Answer to Examination, Part 5 – Part 14
Depoſition.
And agayne, two or thre dayes after, the ſayde men Feuqueres and Brion preſented him to the ſayd Lord of Chaſtillon admyrall beyng lodged at Orleans nigh vntounto the houſe of the prince of Conde. And the ſayde Chaſtillon was then in a low hall vnderunder the ſaide lodging: & after the ſayde Feuqueres & Brion had preſented him to the ſayde lord of Chaſtillon, he commaunded all that were in the hall to depart, whiche thing thei did. And alſo the ſaid Feuqueres and Brion departed, and he remained alone with the ſaide Lord of Chaſtillon, who aſked him by theſe or ſuch like words, yf he would take vponupon him to go into the campe of the kyng, (which the ſayde lord of Chaſtillon called the Duke of Guyſe campe, beyng then beſide Bogency) & that if he wold enterpriſe to go to ye ſayd campe about the matter that he would declare vntounto him, he ſhoulde doe God, the kyng and the common wealth great ſeruice: and the ſayde deponent aſkyng hym what enterpriſe it was, he ſaid vntounto him that yf he woulde venter to go to the ſayde campe to kyll the ſayde Duke of Guiſe (whiche perſecuted the faythfull) he ſhould do a meritorius worke toward God and man. The ſayde Deponent hearing theſe words, which ſemed vntounto him more then he was able to doe or performe, he ſayd vntounto the ſayd lord of Chaſtillon, that he durſt not take vponupon hym ſo great a matter. The which anſwere being made, the ſayde Lorde of Chaſtillon preſſed hym no further: but prayed him to keepe this talke ſecrete, and not to vtter it to any man.
Aunſwere.
The contents of this article are vtterly falſe and imagined: wherevppon the ſaid Lorde admirall ſheweth firſt that in all this confeſſiō he is called but Lord of Chaſtillon, which is a name yt he telleth not ſcorne of, or diſdeineth it: but yet that declareth manifeſtly out of what ſhoppe thys confeſſion comcommeth, ſeynge he is not ſo called in no place of all thys Realme nor elles where, but by theym that pretend by ſuche crafte to beriue and ſpoyle hym of the ſtate and degree that appertayneth vntounto hym.
And ſecondly theſe words. The campe of the kyng whyche the ſayde Lorde of Chaſtillon calleth the campe of ye Duk of Guyſe being then beſyde Bogency, ſhew ſufficiently that whoſoeuer wrot or endyted thys depoſition of the poore Deponent was to muche in a paſſyon or affection for to do his occupatiō wel, and went about no other thing but to ſéeke how he myght not leaue out any thinge that myght charge the ſaid lord Admirall, were it to the purpoſe or not. Finally when it is ſayde that the Lord Admirall for to induce the ſayde Poltrot, alledged vntounto him yt he ſhould doe a meritorious worke to god & man who ſeeth not plainly that al this talke was forged by ſome one all togyther ignorant of the true religion, y• whych ye ſaid lord admiral profeſſeth? He ſhuld at the leaſt hauehave conſidered what the doctryne of the Goſpel is, & how much it condempneth the wordes to Merito and meritorious workes, before he toke in hand to conterfete the talke of a goſpeler. But behold howe it fareth wyth falſe witneſſes by the Iuſt iudgement of God, that by their owne mouthe they be conuinced.
Depoſition.
And ſynce the ſayde Lord of Soubize departynge from the ſayde towne of Orleans for to goe to Lyons, the ſayde Deponent accompanyed hym and there contynuallye remayned wyth hym, vntyll about fiftene dayes after the battaylle foughte beſyde Dreux.
Aunſwere.
The ſayde Lord Admyrall knoweth nothyng of all thys.
Depoſition.
That the ſayde lorde of Chaſtillon, wrot to ye ſayd Soubize being at Lions ye he ſhuld ſend him the ſaid deponent.
Aunſwere.
The ſayd lord Admirall wrote then many times to lions to the lord of Soubize: but vppon hys lyfe & his honour it ſhall not be found that euer he wrote, that the ſaid Poltrot ſhuld be ſent vntounto him whom he knoweth not whether euer he ſaw or knew before, & thought nothyng vponupon him.
Depoſition.
And thā in dede the ſaid lord of Soubize diſpatched him with letters to goe to the ſaid lord of Chaſtillō, & gaue him a packet to carye not telling him what he wrot vntounto the ſaid lord of Chaſtillō. And being arriued nygh vntounto ye towne of Celles in Berry in a place named Villefranche, he found the lord of Chaſtillon there to whome he delyuered the ſayde packet of letters.
Aunſwere.
The lord Admiral remembreth wel that it is ſo: but ſo farre of is it yt it was to employ the ſaid Poltrot about thys matter now in queſtion, that contrary wiſe the ſaid lord of Soubize ſent word that he ſhuld ſend him againe, bycauſe he was a man of ſeruice, as the letters ſhall declare and ſpecifye.
Depoſition.
And when he had ſene the letters he commaunded him to go to tarrye hym at Orleans and ſo he dyd.
Aunſwere.
The ſayd lord Amirall ſent him not to Orleans, but he gaue hym leaue to goe thyther, bycauſe he ſayde he had buſynes to doe there.
Depoſition.
And ſhortly after the retourne of the ſaid lord of Chaſtillon vntounto Orleans, this Deponent preſenting himſelf to ye ſaid lord of Chaſtillon to know & vnderſtand his pleaſure: he aſked him if he remembred the talke that he had wt hym the ſomer before: & this Deponent anſwering ſaid yt he remembred it verye wel but it was to venturous a thinge. The ſaid lord of Chaſtillon ſaide vntounto him, yt if he wold execute the ſaid enterpriſe he ſhould do the moſt notable and moſt honorable thing for the ſeruice of god & the comō welth yt euer was done & gaue him courage to put the ſame in execution frō the which ons againe he wold hauehave excuſed himſelf. But than euen at yt inſtant came in Theodore de Beze, & another miniſter of a ſmal ſtature ſomwhat bigge, wt a blacke berd, y• which ſpake vntounto him many things demaunding him if it were not a bleſſed thing to cary his croſſe in this world as Chriſt had caried it for vsus: & after mani diſcourſes & words, they ſaid vntounto him yt he ſhuld be the moſt happieſt man in this world, if he wold execute the enterpriſe which ye lord Admiral had moued vntounto him bicauſe he ſhould ryd a tirant out of this world, for the which acte he ſhuld win heauē & be among ye bleſſed …aits if he died in ſo iuſt & good a quarel. By the which perſuations the ſaid deponent graunted vntounto them, & ſaide to the lord of Chaſtillon, yt he was ready to conſent to al the ſayings of the ſaide miniſters, and that he woulde than the wyll of God, and woulde go to the campe of the ſaid Duke of Guyſe, to endeuour to put the ſaid enterpriſe in execution. For the which he was greatly commended & eſteemed as well of the ſayd Lord of Chaſtillon, as of the ſayd Miniſters: & thei told him that he was not alone that had done ſuch exployts, becauſe there were many other yt had taken vponupon them the like charge: & namely ye ſaide lord of Chaſtillō ſaid vntounto him, yt there were more then fifty other gentilmen of good houſes, that had promiſed him to put in effect other lyke matters: and furthwith cauſed his ſteward to geue him .xx. crowns, for to go to the campe at Meſſas, where then the ſaid Duke of Guyſe was, to thende he might thinke & deuiſe ye meane & way how he might bring his purpoſe to pas.