The Furious Outrages of France and the Horrible Slaughter, Letter 9 – Letter 10
THE KINGES LETTER TO M. de Guyse and other Lieutenantes and Gouernors of his Prouinces, by the which he wholly abolisheth and subuerteth al the Edictes of Pacification, and willeth that onelyonly the Romishe Religion shoulde take place in his Realme.
THe King knowing that the declaration which he made vponupon the occasions which lately chaū ced in the Citie of Paris, the remebrances and instructiōs of his will which be sent round about to all Gouernours of his Prouinces, and Lieutenants generall therin, and particular letters to the Seneshals, and his Courts of Parliament, and other officers and Ministers of Iustice, can not his therto staye the course of murders and robberies done in the most part of the cities of this Realme, to his Maiesties great displeasure: hath aduised for a more singular remedie, to send all the sayde Gouernours into eueryevery of their charges and gouernements, assuring him selfe, that according to the qualitie and power which they hauehave of his Maiestie, they can well followe and obserue his intent, the which more fully to declare, his Maiestie hath caused his letters patentes to be dispatched, which shal be deliuered them. Besides the contentes wherof M. de Guise the gouernour, & Lieutenant generall for his Maiestie in Champaigne and Brye, shall call before him the gentles men of the newe Religion abyding within his gouernement, and shall tell them that the Kings wil and intent is to preserue them, their wyues, children and families, and to mayntaine them in possession of their goods, so that on their parte they liue quietly, and render to his Maiestie obedience and fidelitie as they ought: in which doyng the King also will defende them, that they shall not be molested or troubled by waye of Iustice or otherwise in their persons and goods, by reason of things done during the troubles, and before the Edict of Pacification of August▪ 1570. And afterwardes be shall louingly admonishe them to continue no longer in the Error of the newe opinions, and to returne to the Catholike Religion, reconciling themselues to the Catholike Romishe Church, vnderunder the doctrine and obedience wherof, Kings his predecessors and their subiects have alwayes holily lyued, and this Realme hath ben cares fully conducted and maintained: Shewing to thē the mischiefes and calamities which hauehave happened in this Realme, since these newe opinions hauehave entred into mens spirites: Howe manye murders hauehave bene caused by such which hauehave fallen from the right waye holden by their Auncestors. First they made them separate them selues from the Churche, then from their nexte of kinred, and also to be estranged from the seruice of their king, as a man may see since his raigne. And althoughe the authors and heades of that side, would hauehave couered their doyngs vnderunder the title of Religion and conscience: yet their deedes and workes hauehave shewen well inough that the name of Religion was but a visarde to couer their driftes and disobedience, and vnderunder that pretence to assemble and subborne people, and to make and compel them to sweare in the cause vnderunder the title of disobedience, and by suche wayes to turne them from the naturall affection which they owe to the King, and consequently from his obedience, being notorious that what commaundement so euer the King could make to them of the newe Religion, they hauehave not since his raigne obeyed him otherwise than pleased their heads. And contrariwise, when their sayd heads commaunded them to arise and take to their weapons, to set vponupon Cities, to burne Churches, to sacke and pill, to trouble the Realme and fill it with bloud and fire, they which went so astray to follow them, forgot all trust and duetie of good subiects, to execute and obey their commaūdements, VVhichWhich things if the gentlemen will well consider, they shall easely Iudge how vnhappie and miserable their condition shalbe, if they continue longer therein. For they may well thinke of them selues, that the king being taught by experience of so great a daunger, from the which it hath pleased God to preserue him and his estate, and hauing proued the mischiefes and calamities which this Realme hath suffred by the enterprises of the heads of this cause, their adherentes and complices, that he will neuer willingly be serued with any gentleman of his subiects that be of any other Religion than the Catholike, in the whiche also the king, following his predecessors, will liue and die. He willeth also to take away all mistrust amongst his subiects, and to quench the rising of discordes and seditions, that all they of whom he is serued in honorable places, and specially the gentlemen which desire to be accompted his good and lawfull subiects, and would obtaine his fauour, and be employed in charges of his seruice, according to their degrees and qualities, do make profession hereafter to liue in the same Religion that he doth: hauing tryed that discords and ciuill warres will not cease in a state where there be many Religions, and that it is not possible for a King to maintaine in his Realme diuersities in Religion, but that he shall leese the good will and beneuolence of his subiectes, yea and they which are of a contrarie Religion to his, desire nothing in their hart more than the change of the King and of his estate. For the reason abouesayde, the Duke of Guise, to bring the matter to this passe, shall take paines to persuade the nobilitie and others infected with the sayde new opinion, to returne of them selues, and of their owne frewill to the Catholike Religion, and to abiure and renounce the new without any more expresse commaundement from the King. For how so euer it be, his maiestie is resolued to make his subiects liue in his Religion, and neuer to suffer what so euer may betyde, that there shall be any other forme or exercise of Religion in his Realme than the Catholike. The sayd Duke of Guise shall communicate with the Principall officers and Magistrates, hauing the Principall charge and administration of Iustice in Cities of his gouernment, his Maiesties declaration, to the intent they should know his minde, and the good end wherevnto he tendeth for the vniting and quietnesse of his subiects, to the intent the sayd M. de Guise & the sayd officers and Magistrates, should with one concorde, intelligence and correspondence proceede to the effect aboue sayde, so that fruit and quietnesse may thereof ensue, such as his Maiestie desireth, not onelyonly for himselfe, but for the whole Realme. The Baylifes and stuardes which are not in Religion accordingly qualified, shall within one monethmonth resigne their offices to gentlemen capable, and of the qualitie required by the Edict, which may keepe and exercise the same. And to the intent this should be done, his Maiestie doth nowe presently declare them depriued after the sayd monethmonth, if they do not then resigne, that they shall hauehave no occasion or colour of excuse to delay their resignations, and yet permitteth them in the meane while to resigne without any syne paying. All Baylifes and stuardes shal be resident at their offices vponupon paine of losse of the same, & if they can not so be, thē they shall be boūd to resigne. All Archbyshops and Bishops shall likewise be resident in their dioces, and such as for age and other disposition of person can not preach the word of God, nor edifie the people, and do other functions appertaining to their charge and dignitie, shall be bounde to take a conductor to comfort them, and to employ them selues to the duetie of their charge. To the which conductour they shall appoint an honest and reasonable pension according to the fruites and reuenue of their liuing. Also persons and vicars shall be resident at their benefices, or else shall be admonished to resigne them▪ to ſuche as will be resident, and doe their duetie. Archbyshops and Byshops shall take information of them which holde abbeyes, Prioryes, and other benefices in their dioces, of what qualitie so euer they are, and how they do their duetie in the administration of them, wherevpon they shall make processe by worde vntounto the Gouernours, which shall sende them to the King to prouide therin as reason shall moue him. They shall compell the Curates actually to abide at the places of their benefices, or else shall appoint other in their ſteades according to the disposition of the Cannons.
At Paris the .iij. day of Nouember. 1572. Signed, CHARLES.
LETTERS OF M. DE GORDS the Kings Lieutenaunt in Daulphine, to certaine of the Religion in his gouernement, wherby the exhorteth them to come backe againe to the Religion of Rome, & how the King is determined to suffer none other.
SIr I am sufficiently aduertised of you behauior, but you should remember what aduertisements I hauehave before sent you to returne to the Catholike Religion of your selfe, which is the best hold and stay that you can chose for your preſeruation and health, putting from you all those which persuade you to the contrary, who would abyde to see any commotion or disorder rather than abate any poynt of their opinion. And by this meanes you shall make euident to the King, the wil which you say you hauehave to obey his Maiestie, counsailing you for as much as I desire your well doing, that this is the best for you to do, without loking for any more open commaundement: otherwise assure your selfe, there can but euill come of it, and that his Maiestie would be obeyed. And thus I pray God to aduise you and giuegive you his holye grace.
From Grenoble the sixt of Decēber. 1572. Your entire good friend, GORDES.