❧ THE TRANSlation of a letter written by a French gentlewoman to an other gentlewoman stranger, her friend, upon the death of the most excellent and virtuous Lady, Elinor of Roye, Princes of Conde, containing her last will and Testament.  
Done by Henry Myddelmore gentleman at the request of the Lady Anne Throkmorton.  
¶ Imprinted at London by john day, for Humfrye toy, dwelling in Paul's Churchyard.  
Cum privilegio Regiae Maiestatis, 1564.   

❧ The last will and Testament of the Princes of Conde.  
SO soon as reason and gods word might command mine eyes, and that this paper, watered over with my tears, might dry itself: I did take my pen in hand to answer the request that so instantly you made unto me, to writ you a brief discourse of the manner & course of my Lady the Princes of Condes sickness: For the great desire you have (as you say) that the shadow of her death, may serve you for a light to lighten your doings, against the thickness of the darkness of our life in this perilous pilgrimage. But I pray you (if I do not satisfice your expectation according to the sufficiency of the subject) accuse the baseness of my wit rather than the good will I have to content you, and to give by this private letter (since better I cannot do it) a faithful testimony of her virtue, which well deserveth a public setting forth. The profane ancients were wont to say when they did lose such patterns and examples of virtue, that God, being angry with men, did beareft them of so great a good before the tyme. And you shall give me leave to say to you, that in very conscience I believe he judged us unworthy of a thing of so great valour.  
And now, leaving to speak of the rest of her life, & of the first and furthest causes of her evil, that is to say the extreme sorrows which she was driven to devour, in that first perilous time of the imprisonment of my Lord the Prince her husband, and likewise of Madame de Roye her mother (the same being a right worthy argument of a great history, whereby might be eternised, and made perpetual, the singular graces which God had endued this noble Princes with, and the unspeakable force and constancy of her mind in all her adversities) I will begin with the most evidentes and freshest.  
I doubt not, but you have hard how that after she had letfe my Lord her husband at Meaux (at the same time that he resolved to go to Orleans) as she was travaling towards her house, called Muret, and passing by a village named Vanderay, near unto Lizy & upon the river of Ours, a company of paisants (which then were going in procession) did set upon her and the Marquis of Conty her eldest son, with staves, stones, crosses and banners, and that without any occasion given, but that there was a malicious & naughty priest amongst them, who for the hatred that he bore to the religion, incited & set on the said troop of paisants so to outrage her and her company, at this very time the fire of the troubles for religion did begin to kindle, and in the most parts of all France the sparkelles thereof did already appear.  
This furor and populous rage, did so move and unquiet this good Lady, that having gone to the end of cyghte months, she was the same day, by fear, and before her time, delivered of two boys, at a village called Gandalu, before she could recover any of her own houses. And within few days after (as she was naturally of great courage and heart) she took her way towards Orleans, to meet with my Lord her husband: Whether she came in the end by long and dangerous journeys. For you must imagine, that all the ways and passages were already taken and kept. And that therefore she was driven to use great circumspection, and to expose her person to very great danger to make that hasardous voyage.  
Note you that, of this same inconueniencye: Of the second time of the imprisonment of my Lord her husband, after the cruel conflict of a battle: Of the besieging of the town of Orleans, and so of the pains and continual travails, which she did suffer & abide during the whole time of the troubles (beside that she did not diligently enough look to her self, when she had the last year the small pokes at Galleon) hath grown and proceeded, by course of time, all her sickness and indisposition: But chiefly an Issue of blood, caused by a Carcinome, or eating canker, in the Matrice: which her shamefastness and chastity, would never suffer to be dressed as it was requisite and necessary.  
This flux of blood, which was fair, red, and of good substance, began the xxuj day of April last passed, but took her more abundantly the thursday and Sunday next following, and so continued and left of, at certain times until the xxiij day of this present month of july: At what time her forces were so abated and weakened, that she lost utterly the power retentive: so as the same then running out unto the drop of that little that remained of the former great voydynges, she yielded happily up her spirit to God, through lack of natural heat, at Conde about xj. of the cloak in the morning.  
This evacuation was very much hastened by a diet which a little before she had taken in hand, and would needs continue the same after her return from Troy: where setting aside all other things, she had been in great haste to see my Lord her husband, then newly, fallen into a sickness: which diet was clean contrary to her, & the drink that she took did greatly heat & chafe her blood, which of itself was over subtle. Herein I can assure you that after the Physicians and chirurgeons were on's made acquainted with all, they did omit nothing of that, that order and knowledge might command: And it had been very easy at the beginning to have remedied and healed it, if the matter had been so soon declared as it was requisite.  
In the time of this sickness many accidents happened, as the lask, the fever Hetique, which was with some access, pain of the reins, with great unquietness, faintinges and soundings through the venomous vapours carried from the diseased part to the stomach, to the liver, to the heart, and to the brain. You must think that I can hardly express unto you all her griefs, for they were by the judgement of them that be most expert in that art, so diverse and violent, that they had been undurable to any other.  
Wherein, I pray you mark well, how greatly God did assist and strengthen her, for she never opened her mouth to murmur, nor made any show or countenance of impatience. I did always see her in her greatest pains with dry eyes, without crying, without tears, and without complaints: which be ordinary to all sick folks, yea to the most strongest and constants.  
And because I know, it will be great pleasure unto you, to hear me particularize somewhat of her behaviours, I will show you, that the most eager and lamentable voice, that in all the time of her sickness I ever hard her pronounce (and yet as you know I was very little from her) was that one time about an eight days before her death, being pressed with extreme pain, she addressed herself to God, in raising her voice a little more than she was accustomed (when she could not find in two beds with all her often changings, any one place where she might rest one minute of an hour) and said.  
Oh Lord God almighty, forasmuch as in all the places of this terrestrial abiding (how great and spacious soever it be, and whereof thou art only creator) I cannot find by all my diligence one little corner of quietness nor void of grief (whereby I might liberally pronounce, as I was wont, thy great goodness and mercy) I leave and give over willingly my longer dwelling and abode here, to return, if it please thee, at this time to that heavenvly rest which thou hast prepared for me, by the death and passion of thy well-beloved Son. Make my God my Father by his means, that my soul and body be both content and at rest: The one, to be free and at liberty going strait to thee, who I see doth already stretch out his arms for me: The other abiding insensible here below, until thou dost waken it at the sound of thy coming.  
I cannot tell whether this her talk will seam to you out of order or no, but I can assure you I never hard her speak worse words in the mids of her greatest extremities.  
This chaste Lady, for so I may right well call her, as accomplished in every degree and in all circumstances in that excellent gift and matronall modesty, which did follow her even unto her grave, as you see justice doth Kings to their burials (whereof I require no better proof than the very confession of her enemies (and I do nothing marvel if in your country so many wise and grave Ladies do determine to set her before their eyes, for an image & mirror of chastity in the bringing up & nurturing of their daughters, even as we here amongst ourselves desire to do the like. For to speak truly, she doth excel all those that ever have been celebrated by any history: And at one word there was never nothing that found place in her heart but virtue only: And thereof I may be a sufficient witness, having had the honour, even from her cradle and most tender years, to be always about her person.  
She, I say, did well foresee, so soon as this Issue of blood began to take her, that the disease was mortal: And besides her own judgement (having hard the opinion of them that had the charge of her health) she resolved incontinently to give order in her household affairs, to th'intent she might the more liberally think of God.  
And to this effect she sent for my Lord the Prince her husband, desiring him most humbly to come to her: which he did forthwith and in great haste, after he had received the news thereof at Vitry: from whence on the morrow the court removed to Bar.  
And after he had been a two or three days at home with her, & that she had made many cheerful shows and countinaunces of the joy she had to see him (for you know there was never woman that loved, cherished, honoured, or respected more her husband than she did him) she prayed two personages, towards the law, which she knew did love and honour their house, to go and declare unto him the great danger of death wherein she thought herself to be (fearing it should grieve him much more if she herself did tell him it): To th'intent it might please him to give her leave to ordain and dispose of certain things which she desired to have executed after her decease.  
And I do very well remember that when she sent these two counsellors to him, she desired them to say unto him amongst all the rest) these words which I did well note.  
Since, the good pleasure of God was that the separation of him, & her should be made as touching the body, yet she desired him that their souls might continue together inseparable, in that charity which they did owe alike to their father jesus Christ: who had so miraculously delivered them in the sight of all the world, from so many troubles and dangers as they had passed and escaped by his grace: That he had left unto them children the sure gage of their amity: And that to begin her testament, she did make him universal inheritor of that Mass of love that she had hitherto bo●●e them: To the end that after her death he should love them both for himself and for her to: recommending them unto him principally for their bringing up and instruction in the fear of God: which she assured to be the most certain good and patrimony that she could leave them.  
They have, said she, good beginnings, and that at the hands of a sufficient master (meaning the minister de l'Espine) who in deed hath of late taken great pains with them, interpreting unto them every morning (with great dexterity) the proverbs of Solomon: And in the afternoon the Commentaries of julius Caesar, whereby my Lord Marquis their eldest son hath so well profited, that he is one of the best learned that is to be found of his age.  
She added unto these (as she was always a well spoken woman) many other godly sayings & exhortations: which the force of the stream that issued out of mine eyes did let me to bear away. And do you not marvel at all, if I did then weep so abundantly, for the two persons before spoken of, did no less, before they departed to go thither as she had desired them.  
Soon after I saw them return again to make report of the honest & wise talk, that my Lord the Prince had used unto them upon this sorrowful subject: Whereof the good Lady received a most great contentation & comfort: And they both told me apart: that it was impossible for any man to speak more eloquently than the Prince had done to them (as every man knoweth how well spoken he is, of how good judgement he is, and how gentle a Prince he is) True it is, said they, that we have very well perceived, that the amity and love which he beareth to this his dear spouse & companion, did oftentimes break the third of his Oration, by the many and deep sighs he gave, which do sufficiently witness his just & profound sorrow.  
God, said he, who hath conjoined us together, separate & sunder us since it doth so please him: it is reason that we do wholly conform ourselves to his holy will: It is certain that he is more happy that goeth to him, than he that carrieth here and abideth an other passage: Oh happy hour that God shall ordain us to be reunited in heaven, in the place of everlasting felicity.  
In the mean time, I will study to keep well the gauges which she hath left me, and will continue them in the same manner of teaching that so christianly they have begun, to th'intent, that the use and the property of the mother, of the father, and of the children, be all to God: who by his puissant hand hath so oftentimes delivered and conserved this house of ours.  
If I do consider & way the rareness of my good fortune herein (which doth present itself incessantly before mine eyes: and whereof I see myself utterly spoiled by this separation) It can not be, that I can find here sufficient or equal consolation: when no man is able to number by all the millions that may be assembled, the infiniteness of so notable a loss. I will therefore have my recourse to him (if I dare say so) that hath given me the wound, who shall, and please him, furnish me of aswaging plaster of his word to heal the same: as it is said of them that be bitten by the Scorpion, must seal the remedy of the Scorpion.  
And as to that she prayeth me, by you, to double my good will towards our children: I did feal in my heart at the very same instant that you spoke these words to me, I can not tell what manner of hidden infusion, that hath increased in me the fire of fatherly love: which I did before believe, could not have received any increase, persuading always myself, that it was not possible to augment it in me.  
You shall now return, and say to her, I pray you, that this oration, which she hath made me, by your mouths, hath so resolved me, that I feal in me the effects of the force of her noble courage: and that I do praise God greatly for the inestimable constancy, that he hath given her: but I pray her that in any wise she do not omit nor forsake any of those means, which God hath departed to men by art and industry, for the recovering of her health: to th'intent she do not leave behind her an increase of my sorrows, when I should understand hereafter the fault of her remedy.  
This discourse was much more great & grave as you may well think: but excuse (I pray you) the memory of a woman so grievously troubled and attainted.  
This done, she caused two Notaries to come unto her, unto whom she spoke from word to word her last will and Testament commanding them to write in this sort following.  
Considering the fragility and uncertainty of this life, and that God, by this grievous sickness (where with it hath pleased him to visit me) hath warned me as it were by a calling upon, to prepare myself, & to take order in my worldly affairs, that I might be ready with speed to follow his will, when it shall please him to call me: I have made, said, and ordained, this which followeth, for the declaration of my last will and testament, revoking all others in any sort made heretofore.  
First, I beseech thee my good God, that when it shall please thee to deliver me of the miseries and pains of this life, & to take my soul out of the prison of this body (wherein it is closed, but for a time) that of thy goodness & mercy, thou wilt vouchsafe to receive it into thy hands, and to place it in the possession and enjoying of that felicity, which thy dear Sun hath bought us by his death and passion: And by this means to assure, the steadfast faith, which thou hast given us by thy promises, & sealed, as well by the sacrament of baptism, as by the same of thy holy Supper, of the general remission of our sins: all which we believe to be so defaced by the blood & obedience of thy Son, that they shall never come in account before thee.  
Secondly, I recommend unto thee our children, praying thee, that (according to thy promiss) thou wilt be their God, their Father, and protector: & that extending thy blessing upon them, it may please thee to illuminat, & instruct them in the knowledge and fear of thy holy name: and to serve thyself of them, as thou hast done of their father, to exalt thy glory, to procure and conserve the reapose and quietness of thy church, and to pluck up by the root all that which thou hast not planted therein: Make them by thy special goodness, instruments and vessels of thy glory, & replenish them with thy heavenly graces, commanding them by the authority which thou hast given me over them, that they do avow and dedicate all their life to thy service and to the same of thy church.  
I refer the burying of my body to the good will & pleasure of my Lord my husband, knowing well that where so ever it doth lie, it will rest there in a very certain hope of his resurrection.  
Then she disposed her goods to my Lords her children, and gave many charitable Legacies: And amongst others one for the entertaining of the College of la Ferté au Col, which a little before my Lord her husband, and she had instituted and erected.  
She did also ordain that upon her lands, a certain pension should be yearly levied towards the finding of the Ministers of gods word: and did herself hear the accounts of all her servants, to th'end she might help them to that, that in any sort might be due unto them: so great was her care to do right to every body, and to understand her household affairs: whereunto she would be made privy even unto the last extremity: giving as good order in them, and with as sound a judgement, as at any time she was accoustumed to do in her most perfect health.  
That being done she caused the minister Perrucel to be called, and declared unto him how glad she was to understand that she should very shortly go to her God, by the end of this sickness: And that therefore she would consider of the state of her conscience: Not said she, thanks be to God, that I do feel myself otherwise than well disposed towards my creator, & ready to go to him when it shall please him: but to the end that you father, whom god hath ordained shepherd in my Lord my husband's house and mine, may know the face of this sheep of your flock: and that I die contented, that I have given before the Minister of the church of the Lord, a true testimony of my faith & hope of health, which by his grace and goodness I receive of him.  
Then with joined hands, and eyes lifted up on high, she made humble confession of her faith: declaring that she did believe & confess God to be, and in being to be God only, distinct, notwithstanding in three persons, which are the Father, the Sun, & the holy Ghost: that he is creator, conserver and governor of heaven, the earth, the Sea, and all that is in them: without whose will & pleasure no creatures (be they Angels, devils, or any other) can make or move any thing: and yet nevertheless he can not be said, nor aught to be said, the procurer to evil, or the cause or author of sin, which doth proceed of the corruption & malice, that man hath purchased to himself.  
After this, she protested that she did not think, that there was any other mean or way, by the which men might have remission of their sins, health, and everlasting life, but by jesus Christ only: and that there is no other name given to man for his salvation, but that only: and that as he is very God, he is also only saviour and redeemer, mediator & advocate of man towards God, and sole sacrificatour & sacrifice: who hath once for all satisfysed & appeased the wrath and straight judgement of God the father, by his death for us, & hath fully justified us in his resurrection.  
Wherefore I take him, said she, for my only and notwithstanding sufficient ransom, for my peace, for my wisdom, for my justice & for my santcfication: assuring myself that he did prepare a place for me in heaven, when he ascended thither, & that he doth there tarry me with his father & mine by him, with the holy Ghost, the Angels and the saints: where I desire to be with all my heart, and whether I am sure I shall go or it be long,  
Thirdly she gave to understand that we ought not to serve God, otherwise or in other sort then as he hath appointed us by his word: And therefore that she did acknowledge two parts in the true service of God: Whereof the first and principal is to trust and believe steadfastly in him: to obey his holy commandments: to call upon him in all our necessities: & to give thanks to him only as the only author of all goodness.  
Tother is to exercise in the church those things which he hath established: as the ministry of his word and of his Sacraments, the ecclesiastical Discipline in her pureness, following his order therein, without mingling either of the wit or invention of man: and therefore addressing her speech a new to God she said further on this sort.  
How abundantly, oh Lord, hast thou vouchsafed to show thy mercies upon me, that by thy holy spirit hast made me understand and see, that thy holy word, the holy Baptism & the holy Supper (which be the two Sacraments, that thy Son jesus Christ hath left to thy church his spouse & body) the discipline and correction of sinners, ordained by him in his Gospel, be purely and sincerely administered in the reformed churches of France: & also that in the same churches, the true doctrine of obedience, of repentance, of faith, and justification by the same, through the merit of jesus Christ (without that there may be any thing at all allowed of ours for payment) is there preached and constantly declared: that God's name is truly called upon there, that is to say, in the only name of jesus Christ: and that to him alone begive all thanks for all his goodness received:  
For these causes I say, Oh my Lord, & deliverer, I do acknowledge that these reformed churches, with all other like unto than (where soever they be) do make togethers the spouse and the body of thy Son jesus Christ, thy chosen vine, thy flock, thy holy jerusalem, and thy lawful assembly: thanking thee with all my heart, that thou haste called me to this most happy knowledge: yea and I thank thee more, that thou haste made me one of the stones of this thy building & humble City, one of the sheep of this thy flock, one of the branches of this thy vine, and one of the members of this body & and of this spouse of thy Son jesus Christ.  
Make me so to persevere (oh divine goodness) and continue in me these graces even unto the last sigh of my life: to the end that according to thy promise, I may be received of the into the kingdom and heritage of thy most happy children.  
The end of the will.  
Within an hour after she sent for, and caused to come into her chamber, the Minister de l' Espine, of whom I have already spoken to you: and continuing (in one manner of fervency & affection) the talk which before she had entamed, she began to recite the favours which God had showed her, having as unto the world made her greatly honourable, and imparted largely enough unto her of the goods of the same: assisted her in all her affairs, defended and sustained my Lord her husband, my Lady her mother, herself, her children, her kinsfolks and friends, against all the enterprises and conspiracies of their enemies: and yet that all these his graces, did seam little unto her, in respect of the knowledge which he had given her of him & of his Sun by his holy word: for in that only consisted all her felicity, & it was the certain and true foundation of all her hope.  
And being by all these reasons infinitely bound to serve God, that notwithstanding she had not done her duty to acknowledge and confess the author from whom so many and sundry blessings came unto her, to give unto him for them all thanks, praises and glory.  
Nevertheless for all these great ingratitudes which she had used towards God, she did verily hope that by his mercy and the merit of his Son the same and all other his faults should be entyerely pardoned, assuring herself to be in the number of his sheep, by the grace she had received to hear the voice of her sheppeard, & pastor, and that by his calling of her, she was assured of her justice and glory.  
For these causes she said, she desired nothing more earnestly than to be quickly out of this world, that she might go into the arms of her Saviour: & that notwithstanding, she did leave behind her my Lord the Prince her husband, my Lady her mother, & my Lords her children (which she did love as much and as well as nature and duty might bear) yet she preferred God to all them: And that there was nothing so dear unto her, as to follow readily and cheerfully his good will and pleasure.  
The devil she said did set before her eyes many sundry imaginations, touching the kingdom of heaven: & went about to persuade her, that it was not the same that she took it to be, that by that means he might bring her to be loath to leave the vain pleasures & delights of this world: But for all that, she did remain anchored in that faith, that eye never saw, care never hard, nor heart of man could ever conceive, which god hath prepared for his elect.  
As she had thus made an end, came into the chamber my Lord the Prince (as he was very diligent in visiting of her) and after that he had spent a few words, in the coumforting of her, she said unto him, there were four things which did greatly satisfice and content her. The first was the assurance, she had of her salvation, for by the hope and hand of faith, she did already enjoy eternal life. Her second contentation was, in the reputation of an honest woman, which she had always had, by the grace of God. Thirdly, she did assure herself, that even, as she had as faithfully served him, loved him, and honoured him, as any woman in the world could do her husband: so she did as verily believe that on his part, he did hold himself very well content, & satisfised of her: And for the last point, she did greatly rejoice, that God did leave such a father to her children, and such a Grandmother, as would bring them up in the fear of the Lord, which was the chiefest of her desires.  
My Lord the Prince could no longer abide to hear this manner of talk, and therefore after having felt her pulse, he retired himself upon this word which she said to him: Sir, thus I must end my course, to win the price, which I see prepared for me at the end of the lists of this painful carire.  
After the Prince was thus returned into his chamber, he sent unto her my Lord Marquis their son to make her merry, understanding that she had sent for him, & that she took great pleasure to see him (as he is very amiable & doth promise many good things, which ought to be desired in a good Prince: When she had asked him how he did, and the Seigneur of Garannes', his governor, how he used himself: she demanded of him, if he would not be content, that, according to the order of nature, she did first go to God, since it was so his pleasure to call her, that being our Father, he did nothing but for our advancement and profit.  
I pray you my son, said she, fear him above all things, & honour him as author of all goodness: at whose hands you ought to look for all favour, since it hath pleased him to leave in our house so great an earnest of his beneficence, which you shall much better judge with more years. Grow in virtue, my little friend, which is the true ornament of the great: to the end you may be capable to do the King agreeable service: In whose face every man may see the print and mark of a well borne Prince and of a little josias, of whom you have hard me so often speak. Honour my lord Cardinal of Bourbon, my Lord your father, my Lady your grandmother, your uncles my Lords of chastilion & Rochefoucault, which be men that fear God, and have made good proof of their virtues in fondry sorts: Love well the common wealth, and procure it by all just means, without offending your conscience: Love your two brethren and your sister, not as a brother, but as a father, for so you must be to them, since you are the eldest and be no more a child: Talk the oftenest, that you may with the Ministers Perrucel & de l'Espine, for your soul's health, & believe the council of three men of Law, which you know to be beloved and esteemed of my Lord your father and me: Beware that you never do any thing under colour or procurement, that any man shall say to you, that your governor (be he never so watchful) shall not here nor know of it: For your Father who is in heaven doth see, understand, and know all thing, & therefore you should be ashamed to do evil, as if he were always present & by you, according to the godly instructions of your book of Solomon, which you should never leave out of your hands, to the end that in all your life and conversation, you may speak & recite to every body, that which is contained therein: Be gentle and tractable to such as be so: abating the pride of them, whose audacity should make them forget them selfs: Let your mouth be the house of truth, your hand open to the poor, & your gates closed to flatterers.  
If you do this, my jewel, you shall have as Abraham, Isaac, & jacob had gods blessing and mine: which I do give you with this ring of Diamant, that you shall keep for my sake, and in remembrance of that which I have said to you: Whereof your governor is witness, & can well put you in mind of it, in time and place convenient, as he is most careful of your well doing.  
She did then turn her talk to my Lady her daughter, and willed her to mark diligently that which she had said to her brother: and that she should believe the council and advise of the Lady of saint Cir her governess, no less than as if she were her natural mother.  
These little children, which sometimes kissed her mouth & sometimes her hands, were by her commandment taken out of her sight, lest they should have been made more sorrowful, and because, with all that she could do she could note stay them by any means from most bitter weeping.  
After she had thus said to her children, she began with a new admonition to her maids and gentlewomen: but you shall hold me excused if I do not tell you the hole: for I did then go forth to prepare a thing which the physicians had appointed for her: And I came again, as she was praying them to remember the good bringing up and nouriture which they had had in her house, and the example which she had given them: Have always (my daughters, said she) the reverence of God before your eyes: and let your honour be more dear unto you then your lives: Love my Lady my mother & my daughter, for they love that, that toucheth me, and you shall continue with them until you be married. Farewell my maidens: think me happy and contented, and learn you to die well.  
At night, feeling herself troubled with a great lask, with a short breath, & with a pain in her throat, she caused the Minister Perrucel to come to her, & to talk to her of God, as oftentimes he did: and as he was in comforting of her, she lifted up her hands to heaven, and with a soft sigh, said in this sort.  
Ha my God my Father, it is now that I shall come to thee: I have fought a good combat: I have kept my faith: I have ended my course, and all by thy grace and favour: for the which, I assure myself that I shall have, or it be long, the crown of justice, and shall live of the life, that thou keepest for me, and hast hidden for me in jesus Christ.  
Then stretching out her hand to master Perrucell she said: Father, pray to God, to give me perseverance and increase in all his graces: that he will strengthen me against all assaults and temptations: that he will always hold his hand over me, as I do see he doth in his son jesus Christ: that he do make me continually feel his love towards me, that he do deliver me from all grief & sorrow, which might trouble me for the leaving of any corruptible thing of this world, and that the violence of my sickness, do not hinder me from the magnifying of his name and highness.  
In this sort she spoke to the Minister, for that she thought her speech should soon after be taken from her, judging the same so, by that she felt inwardly.  
So, as immediately after they had prayed, she sent for my Lord her husband, who was then a bed (for it was near unto one of the clock after midnight) and for all the request that Madame de Roye did make unto her, to defer the matter until the morning, she continued still in the contrary, assuring herself, as she said, that he would not be sorry to be wakened for so great an occasion: & that it was not good to tarry until she could speak no more, lest she could not declare unto him those things which God had put into her heart.  
Thus was my Lord the Prince called, at whose coming all the company gave place, and suffered them to speak together. I cannot declare unto you the talk that then passed betwixt them: for albeit I was very near, yet I could understand nothing, her voice was so much decayed, and to tell you true, I did sometimes slumber, as you may imagine, we had no great rest, neither night nor day. I remember very well that this discourse betwixt them dured almost an hour, for it was near the break of day before they left of, and about that time she was wont to fall to a little rest, as she then did.  
In the afternoon her pain did take her again (which all the morning before was slaked) whereupon she began to say to master Perrucel. It is, now, father, that God will have me, whereof I do most rejoice: but alas I am sorry, that my short breath, & the rheum which falleth from my brain, do let me to praise him: pray him, as you did this night past, that it may please him to give me a little respite to call upon him, not that I do desire to live any longer, for he knoweth my thoughts, and readeth in the tables of my heart.  
So soon as the prayer was made, she felt herself much eased, & at the same instant she gave God thanks in this sort. Is it not thou (Oh immortal Lord, mighty God, wise & good) that without the help of man appaisest in one moment of time my travail and pains? Oh inestimable goodness, which dost make thyself to be so openly seen, touched & féelte of me, fortify my soul, since thou dost abate my body.  
In this sort she continued a good time in praising and thanking of God: Afterwards she framed and made her prayers for my Lord her husband, my Lords her children, my Lady her mother, for all the Church, and finally, for all them of whom God had most specially bound her to have care: as her kinsfolks, her friends, her allies, her servants and subjects: which prayer was at the lest an hour long, togethers with the same, she made for the King, and for the tranquillity of the Realm.  
So great were then the sorrows, weepings, and lamentable voices of all those that were present, that I could bear away neither the substance, nor the form of it: but this I can assure you, that it is impossible to hear more humble, pure and fervent prayers, than she made at that time: & I know very well, that all the hole company had their hearts no less heavy than I, which may be a sufficient testimony to you of the same.  
In the end she asked pardon of all the world, namely of my Lady her mother, and of her good sister, Madame de Rochefoulcault, who was there with her as continually, as if she had been tied to her.  
While these things were in doing, there came upon her again great difficulty for the taking of her breath, with a sore grief in her side, which put her suddenly to silence: but this evil did immediately cease by the remedy of prayer: A thing worthy of great marvel: & as she herself did well acknowledge, at whose hands she received that ease and favour. And I remember how curiously, at the same time, she caused l'Espine to recite unto her the passages of the Scripture, which be proper and meet for the consolation of them, which die in jesus Christ: Of all which I well bare away the same of the Apocalypse, and that of Isaiah in the last chapters: which you shall for my sake, and please you, read over at your leisure.  
I will not write you here the divine dialogues, that passed betwixt her and my Lady her mother, during the course of this sickness: as of the greatness of God, of his wisdom, goodness and mercy, of hell, of the consciences of such as have not his fear before their faces, of the difference of true & false service, of the assurance of the faithful soul at the article of death: And of such other high matters, which well deserve hole and long letters: but I will keep them in store for you against an other time: and believe I pray you, that I should find myself greatly troubled, if I should come to give my judgement whether of them said better, For you know what sweetness there is in the mouth of Madame de Roye, and how grave her discourses be.  
The night before the death of our religious Princes, about two of the clock after midnight, the Minister Perrucel (perceiving it should be very hard for her to pass the day following) declared unto her (as she had always desired him) that the hour in his opinion did draw near of her departing: that she should be or it were long at her desired rest: that in any wise she took a good heart to her, without having fear of the law, of sin, of hell, or of any other enemy of her salvation: that all such thieves and robbers had been put to flight, by the Lamb of God jesus Christ, together with the emperor of death, the devil & his empire, who was made cursedness and condemnation, for all them that put their trust and confidence in him.  
And when the Minister asked her, if she felt not herself by the virtue and grace of the holy Ghost, armed of the pieces which saint Paul writeth of, to the Ephesians: and above all of the buckler of faith, and the sharp sword of the word of God: She answered, yea truly father, I have in my heart that which God, since my youth, hath put in it, the assurance of my salvation: and so she said these four verses of David.  
My Lord my God by virtue thine  
Is made to fly this foe of mine  
Discomfited of force and might,  
At thine aspect and only sight.  
That done she continued her talk to master Perrucel, and said therefore, father, ask of god for me, and I will in heart pray with you, that he will always lend me the burning lamp, to th'intent, that when the spouse shalcomme, I may enter in with him to the wedding: that he will give me the grace to watch continually, to the end, I be not taken suddenly, when my Lord shall come: that he will give me the white garment, that I may follow the lamb with the livery, wheresoever he goeth: that he will make me to be borne of his Angels, that I do not fall, and that he will take me from hence below, putting his left hand under my head, & embracing me with his right.  
Then they prayed, and answer being made, so be it, she said. Oh my god my Saviour, now is my winter past, and my springe time is come: Open therefore the gate unto me of thy celestial garden, that I may taste of the fruit of thy everlasting sweetness: repeating these words three times.  
At this same time master Perrucell took his leave to go, to prepare himself to preach, which he should do that morning, & in his place came l'Espine, according as they disposed of the hours, to be about her, turn by turn, togethers: with the minister la Bossiere. It was then about vij of the clock in the morning, being Sunday xxiii day of this month. L'espine continued in prayers and exhortations, and as you know he is rich and copious in similitudes & comparisons, so he spoke things more celestial than humane: which lasted for the space of an hour, & until they gave to this courageous patient some little sustenance: who was accoustumed to says uj or vij days before, that notwithstanding, she knew well-enough, that that she did eat & take, was unprofitable, & a lost thing, that nevertheless she would still entertain her body with nourishment, until it should please God to dispose of the issue of her soul: and that it was not in us to leave this garrison without the leave of our Captain.  
Soon after this repast, her flux of blood took her again, which by no means could be stopped, for that her forces were overmuch abated: she herself did then also judge, that the former remedies, vinegar nor boxinges could any longer prevail.  
Master Perrucel (being in his Sermon) was sent for, because, before, she had desired that in any wise he might be by her in that extremity, notwithstanding, that the l'Espine was then there with her. Her difficulty of breathing came upon her again: and seeing first her right hand die, & then her left, she put them one upon the other, and said to me, it is now, my good friend, that I do go to god.  
Master Perrucell came in great haste, and so soon as she had perceived him, she said, my good father, speak for me, do your office, you have had the charge of my soul, my hearing is hardened, my tongue faileth me, but I will make you signs with my head, if I can not answer. These two Ministers used unto her many godly & convenient exhortations, as they be both notoriously learned, & full of zeal: after which they asked her, if she had well understood all that they had said, & whether her heart did so believe it, & feel it: Yea I thank god, said she, lifting up her eyes to heaven: make your prayers for me, according as you both know my soul desireth.  
Which prayers ended, she called unto her one of her maidens of her chamber, that she loved very dearly, & said unto her (to the end she might receive with all the contentations that she could, the ease and benefit of death) that she should take her legs, & stretch them forth, which the rigour of mortal cold had already drawn up. And suddenly she pronounced these words.  
Into thy hands, oh Lord, I commend my soul: And so began to enter into the pangs of death: wherein she continued not so long as half a quarter of an hour, during which time, these two good men, togethers with la Boissiere, did declare unto her sundry good and godly sayings, of the assurance of her salvation, and to answer them, & to let them know that she understood them well, she enforced herself to speak, but could not: so as she gave them in stead of words the sign of the head, which she had before promised.  
Within a minute of an hour after, she departed, by a sweet sigh up into heaven, into the heritage which God hath prepared for his elect: Leaving to us all, a desire to end as she had done.  
I can not but tell you that, because whilst I live here, I can see her no more, I must remain for ever in an extreme sorrow and heaviness, and yet in a joy most greatest, that I have appertained in service to so virtuous a Princes.  
Now cometh to my remembrance the talk which master Perrucel had to this Lady, at the article of her death, which I esteem worthy to be written.  
Madame, said he, you must & please you acknowledge the goodness of this great god towards you: not only for all the goodness & graces which he hath done for you in all your life hitherto: but also for the special favour which he doth presently show you: for having put you into his vineyard, there to labour & travail all the hole day, he will take you from thence, at the mids of the day, to bring you to rest and quietness. You have scantly yet attained to the mids of your age, which you have by the grace of god, well & faithfully employed in the labour of his vineyard: Ought not you to thank him, & think well of him, if he will excuse you of the sweat & traveaile of the rest of the day, & give you like wages, and payment as if you had laboured all the day long.  
I had also forgotten to tell you, that about a moveth before her death: she said to a parsonage of great quality, her kinsman, and a very just man, that she had hard a voice in the night, which said to her in very plain words, that she should die, or it were long, & that therefore she should prepare herself: and so much it lacked, that those news did make her any thing sad or sorrowful, as that ever after she did most desire the end of this holy separation. I must tell you truly, that without flattering of those of our sex & sort, her magnanimity herein, hath shamed, and put to foil the great courage whereof men so ordinarily do vaunt themselves: for her members dying one after an other before her eyes, she did less care for the fear of death, than the bravest of them ever did. She spoke as frankly and boldly of this great terror of death, as if it had been of any thing, that every day is most comen to us, and that doth appartaine to our most familiar & domestical matters. And two days before her death, notwithstanding, that the dangerous beating of her poulce did make her perfect of that, which soon after should come to her, nevertheless she caused to be brought to her the plot of the castle of Amsi: which she had commanded to be made a little before her sickness: wherein she did devise with my Lord her husband, as curiously, & as particularly, of all the designs, devices, and orders, as that you would have thought, to have seen her speak with her ordinary laughings and smilings, that she would have accommodated herself to have dwelled there, some long time: And yet did she not this, but that she knew well-enough, that her true & most assured building was in heaven: But she said it was not to be marveled at, if she did so speak and devise of all matters, as though she had not set at all before her eyes, the danger wherein she saw herself: For that god had given her the grace ever since she had the knowledge of him, and his word, that she did think, she was as well subject to death at one time, as at an other: & that the true christian will also believe, that thereof doth depend the greatness of of his blessedness and contentation.  
She was borne at chastilion, upon the river of Loing thee, xxiv. day of Februarye. 1535. And was married to my Lord the Prince, the xxij day of june. 1551. Of this marriage be issued seven children in six times of greatness: that is to say, three daughters, Catherine, Marguerit & Magdalene, and four sons, Henry, Frances, & at her last delivery, Charles and jews, twins. Henry, Frances, Charles & Marguerit be living: God hath taken the others. She lived xxviij years four months xxvij days and xj hours.  
In the time of her sickness, she was visited of many great personages & good folks: namely of my lords her three uncles of chastilion, who did to her all the good, godly and charitable offices, that were possible to have been desired.  
I will not here discover unto you the nobleness of her race, as well French, as strange, for every one understandeth it sufficiently, and you know as well as I that of her father's side, she is descended of the right line, by the woman of jews the sixth, King of France.  
Yet I will write unto you thus much more, which hath seamed unto me to appartaine to that, that goeth before, & which you shall receive as usury of my good will. This death was declared to my L. the Prince, who had retired himself alone into his chamber, & was gone to bed after his return from the preaching. At the coming up of the Minister la Bossiere, (who was made messenger for the purpose) he suspected, that which was in deed happened, nevertheless he continued sometime in reading in a book of prayers, which he had in his hands: soon after, turning his face towards the minister, he asked him how his wife did, she is my L. said he, with god, whether you shall go also one day: At this word he could not keep himself from sighing & sorrowing, In so much the two or three gentlemen, and the minister Perrucel, who then came in, were greatly troubled to see him in that heavy case: & yet nevertheless durst not approach to break of his bitter complaits, & lamentations, until such time as a certain man towards the law, came unto him, & prayed him to resolve & counforte himself, as he had done in all his other great adversities, & hereupon the two ministers took occasion to continued this manner of talk, according to the largeness of the scope, that was offered them: notwithstanding, he remained for a good time silent, and after putting his handkerchief to his face, he said. He trusted the god would not impute unto him, the infirmity, & that good men would support him, in those his grievous passions: seeing that his sorrows proceeded not, but of the love of virtue. That in very dedede he had great reason to content himself, for the assurance he had of the good rest of his dear wife & moitye, who had died the death of a saint: but also that he was excusable for his heaviness, to lose the company of so wise & virtuous a Lady, that had always honoured him above all things-& loved him so dearly, as she would have sacrificed her own life for him: that had governed his house in all holiness, and brought up his children in all wisdom, in rendering to him all due obedience.  
He added to this (turning his face to heaven) a little prayer to God: the sentence whereof, as I was writing this unto you, is fallen into my mind in these four verses, without, as it were thinking of it.  
It is I good Lord, not she hath done the fault  
And reason would, that I should therefore grieve  
Yet I do wrong unto thy prudence haut,  
For to say truth, I die and she doth live.  
Here upon, after having devoutly vowed the rest of his life in the service of God, he sent for my lords his children, but being desired to eat somewhat (for it was then past noon) he defferred to see them till after his dinner, which was, God knoweth, a small thing, & full of sighs and heaviness.  
After grace being said, his children my Lords Marquis & Frances, with their sister were brought in to him: his daughter was set upon his bed, & my Lords, his two sons stood by him, whether the little souls were no sooner come, but they fell so into weeping, that all those that were present could not withhold themselves from it, no more could my L. the Prince their father, & as for me, I can not now tell it you, but I melt away in tears.  
You should have seen this little Lady (who is a lively picture of beauty) take my L. her father about the neck, & wash his face & beard with the abundance of her tears, without having power to speak to him, but in half & broke; words.  
My L. her father used such ways to her, as the in the end he appeased her weeping, & did dry her face with some pretty admonitions, meet for her age, which I will tell you, if I have carried them well away. My daughter, we must weep no more, our good God will be angry with us: do not you remember that you say to him every day, Thy will be done, he hath taken your mother out of prison, to set her by him in liberty, because he loved her well, & will you be angry with it? he is so wise, that we should never ask why he doth any thing: he hath left you here for the image of her: & as I have loved her, above all the women of the world, so I will love you: but you must not be only the image of her face, but also of her spirit and virtue: for although she were fair of parsonage, it was nothing in comparison of her gentle & well disposed mind, which never did office, but of chastity, no more than her heart, her tongue, her hands, & her ears. As you shall wax great & grow, inquire diligently, what manner of woman this good mother was: And when you shall here, that she never loved man but her husband, that she did always live without any bloat of dishonesty, yea without suspicion, that all her doings & countinaunces, have been holy, chaste, modest, plain & virtuous: Then enforce yourself, my minion, to resemble her, to th'intent god may assist you, as he hath done her, that every body may esteem you, and that I may love you more and more, as I will not fail to do, if you be such a one.  
Then he called to him the Lady of saint Cir, her governs, & embracing her, & her daughter the Fosses, he prayed them to continued their care in the education and bringing up of her, as one of the things, which were most precious unto him.  
After this, putting his hand upon my Lord Marquis head, my son, said he to him, you are the first testimony which God gave of his blessing, and favour, of the marriage of your mother and me, and the great increase of our love. Seek always to give me joy and consolation, as you shall do, if you will follow the steps, which your mother hath trodden before you, in the way of virtue: Mark well the path & track thereof, lest you lose yourself, and fall into the ways of the dangerous dedal of this world. The sons commonly conform themselves to the doings of the father: but you shall principally study to resemble in manners and virtue your mother. For one may tell you, & you may sometimes here of your father, and of his life, things which you ought not to follow (as in others again you ought to imitate him) but in your mother (of the life and death of whom God hath vouchsafed to serve himself) you shall find nothing, that is not worthy to be followed and straightly kept, as she was most worthy to be placed in the first rank of the most virtuous women. My son, virtue hath made Princes, & the Heroical deeds of their ancestors, & those that were before them. For the rest, we be all the children of Adam, of sin & of death, to keep well then this principalititye, it behoveth us to live virtuously, & to flee from vice, as a thing most horrible and abominable to all noble hearts.  
Therefore, it is, that a Prince should always think, that he is in this world, as upon a scaffold, to be beholden of all folks: So as his faults be more seen and marked, then theirs be that be under him: And as a bloat that in an other part might be hidden, is easily perceived in the face, and doth make one diformed (be it never so little) so is it in the actions & doings of Princes, which be (how smallly reprehensible soever they be) seen & perceived of every one, by the high place in degree, that they hold amongst the comen & vulgar people.  
Lo, my jewel, how you may prosper, and so you shallbe to me an agreeable child.  
Then in the absence of his governor, he committed him to the charge of the Seigneur de Buisson, whom he gave him for his steward, praying him, that above all things, there were good eye given, that there came near him, no contempnor of God, nor of the reverence, which we own to his holy commandments.  
On Sunday after, which was yesterday her body was put into the Sepulchre of her predecessors at Muret, without other pomp or ceremony, but that master Perrucel did make an excellent Sermon upon the fifty seventh chapter of Isaiah, whereat there was a good number of nobility, and people of the churches, near there abouts.  
The sermon ended, which was about nine of the clock in the morning some part of the Gentlemen went, & fetched the body (which lay, leaded in a haul near unto that, where the preaching was) and so brought it to the place chosen and made for the reapos, and rest thereof unto the consummation of the world.  
The rest of the nobility and people followed the body in order to the grave, and so after returned in like sort into the court of the castle, where master Perrucel declared unto them how worthy a work of Christians they had done, by this their accompanying of the body to his burial, of the great edification, the same was to them of the church: How pleasant a thing it was to god, & how agreeable to my Lord the Prince: thanking them all in his name, and in the name of all the kinsfolks of the deceased Lady.  
I could send you in this packet sundry consolations, which were sent as well to my late deceased Lady, as to my lord her husband, since her death, by the most wise, learned and apparent personages of Christendom: but I understand by your good kinsman, that you have had the copies of them from other places.  
This is then asmuch as you shall have of me at this time, praying you to excuse my wit, my eyes, my memory, my hand, and my pen, all which in their natures and offices, do feel the sorrow and pain of me, their passionnate mistress: who it may please you, may remain in your favour and good grace.  
God grant you to live well, and to die well in his Son jesus Christ.  
From Conde, in the country of Brye the last day of july.  
1564. Your entire and good friend to obey you. I. D. V