The general history of the Reformation of the Church from the errors and corruptions of the Church of Rome, begun in Germany by Martin Luther with the progress thereof in all parts of Christendom from the year 1517 to the year 1556 / written in Latin by John Sleidan ; and faithfully englished. To which is added A continuation to the Council of Trent in the year 1562 / by Edward Bohun.

A CONTINUATION OF THE HISTORY OF THE REFORMATION.

BOOK II.

The CONTENTS.

The Deaths and Characters of Frederick I, and Christian II, Kings of Denmark. Frederick II conquereth Dietmarsh. The Affairs of Italy. New Bishopricks erected in the Low-Countries. King Philip desirous of a Peace with France, that he might be at leisure to extirpate Heresie. That Design discovered to the Prince of Orange. The Diet of Germany. Conditions proposed in it by the Protestants for a Council. The Emperor confirms the Peace of Passaw. The French Ambassadors come to the Dyet. The Life and Death of David George, a famous Impostor. The Treaty of Cambray produces a Peace at last. The Peace occasioneth a Persecution in France. The King goes to the Parliament of Paris, to awe it into a Compliance: Yet some retain their Freedom at the Price of their Lives. The King's Answer. A French Synod held by the Protestant Ministers. The Protestant Princes of Germany write to the King of France in the behalf of the Persecuted. A Commission issued to Try the suspected Mem∣bers of Parliament. Du Bourg first Tried. The sad condition of France during the Persecution. Henry II slain. The various Characters of that Prince. Francis II succeeds him, a Lad of Sixteen Years of age. The Persecution goes on. Slanders against the Protestants. Du Bourg Condemn'd. Minart, a Persecutor, Assassinated. Du Bourg Executed. His Character. The rest of the Members of Parliament restored. King Philip prepares for Spain. He takes Ship at Flushing. Arrives in Spain. Raiseth a great Persecution there. The Death of Pope Paul IV. The Deaths of several other Princes. Pius IV Elected. Scotch Affairs. The English Affairs relating to Scotland and France. The Scotch Complaints against the French. The War against the French in Scotland. The Death and Character of Mary Queen Regent of Scotland. The French Expelled thence. A Conspiracy in France. The King of Navar, Conde, Coligni suspected to be in it. An Assembly of the Princes of France. A Decree passed for an Assembly of the three Estates. The Protestants of France encrease. Francis II dies. A General Council desired, and obtain'd by the Duke of Florence. Gustavus King of Sweden dies. The Estates of France open'd. The Persecution of Piedmont, which occasioneth a War.

THE First day of January, Frederick I, King of Denmark, who was Elected by the Dy•••• of that Kingdom, in the Year 1523, instead of Christian II, deposed by his Subjects for his Cruelty,* 1.1 died at Koldingen, a Town in the Dukedom of Sleswick,* 1.2 when he had lived Fifty six Years, Three Months and Twenty Days, and reigned Thirty four Years. He was a Prince of great Moderation and Justice; he overthrew the united Army of Christopher Duke of Oldenburg, and of the City of Lubeck, who had invaded his Inheritance, near Alsens,

a City of Fionia, with a great slaughter of their Forces. Having by this Victory obtain'd a Peace, he caused the holy Scriptures to be translated into the Danish Tongue, and open'd an University and a Library at Coppenhagen. Not long before his Death he visited his deposed Uncle, who was then in Prison, and having discours'd very friendly with him a great while, they mutually forgave each other. By his Queen Dorothy, Daughter of Magnus Duke of Saxony, he had five Children, Frederick II, who succeeded him in his Kingdom, Magnus Bishop of Ʋpsal in Livonia, Joane, Ann married to Augustus Elector of Saxon••, and Dorothy married to Henry Duke of Lunenburg.* 1.3 The Twenty third of the same Month, Christian his Predecessor in that Kingdom, followed him, being in the Seventy seventh year of his Age; he had lived in Prison ever since the Year 1532, having given (saith my Author Tuanus) this Lesson to all Princes, That if they will Reign well and happily, they must govern their Affections, and not out of a violent lust of insulting over their Subjects, give up themselves to the conduct of their Passions; and that they ought to assure themselves, that God is a severe Revenger, always ready, and delighting to pluck off their Thrones the most Proud and Insolent who shall abuse that Power he has intrusted them with. Frederick I, being dead, who was a Prince utterly averse from war, and neither moved by Ambition nor Covetousness to invade what was anothers;* 1.4 his Son Frederick began a War upon the Inhabitant of Dietmarsh, who had heretofore been subject to the Dukes of Holstein, the Bishop of Breme, and the Kings of Denmark successively, and had often regain'd their Liberty with great Loss and Dishonour to those Princes that had attempted to reduce this small Province; but now their time was come, and Adolph Duke of Holstein, this year made a final Conquest of them, for Frederick King of Denmark, in the space of one Month.

In the beginning of this Year was a great change of Affairs at Rome.* 1.5 The Kindred of the Pope had already made themselves hated by all Christendom, and now the Pope himself too fell out with them. They had engaged the Pope in the War with Spain, which had brought so much Loss and Shame upon that See, and its Dominions. In the time of those Confusions they had acted many things with great Rapacity, Intemperance and Insolence without the Pope's knowledge, who finding his Treasure exhausted, had by their Advice raised great and extraordinary Taxes upon his People; and besides all this, had sold the Places of the Criminal and Civil Judges, suppressed the monthly Payments of his Officers, and seized many of the Lands belonging to the Religious Orders, and had levied two Tenths upon all the Benefices. The War with King Philip being ended, and the Pope having with a calm and dispassionate mind heard the Complaints made against his Relations by one Jermiah, a Fryer of the Theatin Order, and especially against the Cardinal of Caraffa, began more nearly to inspect his own Affairs, and the Lives of his Rela∣tions. About the same time, Cosmus Duke of Florence made great Complaint also of the Caraffa's, because not content with the extorting what they pleas'd from the Hospitals, Monasteries and Clergy within the Pope's Dominions (which they lookt upon as their own) they had also by their private Authority done the same Wrongs in the Dukedom of Florence, and indeed all over Italy. He thereupon order'd Bon∣gianni Gianfigliacci, his Resident at Rome, to complain of this to the Pope; but then the Caraffa's had prevented him from having any Audience; whereupon Cosmus wrote a Letter to the Pope, which was by the means of Cardinal Vitelli, an Hater of their Insolence, deliver'd to the Pope. He having read it, sent presently for his old Monitor Jermiah, and by him ordered Vitelli to give him a more exact account of their Misdemeanors. There was nothing more incensed the Pope against them (who was Imperious and Jealous of his Papal Power to the utmost degree) than that the Cardinal had agreed, without his knowledge or consent, with the Duke de Alva; that his Brother should accept of a Compensation from King Philip instead of Paliani, which Place the Pope had designed to unite to his See. Whereupon he presently commanded the Cardinal to leave the Vatican, and not to come any more into his Presence. The Twenty seventh of January the Pope summon'd great Consistory, and in it discharged him of the Prime Ministry of Affairs, and of the Government of Bononia. He took also from the Duke of Paliani, his Brother, the Command of the Forces of the Ecclesiastick State, and of the Gallies, and deprived the Marquess di Monte Belli of the Custody of the Vatican Palace, declaring against them with that fury, that some of the Cardinals attempted to appease him, and among them Ranutio Cardinal of Farnese To whom he replied, That your Grandfather had done much better, if like me he had sacri∣ficed his private Affections to his Pastoral Office, and having severely chastised your Father's

abominable Lusts and Villanies, had thereby prevented the scandal the Impunity of them hath given to the whole World. So that nothing that could be said or done, could reduce the old Man from his Resolves against them, but tended rather to the encreasing of his Fury. And hereupon he forthwith abolish'd some Imposts, pretending they were exacted without his knowledge: By all which he hoped to obtain the repute of a Just and Upright Prince, and to cast the Odium of the ill things which had been done in his Popedom, upon his Relations. After this, he betook himself wholly to the promoting the Inquisition, which he call'd the most Holy Tribunal, and here he shewed a very great severity, bringing not only Men suspected of Heresie, but of some other Crimes within their Jurisdiction. Then commanding all Monks and Nuns to their several Houses, he Imprison'd some, and sent others to the Gallies, for not presently obeying him. His Rigour was so great in this last, that many left his State, and went and setled in the State of Venice. He spent Fifty thousand Crowns in Corn, to relieve the Poor in a time of Scarcity, and setled Bishops at Malacha and Cochin, two Cities belonging to the Portuguese in the East-Indies, and made the Bishop of Goa an Archbishop, exempting him from the Jurisdiction of the Bishoprick of Lisbon. He also erected many new Sees in the Low-Countries, at the request of Philip King of Spain, to the Diminution of the Jurisdiction and Diocesses of many French and German Bishops. These Sees were setled at Mechlen,* 1.6 Antwerp, Harlem, Daventrie, Leewarden, Groningen, Midleburg, Bosleduc, Namur, St. Omers, Ipress, Gant and Bruges, and were put under the Archbishops of Cam∣bray, Mechlin and Ʋtrecht. This change gave great offence to the Low-Countries, who esteem'd itrather an Inslaving than an Honouring of their Country, to have so many New Sees setled among them; and the more, because among other Reasons assigned by the Pope, one was, That these Countries were on all sides encompass'd with Na∣tions which had cast off the See of Rome; so that the Salvation of the Souls of this People was much endanger'd by Schism, which rendred this Settlement hateful to all those who favour'd the Reformation; so that this was one of the principal Causes of the War which followed, which in the end proved fatal to many of these New Bishopricks.

In the interim,* 1.7 this Consideration had that effect upon the Spirit of King Philip, that it greatly disposed him above all others to enter into a Treaty of Peace with France. He saw that not only the Licence which attended a War, but the vast number of Germans which he was forced to employ, by their conversing with his Subjects in the Netherlands, begat in them a good Opinion of Luther and the Refor∣mation. Henry II of France imprudently communicated to William of Nassaw, Prince of Orange, when he was Embassador for Philip in France, when they were one day Hunting together,* 1.8 That King Philip and he had agreed first to extirpate all the Sects which were then rising in the Netherlands, and after that they would joyn their Arms, and do the like in all other places; which being discovered by that Prince to the Netherlanders, they entred into Consultation for the preserving themselves from the Pride of the Spanish Government, and made those insolent Demands of King Philp, when he was going into Spain. This Counsel was then generally attributed to the Cardinal of Lorain, and Perrenot Bishop of Arras, and all con∣cluded, That under the pretence of suppressing Heresie, King Philip and Henry of France had laid a Design of Ruining the Civil Liberties of France and the Netherlands. When the Commissioners met, for the concluding the Treaty of Peace between these Princes, they found themselves delivered from one difficulty, the Restitution of Calais, by the Death of Queen Mary of England; but then Thionville, Verdun and Toul, three Imperial Cities, had been taken in this War by the French, and King Philip thought he was bound in Honour, and by his Interest too, to see them restored to the Empire, and yet he saw the French were as well resolved to keep them. Nor was indeed his Interest in the Restitution so great as that of the French was to keep them, he having very effectually provided for his own Security and Benefit, by the gaining other Places.

Hereupon these Princes,* 1.9 by mutual consent, sent Embassadors to the Dyet of Germany, began this Year the Twenty fifth of February, at Ausburg. The first thing that was done in them, was the celebrating the Funeral of Charles V, with great Solemnity. His Encomium was pronounced by Lewis Madruse, then Bishop of Trent, the afterwards a Cardinal. After this Ceremony, an Account was given of the Conference at Wormes, for the Reconciling the Differences of Religion; and there appearing no hope of an Accommdation, Ferdinand the Emperor promised he would take care to have the General Council renewed, and that all should obey its

Decrees and Determinations. But the Deputies of the Duke of Saxony, and of several other Princes of the Empire opposed this, affriming that there being no hopes of restoring the Peace of the Church by a Popish Council,* 1.10 the Edicts of Passaw and Ansburg were religiously to be observed: But the Emperor persisting in his former Opinion, they said they were not against a Free and General Council in Germany, so be it were legally assembled by the Emperor, and not by the Pope, and in which the Pope should appear as a Party subject to the Council, and not as President and Judge of all others; and provided the Bishops and Clergy might be freed from the Oath they had taken to the Pope, that they might freely speak their Thoughts: That the sacred Scriptures might be the only Rule by which they should judge and determin these Controversies, rejecting all humane Traditions and Customs that were contrary to the Word of God: If the Divines who had embraced the Augustane Confession, might not only be heard, but admitted to give their votes in the Decision of these Controversies, and have good Security given them for their going thither; and that they should enjoy the Liberty granted them by the Decree of Ausburg, without any fraud or violence: That the Points in Dispute should not be determin'd, as is usual in Civil Affairs, by the plurality of Votes, but by the Rule and Prescription of the Word of God: That in the first place, the Decrees of the Council of Trent already made, should be cancell'd as vitious, and not legally assembled; and that these things should be debated a new. And lastly, That if these things could not be obtain'd of the Pope, the Emperor should maintain the Peace of Religion, and the Edict of Passaw. These were the Conditions the Protestants proposed for the holding of a Council.

The Emperor,* 1.11 who despaired of reconciling the differences of Religion on these Terms, and having no other way left him for preserving the Peace of Germany, Confirm'd the Peace of Passaw. After this, they took into Consideration the Reduction of the Monies of Germany to their ancient value and purity, and heard the Complaints of William of Furstemberg, Great Master of the Knights of Livonia, who obtain'd a Grant of an Hundred thousand Crowns for the Levying of an Army for their Protection against the Russ: But this Sum seeming less than the necessity of their Affaris and of the Times required, the Livonians neglected it, and betook themselves to the Protection of Sigismund Augustus, King of Poland, to whom they assign'd Nine of their strongest Places, upon condition that they might at any time redeem them by the payment of Six thousand Crowns, which was confirm'd by a Treaty Signed and Sworn between them and the King of Poland. After which, Furstemberg resigned his Dignity to Gotard Ketler. There was also a Complaint made by the Livonians against the Inhabitants of Lubeck, Riga and Revel, for furnishing the Russ, who were the Enemies of Germany, not only with all sorts of Mechandize imported by them to Narva, a Town of Russia, but also with Arms and Ammunition, which for the future, was, by a Law made in this Dyet, forbidden, which was afterwards repeal'd.

The Twenty eighth of March,* 1.12 the French Embassadors were introduced into the Dyet, and after they had in an Elegant Speech declared the great Affections their Master had for the Emperor and the States of Germany; they desired the ancient League might be renewed between the Empire and that Kingdom; and that for the future there might be a firmer and closer Union and Friendship. Upon this the Emperor returned Thanks to the Embassadors, saying, That the King might be assured of the Friendship of the Empire, the Princes and States, and of his too, if his Actions did agree with his Words, and those Cities which had lately been taken from the Empire, were restored to it: That this being done, he did not see what could hinder their entring into a sincere Friendship. At this the Embassadors replied, That they had no Instruction concerning what he had proposed about the Cities, but they would give an Account of it to the King their Master, and in the mean time they desired the States would meet the King's Proposals of Friendship with equal Candour. Upon this the Assembly broke up, and the Embassadors were re-conducted back with great Civility and Respect; to whom it was hinted, that the Emperor could not but mention the Restitution of the Cities, but then that neither he, the Princes, nor the States would break with the King of France, though those Cities were not restored. They decreed also a Noble Embassy to the King of France, in which the Cardinal of Ausburg and Christopher Duke of Wirtemburg were employed.

One David George, a Native of Delft in Holland, born of mean Parents, his Fa∣ther being a Fencer, and his Mother a mean Woman, and himself unacquainted with

any other than his Mother-Tongue; was a Person of great seeming Moderation, so that all took him for a very Honest and well-meaning Man, tho' he was of a stubborn and incorrigable disposition.* 1.13 He was a Person of a comely Countenance and good meine, and all the Motions of his Body were Grave and becoming, so that he seem∣ed made up of Honesty. This Man spread amongst his Country-men the Pestilent Sect of Anabaptists, to which they were very much disposed, and this being done to his great advantage (for he had got a good Estate by it) and fearing he might not be safe, if he continued any longer in his Native Country, where he was ac∣counted the Head of that Sect, he went with some of his Followers to Basil, in the Year 1544, under the Name of John Bruck, and the first of April made a Speech in the Senate of that City; desiring, He might be protected by them, as one forced to flee for his Religion; and that they would receive his Wife, Children, Family and Fortunes, as in a safe Harbour. The Cause, the Person, and the Speech, agree∣ed so exactly, and his Temper was so wholely unknown to them, as well as his former Life, and his Country being very remote, what he said appeared so like Truth, and had happened to so many others, That August 25, having given the usual Oath, he was taken into the Protection of that City; where he lived with that Respect to the Magistrate, that Humanity towards the Citizens, and the Civility towards all, observing carefully their Religious Rites, and in all things behaved himself so well, that he gave not the least occasion to any to suspect him of any erroneous Doctrin, and he was as well thought of by the most, as he desired to be, or was esteemed by his own Party. Thus he lived very quietly in his Family, observing very strictly three things: 1. Concealing the Name of David George, by which he was well known in Holland and Friesland. 2. Of what State and Condition he was at Home; so that some took him for a Person of good Birth, others for a Nobleman or Rich Merchant. 3. Lastly, he took Care not to admit any into his Sect of the City of Basil, or of the neighbouring Country: But, in the mean time, he took care by Letters, Books and Messengers, to enlarge his Sect in Holland, and in other such distant Places: But as to Switzerland he medled not, for fear he might be discovered. Having thus spent six Years, with great Pleasure, there happened a thing which gave him some Disturbance, one of his Followers falling off, upon better Informati∣on, and appearing with great Zeal against the Doctrins of his quondam Master: His House being also burnt with Lightning, was a sad Presage, That his good Fortune and his Life were near their End. But that which most afflicted him, was, That an able Person was come from Holland, who had given an exact account of him and his Family, to the Citizens of Basil; this brought a great Despondence of Mind upon him, and that a Sickness, which seized his Wife also, who dyed first, and David George followed her himself August 25, 1556; and he was buried with great Pomp, in the Church of S. Leonard. Thus died that famous Impostor and Deceiver, who had pretended, That he was greater, and more Divine than Christ, and Im∣mortal; that the Doctrin of Moses and the Prophets, Christ and the Apostles, was imperfect, and did not lead to a true and perfect Felicity; but his was such as would certainly make him, who rightly understood it, happy: That he was the true Christ and Messiah, the most beloved Son of the Father, who was begotten not of Flesh but by the Holy Ghost, and the Spirit of Christ; which having reduced his Flesh to nothing, and kept it in a certain place, unknown to the Saints, had at last deli∣vered it to David George; with much more such Blasphemous Non sense. After his Death, the Fraud broke out, and this Year March 12, his Sons, and all that belong∣ed to him, to the number of eleven, were brought before the Senate, and examined concerning his Name, Country and Doctrin: And they answering as he had taught, were committed to different Prisons, and all his Papers and Writings were deli∣vered to the Divines. April 26, the Divines and University having considered them, condemn'd his Doctrin as false, contrary to the sacred Scriptures, pernicious and injurious to Jesus Christ, and to be exterminated out of the Christian World. After this, his Sons were dismiss'd out of Prison, upon condition they should buy no Lands without the Walls of the City, without the Permission of the Senate: That they should entertain no Travellers, though of their near Relations, but should send them to the publick Inns: That they should deliver in all the Books written or printed by David George, and not keep any by them in the Dutch Tongue; and that they should send their Children to the School of Basil to be instructed: That they should pay a Pecuniary Mulct, if required; and that they, their Wives and Children should appear in the Church, and make Profession of the True Faith, and-Renounce that of David George. Two days after, his Body was sentenc'd to be

taken up and burnt, together with his Books and Effigies, by the Hands of the Com∣mon Hang-man, in the place where they usally executed Malefactors; and all his Goods they sez'd to the Publick Treasure; adding, That if any Person presum'd to blame this their Decree, he should be liable to the same Punishment. His Body was found very perfect, so that it might be known by his yellow B••ard from ano∣ther Man's, though he had been buried two Years and six Months, and was accordingly burnt in a vast concourse of Men.

In the beginning of February the Ambassadours met again,* 1.14 at the Castle of Cambray, to conclude the Treaty, which was broke up upon the Death of Mary, Queen of England. Queen Elizabeth, who succeeded her Sister Mary, a Princes of a Mascu∣line Soul, and of a Prudence above her Sex, fearing if she relied upon the Spaniard, she might either be deserted or dishonoured by his Protection, had in the mean time, made a separate Peace with France. After which she changed the Religion of Eng∣land, in her first Parliament, abolishing all the Laws made by her Sister Mary, and reviving those made by her Brother, Edward VI, and rejecting all Obedience to the Pope of Rome. This Peace with France did much facilitate the Treaty of Cam∣bray: In which, among other things these Princes promised to do their utmost, that a General Council should be held as soon as was possible, to the Glory of God and the pacifying Men's Consciences. This last Clause, by the perverse Counsels of these Princes, in a short time raised a War in the Low-Countries and France, which was more lasting and more fatal than any former Wars. This Treaty was signed at Cambray, April 3.

These two Kings having thus regained their Peace,* 1.15 and disburthened themselves of the Cares which the War brought upon them, they betook themselves solely to the Care of Religion, which in France had been under consideration the two forego∣ing Years, and was then omitted on account of the War and Treaty, but was now reassumed in the heat of a Marriage-Feast. There was one Diana Dutchess of Valen∣tinois, a Court-Lady, and one of the King's Mistresses, who used to beg the Estates of all such as suffered for any Crime; And the Duke of Guise, who were the Promo∣ters of this Persecution, the latter aiming at nothing but Popular Applause: These two insinuated this Belief into the King; That the Venome of Heresie was much spread in France, and that in truth he was not King of those Provinces in which that prevailed: That the Impudence of those who imbraced it, was so great, that they did not whisper it, as heretofore, in the Ear, but preached it openly and boldly throughout the Kingdom, by which the name of God was blasphemed, and his Majesties Royal Authority was endangered; for when the Law of God was once confounded, who can Question, (say they) but that all Human Laws will soon be subverted? And that they might the more easily prevail, they employed Giles Maistre, president of the Parliament, Jean de S. Andre, Antho∣ny Minart, and Giles Bourdin the King's Attorney, and principally the first of these, who was a Man of a fierce Disposition and Temper, to incense the King's Mind against the Sectaries, he being no way inclined to such Severities. To this end they tell him, That there would little be gained by the Peace, of a more cruel War was fomented and carried on at Home: For that the Disease had already got such Strength, that if his Majesty dissembled a little longer, the Sword of the Magistrate and the Laws of the Land would not be able to suppress it, but he must levy Armies, and himself take the Field against them, as had been done in the case of the Albingenses. That what had hitherto been done, had not had its desired effect, because all the severity had been spent upon the populace and the mean people, the hatred and detestation of which had affected all Men, but very few had taken example by it. That now it was fit to begin with the Judges, many of which had im∣braced their Doctrin secretly, or favoured them on other accounts, and by their connivance nourished the Distemper, suffering this Offence either to go unpunished, or very lightly cor∣rected. This, they said, was the very Root of the Evil, and that all labour was in vain t••ll it were pulled up.

Not long after this,* 1.16 the King was prevailed upon to come into the Parliament in Person, whilst the Members were debating about the Punishment of the Sectaries, June 14. He seemed rather to labour to conceal his Anger, than to have come with a calm Mind: Among other things he told the Parliament; That having made a Peace he hoped it would turn to the general Good; but he was much concerned that the business of Re∣ligion, which was one of the principal Cares of a good Prince, had been, during the War, tumultuously and seditiously treated by some: That therefore he desired for the future, more care might be taken of the Christian Religion: And because he heard that affair was this Day to be debated by them, he was come thither; and he admonished them to proceed in it with Freedom, saying, It was God's Cause, who knew all our Hearts and Thoughts.

Tho' the Members of the Parliament knew the King was brought thither to de∣prive them of their Liberty; yet there were some who resolved to retain their ancient Freedom at the price of their Lives;* 1.17 and having declaimed against the Man∣ners of the Court of Rome and its ill Customes, which had degenerated into most pernicious Errors, and given occasion to the rise of many Sects; they thence infer∣red, That the Penalties of Heresie were to be mitigated, and the Severities of the Law abated, till the differences of Religion were composed by the Authority of a General Council, and the Discipline of the Church reformed. And this was the Opinion of all the good Men in the Parliament. Arnold du Ferrier, President of the Criminal Court, an honest and a wise Person, and the best Lawyer in France, was the first who proposed this Method, and was followed by many others, among which was Lewis du Faur, a Man of great Sense, and of a generous Temper, who added, That all were agreed that the Differences in Religion had occasioned great Disturban∣ces, but then (said he) we ought carefully to enquire, Who caused these Disorders, lest as Elijah answered Ahab, when he reproached him, as the Troubler of Israel, it might be said to us; It is thou that hast troubled Israel. Then Anna du Bourg beginning with a Discourse of the Eternal Providence of God, to which all things are subject; when he came to the Question proposed, said, There were many Sins and Crimes com∣mitted by Men, which the Laws had already forbidden, and yet the Gallows and Tortures which were imployed, had not been able to prevent the frequent Perju∣ries, Adulteries, profuse Lusts, and Profane Oaths, which were not only connived at, but cherished. On the contrary, every Day new punishments are invented against a sort of Men, who could never yet be convicted of any wicked Attempt; for how can they injure the Prince, who never name him but in their Prayers for him? Are they accused of breaking our Laws, perverting the Allegiance of our Cities or Pro∣vinces? No, the greatest Tortures could never extort a Confession that they so much as thought of any such thing. Are they not accused of Sedition only, be∣cause they have by the Candle of Scripture discovered the shameful and encreasing Villanies and corruptions of the Roman Power, which they desire may be reformed? Christopher Harlay and Peter Seguier the two Presidents said with great Modesty, that the Court had hitherto justly and rightly discharged its Duty in this Particular, and that it would still do the same without changing, to the Glory of God, and there∣fore neither the King nor People of France would have cause to repent the trusting to it. Christopher de Thou, with great freedom reflected on the King's Attorney and Advocates, for presuming to defame the Proceedings of that Court, and indanger∣ing its Authority. Renatus Baillet desired the Judgments which were blamed, might be re-examined, and more maturely considered. Minart having made a short Pre∣face, to soften the Envy which had been raised against them, only added, That he thought the King's Edicts were to be observed. After these Maistre the President made a sharp Harangue against the Sectaries, instancing in the Severities which Philip the August is said to have employed against the Albingenses, 600 of which he burnt in one day; and in the Waldenses, which were massacred with Fire and Smoak, partly in their Houses, and partly in the Dens and Caves they had fled to.

The King having obliquely reproached the Court for entring upon this Debate,* 1.18 without his Order, added, He now clearly saw, what he had heard before, That there were some among them, who despised both his Authority and the Popes. That this was the fault of but a few, but it was dishonourable to the whole body of them; but only they that were guil∣ty should suffer the Punishment. And therefore he exhorted the rest to go on in their Duty. The Reflections of la Faur and du Bourg, who mentioned the Story of Ahab, and the frequent Adulteries, exaseperated the King more than the rest, and therefore he commanded Montmorancy to apprehend them, who again ordered Gabriel de Mont∣gomery, a Captain of the Guard, to take them and carry them to the Bastile. After∣wards Paul de Foix, Anthony Fumee, Eustace de la Porte, were also taken into Custody, but la Ferriere, du Val and Viole were concealed by their Friends, and escaped this Storm. Men censured these Proceedings, as they stood affected; but the Wiser were much disgusted, That the King should be so far imposed on by others, as to come personally into his Court to subvert those Laws he ought to have protected: That he should make use of Threats and Imprisonments; saying, That this was a clear Instance that he was subject to the Passions of others, and who could think but these things were the foreunners of great Changes?

The Ministers of the Reformed Religion,* 1.19 notwithstanding, held a Synod at S. Ger∣man, June 28, one Morelle being President, in which they setled the order of their Synods, the Authority of the Presidents, the taking away the Supremacy in the

Church, the election of Ministers, and their Office and Duty, Deacons and Presby∣ters, Censures, the Degrees of Consanguinity and Affinity, of contracting and dis∣solving Marriages, which yet were only temporary Decrees, to be varied as future Synods should think fit; but to oblige particular Persons till so altered.

About the same time came Embassadours from the Protestant Princes of Germany,* 1.20 with Letters to the King, subscribed by Frederick Cout Palatine of the Rhine, Au∣gustus Duke of Saxony, Joachim Elector of Brandenburg, Christopher Duke of Wirtim∣berg, and Wolfang Count of Weldentz. In which they represent to the King,

How much they were afflicted to see so many Pious, Quiet and Holy Men, who pro∣fessed the same Religion, Imprisoned, Spoiled, Banished, and put to Death, as Seditious Persons in France. That they thought themselves bound by Christian Charity, and the Alliance which was between them and France, to beseech him well to consider this Affair, which concerned the Name of God, and the Sal∣vation of so many Souls; that he ought to free himself from Prejudice, and im∣ploy great Judgment and Reason in it. They assured him they were no less so∣licitous for the Glory of God, and the Salvation of their Subjects than he, and up∣on the Differences of Religion, had maturely considered how they might be com∣posed: That they had found by degrees, and insensibly, through Avarice and Am∣bition many Corruptions had crept into the Church, which were dishonourable to the Majesty of God, and Scandalous to Men, and that they ought to be reformed by the Testimonies of the Holy Scriptures, the Decrees of the Primitive Church, and the Writings of the most Ancient Fathers: That the Corruptions and Dis∣orders of the Court and Church of Rome, had long since been complained of in France, by W. Parisiensis, John Gerson, Nicholas Clemangius and Wisellius of Groenin∣gen, the Restorer of the University of Paris, under Lewis XI, and other Divines: That King Francis, his Father, of Blessed Memory, was convinced of this, and had wisely endeavoured to put an end to the Differences of Religion, and to re∣form the Discipline of the Church: That now France was not involved in War abroad, they besought him the Difference of Religion might by his Authority and Conduct be quietly ended: That this might easily be effected, if the King would but appoint Learned and Peaceable Men, who should examin their Confession of Faith, without Partiality or Prejudice, by the Holy Scripture, and the Ancient Fathers: That in the interim he should suspend all Legal Severities, discharge the Imprisoned, recal the Banished, restore their Estates to those that had been ruin'd: This they said would be acceptable and pleasing to God, Honourable to the King, Profitable to France,

and very Grateful to them. The King entertained the Em∣bassadors kindly, and having read the Letter, said he would suddenly send them a satisfactory Answer; but by that time they were arrived at the Borders of France, the Fire, their coming seem'd to have abated, raged more horribly than ever.

June 19.* 1.21 a Commission was issued to Jean de Saint Andre, the President and Pro∣moter of these Troubles, Jo. James de Memme, Master of the Requests, Lewis Gayaut, Robert Boet, Eustace Bellay, lately a Member of the Court of Parliament, but then Bishop of Paris, and Anthony de Nouchy, to try the Members of Parliament, which had been imprisoned. Du Bou••g being interrogated by Saint Andre, refused to an∣swer, None of the Members of that Court being to be Tryed, but by the whole Court. Whereupon Bourdin obtained a new Commission from the King, commanding Du Bourg to plead before these Delegated Judges; and if he refused, that they should take him for Convicted, and Guilty of Treason. He being thus deprived of his Priviledge, lest he might seem to despise the King's Authority, and mak∣ing a Protestation to save the Priviledge of others, the third Day after answered in such manner, to all the Questions proposed, that he seemed to differ very little from the Lutherans and Calvinists; so without any other Witnesses produced, he was by the Bishop of Paris declared an Heretick, judged unworthy of the Sacerdo∣tal Character, and delivered up to the Secular Power: From which Sentence he Ap∣pealed to the Archbishop of Sens.

Whilst these miserable Men were thus persecuted for their Religion;* 1.22 and their Favourers, Friends, and such as had presumed to speak freely, were by Informers also brought in Question; there was a sad Face of Affairs in France, and a sullen silence. The Court, in the interim was never more Jolly, the Preparations for a great Marriage filling it with Mirth and Bravery, which in a short time too, had as lamentable a Conclusion. Among other things there was a Tilt prepared, and a Yard made for that purpose, not far from the Bastile, in which the Members of the Parliament were then imprisoned. Some Days being spent in this Divertisement,

June 29. the King would needs run against the Count of Mongomery, and they breaking their Lances, the Sight of the King's Helmet by accident flying up, he received a Wound in the Eye,* 1.23 and falling from his Horse was latched by some of his Servants, and carried into a Tower belonging to the Bastile. It is said, whilst they carried him thither, he looked up, and remembring the Members of Parliament which he had committed there, said; He feared he had done wrong to those Innocent Men. The Cardinal of Lorrain, who was present, angry at it, reply'd; That Thought was put into his Mind by the Devil, the Enemy of Mankind: That he ought to be careful of his Motions, and continue constant in his Faith. Whether this were so or no, I will not affirm, (saith Thuanus, my Author) because I am resolved to write nothing with∣out good Authority: The Physicians saying too, That in these kinds of Wounds the Speech is lost. At the Report of this Accident Andrew Vesale, a Famous Physi∣cian was presently sent from Brussels by King Philip, that he might however shew his Good-will to this Prince: But he came too late, the King dying July 2. when he had lived forty Years, three Months and eleven Days, and reigned twelve Years and three Months. The Marriage between Margaret his Sister and Philbert Duke of Savoy, was hereupon hasted, that it might be finished before his Death, and Ce∣lebrated it was without any Pomp or Magnificence.

There was great variety of Opinions,* 1.24 some extolling his Life beyond Reason, as Martial and Brave, and his Conquests, by which he had enlarged his Kingdom, add∣ing to it a great part of Italy, Scotland and Corsica: That having obtained a Victory against Charles V, at Renty, he had reduced that Great Prince to the Thoughts of a Retreat to a Private Life. That out of his rare Respect to the Church of Rome, (not regarding his Oath) he had renewed the War and succoured Paul IV. That recalling his Army out of Italy, he had been able to defend France against the united Forces of King Philip, and Mary of England, and at last had ended the War, at least by an useful Treaty; and by the Marriages of his Daughter and Sister, had secured the Publick Peace. Others said he had violated the Glory of his Just Arms by breaking the Truce, and involved himself (by the Fault of others) in an unjust and unprosperous War, spent vast Treasures, and lost the Flower of his Kingdom: That the Peace was Desirable, but very Dishonourable; and the Marriage only a Covering for the infamy of the Concessions: And that as he delighted too much in War, so he perished dishonourably like a common Soldier: His Misses, who reign∣ed rather than he, his Prodigality and Luxury were not forgotten: And the abun∣dance of Poets then in France, was taken for an Instance of the Corruptions of the Times.

To speak freely without Love or Hatred, he was a Warlike Prince, and too lit∣tle affected to the Arts of Peace; but then he was soft and easie, and governed too much by others. Wise Men then thought there would follow a War, his Children being very yong, his Wife Ambitious, and the Court divided by Faction: And this accordingly came to pass, and brought forty Years of great Calamity upon France. But I shall for the future be very short in the French Affairs, referring the Reader to Davila, and other Writers, of the Civil Wars of France. The Reader may be pleased to know, That I have in all this followed Thuanus, abridging him in some Places, and in others transcribing him at large.

The King being crowned,* 1.25 and the Dominion of the Queen Dowager as Guardi∣an, and of the Guises, as Prime Ministers, established to the great Dissatisfaction of the Princes and Nobility of France, the next Care was to carry on the Persecution against the Protestants: Oliver the Chancellor was imployed against the Members of the Parliament, which were imprisoned at the time of the King's Death, and S. Andre, and Anthony de Mouchy against the rest of the People; who, that they might spread the terror of their Names over the whole Nation, thought fit to be∣gin with Paris. Their principal Blood-hounds were Russanges, and Claude David, two Mechanicks, and one George Renard, a Taylor, who had all three professed the Reformed Religion; and were now imployed, as best acquainted with these Men. They drew in two Apprentices shortly after, who had deserted their Ma∣sters: And these,* 1.26 to gain the greater Applause, confessed not only that they had Nocturnal Meeting, but (which saith Thuanus, was a notorious Lie) that they at them used promiscuous Conjunctions after the Candles were put out. And this Impudent Story created a great Detestation of the Protestants, in the Minds of the deluded Catholicks, whose Ears were open to these kinds of Misrepresentations. This lye was carried on with great Industry, and these two Wretches were led first to the Cardinal of Lorrain, and then to the Queen, to communicate this rare Secret,

no Man daring to contradict it. The Queen, who was never a Friend to the Pro∣testants, from henceforth was more than ever enraged against them: But Oliver, the Chancellor, suspecting the Story, examined these Lads separately, and by their Varying and Contradicting each other, found it to be a mere Lye. But when it was discovered so to be, they went unpunished, the Hatred against the Sectaries drowning the Voice of Publick Justice.

However, the Places of Meeting being thus discovered, great Numbers of Men and Women were taken and imprisoned, and others left the Kingdom, whose Goods were seized and confiscated. Many Children were left by their Parents, which filled the Streets with their Cries and Lamentations, to the great Affliction of almost all Men. This Example was soon after followed at Poictiers, Tolose, Aix, and generally in the Province of Narbonne, George d' Armagnac, the Archbishop of that See, a Cardinal, imploying all his Interest and Industry, that the suspected might be taken up. They were by this time become so numerous, that their very Number gave them Boldness, which being thus exasperated, vented it self in se∣vere Reflections on the King, Queen and Guises; in which there seemed to be more than a private Anger and Liberty.

The King of France had been a long time afflicted with a tedious Quartane Agne,* 1.27 but overgrowing that Disease, he shot up in heighth, and grew apace, but was ve∣ry Pale, and of a sickly Constitution; being removed to Blois, which was his Na∣tive Air, his Face of a sudden was overspread with Redness, Spots and Carbuncles, whereupon a Report was raised, That he had the Leprosie, and that a great number of Children, of less than six Years of Age, had been torn out of the Arms of their Mothers about the Loire, to make a Bath of their Blood for the Cure of the King. It was uncertain whether the Guises or their Enemies had invented this Sto∣ry, for different Ends; but the Blame of it was certainly cast upon the Protestants, and the King by that means was exasperated against them by the Guises. The Pro∣testants, on the other side, put out a Book, to shew that this Story was invented and fathered on them by the Cardinal of Lorrain. And after this one of the Spreaders of this Report being executed for it, averred with his last Breath, That he had Orders from the Cardinal so to do.

In the mean time the Process was carried warmly on,* 1.28 against Anna du Bourg, and the rest of the Members of the Parliament, who were Prisoners in the Bastile; who were sent thither by the Orders of Henry II. Du Bourg had appealed first to the Parliament of Paris, and after to the Archbishop of Sens; but his Plea was over∣ruled by both, and the Sentence of the Bishop of Paris was also confirmed by the Archbishop of Lions. He declared himself willing, after this to be degraded, That the Sign of the Beast in the Revelation being blotted out, he might have nothing of Antichrist left in him: However, this variety of Appeals prolonged their Process some Months. After this he sent them a plain Confession of his Faith, which agreed in all things with that of Geneva. Frederick Elector, and Count Palatine of the Rhine, also so far espoused his Cause, as to write a Letter to the King in his behalf; desiring his Life might be spared, and that he might be sent to him. December 18. Anthony Minart the President was shot dead,* 1.29 in the Night, as he returned Home, which was charged upon du Bourg, as done by his Procurement; because he had foretold, That he would be forced from giving Sentence against him, if he did not willingly forbear it, upon his challenging him as his suspected Enemy. However, it hastened the Sentence of Death against du Bourg, who heard it with great constan∣cy of Mind, he saying, He pardoned his Judges, who had pronounced it according to their Consciences, tho contrary to the Word of God, and sound Knowledge. At last he advised them to extinguish these their Fires and repent of their Sins, and taking his Leave of them said,* 1.30 He went willingly to the Stake. From thence he was carried in a Cart to the Place of Execution, and having spoken a few Words to the People, was first hanged and afterwards burnt. He only said, My God forsake me not, that I may not forsake thee. He was 38 Years old, and was born at Riom in Auvergne, of a Rich and Noble Family, Anthony du Bourg, a Branch of which had been Chancellor of France under Francis I.* 1.31 He took his Degrees at Orleance; and was esteemed a good Lawyer, and an upright Judge, and many of the most zealous Catholicks interceed∣ed for him, during his Imprisonment, and his Death was deplored by many very heartily.* 1.32 His Constancy partly confirmed and partly exasperated the Minds of the Protestants; so that from his Ashes there sprung up a Crop of Rebellions and Conspiracies, which for a long time kept this once most flourishing Kingdom in a low condition. The rest of the Members were restored, by the Court at last; de Thou, one of the Members

of that Court opposing, and at length mastering the more bloody Guisians. The meaner People, who being then in Prison, were dispatched with less Difficulty, some being condemned to Death, others to Renuntiation, and others to Banishment.* 1.33

About the same time there was another Project set on foot in France, they erected Images of the Saints and Virgin Mary in the Streets and Market Places, and burnt Candles before them in the day-time, singing Songs to their Honour, and seting Chests, and if any passed by without giving Money and worshiping the Images, he was presently set upon by the Rabble as an Heretick, and he escaped well if he was only beaten and trodden into the Channel, and lost not his Life: Which only served to irritate and unite the Protestants the more.

King Philip having made a Peace with France,* 1.34 resolved this Year to return into Spain; in order to this he came to Gaunt, and there summoned a Chapter of the Knights of the Golden Fleece; from thence he went to Zealand, committing the Go∣vernment of the Netherlands to Margaret Dutchess of Parma, the Wife of Octavio, his Sister, with a guard of 3500 Spaniards, which were all distributed on the Borders of France, in the Fronteer Towns. After the Peace he had principally imployed Granvel Bishop of Arras, who had advised him to leave this Guard, for fear of the Lutherans, which were very numerous in these Provinces, by reason of their Neigh∣bourhood to Germany. The principal Care of these Countries was committed to William Prince of Orange, and the Count of Egmont, who were Men of great Birth, and had particularly deserved well of Philip, in his last War with France; these re∣monstrated against the leaving of the Spaniards, and freely said; They had not much mended their Condition, if when they had preserved their Country with their Swords, they must now be exposed in Peace, to the servile Yoke of Foreign Forces and an Insolent Soldiery. King Philip was inwardly displeased with this Liberty, yet suppressed his Resent∣ment; and that he might not seem to go thence offended with these Great Men; he promised to withdraw those Forces within four Months. After this he took Shipping at Flushing, August 26. being attended by a Fleet of 90 Ships. He met with so great a Tempest on the Shoars of Gallicia,* 1.35 that the Ship in which he went, perished, the King being hardly got out of her into a small Bark, that waited up∣on him. Thuanus saith, He ascribed his Delivery to Heaven, and said, He was pre∣served by the singular Providence of God to extirpate Lutheranism: And Meteren, That this Tempest was an Omen of the great Calamities that attended him and his States, a great part of the Fleet being Shipwrecked.

He soon fell to the Work he believed God had call'd him,* 1.36 and began with the extirpation of Heresie; some few had been put to Death before his arrival, here and there; but the greatest part were kept, that he might have the joy of seeing them burnt at Vallidolid and Seville. September 24. this pompous Shew was begun in the Person of John Ponce, a Son of the Count de Baylen, who was brought forth with great State, and burnt as an Obstinate Lutheran; and with him John Gonsalo, a Preach∣er: After these Isabella Venia, Maria Viroesia, Cornelia and Bohorquia, which was a Spectacle of great Compassion and Envy, the last of these being not above 21 Years old, yet suffering with great Constancy. After these followed Ferdinad de St. Jean, and Julian Ferdinando, John de Leone and Frances Chavesia a Nun, Christopher Losada, a Physician. and Christopher de Arles a Monk, and Garsia de Arras. This last was the Man, who had brought that Spark into Spain, and by his constant and learned Preaching, improved it so far, that he had brought over to his Opinion the great∣est Part of the Monks of S. Isiodore, and of the Inhabitants of Seville: yet afterwards he had deserted his Companions, and disputed against them too before the Inquisi∣tors; but being at last convinced of the Wickedness of it, he repented; and being brought before the Inquisitors, reproached them as fitter for Mule-Drivers than Judges of the true Faith, of which they were brutishly Ignorant, tho they impu∣dently assumed that Title and Office. Giles and Constantio were reserved to bring up the Reere,* 1.37 but they both died, yet their Bodies were burnt. This last was Con∣fessor to Charles V, in the last two Years of his Life and Retirement: Soon after his Death he was imprisoned, and died in durance. His Body was carried about in a preaching Posture, and the dreadful ghastly look it had brought Tears from some, whilst others laughed at the theatrical Hypocrisie and Bloody Folly of the Monks.

From hence this Cruel Scene was removed to Vallidolid in October following,* 1.38 where in the presence of Philip, 28 of the Principal Nobility of that Country were bound to Stakes, and most Catholickly and Charitably burnt. Whether Thuanus were weary of the former Cruelties, or wanted exact Informations of the Particulars of

this last, I cannot say, but the last is most probable; but however he gives none of their Names or Qualities, and saith there was some Variation in the Time. Thus Spain was preserved from Heresie (as they call it) not by the Learning or Piety of the Clergy, but the Bloody Zeal of King Philip.

Pope Paul IV,* 1.39 being worn out with Years, and very much afflicted with a Drop∣sie, July 29 sent for the Cardinals, and told them, He was going the way of all Flesh; and having advised them to chose a good Successor, recommended to them The most Holy Office of the Inquisition (as he called it) which was the only thing that could preserve that most Holy See. He, after this, pointed in another Discourse to King Phi∣lip, whom he said God had raised up as the great Defender of the Catholick Faith; and he added, That he did not doubt but the Christian Religion would by his Coun∣sels, however now afflicted, be restored to its Ancient State. He dyed August 18. aged 83 Years, having sat Pope four Years, two Months and twenty three Days. Whilst he was yet dying,* 1.40 the People broke open all the Prisons, especially those of the Inquisition, which they also set on Fire, and they were hardly restrained from burning the Palace of Minerva, where that Court Sits; with the same Fury they beat down the Image of the Pope, and broke off its Head and Right-hand, and three Days it lay exposed in the Streets, to the Contempt and Scorn of all Men, after which it was thrown into the Tiber. After this the Arms of the Caraffa's were demolished all over the Town. His Body was buried with little Pomp, and a Guard of Soldiers drawn up to secure it from the Rage of the Populace.

It is observed, That this Year was fatal to the Princes of Europe, August 17, Lawrence Prioly Duke of Venice died,* 1.41 and was succeeded by Jerome, his own Bro∣ther, his rare Virtues dispensing with the Venetian Laws, of not suffering Honours to continue in the same Family, lest they might seem Hereditary. September 1, di∣ed Hercules di Este Duke of Ferrara, he married Renata, a Daughter of Lewis XII, King of France; and was happy in all his Government, except his taking part with Henry II, in that unjust War against King Philip; as Thuanus calls it: But he was happy in this, That by his Prudence he extricated himself, and came off with little or no Damage, in his Treaty of Peace, with that Potent and provoked Prince.

February 12. died Otho Henry Duke of Bavaria, Count Palatine of the Rhine, and was succeeded by Frederick III. April 29 died Francis Otho, Duke of Lunenburg. January 24, died William Prince of Henneberg; so that within the space of one Year died Charles V, two Kings of Denmark, a King of France, a Duke of Venice, a Pope, the Elector Palatine, the Duke of Ferrara, and three Queens, Helionora of France, Mary of Hungary, and Bona Sfortia Queen of Poland.

The Conclave was very much divided in the Election of a new Pope, between the French and Spanish Factions,* 1.42 each Side labouring to have a Pope of their own Interest; So that this Contest lasted three Months; till at last the Embassadors of the other Princes began to remonstrate, That this long Delay tended only to the improving the Differences in Religion, and the increasing the Enemies of that See. At last, after a Vacancy of four Months and seven Days, John Angelo Medici was elected, December 26. by the Suffrage of forty four Cardinals. He was born at Milan, of obscure Parents, and took the Name of Pius IV: He began his Reign with a Pardon of the Insolencies the People of Rome had committed upon the Arms and Statue of Pope Paul IV,* 1.43 his Predecessor: But he soon changed, for he that till then had seem∣ed the most Courteous, Patient, Good, Grateful and Liberal of Men, presently became quite another Man, and took up other Manners: He rescinded all the Acts of his Predecessor, and presently acknowledged the Imperial Dignity to be lawful∣ly invested in Ferdinand, the Brother of Charles V, and received his Embassadors with great Civility and Respect.

To return near Home,* 1.44 the Protestant Religion was already received in all Parts of Scotland, especially in the Towns and Families of the Nobility and Gentry, tho' in secret; but Queen Elizabeth having entertained the Reformed Religion, and set∣led it in England, they thence presumed she would be a sure Friend to those of that Persuasion in Scotland: And a Parliament being called to open May 10. 1559. at Sterling, Alexander Cunigham Earl of Glencarn, and Sir Hugh Cambel, an eminent Knight, and Sheriff of Aire, appeared there in the behalf of the Ministers of the Reformed Religion, who had been summoned to appear there by the Regent; who was now resolved to dissemble no longer, but to excert her Authority, and shew her Zeal in their Ruine; accordingly she threatned them severely, and said; She would banish all their Preachers, who under pretence of Religion promoted a Re∣bellion.

The Deputies amazed with her great Words, opposed Supplications, re∣membring her of her Promises; to which she samrtly replyed, That the Promises of Princes were not to be expected to be fulfilled further than agreed with their Conve∣nience. A Mystery which she ought not to have revealed however, if her Anger had not broken open the Recesses of her Heart. At this the two Deputies replyed, by Glencarne, That if she would keep no Promise, they would acknowledge her no more, but renounce their Obedience to her, the Mischief of which she ought seriously to consider. The Boldness and Briskness of this Answer abated the Regents Anger and Courage, and she seemed much calm'd, and replyed; I will consider of it. The news of this being carried that Night to S. John's-Town, the Inhabitants of it met that Night openly in their Churches, and had Sermons. The Queen Regent thereupon ordered all the Ministers, who were come as far as that City, but attended by vast Numbers of the Nobility, Gentry and Commons, in order to their appearing in the Parliament, to return Home, saying; She would not proceed in the Citation; yet afterward she declared them Rebels for not appearing. This made many leave her and go over to the Protestants. Whereupon she commanded one James Halyburton, Mayor of Dundee, to apprehend one Mefan a Preacher, who thought to have lien hid in that Place; and ordered the People to celebrate Easter-Sunday, after the ancient manner. When in this no body would obey her, one Areskin of Dundee went over to them, and assured them, The Regent was so exasperated, that there was nothing but Ruine to be hoped for at her Hands; and that she had no regard to her Promise: Thereup∣on they all resolved to dissembled no longer with her, but to use Force against Force. One John Knox, a bold and violent Preacher, further inflamed their over-heated Minds by a Seditious Sermon. The Nobility going to Dinner from the Sermon, a Quarrel arose in the Church, and the Priest that interposed being severely treated, the Rabble fell upon the Statues and Altars, and destroy'd them in a moment; after this, they fell upon the Franciscan and Dominican Abbeys, where they also destroy'd the Images and Altars. The next that suffered was the Carthusian Abbey, which they demolish'd so intirely in two days (though very great) that the Foot-steps of its Foundations were not easily to be discovered.

The Regent was by this time as much incensed as they; and swore, She would revenge this Villany with the Blood of the Inhabitants, and the Ruin of the Town. But in the interim the Example spread, and the same things were reacted at Cupre in Fife. The Regent having assembled some Forces under Hamilton Earl of Argile, and the Earl of Athole, marched easily towards St. John's-Town, that the Can non might over∣take them. But the Inhabitants of that Place writing to their Friends what was doing, he Earl of Glencarne came presently to their Assistance, with Two thou∣sand five hundred Horse and Foot. And shortly after they had Seven thousand Men in Arms against her; so that she now saw that Force would not do; upon which she sent the Lord James Steward Prior of St. Andrews, and one Cambell (who tho' Pro∣testants, continued in their Obedience to her) to treat with the Earl of Glencarne and Areskin, who agreed, May 29, That all Forces being discharged, the Town should be set open to the Regent, that she might refresh her self a few days in it: That no French should yet enter into it, nor come near it by three Miles: That all other Controversies should be determined in the next Parliament. Whereupon she entred the Town, and was honourably received. But one of the Inhabitants being slain by an insolent Soldier, and the Regent expressing not any Concern for it; They from thence concluded the Treaty would not be long observed, and accordingly about three days after she ordered the Town to be sack'd, chang'd the Magistrates, and restoring the mercenary Scots, sworn to and paid by the French. Being hereupon urged with her Promise, she answer'd, That Promise was not to be kept with Hereticks, and if she could make an honest Excuse after the Fact committed, she would take upon her Conscience to kill and undo all that Sect; concluding, That Princes ought not to have their Promises so strictly urged upon them; and then went back to Sterling. The Convenience and Strength of the Place, made her think it worth the breach of her Faith to them; but the Lord James Steward the Prior of St. Andrew, and the Earl of Argile, were so offended with this Procedure, that they left her, and went over to the Prote∣stants, and gave them notice that she intended to Garrison Cupre and St. Andrews, in Fife, with Frenchmen. Whereupon they destroyed the Franciscan and Dominican Abbies of the last City under the Archbishop's Eyes, yet he durst not shew the least discontent at it, but fled into Faulkland. The Regent assembled all the French she had in the Kingdom, which were two thousand, and one thousand Scots, and marchd for Cupre the Thirteenth of June. The Earl of Argile, on the other side, brought

in one thousand Protestants to the Relief of St. Andrews, and Patrick Lermoth Bailiff of the Regality, their Chief Officer, levied five hundred more of the Inhabitants of St. Andrews, and before Ten of the Clock the next Morning there were above three thousand Horse and Foot, which being drawn up to the best Advantage upon the Banks of a small River by Mr. James Halleburton, Provost of Dundee, a Man of good Experience and Valour, and therefore made General that day, made so formidable an Appearance, that the Regent durst not hazard a Battel against them. By this time she saw, to her Cost, how necessary it was for Princes not to break their Faith. For when she would have gladly come to Peace, there could no reliance be made upon her Promise, and she had nothing else to engage. And when they demanded the French might be sent away, she said that she could not do it without order from the King of France. So she was desired to withdraw the Garrison out of St. John's Town; which when she refused, the Protestants marched thither the Twenty fourth of June, and in a few days took it. From thence they march'd to the Abbey of Scone, and took and sack'd it; and being informed the Regent designed to put a French Garrison into Sterling, they went in the night from St John's-Town thither, and surprized it, and ruined all the Monasteries, Images and Altars. They also changed the Religion at Lithgo,* 1.45 in the way to Sterling, and wheresoever they prevail'd. The Regent and the French in the mean time retired from Edinburg to Dunbar, expecting till this Storm should blow over, and here they heard of the Death of Henry II of France: The Protestants rejoyced at it, as a thing that tended to their Safety, but had like to have made it the occasion of their Ruine, by withdrawing from the Army. The Regent thereupon marched with her Forces to Edinburg, and in the way had a fair opportunity to have fought and overthrown the remainder of thier Army, which was prevented by the Duke of Hamilton, and James Earl of Dowglass. The Twenty fourth of July a Truce was made to last till the Tenth of January; which the Regent observed so much the more exactly, because she found by Expe∣rience that the former breach of Promise had involved her in greater Difficulties and Distresses. Yet even here she could not totally lay aside her old wont, but broke Faith as far as she durst.

It is necessary here to Transcribe some of our English Affairs which relate to Scot∣land, that we may see how far,* 1.46 and upon what Provocations Queen Elizabeth was concern'd. Henry II, of France had no sooner ended his War with King Philip, but he began to cast an Eye upon England, as very convenient for the Dauphin King his Son, and Mary Queen of the Scots, and on that Account refused to recall the French Forces out of Scotland, as by the last Treaty he had promised; but instead of that, he sent more thither by stealth, and was very earnest with the Pope to declare Queen Elizabeth an Heretick and Illegitimate, and Mary the Lawful Heir of Eng∣land; which yet was diligently but under-hand oppos'd by the Imperial and Spanish Agents at Rome. However the Guises never left exciting the credulous and ambi∣tious Hopes of that Prince, of Uniting the Crown of England to that of France, by the means of Queen Mary their Heir, till at last they prevail'd on him to assert openly the Pretences of his Son and Daughter-in-Law, and to consent they might use this Title, Francis and Mary, by the Grace of God, King and Queen of Scotland England and Ireland, and to quarter the Arms of England with those of Scotland, upon their Plate, and on the Walls of their Palaces, and the Coats of their Heraulds. The English Embassador complain'd of this, but to no purpose, as tending to the great Injury of his Mistress, with whom they had lately made a Peace, they having never done it in the Life of Queen Mary, though there was a War between the Na∣tions: That there were great numbers of Soldiers Listed in France and Germany to be Transported into Scotland upon the same Continent with England. So that Queen Elizabeth had just reason to suspect the Intentions of the French, who now breathed nothing but Blood and Death against the Protestants; but that Prince's Designs, whatever they were, perished with him, to the great Advantage of Queen Eliza∣beth, who had otherwise been attack'd by all the Forces of France and Scotland, both as Illigitimate and an Heretick. Yet she ordered his Exequies to be celebrated at St. Paul's with great Solemnity, and by Charles Son to the Lord Howard of Effingham her Envoy, condol'd his Death, congratulated the Succession of Francis his Son, and promis'd to observe the Peace between them religiously.

Yet Francis the new King,* 1.47 and Mary his Wife, the Queen of the Scots, (by the Advice of the Guises, who now had got the Government of France, in a manner, into their Hands) still continued the Claim of the Kingdoms of England and Ireland, and the use of the Arms thereof more openly. And when Throgmorton, the English

Embassadour in ordinany, a Wise and Stout Man, severely expostulated the Busi∣ness. They replyed, Queen Mary might assume the Arms of England with some small Distinction, to shew her near Relation to that Royal Blood. But he denyed this could be done by the Laws of Heraldry, if the Person using the Arms of ano∣ther Family was not derived from a certain Heir. After this they pretended, They only used these Arms, to force the Queen to lay aside the use of the Arms of France. To which he answered, That twelve Kings of England (as Dr. Woton shewed in the Treaty of Cambray) had worn the Arms of France, with so undoubt∣ed a Right, that no opposition had been made to it in any Treaty between France and England. At last, by the Interposition of Montmorancy, who was no Friend to the Guises, he prevailed, and the Title of England and Ireland, and the use of the Arms of those Kingdoms was laid aside, because that great Man thought, It was not for the Honour of France to have any other Title or Arms assumed or engraven on their Seal than that of the King of France. That this one Title was as good as many: And he also shewed, That the former Kings used no other, tho' they claimed the Dutchy of Milan, and the Kingdom of Naples. But however, from this Use of the Title and Arms of England imposed on this young Queen, by the Arts of the Guises, and the Ambition of Henry II, as from a Fountain, sprung all those Calamities, which afterwards ruined her: For from this Time Queen Eliza∣beth was a declared Enemy to the Guises, and a concealed one to the Queen of Scots; which last enmity, was by the Malice of cunning Men, a growing Emulation, and new Occasions, which every day sprung up, so improved, that at last it ended in her Death. For Princes will endure no Rival, and Majesty is very sensible of Af∣fronts.

The French by the Treaty were to give four Hostages for the Restitution of Calais within eight Years;* 1.48 but when it was to be done, they would give but three. The English Merchants were ill used in France: A Servant of Throcmorton's, the Embassa∣dour, was sent by Francis, Grand Prior of France, the Brother of Guise, publick∣ly to the Gallies: A Pistol was discharged against the Embassadour, in his own Lodgings: And he had no Plate allowed him, for his Table, but what had the Arms of England engraven on it, in contempt: Du Brossay was also sent with Sup∣plies of French into Scotland: And the Gallies of France were brought from Mar∣seille in the Mediterranean into the British Seas.

This was the State of Affairs between France and England,* 1.49 when the Troubles of Scotland broke out, and the Lords of the Articles sent William Maitland their Se∣cretary; who made a deplorable Representation of the State of that Kingdom to Queen Elizabeth, setting forth; That since the Marriage of their Queen to the Dauphine of France, the Government of Scotland had been cha••••ed, the French Sol∣diers laid all waste; The principal Employments were given to Frenchmen, their Forts and Castles put into their Hands, and their Money adulterated to their Ad∣vantage. That the Design was apparently to possess themselves of Scotland, if the Queen should happen to die without Issue. Cecil (who was the Queens Prime Minister) imployed Henry Percy Earl of Northumberland, to find out what the Lords of the Articles designed; and what Means they had to attain their Ends; and upon what Terms they expected Succours from England. They said,

They desired nothing but the Glory of Jesus Christ, the sincere Preaching of the Word of God, the extirpation of Superstition and Idolatry, the Restraint of the Fury of Persecution, and the Preservation of their ancient Liberties. That they knew not for the present how to effect this; but they hoped the Divine Goodness, which had begun the Work, would bring it to its desired End, with the Confusion of their Enemies: That they earnestly desired to enter into a Friendship with the Queen of England to the Preservation of which they would Sacrifice their Lives and Fortunes.

The Consideration of these things was not warmly entertained in England,* 1.50 be cause the Scots had little Money, and were not over-well cemented among them∣selves; so they were only advised, Not to enter rashly into a War. But as soon as the English knew that the Marquess of Elboeuf, the Queen of Scots Unkle, was listing Men in Germany by the Rhinegrave, for a War in Scotland, That Cannons were sent to the Ports, and Preparations amde to conquer that Kingdom, and that in great∣er Quantities than seemed necessary to reduce a few unarmed Scots: That the French, to draw the Danes into this War, had proffered, That the Duke of Lorrain should renounce his Right to Denmark: And that they were renewing their Solici∣tations with the Pope, To give a declaratory Sentence for the Queen of Scot;

against the Queen of England: Thereupon Sir Ralph Sadler, a wise Man, was sent to the Earl of Northumberland, and Governour of the middle Marches, on the Bor∣ders of Scotland,* 1.51 to assist him, and Sir James Croft, Governour of Berwick. The English Council could not see whither all this tended, unless the French designed to invade the Kingdom of England, as well as assume the Title and Arms of it.

Upon this the Council of England began to consider in good earnest, and with great Application of the Scotch Affairs,* 1.52 it was thought a thing of very ill and dangerous Example, that one Prince should undertake the Protection of the Subjects of another Prince, who were in Rebellion: But then it was thought impi∣ous not to assist those of the same Religion, when persecuted for it. And it was certainly a great Folly, to suffer the French, the sworn Enemies of England, when they challenged the Kingdom of England too, and were at Peace with all the rest of the World, to continue armed in Scotland, which lay so near and convenient for the Invasion of England, on that side which had the greatest number of Roman Ca∣tholicks, both of the Nobility and Commons. This was thought a betraying the Safety and Quiet of the whole Nation, in a very cowardly manner: And there∣fore it was concluded, It was no Time now for lazy Counsels; but that it was best to take up their Arms, and as the English Custom was, To prevent their Enemies, and not stay till they should begin with us. It was always as lawful to Prevent an Enemy as to repel him, and to defend our selves the same way that others Attack us. That England could never be Safe, but when it was Armed and Potent; and that nothing could contribute more to this End than the securing it against Scot∣land. That in order to this the Protestants of Scotland were to be protected, and the French Forces driven out of it; and this was not to be done by Consulta∣tions, but by Arms. That the neglect of these Methods had not long since lost Calais, to our great Hindrance and Shame: That a little before, whilst the French pretended to preserve the Peace with great Fidelity, they had surprized the Fort of Ambleteul, and some other Places near Bologne, and by that means forced the Eng∣lish to surrender that important Place. That we must expect the same Fate would attend Berwick, and the other Fronteer Garrisons, if they did not forthwith take Arms, and not rely any longer on the French Pretences of maintaining the Peace, which were never to be believed, their Counsels being secret, their Ambition boundless, and their Revenues immense; so that it was then a Proverb in England, France can neither be Poor nor Quiet three Years together: And Queen Elizabeth was used to say that Expression of Valentinean the Emperour was good,* 1.53 Francum amicum habe, at non vicinum: Let a Frank be thy Friend, but not thy Neighbour. So that upon the whole it was concluded, That it was Just, Honest, Necessary, and our Interest, to drive the French, as soon as was possible out of Scotland.

Hereupon William Winter Master-Gunner in the Fleet,* 1.54 was sent with a Fleet to Edinburgh Frith, who to the great terror of the French fell upon their Ships of War on that Coast, and their Garrison in the Isle of Inchkeith. The Duke of Nor∣folk, then Lieutenant of the North, was also sent towards Scotland, William Lord Grey, (who had well defended Guines against the French, tho' unsuccessfully) was made Governour of the Eastern and Middle Marches; and Thomas Earl of Sussex, who had been Lieutenant of Ireland in the Reign of Queen Mary, was sent thither again with the same Character; and commanded to have a particular care the French did not excite the barbarous and superstitious Irish to a Rebellion, under the Pre∣tence of Religion.

The French in the interim were not idle, but the Regent reproach'd the Lords of the Congregation (so the Protestants were call'd) in a Proclamation, that they had brought Englishmen frequently into their Houses, that came with Messages unto them, and returned Answers back to England; though they made no Answer to them, because they did not think it convenient either to deny it, or openly to Avow it for the present; and the King of France and Queen Mary wrote each a distinct Letter to the Lord James Stewart, threatning him with Punishment as his wicked∣ness deserved, and by Word of Mouth let him know, That he would rather lose the Crown of France, than not be revenged on the Seditious Tumults raised in Scotland. And one Octavian, a French Captain, landed soon after with a French Regiment, great Sums of Mony and Ammunition of War, and was forthwith sent back by the Regent for one hundred Horse, and four Ships of War; and in the mean time she fell to Fortifie Isith or Leith, expelling all the former Inhabitants, and making it a Colony of French only, it being a Sea-Port-Town, fit to receive Supplies, and a Place that

might serve the French Companies for a Refuge, if they should happen to be re∣duced to any great streight. This was done about September, as appears by a Letter of the Nobility about it in that Month. The Regent's Reputation was by this time at so low an Ebb, that nothing she said was believed, and all she offered suspected.

About this time,* 1.55 M. Pelleuce Bishop of Amiens (afterwards Bishop of Sens) arrived at Leith, attended by three Doctors of the Sorbon, Furmer, Brochet and Feretier; he pretended he came to dispute with the Preachers of the Congregation, and he sent to some of the Nobility residing then at Edinburg, desiring a Hearing: But for fear their Arguments might not prove so effectual as was expected, Le Broche, a French Knight, came over at the same time with two thousand Foot to reinforce their Sylogisms. The Congregation-Nobility reject however their armed Logick, and would have nothing to do with them.

The Eighteenth of October,* 1.56 the Lords assembled their Forces at Edinburg, and the Regent, with the Bishop of St. Andrews, Glasgow, Dunkeld, and the Lord Seaton, the same day entred Leith. And some Messages having pass'd betwixt them, they proceeded so far at last as to suspend the Queen-Regent's Commission, discharging her of all Authority till the next Parliament, prohibiting the Officers to serve under her, or by colour of her Authority to exercise their Offices from thenceforth. This Decree bears Date the Twenty third of October.

The Twenty fifth they summoned the Town of Leith,* 1.57 commanding all Scots and Frenchmen to depart within twelve hours. But failing in this Attempt, the Regent took Edinburg, and restored the Mass there, and all those of the contrary Religion were forced to flee into England, or where they could find shelter. Here∣upon the Queen sent for more Forces, and the Marquis d' Elboeuf was sent from Diep with eighteen Ensigns of Horse, which were dispersed at Sea by Tempest, so that he arrived not at Leith before the Spring of the next year.

The Lords retired first to Sterling, and then to Glasgow, where they reform'd all things after their usual manner; and in the mean time they sent William Maitland and Robert Melvil to Queen Elizabeth, where at last they obtained what they de∣signed in the manner I have express'd.

The French hearing this, resolved to suppress the Lords before the English should come up to their Assistance, and thereupon began to waste and spoil the Country to Sterling; but though they met with little Resistance, yet they could not attain their End.

In February an Agreement was made between the English and the Scotch Commis∣sioners,* 1.58 sent by the Lords for the Preservation of the Scotch Liberties and Freedoms from a French Conquest,* 1.59 and for the Expulsion of the French Forces out of Scotland, the Articles of which were Sign'd the Twenty seventh of that Month. About this time the English Fleet, under Captain Winter, came up, and took all the French Ships in the Fyrth of Edinburg, which much amazed the French who were then marching for St. Andrews, by the Sea-side; whereupon they returned to Leith. About the same time, the Lords of the Congregation reformed Aberdene, but the Earl of Huntley coming up in good time, saved the Bishop's Palace, which had else been reformed to the Ground.

The English Land-Forces, to the number of two thousand Horse,* 1.60 and six thou∣sand Foot, entred Scotland, under the Command of the Lord Gray, in the beginning of April. The English at first beat the French into Leith, and battered the Town very diligently; but remitting in their Care and Industry, the French made a Sally out of Leith, and cut off a great number of the English, which made them more vigilant. The last of April, a Fire happened in the Town, which burnt the greatest part of it, with much of the Soldiers Provisions. The Seventh of May the Town was Storm'd, but the Ladders proving too short, an hundred and sixty of the English were slain, and nothing was gain'd. Soon after there came up two thousand English more.

In the mean time the French King sent to Queen Elizabeth,* 1.61 that if she would withdraw her Army out of Scotland, he would restore Calais to her: To which she replied, She did not value that Fisher-Town so much, as to hazard for it the State of Britain. Thereupon the French perceving no Peace could be had without the French were recall'd out of Scotland, and disdaining to treat with the Scots who were their Subjects, they began a Treaty with the Queen of England.

In the mean time, Mary of Lorain, Queen Regent of Scotland, died in the Castle of Edinburg, the Tenth of June, partly of Sickness, and partly of Displeasure: Before her Death,* 1.62 she sent for the Duke of Wastellerand, the Earl of Argile, Glen∣carne, Marshall, and the Lord James, and bewailing the Calamities of Scotland, prayed them to continue in Obedience to the Queen their Soverign, and to send both the French and English out of the Kingdom; so asking their Pardon, and granting them hers, she took her leave with many Tears, kissing the Nobility one by one, and giving the rest her Hand to kiss.

She was a Wife, Good, Religious Princess, full of Clemency and Charity, and would doubtless have prevented the Calamities of Scotland, which befel there in the end of her days, if she had been left to her own Measures; but being governed by the Orders of France, she was forced to do and say what she did, to her great dishonour and disquiet, which too at last ended in the Ruine of those she most de∣sired to Promote, as it always happens in Breach of Faith. She would often say, That if her own Counsel might take Place, she doubted not but to compose all the Dissen∣tion within that Kingdom, and to settle the same in a perfect Peace upon good Conditions.

Soon after her Death (or as Thuanus saith,* 1.63 a little before it) Embassadors from France and England came to Edinburg, who sending for the Scoth Nobility, began to treat about the sending the French out of Scotland; which was at last agreed, and the Sixteenth of July the French embark'd on the English Fleet for France; and the English Army the same day began their march by Land for Berwick, and the Fortifi∣cations of Leith and Dunbar were dismantled; but sixty Frenchmen were left to keep the Castle of Dunbar; and the same number the Isle of Inchkeeth, until the States should find means to maintain the said Forts upon their own Charges from all Peril of Foreign Invasion.

In August the Parliament met,* 1.64 which established a Confession of Faith contrary to the Roman Religion, and pass'd three other Acts, one for Abolishing the Pope's of Jurisdiction and Authority, another for Repealing the Laws formerly made in favour of Idolatry, and a third for the Punishing the Hearers and Sayers of Mass; and with these Acts Sir James Sandelands was sent into France for the Royal Assent of the King and Queen, which was refused, and he severely treated for undertaking that Embassy by the Guises.

The Oppression of the Princes of the Blood in France by the House of Guise,* 1.65 and of the Protestants by the Roman Catholicks, caused a dreadful Conspiracy, which drew in all the desperate People of that once most Fourishing Kingdom, to the great hazard of its Ruine. The concealed Head of this Conspiracy was Lewis Prince of Conde, the apparent Godfrey de la Barre, Sieur de Renaudie, a Young Gentleman of an Ancient and Noble Family of Perigort, who falling into a long and ruinous Suit for a Living, which his Uncle had intercepted and detained from him in Angoumois, had not only been overthrown by his Opposite, but had also, for some fraud in the management, been severely Fin'd and Banish'd for some time; he at Lausanne and Geneva had contracted a Friendship with some others of his Country, who had fled thither on the account of Religion, by whom he had been brought over to that Persuasion; and after returning into France in disguise, he had wandred over a great part of the Kingdom, and made many Friends of that Religion, and being a Stout, Subtil Man, and exasperated by the things he had suffered, he undertook this dangerous Employment, willingly as a means to re∣venge the Wrongs he had undergon.

The Conspirators met the First of February,* 1.66 at Nantes, in great numbers, on diverse Preteces, and there form'd the fatal Design of Blois, for the Surprizing the King and the Court the Fifteenth of March, and the bringing the Guises to a Tryal for all their Encroachments on the French Privileges, and Abuses of the Royal Autho∣rity. The whole Design is so well expressed in Davila his History of the Civil Wars of France, that I shall rather refer the Reader thither for his Satisfaction in it, than attempt to reduce it into a Dark, and scarce perhaps Intelligible Com∣pendium.

It was very extraordinary,* 1.67 that before ever this Kingdom had in the least been shaken by any Commotion, the Majesty of the King, the Authority of the Gover∣nors and Magistrates being all in their former vigor, that such great numbers of Men, in all Parts of the Kingdom, should enter into so unheard, so dangerous a Design. But such was the Hatred they bore to the House of Guise, and the Detesta∣tion that all Men began to entertain of the bloody Practises against the Protestants, that though so every many were engaged in it, yet they all kept Faith each to other,

and conceal'd the Secret; so that the Guises had notice of it from Italy, Spain and Germany, before any of their Spies in the Kingdom scented or suspected it.

At last one Pierre Avanelles, an Advocate of the Parliament of Paris,* 1.68 and a Protestant, out of pure Conscience, for the preventing so great a Scandal and Mischief, discovered this Conspiracy to Stephen L' Allemont Sieur de Vouzay, Secre∣tary to the Cardinal of Lorain, he having got knowledge of it from La Renaudie, the Chief Agent in it, who lodged in his House. The King was then gone from Blois to Ambois, which was a small and strong Town, which had also a great and a very strong Castle, and easily to be defended. Here de Vouzay acquainted the King and the Council with it, and was immediately Imprison'd, to be produced as a Witness against the Conspirators, if it proved to be true; and to be treated as an Impostor, if it happened otherwise.* 1.69 The Guises were very desirous that Andelot, and Coligni the Admiral, should be invited to Court, fearing or hoping rather that they too were in the Plot. And they accordingly came presently to the Queen-Regent, and Coligni, in a Discourse before Oliver the Chancellor, inveighed sharply against the violent Proceedings in Matters of Religion, which had exasperated a great part of the People against the Government, and concluded, That he believed the granting Liberty of Conscience, and suspending the Severity of the Laws, till the Controversies of Religion were composed by a Lawful and Free Council, would very much appease and quiet them. Oliver,* 1.70 who desired a Reformation, and hated the bloody Methods then in use, was glad of this Proposition, and recommended to the Guises the granting of a general Pardon, and Liberty of Conscience, till a Free Counsel could be had, as an excellent Remedy of these Evils: Which was presently granted, excluding notwithstanding those who under pretence of Religion had conspired against the King, his Mother, Brothers, or Ministers: Which was published the Twelfth of March in the Parliament of Paris; which yet never shock'd the Conspirators, who were well resolv'd. The same day Renuadie came to Carreliere in Vendosmois, not far from Ambois, and appointed the rest to meet him the Seventeenth of the same Month (the King having changed his Abode, they were forced to change the Day.) That day, Deligneris another of the Conspirators, and a Captain, repenting the Undertaking, discovered it to Queen Catherine. The Guises had by this time got a good Body of the Nobility about the King, and a Party of the Conspirators being met in Arms near Tours, the Inhabitants of that City would not endeavour to take them, but suffered them to escape to Saumur; the Seventeenth of March was the day now appointed for this great Design, and Renaudie, who knew nothing of the Discovery, marched boldly up to Ambois, and though great part of his Foot were cut in pieces in the Woods, as they came up in small Parties, or taken Pri∣soners by the Horse who were sent out for that purpose, many of which were presently hang'd on the Battlements of the Castle, in their Boots and Spurs, yet Renaudie their Chief Commander escaped, and was not taken then.

The Duke of Guise obtained a Commission to constitute himself the King's Lieu∣tenant General in France the Eighteenth of March; and Oliver the Chancellor ob∣tained, before he would pass it, a Pardon for all who should lay down their Arms within twenty four hours, and return home with only two or three Companions, giving them liberty to present what Petitions they pleased in a peaceable way to the King. The Nineteenth of March, Renaudie met Pardaillan, who was sent with a Party of Horse to take up such as he found in Arms. Pardaillan would have fired a Pistol against Renaudie, but it missing, Renaudie run him through, but was slain in the same moment by Pardaillan's Servant himself.* 1.71 His Body was brought to Ambois, and hang'd on a Gibbet, with this Inscription, The Leader of the Rebels. Two of his Servants were taken at the same time, and some Papers in a private Character, which proved to be a Petition on the besalf of the Protestants, designed to be presented to the King in an Assembly of the States, Begging a Remission of the Severity of the Laws against them, and Protesting the utmost Duty and Obedience to him. Many of those who were taken, were examin'd against the King of Navar, and the Prince of Conde.* 1.72 Who said, They knew nothing of Navar, but heard that Conde should have been their Captain. Whence the Duke of Guise con∣cluded, That Coligni and Andelot were cetainly in it, though Queen Catherine was of a contrary Opinion; but however Conde, who was then in the Castle with the King, was commanded not to depart without leave, which he wisely dissembled. Some few were Tried for this Conspiracy, but many more were Hang'd up by Night, and many Merchants were Slain as they travelled about their business for

their Mony, but under Pretence they were in the Conspiracy, so that there was nothing but Slaughter and Murthers to be seen.

About the same time,* 1.73 Oliver the Chancellor of France died, not so much of Old∣age or Sickness, as Discontent at the Cruelcy and Iniquity of the Times; his Death was foretold by some of the Conspirators, who reproached him for his un∣worthy Complyances. And when the Cardinal of Lorain visited him in his last Sickness, he express'd his Resentments against him, and died weeping and sighin for what he had done. Michel de l' Hospital, a great and a good Man, succeeded him, by the procurement of Queen Catherine.

Though this Conspiracy was principally design'd against the Guises, yet they desired the World should believe these Men had first made a Defection from God by Heresie, and then had conspird against the King, Queen Catherine, and the King's Brothers: The Thirty first of March the King wrote to all the Governors of the several Provinces, to take great care that the Reliques of this Conspiracy did not imbroil their Provinces; after which there was the like Account sent to the Elector Palatine, and the rest of the Protestant Princes of Germany. The Princes of Germany thereupon, among other things, desired the King to consider whether he had not yielded more than was fit to some about him (meaning the Guises) who out of an inbred Malice and Cruelty exercised great Cruelties on Men that were never con∣victed of any Crime. There they beseech his Majesty, that he would put a stop to the Sufferings of these Innocents, and seeing they imbrace the same Religion with us, we can∣not but desire an end may be put to those cruel and hasty Executions. This Germany has found (say they) to be the only Remedy, and France has no other left to restore its Peace, than by granting a Peace to the Minds and Consciences of Men.

Coligni the Admiral leaving the Court,* 1.74 Queen Catherine ordered him to go into Normandy, and to enquire diligently into the Causes of the late Conspiracy: He laid the blame of it on the boundless Ambition of the Guises, and advised the Queen to observe inviolably the late Edict for Liberty of Conscience, and to put a stop to the Persecution of the Innocent, as she valued the safety of the King, and the quiet of the Kingdom. Some of the Captives who had escaped out of the Prisons at Blois, wrote Letters to the Cardinal of Lorain, telling him, they knew the Escape of the Conspirators was very afflictive to his Eminence: That there∣fore they were gone to seek them, and hoped in a short time to return better attended. This rallery was a great Mortification to that fearful Minister, who feared new Commotions, and persuaded the King to put out a General Pardon for all Roman Catholicks.* 1.75 In May the King put out another Edict, which was call'd the Edict of Romoraulin, by which he took the Cognizance of Heresie from the Civil Magistrates, and gave it solely to the Bishops, which about five years before had been so vigorously opposed by the Parliament of Paris. De l' Hospital the Chancellor is said to have consented to it, only to prevent the violent Guises from introducing the Spanish Inquisition, which they had recommended to Henry II, and were now promoting with all their might in France. From henceforward the Cardinal of Lorain became more placable to those of the Religion, and to stop the Mouths of those who desired an Assembly of the three Estates, persuaded Queen Catherine to call an Assembly of the Princes at Fountain-bleau, to consult of the Pub∣lick Affairs.

About this time Conde left the Court,* 1.76 and by a Letter gave his Brother the King of Navar an Account of the Ill-will the Guises bore towards him, and that a Debate had been held in the King's Cabinet-Council, for the taking him into Custody: That therefore he had been forced to betake himself to him into Bearne. This Letter was soon after discovered to the Guises who had entertained Spies in the Family of Conde, who presently wrote a Letter to Conde full of sugared Expres∣sions of Kindness and Affection; which Conde presently sent to his Brother, who very much approved his Resolution, but advised him to return to Court and clear his Innocence; which Conde did not think safe. Perrenot the Brother of Cardinal Granvell, in an Audience he had of Queen Catherine, told her, there was no way to restore the Peace of France, but by Banishing the Guises some time from Court, and Recalling the Princes of the Blood and Montmorancy to their former Stations.

The Twenty first of August,* 1.77 the Assembly of the Princes and Notable Men of France was Opened at Founain-bleau. The Chancellor in his Speech, among other things, complained, That the Hearts of the People of France were incensed against the King and his Principal Ministers, but the Cause of it was not known, and therefore it was so difficult to find out and apply a fitted Remedy. For That, the greatest part of the

Men of this Kingdom being weary of what is present, fearful of what is to come, divided by different Religions, and desirous of Change, are willing to imbroil the Kingdom. And therefore their principal Business was to find out the cause of this Dis∣ease, and apply a fitting Remedy to this Sickly Body.

Coligni the Admiral,* 1.78 who was present the next day, presented a Petition to the King, which had been given him whilst he was in Normandy, by a vast number of his Subjects; desiring that the Severity of the Laws against them, might be mitigated, till their Cause had been duly considered and determined: That they might have Publick Places assigned them for the Exercise of their Religion, lest their Private Meetings should be suspected by the Government: And they invoked God to bear Witness, That they had never entertained any disloyal Thought against his Majesty, nor would do so: But on the contrary they offered up to God, most de∣vout Prayers for the Preservation and Peace of his Kingdom.

The Bishop of Valence,* 1.79 a Learned, Grave and Experienced Person, confirmed this Opinion, shewing the great Corruptions in the Church had given Birth and promoted these Divisions in the Minds of Men, which were rather exasperated than extirpated by harsh means and bloody Persecutions. Then he shewed the great Use of General Councils,* 1.80 for the composing the Differences in the Church: And there∣fore he said, He wondred how the Pope could quiet his Conscience one Hour, whilst he saw so many thousand Souls perish, which God, without doubt, would require at his Hands. But if (said he) a General Council cannot be had, the King ought to follow the Examples of Charles the Great, and S. Lewis his Ancestors, and call a National Coun∣cil of France; commanding the Teachers of the Sectaries to be present in it, and to enter into Conference with the Divines, concerning the Points in Controversie, &c. That the Sectaries were worthy of Blame for their Rebellion, and the Roman Catholicks for having been too Bloody and Cruel in the Prosecution of them; which had only served to irritate the Minds of Men, and make them enquire more greedily into the Opinions of those they saw suffer so patiently. That the ancient Fathers im∣ployed no other Arms against the Arians, Macedonians and Nestorians, but the Word of God, and the Princes then did only banish Hereticks.

The Archbishop of Vienne represented the great Difficulties that hindred the ob∣taining a General Council; For (said he) there is none of us who doth not know what great pains Charles V, took to procure a General Council, and what Arts and Stratagems the Poples imployed to defeat that commendable hope this pious Prince had entertained. The Dis∣ease is of too acute a Nature to attend long Delays, which are very uncertain; and there∣fore the best way was to call a National Council; which the King had already promised, and the urgent Necessities of the Church would not suffer him to delay any longer. Having shewn how this had been constantly practised from the Times of Clovis to Charles the Great, and so downward to the times of Charles VIII. He concluded, That the Necessity being Great, they ought to delay no longer, nor to regard the Oppositions the Pope would make against this Method. For the appeasing the Civil Dissentions of France, he advised the calling an Assembly of the three Estates.

The third day Coligni discoursed of the Petition he had presented; and being asked, why it was not subscribed? He said, There was above fifty thousand Men, in the Nation, ready to subscribe it: Concluding, That there was nothing more ca∣lamitous, than for a Prince to fear his Subjects: And they to be at the same time afraid of him. That the House of God (the Church) was to be forthwith reformed, the Army to be dishanded, and an Assembly of the three Estates called as soon as might be.

The Cardinal of Lorrain, was so inraged with Coligni's Speech, that he made a sudden reply to it.* 1.81 That the whole scope of ill Men was to deprive the King of his mili∣tary Guards, that they might the more easily oppress him. That the late Conspiracy was against the King, and not against his Ministers, as was pretended: That as to what con∣cerned Religion, he would submit to Learned Men: But then he protested, That no Coun∣cils should be of that Authority with him, as to depart in any thing from the Customs of his Ancestors; and especially in the most sacred Mystery of the Lord's Supper: And as to an Assembly of the States, he submitted that intirely to the King. He concluded, The Se∣ctaries were a Seditious, Proud sort of Men, and that the Gospel and Faith of Christ was made an occasion of Tumults and Seditions by them, and therefore they were to be se∣verely prosecuted. Yet he was for mitigating the Severity of the Laws towards such, as met peaceably without Arms, who were to be reduced to their Duty by more gentle Methods, more than by Force. To which purpose he would freely spend his Life. That the Bishops and Curates should by their presence redeem the Time they had lost,

and the Governours of the Provinces be forced to do their Duties. But then, since there was nothing under Debate, but want of Discipline, and Corruption of Manners, it seemed very unnecessary, that either a General or a National Council should be called. The free Confession of this Cardinal, is the Opinion of the whole Party; and though the name of a General Council makes a great noise, yet we very well know how they have treated the ancientest and best Councils, when they have in any thing crossed their Humors or Interests, and from thence may conclude, They will never submit to any that shall not be conformable to their Wills.

The twenty sixth of August,* 1.82 a Decree was past that an Assembly of the three Estates should meet before the tenth of December, in the City of Meaux. And that if a General Council could not be had, a National Council should be assembled. And in the mean time all Severities in matters of Religion should be omitted. Thus (saith Thuanus, my Author) the Protestant Religion, which before was so much hated, began by degrees to grow up and get Strength with the tacit Consent of its greatest Enemies. Thus ended the Assembly of the Princes, and Notable Men of France.

About this time Ferrieres Maligni, one of the Conspirators of Amboise, escaping out of Prison, had a Design to surprize Lyons, and had formed so great a Party in the Town, as might have done it, but remitting the execution of his Project to a more convenient time, by order of the King of Navarr, the thing was disco∣vered, and many of his Partizans taken; but yet such was the constancy of the Par∣ty, that though many were tortured, yet nothing could be found out to prove the King of Navarr or Prince of Conde concerned in this Attempt. Yet were they invited to Court by the King, to purge themselves of the Suspicion, upon a Pro∣mise they should receive no Injury: But this they wisely refused as not Reason∣able.

This and several other such alarms procured an Edict, That no Prince or other person, of what condition soever, should provide Money, Soldiers, Arms or Horses; and if any Person did otherwise, it should be taken for High-Treason. The Cardinal of Bour∣bon, was also imployed to bring the Princes of his Family to Court, by passing his Faith to them, That nothing should be done against them. The three Estates, in the in∣terim, meeting at Meaux, were from thence adjourned to Orleans, and the Marshal, de Thermes was sent to Poictiers, with two hundred Horse, to watch the Motions of the King of Navar, if he came to the Assembly.

The Protestants in France having obtained a little respite from the Pressures of the Persecution by the late Edicts,* 1.83 encreased, and there were great Assemblies of them in all Parts of the Kingdom, especially in Dauphine. At Valence, which was an University much celebrated for the Study of the Law, the fear of the Laws being now removed, there succeeded in its stead a lawless Boldness and Petulance; so that some of the Young Students forcibly seized the Franciscan's Church, for the holding their Assemblies. At Montelimard, they had also their Publick Sermons, and at Romans: And which was yet more insufferable, they met armed, and were very injurious and rude to the Roman Catholick: Which as to Valence was soon after revenged with equal Cruelty and perfidy, by one Maugiron, who was sent for that purpose by the Duke of Guise. At Romans about sixty were taken and committed to Prison. And at Montelimard, the King's Faith was by Maugiron pawned and forfeited again; and the Town taken and plundered. The number of the Protestants encreased very greatly also in Bretagne and Normandy, and they had their Publick Sermons in many Cities, in those Provinces, which were managed with greater Modesty than those in Dauphine.

Though the Guises had given many Testimonies of their small regard to their Faith;* 1.84 yet the King of Navarr, and Prince of Conde, had now passed their Pro∣mise to the Cardinal of Bourbon, That they would present themselves in the next Convention of the States; and that Cardinal had given the King Assurance of it, being then at Paris; and the King of Navarr was already on the Road. The Arch∣bishop of Vienne falling sick about this time, by a Letter signified to the Dutchess of Moupensier, his great Confident, That he certainly knew, That if the King of Navarr and the Prince of Conde came to Court, they would be committed to Prison; and that Bourbon would not be able to make good his Promise to them, who was only imployed to deceive his Brothers. That Montmorancy was laid at too, and one la Sague, a Villain, had been examined against him, and had confessed a Treaty with the Queen of England; That so soon as the War in Scotland was ended, the Soldiers would be imployed in France. Soon after, this venerable Prelate died of Grief and Vexation. He was a learned

and an honest Man, not infected with the Leprosie of Flattery; and therefore not very grateful to the Court: And being extremely desirous of a Reformation, was suspected to be a Lutheran.

The eighteenth of October,* 1.85 the King entred Orleans, attended by a terrible Guard of Soldiers; which made that City more like a Garrison than the seat of an Assem∣bly of the States. Navarr arrived the thirtieth of the same Month, with a small Retinue and unarmed; and quickly found how little the Guises did regard their Faith or Promise, by the little Respect was shewn to him and his Brother, at his Entry,* 1.86 and in their first appearance before the King: And Conde was presently committed to Prison, declaiming against the breach of Faith, made by the King and the Guises, and the Credulity of his Brother, the Cardinal of Bourbon, which had betrayed the whole Family into their Enemies Hands. The King of Navarr seem∣ed to have more Liberty, but was under the restraint of a Guard; deprived of the Attendance of his own Servants, and watched by Men, who had order to observe his Looks and Motions; and his Secretary and all his Letters were seized. The thirteenth of November the Prince of Conde was examined by the Chancellor and others, in Prison: Who told them, It belonged not to them to try or examine the Princes of the Blood, but to the Parliament of Paris and the Peers of France, and the whole Body of the States. Bourdin the Attorney General, at last told him, That if he declined the Judgment of these Delegates, he should be taken for con∣vict, and Sentence accordingly pronounced against him, as guilty of High Treason, and the Witness should be examined elsewhere. Perceiving by this the head-long∣hast of the Guises, his Lady delivered a Petition to the King, for learned Council, which was granted him: But his Servants were taken from him, and he was denied a Conference with his Brother of Navarr and the Cardinal, though he desired some of the Kings Ministers might be present. These Hardships created him much Com∣passion in the Minds of Men, and they thought he was hardly used, which made his Enemies yet more hated. They on the other hand despised the Thoughts of Men, and bent all their Thoughts how they might destroy the King of Navarr, for they thought they were secure of Conde. Among other ways, they intended to have as∣sassinated him in the King's Chamber; of which an account was given him by some of Guise his Creatures. Upon which he resolved to draw his Sword and dye fight∣ing, if he were thus attacked; and desired an old Friend to take care to preserve his Bloody Cloaths, and shew them to his Son. When he had thus done, he went unsent for into the King's Chamber, and taking the King by the Hand, so by his Looks prevailed upon him, that his Heart failed him, and he either repented, or durst not proceed in this Design. Queen Catharine was already weary of the Inso∣lence of the Guises, and desirous to save the House of Bourbon as a Curb upon them; to this purpose she gave erder to the Chancellor, to put what Rubs he could in their way. The Guises, in the mean time, hastned the Tryal of Conde, as much as was possible, esteeming all Delays dangerous to them.

The sixteenth of November,* 1.87 the King being abroad to hunt, was taken extream ill, which caused Montmorency to make the more haste to Court. The twenty sixth of that Month the Kings Disease grew very great and hopeless: This turn∣ed the Rage and Fury of the Guises into Fear and Consternation, when they con∣sidered what they should lose in the Death of that Prince. Thereupon they be∣gan to work upon Queen Catharine, by other Methods, to flatter and crouch to her, and to represent the King of Navarr and Prince of Conde, as exasperated to that height by their late Sufferings, that without doubt they would seek her Ruine; but they for their Parts would stand by her, and serve her with great Fidelity. They desired therefore Navarr might be committed as well as his Brother had been, before the King dyed. The Chancellor prevented this by shewing, in a grave Oration, That it would certainly involve France in a Civil War. The fifth of December the King dyed, having lived seventeen years and ten Months, and reigned one Year, five Months and twenty Days. His Youth, and the short∣ness of his Reign, makes it uncertain whether he ought to be ranged with the Good or Bad Princes; and the more, because not he but the Guises go∣verned.

This Accident changed the state of things,* 1.88 and saved the Life of Conde, or rather the House of Bourbon: Charles IX, his Brother, succeeded him; and Navarr of a Prisoner, became the second Person in that Kingdom, Queen Ca∣tharine having adjusted all things with him before the late King died. She

sent Letter also to Montmorency, who was not yet arrived at Orleans, to hasten his coming to the new King, because she was desirous to use his Counsel and Advice. When he came to Orleans, he asked the Centinels, By whose Orders they were placed there, and for what End, and commanded them to be gone, or he would hang them? The Guards presently disappeared, and then it was visible that the Guises and not the King needed them.

Though Conde was freed the same moment the King died,* 1.89 yet he would not go out of his Prison till he knew his Accusers and Prosecutors; to which the Guises replyed; It was by the late King's Order, and would explain the My∣stery no further. About twelve Days after, he went to the Castle of Hane, in Picardy, and there attended the Orders of the new King. Francis the Second was buried with small State and less Expence, to the great hatred of the Guises; who in the mean time were very busie to revive the Differences between Queen Catharine and the King of Navarr, who wisely prevented their Design, by offer∣ing the first Place to the Queen, and reserving the second to himself, as Presi∣dent of the Kingdom. This passed into a Decree the twenty first of Decem∣ber.

The Protestant Religion,* 1.90 which had got such footing in France, that it seem∣ed not possible to root it out, without the Ruine of that Kingdom, began this Year to shew it self more openly in Flanders and the Netherlands, the Nobility espousing it in great numbers together, with the rest of the States. Nor could Margaret their Governess, under King Philip, obtain the continuance of the Taxes for the maintenance of the Spanish Forces: Nor would they of Zealand acquiesce, tho the Pay was sent from other Places, till these Troops were sent into Spain: Nor would they grant any Supplies to be disposed of by the Governess, but reserved that to themselves, that the Soldiers in the Frontier Towns might be certainly and regularly paid. This was vigorously opposed by the new Bishops, instituted by Paul IV, as tending to the remitting the Reins of the Ecclesiastical Government, as well as the Civil.

Bartholomeo Caranza,* 1.91 Archbishop of Toledo in Spain, was also suspected to incline to the Protestant Religion, and on that account was imprisoned by the Inquisition, and his Revenues were brought into the King's Treasure. By an Appeal to Rome he saved his Life; but was never able to recover his See again, but died many Years after at Rome, in a Private State. Thuanus saith, He knew him; and that his Learning, Integrity, and the Holi∣ness of his Conversation was such as made him worthy of that Digni∣ty.

The great Progress of the Protestant Religion in all Places,* 1.92 made all Good Men (saith Thuanus) desire that the General Council, which had been intermit∣ted, might be reassumed and carried on; but Pope Pius IV had the same Fears of it his Predecessors had; lest his own Power should be abated. And there∣fore though he judged this the only means to root out Heresies, and very ne∣cessary; yet he delayed it, and unless he were compelled by Force, or some pre∣sent Danger, it was apparent he would never admit it. But having resolved, on the other side, right or wrong, by Force or Fraud to accomplish his own Desires; and hoping to reap great Advantages from the Ruine of the Caraffa's, though he had been much assisted by them in the obtaining of the Papacy; he applied himself to this with great Application and Industry,* 1.93 and under the Mask of Friendship. And having laid his Plot, he committed Charles Caraffa the Cardinal, and his Kinsman, the Cardinal of Naples, to the Castle of S. Angelo. But Anthony Marquess de Monte Bello, being then not at Rome, though cited also, escaped the Danger and fled for his Life. Though daily Accounts came to Rome of the Tumults and Disorders of France, the Pope took no notice of them. Though the Duke of Florence, who was great with him (for he pretend∣ed to be descended of that Family) did very much urge his Holiness to con∣sider the State of Affairs in France and Scotland: And told him, It was Unchari∣table to see so many thousands of Souls Lost; and Impolitick, to necessitate Prin∣ces, by the despair of a General Council, to betake themselves to National Sy∣nods. This was much inforced by the Noise, the Speech of the Chancellor of France had made in the late Assembly, which was then very hot in Italy. He had, among other things, assured the French Clergy, That if the Pope would not hold a General, there should very speedily be a National Council assembled in France;

and had exhorted all the Bishops to prepare themselves for it. To this the Pope answered with great anxiety, seeking Pretences of Delay, and pretending he was going to Ancona, and that by the way he would speak with the Duke of Florence, who was a wise Prince, and his Kinsman, and regulate that Affair by his Ad∣vice.

Cos••••us Duke of Florence,* 1.94 perceiving that this Journey of the Pope to Ancona was a Sham, and being invited by the Pope to Rome, resolved to go thither, to promote this and some other Private Business he had with the Pope. Before this, King Philip having heard of the National Council, designed in France, had sent Anthony de Toledo to advise the King and Council in this, and lay before them the inevitable Danger of a Schism, which would follow upon it. On the other side, Ferdinand the Emperour insisted, That seeing the Council was begun on the account of the Germans, it should be renewed in Germany, and all that was already determined, should be re-debated anew. Others thought it reason∣able, That seeing the French were now equally concerned with the Germans, the Council should be assembled in some City in the Confines of France and the Empire, as at Constance; or if the Germans would agree to it, at Be∣sanzon. The Pope was rather inclined to have it at Trent, or rather to bring it deeper into Italy, and had some Thoughts of Vercelli, a City in the Borders of France; though he could not yet resolve certainly to hold it any where; for he (good Man) was more desirous that Geneva, which had much infected France and Germany, should be reduced by a War, than that the Controver∣sies of Religion should be committed to the peaceable Determination of a Coun∣cil. And to that end he had persuaded the Duke of Savoy to make a War upon the Vaudois his Subjects. Whilst the Pope was in this incertainty, in October the Duke of Florence came to Rome; and persuaded the Pope by his Arguments to resolve on the calling of a Council the next Year, that he might provide a General Remedy for a General Disease: He shewed him, That there was no Danger such a Council would pass any severe Sentence on the Manners and Abuses of the Court of Rome: And that it was fit he should desire the Discipline and Corrupt Manners of the Church of Rome should be reformed:* 1.95 That he ought sincerely to promote it, and cause select Divines to be assembled out of all Christian Kingdoms, and to hear them favourably; that so the Peace of Christendom might be restored, which was now torn in Pieces by Diversity of Opinions. About the same time the Death of Francis II, the Advancement of the King of Navarr, and the great Kindness Queen Catharine, on his account shewed to the Protestants, very much terrified the Pope; and compelled him to entertain the Thoughts of a Council, in good earnest, which till then had been talked of with no great sincerity.

The Pope thereupon sent Lawrence Lenzi,* 1.96 Bishop of Firmo, to King Philip; John Manriquez to the Duke of Florence, and Angelo Guiccjardin to the Queen of France; who was to condole the Death of her Son, to comfort her, and to entreat her to undertake the Protection of the Religion she was brought up in; and that she would not open a Door to the growing Schism, nor seek any Remedy for the Disorders of France from any but the Church of Rome:* 1.97 And to assure her, That in a short time all their Desires should be gratified by the Calling of a Ge∣neral Council; and therefore they prayed her to take Care, That the flourish∣ing Kingdom of France might not make a Defection from the Ancient Religion, during her Government, nor any Prejudices be raised against the Remedies which might justly be expected from it.

The Pope at the same time appointed Hercules Gonzaga, Hierome Seripand, and Stanislaws Hosio, three of his Cardinals, to be his Legates in the Council; and sent Zachary Delfino Bishop of Zant, and Francis Commendone, into Ger∣many, to invite the Protestant Princes to it. Canobbio was sent into Poland on the same Errant; and had Orders to go on into Russia, to exhort that Prince, who was of the Greek Communion, to send his Bishops and Divines to the Coun∣cil; but there being a War between the Russ and Poles at this time, this Journey was prevented.

The Twenty ninth of September this Year,* 1.98 died Gustavus King of Sweden, which was the Founder of the Line which now reigns in that Kingdom; he was succeed by Eriek his eldest Son. This Prince reigned Thirty eight Years with great Prudence and Commendation, being only noted for a little too great Severity in his Taxes, which was necessary in a Prince that was to Found a

Family; but he was otherwise a Prince of great Vertues, and the Reformer of the Church of Sweden. The same Year died Philip Duke of the hither Pomerania, and Albert Count of Mansfeild, a great Favourer of the Reformation; he died the Fifth of March, in the Seventieth year of his Age, and Sixtieth of his Government. The same Year died the Cardinal du Bellay, the Great Patron of John Sleidan, a Person of great Merit, and employed by Francis I, in many Embassies: He was a great and hearty Desirer of the Reformation of the Church, and without all doubt shew'd our Author the right way to it, though he miss'd it himself. The Nineteenth of April died also Philip Melancthon at Wittemberg: He was born at Brett, a Town in the Palatinate of the Rhine, and was the great Companion and Friend of Martin Luther, but was more moderate, and a great hater of Conten∣tions and Disputes, and a lover of Peace: By which Vertues he won the Love and Respects of both Parties in those troublesom days; on which account he was sent for into France by Francis I.

The Celebration of the States of France was inter ••••••tted by the sudden Death of Fracis II. But there being great Discontents at the numerous Assemblies of the Protestants in many Places, which were now openly held; the finding out a Remedy for this, hastned the opening that Convention. The Thirteenth of December was appointed for that Purpose, and the Chancellor began the Affair with an Elegant and Pious Discourse. In which having shewn the Use of these Assemblies, and exhorted all degrees to Peace and Concord, and shewn 'em the common Causes of Sedition and Rebellion, he tells them,

That in their times, a new Cause, that of Religion, had been added to all the former; As if (saith he) Religion could or ought to be the cause of a Civil War, which is the greatest Mifchief that can befall a Kingdom, and contains all others in it. But then God is not the Author of Dissention, but of Peace; and other Religions, because false, may be founded and preserved by Force and Fraud; but the Christian Religion, which is the only true, is only to be established by Patience, Justice, Prayers and Tears: The ancient Christians accordingly chose rather to be Kill'd than to Kill, and Signed the Truth of their Religion with their Bloods: And yet it cannot be denied but that a false Religion is a very powerful Exciter of the Minds of Men, and surmounts all other Passions, and unites Men more strongly than any other thing; so that we must confess that Kingdoms are divided in effect more by their Religions, than by their Bounds; and therefore it daily happens, that those that are possess'd by an Opinion of Religion, have little regard to their Prince, their Country, Wives and Children; and from hence springs Rebellions, Dissentions and Revolts. And in the same House, if they are divided in Religion, the Husband cannot agree with the Wife and Children, nor one Brother with another. That therefore a Remedy might be had for so great a Calamity, it had been decreed at Fountain-bleau, That there was need of a Council, and the Pope having since declared there should suddenly be one, that Men ought not in the mean time to hammer out for themselves new Religions, Rites and Ceremonies, according to their own Fancies. For this would not only endanger the publick Peace, but the Salvation of their Souls too. That if the Pope and the Council fail'd, the King would take the same Care his An∣cestors had, and provide for the Peace and Welfare of his Kingdom: That it was to be hoped the Bishops would for the future exercise their Functions with greater Care and Diligence: That the Cure might come from that Fountain which had caused the Distemper: That they ought to arm themselves with Ver∣tues, Good Manners, and the Word of God, which are the Arms of Suppli∣cants, and then go out to War against our Enemies, and not imitate unskilful Captains, who disfurnish their Walls to make an Irruption. The Discourse of one that lives well, is very persuasive, but the Sword has no other power over the Soal than to destroy it with the Body. Our Ancestors overcame their Sectaries with their Piety, and we ought to imitate them if we would not be thought rather to hate the Men than their Vices. Let us therefore, said he, pray daily for them, that they may be reduced from their Errors, and discharg∣ing the hateful Names of Lutherans, Huguenots, and Papists, which were intro∣duced by the Enemy of Mankind, and are too like the ancient Factions of Guelfs and Gibellins, let us only retain the Ancient Appellation of Christians. But then, because there are many who only pretend Religion, but are in Truth led by Ambition, Avarice and Novelty, it is fit to suppress these Men in the

very beginning: These are the Men that ought to be kept under by the Force of Arms.

When the States came to debate,* 1.99 the Clergy and the Commons were of Opini∣on, That their Powers were determined by the Death of the late King; and that they ought to return Home: Which was over-ruled by the King of Navar and the Council; And they were ordered to proceed; because by the Law of France the King never dies; but the Lawful Succession is transmitted without any inter∣ruption. The Cardinal of Lorraine had design'd in the former Reign to make a Speech in the Name of the three Estates; which was then not opposed, but now the Commons would not suffer it, because contrary to the Ancient Usage: And for that they had some things to object against the Cardinal him∣self.

Jean l' Ange,* 1.100 an Advocate of the Parliament of Bourdeaux, spoke for the Com∣mons, and remarked three great Faults in the Clergy, Ignorance, Covetous∣ness and Excessive Luxury, which had given Being to the new Errors, and Scandal to the People. That the Preaching of the Word of God, which was the chief cause of the instituting Bishops, was totally neglected; and they thought it a shameful thing, and beneath their Dignity: And by their Example, the Cu∣rates had learned to neglect their Duty too, and had ordered the Mass to be sung by Illiterate and Unworthy Stipendaries. That the excessive Pomp and Ava∣rice of the Clergy (who pretended by it to promote the Glory of God) had raised an Envy and an hatred of them in the Minds of the People. And there∣fore he desired that a Council might be assembled, by the order of the King, to re∣medy these Mischiefs.

After him James de Silty Comte de Roquefort,* 1.101 made a Bold and an Elegant Oration in the Name of the Nobility, and taxed the Clergy for invading the Rights, and oppressing the People, under Pretence of the Jurisdictions granted them by the Ancient Kings of France. That therefore the King ought, in the first place to take care to reform the Clergy, and assign good Pensions to those that Preached the Word of God, as had been done by many of his Ancestors, which he named.

Jean Quintin le Bourguinon, made a long tedious Speech in the behalf of the Cler∣gy, to shew;* 1.102 I. That the Assembly of the three Estates were instituted for the providing for the Sacred Discipline. II. That the King might understand the Complaints of his People, and provide for the Necessities of his King∣dom, by their Advice, and not for the Reformation of the Church, Which could not Err, and which neither hath, nor ever shall have the least Spot or Wrinkle, but shall ever be Beautiful: But then he ingenuously confest, That the Sacred Discip∣line was very much declined from its Ancient Simplicity. That therefore the Re∣vivers of the the Ancient Heresies were not to be heard; and all that had Meetings separate from the Catholicks, were to be esteemed Favourers of Sectaries, and to be punished. Therefore he desired the King to compel all his Subjects, within his Dominions, to Live and Believe according to the Form prescribed by the Church. That the Insolence of the Sectaries was no longer to be endured, who despising the Authority of the Ancients, and the Doctrine received by the Church, would be thought alone to understand and imbrace the Gospel. That this was the next step to a Rebellion, and that they would shortly shake off the Yoak of the Civil Magi∣strate, and with the same Boldness fight against their Prince, that they now im∣ployed against the Church, if Care were not speedily taken. He desired that all Commerce between them and the Catholicks might be forbidden, and that they might be treated like Enemies, and that those who were gone out of the Kingdom on the account of Religion, might be banished. That it was the King's Duty to draw the Civil Sword, and put all those to Death, who were infected with Heresie; to defend the Clergy, and restore the Elections of Bishops to the Chapters, the want of which had caused great Damages to the Church. That it had been ob∣served, That the very Year the Pope granted the King the Nomination of Bishops, this Schism began, and has ever since spread it self; for in the 1517, Luther, Zuin∣glius and Oecolampadius set up, and Calvin followed them. This Speech incensed the whole Assembly against him, and especially the Protestants, who published so many Libels and Satyrs against him, that he soon after died of Shame and Grief. He was no ill Man, but was a better Decretalist than a Divine; and had never well thought whether a Reformation were needfull or no, But then it ought also to have

been considered that he did not speak his own Single judgment, but had his matter prescribed him by the Clergy for whom he spoke.

After some days, the King Signified to the Bishops, that they should prepare themselves for the Council, which was now recall'd at Trent; and the Judges and Prefects were commanded to discharge all that were Imprison'd for Religion only, and leave all that were suspected, the free injoyment of their Estates and Goods; And it was made Capital to reproach, or injure one the other, on the Account of Religion. After which the Assemly was Prorogued to the Month of May, of the next Year.

There was in Piedmont, a Valley called by the Name of Perosia, and St. Martin; Inhabited by about 15000 Souls, whose Ancestors about 400 Years since had upon the Preaching of Waldus,* 1.103 Speronus and Arnaldus, made a defection from the Church of Rome, and had at times been severely treated for it, by the French, under whom they had been; but by the last Treaty were assigned to the Duke of Savoy. This People about the Year 1555, had imbraced the Reformation, and had suffered it to be publickly preached, tho it was forbidden by the Council at Turin, which the Year following sent one of its own Members, to inquire after the Offenders and to punish them; to whom the Inhabitants of this Valley delivered the Confesson of their Faith;

Declaring that they profess'd the Doctrin contained in the Old and New Testament, and comprehended in the Apostles Creed; and admitted the Sacraments Instituted by Christ; the IV first Councils, viz. those of Nice, Con∣stantinople, Ephesus, and Chalcedon; and the Ten Commandments &c. That they believed the Supreme civil Magistrates were Instituted by God, and they were to be obeyed, and that who soever resisted them, fought against God. They said they had received this Doctrin from their Ancestors, and that if they were in any error they were ready to receive instruction from the Word of God, and would pre∣sently renounce any heretical or erroneous Doctrin which should be so shewen to them.

Thereupon a Solemn Dispute was in shew, appointed concerning the Sacrifice of the Mass, Auricular Confession, Tradition, Prayers and Oblations for the Dead, and the Ceremonies of the Church and her Censures; all which were rejected by them, they alledging that they were humane Inventions, and contrary to the Word of God. This Confession was sent by the Duke of Savoy to the King of France, who about a year after return'd Answer, That he had caused it to be Examin'd by his lear∣ned Divines; who had all condemn'd it as Erroneous and contrary to true Re∣ligion; and therefore the King commanded them to reject this Confession and to Submit to the Holy Church of Rome; and if they did not do so, their Persons and Estates should be Confiscated. But they on the contrary were resolved to stand by their former Confession. They were thereupon commanded not to admit any Teacher who was not sent by the Archbishop of Turin, or the Council there; and that if any Teachers came among them from Geneva they should discover or ap∣prehend them, upon pain of Death, and loss of all they had. For three years af∣ter this, the people of this Perswasion were let alone and no way molested; but this Year the Duke of Savoy, much against his will and Inclinatiion, was drawn by the Pope to make a War upon them. In the begining of March, Jean de Carquignau, and one Mathurim and his Wife were taken and burnt; and several of the Neighbour Valleys were Plundred, several of the Inhabitants were put to death; and about Sixty sent to the Gallies, and some recanted and profess'd the Roman Catholick Reli∣gion. After this one Thomas Jacomel a Dominican, was sent with one Turbis for his Assistant, who was a bloody man, to inquire diligently and severely into all that were suspected; but the Nobility interposing, there was no great Severity shewn. The Monks of the Abbey of Pignoral, which was seated in the Entry of the Valley, on the other side, kept a parcel of Souldiers in Pay; and trapping as many of these poor Peo∣ple as they could, as they passed to and fro, they used them very cruelly; and some others of the Nobility did the same thing; and a Sedition following upon it, they fin∣ed the poor Inhabitants One Thousand six Hundred Crowns. Upon this a sharp war insued, which ended in the Ruine of the Aggressors of the Church of Rome.

The Pastor also of Perosia, was taken and burnt with a slow, Fire with many of his Flock, and the Inhabitants were spoiled of all they had, and forced to Flee to the Mountains. Being thus inraged with hard Usages, in the Month of July, Fifty of them set upon One Hundred and Twenty Soul∣diers belonging to the Abbey of Pignoral, put them to flight, and slew the greatest part of them; and about Four Hundred more of their party coming up,

they took the Abbey of Pignoral, and delivered all their people which were im∣prisoned there. In October following News being brought that the Duke of Su∣voy was sending an Army to destroy them; They resolved that it was not lawful to take Arms against their Prince, but that they would take what they could carry away and betake themselves to the Mountains, and there attend the good pleasure of God, who never forsakes his own, and can turn the Hearts of Princes which way he pleaseth. There was not one Man amongst them who repined against this Decree. In after times they had Pastors who taught them otherwise, and told them it was not their Prince, but the Pope that they resisted, and that they fought not for their Reli∣gion, but for their Wives and Children. The second of November the Forces of the Duke of Savoy entered their Borders, and the Soldiers attempting to get above them, they betook themselves to their Slings, and maintained a Fight against them (though they were but few in number) the space of a whole day, with no great loss. At last the General finding they were not to be forced, gave them leave to Petition the Duke of Savoy,

That they might live in Peace, assuring him that nothing but utter ruin could have forced them to take Arms against him: for which they humbly implored his Highness's Pardon, and begging the Liberty of their Consciences, and that they might not be forced to submit to the Tradtions of the Church of Rome; but might, with his good leave, enjoy the Religion they had learned from their Ancestors.

This Petition was seconded by the Duchess of Savoy, who was a merciful Princess, ••and had great Power over the Affections of the Duke. It being ever her judgment that this People were not to be so severely used, who had not changed their Religion a few days agon, but had been in Possession of it from their Ancestors so many Ages. Upon this they were to be received to mercy; but the Soldiery fell upon them, when they suspected nothing, and Plundered them three days to∣gether. The General seemed to be much concerned at this breach of Faith: yet after this they were fined eight thousand Crowns, which they were forced to borrow on great Usury, and they were also commanded to bring all their Arms into the Castles the Duke had Garrisoned in their Country. And at last they were commanded to eject all their Pastors (which was granted with the tears of their People) that they might avoid the fury of the Soldiers. The General pretended not to be satisfied that their Pastors were in good truth gone, and when they suffered them to search their Houses, the Soldiers Plundered them again, and then burnt their Town. There was one Town called Angrogne, in a Valley of the same name, the General pretended to shew them more favour, and agreed that they should have one Pastor left them: but they forced him also to flee into the Mountains afterwards, and Plundered his House, and all his Neighbours, and then injoyned the Sindicks (who are their chief Magistrates) to find up, and bring in the Pastor; threatning that otherwise they would burn and destroy the whole Territory; and when they had so done then they withdrew.

In the mean time their Messengers were gone with the Petition, mentioned above, to the Duke to Vercelli, where they attended forty days before they could get Audience, and then they were forced to promise they would admit the Mass, and when the Prince had upon these terms forgiven their taking Arms against him, they were commanded to ask Pardon too of the Popes Nuncio, which at last they did. During their absence, the Inhabitants of Angrogne had suffered no Sermons but in private, that they might not exasperate the Prince, or make the Affairs of their Deputies more difficult. But they resolved when these were re∣turned they would exercise their Religion openly, and not give any thing to the maintaining of the Soldiers, whether their Request were granted or denied.

In the beginning of January the Deputies returned, and when their Principals understood what had been done,* 1.104 they wrote of the rest of the Valleys to give them an account of it; and defired a publick Consultation or Diet. At which it was resolved that they should all joyn in a League to defend their Religion, which they believed was agreeable to the Word of God, professing in the mean time to obey their Prince according to the Commandments of God, and that they would for the future make no Agreement, or Peace, but by a common Consent, in which the freedom of their Religion should be saved. Upon this they grew more Confident, refused the Conditions offered by the Duke of Savoy, and the promises made by their Deputies. And the next day they entered into the Church of Bobbi, in Arms, and broke down all the Images and Altars, and after a Sermon,

marching to Villar, where they intended to do the like, they met the Soldiers (who had heard what was done) going to Plunder Bobbi, stopped them, and with their Slings so pelted them, that they were glad to shift for their lives, and left these Reformers to do the same thing at Villar. The Captain of Turin attempting to stop this Rage was beaten, and the Dukes Officers were glad to seek to their Pastors for a Pasport. After this they beat the Captain of Turin in a second Fight. By this time the whole Army drew into the Field, and the Inhabitants of these Valleys not being able to resist them, they burnt all their Towns and Houses, and destroyed all the People they took. In these Broils Monteil, one of the Duke of Savoy's Chief Officers, was slain by a Lad of eighteen years of age; and Truchet, another of them, by a Dwarf. The Duke of Savoy had sent seven thousand Soldiers to destroy this handful of Men; and yet such was their Rage and Desperation, and the Advantage of their Country, that they beat his Soldiers wheresoever they met them. And in all these Fights their Enemies observed that they had slain only fourteen of the Inhabitants, and thence concluded that God fought for them. So the Savoyards began to treat of a Peace, which at last was concluded to the Advantage of these poor despicable People. The Duke re∣mitting the eight thousand Crowns they were to pay by the former Treaty, and suffering them to enjoy the Liberty of their Religion: So that he got nothing by this War but loss and shame, the ruin of his People on both sides, and the desolating of his Country.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1559.
• * 1.2

  The Death of Frederick I, King of Den∣mark.
• * 1.3

  Christian II, King of Den∣mark dies.
• * 1.4

  Frederick II conquereth Die••marsh.
• * 1.5

  The Affairs of Italy.
• * 1.6

  New Bishop∣ricks erected in the Low-Countries.
• * 1.7

  King Philip desirous of a Peace with France, that he might be at leisure to extirpate He∣resie.
• * 1.8

  That Design discover'd to the Prince of Orange.
• * 1.9

  The Dyet of Germany.
• * 1.10

  Conditions proposed by the Protestants for a Council.
• * 1.11

  The Emperor Confirms the Peace of Pas∣saw.
• * 1.12

  The French Embassadors come to the Dyet.
• * 1.13

  The Life and Death of Da∣vid George, a famous Im∣postor.
• * 1.14

  The Treaty of Cambray produces a Peace at last.
• * 1.15

  The Peace occasions a Persecution in France.
• * 1.16

  The King goes to the Parliament of Paris to aw it into a Compliance.
• * 1.17

  Yet some re∣tained their Freedom at the Price of their Lives.
• * 1.18

  The King's Answer.
• * 1.19

  A French Sy∣nod held by the Prote∣stant Mini∣sters.
• * 1.20

  The Prote∣stant Princes of Germany write to the King of France.
• * 1.21

  A Commission issued to try the suspected Members of Parliament. Du Bourg first tried.
• * 1.22

  The sad Con∣dition of France during the Persecu∣tion.
• * 1.23

  Henry II, of France slain.
• * 1.24

  The various Characters of Henry II, of France.
• * 1.25

  Francis II, a Lad of six∣teen Years of Age, suc∣ceeds him. And the Per∣secution goes on.
• * 1.26

  Slaunders against the Protestants.
• * 1.27

  Other Slan∣ders spread against the poor perse∣cuted Prote∣stants.
• * 1.28

  Du Bourg con∣demned to Death.
• * 1.29

  Minart a Per∣secutor slain.
• * 1.30

  Du Bourg led to Execution.
• * 1.31

  His Chara∣cter.
• * 1.32

  The rest of the Members of Parliament were resto∣red.
• * 1.33

  Images erect∣ed in the Streets to be Worshiped.
• * 1.34

  King Philip prepares for Spain.
• * 1.35

  He takes Ship at Flush∣ing.
• * 1.36

  He raiseth a great Perse∣cution in Spain.
• * 1.37

  Constantio, the Confessor of Charles V, burnt after he was dead.
• * 1.38

  Twenty eight Nobles burnt at Vallidolid.
• * 1.39

  The Death of Pope Paul IV.
• * 1.40

  The People of Rome ex∣press their Hatred of him and the Inquisition.
• * 1.41

  The Deaths of several Princes.
• * 1.42

  Pius IV, ele∣cted.
• * 1.43

  He changeth his Manners to the Worse.
• * 1.44

  Scot••h Affairs.
• * 1.45

  Linlithgow.
• * 1.46

  The English Affairs rela∣ting to Scot∣land.
• * 1.47

  Fradcis II, of France, claims England in the Right of Mary his Wife.
• * 1.48

  The French Provocations against the English.
• * 1.49

  The Scotch Complaints against the French.
• * 1.50

  Queen Eliz∣abeth holds off at first; but,
• * 1.51

  at last is forced to unite with the Prote∣stants of Scot∣land.
• * 1.52

  Reasons as∣signed for the driving the French out of Scotland.
• * 1.53

  The War re∣solved.
• * 1.54

  The War be∣gun.
• * 1.55

  Four Divines and two thou∣sand Men, sent from France to Convert the Scots.
• * 1.56

  The Lords of Scotland Arm against them, and depose the Regent.
• * 1.57

  She prevails over them.
• * 1.58

  1560.
• * 1.59

  The Scotch Lords go on with their Reformation.
• * 1.60

  The English Forces enter Scotland, and besiege Leith.
• * 1.61

  The French proffer to re∣store Calais to the English.
• * 1.62

  The Death and Chara∣cter of Mary Queen-Re∣gent of Scot∣land.
• * 1.63

  The French forced to leave Scot∣land.
• * 1.64

  A Parliament in Scotland.
• * 1.65

  A Conspiracy in France.
• * 1.66

  The Conspi∣racy of Blois formed at Nantes.
• * 1.67

  Thuanus his Reflection on this Conspi∣racy.
• * 1.68

  The discove∣ry of the Con∣spiracy.
• * 1.69

  Andelot and Coligny come to Court on an Invitati∣on.
• * 1.70

  Oliver the Chancellor of France, ha∣ted the Per∣secution, and desired a Re∣formation.
• * 1.71

  Renaudie slain.
• * 1.72

  The King of Navar, Conde, Coligni and Andelot sus∣pected.
• * 1.73

  Oliver the Chancellor dies.
• * 1.74

  Coligni sent into Norman∣dy by the Queen.
• * 1.75

  The Clergy labour to bring the In∣quisition into France.
• * 1.76

  Conde leaves the Court.
• * 1.77

  An Assembly of the Princes of France.
• * 1.78

  Coligni deli∣vers a Peti∣tion from the Protestants to the King.
• * 1.79

  The Bishop of Valence seconds it.
• * 1.80

  And adviseth the King to call a Nati∣onal Council.
• * 1.81

  The Cardi∣nal of Lorrain replies to Coligni.
• * 1.82

  A Decree passed for an Assembly of the three Estates, and the suspensi∣on of the Laws against Hereticks. A design up∣on Lyons.
• * 1.83

  The Prote∣stants of France in∣crease won∣derfully, du∣ring the Peace. In some pla∣ces they grow insolent.
• * 1.84

  The King of Navarr, and Prince of Conde promise to come to the Assembly of the States. The Arch∣bishop of Vienne dies.
• * 1.85

  The States meet at Orle∣ans.
• * 1.86

  Navarr and Conde secured
• * 1.87

  Francis II dies.
• * 1.88

  Charles IX succeeds.
• * 1.89

  The Prince of Conde fre'd.
• * 1.90

  The Prote∣stant Religion breaks out in the Nether∣lands.
• * 1.91

  The Archbi∣shop of Tole∣do suspected to be a Luthe∣ran.
• * 1.92

  A General Council desi∣red by many, and opposed by the Pope.
• * 1.93

  But prose∣cutes the Ca∣raffa's to ruine.
• * 1.94

  The Duke of Florence come to Rome.
• * 1.95

  His Argu∣ments for a General Council,
• * 1.96

  With other concurrent Accidents, at last prevail'd.
• * 1.97

  The Pope's Ambassadors to thee Chri∣stian Princes.
• * 1.98

  Gustavus King of Sweden dies.
• * 1.99

  A Difficulty proposed.
• * 1.100

  The Deputy of the Com∣mons speaks against the Clergy.
• * 1.101

  And is se∣conded by the Deputy of the Nobility.
• * 1.102

  The Clergy apologize for them∣selves.
• * 1.103

  The Persecu∣tion in Pied∣mont, which Occasioneth a War.
• * 1.104

  1561.