The Furious Outrages of France and the Horrible Slaughter, Part 1 – Letter 6
REMEMBRAVNCES AND INstructions sent by the King to the Counte of Charny his general Lieutenant in Burgundie, of the same argument.
THe King considering the commotion lately happened in Paris, wherein the L. Admirall Chastilion with other Gentlemen of his side were slaine, bicause they had mischeuously conspired to set vponupon the Kings Maiestie person, the Queene his mother the Princes his brethren, the King of Nauarre, and other Princes and Lordes neare about them, and vponupon his estate: and least they of the Religion called refourmed, not knowing the true causes of the sayde rebellion, should arise and put them selues in armes as they hauehave done in the troubles that he passed, and deuise newe practises and fetches against the weale of his Maiestie and tranquillitie of his Realme, if he should not cause the truth of the matter to be knowne to all Gentlemen and others his subiects of the sa…e religion how it passed, and what his pleasure and mind is in their behalfes. And thinking that for remedie hereof it is verie needefull for the Gouernours of the Prouinces in his Realme to go rounde aboute their gouernementes: for this occasion he will…h that the Counte of Charnye grea…e E…q…ire of Fraunce, and his Maiesties Lieutenant generall for the gouernement of Burgundie, shall go diligently through all Cities and places of the sayde gouernement, and as he arriueth in eueryevery pl…ce, he shall deuise the best wayes that he can to make peace, vnion and quietnesse amongst the Kings subiectes as well of the one Religion as of the other. And to bring it the better about, he shall gently call before him in open or priuate place as he shall see best cause for his Maiesties seruice herein, the Gentlemen of the places, and the Burgeses of the Cities of his gouernement, that be of the Religion, and shal declare vntounto them, & cause them to vnderstand the truth of the sayd commotion, least any hauehave misreported it to them, otherwise than it was in deede. And shall tell them, that vnderunder the colour of the L. Admirals hurte, wherefore his Maiestie would hauehave caused iustic… to be done according to the good order that he had appointed, the sayde Admirall and Gentlemen of his Religion which were in the Citie with him, without looking for the execution of the sayde Iustice, had made a mischeuous, vnhappie, and detestable conspiracie against the Kings Maiesties person, the Queene his mother, the Lordes his brethrē, the King of Nauarre, and other Princes & Lords with them, and against the whole estate, euen as certaine of the chiefe and adherents of the sayd cospiracie (acknowledging their faul…) hauehave confessed. VVherfore his Maiestie was constrayned (to his great griefe) to resiste and preuent so mischieuous, pernicious and abhominable a purpose. And that which he suffered to be done on Sunday the .xxiiij of August vponupon the Admiral and his complices, was not for any Religion, nor to goe against the Edict of Pacification, he entending neuerthelesse that they of the Religion should still liue and abyde in all libertie and safetie, with their wiues, childrē and families in their houses, as be hath and will maintaine them, if they be content to liue quietly vnderunder his obedience as he desireth. For the which cause he willeth, that the Counte Charnye shall offer and giuegive to them his letters of safe garde in good and authens…yke fourme, which shal be of as good force and vertue, as if they shoulde come or be taken from his owne Maiestie: and by the authoritie of them, they shall be preserued from all wrongs, violences, and oppressions: enjoyning and forbidding most expressely all his catholike subiects whatso euer they are to attempt nothing, vponupon the persons, goods, or families of anye of the Religion which kepe themselues quietly in their houses, on paine of death. And if any be so rashe, or euil aduised, to do against this Iniunction, or to violate the safegard promysed, his Maiestie willeth that readie and rigorous punishment be don…, to the intent that their example may serue to holde in others not to doe the like: which is the true and onelyonly meanes of assurance that his Maiestie can giuegive to them of the Religion, with his word and promise which he giueth them to be their good and benigne Prince, protector and preseruer of them and of all that toucheth them, so long as they liue and continue vnderunder his obedience without doyng or enterprising any thing against his will and seruice. And bicause his Maiestie hath oftē knowē that the enterprises and cōsultations taken in hand by them of the Religion against his seruice, hauehave bene concluded amongs them as assemblies at se…mons which Gentlemen had libertie to cause to be made in their houses and Lordships, therfore my L of Charnye shal particularly giuegive to vnderstand to Gentlemen which were wont to hauehave such sermons, that his Maiestie in consideration that nothing hath more moued and set on the Catholikes against those of the Religion thā such preachings and assemblies, and if they continue it is certaine that it wil be a cause to encrease and maintaine the sayd commotions, desireth that they should cause them to cease off vntill he hath otherwise prouided and appointed, and that they applie themselues herevnto as a thing greatly seruing the effect of his intention, which is gently to bring his sayd subiects to a true and perfect amitie, vnion and concord one with another, committing all diuisions and partialities to obliuion. And bicause this may seme …ard at the begīning, my L. of Charnye shall cause it to be faire and gently spoken to them, least they enter into some straunge coniecture or suspition. For so his saide Maiestie would proceede in all true sinceritie towardes them which conforme them selues to his will and obedience, wherin he exhorteth them to liue, with all the best perswasions that he can, and shall assure them in so doyng to be surely maintained and preseued as his other subiects the Catholikes, as his Maiestie would that he shoulde doe. And to the intent his sayd subiects the Catholikes should knowe howe to vse and behaue them selues herein, my L. of Charnye shall tell thē, that his Maiesties pleasure neither is nor hath bene that any wrong or oppression should be done to them of the sayde Religion; which like good and loyall subiects will gently kepe themselues vnderunder …is obedience. Declaring vntounto the sayd Catholikes; that if they forget themselues and hurt those of the Religion which in such sort behaue themselues toward his Maiestie, and those also which for that ende hauehave receiued of his Maiestie or of my L. of Charnye letters of safeconduite, he will cause them to be punished and chastised in the fielde, as trangressours of his commaundementes, without any hope of grace, pardon, or remision. VVhichWhich the sayd L. of Charnye shall expresse and declare. vntounto them, with as plaine words as is possible, and cause it also to be as straightly executed. And after that following his Maiesties intent, he hath pacified them by this meanes, which is the waye that his Maiestie best liketh of; & searched the di ectiō to assure a trāquillitie betwixt the subi…ctes and to set some assuraunce betwixt the one and the other, such as shall conforme themselues herein to his sayd Maiesties will, he will comfort, and make them the beste and most gentle entertainement that he possibly can. But if any of the Religion become selfe willed and stubborne to his Maiestie, without hauing regarde to his sayde warnings, and shall assemble in armes together, making practises and deuises against the weale of his seruice, then the L. of Charnye shall runne vponupon them and hewe them in pieces before they hauehave power to fortifie them selues and ioyne together. And therfore he shall assemble as muche force as he can, as well of the ordinarie, as of other men of warre, Souldiers, Footemen of the garrisons, and inhabitants of the Catholikes within the Cities of his gouernement, and shall besiege them which holde and make them selues strong in Cities about of his gouernement, so that the victorie and authoritie may remaine in his Maiestie.
At Paris the .xxx. of August. 1572. Signed, CHARLES: and vnderneath BRVLARD.
THE KINGS LETTERS TO the L. of Gwich, wherby it may plainely be perceiued, how they would search out all them of the Religion which had anye charge in hand during the troubles.
MY L of Gwiche, I vnderstand that the iij. brethren Daggonels, and one Por…er the host at the signe of the Aduenture, Mossoner, Crispine, and Captaine Grise, which were the principall of the faction in Burgundie, and were the cause of the taking and recouering of the Citie of Mascon in the late troubles, and of all the decay which happened in that countrey, be kept prisoners in Mascon. And bicause I vnderstande they hope to escape out by rāsome (which I would in no wise should be done) I ord…ine and commaūd that you kepe them safe, for as much as I hope by their meanes to discouer a great many things which greatly touch the weale of my seruice. And if there be any other prisoners of the new Religion in Mascon, which hauehave bene factious, you shall likewise kepe them, so that they escape not by paying ransome, for I would not for any thing in the world that there should be taking of ransome among my subiects. And thus my L. of Gwiche I pray God kepe you in his holy tuition.
VVritten at Paris the .xiiij. of September. 1572. Signed, CHARLES, and vnderneath, BRVLARD.