THE LETTER OF THE FRENCH King, to the Parliament of Rouen, concerning the death of the Marshal D'Ancre.  
Together with an Act of the said Parliament thereupon.  
COR VNUM VIA una   printer's or publisher's device 
LONDON Printed by H. L. for Nathanael Newberry; and are to be sold at his Shop under St. Peter's in Cornhill, and in Popes-head Alley. 1617.   


COR VNUM VIA una   
THE KING'S LETTER sent to the Parliament of Rouen.  
By the King.  
OUR Trusty & Beloved: We doubt not, but that in the sequel of those proceedings which have passed, since the death of the late King Our most honoured Lord, and Father, you have evidently observed, how Martial D' Ancre and his wife, abusing Our minority, and the power which of long time he possessed with the Queen our most honoured Lady and Mother, did practice to usurp the whole authority of our State, to dispose absolutely of all affairs, and to remove all means, from our coming to the knowledge or understanding thereof; A design which they so wrought and effected, that hitherto We carried but only the bare Name, and title of a King: They condemning it as a capital crime in any of our Officers or Subjects (when they did visit us in particular) to entertain us with any serious discourse. Which God of his infinite bounty giving Us the grace at last to discern, and pointing out unto Us as it were with his omnipotent finger, the imminent peril that hung over Our person, and State, through such an insatiable and irregular ambition; We gave testimony at length of our apprehension in this point, and of the singular desire We had, to take requisite and due order for the same: Yet were We enforced in all our exterior actions, to disguise and cover that, which inwardly in heart We determined and resolved upon, while it might please the same our good GOD to open Us a fit way, and convenient opportunity, to apply thereunto some prevalent remedy. Upon these intentions, not many days since, it fell out, that sundry persons, both of Our capital City of Paris, as also others of diverse parts of Our Kingdom, taking occasion, of the said Martial D' Ancre his absence (who was gone into Normandy, with a deliberation there to sojourn for some time) addressed themselves to the Queen Our said Lady & Mother, and to such Ministers as the said Marshal and his wife had established, (who under them, at their will and pleasure, should carry and sway all proceedings within this State) and effectually laid open their reasons to them, why it was most necessary and expedient, that We ourself should readily and seriously assume the sole Administration of our weighty affairs; otherwise, that our Realm which now began to rise and revolt in all parts by means of this want and defect, could not avoid an absolute and lamentable subversion.  
Whereof Martial D' Ancre having been advertised, and returning with all expedition, began to employ his power and policy, not only to stop the course of these provident propositions and overtures, as repugnant to his own ends, but further he resolved to deprive Ourself of all means to put them in practice, by certain counsels and courses, which I think yet more fit to conceal, than publish. All which being comen to Our perfect understanding and notice, and considering that besides the danger of Our person, the mortal hatred that almost all our good subjects and servants did bear towards the usurped and insolent authority and government of these people, would in such sort exasperate, and obdurate, the minds of men within Our kingdom, as it would be in danger to grow to an unquenchable flame and combustion:  
Moved I say, by these just, and most weighty considerations, & by the heavenly instinct, that God upon this occasion put into Our heart: We resolved to secure Ourself of the person of the said Marshal D' Ancre, giving express charge to Sieur de Vitry Captain of Our Guards, to apprehend and arrest him within Our Castle of the Lowre. The which Our pleasure he intending to put in execution, the said Marshal (who according to his accustomed manner, had many followers about him) himself with some other of his company, made offer to resist: whereupon, certain bullets were discharged; of which some light on the said Marshal, so as he remained dead upon the place.  
Afterwards, We caused his wife to be arrested, and also his above mentioned Ministers; having furthermore entreated the Queen Our said Lady and Mother, to be content that from thenceforward, We might take the government of Our State into Our own hands, and so labour to divert from it those extremities and miseries, whereinto it hath been plunged, by the sinister counsels which she formerly had made use of. The accomplishment of which business We hope, God of his gracious goodness will the more readily grant Us, in that all our intentions have no other aim or scope, but his glory, and the good of Our subjects. Which We thought good to advertise you of, to the end you may make it known through all your precincts; adding to these formerly specified, any other reasons you shall think fit and convenient, for containing every man within the bounds of obedience and duty; Taking vigilant care, that none may rise, or mutiny, within Our said territories, & that nothing may disturb the peace, and quiet, which We desire to have maintained. But if there be any that have Complaints, or Requests to make, let them be assured, that if they repair to Us, by those mediations and ways, that subjects ought to use, when they would petition to their King, they shall always find Us inclining to whatsoever standeth with reason, or justice.  
This Action hath here been so approved and allowed, that here is nothing but applause, and every man's benediction upon Us for the same, because We attempted it in so due and necessary a time: and We hope it will receive no less approbation in other places. In the mean while, We have writ to all our Lieutenants, and Generals of our Armies, to keep them still afoot, that if occasion serve, We may employ them against those, that will not acknowledge Our sovereign Authority. We will shortly dispatch unto you Letters of instruction more at large.  
Given at Paris, this xxiiii. of April. 1617. Signed: Lewis. And underneath: Pottier.   

The Act of the Court Parliament of Rouen, hereupon ensuing.  
THE whole Court, and the several Houses thereof assembled, do most expressly enjoin and command, conformably to the Kings most excellent Majesty his will and pleasure, signified in his Letters bearing date the xxiv. of this month; that those of the Garrisons, within the Castles of Pontdelarch, Caen, and Quillebeuf, do presently make over those places into the hands of those exempt, now deputed by his Majesty, to establish therein such order, as He hath appointed. And they have, and do prohibit all the King's subjects, either by themselves to work or to cause any other to labour in the fortifications of the said places, or to bring in any victual or munition, upon the utmost pain and peril of their lives; All the judges, and Officers of the said places being hereby enjoined to see this executed, and to advertise the said Court of their proceeding herein. To which end, we have caused this present Act to be sent unto them, by the King's Attorney General, there to be published where need shall require.  
Given at Rouen in the said Court of Parliament, the xxuj. of April. 1617. Signed: De Bois levesque.   

A further Advertisement.  
KNow also good Reader, that it is credibly reported, that the dead corpse of the Marshal D' Ancre hath undergone the greatest Indignities and Shame, that can be inflicted, or proceed from the fury of a vulgar multitude, provoked to hatred by his Tyranny: viz. that being buried obscurely, befitting his baseness, he was taken up again, and dragged through the streets of Paris with his face on the ground, unto the gallows: where being disfigured and dismembered in most shameful manner, he was as shamefully hanged, and his privy members nailed thereunto. But that satisfied not their rage, until they had taken down his miserable body, and divided it into many parts (burning some) and dispersing them into diverse places; that so his shame, and their indignation towards him, might be published into those parts that had felt his tyrannous insolency in the time of his former greatness and potency.  
And withal, that his Wife being imprisoned, hath had her hair shorn off her head, for some probation and trial of her witchcraft: but the effects of that are not yet certified.  
FINIS.