This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. Searching, reading, printing, or downloading EEBO-TCP texts is reserved for the authorized users of these project partner institutions. Permission must be granted for subsequent distribution, in print or electronically, of this text, in whole or in part. Please contact project staff at eebotcp-info@umich.edu for further information or permissions.
THis Henry the third was at the in∣stant of his brothers death, in his Kingdome of Poland, whereof he having notice, hee in privacy went out of Poland, and arrived at Lyons the sixt of September, Anno 1574, and was
consecrated at Rheims February the 13. Anno Dom. 1575, and the 15. of the same Moneth he marryed Madam Loyse of Loraine, Daughter of the Count of Vaudemont. After in the yeare 1576, he convocated his Statesmen to Blois, where singular good Statutes were en∣acted. Anno Domini 1577. there was an Edict of Pacification published for the quiet of his Kingdome. He began the foundation of the Augustines Bridge Anno Dom. 1578. The Order of the Knights of the Holy Ghost was by him instituted, Anno Dom. 1579. After his Edict of Pacification, untill the decease of his onely brother Monsieur the Duke of Aniou his Kingdome was in peace: but soone after, Anno Domini 1585, there grew up a faction pernicious to him and his Estate, which was called the Ligue, or the holy Ʋnion, the Au∣thor whereof was the King of Spaine, purposely to hinder Henry King of Na∣varre from his accesse to the Crowne of
France, to whom after the decease of this King, it of right did belong. This Faction was violated under a colour of Religion, which was of such a force, that the Principality thereof made sure of the primest Cities in the whole King∣dome, their owne, and amongst the rest, Paris it selfe: the Inhabitants whereof having barricadoed themselves against their King on the twelfth of May, Anno Domini 1588, he was constrained to re∣tire himselfe to Chartres, and thence to Rouen. In the end the second time he assembled his men of State at Blois, at the end whereof hee caused the Duke and Cardinall of Guise to bee executed. Upon which execution Paris revolted, together with the prime Cities of the Realme, and the Rebells made the Duke of Mayenne to bee their Chiefe: which was a cause that the King remo∣ved his Parlement to Tours in March, in the yeare 1589, and being reconciled to the King of Navarre, he went to be∣leaguer
Paris, and being at St. Cland, on the first day of August hee was most trayterously stabbed with a knife in the bottome of his belly by a Jacobin, of which wound hee dyed the day follow∣ing in that siege in the midst of his Ar∣my, having reigned 15. yeares and two Moneths. His Corps was conducted to Compaigne, where it remaineth to this day entombed.
This King plotting before his recei∣ving the Crowne, how to ruine the Hu∣genots, the Emperour told him, that there was no greater sinne than to force mens consciences; for such as thinke to command them, supposing to winne Heaven, doe often lose that which they possesse on Earth. He was at last mur∣dered (as was said) by a Jacobin Fryar, who as the King bended downe to heare in private that which he expected, drew a knife out of his sleeve made a purpose, and thrust his Majesty into the bottome of the belly, and there leaves the knife
in the wound: The murderer was by those which ranne to helpe the King, presently killed. But the King lived a∣while, and at his death hee advised them to unite themselves in revenging his murder, but yet he forgave his ene∣mies, and charged them to seeke the preservation of the Realme, by purging out Faction. And lastly hee wished them to referre the difference of Religi∣on to the Convocation of the Estates of the Realme, saying that Piety is a duty of man to God, over which worldly force hath no power. The Picture of his minde was faire and lovely, being drawne with the lines of wit, eloquence, gravity, devotion, affection to learning, bountifull to desert, reforming abuses, peaceable and willing to heare counsell, but this comely beauty was disgraced by a pale weaknesse in adversity, a smi∣ling wantonnesse, and too liberall a pro∣digality, which somewhat blemished this Prince, who had otherwise beene
an exact peece of perfection, worthy to be placed among the chiefest Mo∣narchs.