A General Martyrology, Chapter 35
CHAP. XXXV. The History of the Massacre at Paris
ANNO 1571. After the end of the third Civil War in France, great means was used to draw the chief of the Protestants to Paris, See this more fully in the life of the Admiral at the end of this book.under pretence of a marriage between the Prince of Navar and the Lady Margaret, sister to the King of France; but in the mean time the Papists in Roan murthered divers Protestants as they came from a Sermon, and grievously beat others; this seemed much to displease the King, and three or four were executed for the mutiny; then were the Articles of marriage agreed upon; The place for it, Paris: and the Admiral sent to by the King to be present at the wedding, and to prevent all Jealousies, those of the house of Guise were sent away, whereat they seemed much discontented. The Admiral was allowed to bring with him fifty Gentlemen armed for his greater security. When he came to Paris, he was honourably received and conducted to the King, who calls him his Father,Divellish dissimulation. protesting that in all his life he had not seen any day more agreeable to his mind than that, wherein he assured himself to see the end of all troubles, and the beginning of firm peace and quietness in his Realm: the Queen-mother and the rest of the great Courtiers received him with greater favour than he expected: Then did the King send him one hundred thousand Franks out of his treasury for the losses which he had received in the wars, &c.
The Admiral had divers advertisements of the intended treachery; yet God so blinded him at that time, though a very prudent man, that he gave little heed to them. Yea such a general stupidity seized upon the Protestants, that their minds were very wavering,Sin the forerunner of persecution. and few there were that shewed themselves zealously bent to Religion; but all both great and small, thinking deeply upon worldly matters, built them goodly Castles in the aire.
Then was the Queen of Navar sent for by the King of France to Paris, to prepare all things against the wedding: but presently after her coming she fell sick of a Feavor, made her will in a most Christian manner, had much inward joy and comfort, and at five dayes end died, not without suspition of poison from certain perfumes given to her: and after her death the Chirurgions were not suffered to open her head,The Queen of Navar dieth. where the mischief lay, whereby it was the better concealed.
The Admiral was again advertised of his danger; but he resting upon the testimony of a good conscience, and the providence of God, misinterpreted those advices, as if they proceeded from men desirous of new troubles. Many Lords and Gentlemen of the Religion, accompanied the King of Navar, and the Prince of Conde to Paris.
The King of France, the better to delude the Protestants, spake openly, that he gave not his sister to the King of Navar only, but as it were to the whole Church of the Protestants to joyn with them in an indissoluble union,Dissimulation. and as a tie to their peace and safety.
August 17. Anno 1572. The King of Navar and the Lady Margaret were married by the Cardinal of Bourborn, The K. of Navar married.upon a scaffold in the sight of all the people, and that day was spent in banquets, dances, and masks, with a strange mixture of Protestants and Papists together; but in the mean time the Queen mother with her Privadoes, as also the Duke of Anjou with the Guises, consulted about killing the Admiral, and dividing the Protestants.
Five dayes after, as the Admiral came from the Court, accompanied with about fifteen Gentlemen, reading a petition as he went, one shot at him with a Caliver;The Admiral shot. the bullet taking away his right fore-finger, hurt him in the left arm: he that shot had a Spanish Jennet at the back-door of his lodging, upon which he immediately mounted and escaped: The door being burst open, it was found that the Caliver left behind, was brought to the house the day before by one Chally, steward of the Kings house, and a great dealer for the Duke of Guise; the Admiral being conveyed to his lodging, shewed most admirable piety, patience, and constancy.
The King complained of the mischief, swearing and promising to execute such justice upon the offendor, that the Admiral and all his friends should thinke themselves well satisfied. He caused also all the gates of Paris to be shut,Dissimulation. swearing and blaspheming, that he would not that they which had done the fact should escape; he also appointed many Lords and Gentlemen of the Protestants to lodge in the Admirals quarter, the better, as he pretended, to secure themselves against any danger.
After noon the King went to visit the Admiral, and there, with many Oaths and protestations, assured him of his love to him, care over him and them of the Religion, and that he would severely punish the Authors of his present hurt. Presently after the Vidame of Chartres [John de Ferriers] advised the King of Navar, the Prince of Conde, the Admiral, and other chief Lords of the religion,Good counsel neglected. presently to depart out of Paris, assuring them that that blow was but the beginning of the Tragedy which was soon to ensue, but they trusting to the Kings word, rested secure.
That day also the King wrote to the Ambassadors of forrein Princes, and to the Governours of all his Provinces how much he was offended at the Admirals hurt, how severely he would punish it,Deep dissimulation. yea he desired that all the world might know how much he was offended at it; and the Queen-mother wrote the like.
In the mean time the Dukes of Anjou and Guise employed some to go from house to house to take the names of all the Protestants,The Massacre suspected. and to return the Catalogue to them, so that presently after they of the Religion began to discover that some bloody intentions were hatching against the Admiral and his friend. For the King set a guard of fifty Harquebushires at the Admirals gate. Great store of Armes were carried into the Loure, and about evening all the people were in Armes.
The chief of the Protestants hereupon assembled again in the Admirals lodging, where the Vidame of Chartres advised as before, that they should essay presently to carry the Admiral out of Paris, and that the rest should presently dislodge; yet all the rest refused this counsel, resolving to relie upon the Kings word, who had promised them Justice.
In the evening some Protestant Gentlemen proffered to watch with the Admiral, but he would not suffer them: At night the Duke of Guise sent for the Captain of the Switzers▪ shewing him his Commission to kill the Admiral and all his partakers,The Kings Commission shewed for it. exhorting him and his men to be couragious in shedding of blood. At midnight the Provost, Sheriffs, and Captains of every Ward had the same shewed them, with assurance that through the whole Realm the like should be done to all the Protestants, and that the watchword for the general Massacre should be the tolling of the Bell in the Palace to be rung at the break of day, and the Badge of the Executioners should be a white Handkerchif tied on their armes, and a white Crosse in their hats:The Massacre begins. The Duke of Guise and his Associates were to begin at the Admirals lodging: Some of the Protestants being awakened with the noise in the streets of men running up and down in armes, and with torches, gat up to enquire what was the matter; but presently the Bell rung, and the Duke of Guise with his cutthroats hasted to, and knocked at the Admirals gates: he that opened them was presently stabbed; The Admiral hearing the noise, gat out of bed, and joyned with his Minister [Master Merlin] in fervent prayer, commending his soul into the hands of God; Then said he,Of Merlins miraculous escape, see in my book of Examples. It is long since I disposed my self to die; save you your selves if it be possible, for you cannot save my life; I commit my soul into the hands and mercy of God; Then did Merlin his Minister, and the rest get up to the top of the house, and crept out of windows into the gutters to hide themselves; yet most of them were slain in the next house: Then seven or eight men brake into the Admirals chamber, and one of them went to him with his naked sword offering him the point, to whom he said; Young man, thou oughtest to respect any age and infirmity, yet shalt thou not shorten my life; with that he thrust him into the body, and all the rest laid at him, so that he fell to the ground,The Admiral slain. where he lay gasping: The Duke of Guise below called to them to throw his body out at window, which they did: his face being all bloody, the Duke of Guise wiped it, and looking on it, said, Now I know him, it is he, and so kicked him on the face with his foot, whom all the murtherers in France feared so much when he was alive.
Then went he out into the streets, crying, Courage my fellows, we have here made a good beginning, let us now fall upon the rest, the King commands it▪ His head imbalmed, and sent to the Pope.it is his expresse pleasure, he commands it. The Admirals head was sent to the King and queen-mother, and by them sent to the Pope and Cardinal of Lorrain as a grateful present. The Pope when he heard the newes, set apart a day of publick thanksgiving to God, in the Church of St. Lewis, and published a Bull of extraordinary Indulgences to such as should pray for the heavenly assistance to the King and Kingdome of France. Strada. The common people cut off the Admirals hands and privy members, drawing his body about the streets three days, and then hung it by the feet upon the Gallows.Popish cruelty
All the Attendants of the King of Navar and Prince of Conde which lay in the Kings Palace were massacred; the like was done to the Lords and Gentlemen that lay about the Admirals lodging, and then through all the City were the Protestants murthered,Ten thousand slain in Paris. so that that night and the two next days there were slain in Paris about ten thousand persons of all ranks, ages, and sexes, yea they spared not children in the Cradle, nor infants in their mothers wombs. But to colour this their villany, they gave it out, that the Huguenots had conspired to kill the King; They boasted also that they had in one day done that, which Processes, sentences of Justice,Popish lies. and open Warre could not do in twelve years.
The Lords and Gentlemen were most inhumanely mu…thered, some in their beds, others on the roofs of their houses, and in all other places wheresoever they were found.
There were at this time in Paris about sixty thousand men with pistols, pikes, curtelaces, poinards, knives, and such other bloody instruments, that ran up and down swearing and blaspheming the sacred Majesty of God, cruelly massacring all that they met with: The streets were covered with mangled bodies, gates and doors defiled with blood; Shoutings & howlings of the murtherers, mixed with the cries and groans of the dying;The river died red with blood the breaking open of doors and windows, with the noise of guns and pistols, all which made an hellish noise; multitudes of dead bodies were thrown into the Seine, which was died red with their blood.
The King certified the King of Navar and the Prince of Conde of all that was done, saying, that he saved their lives upon condition that they should renounce their Religion, and turn Papists. The King of Navar desired him not to force his conscience, but to remember the Alliance so lately contracted betwixt them: The Prince of Conde with more zeal told him,Prince of Conde's zeal, and courage. that his body and estate were in his power to do with them what he pleased; but for his Religion he was fully purposed not to forsake it, but to remain constant therein to the losse of his life; he put the King in minde also that he had given his faith to him, and to those of the Religion, and therefore he hoped he would not falsifie his oath, &c. This so enraged the King that he called him rebel, and the sonne of a rebellious person, with horrible threatnings that he should lose his head if within three days he altered not his mind.
The King and his Confidents perceiving that this Massacre would not quench the fire, but rather stirre up the Protestants in other parts of the Kingdome to defend themselves; they presently dispatched away letters to the Governours of Towns, with expresse commands to masscacre all the Protestants: yet at the same time the King wrote other letters, wherein he laid the fault of the murther of the Admiral upon the Duke of Guise: Divellish dissimulation.pretending that he had quieted all things in Paris, and intended that his Edicts of pacification▪ should hold inviolably.
Upon the receipt of the first letters, the Papists fell upon the Protestants at Meaux, Trois, Orleance, and other places, and murthered them without all pity, besides such as were massacred in Villages and Fields, where they thought to save themselves, so that in a few weeks there were above thirty thousand persons massacred in France. But besides this general account, some particulars deserve remembrance,Above thirty thousand massacred in three moneths which are these that follow.
Monsieur de la Place, President of the Court of Requests, had a Captain armed that came into his house, telling him that the Duke of Guise, had slain the Admiral at the Kings appointment, with many other Huguenots, and that he was come to protect him in that common destruction, only he desired a sight of the Gold and Silver that was in his house: The L. de la Place amazed at his audaciousnesse, asked him whether he thought that there was a King or no? The Captain blaspheming, willed him to go with him to know the Kings pleasure; Hereupon the Lord went from him to secure himself; Then did the Captain rifle his house, taking above one thousand Crowns: The Lord would have secured himself in three several houses, all which refused to entertain him, which caused him to go back to his own house again, where he found his wife very heavy, whom he rebuked, discoursed to her of the promises, told her that we must through many afflictions enter into the Kingdome of God, &c. which much comforted her: Then calling his family together, he made an exhortation to them, went to prayer,The Lord de la Place h…s holy zeal. and began to read a chapter in Job with Calvins Exposition upon it. Then went he to Prayer again, resolving to suffer all torments or death, rather than to do any thing that might be dishonorable to God: Then came the Provost-Marshal with many Archers to his house, pretending to secure him, and safely to convey him to the King, who would speak with him; De la Place told him that he was most willing to do it, but saw it impossible (in regard of the horrible massacres committed every where) without apparent danger of his life; In brief, presently after came the Provost of Merchants, who would needs also have him to the King, yet he would have excused it as before, but the Provost would have no nay, wherefore resolving upon death, which he saw he could not avoid, he embraced his wife, wishing her above all things, to continue in the fear of God, and so went on his way boldly; but in the street some murtherers that attended there for his coming, with their daggers stabbed him, and then pillaged him, carrying his body into a stable, and covering his face over with dung,The Lord de la Place murthered. and the next day they threw him into the river.
Peter Ramus also, the Kings Professor in Logick was not forgotten; the murtherers breaking into the Colledge of Priests where he was,Peter Ramus murthered. massacred him, then cast him out of the chamber-window, so that his bowels issued out on the stones: then was his body trailed through the streets and whipt by certain young Scholars, who were set on by their Popish Tutors to do it.
A godly young man going early abroad on the Sabbath morning, and hearing of the death of the Admiral, and seeing the insurrection, out of a singular child-like affection to his mother, he hasted home, informed her of the danger, secured her in a place of great secresie; after which he shut himself up in his study,A dutiful and loving son. by Prayer to fit himself for death, into which the murtherers breaking with battleaxes and staves, so loaded him with blows on the head, that he received his blood into his own hands; and when they had killed him, they threw him into the river.
Two Ministers murthered.Two Ministers belonging to the King of Navar were also murthered, and thrown into the river: God miraculously preserving all the other Ministers in the City.
A Jeweller being in bed with his wife, who at that time had the midwife with her, being near the time of her delivery, these bloody Villains came knocking at the door, and in the Kings name demanded entrance; the woman as ill was she was, opened the door, whereupon rushing in, they stabbed her husband in his bed; the Midwife seeing that they were bent to murther the woman also, earnestly entreated them to tarry at least so long till the infant (which would be the twentieth child that God had given her) was born;Hellish cruelty. but notwithstanding her request, they took the woman, and thrust a dagger into her fundament up to the hilts; the woman finding her self mortally wounded, yet desirous to bring forth her fruit, fled into a corn-loft, whither these tygers persuing her, gave her another stob into the belly, and so cast her out of the window into the street, and upon the fall, the childe came forth of her body, the head formost, gaping and yauning in a pitiful manner.
One of these murtherers snatching up a little childe in his armes, the poor babe began to play with his beard,An Infant murthered. and to smile upon him; but instead of being moved to compassion, this villain, whose heart was harder than the rocks, wounded it with his dagger, and cast it all gore blood into the river.
The Kings letters being come to Meaux upon the same Sabbath, to Cosset the Kings Atturny there,At Meaux. upon the sight of them, he presently went about to his cutthroats, warning them to come to him armed at seven a clock at night, withal causing the gates of the City to be shut up; The hour being come, he with his Partizans went up and down, cruelly murthering the innocent servants of Jesus Christ, in which bloody employment they spent all that night; The next day they pillaged their houses, and took above two hundred Protestants more, and shut them up in prison: the next day towards evening,Two hundred Protestants murthered. Cosset with his companions went to the prison, where having a Catalogue of the prisoners names, Cosset called them out one by one, and then they murthered them till they were aweary: Then they went to supper, that so they might breath and refresh themselves; and then filling themselves with wine, they went back to glut themselves with blood also; They took with them butchers axes that they might dispatch them the more easily, with which as they called them forth, they knocked them down and murthered them; Amongst those that were thus butchered, was an Elder of the Reformed Church, who praying for his enemies, they laughed him to scorn, and because he had a Buffe-coat on, which they were loth to spoil, they opened it before, and stabbed him into the breast.
Another was an ancient man, that had been sheriffe of the City; him they were not content to kill out-right, but first cut off his nose, ears, and privy members, then they gave him several small thrusts into the body, tossing him up and down, till through losse of blood he fell down, calling upon the name of the Lord, and so with many wounds he was slain.
The Kings letters being come to Troys, the Protestants were all shut up in prison;At Troys. Then did the Bailiffe send for the common Hangman to murther them; but he refused, saying, That his office was only to execute such as were legally condemned, and so went his way: Then was the Keeper of the prison sent for, who being sick, he sent one Martin to know what the businesse was, to whom the Bailiffe imparted the matter, wishing him to murther all the Prisoners; and that their blood might not run out into the street, he bade him to make a great trench in the midst of the prison, and to cause certain vessels to be set into it to receive the blood; This Martin going back with abhorrency of the fact, concealed it from the Jailor: The next day the Bailiffe came to the prison, and smiling, asked the Jailor if it was done? but he, being ignorant of his meaning, asked him what should be done? Hereupon the Bailiffe was so enraged, that he was ready to strike him with his dagger, till he promised to perform his Will; Then did the Jailor go to the Prisoners who were in the Court recreating themselves, and shut them up one by one in their several Cels, which made them suspect that they were destinated to slaughter, and therefore they betook themselves to prayer; The Jailor called his companions about him, acquainted them what was given him in charge, and caused them to swear to execute it; but when they approached to the prisoners, they were so surprized with feare, that they stood gazing one upon another,Gods Providence. having not hearts to act so horrid a deed; whereupon they returned to the Jailors Lodge, and sent for eight quarts of the strongest wine, with other things, to intoxicate their brains; then they took a Catalogue of all their prisoners, and gave it to one Martin to call them forth in order:Prodigious wickednesse and cruelty. The first prisoner being called for, presented himself with a cheerful countenance, calling upon the name of the Lord, then opened his breast to them, receiving the mortal stroke, whereof he died.
Another being called forth, one of them thrust at him several times with the point of his Halbard,Courage and constancy of Gods people. wounding, but not killing him, whereupon the prisoner took the point of the Halbard, and set it against his heart, saying with a stedfast voice, Here souldier, here, right at the heart, right at the heart, and so finished his life.
The rest were all murthered in the like manner, after which the murtherers made a great pit in the back-side of the prison, into which they cast the bodies one upon another, some of them yet breathing: yea one of them raised up himself above his fellows, whereupon they threw in earth and so smothered him: But the Bailiffs order of making a trench being not observed, the blood of the slain ran so abundantly out of the prison door, that thence, through the channel, it ran into the river, and turned it into the colour of blood, which bred an horror in the very Papists themselves which saw it.
The Massacre at Orleance.At Orleance the Kings Edict for observing the Treaty of Peace was solemnly published, which made those of the Religion very secure, whereupon above three hundred of them, men, women and children met together at a Sermon; but the same night came the Kings letters for the massacring of them all; Then did the Major and Sheriffs raise the companies in Armes to put it in execution.A Noble Counsellor. One of these murtherers with some of his companions went to a Noble Counsellors house, bidding themselves to supper; The Counsellor ignorant of their intents, made them good cheere;Monstrous ingratitude. but when supper was ended, with horrible blasphemies they murthered him, and then plundred his house.
About the Ramparts of the wall inhabited many of the Religion, amongst whom all night was heard nothing but shooting of guns and pistols, breaking open of doors, fearful out-cries of the men, women and children that were massacred, trampling of horses, rumbling of Carts that carried the dead bodies away, and the cryings out of the murtherers that went up and down, howling out, Kill, kill them all, and then take the spoile.
This Massacre continued all the week long, the bloody beasts crying out to those whom they murthered,Blasphemy. Where is now your God? What is become of all your Prayers and Psalms now? Let your God whom you call'd upon, save you if he can. Others sang in scorn to them the 43. Psalm, Judge and revenge my cause O Lord. Others, Have mercy on me, O God, &c. Yet notwithstanding all these taunts, the faithful died couragiously. In this Massacre the Papists boasted that they had slain above twelve thousand men, besides women and children; some of them said eighteen thousand.
A Doctor of the Law.On Tuesday night some of these murtherers came and knocked at the door of a Doctor of the Civil Law, and when he opened it to them, they told him that he must die, whereupon he fell to Prayer with such ardency and affection, that they being amazed and over-ruled by a divine power, only robbed him and went away; The next day came some Scholars to his house desiring to see his Library, which he shewed them; then they asked, some one book, some another, which he gave them; yet they told him they were not satisfied, but they must kill him; whereupon betaking himself to prayer, when he had done, he desired them to kill him there, which they refused, forcing him out into the streets, leading him by the schools, and there he again desired them to kill him in that place, where he had taught so long; but they still refused; and when they had led him a little farther, they knockt him on the head.
Others meeting with an Apothecary who had brought Physick to a Patient, cut off one of his armes,An Apothecary. and then had him forth into the market-place, where they murthered him.
A Cook that had hid himself three dayes,A Cook. was at last through hunger forced to come forth, and so was slain.
And to fulfil the measure of their cruelty, such Protestants as through fear revolted to them,The reward of Apostates. they placed them in the fore-front of their companies, putting weapons in their hands, compelling them to give the first onset, crying, Smite them, smite them, are they not your holy brethren and sisters? and if any refused, they presently slew him.
In Lyons, Mandolet Governour thereof, hearing of the Massacre at Paris, presently caused the City gates to be shut, raised forces, commanding them, that if any of the Protestants came out of their houses, though but with swords, they should presently kill them; but the Protestants seeing a storme coming,The patience of the Saints. which they knew could not arise without the special providence of God, set themselves to bear it with invincible patience.Gods providence. The day following if any of them did but go abroad about their necessary occasions, they were presently clapt up in prison, and when night came, the murtherers entred their houses, which they rifled and plundred, and pretending to carry the Protestants to prison, some they stabbed in the streets, others they threw into the river, whereof some were carried down the stream half a mile below the City, by which means they escaped; The day after, Proclamation was made by sound of Trumpet, that all of the Religion should appear at such a place to know the Kings pleasure concerning them; many went,Popish malice and cruelty. but so soon as they came, they were sent to several prisons, and the night following every corner and part of the City was full of lamentable cries and shreekings, partly of such as were massacred in their houses, partly of such as were but half murthered, and so haled to be thrown into the river; and from that time there were such horrible murthers committed in the City, as if the Divels in the likenesse of men ran roaring about to do mischief; The Sabbath morning following those that had hitherto escaped massacring, were then dispatched.
In the Arch-bishops house there were three hunded and fifty Prisoners shut up,Three hundred and fifty murthered. and a bloody crue of cutthroats were appointed to murther them, to whom the keyes were delivered, and they rushing into the great Court, gave notice to the prisoners with a loud voice that they must die; then having first taken all the Prisoners purses, they fell upon them with barbarous cruelty, hacking and hewing them in a furious manner, so that within an hour and an half, they were every one cut in pieces; The prisoners were all slain, with their eyes and hands lift up to heaven, whilst their hands and fingers were cut off.
There was a Merchant called Francis de Bossu that had two sonnes; the father seeing the horrible Massacres,Francis de Bossu and his two sons. The father encourageth his sons to die. said to his sons, Children, we are not now to learn that it hath alwayes been the portion of believers to be hated, persecuted, and devoured by unbelievers, as Christs sheep of ravening wolves; if we suffer with Christ, we shall also reign with him: let not therefore these drawn swords terrifie us, they will be but as a bridge whereby we shall passe to eternal life: we have lived long enough amonst the wicked, let us now go and live with our God, let us joyfully go after this great company that is gone before us, &c. When he saw the murtherers come, he clasped his armes about his two sons, and they theirs about him, as if they strove mutually to ward off the blows each from other, who were afterwards found dead in these mutual imbraces.
The murtherers went up and down the City boasting that they had died their white doublets red in the blood of the Huguenots;Prodigious cruelty. one bragging that he had killed an hundred, and some more, and some lesse: when the people went into the Arch-bishops house, and saw the slaughter that had been made there, though they were Papists, yet they said that surely they were not men, but Devils in the habit of men that had done this. The dead corpses were carried out, and lay spread like dung upon the face of the earth, and when they were about to throw them into the river, an Apothecary told them that much money might be made of their grease, whereupon all the fat bodies were sought out, ripped up,Their grease is sold. and their grease sold for three shillings a pound; which being done, after many jears bestowed upon the dead carcasses, some were tumbled into a great pit, others thrown into the river. The Countries which lay below upon the river were amazed to see such multitudes of dead bodies to come down the streame, some with their eyes pulled out, others their noses, eares, and hands cut off; stabbed into every part of their bodies, so that some had no part of humane shape remaining.
Shortly after the Popes Legat came thither, and as he came out of the great Church from Masse, all the chief Massacrers kneeled down for to have his absolution,The murtherers absolved. and when he was told who they were, and why they kneeled there, he absolved them all by making the signe of the Crosse.
A Gentleman of Paris, as soone as the Massacre was ended there, went to Angiers, At Angiers.and coming to the house of a reverend, godly, and learned Minister called Master John Mason, meeting his wife at the door, he saluted her,Hypocrisie. A Minister murthered. asking where her husband was? she said that he was walking in his garden, directing him the way to him; when he came to him, he lovingly embraced him, and then said, Do you know wherefore I am come to you? the King hath commanded me presently to kill you, and therewithal he presented a Pistol to his breast; the Minister replyed that he knew not wherein he had offended the King; But seeing, said he, you will have my life, pray you give me leave to pray to God, and to begge mercy at his hands; which being granted, he made a short prayer,A godly Minister pistolled. and then willingly presented his body to the murtherer, who pistolled him, and so departed.
Presently after the King sent one Pugilliard, And his wife murthered.who drowned nine or ten more in that place, and amongst the rest, the wife of this Mr. Mason, who shewed an admirable constancy of faith, even to her last breath.
In Roan in a few dayes they murthered above six thousand men besides women, upon whom they exercised no lesse cruelty than upon the men;At Roan six thousand murthered. their dead bodies they carried out in tumbrels, and threw them by heaps into great pits digged for that purpose.
The news of the Massacre of Paris coming to Tholouse, At Tholouse.the great gates of the City were presently shut up; but it pleased God, that that morning most of the Protestants were gone out of the City to hear a Sermon; The report of the shutting up of the gates coming to them, some thought it not fit to return, others would needs go back to take order abour their affairs: these were suffered to enter peaceably, leaving their swords at the gates,Popish subtilty the rather to draw in the rest, amongst whom were divers Counsellors; and great meanes were used to entrap them, and indeed some of them were enticed to come back; but when they saw they could get in no more, the wednesday morning following souldiers were sent to break into all the houses of those of the Religion, and to carry them to sundry prisons; and the gates were watched that none should escape:And cruelty. command also was given that none should conceale any of the Protestants: Amongst the prisoners were five or six Counsellors, who much comforted and encouraged the rest. Then were all the prisoners brought together into one place, and letters procured from the King to massacre them all: and accordingly some leud persons, armed with axes and butchers knives, were sent to effect it, who calling them out one by one, murthered them all, not permitting them so much as to speak, much lesse to pray. The number of the slain was above three hundred, who were all stript stark naked,Three hundred murthered. and their bodies left to the common view of all for two dayes together: then were they, thus naked, thrown into pits one upon another, only the Counsellors were hung up in their long gowns upon an Elme in the Palace-yard; all their houses vvere also sacked and plundred.
At Bourdeaux when the news of the Massacre of Paris came thither, the Protestants were taking boats to go into a meadow to hear a Sermon,At Bourdeaux. but the Governour sent and stayed them, yet under preience of securing them against the multitude; then were the gates guarded that none might escape, yet it pleased God that the Ministers were conveyed away,A special Providence. who aftervvards took ship and came into England.
There vvas a Jesuite that dayly preached in that City,A bloody Jesuite. to stir up the Governour and people to massacre the Protestants, proposing the example of the Persians to them. The Governour could not vvell tell vvhat to do, but the Lord of Monpessat assured him that it was the Kings minde that they should all be murthered, and that he could not do a more acceptable service to him; whereupon he, gathering the scum of the Citizens together, commanded them to kill all the Protestants without sparing one, and to give them an example, himself went to the Lord of Obiers house, and murthered him in his own Court; Then did they murther a Countrey Minister also that was come thither for shelter,The Lord of Obiers murthered, and a Minister. together with the rest of the Protestants, and afterwards pillaged their houses: An old man that was a Deacon of the Reformed Church, being at this time sick in bed, they dragged him forth into the streets, asking him whether he would go to Masse, to whom he answered; I hope I shall not so far forget the eternal salvation of my soul, An holy speechas for fear of death to prolong my life for a few dayes; for thereby I should buy a short time of life at too dear a rate; whereupon they instantly murthered him. It was lamentable to see the poor Protestants wandring up and down, not knowing where to hide themselves; some were rejected of their own Parents and Kinsfolk, who would not open their doors to them; others were betrayed by their friends, and delivered into the hands of their murtherers; yet some were hidden by their very enemies, whose hearts abhorred such detestable outrages.Gods providence.