Answer to Examination, Part 39 – Letter
Anſvvere.
If the ſaid Poltrot, either for feare of deth, or by any other ſubornatiō or perſuaſion hath perſiſted in his falſe & inuented confeſſions: The ſaid lorde admirall, & they that by them be charged with him, hauehave more reaſon to perſiſt in their anſwers which contein the pure and plaine truth. And for as much as the verificatiō of all this matter dependeth vponupon the bryngyng of the ſaid Poltrot face to face before thē whom he hath charged, the ſaid lorde admirall with the other aforenamed, after hauynge refuſed the courtes of parliament, & all other iudges which hauehave manifeſtly declared themſelues their enemies in theſe preſent tumultes: moſt humbly beſech the kings maieſtie, to appoint & cōmaund y• the ſaid Poltrot may bee wel & ſafly kept, in place where he may neither be put in feare nor ſuborned, vntill it ſhal pleſe god to graūt the long deſired and neceſſary peace in this realme: and that by this means the whole matter may be verified and ended before vpright & vnſuſpect iudges: and in caſe that any of the ſaid iudges of the parliament or any other will forthewith procede in iudgement and execution of the ſayde Poltrot, and by that meanes take frō the ſaid lord admiral & from al thother the true meane & way to iuſtify themſelues of the ſaid fals accuſations, they proteſt of their integritie, innocency, & honeſt reputation, and ſtand againſt the ſaid iudges and againſte all other to whom it ſhal appertayne.
Geuen at Caen in Normādy the 12. day of Marche. 1562. Thus ſigned. Chaſtillon. La Rochefoucault. … B…ze.
A copy of the letter ſente to the quene by the ſaid lord Admiral with the foreſaid aunſwer.
MAdame two daies ſince I ſaw an examination whiche was made to one Iohn Poltrot catling himſelf the lord of Merey, the 21. day of the laſt monethmonth: who confeſſeth to hauehave hurt the duke of Guiſe, by the which alſo he chargeth yt I ſhould procure him or rather forced hī to do that he hath done: & becauſe it is the thing that I moſte feare in this worlde leaſt the ſaid Poltrot ſhold be put to execution before the truth of this matter be knowen, I moſt humbly beſeche your maieſtie to commaund that he may be well kepte. And in the meane tyme I hauehave ſet forth certaine articles vponupon eueryevery one of his, which me thinketh deſerue an aunſwer, the whiche I ſende vntounto your maieſtye by this trompet: whereby all men of good iudgement may almoſt be certified of the matter. And more ouer I ſaye, that it ſhal not be found that euer I ſought that man nor any other to do ſuch a deede. But rather contrarywyſe I hauehave alwayes ſtopte and not ſuffered aſmuch as laye in me, that ſuche enterpriſes ſhoulde bee …utte in execution. And thereof hauehave I often tymes talked wyth the Cardinall of Lorayne, and Madame de Guyſe, and namely with your maieſtye: whome it maye pleaſe to be remembred howe contrary I hauehave bene thereunto, ſauyng within this fyue or ſyxe monthes, that I hauehave not muche ben againſt thoſe which ſhewed them ſelues to hauehave ſuch a mynde. And that hathe bene ſynce there came certayne perſonnes whiche I wyll name when tyme ſhall ſerue, which ſayd, that they were procured to come to kyll me, as it ſhal pleaſe your maieſty to remember what I ſayde vntounto you at Paris, going out of the Myll where we commoned together: whiche thyng alſo I hauehave tolde vntounto the Conſtable, and neuertheleſſe I may ſay, and that truly, that for myne owne part, I neuer ſoughte procured, nor practiſed wyth any man aboute ſuche a matter. And I wyll reporte me vntounto all thoſe whiche hauehave ſene ſuche enterpriſes putte in effecte beefore me, howe muche I mocked ſuche doynges. And beecauſe I will not trouble your maieſty wyth any longer letter, I moſt hū blye beeſeeche the ſame ones againe to commaunde that the ſaide Poltrot be wel and diligently kepte for to verifye of this matter the truthe. Alſo that beeyng broughte to Parys, as I heare ſaye, I feare leſte they of the court of parliament wil put him to execution, and al for to leaue this calumnye and falſe accuſation in my necke: or els leſt they ſhould procede againſt me for this dede, which thing they cannot do beyng my parties and refuſed as they be. And in ye meane time think not that which I ſay, is becauſe I am ſory for the duke of Guiſe: for I think it is the greateſt good turne that euer could happen to this realme, and to ye church of god, and particularly to me and to al my houſe, and alſo if it pleaſe your maieſty it ſhalbe the mean to ſet this realme at reſt and peace, whiche thing al we of this army deſyre, according to y• whiche we hauehave required of you, as ſone as we were aduertiſed of the death of the ſaid duke of Guyſe. Madame I praye god geue you moſte parfit helth with happy and long life.
From Caen the. 12. of March. 1562.
FINIS.
End of the text · Gaspard Coligny, Answer to Examination (1563)