Answer to Examination, Part 15 – Part 38
Aunſwere.
The ſayd lorde admirall anſwereth truly before god & man, that the foreſaid words be falſely & wickedly inuented. And furthermore, to thentent that all the world may know how he behaued himſelf towarde the ſayd Duke of Guyſe, he declareth frankly & frely, that before theſe laſt tumults, he knew ſome that were determined to kyll the ſayd Duke of Guyſe becauſe thei were diſpleaſed with him. But ſo farre of is it that he inticed them thervnto or allowed it, that rather contrariwiſe he did diſuade and tourne them from their wicked purpoſes, as madame de Guyſe her ſelfe knoweth whome he ſufficiently aduertiſed thereof in tyme and place where. True it is that after the murder at Vaſſy, after taking of armur for to maintain ye authoritie of the kynges decrees and lawes, and to defend the poore oppreſſed men agaynſt the violence of the ſayd Duke of Guyſe and his adherentes, he hath counted & purſued them as publyke enemyes of God, of the kyng, & of the reſt & quietneſſe of this realme. But vppon hys lyfe & hys honour, it ſhall neuer be founde that he allowed that anye man ſhoulde attempt on this ſort vppon the perſon of the ſayde Duke, vntyll he was certainelye aduertiſed that the ſayde Duke of Guyſe & the Marſhall Sainct Andre had hired & ſuborned certain perſons to kil the prince of Conde, him, & his brother Dandelot: as the ſayde Lorde Admyrall not longe ago declared amplye vntounto the Queene before Paris, and ſynce vntounto the Conſtable at Orleans. And ſeyng thys, he confeſſeth that ſynce y• tyme when he heard one ſay that yf he could he would kyll the Duke of Guyſe, yea euen in his campe, he dyd not diſſuade or withholde hym from it: But vppon hys lyfe and honoure, it ſhall neuer be founde that he ſoughte or induced any man to do it, neyther by words, money or promiſes by himſelfe, nor by anye other directly nor indirectly. And touching the twentye Crownes whereof mencion is made in the article before, he acknowledgeth it to be true, that at his laſt retourne to Orleans about the end of Ianuary laſt, after that the ſaide Feuqueres had tolde him that he had knowen the ſayde Poltrot for a man of ſeruice, he determined to employ and vſe hym for the vnderſtandynge of newes from the campe of his ſayd enemies: & for this cauſe he gaue hym .xx. Crownes, hauing no other words or talke wt him, nor ons making any mencion of killing or not killing the ſayde Duke of Guyſe. For namely if the ſaid Lorde admyrall had had any ſuche enterpriſe in hand, he would in no wyſe hauehave truſted the ſaid Poltrot: for when he ſent him to ye camp of ye ſaid duke of Guyſe about ye matter foreſaid, it was not wtout miſtruſting him, for aſmuch as it ſéemed vntounto him that he made the meane & way to eaſie to enter into the ſayde campe, as the ſaide lord admirall declared vntounto Monſieur de Grammont, who at that tyme was preſent, & neuertheleſſe he letted not to ſend him for to vnderſtande newes of the ſayde campe, ſaying theſe very wordes that he ſhould be rather tryed & proued than nouryſſhed & maineteyned.
VponUpon this ſame article alſo, Thodore de Beze declareth moſt truly as foloweth for his dyſcharge be fore all chriſtendome. To wete that ſeyng manye ſo animated & moued againſt the ſayde Duke of Guyſe for the murther committed at Vaſſy, yet he was neuer of the mynde or aduiſe at that tyme to procede againſt the ſayde Duke, but by way of ordinarye iuſtice: where of he calleth them to witnes that hauehave ſéene & heard him ſpeake at that time, which alſo was ye cauſe why he was at Monceaux in the cōpany of other appoynted by the reformed church of Paris: for to require iuſtice for ye ſaid murder at the kings maieſtie, & the quene his mother & of ye late king of Nauar, beſeching thē moſt hūbly to prouide wt al diligence againſt the troubles which alredy thretened this realme, & are hapned ſince indede. And herevpō, the anſwer y• it pleaſed ye quene to make him, was ſuch, that thei of ye reformed church wer cōtented & ſatiſfied wt it, for the hope yt was geuē them y• good & ſpedy iuſtice ſhuld be don vpō the trāſgreſſers. But ſone after the ſaid duke of Guiſe & his cōplices hauīg taken armour, & the matter brought to ſuch a ſtate, y• right & iuſtice could take no more place: & which is more ye perſōs of the king & quene being vſed & handled as eueryevery man knoweth, he cōfeſſeth to hauehave at y• time aſwell publikly in his ſermōs, as by letters & words warned & aduertiſed aſwell ye prince of Conde as thadmirall & al other lords, & men of all cōditiōs & qualities profeſſing y• goſpel, of their duty, for to brīg thē to maintein by al meanes poſſible, ye authoritie of ye kings lawes & ordinances, & thinnocen…ie of ye pore oppreſſed. And ſince he hath alwayes cōtinued, & yet now cōtinueth in the ſame minde: exhorting not wtſtanding eueryevery man to vſe his armour and weapons wt the moſt modeſtie yt is poſſible, & to ſeke (next to ye honour of god) peace & concord aboue al things, ſo that thei ſuffer not thēſelues to be deceiued. Of the which things he taketh to witnes all thoſe which hauehave hard him publikly or particularly, & ſuch as wyll ſay the trouth. And furthermore as concerning ye Duke of Guyſe, becauſe he hath taken him for the chief authour & main tainour of theſe troubles, he confeſſeth to hauehave manye tymes deſyred & prayed God, eyther to tourne the heart of the ſayde Duke of Guyſe (whyche thyng not withſtanding he coulde neuer hope for) or elles to deliuer this realme from him. Whereof he calleth to witneſſe all thoſe yt hauehave hard his ſermōs & praiers, and namely madame de Ferrare knoweth what he tolde her both wt mouth and heart, and what he hath often tymes wrytten to her hereof.
But it ſhall not be founde that euer he named the ſaid Duke of Guiſe publikly, not yt euer he ſpake to the ſaid Poltrot in perſon, nor by any other, nor that euer he knew him, or had to do wt hym in any thing, & then muche leſſe that he did counſell him to do it. The ſayde Theodore de Beze ſayth more, ouer y• it ſhall neuer be found that euer he hyred or ſuborned any other man to do this deede, wherein he acknowledgeth not withſtanding a iuſt iudgement of god, threatening the like or greater puniſhment vntounto all the ſworne enemies of his holy ghoſpell, and thoſe that are the cauſes of ſo much miſerie & calamitie in this realme. And for the verifiing of his anſwere, beſide the forſayde things, he taketh his aduantage vponupon ye very termes aſcribed vntounto y• ſayd Poltrot deponent. For thāks be to god, he is not ſo ignorant or euill inſtructed in his charge & calling, as to apply ye ſcripture ſo euil in that which is there ſaid, to cary his croſſe, & muche leſſe to ſaye, that men winne heauen. And therfore he ſendeth all this confeſſion into the forge from whence it came, being readie alſo to ſubmitte himſelfe generally and particularly, concerning al that he hath done & ſayd in this preſent warre, to the knowledge & vnderſtandynge of all vnſuſpect Iudges, as well in thys realme as ells where: vponupon paine to be puniſhed as the moſt wicked offēdour vponupon the earth, yf he be founde a lyer, or culpable in this aunſwere.
Depoſition.
The which xx. crownes he receiued, and came to the ſaid campe at Meſſas where he preſented himſelfe vntounto the ſayd Duke of guiſe, and ſayde that he repented him ſelfe that he had caryed armoure agaynſte the Kynge, and that he would from hence forthe render hymſelfe vntounto hym. The whyche thynge the ſayde Duke of Guyſe toke in good parte, and ſayde that he was wellcome. And when the ſaid Duke departed from Meſſas to goe to Blois thys Deponent went thyther and retourned wyth hym.
Aunſwere.
The ſaid Lord Admirall beleueth it to be ſo, foraſmuch as the ſaid Poltrot told him the ſame thinge, not at Orleans where he neuer ſawe him ſynce he ſent hym to the ſaide Campe to knowe & vnderſtand newes: but in a place called Neufuille, as afterwarde ſhall be declared. And the ſaide Lord Admyrall remembreth well that the ſaid Poltrot bringing report of that he had ſene and knowen in the ſaid campe, ſaid that he went to Neung, to one whom he called ſenior de Lſtang who preſented him to the ſaid Duke of Guiſe.
Depoſition.
And certaine daies after, he returned to Orleans to the ſaid lord of Chaſtillon and there excuſed himſelf vntounto him from taking in hand ſo great a charge bycauſe that the ſaide Duke of Guyſe vſed not to goe out of his houſe, but wt a great companye. But the ſayde Lord of Chaſtillon encouraged hym more then he dyd before: & ſaid he knew well ynough what he had promyſed hym and that he might not make ani excuſe in the matter. And furthermore cauſed the ſayde Theodore de Beze and the other miniſter whyche before had ſpoken to hym, to gyue hym dyuers inſtructions, whyche ſo troubled hys mynd, that he accorded and conſented to do what they would. And for to confyrme him in thys wycked mynde and purpoſe the ſaide Lorde of Chaſtillon gaue hym with hys owne handes a C. crownes of the ſunne in a paper, for to bie him a horſe, if his were not good ynough for to ſaue himſelfe after he had done the deede. The whiche. C. crownes this Deponent receiued, and came to the ſayde campe at Meſſas, to fynde the meanes to put the ſayde enterpryſe in effecte.
Aunſwere.
It is true that the ſaid Poltrot comming againe to Orleans to make hys report of things, found not the ſaid lord Admyral there, who was already gone on hys iourney towarde Normandye which thing is ſufficient to proue that the reſt of the former article, is no leſſe falſe & inuented. True it is that Monſieur Dandelot hauinge heard hys report of newes at Orleans ſent hym to the ſaid lord Admirall his brother then being ariued at y• village of Neufuille ſixe or ſeuen leagues from Orleans, in his ſaid viage to Normandy, accompanied wt Monſieur de Traues, bi whom he ſent him word that he was determined to ſtay the ſaid Poltrot becauſe he ſemed to make a doubtfull and an vncertaine reporte of newes. Yet neuertheles the ſaid Lord Admirall hauyng heard hym Iudged that would ſerue their turne for to vnderſtand certayne newes of the enemyes campe: and for this cauſe he delyuered him ye hundred crownes, whereof there is queſtion, aſwel for to horſe himſelf better, as for to vſe diligence requiſite in ſuch aduertiſementes, and commaunded him to repaire in his abſence to the ſaid Monſieur Dandelot his brother: More, the ſaid lord Admirall remembreth well now, that the ſaid Poltrot went ſo far in making his report of newes that he ſaid it was an eaſy thing to kyl the ſaid Duke of Guyſe. But the ſaid lord Admirall ſtaid not vppon that talke, becauſe he thought it a thyng to vain and folyſhe: and vppon his lyfe and hys honour, he neuer opened his mouthe to prouoke hym to take it vponupon hym. Vppon the ſelfe ſame Article Theodore de Beze aunſwereth that he cannot remember that he euer ſawe the ſayde Poltrot and he neuer knew him nor knoweth hym yet and muche leſſe that he euer ſpake to hym about ſuche an enterpriſe.
Depoſition.
And ſynce, the ſayd Duke of Guyſe being come wt the armie in thys place of S. Hylary beſyde S. Meſmine, he folowed him, hauing bought of Mōſieur de la Mauuoiſiniere a ſpaniſhe Genet at the ſaide place of Meſſas for y• ſūme of a C. crownes that he gaue him & the horſe wherevppon he rode before. And lodged certaine daies in the Caſtell of Corneil .ii. or .iii. leagues frō the cāpe at ſ. Hilaryes, differring to execute the ſaid enterpriſe vntill he ſaw the towne of Orleans ſore laide vntounto, & that they went about by al meanes to take it, & fearing than y• many honeſt men being in the towne, ſhuld be ſlain & ſpoiled, he fully determined wt himſelf to kepe his promiſe. And to do this act, on thurſday laſt ye xviii. of this preſent monethmonth, after he had dined in a ferme halfe a league frō the houſe where the ſaide Duke of Guiſe was lodged, it came into hys mind to execute yt day ye ſaid enterpriſe & in dede the ſaid Duke paſſing the ryuer of Leret for to go to Pontereau, he accompanied him & folowed him to the ſaid Pontereau: & than returned by the brydge & village of Olyuet, where the Suyſſers were lodged, & there taryed the coming of the ſaid Duke of Guyſe at the paſſage of the ſayd riuer of Leret intending whether he were well or euill accompanied, to execute his enterpryſe, as he dyd. And hearing a trōpet blowen at the retourne of the ſayde Duke of Guyſe, whan he woulde enter into the boote to paſſe the water, he approched neere vntounto the Ryuer and after that the ſayde Duke of Guyſe was landed beynge accompanyed onelye wyth one gentyllman that wente before, and another that ſpake vntounto hym rydynge vppon a lyttle Mulette, he folowed hym behynde, and whan he approched nigh vntounto hys lodginge, at the corner of a ſtrete where there were manye wayes turning this way & yt way, he ſhote hys dagge at him charged wt thre pellets, about vi. or vii. paſe of, thinking to ſtrike him in the ſhulder, bycauſe he thought he had bene armed on the body: and by & by ſet ſpurres to his ſpaniſhe genet whervpon he rode, and ſaued himſelfe ſwiftly, paſſing ouer muche wood that was cut down, & rode that night about x. leagues in the countrey, thinking to conuey himſelfe far frō Orleans. But god would that the darkeneſſe of the night turned hym out of his way, and came againe to the village of Oliuet into the myddes of ye gard of Suiſſers where one of the ſayd Suyſſers ſpake vntounto him theſe wordes, Houardot. Vnderſtandyng thoſe wordes he knewe it was the gard of the Suyſſers, & drewe backe and rode on the ſpurre vntill the next day nyne of the clocke in the mornyng. And perceyuynge that his horſe was wery and ſore trauailed, he lodged in a ferme where he reſted vntyll the next morrowe, that he was taken and brought as priſoner.
Anſwer.
This article appertaineth particularly to the ſaid Poltrot, and therfore he referreth it vntounto hym, praiſing god in the meane while for all hys iuſte iudgementes.
Depoſition.
And vponupon that, which the ſaid quene mother examined him whether any other were conſenting to the ſaid enterpriſe, beſide ye lord of Chaſtillon & the ſaid miniſters. He ſaid yt he was neuer ſpokē to of it, by any other perſōs thē by the ſaid lord of Chaſtillon, the ſayd Theodore de Beze and his fellow: but yet he thinketh that he lord of Roche foucaul knew ſome thing of the matter, foraſmuch as when he arryued at the ſaid Ville …ranche, beſyde the toun of Celles: the ſayde Roche foucault ſhewed him a good countenance, and ſaid he was welcome.
Aunſwer.
This confeſſion is manifeſtly contrary to that which before he declared againſt Feuqueres and Capitain Brion, and yet wrongfullye and without cauſe, as the ſaid lord Admyrall thynketh. And as for that which concerneth the erle of Rochefoucault he aunſwereth truely, that if he had knowen any thing of ſuch an enterpriſe he woulde not denye it: but he neuer hearde any talke of any ſuche thing before it was done, and referreth it alſo to the iudgement of all vpright men, whether the contecture of the ſaide Deponent bee well grounded or not: and whether it appeareth not that the ſayde Poltrot hath beene rather procured to accuſe the ſaid erle of Rochefoucault by ſom manner of meane than to teſtifye the truth.
Depoſition
And as touching the Prince of Conde, beyng therevpon demaunded ſaith he neuer knewe that he was priuy to the ſayde enterpriſe neyther that he knewe any thyng of it, and thynketh in his conſcience that he neuer knewe of it. But contrary wyſe the fyrſt time that the ſayd lord of Chaſtillon ſpake of this enterpriſe, the ſaid Deponent aſked hym if the prince of Conde wold hauehave him to do it, the ſaid lord Admyrall aunſwered, and ſaid, that he needed not aſke any thing as concerning the prince of Conde.
Anſvver.
The ſayde lorde Admirall perceyneth by this article the crafte and ſubtiltye of his enemies, goyng about by al meanes to ſeparate hym and al this army from the Prince of Conde lieue tenaunt generall for the kynge in the ſaid army. But he is aſſured that ſuch practiſes by the grace of God, ſhall returne and fall vppon their owne heades. Furthermore he douteth him not but will beare alwayes witnes of the integritye, honeſtye, and innocencye of the ſayde prynce, not onelyonly in thys deede, but alſo in all that is taken in hande done, ſaide, or written by hym in this warre, and denieth plainly and expreſſely the ende of the ſaide article referring hymſelfe to that he hath anſwered before.
Depoſition.
Likewiſe he declareth that Monſieur Dandelot neuer ſpake to hym of it, nor the lord of Soubize, but contrarye wiſe when the ſaid Deponent declared vntounto him the firſt talk that the lord of Chaſtillon hadde with hym, of which he hath before ſpoken, the ſayd Soubize ſaid vntounto him, that it oughte not to be done by that meanes, for yf God would puniſh the ſaide Duke of Guyſe he wold do it another way, not vſyng ſuch maner of doyngs.
Anſwer.
The ſayd lord Admirall thinketh in his conſcience, that the ſaide Poltrot had neuer ſuche talke with the ſayde Soubize, for he neuer vnderſtode any thing therof: and alſo douteth nothing of the innocency of Monſieur Dandelot his brother nor of ye ſaid Soubize.
Depoſition.
And alſo the ſaid Deponent hath aduertiſed and warned the quene to beware and to take hede to her ſelfe, becauſe yt ſynce the battail beſyde Dre… the ſaid lord of Chaſtillon, with the capitains and ſouldiors being with him beare her euill wil, ſaying, that ſhe betra…ed them, bicauſe ſhe promiſed thē before Paris many thinges which ſhe hath not perfourmed.
Anſwer.
The ſaid lord Admirall ſaieth, that this aduertiſement and warning can not procede but out of a wicked mind, which deſireth nothyng elles but the continuāce of the preſent miſeries and calamities of this realme: & for proofe of his fidelity & faithfulnes he cannot hauehave better witnes thā the quene her ſelf, with ye ſeruices that he hath done heretofore, proteſting before g…d that by his grace no euill entreating made him euer nor ſhal n…uer make him forget the duty and obedience that he oweth vntounto their maieſties & to his countrey, & he douteth not but the intent & mind of the lordes, capitaines, and other of his army is ſo likewiſe.
Depoſition.
Sayeng more ouer, that there wer many perſons, as well in the traine of the court as folowing this campe, which were ſent by the ſaide lorde of Chaſtillon to execute the lyke enterpriſes: yet he neuer hearde them named, whom the Lorde of Chaſtillon would hauehave to be kylled: but onelyonly in generall woordes, he hearde hym ſay, that after the ſaid duke of Guiſe ſhoulde be kylled, he woulde cauſe the lyke to be doone to all thoſe that ſucceſſiuely would rule and leade the army, and alſo that there muſte bee ſlayne ſixe or ſeuen knyghtes of the order, not otherwyſe namyng them, but that he vnderſtode it commonly by the capitaynes and ſouldiors beyng at Orleance, which hated greatly the lorde Duke of Montpenſier, and monſieur de Sanſa…: and that if the ſayd duke of Guyſe were ſlain together with the ſayde knyghtes of the order, to whome they bare euyll wyll, they woulde than come to the courte to ſubmytte theym ſelues to the grace and pardon of the kynge, and would doo what he would commaund them.
Anſvvere.
The ſayde lorde admyrall anſwereth to this article, as vntounto the next before it, leauing it to al mē to iudge that know him whether it ſmell lyke a trouthe, that in caſe he had taken in hande ſuche enterpriſes he would hauehave diſcouered theym vntounto ſuche a man as the ſayd Poltrot is. And as touchyng that he ſayth, that he heard it ſayde of the capitaynes and ſouldiours, the ſayd lord admirall ought not to aunſwere to it, and yet beleueth it not to bee true, ſpecially ſeynge there is not ſo greate occaſion nor apparēce of hatred againſt them which are named in the ſaid Article.
Depoſition.
He ſaith moreouer, that being in y• town of Bloys with the ſaid duke of Guyſe, whyle the Campe was at Meſſas, he found in the gardens of ye ſaid town nigh vntounto ye king, who thā playd at the mallet & the ball, a mā of a mean ſtature wt a red berd, red hoſe and a ierkyn of lether cut, which had a dagge ready charged and ſpande in his hande, whome ſometyme he had ſeene at Orleance, in the ſaide lord of Chaſtillons hall.
Anſvvere.
The ſayd lorde Admyrall can not tell what the ſayd Poltrot myght ſee at Bloys, and therefore ought not to anſwere to it: but he knoweth verye well, that he and all hys army beare accordyng to their duetie, a ſinguler affection, obedience and reuerence to his maieſtie, as his true and faithfull ſubiectes and ſeruants, and that they hauehave nothyng in this worlde ſo deare vntounto theym, as the proſperitie and wealth of their prince and kyng.
Depoſition.
And furthermore, that he ſawe in this campe fower men well horſed, whoſe names he knewe not, but he knoweth them if he ſee them, whych wer in the hall at Orleance when he ſpake with the ſaid lord of Chaſtillon the laſte tyme, and the ſayde lorde of Chaſtillon aſked him, if he would be knowen vntounto the ſaid men, who alſo had promiſed him to execute other enterpriſes. But this deponent fearyng to be deſcried, prayed the ſayd lord of Chaſtillon not to diſcouer hym vntounto them: And ſayde, that if they woulde geue him libertie to walke about the campe, he truſted to fynde them out, and to ſhewe them.
Anſvvere.
The ſaid lord Admirall ſaith that calumnie and falſe report was forged in the ſame ſhoppe that the other were, and for to hauehave certaine & true knowledge therof, they ſhold hauehave ſuffred ye ſaid Poltrot to walk about the campe with a good & ſure gard about hym.
Depoſition
Being demanded what the ſaid lord of Chaſtillon departing frō Orleance to go into Normandie went to doo & worke: ſaid, that he purpoſed to go to ioyne with the Engliſhemen, and to bring them to Orleance: & that at his departyng he promiſed his brother monſieur D'andriot, that if the ſaid duke of Guiſe wold come to beſiege the ſaid towne of Orleance, he wold come with ſuccour, and wold ſeke to gyue hym battaile.
Anſvvere.
The ſayd lord Admirall anſwereth that his enemies ſekyng ſo curiouſly all meanes to deſtroy hym, vnderunder the colour and pretext of iuſtice, ſhoulde hauehave ſought out thynges by ſome other of his counſell, than by the ſayd Poltrot, or other ſuche as he is: And alſo the ſaid Poltrot was not at Orleance whan the ſayd lorde Admirall departed from thence at the leſt that he knewe of, and therfore could not teſtifie any thynge but by hereſaye, what he had promyſed vntounto the ſayd monſieur Dandelot his brother. And furthermore, the ſayd lorde admirall ſayth, that it ſhall not be founde that he euer dyd it, and that he had rather dye, than to thynke ones to doo any thyng contrary to the dutie of a true and faithfull ſubiecte and ſeruant of his maieſtie: as he wil ſhewe it at all tymes when nede ſhall require.
Depoſition.
Furthermore, beyng demanded of the maner of the deathe of the late marſhal ſaint Andre, and after what ſort he was killed, ſaid that he heard ſay at Orleance of many gentilmen that foraſmuch as the ſayd Marſhall Saint Andre had firſt geuē his faith to a yonge gentylman of a highe ſtature with a lyttle abern bearde: and afterwarde the ſeconde tyme had geuen his ſaid faith to the prince of Portian, the ſaid gentylman to whom he had fyrſt geuen his fayth, killed hym with his dagge: and more the ſaid deponent ſayde not. The mynute he hath ſigned.
The .xxii. of the ſaid moneths and yere, this preſent confeſſion or depoſitions being made yeſterday by the ſaid Iohn de Poltrot, before ye quene and the lordes of the counſell, and knightes of the order were red and repeted agayne to the ſaide Poltrot, in the whiche his confeſſion after an othe by him takē, he perſiſted, ſaying that it cōteined the truth: and in witneſſe therof, ſigned eueryevery leafe of the minute, thus ſigned. P. Maluaut.