The Destruction and sack cruelly committed by the Duke of Guise and his company, in the town of Vassy, the first of March, in the year M.D.LXII.  
IMPRINTED AT LONDON BY HENRY SUTTON for Edward Sutton dwelling in Lombard street at the sign of the cradle.  
The first day of May.   

THE DESTRUCTION and sack cruelly committed by the duke of Guise and his company in the town of Vassye the first day of March. 1562.  
saturday being the last day of February, the duke of Guise lay at Dammartin see frank to the which it is two leagues from Iainuille, and from the said Dammartin to Vassy are other two leagues, both the which make four leagues distance between the said Iainuille (where is the said duke's house and resting place) and the said Vassy.  
sunday the first of March the said duke departed from Dam martin aforesaid, accompanied with ii hundred horse at the least, every horse man of them, having two or three pistolets, and many of them having long harquebuses.  
The said duke of Guise feigned he would the strait way to Esclaron, without coming to Vassy: And thereof was made a great bruit before he dislodged, he passed by Broussell, a village near to the said Vassy, within one quarter of a league. And at that time they rang to a sermon in the reformed church of the said Vassy. Whereupon the duke and his company took occasion to say and ask, what meaneth this ringing?  
Whereunto it was answered by many of the Duke's band and some others of the said town of Vassy, it is to the sermon of the Huguenots. Whereupon they could not possibly so colour and dissemble the matter, but there escaped out of the mouths of the most honourable and respected persons among them: yea and others of meaner degree, these words following, By God's death we will Hugenote them by and by of an other fashion.  
Others, that were of the basest sort as pages, servants, and lackays, swearing also God's death, said, Will they not give us the spoil▪ And as soon as that talk was ended, the said Duke and his troop drew towards the said Vassy, & so being well appointed, entered into the abbey, and made his horse and the horses of the best to be helden in hand, without that any of them were put into the stable.  
The said duke being within the monastery accompanied and wayeted on by the Prior of the said Vassy, called de sales, having after them a number of pages & lackeys, with long harquebuses, pistolets, and their gauntlets, tarried there a very little while. For he could not contain, so long thought he the time till he might execute his former determined intent, as it is easy to see and judge. And being there (because his devotion might be seen) he took only a little holly water, and after went forth with his great company.  
Within the market place of the said town were xl men of arms and archers, of the company which were the ordinary garrison there. Who had put themselves therein, and walked up and down well armed, and had tarried the dukes coming all that morning.  
The said men of arms and archers joined with him, namely the head of them, young Brosse, the son of the Lord of Brosse, marching in order to fight. And went straight to the place where those of the said Church and reformed Religion made their preaching. Which was in a barn that they had made fit for that purpose, being dystante from the Monastery about one hundred paces.  
And coming to the place they found the wicket open, which when they saw, they caused the said la Brosse the younger, to enter first having vii men of arms with him. And having considered the minister and the people assembled, which were about twelve hundred persons, it was said unto them by some of the Church, my masters, If it please you, take a room. Whereunto for answer the first word they used was this, God's death let us kill them all.  
And having so said, would have gone out, and in deed some of them went forth, while the rest tarried within: because the people upon this threatening sent to the door, thinking to shut it upon them, knowing there was some business toward, & that they were in great danger, for than they perceived the duke of Guise in arms.  
Which thing the said Duke perceiving, with his people presented them the harquebus and pistolet, and shot thorough the rehearsed wyckette of the barn, which was yet open, and so were the next unto the door stain & hurt: and there by the same forsaken, & consequenly th'assembly delivered to the pray  
Then entered in the Duke, with many others, shooting mightily at the thickest assemble of all the people, and stew and hurt a great numbered. That done they went upon them with great slices of sword and curtalaces, and hunted out the poor men, the women, and children. and when they were out: of necessity they must pass betwixt two ranks, as well of men of arms, as of others of his company, and even thorough the midst between both, as it were thorough a lane, or an alley of a great length. And in passing, every one of them struck at them with great blows of curtelace and sword, in such sort as many of them went not far, but fell down stark dead.  
notwithstanding some one escaped, one sort being hurt, some other unhurt: but immediately they were rencountered with an other troop of the company which slew and hurt with as much cruelty as the others, and that as much as in them lay.  
Those which got up to the top of the barn seeking all means to save themselves were shot at, and overtaken with shot of harquebus, whereby many were stricken and fell down dead to the ground, which was an horrible sight and a dreadful, the same enduring before it ceased one hour and a half.  
After this were the trumpets blown up in sign of victory and triumph, after which sounding, yet they withdrew not themselves in half an hour more. There died within the barn xii men, women, and Children, and many others that passed thorough the ranks with some that got as far as their houses. And there dieth daily of the number of the hurt, which is great.  
The house of one called Champanion, which was next to the said church was sacked and rob, while there was one napkin left, thoccasion was that it was said there was armour and weapon therein.  
The said Duke took and led away the minister being sore wounded and also the Captain of the said town of Vassy with certain others of the town for prisoners: and after that went to dinner to a village called Alanccourt, & when he had dined, went to bed to Esclaron.  
And because the said Minister was unable to sit on horseback by reason of his wounds, which were not dressed, he was carried by four men upon a barrow unto the said Esclaron.  
And or ever the Duke departed Vassy, before he came out of the church, the wife of a man called Nicholas la Vausse, an honest merchant who was sore hurt, and minded to go to her house, saw her son in passing thorough the market place, whose body one ran thorough with a sword, wherewith she being moved, hied her, thinking for pity to save him, but she so little prevailed, as a horseman ran at her, and after he had thrust her thorough with his sword, took from her her purse and girdle with other things she had, and got him again to horse.  
The tewsday following were buried xlv slain persons, and there remaineth hurt four score or a hundred, whereof a great part were out of all hope of life.  
Thus may ye in a manner behold the full discourse of this unnaturalness, cruelty, and murder, that the said Duke of Guise hath committed against the subjects of the French King his sovereign Lord.