ORDINANCES Set forth by the King, for the rule and government of his majesties men of war.  
Read and published at Caen the 30. of March. 1591.  
Faithfully translated out of the French Copy Printed at Caen by E. A.  
LONDON Printed by john Wolf, and are to be sold at his shop right over-against the great south door of Paul's. 1591.   

Ordinances set forth by the King, for the rule and government of his men of war.  
HEnry by the grace of God king of France and Navarre, to our well-beloved and trusty, the Governors of our Provinces, our Lieutenant's general in the same, our Captains and particular Governors of our towns and castles, also to our bailiffs and Stewards, and other our justices, Officers and subjects, greeting. Upon the complaints and lamentations which daily out of sundry parts of our realm we do receive concerning such excess and violences as are still offered against our poor subjects of the plain champion by our men of war, and their bad behaviours, and upon a singular desire that we have to preserve and warrant them from the same: We with the advice of our princes, officers of our crown, and other notable persons of our privy counsel about us, have made and decreed the Ordinances hereunto affixed under the counterseale of our Chancery, which we intent to cause diligently to be kept and observed. And in as much as the execution of the same dependeth wholly upon you, we will and command, and expressly do enjoin every of you whom it m●y any way concern, so exactly to execute the said decree, that our said subjects may reap that relief which we wish unto them, to our own content and the discharge of our consciences, in freing them from such oppressions as unjustly are practised against them, as also that the care and affection which for your parts you shall employ, may justify you as unguilty of such transgressions as through toleration are grown so common, and withal so offensive to God, that we are to believe that the same doth most procure his wrath against this estate, which he will never turn away until they that are possessed of the power and governments do take into their protection the poor inhabitants of the said Champion, who in all reason are the most innocent, and to whom we stand most bound, as being next unto God and chief workmen and ministers of such fruits as the earth bringeth forth for the sustenance and nourishment of others. Fail ye not therefore hereof as ye will answer us at your own and particular peril. We also enjoin our bailiffs and Stewards to cause the said ordinances to be published and enrolled in the seize of our Bailiwikes and Stewardships, and beside to proclaim them throughout all the parishes in their precincts. As also we will that to the same effect upon the sight thereof, and of these presents duly collationed together, they be believed even as these presents original, for such is our pleasure.  
Given at our Camp before Chartres, March 8. 1591. and of our reign the second. Signed Henry, and underneath Potier, and sealed in yellow wax with his majesties broad seal upon a single label.   

THe King meaning to take order against such complaints as are usually made unto him concerning the infinite oppressions wherewith his poor subjects of the plain Champion are overlaid, besides the charges that they bear, by tallages and other impostes, levied among them upon his majesties commissions, through the enterprises of sundry men of war, who of their own authority do force them to contribute money, meat, and munition, notwithstanding the most of them have neither charge nor commission from his Majesty to make any levy of soldiers: whereby the said poor subjects being thus laid open to the discretion of every one that list to vex and oppress them, shall be forced to abandon their habitations, and the tilth of the earth withal, whereof must ensue a general famine with the curse of God against the whole estate, in case such wickedness be any longer tolerated: doth command, will, and enjoin all and every the governors of his provinces, and his lientenants general in the same, exactly to procure the observation of the contents of the articles ensuing. Whereupon his Majesty protesteth to charge their persons in case he heareth any further complaint of their slacking of their duties, in that they can not enterprise or execute any thing that may more redound to the discharge of their consciences and honour, and their duty to his Majesty and the common wealth.  
According to the former prohibitions, that no man levy any company or troop of horsemen or footmen without his majesties commission, the said governors and lieutenants of the said provinces are also enjoined to over run and cut in pieces all such as shall do otherwise: and where they can by any means apprehend the Captains and leaders of such troops, they shall hang them without further order or form of process.  
If any of the said men of war do seize upon any place, whether Town, Borough Village, Church, castle, or private house, to the end, in the same to keep strength or garrison without commission from his Majesty, the governor of the province, or the lieutenant general in his absence, he also enjoineth the said governors and lieutenants general with all speed to besiege and force them, and all such as they can take alive to hang up without other order of process.  
That it be published in all Parishes, that his Majesty meaneth not that his subjects be forced to any contribution of coin, victual, hay, straw or other munition without express commission from his said Majesty under his Letters patents signed by himself, and one of his secretaries of estate, directed to the treasurours general of France, and the elected to make division thereof. Also in case they be forced or compelled thereto by their particular garrisons, his Majesty willeth them to complain to the lieutenant general of the Province, whom he enjoineth presently to repair unto the place where the garrison remaineth that forceth the levy of any such contribution, or to send strength sufficient to apprehend the Captain that may have feigned any such decree, whose precesse he willeth to be framed and finished according to the ordinances thereupon made. As also his Majesty commandeth upon like pain such inhabitants of the said Villages as may have been forced to the payment of the said contributions, not to fail but to make their complaint to the said governors and lieutenants general by petition to them exhibited, to the end, if it be not remedied, his Majesty may know where the fault is.  
If any of the said men of war contrary to the former decrees under pretence of going to levy the tallages to them appointed for their pay and maintenance shall exact of his majesties said subjects any more than for his own relief, during the time of his or their abode in the said village whither he is sent, his Majesty willeth the same to be hanged immediately.  
If likewise it be found that any, whether he be of the company of those that rise without the commission aforesaid, or of such as belong to any garrison appointed by his Majesty, hath taken from the said peasants any horse, mare, ox, or cow used to labour, his pleasure is that the same be also hanged and strangled.  
His Majesty also declareth that his will and meaning is not that any of the said peasants be denounced a prisoner of war, notwithstanding he hath paid any tallages or contributions to the rebellious towns, unless the same be taken bearing arms against his majesties service, or be found in places holden by the said rebels, and have been besieged or taken by force, or carrying of Letters or messages to such as be in the said rebellious towns, either conveying of victuals into the same, or being met in the high way within two leagues thitherward and so found by good and sufficient proof. His Majesty under pain of death forbiddeth the taking or detaining of them in any other manner, either the forcing of them to pay any ransom, or stopping of them from transporting to market towns, boroughs or villages their cattle or other merchandise to buy or sell. As also under the pains aforesaid he forbiddeth the taking prisoners of any children under fifteen years of age, or any maidens or women upon any cause or occasion whatsoever.  
He also forbiddeth under pain of death to take prisoners, or to put to ransom any Priests, religious men, or other ecclesiastical persons, unless the same he taken bearing arms against his majesties service, and the order of their profession: or that they be found coming out of the said rebellious towns without passport from his Majesty, or the governors or lieutenants general, either carrying of letters or messages to the enemy as is aforesaid.  
It is likewise prohibited upon like pain of death, not to rob any Churches, monasteries, or other places dedicated to the divine service, or therein to lodge any horse or other cattle, or therein to commit any act contrary unto the reverence due to the same.  
That no judgements of ransoms of such as have been detained prisoners shall be assessed but by his Majesty, the Marshals of France, the Governors and Lieutenants general of the Provinces, or the marshals of the Camp of his armies, all others being prohibited and forbidden to deal in the same.  
All men whatsoever, whether soldiers, peasants, or others, are also under the like pains prohibited from fortifying of the said Churches, to the end to use them for war, the said places in duty being reserved for prayer and supplications to God, and therefore exempt from all violence and warlike exercise.  
His Majesty also forbiddeth all governors or Captains of his towns, forts, or castles, not to convert into coin the labour that the peasants do owe to the fortifications of the said places, which he willeth to be ordered by the elect or judges of the places, who shall appoint every parish one day at the most in every month to come to work, yet so as the said Governors shall not force them without the permission of his Majesty or his Governors for the time limited in the Commissions which unto them shall be delivered.  
Also in as much as his said Majesty meaneth to employ the goods of the Leaguers upon his affairs, his pleasure is that no man shall take the same without the especial gift of his Majesty, and that by the hands of his officers of justice according to the tenure of their gifts, unless it be the movables of such as may be found in those towns and places which the said rebels do detain at such time as be force the same be recovered out of their hands.  
Given at our Camp before Chartres the 8. day of March. 1591. Signed Henry. and beneath Potier.   

IN the year 1591. upon Saturday the thirtieth day of March in the presence of us john Vauquelin Esquire, Counsellor to the King, and lieutenant general of my L. the Bailiff of Caen, the King's letters patents and ordinances made in his camp before Chartres the eight day of this month and year, for the rule and government of his men of war, the audience of the said Bayliwike sitting, were read and published. And upon the request of the King's Procurer it is ordained that they shall be registered upon the roll proclaimed in the corner ways of this said town, and at the exhortations in the great parochial masses in the parishes of this viscount, and the sight thereof sent to all other the viscounties of this Bayliwike that the like may be done, and to that end they shall be printed.  
Given as before. Signed VAVQVELIN de la Serre & Cricquet.   
FINIS.