❧ A DECLARATION OF THE KING'S pleasure, published after his departure from Paris, Importing the cause of his sudden going away. (* ⁎ *)  
Translated according to the original Printed at Chartres. 1588.  
AT LONDON, Printed by Thomas Orwin for Edward Aggas.   

¶ A DECLARAtion of the kings pleasure, published after his departure from Paris: importing the cause of his sudden and forced going away.  
TRusty and well-beloved. Being in our Town of Paris, where we bent our only cogitations to no other thing but the appeasing of all sorts of ielouzies and disturbances in Picardy and else where, which hindered our journey into our Country of Poictou, there to prosecute the wars enterprised against the huguenots, according as we had resolved, our cozen the duke of Guise unwares to us, did there arrive the ninth of this month. His coming after that sort so increased the said ielouzies and distrusts, that we were much troubled therewith: the rather for that before we had from divers places been advertised, that he should come in such manner: also, that he was looked for, by sundry the inhabitants of the same town, who were suspected to be the authors of the said distrusts, besides that ourself had before for the same cause given him to understand, that we were nothing desirous of his coming before we had appeazed the aforesaid troubles of Picardy, and quite taken away the causes of the same. Considering nevertheless, that he came accompanied only with fourteen or fifteen horses, we were content to see him, and that the rather to the end to endeavour so to deal with him that all occasions of jealousy and distrust might be extinguished: wherein seeing how smally we profited, as also that our said Town grew daily more and more replenished with Gentlemen and strangers, retainers to the said Duke's train: also, that such searches, as we caused the magistrates and officers thereof to make, were through the fear wherinto they were driven, performed to halves: likewise, that the hearts and affections of sundry the inhabitants were daily provoked, and more and more alienated: together with the ordinary advertizementes whereby we were from time to time informed of some great troubles to fall out in the same town, we determined to cause the said searches to be more exactly performed throughout all the quarters thereof thou the former, to the end thereby to discover and truly find out the state of the same, also to avoid such strangers as should be found not to be avowed as they ought. For the performance whereof we thought it good to strengthen certain the bodies of the guards of the inhabitants and burgesses of the same Town whom we had appointed to be planted in four or five corners thereof, with the companies of Suitzers, and such as were of the regiments of our guard: who before were lodged in the suburbs: also to command divers the Lords of the counsel & knights of our order of the holy ghost, to march along the streets & quarters thereof accompanied with the quarter masters and others the officers of the said Town, such as have been usually accustomed to make the said searches, to the end by their countenance to authorize and assist them in the same, as hath sundry times been practised. Whereof also we gave notice to the said Duke, and all the inhabitants of the said Town, least any thereof should take allarom or any whit doubt of our intent in this point, which order at the beginning the burgesses and dwellers seemed to take quietly and in good part: Howbeit within a while after matters grew so hot and that the rather through the induction of divers who wandering up and down informed the said inhabitants that we had not brought in the said forces for any other end, but only to establish foreign garrisons within the Town aforesaid, yea, and to deal worse than so: whereby in short space they had so animated and stirred them up, that if we had not expressly forbidden the leaders of our troops from attempting any thing against the said inhabitants, & withal commanded them rather to bear and endure all extremities then to offer any violence, we do undoubtedly believe that it had been unpossible to eschew the general sack of the Town and much bloodshed. This when we perceived, we determined to cease the execution of the searches aforesaid, also to cause our forces to retire whom we had not brought in, but upon that only occasion: as also it was no other like, but that if we had meant otherwise we would have attempted, yea, and peradventure put in execntion whatsoever our purposes before the rising of the said inhabitants, either that they had drawn their chains or erected their defences in the streets, which immediately after noon they went in hand withal, and in a manner in one instant thronghout all the streets of Paris, being thereto induced and persuaded by sundry gentlemen, Captains and other strangers sent in by the said Duke of Guise, who to the same end, in very short space appeared, divided and arranged, throughout every quarter of the Town. Hereupon causing the said Swissers and french companies, to return, the said inhabitants to our great grief discharged divers arqebus shot, & dealt some blows which light chiefly upon the said Swissers, whom the same evening we commanded to retire and lodge about our Castle of the Louvre, there to expect the event of this commotion of the said townsemen: for the appeasing whereof, we did all that possibly we could, yea, so far forth as the next day to procure all the said companies, except such as before their coming in we had placed in guard before our said Castle, to departed the town, as being informed that in so doing, we might greatly content and pacify the said inhabitants: as also we caused to stay some remainder of the companies of footmen of the regiment of Picardy, albeit they were as yet seven or eight leagues off, together with divers Lords and gentlemen our servants that drew unto us: as considering that the same had bred some shadow to this people, also that they took hold of this pretence, where by the more to provoke & stir them up. All this notwithstanding, in lieu of finding our wished effect to their own benefit and our contentation, they nevertheless still proceeded in raising their bulwacks, strengthening their guard night & day, & approaching the same toward our said Castle of the Louvre, even to the very sentinels of our ordinary guard, as also they seized upon the townhouse of the same town, together with the keys of S. Anthony's gate and other the gates thereof: so that by the thirteenth of this month, matters were run so far that it seemed unpossible by man's power to stop the effect of greater violence and commotion, even before our said castle gates. This when we perceived, and being nevertheless unwilling to employ our said forces against the said inhabitants, as having evermore held the preservation of the said Town with the inhabitants thereof, as dear as our own life, as in sundry their occasions they have well tried and is evident to all men, we determined the same day to departed, and rather to absent ourselves, and abandon the place which above all the world we most loved, and so do still desire to do, then to see it incur further hazard or receive greater damage: having withal entreated our most honourable Lady and Mother to stay, & try whether she might through her discretion and authority in our absence be able to find any means, how to appease the said tumult, which notwithstanding, whatsoever her endeavours, she conlde not in our presence perform, and so are come into this our Town of Chartres, from whence we thought good immediately to send you these presents therein desiring you to consider of the consequence of this cause, how prejudicial and hurtful it will be, in case it go forward, unto the common cause, especially to our holy catholic, Apostolic and Romish religion, sith that they who were wont to fight together for the propagation thereof, shall through this accident (if it be not remedied) be disvnited and forced to turn their weapons each against other: to eschew the falling wherinto we pray you to believe that for our parts we will do whatsoever possibly we may: of such force is the zeal that we bear unto our said religion, as hitherto we have sufficiently caused to appear. We also, so much as in us lieth, exhort and pray you to procure supplications to God in your Churches for this reunion, as also that the obedience unto us due, be observed according as is meet, and not to suffer the inhabitants of our Town of M. to departed the right paths thereof: but to admonish and persuade them to remain quiet and constant in their loyalties to their King: & in union and concord one with an other, so to maintain and preserve themselves under our obedience, and not to incur the discommodities for them provided, if they take any other course. Thus besides that you shall perform an action worthy your discretions, fidelities and duties, which may be a notable example to all subjects, we shall yield you thanks for ever, & acknowledge it to you and yours.  
Given at Chartres. May. 1588.