ALthough it bee their parte which arme thē ſelues firſte by their owne priuate authoritie, to gyue a reaſon and cauſe of their doynge: Yet the Lorde Prince of Conde conſidering how muche this preſent ſturre and tumult, by reaſō of diuers circumſtaunces, is ſubiect to many & ſondrie iudgemētes, beſides that the common domage requireth a ſure and ſpeedye reamedie, thought it good to preuent al ſclaū derous tales and miſreportes, and to declare as here foloweth, the cauſes whiche haue moued hym to aſſociate hym ſelfe wyth hys kynſfolke frendes, and ſeruauntes, for to do ſeruice vnto the Kynge, to the Queene, and to all this realme, in their great neceſſitie and nede.

Euery man knoweth, that after the great troubles happened aboute matters of religion (where with it is moſte manifeſt that manye abuſinge the naturall goodneſſe of our kinges, haue ſerued their owne turnes to eſtabliſhe & to maintein their greatnes and honour). Finallye in the moneth of Ianuarye laſte paſte, there was and edicte or decree made by his maieſtie, to rule and order both the partes, with the aduiſe of the moſt notable and beſt choſen aſſemblye that the kinge coulde choſe in all his parlements.

This decre and commaundement being ſhortly after publiſhed, in the moſt part of the parlements of this Realme, gaue a great hope of reſt and quietnes as the effect declared: and no doubt, if ye parlement of Paris had not vſed ſuche a delay, the tranquillitie of ye towne and of the whole parlement therof had bene, & ſhoulde yet haue bene muche more then we ſe it now to be.

The let of this publication hathe engendred by iuſte occaſion diuers ſuſpicions, that that was not done wtout great practiſe whiche tended to a further ende, whiche thing was cōfirmed by the goings & commings and drifts of the prouoſte of the Marchauntes of Paris, with the parcialities that euerye man knew to bee betwene the preſidents and counſailers of the ſaid courte. Alſo yt all men knew how the Conſtable being ſued vnto and layed vpon by certaine parcial Marchaūts had filled thē wt a certain hope yt this decre cōcerning religion, ſhould not continue long: Notwithſtandinge, yt moued not ye ſaid lord prince any thing at all, nor yet others of the reformed churches, to ſaye or do any thing that ſhoulde trouble the cōmon quietnes of this realme: but in the middſt of an infinite number of violences & outragious wronges wherof they could neuer haue iuſtice, thei haue taried & loked for the iſſue of the publication wt the greateſt modeſtie and pacience that they coulde.

This publication being made at Paris with great, earneſt, and importunate ſuyte, and rather by prayer and requeſt than by the commaundement of the king or of the quene. The ſayd lord prince after a greuous ſickenes, toke hys leaue of the king and the queene, in hope to reſt him ſelfe a whyle at his houſe.

In the meane tyme newes were broughte of the cruell and horrible but cherlye ſlaughter committed at Waſſye in the preſence and company of ye duke of Guyſe, where were moſt tyrannouſly ſlayne many of the kinges ſubiectes, as well men as women and children, whiche were aſſembled togyther to heare a Sermon, and to pray vnto God, folowing the religion and pure worde of god, which ye ſayd lord prynce main tayneth with them, and truſteth to mayntayne vnto death, by all meanes lawfull.

This cruelty thus reported at Paris, moued in ſundrie wyſe, the one partye and the other, in ſuche ſorte that there was euen at that tyme greate likely hode that ſome greate miſchefe woulde enſue of it, the rumour being ſpredde abrode that the ſayde Duke of Guyſe came in armour & wt a great company beyng determined to roote vp and deſtroye all the congregations whiche they call of the newe religion, the whiche alſo for their part, conſydering that the kings decre and ordinance ſemed not to be able to maintayne them againſt the force, violence and rage of their enemies, ſtode at their defence hauinge firſte ſente to the Quene certayne men of learnynge and vertue, for to demaunde of her iuſtice for the murder committed in the ſayd place of waſſy. Thys was the cauſe why the ſayd lord Prince beinge at that tyme in good houre arryued at Paris, for to goe to his houſe, and deſyringe to remedie the inconueniences that threatened the towne of Paris, went at the commaūdement of the Queene to meete the king & her at Monceaux, where he told them what he feared, and aduertiſed them that for the auoyding of trouble it ſhould be good that the Duke of Guyſe whom men ſayd did come with great power, and with a great company armed withſtādinge the kinges decree and ordenaunce, at the leſt ſhoulde not paſſe through the ſayde towne of Paris, whyche thing was found good by the quene and vpon occaſion ſhe wrote vnto him with her owne hand.

Now the ſaide Prince hoped that the ſaid duke of Guyſe woulde haue obeyd the Queene, and whiche is more, that in laying a ſyde his weapons would haue ſubmitted himſelf with all his companye, to the order of iuſtice equalye obſerued in this realme, as well in the behalfe of the leſt as of the greateſt when they be accuſed of anye crime, and that he woulde haue come ſtraighte to the kinge and the quene with al humilitie, according to his dutie: But it chaunced clene contrary, for making no other anſwere, but that he was buſyed at Mantuil in feaſtinge his frendes, he went ſtrayght to Paris with a very great companye of hys kinſfolke and frends, and ſeruauntes, and others, with open armour. And he may not go about to excuſe him ſelfe for taking the ſaid armour and gathering ſuche a company together for feare yt he had of them of ye reformed churches wc men call Huguenots whiche is as muche to ſaye as heretikes. For it is wel knowen that before the murder at Waſſye. he marched with weapons forbidden by the kinges decree and ordenaunce. Alſo that the moſt parte of them that did accompany hym had bene longe before called together by him, and by others, out of al places of this realme, ſo that longe before there was no talke at Paris but of that, and of his comming.

Furthermore, knowing that thoſe of the reformed churches tooke the way of lawe and iuſtice accordynge to their duetie, it appeareth playnly that if he had not ſought but hys owne ſaftie, he woulde haue gone ſtrayghte to the courte accordynge to the commaundemente of the Kynge and Queene.

It appeared alſo, yt this comming was practiſed of longe tyme before: becauſe that not onely the company of the Conſtable and diuers other which in the meane time were gathered togither, did ioyne themſelues with him but: alſo the prouoſt of the Marchauntes with a greate troupe of the ſaid towne went to receyue him, and this entrey was made in open armoure with great acclamation of men hyred and ſuborned, as if the kinge him ſelfe had entred in perſon. The Duke of guyſe nor anye of his bande not ſhewing any ſigne or tokē that thei were diſpleaſed any thing at it.

Nowe the ſayd lord prince beyng retourned from Monceaux the daye before, as is ſayd, fully determined to goe on his iourney towarde hys houſe, and being ſoddenlye aduertiſed of the comming of the ſayd duke of Guyſe with ſuch a companye and route armed, determined lyke a prynce of the bloode royall for the ſeruyce of the kynges Maieſtie, and the profite of the common wealth, to ſee and prouyde for that whiche the ſodeyneſſe of ſuche a matter required, folowynge the prayers and inſtaunt requeſt of an infinite number of poore men, fearynge that it ſhould happē to them as it did vnto thoſe of Waſſye. And for this cauſe & effecte, where as he neuer thought of any ſuche thynge before, finding in his company a certayne ſmal nū ber of gentle men, then meting together at Paris aboute certaine affayres, profeſſinge the ſame religion that he doth, prayed them to acpany him to the preaching of godds worde, appoynted and furniſhed as muche as was requiſite for theyr owne defence, wt all modeſtie, honeſtie and ſimplicitie. And al this cō pany was but .CC. horſe, compting the gentelmen & ſeruāts of the ſayd prince: others alſo there were dwelling in the ſaid towne, haunting ordinarily the preaching of the worde of God, whiche wente and came without offendynge anye man in worde or deede.

The morowe after, bycauſe that the ſayd Duke of guyſe in ſteade of going ſtrayght to the court began to fortifye him ſelfe more and more in the ſaide towne, the ſayd lord prince dyd alſo the lyke for the defence of thoſe of the reformed church ye which ſemed (with Iuſte occaſion) to think that all the ſayde force and ſtrength was againſt them, conſydering the late deede of Waſſy, and that there was in this realme no warre beſide the common report, that men went aboute to make at Paris a newe decree formably contrary to the firſt.

Beſydes all this, you muſte note that the ſayde Duke of Guyſe, contynuyng his courſe and trade with the Conſtable and marſhall Sayncte Andre and certayne other of theyr companyons without the authoritie of the Kynge and quene and whiche is more, not making them pryuye to anye thing, althoughe the ſtate of the realme requyred not any extraordinarye prouiſyon, kept neuertheles his counſell ſtyll, wherin ſate certaine preſydents of the court offycers of the kinges, the prouoſte and Bourgeſes of the towne, euen as thoughe h • had bene maiſter and lorde of this realme. A thinge truly very ſtrange, and ſuffycient to declare and ſhewe, that there was amonge them ſome practyſes and ſecrete enterpriſes. For as for the conſtable he was departed from ye court ſyxe weekes before beynge greatly diſcontend with the quene, bycauſe ſhe would not endure nor ſuffer hys ſtrang facions and maner of doing.

And ſynce that tyme, for to reuenge him ſelfe, beynge departed frō his houſe to go to Paris to hold this goodly counſell, mett the Kinge and the Quene in the waye neyther ſaluting them, nor yet ſtaying for them made as thoughe he had not knowen them.

On the other parte alſo, the marſhal of Sainct Andre not long before theſe thyngs was not content to diſobeye the expreſſe commaundement yt the Queene had gyuen hym to go furthwt to his charge of gouernemēt but in the open counſel, anſwered her ſo arrogantly and prowdly that men might eaſely perceyue yt he leaned vpon ſome counſell, and priuye intelligence.

More than this, the ſayde Duke of Guyſe euen at the begynninge of his comminge to Paris in ſteade of going ſtreyght to the court, dyd employe all the frendes he had, and ſought all meanes he coulde to kepe the Queene at Fontayne bleaux, for feare ſhe ſhulde go to Orleans. Yet neuertheles hauinge obtained that whiche he had moſte inſtantly required, he ſturryd not for all that from Paris: and helped him ſelfe wyth a newe excuſe, bycauſe that the ſayde Lorde prince was there alſo accompanyed wyth a greate number of gentyll men, and that the towne fearinge to be ſpoyled and ſaccadged had deſyred and prayed hym to tarrye there for to defende it, and thus doynge he hathe priuilye rebuked the ſaide Lorde prynce of to vilanous an intent and purpoſe. But the contrarye was ſone perceyued.

For the ſayde lorde prince to take from hym all pretence, or colour in any thinge, by and by offred hym by the Cardynall of Bourbon his brother and gouernour of Paris to go oute at one gate whan he ſhoulde goe oute at the other.

And than afterward being aduertyſed that the Queene deſyred that bothe the companyes myghte goe oute, and that for thys purpoſe the King of Nauarre ſhould be come into the towne of Paris, he was ſo readye and willynge to obeye this commaundement, that althoughe he had bene ſycke the ſpace of two dayes in hys bedde, yet he departed quyckely wyth hys companye ſtrayghte towarde hys houſe of la Ferte, from whence he hoped to haue ſent them awaye incontinent yf the ſayde Duke of Guiſe had done the lyke.

Nowe the ſayde Duke of Guyſe cleane contrarye ſheweyng in effect with hys complyces, that by the willing departure of the ſayde Lorde prynce, he had gotten that he loked for, went to the Kinge with all hys force and armyed power as in ye time of warre and againſt his greateſt enemyes, a thinge truly, not ſene nor vſed, neyther is it in anye wyſe to be allowed or accepted conſidering the baſe and tender age of the king, and that the Queene hys mother althoughe ſhe be endued with a ſinguler vertue, and conſtance could not choſe but be a frayde, with a Iuſt feare, ſeynge her ſelf beſet roūd aboute wyth ſuche force and power to gyther wyth the Kynge Duke of Orleans, and my Lorde chanceler contrarye to her wyll and expreſſe commaundement, wherof of ſufficient profe maye bee made by the teares that fell from our kinges eyes, and by the talke that he had being forced to ſuffer him ſelfe to be caried to Meleum theſe dayes late paſt. The which it ſhall pleaſe them to remember that were preſent. So that ſuche a comminge of the ſayde Duke of Guiſe, and ſeaſynge vpon the perſons of the King, and queene his mother, and of the Duke of Orleans his brother, ioynynge herewith all the foreſaid thinges, it can not be, nor ought to be eſtemed other than a takynge and captiuitie of them, and that ye moſt hurtful, moſt miſerable and ſhamefull, that euer chaunced or coulde chaunce to this Realme. And vppon this it maye pleaſe the Queene (mother) to remember the admonicion and counſell that was gyuen her by a certen Portugal, together with a man of Spaine, & another ſent out of Sauoye, as touching yt which ſhe nowe at this day feeleth & findeth true, to the great and extreme greefe of her moſt obedyent ſubiects & ſeruaunts. And to thintent that this may be yet better knowen and vnderſtode of all true ſubiectes and faithful ſeruants. The ſaid lord prince beſides that he declareth things paſt deſyreth al mē to be aduertiſed of the enterpriſes which is very eaſy to coniecture and gather, which the fordſaid men doe pretend to execute, to the intent that if they be put in effect by thē, no mā can doubte but yt they are very enemies to the king and to his crowne, and on the other ſide if there be other let them haue ſo much the more certaine meanes to declare & ſhewe it in abſtaining frō ſuche enterpriſes. That is, that hauing beſet, and then caried to Meleum ye kinge, the quene the yong duke of Orleans, and thoſe which they thought good with armed men, to enioye them at their pleaſure they entend to helpe them ſelues with their authoritie againſt the ſaide Lorde prince, and all other which withſtand and reſiſt theyr enterpriſes, declarynge them culpable of that which they them ſelues haue alreadye partlye executed and done, and whereof the ſayde lorde Prynce neede not take the payne to excuſe him ſelfe: ſeynge the experience and profe ſheweth ſufficientlye that all the dayes of his lyfe he hath myſlyked and deſpyſed all that they haue ſought and ſewed for, that haue growen and encreaſed ſo ſone into ſuch an honour & greatneſſe, that there is none but Iudgeth with al the ſtates of this realme that it is muche more reaſonable to demande of them the cauſe of it, than it can be eaſye for them to giue a reaſon why.

And if the ſayde Duke of Guyſe with his, fynde themſelues vnfaulty in this behalf, they ſhall do much for them to purge themſelues of it according to ye requeſt that ye eſtats haue made therin, in ſteade of troublynge both heauen and earth, and to gyue this occaſyon to men to thynke that they feare nothing more than to enter into this matter.

The occaſyon of that counſell is euydente ynoughe, to weete to the intente that all lettes beynge taken awaye, they myghte diſpoſe & rule the realme of Fraūce at their pleaſure, and for aſmuch as to attayne to theſe ende and purpoſes, they knowe they muſte haue other ayde and ſhores, men ſaye that their drift and policie is, to roote vp and deſtroy all thoſe of the reformed churches, that is to ſay all thei that reſiſt them, in makynge a certayne newe decree at theyr owne wyll, by the meanes of certain hyred and ſuborned perſons, as well of the Parlement of Paris as of elles where, to the intent that the other parte ſhoulde bee as it were indebted to them, in ruynynge at the leaſt halfe the realme, for to haue it rather half at their deſyre, than to ſee it enioye whollye the quietnes and reſte ſo muche deſyred of all good men, and as reiected of thoſe whiche neuer made their profit but with the loſſe and domage of another man, and of the ruine of the commons.