A Pattern of Popish Peace, Remembrances 1 – Letter 2
REMEMBRANCES AND Instructions sent by the King to the Count of Charny, his Generall Lieutenant in Burgundy, of the same argument.
THe King considering the commotion lately happened in Paris, wherein the Lord Admirall Chastilion with other Gentlemen of his side were slaine, because they had mischivously conspired to set upon the Kings Majesties person, the Queene his mother, the Princes his brethren, the King of Navarre, and other Princes and Lords near about them, and upon his estate: and lest they of the Religion called reformed, not knowing the true causes of the said rebellion, should arise and put themselves in armes as they have done in the troubles that be passed, and devise new practises and fetches against the weale of his Majesty and tranquillity of his Realme, if hee should not cause the truth of the matter to be knowne to all Gentlemen and others his subjects of the same religion how it passed, and what his pleasure and mind is in their behalfes. And thinking that for remedy hereof, it is very needfull for the Governours of the Provinces in his Realme to go round about their Governments: for this occasion he willeth that the Count of Charny great Esquire of France, and his Majesties Lieutenant General for the government of Burgundy, shall go diligently thorow all Cities and places of the said Government, and as he arriveth in every place, he shall devise the best wayes that he can to make peace, union and quietnesse amongst the Kings subjects, aswell of the one Religion as of the other. And to bring it the better about, he shall gently call before him in open or private place, as he shall see best cause for his Majesties service herein, the Gentlemen of the Places, and the Burgesses of the Cities of his Government, that be of the Religion, and shal declare unto them, and cause them to understand the truth of the said commotion, lest any have misreported it to them, otherwise than it was indeed. And shall tell them, that under the colour of the Lord Admirals hurt, wherefore his Majesty would have caused justice to be done according to the good order that he had appointed, the said Admirall and Gentlemen of his Religion which were in the City with him, without looking for the execution of the said Justice, had made a mischievous, unhappy, and detestable conspiracy against the Kings Majesties person, the Queen his mother, the Lords his brethren, the King of Navarre, and other Princes and Lords with them, and against the whole Estate, even as certain of the chiefe and adherents of the said conspiracy (acknowledging their fault) have confessed. Wherfore his Majesty was constrained (to his great griefe) to resist and prevent so mischievous, pernicious and abominable a purpose. And that which hee suffered to bee done on Sunday, the 24. of August, upon the Admirall and his complices, was not for any Religion, nor to goe against the Edict of Pacification, hee intending neverthelesse that they of the Religion should still live and abide in all liberty and safety, with their wives, children and families in their houses, as he hath and will maintain them, if they be content to live quietly under his obedience as he desireth. For the which cause he willeth, that the Count Charny shall offer and give to them his Letters of safeguard in good and authentick forme, which shall be of as good force and vertue, as if they should come or be taken from his owne Majesty: and by the authority of them they shall be preserved from all wrongs, violences, and oppressions: enjoyning and forbidding most expressely all his Catholique subjects, whosoever they are, to attempt nothing, upon the persons, goods, or families of any of the Religion which kept themselves quietly in their houses, on pain of death. And if any be so rash, or evill advised, to do against this Injunction, or to violate the safegard promised, his Majesty willeth that ready and rigorous punishment be done, to the intent that their example may serve to hold in others not to do the like: which is the true and only means of assurance that his Majesty can give to them of the Religion, with his word and promise which he giveth them to be their good and benigne Prince, protector & preserver of them, and of all that toucheth them, so long as they live and continue under his obedience without doing or enterprising any thing against his will and service. And because his Majesty hath often known that the enterprises and consultations taken in hand by them of the Religion against his service, have been concluded amongst them at assemblies at Sermons, which Gentlemen had liberty to cause to be made in their houses and Lordships: therefore my Lord of Charnye shall particularly give to understand to Gentlemen which were wont to have such Sermons, that his Majesty in consideration that nothing hath more moved and set on the Catholiques against those of the Religion, than such preachings & assemblies, and if they cōtinue it is certain that it wilbe a cause to encrease and maintaine the said commotions, desireth that they should cause them to cease off untill he hath otherwise provided and appointed, and that they apply themselves hereunto, as a thing greatly serving the effect of his intention, which is gently to bring his said subjects to a true and perfect amity, union and concord one with another, committing all divisions and partialities to oblivion. And because this may secome hard at the beginning, my Lord of Charny shall cause it to be faire and gently spoken to them, lest they enter into some strange conjecture, or suspition. For so his said Majestie would proceed in all true sincerity towards them which conforme themselves to his will and obedience, wherein he exhorteth them to live, with all the best perswasions that he can, and shall assure them, in so doing, to be surely maintained and preserved as his other subjects the Catholiques, as his Majesty would that he should do. And to the intent his said subjects the Catholiques should know how to use and behave themselves herein, my L. of Charny shal tel them that his Majesties pleasure neither is nor hath bin, that any wrong or oppression should be done to them of the said Religion, which like good and loyall subjects will gently keepe themselves under his obedience. Declaring unto the said Catholikes, that if they forget themselves, and hurt those of the Religion, which in such sort behave them selves toward his Majesty, and those also which for that end have received of his Majesty, or of my Lord of Charny, Letters of safe-conduct, hee will cause them to be punished and chastised in the field, as transgressors of his commandements, without any hope of grace, pardon, or remission. Which the said Lord of Charny shall expresse and declare unto them, with as plaine words as is possible, and cause it also to be as straightly executed. And after that following his Majesties intent, he hath pacified them by this meanes, which is the way that his Majesty best liketh of, and searched the direction to assure a tranquillity between the subjects, and to set some assurance betwixt the one and the other, such as shall conforme themselves herein to his said Majesties will, he will comfort, and make them the best and most gentle entertainment that he possibly can. But if any of the Religion become selfe-willed and stubborne to his Majesty, without having regard to his said warnings, and shal assemble in armes together, making practises and devises against the weale of his service: then the Lord of Charny shall runne upon them, and hew them in pieces before they have power to fortifie themselves and joyne together. And therefore he shall assemble as much force as he can, as well of the ordinary, as of other men of warre, Souldiers, Foot-men of the garrisons, and inhabitants of the Catholikes within the Cities of his Government, and shal besiege them which hold and make themselves strong in Cities about of his Government, so that the victory and authority may remaine in his Majesty.
At Paris the 30. of August 1572. Signed CHARLES: and underneath BRULARD.
THE KINGS LETTERS to the Lord of Gwich, whereby it may plainely bee perceived, how they would search out all them of the Religion which had any charge in hand during the troubles.
MY L. of Gwich, I understand that the three brethren Daggonels, and one Porcher, the host at the signe of the Adventure, Mossoner, Crispine, and Captain Grise, which were the principall of the Faction in Burgundy, and were the cause of the taking and recovering of the City of Mascon in the late troubles, and of all the decay which happened in that Countrey, be kept prisoners in Mascon. And because I understand they hope to escape out by ransome (which I would in no wise should bee done) I ordain and command that you keep them safe, for as much as I hope by their means to discover a great many things, which greatly touch the weale of my service. And if there be any other prisoners of the new Religion in Mascon, which have been factions, you shall likewise keepe thē so that they escape not by paying rāsome, for I would not for any thing in the world that there should be taking of rāsome among my subjects. And thus my L. of Gwich I pray God keepe you in his holy tuition.
Written at Paris the 24. of Septemb. 1572. signed CHARLES, and underneath, BRULARD.