Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 12 · Letter 5 – Account 128
¶A Letter translated out of French into English, written to K. Henry the 2. French kyng.
The doinges of Henry 2. French king agaynst the Lutherans, neuer prospered with him.COnsider I pray you sir, and you shall finde, that all your afflictions hauehave come vponupon you, since you hauehave set your selfe agaynst those which are called Lutherans.
When you made the Edict of Chasteaubriant, God sent you warres▪ but when ye ceased the execution of your sayde Edict, and as long as ye were enemye vntounto the Pope, and goyng into Almanie for the defence of the libertie of the Germaines afflicted for Religion, your affaires prospered as ye would wishe or desire.
This truce was betweene the French king, & the Emperour, which the Pope caused to be broken.On the contrary, what hath become vpō you since you were ioyned with the Pope agayne, hauing receiued a sword from him for his own safegard? And who was it that caused you to breake the truce? God hath turned in a moment your prosperities into such afflictions, that they touch not onelyonly the state of your own person, but of your kingdome also.
To what end became the enterprise of the Duke of Guise in Italy,The cruell purpose of the Duke of Guise disappointed. goyng about the seruice of the enemy of God, and purposing after his returne to destroy the Vallies of Piemont, to offer or sacrifice them to God for his victories? The euent hath well declared, that God can turne vpsidedowne our counsailes and enterprises: as he ouerturned of late the enterprise of the Constable of Fraunce at S. Quintins, hauyng vowed to God, that at his returne,The wicked vowe of the Constable of Fraunce defeated. Lord Ponchet Archbishop of Tours. The maruelous iudgement of God vponupon a burning persecutour. Gods fearefull hand vponupon Castellanus persecutour. he would go and destroy Geneua when he had gotten the victory.
HaueHave you not heard of L. Ponchet Archbish. of Toures, who made sute for the erection of a Court called Chamber Ardente, wherein to condemne the Protestantes to the fire? who afterwardes was striken with a disease called the fire of God: whiche began at his feete, and so ascended vpward, that he caused one member after another to be cut off, and so died miserably without any remedy?
Also one Castellanus, who hauyng enriched himselfe by the Gospell, and forsaking the pure doctrine thereof, to returne vntounto his vomite again, went about to persecute the Christians at Orleans, & by the hand of God was striken in his body with a sickenes vnknowen to the Phisitions, the one halfe of his body burnyng as whote as fire, and the other as colde as Ise: and so most miserably crying and lamentyng, ended his lyfe.
There be other infinite examples of Gods iudgements worthy to be remembred:Legate Du Prat the first beginner of persecution agaynst the faythfull horribly plagued. as the death of the Chauncellour and Legate du Prat, which was the first that opened to the Parliament, the knowledge of heresies, and gaue out the first Commissions to put the faythfull to death, who afterwarde died in his house at Natoillet, swearyng and horribly blasphemyng GOD, and hys stomacke was founde pierced and gnawen a sunder wyth wormes.
Iohn Ruse comming from accusing the faythfull, was terribly stricken with Gods hand.Also Iohn Ruse, Counsailor in the Parliament, comming frō the Court after he had made report of the processe agaynst the poore innocentes, was taken with a burnyng in the lower parte of his belly, and before he could be brought home to his house, the fire inuaded all his secret partes, and so hee died miserably, burnyng all his belly ouer, without any signe or token of the acknowledging of God.
Also one named Claude de Asses, a Counsailour in the sayd Courte,The wicked end of Claude de Asses a wicked persecutour. the sayde day that he gaue his opinion and consent to burne a faythfull Christian (albeit it was not done in deede as he would hauehave it) after he had dyned, committed whoredome with a seruaunte in the house, and euen in doyng the acte, was striken with a disease called Apoplexia, whereof he dyed out of hande.
Peter Liset, chiefe President of the sayd Courte, and one of the authors of the foresayd burnyng chamber,Peter Lyset author of the burning chamber, plagued. The mighty hand of God vponupon Iohn Morin a greeuous persecutor. Iohn Andrew Booke bynder, plagued. The terrible vengeance of God vpō Iohn de Roma a terrible persecutor. Iohn Minerius a cruell persecutour plagued of God. The French king by sundry sortes of troubles warned of God. was deposed frō his office, for beyng known to be out of his right wit and bereaued of his vnderstandyng.
Also Iohn Morin, Lieuetenaunt Criminall of the Prouost of Paris, after he had bene the cause of the death of many christians, was finally striken with a disease in his legs, called the Wolues: whereby he lost the vse of them, & died also out of his wits, many dayes before, denieng and blaspheming God.
Likewise Iohn Andrew, Bookebinder of the Pallace, a spie for the President Liset, and of Bruseard the kings sollicitor, died in a fury and madnes.
The Inquisitor Iohn de Roma in Prouence, his flesh fell from hym by peece meale, so stinkyng that no man might come nere hym.
Also Iohn Minerius of Prouence, which was the cause of the death of a great number of men, women, and children, at Cabriers & at Merindol, died with bleeding in the lower partes, the fire hauing take his belly▪ blaspheming and despising of God, besides many other wherof we might make recital which were punished with the like kynd of death.
It may please your maiesty to remember your self that ye had no sooner determined to set vponupon vsus, but new troubles were by and by moued by your enemies, with whom ye could come to no agreement, which God would not suffer, for as much as your peace was grounded vponupon the persecution which ye pretended against Gods seruauntes: As also your Cardinals can not let through their crueltie the course of the Gospell, which hath taken such roote in your realme, that if God should geue you leaue to destroy the professors thereof, you should bee almost a kyng without subiects.
Tertullian hath well sayde,Riches and Pride of the Clergy, the fountayne of all euills. that the bloud of Martyrs is the seed of the Gospell. Wherfore to take away all these euyls commyng of the riches of the papistes, which cause so much whoredome, Sodomitrie, and incest, wherein they wallowe lyke hogs, feeding their idle bellies: the best way were to put them from their lands and possessions, as the old sacrifising Leuits were, according to the expresse commaundement which was geuen to Iosua. For as long as the ordinance of God tooke place, and that they were voyde of ambition, the puritie of religion remayned whole and perfect: but when they began to aspire to principalitie, riches, and worldly honours, then began the abhomination of desolation that Christ found out.
It was euen so in the Primatiue church: for it flourished & continued in all purenesse,The purenes of the primatiue church how long it continued and whereby. The false Donation of Constantine. as long as the Ministers were of smal wealth, and sought not their particuler profite, but the glorye of God onelyonly. For since the Popes began to be princelike, and to vsurpe the dominion of the Empire vnderunder the colour of a fals donation of Constantine, they hauehave turned the Scriptures from their true sense, and hauehave attributed the seruice to themselues, which we owe to God. Wherefore your Maiestie may seise with good right vponupon all the temporalties of the benefices, and that with a safe conscience for to employ them to their true & right vse.
First,Exhortation to the king to seise vponupon the temporalitye… of the Clergye. The ryches of the Popes Clergye how they ought to b… employed. for the findyng and maintainyng of the faithfull Ministers of the word of God, for such liuyngs as shall be requisite for them, accordyng as the case shall require. Secondly, for the entertainment of your Iustices that geue iudgement. Thirdly, for the relieuyng of the poore, and maintenance of Colledges to instruct the poore youth in that which they shall be most apte vntounto. And the rest, which is infinite, may remayne for the entertainment of your owne estate and affaires, to the great easement of your poore people, which alone beare the burthen, and possesse in maner nothyng.
In this doyng, an infinite number of men, and euen of your Nobilitie, which lyue of the Crucifix, should employ themselues to your seruice and the common wealths so much the more diligently, as they see that ye recompence none but those that hauehave deserued: where as now there is an infinite number of men in your kingdome, which occupy the chiefest & greatest benefices, which neuer deserued any part of them, &c. And thus much touching the superfluous possessions of the Popes Lordly Clergie. Now procedyng further in this exhortation to the king, thus the letter importeth.
But when the Papists see that they hauehave not to alleadge for themselues any reason,The malicious and lying slaunders of the Papists to bring the true Gospellers in hatred with Princes. they assay to make odious to your maiesty the Lutherans (as they call vsus) and say: if their sayinges take place, ye shall be faine to remaine a priuate person: & that there is neuer change of religion, but there is also chaunge of princedome. A thyng as false as when they accuse vsus to be Sacramentaries, and that we deny the authoritie of Magistrates, vnderunder the shadow of certaine furious Anabaptists, which Satan hath raysed in our tyme to darken the light of the Gospell. For the histories of the Emperours which hauehave begun to receiue the Christian religion, and that which is come to passe in our tyme, shew the contrary.
Was there euer Prince more feared and obeyed, then Constantine in receiuing the Christian Religion? was hee therefore duplicate page put from the Empire? No▪ he was thereby the more confirmed & established in the same, and also his posterity which ruled themselues by his prouidence. But such as hauehave fallen away and folowed mens traditions,Constantine confirmed in his kingdome the more, by receauing the Gospel▪ Examples of England and Germany, how Princes lose no honour by the gospell. The Popes religion more noysome to the state of Princes, then the doctrine of the Lutherans. Wholesome remedy shewed agaynst the Popes pryde. A blynde shift of the Papistes to stop Princes from calling generall Councels. The contrarietyes in the Popes Councells, enough for their disproofe. God hath destroyed, and theyr race is no more knowne in earth: So much doth God detest them that forsake him
And in our time the late kinges of England and Germanye, were they cōstrayned in reprouing superstitions, which the wickednes of the time had brought in, to forsake their kingdomes & princedomes? Al men see the contrary: and what honor, fidelity, and obedience the people in our time that hauehave receiued the reformation of the Gospell, do vnderunder theyr princes and superiors. Yea, I may say, that the princes knew not before what it was to be obeyed, at that time when the rude and ignoraunt people receiued so readily the dispēsations of the Pope, to d…iue out their owne kinges and naturall Lordes.
The true and onelyonly remedy, sir is, that ye cause to be holden a holy and free Counsell, where ye shou…d be chiefe, and not the Pope & his, who ought but onelyonly to defende their causes by the holy scriptures: that in the meane while ye may seeke out mē not corrupted, suspected, nor partial▪ whō ye may charge to geue report faythfully vntounto you of the true sence of the holy scriptures. And this done, after the example of the good kinges Iosaphath, Ezechias, & Iosias, ye shall take out of the Churche all Idolatry, superstition, & abuse which is found directly contrary to the holy scriptures of the old and new testament, & by that meanes ye shall guid you… people in the true & pure serui…e of God, not regarding in the meane time the cauilling pretenses of the papists which say, that such questiōs hauehave bene already answered at generall Counsels: for it is knowne well enoug…, tha… no Counsell hath bene lawfull since the Popes hauehave … the principality & tyranny vponupon mens soules, but they hauehave made them serue to their couetousnes, ambition and cruel…y … the contrariety which is amōg those coūsels, maketh enough for their disproofe, beside a hundred thousand other absurdities ag…in… the word of God, which be in them. The true proofe for such matters is in the true & holy Scriptures, to the which no time, nor age hath any prescription to be alledged agaynst thē: fo… by them we receiue the Counsels founded vponupon the worde of God, and also by the same we reiect that doctrine which is repugnant.
And if ye do thus Syr, God will blesse your enterprise, he will encrease & confirme your raigne and Empyre, and your posterity. If otherwise, destruction is at your gate, and vnhappy are the people which shall dwell vnderunder your obediēce.Prophesie agaynst the French king. There is no doubt but God will hardē your hart as he did Pha…aos and take of the crowne from your head▪ as he did to Ieroboam. N…dab, Baza▪ Achab, and to many other kinges, which hauehave folowed m…ns traditions, agaynst the commaundemēt of God and geue it to your enemies to triumph ouer you and your children▪
And if the Emperour Antonine the meek, although he were a Pagan & Idolater, seing himselfe bewrapt with so many wars, ceased the persecutiōs which were in his time agaynst the christians, and determined in the ende to heare their causes and reasons, how muche more ought you that beare the name of moste Christian king, to be carefull and diligent to cease … persecutions agaynst the poore Christians, seing they h…ue not t…oubled, nor doe trouble in any wise the state of your kingdome, & your affayres: considering also that the Iewes be suffe…ed through all Christendome, although they be mortall enemies o… our Lorde Iesus Christ, which we holde by common accorde and consent for our God, Redeemer, and Sauiour: and that vntill you hauehave heard lawfully debated, and vnderstand our reasons takē of the holy Scriptures, and that your Maiestye hauehave iudged, if we bee worthy of such punishmentes: For if we be not ouercome by the worde of God, the fires, the sworde, nor the c…lest tormentes shall make vsus afrayd. These be the exercises that God hath promised to his, of the which he foretolde shoulde come in the laste times, that they should not be troubled when such persecutions shall come vponupon them.
Translated out of the French booke intituled, Commentaries of the state of the Church and publicke weale. &c. pag. 7.
¶The story and end of the french king.
The story and end of Henry. 2. the French king, that would not be warned.WHosoeuer was the authour or authours of this letter aboue prefixed, herein thou seest (good Reader) good counsell geuen to the king, if he had the grace to receiue it, and had folowed the same, no doubt but Gods blessing working with him, he had not onelyonly set that Realme in a blessed staye, from much disturbaunce, but also had continued himselfe in all florishing felicity of princely honour and dignity. For so doth the lord commonly blesse and aduaunce such kinges & Princes, as seeke hys honor, and submit their wils to his obedience. But cōmonly the fault of kinges and Potentates of this world is, that being set about with Parasites, either they seldom heare the truth told thē, or if they do, yet will they not lightly be put from theyr owne willes, disdayning to be admonished by their inferiors, be theyr counsell neuer so holsom & godly. Which thing many times turneth them to great plages & calamitie, as by plentiful exāples of kings destroyed,What commeth to kinges that refu…e good counsell. woū ded, imprisoned, deposed, drowned, poysoned. &c. may wel to thē yt read histories appeare, but especially in this presēt example of Henry French king, the seconde of that name, is in this our age notoriously to be considered. Who b…ing well warned before (as may seeme) would not yet surcease his cruell persecution agaynst the Lordes people, but rather was the more hardened in hart, and inflamed against them: in so muche that he sayd to Anne du Bourg, one of the high Court of Parliament in Paris, threatning hym, that he would see him burne with his own eyes.
Further,Henry. …. French king wholy set to persecute the Church o… Christ. how his purpose was to extende his power and force likewise agaynst other places moe, in persecutyng the Gospell of Christe, and professours thereof, to the vttermost of his abilitie, I leaue it to the reporte of them, which in this matter know more then I here will vtter.
But notwithstanding al these cracks and threatnings of the king (to see what the Lord can doe in making hygh kinges to stoupe) euen the same day when the king was in his most rage agaynst these good men,Gods mighty power agaynst his enemyes. almightye God taking the cause in hand to fight for his Church, so turned ye matter, that he made the great enemy of hys, both with his mouth and with his hand, to worke his own destruction: with his mouth in commaunding, with his han… in geuing him the Lance into hys hand, which the same day gaue him his deathes wound: as by the sequele hereof in reading ye may vnderstand.