Articles containing the request presented to the French King by the Deputies of the reformed Churches of the country of Languedoc and other places adjoining, assembled by his majesties commandment.  
Also an other request to him presented by the persons of the third estate of the country of Provence, With his Majesty answer to the said requests.  
Also an answer of the Lord Lodovic Count of Nassau to the advertisements given him from the King.  
Translated out of French.  
Imprinted at London by Henry Middelton, for Thomas Cadman.  
Anno. 1574.   


¶ Articles presented to the King by the Deputies of the reformed Churches of the country of Languedoc, and other places adjoining. With the kings answer.  
SIR,  
we the viscounts, Barons, Gentlemen, and other here under written, making profession of the reformed Religion, both in our own name particularly and of our adherents, & also as persons deputed by the reformed Churches of the countries of Guyenne, Vivaraiz, Givaudan, the Seneshalsee of Tholouze, Awergne, Rovergue, high and base March, Quercy, Perigord, Limosin, Agennois, Armaignac, Commanges, Conserans, Bigorre, Albi and Foys, Lauragais, Albigeois, the countries of Castres', Villelongue, Mirepoix, Carcassois, and other Provinces adjoining, assembled by the permission and under the safe conducts of my Lord the King of Polonia your Mastiesties' brother, in the town of Montauban: Having perused sundry letters missive of your Majesty concerning declaration of your good intention and will to reestablish and maintain a good and firm peace in this Realm, to perform the parts of your Royal office to all your subjects, and namely to those of the Religion, whom your Majesty willeth and meaneth from henceforth to embrace & entreat with all favour, protection, and in the right of true and natural subjects, and to take order by way of justice for the request that by them shallbe made and presented most humbly to your Majesty, touching all the particulars that to them shall seem to be requisite and necessary for the maintaining of a true & sincere peace: We protest to this effect, and with all our heart make most humble petition of that which followeth, under the instant and often repeated promises of my Lord your Brother the King of Polonia.  
First we protest before God & his Angels, that it never entered into our hearts, before these last troubles, nor since, to take away nor withdraw from your Majesty our duties of most humble, most obedient, and faithful subjection: But with true and firm loyalty of subjects we have always acknowledged & do acknowledge, that it is our vocation and natural estate by the ordinance of God, to yield to your majesty all things due by a faithful subject to his King and sovereign Lord  
If that your Majesty have taken in evil part and in displeasure that which by us hath been done, protested, and executed, since the month of August 1572 until this present: we most humbly beseech you to call to mind your letters of declaration dated the xxiiii. day of the said month, and to have in your most wise consideration the most just occasions that have by force & constraint compelled us to take weapon in hand, with all other things requisite to a just and necessary defence: to turn your eyes to the poor deceased persons slaughtered and cruelly put to death in sundry towns & places of your realm, under the pretence of a conspiracy, but truly in hatred of the reformed religion: & that it will please you in pity to look upon the small remnant escaped out of the said slaughters, with a true remorse & compassion of a father of your country: to enter into yourself and deeply and intentively to behold that benefit that your Majesty receiveth of the singular and wonderful goodness of God: and there upon to marvel with us aswell of our preservation, as of this overture of peace in your realm, like as a good Father would do in his house, when after that he hath beholden in his house some of his natural children murdered before his face, and his whole family in manifest danger of utter ruin, he doth at length see by the grace of god all the rest of his children and his house restored to a good peaceable and sure estate.  
If it shallbe by any man thought evil and unmeet for the greatness of your royal estate, to make open declaration and protestation of such a grief, surely (under the favour and ●orrection of such as so thinketh) so ●o think should be to do so much the more wrong, first to God, and after ●o your own conscience, to your ho●or and surety, and to your justice ●nd office royal, and to throw upon ●oure subjects professing the religion aswell those that be murdered as these that be left alive, an everlasting infamy joined with reproach of a pretenced conspiracy and rebellion, whereunto, next after the service of God we aught to have regard above all other things that be needful for us, for by such mean, also should in plain terms and openly be justified aswell the authors as executors of those murders, which should be to us reproachful and impossible to be dissemblingly passed over.  
And therefore, for the first article of our request, we holding us to your Letter of the 24. of August, do most humbly beseech your Majesty, that following the course that was begun upon the hurt of the late Count de Coligny Admiral of France, it wil● please you according to the purport of your said Letter, to do exemplary justice upon the said murders, by unsuspected judges thereto specially appointed, of like and equal number of both religions, and namely other than those of the courts of parliaments and Presidencies of Paris, Tholouze, Bourdeaux, Roven, Orleans, and Lion, in which the principal precedents and counsellors are reputed to have been the favourers approvers & practisers of the said slaughters, at lest of those that have been committed within their towns, yea and within your prisons, and at open assemblies: and with as great speed as may be, to depute & appoint the said judges in all places where it shallbe needful, enjoining them upon a great pain to proceed therein speedily, diligenly & uprightly, without maintenance, without partial winking and dissembling of justice: for so shall your Majesty begin to pull out of the hearts of your subjects that be of the religion, the just and great distrust that they have conceived by seeing themselves given up & abandoned to the cruelty of murderers, and so shall they the more speedily take to themselves occasion to trust in your only word and promise.  
Also it may please your Majesty to remember that in certain your Letters of instructions and declarations, sent to the governors & your Liefenantes of your provinces, in the months of September, October, and December, there is specially reserved the punishment of those that shallbe found charged with the supposed conspiracy against the persons of you and yours, and with intellygences, practices and conducting of matters done during the last peace, which thing might be a cause that under this false pretence of reservation, we or some of us might be here after touched inquired upon and molested in this realm judicially or otherwise: And to meet with such captious dealings & oppressions, it may please your majesty by express words to revoke the said reservation, and declare that your majesty holdeth and alway reputeth us for good & faithful subjects innocent and guiltless of all conspiracy and rebellion, with inhibition to your advocates & atourneys' gennerall, their substitutes and all other for ever, to make thereupon any pursuit process mention or reproach.  
That the same declaration be made of the said Lord Admiral, the County dela Rochefoucaut, the Ladies de Briquemaut and Cauaignes, and the others that were murdered condemned and put to death for the said supposed conspiracy. And that all arestes and judgements given, and all procedings had or passed under that pretence, against those ot the religion, be reversed, annulled, and declared to be of no effect and value, and to have been given upon false & slanderoous information, and that the persons deceased shallbe restored to their good renowns, and their heirs to their goods and rights of inheritance: And that their children which for hatred to their fathers are imprisoned, or put or holden in any other distress, be speedily delivered, and restored to their former honour & liberty into the hands of their next friends. And to ordain that those to whom their estates, dignities, charges, and offices, subject to the finances have been given, shall be bound to pay the finance to the said heirs as shall be awarded by two of the kindred or friends known, and nevertheless that their goods & money taken shallbe restored them, & the withholders constrained there unto by all ways of justice.  
That likewise all declarations, ordinances, and rules made against those of the Religion since the xxiiii. of August last passed, be reversed, revoked and declared of no effect and value.  
And to extinguish the memory of the said judgements and arrests & the execution of them, that likewise the said declarations, ordinances, & rules be razed and withdrawn out of all registers of Courts as well sovereign as inferior, and that the same judgements, arrests, and executions, declarations, ordinances, and rules be taken away, canceled & defaced: That also all monuments, marks, and tokens of the said executions be destroyed, together with the Books and infamous acts against the personages, memory and posterity of the said persons deceased and executed, and that namely & specially shallbe defaced suppressed & (as much as shallbe requisite) there shallbe prohibited all proceedings, general and ordinary, as well by arrest of the Parliament of Paris, in memory of the said slaughters, as by an other arrest of Tholouze, reversed by arrest of you privy counsel touching the taking of the town house in the said first troubles, and that all be done in the presence of four special persons, whereof two shallbe of the Religion, having continued in the same during the troubles. And the record examplified word by word of the proceeding herein shallbe expedited and delivered to those which shall have express charge of procuration for that intent.  
That it be declared that those of the Religion, have justly and upon good occasion taken arms, withdrawn themselves & made war in these last troubles, as being thereto constrained by violence done, where with they have been terrified and put in fear.  
And forasmuch as by the hearing of the word, and by Ecclesiastical discipline your subjects are the better bolden in duty of their subjection, first toward God, and next to your Majesty, and to their other superiors whom it hath pleased you to appoint over them, they most humbly & with most entire affection beseech your Majesty in this behalf to extend to them the most of your favour, and therein to ordain that of your grant and perpetual benefit, the exercise of their Religion, and Ecclesiastical Discipline, and namely of their Synods, conferences, and consistories Ecclesiastical be freely permitted to them for ever, & in all parts of this Realm, as well publicly, as privately, comprising therein by special name the liberty of honest & seemly burial without difference of time, in the same common Churchyards, about which matter many of the Catholics have oftentimes stirred up great riots and debates in the towns where the said exercise was not permitted. And that all exemptions from the exercise of the said Religion, limited in the towns and places as well of the Queen your majesties honourable mother, as of my Lord the King of Polonia your majesties Brother, and other within your dominion, be revoked & declared from henceforth of no effect.  
And to prevent all suspistions that oftentimes heretofore have been raised touching the collections made & levied among those of the religion for the charges and maintenance of the ecclesiastical ministery. It may please your majesty from henceforth to exempt those of the religion from the payment of tithes in those places where the said exercise shall be, for as much as the tithes of their own nature are appointed for the said ministery.  
That none of the religion shall be summoned or constrained by your officers, universities, colleges and Comunalties, to any ceremony and contribution contrary to the said religion, and that so much as the case shall require there be express prohibition in your courts and universities in any wise to exact of them attaining to any office and degree, the oaths accustomed in the church of Rome contrary to their said religion.  
That all the houses rents and revenues of colleges and schools appointed for the instruction of youth shallbe accounted and holden as ordained for ever for your subjects that will be there received, without making difference of religion, neither as touching the Rector or Regent, nor for the Scholars and officers, consultes of towns & places: where the said scholars and Colleges shall be bound to receive rectors, & regents of both religions, for the satisfaction & instruction of both sorts without fraud or partiality.  
That the marriages of Priests & Ecclesiastical persons that now be or hereafter shallbe of the said Religion, be declared lawful, and likewise their children issuing of their marriage for their inheritance and other rights of lawful legitimation: And that as well the father as the children be declared capable of public offices estates and administrations.  
That the deciding of marriages, that is to say, whether they be lawful and perfect or not, shallbe from henceforth determined by the consistories and others of the religion, or at lest by their superior judge of your justice being a man of the same Religion.  
That the guardians of Orphans whose father was of the Religion shallbe bound to 'cause them to be instructed and taught in the Religion of their Fathers, at the lest until their age of discretion, like as your Majesty hath at other time heretofore ordained.  
That the same benefit of the exercise of the Religion be accorded and ordained to the inhabitants and dwellers that be of the Religion in the County of Venisse, and the archbishopric of Avignon: And that it please your Majesty to do so much with the King of Navarre, that all things may abide in Navarre and Bearne in the same estate as the late Queen of Navarre his mother left them at the time of her decease: & also to treat so with the Pope & Archbishop of Avignon that your grant and good pleasure in this behalf may be confirmed and approved in due form, specially for the restitution and full recompense of the goods of those of the said County of Venisse.  
That the Frenchmen which have borne Arms with those of Bearne, may enjoy the profit and benefit of this Edict.  
As touching the administration of justice, it may please your Majesty to consider the demeanours of your courts of Parliament against those of the religion, specially in your town of Tholouze, whereby may be judged what is and always may be their intention. For this cause, it may be your good pleasure to assign them judges unsuspected, and to ordain that all process between parties of two religions shallbe judged as well in cases civil, as criminal, in instances as well superior, as inferior, by equal number of judges, whereof the half shallbe Catholic, and the other of the Religion: and where all the parties be of one religion, that there all the judges likewise may be taken and appointed of the same religion, except such as be suspected. And that for this intent there be ordained one chamber or court for the resort of every Parliament, and one peaceable and unsuspected town for those of the Religion.  
That all provisions and declarations obtained during these troubles and since the 24. of August last by the Catholics, against such sentences judgements and arrests as upon learning of the parties, and in time of peace have been given for the benefit of those of the Religion, shallbe revoked and delayed of no effect and value, as obtained by stealth, the said arrests remaining in their full force & virtue executory, according to your ordinances, although those that have had the said arrests have been persons Ecclesiastical of the Church of Rome.  
That all seats of justice that of old time and before the troubles, have been holden in the towns now presently possessed by those of the religion shallbe there continued: or if they have been removed, they may be restored & brought thither again: And generally that all those of the Religion be restored, & from henceforth without any stay for circumstance of form, fully placed again in the exercise of their estates and dignities, charges and offices, as well of your Majesty as of inferior signiories, and that all provisions to the contrary be revoked, and other fees and pensions paid as well for the time passed as for the time to come.  
And for as much as divers of the religion have had by resignation & for money, according to the usage of your permission, certain offices either judicial or other, a little before the beginning of the present troubles since which troubles being happened, the resigns by reason of the hatred borne to their religion, and for their just fear of murder, have not been able to obtain the Letters of grant nor to get the resignator aducted of your Majesty. In the mean time some of them have paid the fine promised wholly or in part, some other have entered into bonds and given sureties to pay within a short time which time being incurred the sureties have been constrained to make payment which is not reasonable: it may please your Majesty to declare the said bonds and promises discharged and as not made, and so to ordain without having respect to the judgements which possibly may have been given in the mean time: And that the said judgements also be declared void and of no effect. That the money paid for these causes, whether it be to the resigner or his heirs shallbe repaid to the resigns being of the religion, being prevented by just impediments. And where payment hath not been made, that in that case there bond shall remain not suable and exempt from constraint of justice.  
That these of the religion be admitted and received indifferently to estates charges of offices aswell judicial as other, without difference of religion, specially of resigns, and that the receiving and admitting of them shallbe exempt from other courts, and reserved to the chamber that shallbe erected for the judgement of their Princes.  
That all prescriptions either by convenient custom or Law, whereof the time may have been incurred during & since the first troubles & the later troubles that since have happened, until this present shallbe deemed & holden as not incurred.  
As touching policies, your Majesty may well have understood how great disorder and confusion the partiality, difference and distinction of persons for Religion, hath brought in this behalf in all towns and places where the Catholics do in number and power exceed those of the Religion, accounting them always as degraded unworthy and deprived of public charges and administrations: It may therefore be your good pleasure beside the declarations already made by all your Edicts as touching the capability of those of the Religion, and their common enjoying and participation of those charges, to ordain that from hence forth in all the towns and places of this Realm the said charges be distributed equally between the Catholics and these of the religion, and namely to avoid the overcharging of taxes forbidden by your Majesty.  
That those of the religion remain quite and discharged for all their assemblies aswell general as perticularlly establishment of justice, policy, and rule among themselves, judgements and executions thereof, voyages, treaties, negotiactions, & contracts made with all strange princes and estates, and of all moneys taken of your fiances and receipts, coinages, movables, debts, arrearages of rents and revenues, felling of woods, sale of goods movable, assessing of rents of the immovables and rights belonging to ecclesiastical persons and other catholics taxes, impositions of money and other things, exactions and levyings of the same, baylyes ransomming of prisoners, and of all other kinds of money which by occasion of these troubles have been taken by them, of the ordaining of these that have had commandment among them, or of councils provincial & politic according to their rules, so as neither they, nor those that have been appointed for the levying and disposition of the said moneys movables & other things abovesaid, nor these that have delivered and furnished the same, may in any wise be answerable therefore now nor her after, but that the sums to that effect paid by your said officers & others be allowed by your chambers of accounts, tresorers of finances and others by virtue of this Edict with out other warrant.  
And that all persons accountant whether it be of the receipts by them established or other dealing with any thing what soever it be, shallbe bound to verify their accounts of their dealings by those that have had general authority over them, and to the said counsels provincial. And that the like be done of all those that have had the handling charge & administration of money during the former troubles & since the year 1567. And the remain that shallbe found due by the said accomptantes and other debtors of the said moneys shallbe employed to the acquittal and discharge of those of the religion for charges by occasion of the trouble and maintenance of the war. And this done, the said accomptantes shall remain acquitted of their said administration and dealings, and wholly discharged thereof, bringing the aquitance of those that had the commanding of them in these last troubles made by the advise of the said counsels Provincial and according to their rule, so as in time to come neither they nor their successors shall in any wise be put to answer therefore, forbidding to all your chambers of accounts & other judges ordinary or extraordinary all jurisdiction and conusance, and to your attorneys general or particular all power to sue for the same. That also those of the religion remain acquitted and discharged for all acts of hostility, levying and conducting of men of War, founding and taking of artillery and munitions, making of powder and saltpetre, takinges dismantellinges and raisings of towns and Castles, enterprises against the same, burnings and destroying of Churches and houses, and fortifications and reparations of Towns & places holden in their holding, & generally of all that hath been by them done and practised during the aforesaid and the former troubles although the same be not particularly expressed and declared, so as for any of the things abovesaid nor other that have happened in the said troubles, none of them nor of their posterity in general or in particular be charged nor in any wise reproached with any matter of Rebellion Disobedience or Treason, notwithstanding all declarations, Edicts, and ordinances which your Majesty may have made, to the contrary and that the same according to the case, may be revoked and declared of no effect and value, as well in this respect as in respect of all other things proceeding or depending upon the said troubles.  
That all things taken by private persons without public authority, Magistrate, governor, Consul, Captain, or other by their commission, or by the assemblies of the Comunalties on both parties, and against the rules of the said assemblies, be restored to those to whom they appertain, if the things be found remaining in their former kind, and if not, then the value by just appraisment. And as touching movables and other things taken by hostility, although they be found remaining in their kind, they shall not be challenged nor subject to restitution.  
That the fruits of this present year that have been taken and levied until the day and date of these present Articles, be declared not to be subject to any restitution on the one part or the other, to the intent to stoup all variances & process that by this occasion may arise among your subjects.  
That these of the Religion be not constrained nor drawn into that law for payment of impositions ordinary and extraordinary assessed by the Catholics during the present and former troubles, but shall thereof remain acquitted and discharged.  
And for as much as in all places where we have warred for our defence, the charges have been so expressed and importable, that the most part of us are greatly indebted and charged, It may please your Majesty to give us leave to have an imposition and tax to be set among all us of the Religion, at the lest to the some of six score thousand pounds payable in two years to be employed to the full discharge of our said deftes: And for the levying thereof to grant us necessary means of constraint as it were for your own money.  
It may please your Majesty to grant to those of the Religion which in the troubles passed have bought any thing Temporal of ecclesiastical persons & truly paid the price thereof, that they may continued the possession and enjoying of the things by them bought for the assurance of their Money, until they be recompensed by the said Ecclesiastical persons or other that will or may redeem the same with this condition that they shall leave the possession immediately after such repayment to them made.  
Now Sir, resteth the principal point, namely the means of a true & just surety for the holding, enduring, assurance and perpetual inviolable maintaining of your majesties promises and ordinances touching all the matters above said by a firm and continuing peace, wherein we are most sorry and much aggrieved to propound, and to demand of your Majesty by our most humble supplication such means as seem to us pertinent and reasonable yea & necessary to the establishment for ever of a good and firm peace in this Realm. For we had rather that these means had been offered us of your Fatherly good will and favour, and of your own proper motion.  
But for as much as it pleaseth your Majesty to permit us and to do us that honour to demand it of you, we most humbly beseech your goodness that it be your good pleasure, for the commodity of your estate, the rest of your conscience, the greatness and assurance of this Crown, and the common benefit and quiet of your Subjects, to contract an unity & League of new promise, coniuncti, on, and Amity to endure, with all the Prince's Potentates and estates of Almaigne and Switzerland that be of the Religion, and the Queens of England and Scotland, to this intent, with one common hand and consent to maintain unity aswell between them and their Subjects, as between your Majesty and all your Subjects entirely both those that be called Catholics and those that be named of the Religion reformed, & this to be done in all civil and humane things. That all these allies promise' & swear to maintain the said unity conjunction and amity for the common continuing of all in the said estate and community of all Civil & humane things, in like manner as if they were all of one religion, and this to be done in every estate of the Country's Lands and signiories of the said Kings Princes Potentates or common weals.  
That they swear and promise' that none of the said Lords Kings or their successors, Princes potentates or common weals shall break the said unity, nor violate the public faith and promises as well between the said allies as between any of their subjects: that those which shall observe it on their part, may by all ways of force constrain him or them that shall do to the contrary. And that they be bound to do the like at the only request of those whom it shall concern, truly observing the said unity, of whether soever religion they be.  
That for eschewing a conspiracy of a Sicilian evensong) as they term it) those of the religion in this realm may have by special privilege and grant in perpetuity, the keeping of the towns and places which we hold at this present, and also of certain other towns in every province, such as shallbe thought meet by the eight special persons indifferently chosen by two that your Majesty will depute and two that those of the religion shall name: which is to be done with expedition at the place to be agreed upon.  
That your majesties garrisons be placed only in the frontier towns and places where garrisons hath of ancient time been used, or at the lest as far of as well may be from the said towns and places now presently holden by those of the religion, be it in coming or going of the said garrisons, and that there be not lodged greater number of horse with their armours without the consent of these of the religion, and that they come and seiourne so modestly, that thereof arise no suspicion nor inconvenience.  
It may please your Majesty to take in good part, that we most humbly beseech you, that your Governors and Lieutenants general that will pass by or visit the said towns and places now holden by those of the Religion, may not come thither with force nor with great company, than with their ordinary and accustomed train in time of peace, and that they be admonished, so to behave themselves in the said towns and places, as those of the Religion may have no occasion thereby to enter into fear and suspicion, And that the like be observed by the Lords of the said Towns and places.  
That nothing of the said towns and places holden by those of the religion be razed, that hath been made for fortification, saving only so far as they shall think it expedient for their surety. And that there be not required or taken from them any of their munitions of war or armour, whether it be artillery or other.  
And for the greater and better efficacy of your royal authority and good will to the upright and sincere observation of the Articles of this peace: We most humbly beseech your Majesty that first in full assembly of your privy counsel, and afterward in your court of Parliament of Paris, in full audience, by your Majesty, the Queens your most honourable mother & spouse, our sovereign Ladies, my Lords your brethred, and the Lords the Princes of your blood, the Lords Mareschals of France, and the counsellors of your privy counsel, it be confirmed and sworn that the Articles of this peace shallbe entirely maintained, & perpetually and faithfully observed. And that the like be done by all your precedents, counsellors, advocates, procurators or attorneys, and every of them in all other your Courts of Parliaments, and presidencies.  
That for mutual observation of a perpetual obedience and fidelity, those of the Religion throughout this Realm generally, together with the Catholics, renew their oaths offidelitie before your officers in their places, with interchangeable condition and promise on both parts, never hereafter to commit any slaughters one against an other generally or particularly, by whom so ever the same be commanded, without exception: but to leave the whole conusance of crimes and public revenge to the course of your laws, as is agreed in these articles of peace.  
And to the intent to come by little and little to a true entirely and general reconciliation of amity among all your subjects of both the religions: We most humbly beseech your Majesty to ordain that every year during five years the said oath be renewed, as well by the assemblies of the estates of every Province in one of the most peaceable towns in each Province, as at other general assemblies of the inhabitants of every principal Town of the diocese, which shall be holden at sundry terms among those of the two Religions, that is to say, in the principal assembly by the Deputies of either Religion aswell of the nobility as of the commons of the whole province, and in the assembly of every Diocese and bailiwick: where they shall promise' and swear not only to keep firm peace and amity mutually, but also to employ their lives and goods for your service, & specially to maintain this unity and pacification against all breakers and disturbers thereof without any exception as is abovesaid.  
Finally we hope that your Majesty shall well like, that we your most humble and most obedient subjects continued our standing upon our Guard, without doing any force or hostility, under the suspension and intermission which it hath pleased your Majesty to enjoin us.  
At Montauban, the vi. day of August. 1573. Thus signed, Paulin, Gourdon, Lomasin. Verlhac, Ferrieres, Monsegon, Yollec, Bressac, Saint bon, Donzac, Derboras, B. de Narbonne, Stopuihart, Brecquet, Drephelipon, de la Source, Galheuste, Sebin, de Lautrech, P. de la Tour, Declwier, P. Clement, S. Chamayot, Corraire, Porcel, Payau, Rigord, de Robert, de l'Armoire, A. Nolhac, de Rosier, Vuisaud, Hibert, Auoum, du Port, Revires, Roysse, G. Moragnes, Pomyer, de Chastellet, de Voyau, du Cros, de Fulger, Degau, A. Guards, du Poncet, du Busquet, Pradelses, Merlein, Ymbert de la Place, G. Rodyer, I Cabanie, Nohesau, Baches Deveunsin, de Noalhan.   

The King's answer to the Deputies of the reformed Churches of the country of Languedoc and other places adjoining.  
THE King having understood the declarations that to him have been made by those of the Religion called reformed being sent unto his Majesty, using toward them his clemency and natural goodness, hath by mouth declared unto them the assurance that they aught to have of his good grace favour and protection when they shall by the effects show themselves such toward him as all good and loyal subjects aught to be to their Prince: whereunto he hath sufficiently moved them by his last Edict, under the benefit whereof they have all due satisfaction of that which they have alway showed themselves to desire touching the exercise of their pretenced Religion & the surety of their persons & goods. And for as much as they have always declared that they have no other will but to satisfy the commandments of his said Majesty, he hath thought good, for their better conformity, to sand the Duke de Uses peer of France, and the Lord of Caplus Knight of his order to Monsieur de Dampuille Marshal of France his Governor and Lieutenant general in Languedoc, to say to him on his majesties behalf, that he choose some town or place of his government near to Montauban, and which he shall think fittest for the purpose, and that he repair thither, and there advertise those of the Religion called reformed, that they sand thither the said Deputies or other whom they will on their behalf, for conference to be had with them by the said Lord Martial, touching their quiet, surety, and preservation, and other things concerning and appertaining unto the execution & observing of the said Edict, and also the course of law and justice, which his Majesty meaneth to have ministered unto them with all uprightness and equity: Also to be advised of such procurations as shall be necessary for the particularities depending upon the said case, to the end that by the xv. day of December, by which time his Majesty hopeth to be returned to his town of Compiegne from the voyage that he presently maketh to the frontiers of his realm, for conducting his brother the king of Polonia going towards his kingdom, his Majesty being then advertised of the whole by the said Lord marshal, may give order as to him shall seem necessary. And where he is required by the said deputies to prolong the ceasing of arms, his Majesty will writ to the said Lord Mareshall, to 'cause all acts of hostility to cease, provided alway that they of the religion give order on their part, that nothing be atttempted to the contrary, as of late hath been done, which his Majesty doth expressly forbidden.  
At Villiers-Cotterets, the 18. day of October. 1573. Thus signed, CHARLES. And underneath. FIZEL.   

A request exhibited to the King by the Deputies of the third estate of the Countries of languedoc, Dolphin, and Province.  
Sir,  
before we went in hand with the charge that was committed unto us by your most humble and obedient subjects the people of the third estate of your country and County of Provence, Folcaquier, & the Lands bordering thereupon, we well foresaw three points which would make our suit odious or at leastwise not so well favoured as we gladly would have desired, that we might return into our country with good speed of the thing for which we come & present ourselves suitors unto your Majesty.  
The first is, that it is an unseemly thing for Subjects to inquire of the peculiar affairs of their King, or to go about to demand a reason why he doth them. The Second is, that subjects aught to have a sure good opinion of their Princes good meaning towards them, and that he will not grieve them with extraordinary subsidies, without great cause and urgent necessity, and therefore that the sessing of them lieth not in the controlment of the Subjects. The third is, that it is an unseemly and intolerable rashness of the Subjects, to intent to bridle or restrain the affairs of the state, whereof they have no knowledge but superficially and by conjecture. And in very deed these three points have made us to refuse our commission often times, & we had not condescended to have received it, but for three other considerations that were laid afore us in the assembly of the three estates, held in the month of july last passed in your town of Aix. One was the consideration of your natural goodness and clemency, sufficiently showed by experience towards your subjects, where through we aught to hope for gentle and favourable audience in the woeful state of your said Country of Provence, whereof it may be that your Majesty is not faithfully advertised. An other is, that good Kings, Princes, and Potentates, have at all times not only hearkened to the complaints and griefs of their people, but also received them and gently disburdened the Deputies of such and so importunate charges. The last is, that in extremities men aught to have free and unrestreyned recourse to him that is only able to apply the needful remedy. Whereunto we may add, that many things are done under the authority of Kings without their knowledge, for which they be now and then displeased with such as have not advertised them of them. Surely Sir, all these considerations have we set afore us, to the intent that all men may know, that we come not as Mutineers, Rebels, or Seditious persons, to countermand your treasure, or to inquire particularly of the employment thereof, or to call in question the faithfulness and upright dealing of such as have the ordering of your receipts: but only to give you true intelligence how great charges, impositions, aids subsidies, tallages, taxes, increases, & other contributions, this poor & miserable third state payeth and beareth. But peradventure Sir, you will think it strange that we which are Deputies for Provence, should also interlace the griefs and complaints of the Third estate of your countries of languedoc & Dolphenie. Nevertheless I which am the messenger, am assisted by the Deputies of the said countries here present, who gave me in commission so to do as we met together by chance at Tarrare, because we had all one message and suit. Therefore sir, it is done to the intent your Majesty should not be troubled with the repetition of like matters. And forasmuch as our griefs are all upon the self same points and tend to one self same end: they have chosen me alone to speak indifferently for all the three countries alike, which thing I have so much the more willingly and boldly taken upon me, because your highness hath had experience of my loyalty, honesty, and sincerity in your Country of Provence, where it hath pleased your Majesty to advance me, to one of your chief rooms of your Counsel.  
Sir, your County of Provence belonged of old time to the kingdom of Austrasie, and until the time of Reyner king of Sicili, who made a gift of it to king Lewes the eleventh, it continued always under the dominion of the Dukes of Lorraine & Bar. In the time of the said good king, (whom some have seen that are alive at this day) the men of Provence paid not any tallages, impositions, aids, subsidies, gables, or other manner of contributions at all, but lived wealthily & merely of the revenues of their demayns, in peace withal their neighbours, and passing their time in making those excellent kind of peyting which are yet still to be seen in the palace of Aix the chief City of Provence.  
King Lewes at his taking of possession of the country of Provence, granted and confirmed all their privileges which they had in the time of good king Reyner, which continued so to the time of the great king Francis the first, who upon necessity of the defence of the same country when Charles the fifth came down into it, made the people thereof taxable and subject to other impositions of his Realm.  
The country of Viennoys & Dolphenie, at such time as it was sold to your majesties predecessors by Sir Humbert Dolphin, did enjoy like franchises and liberties as the country of Provence.  
So likewise did the country of Languedoc in the times of Raymond & Berrager Earls of Tholouze. And to say the truth, neither taxes, aids, subsidies nor impositions were heard of, any where throughout all the shires of the Realm, till the Englishmen had gotten the better part thereof, for the dispossessing of whose usurpations, our kings were constrained to raise great powers and armies of men. And because the sovereign dominion was held by the Englishmen: the Frenchmen, (whose faithfulness and loyalty passeth all other nations of the earth) granted to king Charles the sixth, to tax them and cease them: and that was the first time that tallages began, as the Registers of the Parliament and of the chamber of accounts do bear record.  
When these so light Taxes and of so small estimation could not countervail so great an enterprise, he desired the estates to help him in that necessity. Then they gaunted him a twentieth of their wines, & afterward an Eighth and a Fourth. In the end it came to setting of impost upon Salt. And all these Impositions were named helps, as the end of their device witnesseth, which was to take place but so long as the Wars lasted, as the Records of the said Court and Chamber of accounts do purport. Nevertheless the People of France are so obedient to their Kings, that they have continued the paying of them freely, & are very well contented to continued them still, notwithstanding that they had ceased for a time after that the Englishmen were driven quite & clean out of the Realm.  
The great King Francis who was as sore vexed and wearied with wars as was possible, died happily without over charging of his people, saying with a custom of the xx. penny set upon the Merchandises that went out of the Realm, and with certain tolls set upon the wines, that were brought into the great Towns, whereunto were added certain tenths, taken of the Clergy.  
King Henry enhanced again the Tenths, and established the rights of Dovamne, high passage, foreign wars, and foreign Impositions. As for the poor people, they for their own succour were charged with no more but Tax faithfully ordained for the payment of the men of War, and yet it is well known that the said good Prince was cumbered with as many affairs as any Prince. At this day Sir, it is clean contrary to that it was in King Lewis the Elevenths' time. For the ordinary taxes of Dolphenie were but lxx. Thousand pounds turnoyes, and the taxes of languedoc were six score and twelve Thousand Pound Turnoyes.  
In the time of great King Francis, and at his taking at Pavia, they were increased: in Dolphenie forty thousand pound Turnoys, and in languedoc three score & ten thousand & eight hundred. Which aught to be counted no great matter, considering the great need that was for the deliverance of the king and of the Princes his children.  
afterward in the time of king Henry, the taxes of Dolphin & languedoc were let alone in the same state that they were at the decease of King Francis. Likewise also were the taxes newly imposed upon Provence, which were four score & six thousand pound turnoyes. And at that time the tallage was for Provence but two and thirty thousand: for Dolphin seven and twenty thousand: and for Languedoc fifty two thousand, three hundred, three score and two pounds' turnoyes.  
At the beginning of your majesties reign, which was altogether peaceable and without civil dissension, the ordinary tax of languedoc was raised to five hundred and twelve thousand seven hundred four score and ten pounds: The tax of Provence to three hundred, three score & sixteen thousand, four hundred twenty and eight pounds' turnoyes, with the increases of two, three, & four sowses of the pound, amounting to more than a moiety of the foresaid sums. And the tallages are doubled. Upon every ton of wine is set an impost of five shillings. And imposition is set upon the Oils by assignation of process. Levies of money have been made now six times already by extraordinary Commissioners, and loans as well general as particular, amounting in Provence to twelve hundred thousand pound turnoyes, comprehending therein the taxes of the parishes: in Dolphinie to nine hundred thousand pounds: and in languedoc to more than two millions & three hundred thousand pounds turnoyes, besides the vent of Ecclesiastical goods and the tenths, which is four times as much as the old taxation was wont to be, together with a general subsidy never erst sessed upon the cities & great towns, to be paid in three years, whereof the last payment fell out the last year, and a new custom is set upon cloth. We speak not of other small gatherings of money that have been made in those three. Shires for the waging, furnishing, and entertaining of men of war during these civil troubles. But the strange things that have been done in the plain Country, and the fining & ransoming of the poor people in the said Shires, doth in estimation exceed all the taxes, increaces, helps, subsidies, impositions, and all other levyings, ordinary and extraordinary. For if the Soldier were not paid his wages, he burst out into all licentiousenesse of pilling, polling, oppressing, ransoming, and other outrages which are not wont to be done in the conntries of enemies or of conquest. See I beseech you, how your majesties poor people have their fat, their flesh, and their blood drained from them. Let your highness think you see a true anatomy of a man's body, whereof there remaineth nothing but skin and bones, & yet those also all too torn and broozed. For your people resembleth it with great compassion, desiring too be relieved and strengthened again, which thing can not be among so many impositions, & specially with war. A true King is likened to a good Shepherd, whose property it is to fleece his sheep, but not too slay them.  
Wherefore your majesties people of the third state of those three poor and desolate Countries, do most humbly beseech your Highness to vouchsafe to provide for the general pacification of these troubles, and to have regard of the miseries, ruins, poverty, calamities, desolations, murders, wastinges, sackings of towns, havocs, exactions, oppressions, pillings, ransomings, mischiefs, forcing of wives, deflowering of maidens, and other wickednesses coming thereupon: and to bring the said shires again to good tranquillity union and concord, by such means as your Majesty shall perceive most reasonable: for other wise it is impossible for men too live in such disorder as the ungraciousness of the time hath brought upon the said shires, which are drained so dry both of money and means, that the people of the said third state can hardly shifted to live, because the men of war have peeled and fleeced away all that ever is, so as there remaineth not any great cattle or money for the people to help themselves withal  
These are the causes that drive us to sue unto your Majesty, to discharge the third estate of the said Countries for these six Years of the said taxes, Increaces, and other Subsidies and of all other impositions both ordinary and extraordinary, and after the said term of six years, to bring all things again to the state that they were at in the time of King Lewis the twelfth or at the leastwise under the reign of Francis the first. Nevertheless, in cases of necessity, even during the said term the people of the said Third estate, do willingly offer your Majesty all their goods & their lives without restraint. Which suit we beseech your Highness to weigh well, and to appoint some trusty & faithful men of authority, to inquire to what uses so great sums of money hitherto levied of your people have been employed, and to 'cause the men of war to be well paid hereafter, which is the only means to make them live in order under good rule and warlike discipline: and the people of the said third Estate, will pray to GOD for the preservation and increase of your highness in all prosperity and health.   

¶ The King's answer to the Deputies of the third State of the three Countries of Dolphin, languedoc, and Provence.  
THE King hath taken in very good part the complaints, griefs, and requests made by the deputies of the third state of the Countries of languedoc, Dolphin, and Province, and assureth them that he will relieve them as soon as his affairs may give him leave. It marvelously grieveth his Majesty, that his poor people have suffered so many wrong full troubles. For the appeasing whereof he hath caused his Edict to be proclaimed, intending to have it kept, and will to the uttermost of his power reach out his hand yet further to a greater pacification. And his said majesty doth all his subjects to understand, that he is charged with allowances to the Princes his brethren, and of the Ladies his Sisters, with the entertainment of the Queen, with the dowries of his mother and of the Scottish Queen, with the allowances of the old Queen Elinor, & of the Duchess' of Berrey and Ferrara, wherewith the kings his Grandfather and Father were not charged, over and beside an infinite mass of debts, whereof the said kings his Grandfather and Father left him in arrearages: which things have been the cause of his further charging of his said people, to his great grief.  
Made to Villiers-Cotterets the 18. of October. 1573.   

¶ The answer and advertisement of the Lord Lodowicke Earl of Nassau to the King.  
THe Lord Lodowicke Earl of Nassau, for the zeal which he hath of the good success of the kings majesties affairs, having not long ago talked freely and plainly with the Lords of Schombert and Fregouza at Frankford, and afterward with the said Lord Schombert at Cassel, thought that his Majesty should have had intelligence of all, as well by the letters of the said Lord Schombert, as by word of mouth of the said Fregouza, hoping also that he would have taken all things in good part, according as it proceeded from a heart that was at his commandment. Nevertheless the said Earl perceiveth by instructions from the said Fregouza lately roturned unto him, and understandeth thoroughly by his words, that his Majesty taketh all things as though he had meant to bridle him in his own Realm. Wherein notwithstanding, it was the said Earls intent but to show his Majesty freely and uprightly, the only means whereby he knew he might attain to the thing that he pretended, which was to knit a firm friendship and good league with the Protestant Princes, and to put away and bury the evil report that went of his Majesty, as well by common devices of pictures, as by reproachful Books, and finally to assure himself of good aid against the king of Spain, in whom he espieth daily divers evil meanings towards him. And forasmuch as his Majesties said mistaking of things hath caused the said Earl to fear, lest he were not informed of the thing which he would feignest have him to know, and which he thinketh in sound conscience to be the fittest way to bring the thing to pass which his Majesty pretendeth: he hath dispatched to him the Lord Chastelier, to inform him more particularly of his meaning, and of the things which he seeth to be expedient for the compassing of his desire, Humbly beseeching his Majesty to believe that his so doing, is not upon any peculiar passion, or for any affection that he hath to any other thing, than to see him in better estimation and reputation than he is among strange Princes and Potentates, and further of from the destruction that presseth hard at his heels.  
The means for him to come to the foresaid ends with the said Protestant Princes, and to recover the reputation whereof the former outrages have bereft him, is that his Majesty should first and formest surcease his wars against them of the Religion, which is the true and only ground work whereupon he may build his reputation new again, & whatsoever he listeth beside with the Protestant Princes. For otherwise it is impossible for him to prevail.  
And it is no bridling of his Majesty, but a receiving of favour at his hand, when the said Princes may so trust in him as in themselves, and shall see in good earnest that there lurketh none evil meaning towards them: which thing cannot be, so long as his Majesty shall persecute them of the same Religion in his Realm, whereof the said Princes make profession, and whereupon they ground themselves. By reason whereof they can never hope for any steadfast friendship or league with his Majesty, so long as he showeth himself so sore against them in the chief point, namely Religion, which is the thing that over ruleth the doings of men. Wherefore it is requisite to give his Majesty a Blank whereon he might contitinually set his eye, that first and formest he let the Protestants alone in peace.  
And to the end that his Majesty should think, that these be no discourses in the air: the said Earl beseecheth him to remember, that the same had been the wellspring of all his reputation: and to call to mind what he had said to his highness the first day of his coming to Bloys, in the evening and many other times during the treaty of the king of Navarre's marriage, namely that forasmuch as his Majesty had laboured so much to set peace among his subjects, and freely granted the Protestant's the exercise of their Religion: the said Lords and Princes desiring to be maintained in like liberty, bore him so hearty good will, that in devising ere whiles among themselves whom they might wish to be their Lord (if the case should so fall out as to come to election) they desired his Majesty with one mind, wishing his advancement and increase, and having not any thing more common in their mouths than his praises. Whereupon the said Earl said unto his Majesty, that he hoped one day to see the imperial Crown upon his head, and that his Majesty might believe that that saying of his came not of himself, but of such as having the authority and power to do it, made their full account to choose him to be king of Romans. Wherein his Majesty should have this advantage, that whereas other Princes were wont to buy and purchase it by all means, and to offer all manner of conditions of advantage that they could devise for the purpose, (like as the Emperor now present, his majesties father in law had never been chosen without earnest suit and solemn promises made, whereof one among many other was that he swore to maintain every man in freedom of conscience and exercise of the Religion:) his Majesty should be entreated and sued unto, to take that great dignity upon him.  
That was the very cause why they of the low countries perceiving their Prince to departed from his promises, and from the conditions whereunto he was bound, & that on the contrary part, his Majesty used his subjects so lovingly: wished withal their hearts to have him to their sovereign Lord, casting themselves into his arms, to the end to have the freedom of their consciences and the exercise of their religion, and generally to enjoy the self-same benefit which his majesties subjects than did by his permission.  
It was the self-same and the chiefest reason that moved the Queen of England to make league with his Majesty a little before the murder.  
But now contrariwise his Majesty is near his fall, his state is weakened on all sides, and he is as it were abandoned to the pray to whosoever listeth to take it because that through his last outrage and former wars made to force the consciences of his subjects, he is so destitute of noble men and men of war, yea and of the strongest fortress or hold of his Realm, which is the love and good will of his subjects, that he is become like an old house, that is daily shored up with some props, and yet in the end cannot be kept from falling down.  
His Majesty may see how the Spanish king his mortal enemy maketh his hand of the backwardness of his estate, laughing with open mouth at his misfortunes, and employing all his study, & endeavour to maintain trouble in his realm: assuring himself (and not without good cause) that it is the only means to attain to his purpose without stroke striking, sith that the Spaniard hath more weakened his Majesty by the former wars, late slaughter & present troubles, than if he had made thirty years war against him himself. Furthermore, the Spaniard serveth his own turn against his Majesty every where where he can, with the late outrage, as he did o'late in Poleland as his Majesty understandeth well enough: and the same was the only cause of courtesy and faithfulness which the Duke of Alva used towards the said Earl at his going out of Mons, as he himself reported to divers afterward, namely that he did it to show that he would not commit so foul a treachery as the French king had done, and that he was not sorry for the Admiral's mischance, because he was the king his Master's deadly enemy, but yet he had liefer to have lost both his arms, than to have done that deed.  
And if his Majesty continued his purpose of making war against the protestants, and will not suffer them in his realm: the said Earl can assure him, that the Duke his brother leaving him in that plight to go into Polonia, shall never be welcome thither. But the people of that country thinking that he cometh to set them in a broil as France is, will count him but as a cipher in Agrim, and the Princes of the land, in steed of coming forth every where to meet him on the way for his honour, will drawn back a ten leagues of for fear to see him. And contrary wise, if he make himself a mean of good peace in France be, fore he go thence, he shallbe received, loved and honoured as much as heart can thinkand the foresaid Princes will wait for him by the way, to do him all the honour and solemnity in receiving him, that they can devise.  
And so long as his Majesty abideth in the same mind that he is in at this day, the said Earl seeth not that it is to any purpose for him to hope that the Prince Elector the Palsgrave should sand to the Queen of England for the accomplishing of marriage between her and the Duke: and much less that the said prince Elector should consent that the Prince Casimire his son should serve his Majesty: for the said Earl was sure that it should smally boot him to move the matter, neither could he do it with a safe conscience, so long as his Majesty is in arms against the protestants.  
His Majesty hath all occasions that can be wished to draw away his armed hand from his subjects, and to cease his wars against them, besides that the Duke his brother the chosen king of Polonia, if he desire to be well received, and to assure those country men, that his being among them, shall not be to trouble them or to disquiet their consciences, but to maintain them in the freedom wherein he found them, may also as the Duke his brother, upon like occasion make means to his Majesty, not to disquiet the protestants: and that if they departed otherwise, the one into Poland, and the other into England: besides that it should fall out ill for themselves in respect of the reasons aforesaid, they should leave his Majesty with such a war upon his hand as should be so much the more hard and dangerous, in respect of the abatement of his power, with the smallness of his comfort, and (which worse is) for that he should not have any man whom he might trust with the leading of his army, for as much as some are too serviceable and affectioned towards the Spanish King as his feed men, & his Majesty could not trust any man by reason of the things that had passed.  
Moreover, the said Earl could not forget to advertise his majesty, that beyond the seas men began to be grieved at the French fashions, and to wax loath to deal with them, because they bewray themselves to go unsoundly to work, and to seek for nothing but dissimulation: as not long ago while the Queen of England was deliberating upon the treaty of marriage between her Majesty and the Duke, in the mean while ships of war were sent privily in to Scotland, to stir up and maintain troubles there, and to make them spread by little and little into England.  
Again, the brute goeth commonly here, that the men whom his Majesty sendeth abroad, are all of them spies which come to discover what is done in princes houses, & moreover that all the discourses which his Majesty maketh with Ambassadors, (specially in the name of the Pope) and all the dispatches which he maketh unto Rome, are but tales and colours of assurance of good will, too overthrow the protestants on all sides, and namely the foresaid princes.  
And that there appeareth so much dissimulation and untruth in his majesties letters and words, as men cannot tell how to trust them in any good case: like as in his letters written to the said princes upon the wounding of the Lord Admiral, when he had given them to understand that he was sore displeased at the receipt of such a mischance, and would make such an example of justice of it, as should be remembered while the world endured: A two days after, he caused it to be proclaimed that it was his own doing.  
Furthermore, how much assurance so ever his majesty gave after the death of the said L. Admiral throughout all places of his dominion, that he meant not neither would, that any man should by any means altar his Edict of pacification: it can not in any wise agreed with the war which he maketh presently against his subjects of the religion, and much less with his own saying that he would not suffer any other Religion than his own within his realm.  
By reason of which persuasions, the prince cannot think that his majesties promising to secure him in the offer which he caused to be made to the said Earl without condition, was spoken with a playnmeaning heart, but rather feareth that the same proceeded out of the self-same shop that the former things came, because that in the letters of the Spanish Ambassador which were surprised a while ago as they were coming out of France to the Duke of Alva, it was seen that the Queen mother used such speech as this: I cannot think that these so good Christians will make any agreement with the Heretics: she spoke those words of the Prince to his hindrance, and therefore it is unlikely that there was any good meaning towards the furtherance of his affairs.  
The said Earl beseecheth his Majesty yet further, to set before his eyes what he hath oftentimes told him of the Cardinal of Lorreine: namely, that his doings were so suspicious on all sides, that whereas he was in credit with his Majesty, and had the ordering of all his affairs, it was not too be thought (so far as could be seen) that he would deal sound or uncorruptly in any thing, by reason of the great privity which he had with the Spaniards: yea and much less, in as much as it is reported, that he hath offered his majesty a great sum of money, to employ it against the protestants.  
Moreover, the said Earl beseecheth his Majesty to call to mind, what his highness hath said unto him oftentimes: namely, that he considered well the mischiefs that had assailed him on all sides, and that if he might by God's grace once remedy them, by the peace which he hath pained himself so much to make, he would take good heed, that he fell no more into them. For whereas he is at this hour further over the shoes than ever he was, through the counsel of such as under his name do bring those in suspicion which are called the heads of the factions, and provoke him to make clean riddance of them by what means so ever it be, as he did by the last slaughter: his Majesty may well see, it was not to leave of so, but to make him bathe himself more than before in the blood of his poor subjects, to the end to hasten his own ruin the more, whereof they have laid the platt a long time afore hand: which scar his majesty may yet for all this heal up again, by making a good peace in his realm, & by ceasing to trouble his subjects of the reformed religion.  
Finally, the said Earl desireth his Majesty to bethink him of this point, that although he had taken all the towns that are held by the Protestants in his Realm, yet should he not have rooted out the Religion: and to consider also, that the late Emperor Charles the fifth did not only take the towns, but also had the persons in his hands that did set themselves against his proceedings, seized upon their lands, and beat down their fortresses, and yet for all that could nor drive the Religion out of Germany, because it is a thing so rooted in men's hearts, that it cannot be weeded out by force of arms.  
Wherefore the said Earl most humbly beseecheth his Majesty, to take these reasons in as good part, as the Earl hath without passion or particular affection, sound, truly, and with good conscience commanded the Lord of Chastelier to prefer them to his understanding, and to weigh them and consider them well and thoroughly, not suffering himself to be flattered by such as play the lewd Physicians, which tell not their patient the lest part of his disease, whereupon followeth his undoing, but rather crediting such as seek nothing but his good furtherance and great increase. If he do so: his affairs shall have as good success, as he would wish. If not, but that he continued still in his former behaviour: all that ever he can do shall but turn to his undoing, and embattle both God and men still more and more against him.  
¶ FINIS.   

Concerning the conclusion and effect that hath ensued of these requests and advises, and touching the decease of the French King.  
IT is good for subjects to trust and pray that Kings shall live. It is good for Kings to think and know that kings may and must die. Many have been the examples thereof, and great is the fruit to the wise considerers. God's is the judgement and execution, mannes is the good or harm as God is to dispose in wrath or favour. The end is God's honour. It is therefore good for all, even the highest, to fear God, and to govern subjects as God's people. And sweet is the comfort to those noble Princes, whose hearts and consciences the spirit of God feelingly assureth, that they have lead their people in truth, holden them in justice, and preserved them in mercy and equity. Let the one Realm of France, in their Kings, their subjects, and their state, preach to Christendom the mortality of kings, the miseries of civil wars, the losses by disloyalty of word and deed, the fruits of truth, right, and peace. God's is the justice, and judgement, whose be the honour of all things seeming to men good or evil.  
The valiant and famous French king Henry the second, when he was in greatest appearance of felicity and joy, in the entric of peace, in the feasts of marriage, in the very acts of triumph, and even than when after execution of sundry for the cause of conscience he had Annas du Burg and other counsellors of the Parliament of Paris in prison, whom for their Religion he thought meet and intented to have put to death, was hurt and slain, to the great loss, dissolution & lamentation of that mighty kingdom.  
His son Francis the second, enriched with one kingdom more than ever his father or his ancestors enjoyed, the Realm of Scotland, when after execution of many persons upon the tumult of Amboise, & the death of the Vidame of Chartres, he had the prince of Conde, Madame de Roye, and other noble persons & gentlemen, prisoners in the Bastile of Paris and elsewhere, was suddenly taken away by the hand of God to the great destitution and sorrow of those that depended upon his Majesty.  
Charles the ninth, now lately deceased second son of King Henry, and younger Brother to the said Francis, when he thought himself delivered of those whom he supposed dangerous to his estate, and whom he charged with most heinous conspiracy, found afterward mighty resistance by the remnants of that execution, by whom these Articles of request were presented unto him: whereupon hath not followed such full conclusion as had been to be wished for the quiet of that kingdom. Since which time, and the lamentable troubles depending, when the said king had his own Brother, with the next Prince of his blood, his greatest Mareshals of his Realm, and a number of noble men, in custody and prison, and daily expectation was of a total destruction of some part of his subjects, God hath added him to his ancestors.  
The circumstances of his disease, the cause, occasion and manner of his death, pertaineth not to us. It was the work of God. Not doubt, he lacked not the care of a mother, the counsel of Physicians and cunning persons, the help, advise, wish and prayer of the famous king his brother, and all that men might do. But Kings who to us in resemblance are Gods, to themselves in Nature be men. God give to all Princes, not that opinion only, but also that cogitation, both to think it, and think upon it. God give quiet to that christian region of our neighbours, and an heart to all Christian governor:, to have care of the safety and peace of their posterity. For beyond all posterity there is a King of Kings to be answered, And GOD give us Englishmen quiet and thankful hearts, that we may rest in unity, cleave to present state, abhor changes, and so use our Religion that God found it not necessary to withdraw our highest treasure. Amen.