons worthy of her self, not to or∣der the person to be taken up, that was the chief Intriguer in it. Four years after, the Queen of Navar, who was forced to provide for her own and her Childrens safety, by flying to Rochel, from the fury of the same Revolted Subjects, sent from thence Montgomery to chastise them, after which she Banisht quite out of her Country all exercise of the Roman Religion, under the pretence of which, such a horrid Treatment was design'd her; And that was done by the consent of the States, without which nothing can be legally done in that Principality. So that the Catholicks lost all their Priviledges there, by a just punish∣ment for their furious Attempt▪ in going about to deliver their Law∣ful Soveraign Princess into the Power of a Foraign Jurisdiction, and the Reformation was by this means received there by the concurrence of that double Authority in which the Legislative Power of that Country Resides. We shall see afterwards what respect was had to those con∣siderations, under the Grand-child of that Princess.

But in France the Protestants were not long at quiet, without new oc∣casions to be jealous of the Court; for they were ill treated almost every where, and saw their Tranquillity openly conspired against; And the Pope, the King of Spain and Duke of Savoy loudly demanded by their Ambassadours, that the Edict might be Revoked, and the Decrees of the late Council Publisht, to which the King's answer was in such general and ambiguous Terms, that the Protestants could not but be alarmed at it. And besides the Pulpits every where resound∣ed with nothing but the praises of the King of Spain, whom they extolled to the Skies, as the great Extirpater of Hereticks; and a De∣puty of Burgundy in an Oration to the King, passionately prest him ••o suffer but one Religion in his Kingdom. Many Violences and Massacres were committed in divers places without any punishment

inflicted on the Authors. The concessions of the Edict were inva∣lidated by distorted Interpretations, which were renewed again in our Time. The Ministers were forced to reside in the places where their Temples, or Meeting places were; and they were permitted to teach no Schools. The exercise of the Protestant Religion was suspended in all places whither the Court hapned to pass. The Priviledges of the Protestant Lords were clipt, and none suffered to come to the Religious Exercises in their Houses, but such as were their own Subjects or Vassals. All Synodical Assemblies were forbid∣den. No Money was suffered to be Levied for the Maintenance of their Ministers. The Marriages of such who had been Priests, Monks, or Nuns, were disanulled. The Fortifications raised by the Protestants in the Time of the War, were demolished, and yet strong Cittadels built to awe those Towns that favoured them. In a word, nothing was o∣mitted to induce them to believe, that the Peace was granted them with no other design, but to disarm and disunite them, and especially, to break the neck of those Alliances they had with Foreign Protestants All these violations of the Peace, obliged the Prince of Conde to present a Memorial of Complaints to the King; wherein, among other things, he reckons up no less than 130 murthers committed since the Peace, for which he could obtain no Justice. But yet all the Satisfaction he got from his Majesty, was only a general Answer, and civil words.

It's true, the K. made a Progress all over his Kingdom, with all his Court; but the Protestants were never the better for it; and then it was the Court had an Interview with the D. of Alva at Bayonne, where they learnt of him, that fatal and bloody Apothegm which they afterwards so well improved in practice, viz. That the Head of one Salmon is better than those of 50000 Frogs. The Prince then but a child, and much caress'd at that time by Q. Katharine, being present at the Conference where this advice was given, tho he was but young, yet well apprehended its consequence, and learnt thereby to keep himself upon his guard, against that Prin∣cess, after he had lost her favour. Whilst those Intrigues were carry∣ing on, as there was yet no open War, The Protestants were busy in confirming their Churches by convenient Regulations, and held some Synods; by the acts of which, it appears, that the custom of Annexes, or Pluralities, was already received among them, because they had more Churches than Ministers; tho in our time, their Adversaries have been pleased to cavil with them upon that account, as if the serving of several Churches by the same Minister, had been a novelty among them. The Catholicks on their side, fortified themselves by Leagues, and some private ones were concluded in several places, and Monlu•• proposed to the K. to make one too with his Catholick Lords. At the same time the Admiral was attacked by dangerous Calumnies; and a wicked Villain that had attempted to Murther him, thinking there∣by to escape Punishment, accused him of endeavouring to persuade him to Kill the Q. But the time being not yet seasonable to accept such black Impostures for good Evidence, that Traytor was convinced of Forgery, and broken upon the Wheel.

But because the Court had a mind to trick the Protestants, they pretended to •…•…oncile that Lord with the House of Guise. And accordingly the accomodati∣•…•… was made with all the cautions usually observ'd in a sincere Treaty. But the •…•…ng D. was not at the conclusion of it, as designing, by his absence, to reserve •…•…imself a Right to violate at pleasure, the promises advanced by his Family. •…•…t for all that, a thousand wrongs were continually done every where to the •…•…restants; for in places where they were weakest, they were openly opprest and •…•…ir complaints derided; but where they were strong enough to make them∣•…•…es be fear'd, the K's name and authority was made use of to stop their mouths 〈…〉〈…〉 make them tamely suffer all the evils their enemies had a mind to inflict •…•…n them. And besides all this, the March of the D. of Alva's Army, which he •…•…s leading towards the Netherlands, where peoples Spirits were in a shrewd •…•…ment, still more Alarm'd the Protestants, and made them apprehensive, lest •…•…er a colour of some other design, the Court should make use of him to de∣•…•…y them. All these considerations induced the Prince of Conde once more to •…•…e up arms, who attempted to selfe, and carry away the Court then at Monce∣•…•… in which he narrowly miss'd succeeding, and would certainly have effected •…•…ad he not been timely hindred by the diligence of the Constable: However 〈…〉〈…〉 boldness of the attempt made such an Impression upon the K's Spirit, that he •…•…ld never pardon it to the Prince. The most remarkable event in that War was •…•…death of the Constable who was kill'd at the attack of Paris▪ by the Forces of the •…•…ce of Conde, who with a handful of Men, in the View of a Turkish Envoy, who •…•…eld the fight from the Walls, resisted the whole effort of the Royal Army, tho •…•…t by all the people of that great City. The War from thence spread it self 〈…〉〈…〉 the Provinces, whether both parties once more call'd in Foreigners to their as∣•…•…ce. At last a Peace was clapt up, whilst Chartres was besieged, by which the E∣•…•… of January was restored to the Protestants without restriction, more out of de∣•…•… to make them send back their Foreign Aids, than to restore Tranquillity to 〈…〉〈…〉 State. The most part of the Protestants were against this peace, because they •…•…tly enough judged, it was granted them only for a decoy. And the Prince him∣•…•… wa•• much afraid of it too, and therefore made no hast to perform the Ar∣•…•… of the Treaty that related to his own concerns; and, to say the truth, the Ca∣•…•…icks gave him but too much occasion of jealousie: For there was much a∣•…•…o get the Edict verified by the Parliaments, and that of Tholouse refus'd it till 〈…〉〈…〉 4 Reiterated commands; and before that too, had the insolence to put Rapin to •…•…h, that was come thither from the Prince, to press its Registring But the Court •…•…t not there▪ For they sent into the Provinces a form of an Oath, in which under •…•…ence of Allegiance the Protestants were to swear never to take Arms mor••▪ and •…•…onfess themselves worthy of the most rigorous punishments, if there should •…•…pen any disturbance through their fault in the places where they liv'd. That is, they •…•…e them thereby responsible for all accidents, tho it were to their own wrong, 〈…〉〈…〉 they had learnt by experience, that the blame was always laid upon them, right or •…•…g. In •• Months time more than 2000 of them were Massacred in several places, 〈…〉〈…〉 nothing was to be seen every where but Injustices to destroy them, or artifices •…•…ide them. That was the drift of an Edict, in which the K. pretended to take 〈…〉〈…〉 his Protection all Protestants that should live peaceably at home; but that trick had •…•…ct, because it was too soon discover'd. Then came out another Edict, which 〈…〉〈…〉 the liberty to exercise any other Religion but the Catholick, which was soon

followed by another, commanding the Protestants to quit all offices; and the Order 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Registring it in the Parliament of Paris, added this clause, That all who succeeded 〈◊〉〈◊〉 any Offices for the future should be obliged to swear, to live and die in the Roman Re••••••••••∣on. The Protestants likewise intercepted some Letters written by the Court, to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Magistrates in the Provinces forbidding them to observe the Edict of Peace. Th•••••• are others extant from the Q. of Navar to the Cardinal of Bourbon, where 〈◊〉〈◊〉 reminds him of a thing at which he was so terribly alarm'd, that he could 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sleep for one whole night, which was, that during Q Katharines last sickness, 〈…〉〈…〉 sign was laid to act over again in France the Scicilian Vesper. This ••right of the C••••¦dinal, as may be a hint by the way, was a sufficient proof their malice aim•••• as much at the House of Bourbon, as the Reform'd Religion. They attempted l•••••• wise to surprise the Prince of Conde at his house at Noyers, and that so sub•••••••• that he had hardly a minutes notice to make his escape. But nothing more cle••••∣ly betrayed the Courts intentions, than the Bull of Alienation of some Ecclesi•••••• Revenues granted towards the support of a War against the Hereticks, and which ••••∣ing dated some days before the Protestants took Arms, was an evident proof, that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Court that had sollicited it was the first that designed a Rupture. However 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Chancellor suffer'd it not to be made use of, for fear the Protestants should 〈◊〉〈◊〉 prove it to their advantage▪ and they were fain to procure another three 〈◊〉〈◊〉 after, that granted the K. the same Alienation, under the notion of a Recom•••••••••• of his Revoking the Edicts of Toleration. Yet for all that, the Chancellor was ••••••t graced, either because he was against the War, or was suspected to favour the P••••∣testants for the sake of his Wife, his Daughter, and his Son in Law, who were 〈◊〉〈◊〉 their Religion. Thus the Protestants were forced to a third War, in which 〈◊〉〈◊〉 suffered great losses. For Andelot Brother to the Admiral, and one of their 〈◊〉〈◊〉 commanders died of sickness; and but a little before that the Prince of Conde was 〈◊〉〈◊〉 at Bassac near Jarnac, by a treachery without example, committed in all app••••••∣ance by the Court and Orders to the D. of Anjou; since that Assassinate was 〈◊〉〈◊〉 under his Nose by the Capt. of his Guards, himself shewing no dislike 〈…〉〈…〉 exploit. This was the first noble head sacrificed to the D. of Alva's Counsels. 〈…〉〈…〉 same year the Protestants also lost the Battle of Moncontour, so that after so 〈◊〉〈◊〉 misfortunes, the Court seemed to have a prospect of having a cheaper barg•••••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the rest. For indeed, the Admiral himself, tho never so great as in Adversity, 〈…〉〈…〉 then so stupified with so many cross blows, that he was some time before 〈…〉〈…〉 could recover himself. But however, when they saw him take fresh Courag•• 〈…〉〈…〉 that after he had Marcht almost round the Kingdom, through so many 〈…〉〈…〉 Troops and Towns, he was still in a condition with his Army, as much tired 〈…〉〈…〉 was, and unprovided of all necessities to oppose the Royal Army sent against 〈…〉〈…〉 they quitted all thoughts of destroying him by open force, and resolv'd to dispatch 〈…〉〈…〉 by some master stroke of Treachery; and accordingly struck up with him a 〈…〉〈…〉 Peace, by which they granted him so many things so much beyond his •••• that it was easy to see they had a mind to trick him. That was the first 〈…〉〈…〉 which there were mentioned any cautionary Towns. But then 4 such were gi•••••• to the Protestants for 4 years and they rested content with that security, tho 〈…〉〈…〉 had been so often deceiv'd by the Court-Oaths, because they thought that 〈…〉〈…〉 might be sufficient to execute the Edict, and to accustome the French to 〈…〉〈…〉 Peace together, for all their difference in Religion. All the great persons in 〈…〉〈…〉 Kingdom Swore to this Peace, and the Spanish Ambassador seem'd to be highly 〈…〉〈…〉 contented at it.

But the better to surprise the Protestants, they prevented their desires in many things. For they consulted about the War in Flanders, which the Admiral was very zealous for; they made ap∣plications to Queen Elizabeth, and the German Princes, whose Am∣bassadors, and Exhortations to observe the Peace, they received very well. They Negotiated a Marriage between Henry Prince of Navar, and Margaret the King's Sister, as if they designed to stifle all suspicions by so strict an Alliance. And in particular they ca∣ressed the Admiral so highly, that the Old Gentleman, as wise as he was, let himself be so insnared by them, that he made the places of Security to be yielded back before the two years were expired, and answered them who gave him private advice of the Court∣designs, that he had rather be drawn about the Streets through the dirt, than to begin a New War.

During this Calm, the Protestants held two National Synods, at both which Beza assisted, and at the first, which was held at Rochelle, were present the Queen of Navar, the Princes and the Ad∣miral. And the Queen was pleas'd to take the Advice of the Synod for regulating the Religion of her Domesticks, The Complaints of that Assembly were favourably heard at the Court▪ who checkt a Sedition that had been raised at Roan, and promised Redress a∣gainst another that had been stirr'd up at Orange, and suffered 1200 Families of the County of Avignon that had been persecuted there for Religion, to take Refuge in Dauphiny▪ and in fine, o∣mitted nothing that might convince the World, they were hear∣tily weary of the War.

But not withstanding this fair Out-side, they neglected not to take measures at a distance for what they afterwards put in Exe∣cution. And 'tis said, They deliberated first about it at Blois, in the very same Chamber where the Duke of Guise was killed 16 or 17 years after, and that that Prince presided in that Assembly; That a year after the Proposition was renewed at St. Cloud, in the same Chamber where Henry III. was assassinated in the year 1589. and that this Prince, who was then but Duke of Anjou presided in this Second Assembly. King Charles, who kept the Secret with a profound Dissimulation, during all these long Intrigues, did not forbear to say enough to the Legate, who complain'd of the Fa∣vours which were heaped upon the Protestants, to make him un∣derstand

derstand that the Resolutions were already formed at the Court, of those things which afterwards hapned. The only difficulty was to agree about the Pretences and Means to put them in Execution. But at last they concluded upon one of the most detestable, which was executed upon the 24th of August. The Queen of Navar was poysoned before, as was supposed by the Queens means, who was very much suspected for the business of Poysoning. The Ad∣miral was wounded by Maurevel, who was charged to kill him, and they took this way as most proper to push the Reformed on to Sedition, which would give a specious pretence for their Mas∣sacre, or make them fall out with the Guises, and so give the King opportunity to ruin either the one or the other of them; But their patience was the cause of their being massacred without any pretence, in the most cruel manner in the world. I shall not give a particular account of this Horrible Action, since all honest Histori∣ans have declared and detested it. I shall add only, that they are accused for having forced the King to ruin them, to prevent a Con∣spiracy against his own Person; so that after he had treacherously spilt their blood, he would blacken their memory. You must not be astonished, if there be found some to apologize for this cowardly Cruelty, since there was found those who were capable of commit∣ting it. Peter Carpentier, a Lawyer, a Protestant Refugee at Geneva, sold his Pen to his Brethren's Murderers, and being made known to Bellievre, whom the King had sent into Switzerland to justify this Action, he received mony from him, and permission to return into France, and promises of great Recompence for declaiming a∣gainst the memory of the dead. This he doth by a bloody Letter, which was printed again not long ago, to justify the Cruelties of the last persecution, as if the shameful perfidiousness of a Rogue of the last Age, would serve for an Apology for the Injustice of this. As for the Guises, because they were not willing to bear the Re∣proach of this base treachery; they constrained the King to take it upon himself, and saved some of the Reformed from the hands of the Massacrers, to keep themselves from the blame of so black an Infidelity.

The King of Navar, and the Prince of Conde run a great risque of losing their lives. The Prince was more difficult to be wrought on, but in the end, both of them gave way to the violence. They

took occasion for an honest pretence of des Rosiers, who having been found in some Criminal Matters, had redeemed his Life at the expence of his Conscience. The Reasons which had made him change, had the same effect upon the Princes, because they were in the same fear as he. Monsieur had drawn him out of trouble by his Credit, and having secured him to his Interest by this benefit, was willing to make use of him to bring back his Daughter, and the Duke of Bouillon, his Son in Law, to the Roman Religion. He already procur'd a Conference at Paris 6 or 7 years before, between the Drs. of both Parties, for the same end, but it had then no ef∣fect, for the Princess persevered in her former Opinions. The Duke believ'd the Example and Reasons of des Rosiers would have the same force to convert Hereticks at Sedan, as they had had at Paris. And therefore sent Maldonat the Jesuit thither, with this revolted Minister, but the Jesuit obtain'd nothing, and durst not let des Rosiers come to Sedan, because he did not believe him as yet to be a firm Catholick. The Conference which he had with the Ministers did not shake this Princess in the least, and tho he publish'd a Relation of this Journey, where he speaks very advantagiously of himself, and makes the Ministers to argue like Children, yet he brought back from thence no other fruit but the loss of his des Rosiers, who having followed him to Metz, fled himself 3 weeks after in∣to Germany, where he made an acknowledgment of his Faults.

But in France it was found more difficult to destroy the reformed party than was imagined; For after so much blood spilt they stood yet upon their feet. In a little time the War was kindled every where. The Duke of Anjou lost his Time and Reputation before Rochel. Sancerre could not be forced to surrender it self by the most cruel Famine that ever was recorded. So that they thought them∣selves very fortunate in making peace, and to find pretence for it in the Intercession of the Polanders, who were come to offer the Crown of Poland to the Duke of Anjou. The Edict granted the Exercise of Religion but to 3 Cities, and revoked almost all the foregoing Conces∣sions.

France was then divided into 3 Factions, and in the Duke of Anjou's Army alone, there was 4; 1. that of the zealous Catholicks, which was the ruling party; 2. that of the New Catholicks, discon∣tented and suspicious; 3. that of the Politicks, sprung out of the

foregoing War, and without taking part in Religion, formed one in the State, under pretence of opposing either the Enterprises of the Court, or the ambition of strangers; and 4. that of the persevering reformed Religion, which they suffered in the Army, the better to deceive the rest, and to make them believe that they would not exterminate them. They had already publish'd an Edict to give this assurance to all that staid peaceably in their houses, and to perswade them, that the suspicious Conduct of the Admiral was the only cause of their misfortune. But the Massacres either done, or commanded on the same day in the most considerable Cities of the Kingdom, made it known to all them that had not lost their senses, how false and ri∣diculous a pretence this was. The Princes and young Lords of those several Parties had like to have raised New Troubles during the siege of Rochel. But La Noue, whose wisdom they had a great deference for, hindred the Effects of their head-strong resolutions.

But a little while after the Duke of Alenzon renewed those In∣trigues to get the same Authority in Affairs which his Brother had before he was King of Poland; and the Reformed and the Politici∣ans acknowledged him for their Protector. But before he could e∣scape from the Court, his Plots were discovered. This cost him his Liberty, as well as the King of Navar, and many others, and the Lives of some. But all this did not hinder the War from breaking out again in many Provinces, and the Protestants lost Montgomery, whose Head the Queen cut off, against the promise which Matignon made him of his life, when he rendred himself his prisoner. The Prince of Conde saved himself in a disguise in Germany, and made a publick acknowledgment at Strasburg, that he had been at Mass. A little after the Death of Charles IX. the King of Poland was called back into France, and in expectation of his return, the Queen made her self be declared Regent, and suspended the War with the Pro∣testants by a Truce of 2 months, by which she gave them leisure to make an Assembly at Millau, where they chose the Prince of Conde for their Chief; but this also served their Enemies to recruit their Army, and make their advantages. The New King Henry III. receiv'd good advice at Vienna, Venice and Turin, where he was exhorted to give peace to his people, but the Queen-Mother, and her Favourites quickly effaced all the impressions of those good Counsels.

The Council was divided into 2 Factions, one follow'd the Max∣ims of the Chancellour of the Hospital, and were for peace; the other

follow'd those of Morvillier Bishop of Orleans, who was Keeper of the Seals some time; and these were for destroying the Protestants at any rate soever. This last party was animated by the particu∣lar hatred of the Queen-Mother against the reformed, by the ambiti∣on of the Guises, and by the Intrigues of Spain, who had a great in∣fluence in the Council. Morvillier added the Charm of some Bigot∣try which he had in his Head, and which was enough to dazle the ignorant people. The Protestants provoked the Cabal yet more by a Memorial which they presented, in which they demanded satis∣faction in 92 Articles, which touched the disorders of the Court too much to the quick to be heard favourably there; and they principal∣ly insisted on the calling the General Estates to remedy the miseries of the Kingdom.

In the mean time the Princes were set at liberty by the King, when the Queen-Mother presented them to him at his arrival in France, tho there wanted not some to watch them so narrowly, that they were little better than Prisoners. But at last the Duke of Alenzon retired from Court, and a little while after the King of Navar did the same. It is observed of this latter, that passing by A∣lenzon, he there went to the preaching. The Psalm which the Mi∣nister sung before the Sermon, was the 21st, which begins with these words, Seigneur leRoy s'ejouira D'avoir eu delivrancee, par ta grande puissance. &c. The King shall joy in thy strength, O Lord! and in thy Salvation how greatly shall he rejoyce, v. 1. He en∣quir'd if this was sung because of him; and when he un∣derstood that it was according to the Order that the Psalms were sung for that day, he took it for a good presage of Success in his Enterprises. Howsoever, it was a good while before he fixed intirely to the reformed Religion. His Life at that time had more of the Libertine in it than of Devotion; But the year after, his Servants, who saw that this indifference in Religion did not ac∣commodate his Affairs, obliged him publickly at Rochel to repair the fault which he had been forc'd to at Paris, by the terror of death.

These Conjunctures extorted from the Court a Truce of six months, and in the end a Peace which they needed, to break the Ʋnion of the Confederates, and to separate the Duke of Alenzon from their party.

They granted an Edict to the Protestants, such an one as they were used to make, when they were not willing to keep it; this is that which introduced the name of the Religion pretendedly Re∣form'd.

They gave them 8 places of Security, and at the same time concluded upon their ruin with the Legate, and with Don John of Austria; and in the very same year it was openly talked that the Edict should be revoked, and that they had granted it only by force. They put it under Consultation whether Faith should be kept with Hereticks, and it was publickly Preached that according to the Council of Constance, they were not obliged to it. After this then the Peace was broken, and the Estates General, which the Protest∣ants had demanded with so much earnestness concluded to destroy them, and to oblige Henry III. to make himself chief of the League, because he was afraid that some other should.

This League so famous was form'd of the Ʋnion of many parti∣cular Leagues, all which had Religion for their pretence, but the principal end of this general League was to set the Duke of Guise upon the Throne, and that the King could not doubt of. There was a Writing which a certain Advocate of Paris brought from Rome, which contain'd the Reasons and Methods for Deposing the De∣scendents of Hugh Capet, and restoring the Crown to the Posterity of Charlemagne, which fell into the hands of the Protestants, who Published it. Vi••onne Ambassadour in Spain, sent another Copy of the same Writing, and reveal'd the whole Mystery of the League. The King, being of a timorous and unsetled temper, followed the advice of Morvillier, who was as timorous as himself, and believed he should more easily destroy this Cabal, by making himself the Head of it, than by Methods more firm and agreeable to his Dignity. He passed further, and declared, That as he had promised by Oath at his Coronation upon the most holy Sacrament of the Altar, to suffer no Religion in his Estates but the Catholick, he warned his Subjects not to believe any thing he should either say or do to the contrary, and that if he was reduced to make peace, he would not keep it, but till such time as he could get an occasion to break it. But all these Pro∣testations hindred not, but in a little time after, he made a Peace with the King of Navar. Mompensier who went to see that Prince to sound his intentions, advising him thereto at his return, and the third Estate likewise helped the King out of his perplexity, declaring that they were of advice to bring back the stray'd sheep to the Roman Church by all convenient methods, but that they had not counselled the War. The Honourable manner with which

the King of Navar received the Deputies and the Letters of the Estates, facilitated the Treaty. He answered in Writing, That he was ready to quit his Religion, if by any better instructions they could shew that his own was not good. This clause was taken as an ill au∣gury by the Ministers of his Court, who therefore razed it out, but he interlined it again with his own hand. The Prince of Conde shew'd a greater Spirit, for he would neither acknowledg the E∣states, nor receive their Letters, nor give them an Answer.

Thus Peace was made and confirmed by an Edict given at Po∣ictiers, which they themselves, who excus'd it with the Pope, ac∣knowledged to be less favourable than any that had been granted to them before. But the Bigots were angry at it nevertheless, because of the Article which declares the Protestants capable of Offices and Honours. In short, it struck at the Designs of the Guises, and it was easy to extend it to the Princes, That their Religion ought not to render them incapable of the Crown, since it did not render other Protestants incapable of Employs suitable to their Birth. This Calm gave oppor∣tunity to Hold some Synods. That of St. Foy, held a little after the Edict of Poictiers, was remarkable, for a Cause that was judged be∣tween the Prince of Conde, and the Consistory of Rochel, which had su∣spended him from the holy Supper, because he had not well received the Remonstrances of the Company, upon the Subject of a Prize taken at Sea, during the 40 days prescribed by the Edict, for the laying down of Arms. It was found, that the Judgment of the Consistory was too rash, and that the Prince, on the other side, had too little Respect for the Authority of the Consistory, and Deputies were named to reconcile them. This Peace, as to other things, did not cease all Jealousies. And therefore to take away all pretences for them, there was a Conference held at Nerac, where the Protestants had some new favours granted them, and some new places of security. The King of Navar was then permitted to raise a certain Sum upon the reformed Protestants; and all Churches, which the Edict of 1577. had either maintained or re-established, were rated to it, and accord∣ingly every one paid his part, and took an Acquittance. And this was pretended some few years ago to prove, that the Churches which could produce them had their Right established from the year 1577. But neither the Intendants, nor the Council would regard any Titles of this nature.

The young Gent. of the K. of Navar's Court began a 6th War, which was called the War of the Amorous, because it was underta∣ken only to please the Ladies. The greatest part of the Protestants did not enter into it. So that this fire was not very hard to be extin∣guished ••••s course was stopp'd by the Conference of Fleix; after this 5 years passed in peace, such as it was; the Edicts were observed in some places, in others not regarded. The King was he that kept them least of all; for he gave no Offices to the Protestants of his own accord. And when any of them asked any from him, he had al∣ways some pretence ready to refuse the ••••▪ nay, he took them from those that possest them already, and stirred them up Troubles and Law-suits, and always caused them to come by the worst, to oblige them to lay them down, reserving expresly to himself the cognizance of these sorts of processes, to be assured of the condemnation of the pretended Hereticks. He would not receive into his Houshold any Gentlemen of the Reformed Religion, and his Courtiers knowing his mind, took care to tell them that complained of those Refusals; that their Re∣ligion was the cause. In one word, the King kept his promise to the Estates, and he did more mischief to the Protestants by those Ar••s in 5 years▪ causing more Revolts among them, than have been seen to happen in 30 years War and Massacres. Nay, you might have seen some others who being ashamed themselves to quit a Re∣ligion which they had embrac'd with great affection, yet had the weakness to bring up their Children in the Catholick Communion, because they would not bring them up in a Doctrine which the King would not suffer; and some again that used a quite contrary Policy in turning Catholicks for fear of losing their Offices: but for the discharge of their Consciences, brought up their Children in the Re∣form'd Religion, because they believ'd it to be the safer way to salvation

During this false peace, all Europe was engag'd in great conspira∣cies against them whom they believ'd to be the Chief•• or Favorites of the Protestants. The Duke of Alenzon, who had took the Name of the Duke of Anjou, and the Prince of Orange, fell in them. They had a way in France to penetrate into the secret of those dark Actions, but they were not willing to sound them to the bot∣tom. In the mean time, the security into which the King fell, made the Leaguers take Courage, Their Preachers exposed him in their Ser∣mons, They entertained the Catholicks with nothing but the mis∣chiefs

which would happen, if a Reformed King should mount the Throne, and they frighted the Bigots with horrid Histories and Pi∣ctures of the pretended Cruelties which Queen Elizabeth exercised in England. At last, the Guises began openly to persecute this un∣happy Prince, and drove him to incredible Extremities. He was forc't to undergo the Violences of the Duke, who had begun the War against him, under pretence to secure the Crown for a Catholick Prince. He durst not murmur, tho they disputed the right of Succession during his Life, nor at the assembling of the States to debate that question; nor at their debauching his Officers and Servants from him. Villeroi, who was one of his Secretaries of State, was supposed to be Pensioner to the Duke of Guise, and the King not being otherwise able to guard himself from him, oblig'd him to a distance from the Court, and shew∣ed him always after that great marks of his displeasure. From whence it came to pass that his Father and himself threw themselves into the League after the Death of the Guises.

The War against the Protestants was then renewed against the K's mind, who had made peace with the Leaguers upon that condition: Great Sums were exacted upon the Clergy, under this pretence; which they paid but grudgingly, as may be seen by the Remon∣strances of their Deputies. They protested they had never counsel∣led the War, tho it was notoriously known they had endeavour'd with all their power the Revocation of the Edicts. The K▪ of Navar made His Majesty great Reproaches upon that Subject, by his Let∣ters he sent him during the Sessions of the Estates, and there renews the Offer of standing to the Decisions of a Free Council; He wrote to others of the Nobles, and the 3d Estate, where he makes great complaints, That they forced the King to make War against him: But the Courage and good Fortune which he had to affix at Rome an Appeal against the Bull of Sixtus Quintus, by which he declared both him and the Prince to be Hereticks, relapsed, Favourers of He∣reticks, excommunicated▪ deprived of all their Lordships, and incapa∣ble to succeed to any Principality, and particularly to the Crown of France, did him greater Honour than all the rest of his Actions, and procured him Esteem even with the Pope himself. He ap∣pealed by his Remonstrance, to the Peers of France in Temporals, and in Spirituals to the next Council, to which he cited the Pope, declaring him Antichrist, if he refus'd to appear.

In the Height of the War, Claudius Trimouille the Son of a most zealous Leaguer, embrac'd the Interests and Religion of the P. of Conde, and took his Sister Charlotte Katharine in Marriage. This Alliance extreamly fortify'd the Reformed Party in Poictou, be∣cause that House is there very powerful. The Conference of St. Bris between the Queen-Mother and the P. of Conde, towards the end of the year, allayed not their Spirits, and the next year France saw her self overrun with Strangers, which both Parties had called in for Succours. The K. of Navar gain'd the Battel of Coutras against the King's Army, which the Duke of Joyeuse commanded. But on the other side, the Duke of Guise defeated the Reiters at Aunea••, insomuch that the Protestants had little fruit of their Victory, and little service from their Allies. The P of Conde dy'd some months after at St. John de Angeli, being poysoned by some of his own Fa∣mily; and his own Wife being accused for the fact, The Judges of the place condemn'd her. But the birth of a Son that she brought forth in September following, the great Revolutions which hap∣ned a little after, and the Authority of some great Persons to whom this Princess was nearly related, stopt their proceedings.

During these sad Times many Edicts were set out against the Protestants, but the most bloody was that which was called the Edict of Ʋnion. The King put out this last for fear the Leaguers should procure the King of Spain's Fleet, which was Equipp'd against England, to descend upon the Coasts of France; yet after this, they ceased not to do him a thousand indignities. So that at last he was constrained to leave Paris, to give place to the D. of Guise, and to ridicule him, they follow'd him to Chartres, whither he was retired, by a comical Procession of Penitents, which went to demand pardon for the Parisians, who had the impudence to ad∣vance their Barricadoes as far as the very Gates of the Louvre. He was forc'd, in some sense, to receive Law from the Duke as the stron∣ger, to assemble the Estates, subscribe the Edict of Union, and take an Oath not to lay down his Arms till he had destroy'd the Here∣ticks. However, he had resolution enough not to sign the Act by which they would have declared the K. of Navar unworthy of the Crown. He then saw clearly into the pretences of the D. of Guise, who did not intend, it seems, to wait for the King's Death to possess the Throne; for his Party spoke of nothing less than putting

him into a Cloyster, and adding a Monk's Crown to that of France and Poland, which he had already worn. He could find no better way therefore to parry off this blow, than by the death of the D. of Guise, and the Cardinal, his brother. It is observable, that they were brought into the snare, in the same manner the Admiral was, under the Name of the publick Faith, under the appearance of Reconcilia∣tion, and by a general Compliance with all their demands.

But the King could not rid himself of the Duke of Mayenne, who was then about Lions, and who quickly form'd a great Body, with which he thought to overwhelm him. In the mean time, to make it known, that it was not in favour of the Protestants, that he had kill'd their Enemies, he swore a new to the Edict of Ʋnion, and without doubt did it with a true Hatred to them, because, tho he afterwards was forced by despair to throw himself into their arms, he defer'd for 15 days the publication of a Truce he had made with 'em; being ready to break it, and make War upon 'em without mercy, could he have succeeded in an accommodation with which he was flatter'd, between him and the Duke of May∣enne. But the Duke had clear other thoughts, being in a condition to revenge with a high hand the death of his brethren. The King saw himself forsaken of his best Cities, and was reduc'd to that point, that he knew not which of 'em would open their gate to him. He preferr'd Tours before all the rest, not because he was more assur'd of the Inhabitants, but because his Presence was there necessary to prevent a Commotion just ready to break forth to his prejudice. The Pope excommunicated the K. for the murder of the Cardinal; they re∣fus'd to pray for him in all the Cities of the League; at Tholouse they committed terrible insolencies, even so far as to hang up his Image upon a Gallows, and to massacre those that durst take his part. Paris offer'd to make the D. of Mayenne King. The Sorbon declar'd the French were discharg'd from their Oath of Fidelity; and almost all the Clergy took part with the Leaguers, whether it were in conformity to the Example of the Pope, or because they were otherwise dissa∣tisfied with the Government, the King drawing great Sums of mo∣ny from them, which the Ecclesiasticks never paid with a good will; besides, he had sharply taxed the Vices of that powerful body, in an Answer to a harangue of their Deputies, which the Clergy could not suffer neither, without great impatience. Nor were the Nobles

more affectionate to him; the D. of Guise had gain'd one part by his Merit and Liberality; the other were obliged to the League by Reli∣gion, and they that were not leaven'd with this Lump, durst not de∣clare for the King, because they believ'd his affairs desperate. He had few Men, and less Mony, and he did not know whether he was sure of those that were about his Person.

Well then, when he had no help left, when he had nothing to hope from the Catholicks, there remaining so few of them who ad∣her'd to his Interests, the Protestants alone, whom he had hated with so much passion, persecuted by so many Wars, by Massacres, by frau∣dulent Treaties, and whose ruin he had but lately sworn, were the only people that inclin'd to his Succour. He had made no Peace with them, but only single Truces, for the security of which he had given Saumur to the King of Navar, because he had not Credit enough to deliver him Ponts de Cé. By this Truce the third part of the Realm, where the Protestants were at least strong enough not to fear the League, return'd to the King's Party. Thus it was the succour of the Protestants that sav'd this Prince at Tours, where the D. of Mayenne thought to have surpris'd him, and which brought him considerable success at Senlis, and elsewhere. But the most important of all was the return of one part of his Nobility, who came over to him so soon as they saw that this Truce did advantagiously relieve his affairs. So that in a little time he be∣came formidable to his Enemies, and marched towards Paris with an Army of above 38000 men, to chastise the Inhabitants for their madness. That Noble Army was for the most part Protestant. There were the Veterane Victorious Troops of the K. of Navar, 10000 Suis∣ses, which Sancy had levied in the reformed Cantons. Some thousands of Reiters, and a Reinforcement of English, which the King had re∣ceiv'd from Queen Elizabeth. Without which, the remainder would never have been able to have withstood the Leaguers. But the Chieftains of that unfortunate Party not being able to make Head against the Kings Forces, thought it was high time to make sure of their game, by causing that poor Prince to be assassinated at St. Clou, by James Clement a Jacobite Monk, who by that exe∣crable blow, deliver'd the Leaguers from that Horrible Tempest which was pouring down upon them.

The End of the First Book.

Notes

• The Creasion and Design and Plat∣form of this Work.
• 1517.
• 1520.
• The begin∣ning of the Reformati∣on, its pro∣gress and its causes.
• 1520.
• Its entrance into France.
• 1523
• How it came to be received at Meaux,
• and in Bearn.
• 1523
• The Executi∣on of John Clerk.
• and of Lew∣is Berquin.
• 1529.
• The state of the Prote∣stant Religi∣on in Ger∣many.
• 1528.
• The Schism of England.
• The Incli∣nation of Francis I. t•• the Refor∣mation.
• 1534.
• 1535.
• From which the Cardinal de Tournon diverts him.
• 1535.
• An accommo∣dation propo∣sed.
• 1285.
• The Synods at Bourges and Paris.
• 1534.
• The begin∣ning of Cal∣vin's Do∣ctrine.
• 1534.
• The year of the Placards or Libels.
• 1535.
• Devotions accompanied with Execu∣tions. An Edict a∣gainst the Lutherans.
• 1546.
• The Council of Trent.
• 1545.
• 1544.
• 1547.
• The Council translated. The King's death.
• 1548.
• Hen. II. per∣secutes the Protestants.
• 1549.
• 1551.
• The King protests a∣gainst the Removal back of the Council to Trent.
• The Dutchess of Valenti∣nois cruel •••• the Prote∣stants.
• The great Credit of the Clergy.
• 1550.
• 1545.
• The affairs of Merindol and Cabrie∣res.
• 1550.
• New Execu∣tions do but advance the progress of the Refor∣mation.
• 1553.
• Churches firm••d at Paris. and many other places.
• 155••.
• 1556.
• The Spirit of Modera∣tion prevails over some Judges.
• 1557.
• A Protestant meeting at Paris.
• The Cha∣racter of Queen Ka∣tharine de Medicis.
• Calumnies against the Protestants.
• Singing of Psalms in publick.
• The Origi∣nal of the Factions.
• 1559.
• The coura∣gious beha∣viour of Andelot.
• And his disgrace.
• 1559.
• The Coun∣sellers of the Parliament of Paris suspected a∣bout their Religion.
• The Death of Henry the 2d.
• The first French Protestant National Synod.
• Francis II. succeeds. The state of the Court. The Nature of the In∣trigues and Characters of the chief persons.
• God assists the first Christian.
• How Religi∣on came to be conceru'd in those In∣trigues.
• Courts of Justice call∣ed Burning Chambers, erected.
• Abominable Superstitions towards I∣mages.
• A project a∣gainst Arbi∣trary Power.
• 1560.
• The enter∣prise of Am∣boise.
• The Cruel∣ty of the Court.
• The Origi∣nal of the w••rd Hu∣guenot.
• 1560.
• A false ap∣pearance of Moderation.
• The P. of Conde im∣prison'd.
• The sudden death of Francis II. falsly impu∣ted to the Protestants.
• Charles IX succeeds. The Estates assembled, who seem to favour the Protestants.
• The Rise of the Trium∣virate.
• The Confe∣rence at Po∣lisy.
• 1561.
• 1562.
• The setling of the Jesu∣its at Paris.
• The incon∣stancy of the Cardinal of Lorrain.
• and of the K. of Navar.
• 1561.
• A sedition at Paris a∣gainst the Protestants.
• The Massa∣cre at Vassi, after the Edict of January.
• Chief Nobi∣lity.
• The strength of the Pro∣testants. The French term for Protestant Meeting places. The short favour of the Admiral with the Queen.
• The first war under∣taken by the Queens Or∣ders.
• and after∣wards dis∣own'd.
• The Triple League be∣tween the Pope, the K. of Spain, and the Gui∣ses, against the Prote∣stants.
• The Cruel∣ties of Mon∣lac, and Des Adrets, and of the Ca∣tholicks in general.
• The Massa∣cre at Sens.
• Foreigners called into France.
• The battel of Dreux.
• 1563.
• The Siege of Orleans. The Mur∣ther of the Duke of Guise, charged up∣on the Ad∣miral by the Wretch that did it.
• A Peace concluded.
• 1564.
• The Marri∣age of the Cardinal of Chatillon, and its con∣sequences.
• i. e. Heresy.
• 1568.
• 1571.
• 1563.
• Tythes con∣firmed to the Roman Clergy.
• A Tholouse 6. & 8. March 1640. At the great Council, the ••3. Feb. 1658. The re-ta∣king of Ha∣vre de Grace.
• The end of the Council of Trent.
• 1563.
• 1564.
• 1568.
• A Revoluti∣on in Bearn.
• 1569.
• 1565.
• New occasi∣ons of jea∣lousy given the Protest∣ants.
• The voyage of the Court, and advice given them by the Duke of Alva.
• The progress of the Pro∣testant Churches.
• 1565.
• 1566.
• The recon∣ciliation of the Admiral with the Guises.
• The at∣tempt at Monceaux, and its con∣sequences.
• 1568.
• A peace made before Chartres, without any intention to keepit.
• The third War.
• 1569.
• The death of Andelot and of the Prince of Conde.
• Battels lost
• The Admi∣ral re-esta∣blishes the party.
• 1570.
• A fraud••∣lent Peace.
• Incredible Artifices of the Court.
• 1571.
• 1572.
• The Massa∣cre of St. Bartholo∣mew.
• ••.
• The Princes change their Religion by force.
• The Incon∣stancy of des Rosiers.
• Siege of Ro¦chel and Sancerre.
• Factions in France.
• 1574.
• The Duke of Alenzon Protector of the Reform∣ed, and the Politicians.
• The death of the King.
• Henry III. at his return continueth the War.
• 1575.
• The Princes Retreat.
• 1576.
• Peace as soon broke as made.
• The League.
• The King's Oath.
• Who not∣withstand∣ing makes peace.
• Edict of 1577.
• Synods.
• 1579. Conference of Nerac and Fleix.
• 1580▪ The King e∣ludes the Peace, and ••et makes a shew of keep∣ing it.
• Outrages done to the King by the League.
• Is forced to a War with the Reform∣ed.
• La Trimo∣uille be∣comes refor∣med.
• 1587. The Battle of Coutras.
• Defeats of the Reiters.
• 1588. Thedeath of P. of Conde.
• Edict of Ʋ∣nion.
• The boldness of the Lea∣guers.
• The Estates at Blois.
• Death of the D. of Guise, and the Cur∣dinal, his brother.
• The Duke of Mayenne being escap∣ed, relieves the Lea∣guers party.
• Extremity of the King's affairs.
• The King makes a Truce with the Reform∣ed. His affairs grow better.
• He lays siege •••• Paris.
• Is assassin'd by a Monk.