An answer to the examination that is said to have been made of one named john de Poltrot, calling himself the Lord of Merey, upon the death of the late Duke of Guise By the Lord of Chastillon admiral of France, and others named in the said examination. At Caen. 1562. PRINTED AT LONdon by Roland Hall, for Edward Sutton, dwelling in Lombard street at the sign of the Cradle. 1563. An Epistle. A Few days after the late Duke of Guise was hurt suddenly before the town of Orleans, the xiiij day of Februarye last passed there rose a bruit and rumour, that one called Merey had done the deed at the suggestion of the Lord Admiral which was then and is yet at Caen in Normandy Lieutenant in the kings army under the charge of the prince of Conde. Whereat the said Lord Admiral was not much moved, for as much as he thought that this slander (as many other) would vanish away of itself. But since by the solicitation of a certain man called Lafoy Vallette, master of the camp of the light horsemen under the said Duke of Guise, going about to disunite the Almains, and to put the Amirals' army into an uproar and trouble: a copy of the confession being cast abroad in the said army, ascribed unto one called john de Poltrot, naming himself Signior of Merey, & signed by the hand of one called Maluaut, Scrivener or Notary: by the which it appeareth that the said Poltrot being examined by the queen mother in person, & in the presence of certain lords of the counsel, & knights of the order of the king's majesty, did greatly charge the said Lord admiral, & certain other Lords, & also certain Ministers of the word of God, to have induced & alured by words & money the said Poltrot to that which is abovesaid. The said Lord admiral having respect & regard to the troth & to his honour, can not attribute such an invented accusation but to the enemy's of the rest & quietness of this realm, continuing in their wicked will & purpose, which is wholly to overthrow & destroy the said Lord admiral with all those that profess the gospel bringing them into hatred to all the world by such crafts & practices: whereunto he meaneth speedily to seek a remedy. And for this cause not regarding the subtleties & deceits of the aforesaid enemies, but trusting in God & in his own good conscience hath not sticked to publish the said confession word for word, adjoining thereunto his answers upon every article contained therein. Protesting before god, to answer it before all judges in christendom that be not suspected, but indifferent, & offering himself to maintain his innocency in all sorts & manners reasonable & meet in the place & degree that he hath in this realm: to th'intent that such calumny & slander being discovered, & the troth having vanquished lies, the faulty and culpable may be punished, as the deed shall require. (**) The xxi day of February 1562. in the camp at saint Hyllaries beside S. Mesmyn. BEfore the Queen mother of the king, my lords the Cardinal of Bourbon Duke of Etampes, prince of Mantua, the earl of Gruyeres the lords of Martigues, of Sansac, of Cypierre, of Loss, and the bishop of Lymoge, respectively lords of the privy counsel of the king, and knights of the order being than present. Was brought one john de Poltrot, naming himself senior of merey borne in the country of Angoumois in the lordship of Aubeterre of the age of xxvi. years or there about: who being commanded by the said Queen to declare truly the cause of his imprisonment who provoked him to shoot the dag wherewith the Duke of Guise was hurt on thursday last: what his intent was, or theirs which had caused him to do it, and what money he received for it or trusted for to receive. Said and confessed kneeling on his knees before the Queen and asking pardon these words following. Deposition or confession. That is to say, that about the month of june or july last. The Prince of Conde being at Orleans, and the lord of Soubize in his company whose servant he is, he went to the said town of Orleans. Answer. The Lord admiral answereth truly and before God, that he knoweth not when the said Poltrot arrived at Orleans, nor when he went from thence, and remembreth not that ever he saw him nor heard him speak in any manner or sort, until january last by occasion which afterward shallbe declared. Deposition. In the which place the Lord of Feuqueres the young governor of Roy & Captain Brion, came unto him, and said: that heretofore they had known him to be a man to execute a matter or enterprise, and that if he would take in hand to do a good exploit, which should turn to the service of God, and the honour of the king, and the comfort of his people, he should be greatly commended and esteemed. And then the Deponent requiring them to declare more, and to open unto him what enterprise they would speak of assuring them that for his part, he would be always ready to do service to the king: they than knowing his good will, they remitted him to the Lord admiral, & told him that he should give him to understand more at large the matter that they had moved unto him. Answer. As touching the Captain Brion, the said lord admiral declareth that he never heard him speak of the said Poltrot, and it is not like to be true, that if the said Brion had known of any such practice he would have held his peace since that he was in the service of the Duke of Guise where he is now dead. And as concerning Feuqueres, the said Lord admiral remembreth well that about the latter end of Ianuarye last, and never before, he told him, speaking of the said Poltrot newly come from Lions, that sometime he had known him a man of service, in the time of the war in pycardy, which was the cause that the Lord admiral shortly after the report of the said Feuqueres, employed him as anon shall be declared. And as for the rest, the said Lord admiral doubteth not but the said Feuqueres can well answer for his own deeds. Deposition. And again, two or three days after, the said men Feuqueres and Brion presented him to the said Lord of Chastillon admiral being lodged at Orleans nigh unto the house of the prince of Conde. And the said Chastillon was then in a low hall under the said lodging: & after the said Feuqueres & Brion had presented him to the said lord of Chastillon, he commanded all that were in the hall to departed, which thing they did. And also the said Feuqueres and Brion departed, and he remained alone with the said Lord of Chastillon, who asked him by these or such like words, if he would take upon him to go into the camp of the king, (which the said lord of Chastillon called the Duke of Guise camp, being then beside Bogency) & that if he would enterprise to go to the said camp about the matter that he would declare unto him, he should do God, the king and the common wealth great service: and the said deponent asking him what enterprise it was, he said unto him that if he would venture to go to the said camp to kill the said Duke of Guise (which persecuted the faithful) he should do a meritorius work toward God and man. The said Deponent hearing these words, which seemed unto him more than he was able to do or perform, he said unto the said lord of Chastillon, that he durst not take upon him so great a matter. The which answer being made, the said Lord of Chastillon pressed him no further: but prayed him to keep this talk secret, and not to utter it to any man. Answer. The contents of this article are utterly false and imagined: whereupon the said Lord admiral showeth first that in all this confession he is called but Lord of Chastillon, which is a name that he telleth not scorn of, or disdeineth it: but yet that declareth manifestly out of what shop this confession comcommeth, saying he is not so called in no place of all this Realm nor else where, but by them that pretend by such craft to berive and spoil him of the state and degree that appertaineth unto him. And secondly these words. The camp of the king which the said Lord of Chastillon calleth the camp of the Duk of Guise being then beside Bogency, show sufficiently that whosoever wrote or indited this deposition of the poor Deponent was to much in a passion or affection for to do his occupation well, and went about no other thing but to seek how he might not leave out any thing that might charge the said lord Admiral, were it to the purpose or not. Finally when it is said that the Lord Admiral for to induce the said Poltrot, alleged unto him that he should do a meritorious work to god & man who seeth not plainly that all this talk was forged by some one all together ignorant of the true religion, the which the said lord admiral professeth? He should at the least have considered what the doctrine of the Gospel is, & how much it condemneth the words to Merito and meritorious works, before he took in hand to conterfete the talk of a gospeler. But behold how it fareth with false witnesses by the Just judgement of God, that by their own mouth they be convinced. Deposition. And since the said Lord of Soubize departing from the said town of Orleans for to go to Lions, the said Deponent accompanied him and there continually remained with him, until about fifteen days after the battle fought beside Dreux. Answer. The said Lord admiral knoweth nothing of all this. Deposition. That the said lord of Chastillon, wrote to the said Soubize being at Lion's the he should send him the said deponent. Answer. The said lord Admiral wrote then many times to lions to the lord of Soubize: but upon his life & his honour it shall not be found that ever he wrote, that the said Poltrot should be sent unto him whom he knoweth not whether ever he saw or knew before, & thought nothing upon him. Deposition. And than in deed the said lord of Soubize dispatched him with letters to go to the said lord of Chastillon, & gave him a packet to carry not telling him what he wrote unto the said lord of Chastillon. And being arrived nigh unto the town of Cells in Berry in a place named Villefranche, he found the lord of Chastillon there to whom he delivered the said packet of letters. Answer. The lord Admiral remembreth well that it is so: but so far of is it that it was to employ the said Poltrot about this matter now in question, that contrary wise the said lord of Soubize sent word that he should send him again, because he was a man of service, as the letters shall declare and specify. Deposition. And when he had seen the letters he commanded him to go to tarry him at Orleans and so he did. Answer. The said lord admiral sent him not to Orleans, but he gave him leave to go thither, because he said he had business to do there. Deposition. And shortly after the return of the said lord of Chastillon unto Orleans, this Deponent presenting himself to the said lord of Chastillon to know & understand his pleasure: he asked him if he remembered the talk that he had with him the summer before: & this Deponent answering said that he remembered it very well but it was to venturous a thing. The said lord of Chastillon said unto him, that if he would execute the said enterprise he should do the most notable and most honourable thing for the service of god & the common wealth that ever was done & gave him courage to put the same in execution from the which on's again he would have excused himself. But than even at that instant came in Theodore de Beze, & another minister of a small stature somewhat big, with a black beard, the which spoke unto him many things demanding him if it were not a blessed thing to carry his cross in this world as Christ had carried it for us: & after many discourses & words, they said unto him that he should be the most happiest man in this world, if he would execute the enterprise which the lord Admiral had moved unto him because he should rid a tyrant out of this world, for the which act he should win heaven & be among the blessed ●aits if he died in so just & good a quarrel. By the which persuasions the said deponent granted unto them, & said to the lord of Chastillon, that he was ready to consent to all the sayings of the said ministers, and that he would than the will of God, and would go to the camp of the said Duke of Guise, to endeavour to put the said enterprise in execution. For the which he was greatly commended & esteemed as well of the said Lord of Chastillon, as of the said Ministers: & they told him that he was not alone that had done such exploits, because there were many other that had taken upon them the like charge: & namely the said lord of Chastillon said unto him, that there were more than fifty other gentlemen of good houses, that had promised him to put in effect other like matters: and forthwith caused his steward to give him twenty crowns, for to go to the camp at Messas, where then the said Duke of Guise was, to th'end he might think & devise the mean & way how he might bring his purpose to pass. Answer. The said lord admiral answereth truly before god & man, that the foresaid words be falsely & wickedly invented. And furthermore, to th'intent that all the world may know how he behaved himself toward the said Duke of Guise, he declareth frankly & freely, that before these last tumults, he knew some that were determined to kill the said Duke of Guise because they were displeased with him. But so far of is it that he enticed them thereunto or allowed it, that rather contrariwise he did disuade and turn them from their wicked purposes, as madame de Guise herself knoweth whom he sufficiently advertised thereof in time and place where. True it is that after the murder at Vassy, after taking of armour for to maintain the authority of the kings decrees and laws, and to defend the poor oppressed men against the violence of the said Duke of Guise and his adherentes, he hath counted & pursued them as public enemies of God, of the king, & of the rest & quietness of this realm. But upon his life & his honour, it shall never be found that he allowed that any man should attempt on this sort upon the person of the said Duke, until he was certainly advertised that the said Duke of Guise & the Marshal Saint Andre had hired & suborned certain persons to kill the prince of Conde, him, & his brother Dandelot: as the said Lord admiral not long ago declared amply unto the Queen before Paris, and since unto the Constable at Orleans. And seeing this, he confesseth that since the time when he heard one say that if he could he would kill the Duke of Guise, yea even in his camp, he did not dissuade or withhold him from it: But upon his life and honour, it shall never be found that he sought or induced any man to do it, neither by words, money or promises by himself, nor by any other directly nor indirectly. And touching the twenty Crowns whereof mention is made in the article before, he acknowledgeth it to be true, that at his last return to Orleans about the end of january last, after that the said Feuqueres had told him that he had known the said Poltrot for a man of service, he determined to employ and use him for the understanding of news from the camp of his said enemies: & for this cause he gave him twenty Crowns, having no other words or talk with him, nor on's making any mention of killing or not killing the said Duke of Guise. For namely if the said Lord admiral had had any such enterprise in hand, he would in no wise have trusted the said Poltrot: for when he sent him to the camp of the said duke of Guise about the matter foresaid, it was not without mistrusting him, for asmuch as it seemed unto him that he made the mean & way to easy to enter into the said camp, as the said lord admiral declared unto Monsieur de Grammont, who at that time was present, & nevertheless he letted not to send him for to understand news of the said camp, saying these very words that he should be rather tried & proved than nourished & maintained. Upon this same article also, Thodore de Beze declareth most truly as followeth for his discharge be fore all christendom. To wit that seeing many so animated & moved against the said Duke of Guise for the murder committed at Vassy, yet he was never of the mind or advise at that time to proceed against the said Duke, but by way of ordinary justice: where of he calleth them to witness that have seen & heard him speak at that time, which also was the cause why he was at Monceaux in the company of other appointed by the reformed church of Paris: for to require justice for the said murder at the king's majesty, & the queen his mother & of the late king of Navarre, beseeching them most humbly to provide with all diligence against the troubles which already threatened this realm, & are happened since indeed. And hereupon, the answer that it pleased the queen to make him, was such, that they of the reformed church were contented & satisfied with it, for the hope that was given them that good & speedy justice should be done upon the transgressers. But soon after the said duke of Guise & his complices having taken armour, & the matter brought to such a state, the right & justice could take no more place: & which is more the people of the king & queen being used & handled as every man knoweth, he confesseth to have at the time aswell publicly in his sermons, as by letters & words warned & advertised aswell the prince of Conde as th'admiral & all other lords, & men of all conditions & qualities professing the gospel, of their duty, for to bring them to maintain by all means possible, the authority of the kings laws & ordinances, & thinnocen●ie of the poor oppressed. And since he hath always continued, & yet now continueth in the same mind: exhorting not withstanding every man to use his armour and weapons with the most modesty that is possible, & to seek (next to the honour of god) peace & concord above all things, so that they suffer not themselves to be deceived. Of the which things he taketh to witness all those which have hard him publicly or particularly, & such as will say the troth. And furthermore as concerning the Duke of Guise, because he hath taken him for the chief author & maintainer of these troubles, he confesseth to have many times desired & prayed God, either to turn the heart of the said Duke of Guise (which thing not withstanding he could never hope for) or else to deliver this realm from him. Whereof he calleth to witness all those that have hard his sermons & prayers, and namely madame de Ferrare knoweth what he told her both with mouth and heart, and what he hath often times written to her hereof. But it shall not be found that ever he named the said Duke of Guise publicly, not that ever he spoke to the said Poltrot in person, nor by any other, nor that ever he knew him, or had to do with him in any thing, & then much less that he did counsel him to do it. The said Theodore de Beze saith more, over that it shall never be found that ever he hired or suborned any other man to do this deed, wherein he acknowledgeth not withstanding a just judgement of god, threatening the like or greater punishment unto all the sworn enemies of his holy gospel, and those that are the causes of so much misery & calamity in this realm. And for the verifiing of his answer, beside the foresaid things, he taketh his advantage upon the very terms ascribed unto the said Poltrot deponent. For thanks be to god, he is not so ignorant or evil instructed in his charge & calling, as to apply the scripture so evil in that which is there said, to carry his cross, & much less to say, that men win heaven. And therefore he sendeth all this confession into the forge from whence it came, being ready also to submit himself generally and particularly, concerning all that he hath done & said in this present war, to the knowledge & understanding of all unsuspect judges, as well in this realm as else where: upon pain to be punished as the most wicked offender upon the earth, if he be found a liar, or culpable in this answer. Deposition. The which xx. crowns he received, and came to the said camp at Messas where he presented himself unto the said Duke of guise, and said that he repented himself that he had carried armour against the King, and that he would from hence forth render himself unto him. The which thing the said Duke of Guise took in good part, and said that he was welcome. And when the said Duke departed from Messas to go to Blois this Deponent went thither and returned with him. Answer. The said Lord Admiral believeth it to be so, forasmuch as the said Poltrot told him the same thing, not at Orleans where he never saw him since he sent him to the said Camp to know & understand news: but in a place called Neufuille, as afterward shall be declared. And the said Lord admiral remembreth well that the said Poltrot bringing report of that he had seen and known in the said camp, said that he went to Neung, to one whom he called signior de Lstang who presented him to the said Duke of Guise. Deposition. And certain days after, he returned to Orleans to the said lord of Chastillon and there excused himself unto him from taking in hand so great a charge because that the said Duke of Guise used not to go out of his house, but with a great company. But the said Lord of Chastillon encouraged him more than he did before: & said he knew well enough what he had promised him and that he might not make any excuse in the matter. And furthermore caused the said Theodore de Beze and the other minister which before had spoken to him, to give him divers instructions, which so troubled his mind, that he accorded and consented to do what they would. And for to confirm him in this wicked mind and purpose the said Lord of Chastillon gave him with his own hands a C. crowns of the sun in a paper, for to buy him a horse, if his were not good enough for to save himself after he had done the deed. The which. C. crowns this Deponent received, and came to the said camp at Messas, to find the means to put the said enterprise in effect. Answer. It is true that the said Poltrot coming again to Orleans to make his report of things, found not the said lord admiral there, who was already gone on his journey toward Normandye which thing is sufficient to prove that the rest of the former article, is no less false & invented. True it is that Monsieur Dandelot having heard his report of news at Orleans sent him to the said lord Admiral his brother then being arrived at the village of Neufuille six or seven leagues from Orleans, in his said voyage to Normandy, accompanied with Monsieur de Traues, by whom he sent him word that he was determined to stay the said Poltrot because he seemed to make a doubtful and an uncertain report of news. Yet nevertheless the said Lord Admiral having heard him judged that would serve their turn for to understand certain news of the enemies camp: and for this cause he delivered him the hundred crowns, whereof there is question, aswell for to horse himself better, as for to use diligence requisite in such advertisements, and commanded him to repair in his absence to the said Monsieur Dandelot his brother: More, the said lord Admiral remembreth well now, that the said Poltrot went so far in making his report of news that he said it was an easy thing to kill the said Duke of Guise. But the said lord Admiral stayed not upon that talk, because he thought it a thing to vain and foolish: and upon his life and his honour, he never opened his mouth to provoke him to take it upon him. Upon the self same Article Theodore de Beze answereth that he cannot remember that he ever saw the said Poltrot and he never knew him nor knoweth him yet and much less that he ever spoke to him about such an enterprise. Deposition. And since, the said Duke of Guise being come with the army in this place of S. Hylary beside S. Mesmine, he followed him, having bought of Monsieur de la Mawoisiniere a spanish Jennet at the said place of Messas for the sum of a C. crowns that he gave him & the horse whereupon he road before. And lodged certain days in the Castle of Corneil ii or iii leagues from the camp at s. Hilary's, differing to execute the said enterprise until he saw the town of Orleans sore laid unto, & that they went about by all means to take it, & fearing than that many honest men being in the town, should be slain & spoiled, he fully determined with himself to keep his promise. And to do this act, on thursday last the xviii. of this present month, after he had dined in a farm half a league from the house where the said Duke of Guise was lodged, it came into his mind to execute that day the said enterprise & in deed the said Duke passing the river of Leret for to go to Pontereau, he accompanied him & followed him to the said Pontereau: & than returned by the bridge & village of Olivet, where the Suyssers were lodged, & there tarried the coming of the said Duke of Guise at the passage of the said river of Leret intending whether he were well or evil accompanied, to execute his enterprise, as he did. And hearing a trumpet blown at the return of the said Duke of Guise, when he would enter into the boot to pass the water, he approached near unto the river and after that the said Duke of Guise was landed being accompanied only with one gentyllman that went before, and another that spoke unto him riding upon a little Mulette, he followed him behind, and when he approached nigh unto his lodging, at the corner of a street where there were many ways turning this way & that way, he shoot his dag at him charged with three pellets, about vi. or seven. pace of, thinking to strike him in the shoulder, because he thought he had been armed on the body: and by & by set spurs to his spanish jennet whereupon he road, and saved himself swiftly, passing over much wood that was cut down, & road that night about x. leagues in the country, thinking to convey himself far from Orleans. But god would that the darkness of the night turned him out of his way, and came again to the village of Olivet into the mids of the guard of Suissers where one of the said Suyssers spoke unto him these words, Hovardot. Understanding those words he knew it was the guard of the Suyssers, & drew back and road on the spur until the next day nine of the clock in the morning. And perceiving that his horse was weary and sore travailed, he lodged in a farm where he rested until the next morrow, that he was taken and brought as prisoner. Answer. This article appertaineth particularly to the said Poltrot, and therefore he referreth it unto him, praising god in the mean while for all his just judgements. Deposition. And upon that, which the said queen mother examined him whether any other were consenting to the said enterprise, beside the lord of Chastillon & the said ministers. He said that he was never spoken to of it, by any other people than by the said lord of Chastillon, the said Theodore de Beze and his fellow: but yet he thinketh that he lord of Roche foucaul knew some thing of the matter, forasmuch as when he arrived at the said Ville ●ranche, beside the town of Cells: the said Roche foucault showed him a good countenance, and said he was welcome. Answer. This confession is manifestly contrary to that which before he declared against Feuqueres and Captain Brion, and yet wrongfully and without cause, as the said lord admiral thinketh. And as for that which concerneth the earl of Rochefoucault he answereth truly, that if he had known any thing of such an enterprise he would not deny it: but he never heard any talk of any such thing before it was done, and referreth it also to the judgement of all upright men, whether the contecture of the said Deponent be well grounded or not: and whether it appeareth not that the said Poltrot hath been rather procured to accuse the said earl of Rochefoucault by some manner of mean than to testify the truth. Deposition And as touching the Prince of Conde, being thereupon demanded saith he never knew that he was privy to the said enterprise neither that he knew any thing of it, and thinketh in his conscience that he never knew of it. But contrary wise the first time that the said lord of Chastillon spoke of this enterprise, the said Deponent asked him if the prince of Conde would have him to do it, the said lord admiral answered, and said, that he needed not ask any thing as concerning the prince of Conde. Answer. The said lord Admiral perceyneth by this article the craft and subtlety of his enemies, going about by all means to separate him and all this army from the Prince of Conde lief tenant general for the king in the said army. But he is assured that such practices by the grace of God, shall return and fall upon their own heads. Furthermore he doubteth him not but will bear always witness of the integrity, honesty, and innocency of the said prince, not only in this deed, but also in all that is taken in hand done, said, or written by him in this war, and denieth plainly and expressly the end of the said article referring himself to that he hath answered before. Deposition. Likewise he declareth that Monsieur Dandelot never spoke to him of it, nor the lord of Soubize, but contrary wise when the said Deponent declared unto him the first talk that the lord of Chastillon had with him, of which he hath before spoken, the said Soubize said unto him, that it ought not to be done by that means, for if God would punish the said Duke of Guise he would do it another way, not using such manner of doings. Answer. The said lord Admiral thinketh in his conscience, that the said Poltrot had never such talk with the said Soubize, for he never understood any thing thereof: and also doubteth nothing of the innocency of Monsieur Dandelot his brother nor of the said Soubize. Deposition. And also the said Deponent hath advertised and warned the queen to beware and to take heed to herself, because that since the battle beside Dre●● the said lord of Chastillon, with the captains and soldiers being with him bear her evil will, saying, that she betrayed them, because she promised them before Paris many things which she hath not performed. Answer. The said lord Admiral saith, that this advertisement and warning can not proceed but out of a wicked mind, which desireth nothing else but the continuance of the present miseries and calamities of this realm: & for proof of his fidelity & faithfulness he cannot have better witness than the queen herself, with the services that he hath done heretofore, protesting before g●d that by his grace no evil entreating made him ever nor shall n●uer make him forget the duty and obedience that he oweth unto their majesties & to his country, & he doubteth not but the intent & mind of the lords, captains, and other of his army is so likewise. Deposition. Saying more over, that there were many persons, as well in the train of the court as following this camp, which were sent by the said lord of Chastillon to execute the like enterprises: yet he never heard them named, whom the Lord of Chastillon would have to be killed: but only in general words, he heard him say, that after the said duke of Guise should be killed, he would cause the like to be done to all those that successively would rule and lead the army, and also that there must be slain six or seven knights of the order, not otherwise naming them, but that he understood it commonly by the captains and soldiers being at Orleans, which hated greatly the lord Duke of Montpensier, and monsieur de Sansa●: and that if the said duke of Guise were slain together with the said knights of the order, to whom they bore evil will, they would then come to the court to submit themselves to the grace and pardon of the king, and would do what he would command them. Answer. The said lord admiral answereth to this article, as unto the next before it, leaving it to all men to judge that know him whether it smell like a truth, that in case he had taken in hand such enterprises he would have discovered them unto such a man as the said Poltrot is. And as touching that he saith, that he heard it said of the captains and soldiers, the said lord admiral ought not to answer to it, and yet believeth it not to be true, specially saying there is not so great occasion nor appearance of hatred against them which are named in the said Article. Deposition. He saith moreover, that being in the town of Bloys with the said duke of Guise, while the Camp was at Messas, he found in the gardens of the said town nigh unto the king, who than played at the mallet & the ball, a man of a mean stature with a red beard, red hose and a ierkyn of leather cut, which had a dag ready charged and spande in his hand, whom sometime he had seen at Orleans, in the said lord of chastillon's hall. Answer. The said lord admiral can not tell what the said Poltrot might see at Bloys, and therefore ought not to answer to it: but he knoweth very well, that he and all his army bear according to their duty, a singular affection, obedience and reverence to his majesty, as his true and faithful subjects and servants, and that they have nothing in this world so dear unto them, as the prosperity and wealth of their prince and king. Deposition. And furthermore, that he saw in this camp four men well horsed, whose names he knew not, but he knoweth them if he see them, which were in the hall at Orleans when he spoke with the said lord of Chastillon the last time, and the said lord of Chastillon asked him, if he would be known unto the said men, who also had promised him to execute other enterprises. But this deponent fearing to be descried, prayed the said lord of Chastillon not to discover him unto them: And said, that if they would give him liberty to walk about the camp, he trusted to find them out, and to show them. Answer. The said lord Admiral saith that calumny and false report was forged in the same shop that the other were, and for to have certain & true knowledge thereof, they should have suffered the said Poltrot to walk about the camp with a good & sure guard about him. Deposition Being demanded what the said lord of Chastillon departing from Orleans to go into Normandy went to do & work: said, that he purposed to go to join with the Englishmen, and to bring them to Orleans: & that at his departing he promised his brother monsieur D'andriot, that if the said duke of Guise would come to besiege the said town of Orleans, he would come with succour, and would seek to give him battle. Answer. The said lord Admiral answereth that his enemies seeking so curiously all means to destroy him, under the colour and pretext of justice, should have sought out things by some other of his counsel, than by the said Poltrot, or other such as he is: And also the said Poltrot was not at Orleans when the said lord Admiral departed from thence at the lest that he knew of, and therefore could not testify any thing but by heresaye, what he had promised unto the said monsieur Dandelot his brother. And furthermore, the said lord admiral saith, that it shall not be found that he ever did it, and that he had rather die, than to think ones to do any thing contrary to the duty of a true and faithful subject and servant of his majesty: as he will show it at all times when need shall require. Deposition. Furthermore, being demanded of the manner of the death of the late marshal saint Andre, and after what sort he was killed, said that he heard say at Orleans of many gentlemen that forasmuch as the said Marshal Saint Andre had first given his faith to a young gentleman of a high stature with a little abern beard: and afterward the second time had given his said faith to the prince of Portian, the said gentleman to whom he had first given his faith, killed him with his dag: and more the said deponent said not. The minute he hath signed. The xxii of the said months and year, this present confession or depositions being made yesterday by the said john de Poltrot, before the queen and the lords of the counsel, and knights of the order were red and repeated again to the said Poltrot, in the which his confession after an oath by him taken, he persisted, saying that it contained the truth: and in witness thereof, signed every leaf of the minute, thus signed. P. Maluaut. Answer. If the said Poltrot, either for fear of death, or by any other subornation or persuasion hath persisted in his false & invented confessions: The said lord admiral, & they that by them be charged with him, have more reason to persist in their answers which contain the pure and plain truth. And for as much as the verification of all this matter dependeth upon the bringing of the said Poltrot face to face before them whom he hath charged, the said lord admiral with the other aforenamed, after having refused the courts of parliament, & all other judges which have manifestly declared themselves their enemies in these present tumults: most humbly beseech the king's majesty, to appoint & command that the said Poltrot may be well & safely kept, in place where he may neither be put in fear nor suborned, until it shall please god to grant the long desired and necessary peace in this realm: and that by this means the whole matter may be verified and ended before upright & unsuspect judges: and in case that any of the said judges of the parliament or any other will forthwith proceed in judgement and execution of the said Poltrot, and by that means take from the said lord admiral & from all tother the true mean & way to justify themselves of the said false accusations, they protest of their integrity, innocency, & honest reputation, and stand against the said judges and against all other to whom it shall appertain. Given at Caen in Normandy the 12. day of March. 1562. Thus signed. Chastillon. La Rochefoucault. 〈◊〉 B●ze. A copy of the letter sent to the queen by the said lord Admiral with the foresaid answer. Madam two days since I saw an examination which was made to one john Poltrot catling himself the lord of Merey, the 21. day of the last month: who confesseth to have hurt the duke of Guise, by the which also he chargeth that I should procure him or rather forced him to do that he hath done: & because it is the thing that I most fear in this world lest the said Poltrot should be put to execution before the truth of this matter be known, I most humbly beseech your majesty to command that he may be well kept. And in the mean time I have set forth certain articles upon every one of his, which me thinketh deserve an answer, the which I send unto your majesty by this trumpet: whereby all men of good judgement may almost be certified of the matter. And more over I say, that it shall not be found that ever I sought that man nor any other to do such a deed. But rather contrariwise I have always stopped and not suffered asmuch as lay in me, that such enterprises should be ●utte in execution. And thereof have I often times talked with the Cardinal of Lorraine, and Madame de Guise, and namely with your majesty: whom it may please to be remembered how contrary I have been thereunto, saving within this five or two months, that I have not much been against those which showed themselves to have such a mind. And that hath been since there came certain persons which I will name when time shall serve, which said, that they were procured to come to kill me, as it shall please your majesty to remember what I said unto you at Paris, going out of the Mill where we commoned together: which thing also I have told unto the Constable, and nevertheless I may say, and that truly, that for mine own part, I never sought procured, nor practised with any man about such a matter. And I will report me unto all those which have seen such enterprises put in effect before me, how much I mocked such doings. And because I will not trouble your majesty with any longer letter, I most humbly beseech the same ones again to command that the said Poltrot be well and diligently kept for to verify of this matter the truth. Also that being brought to Paris, as I hear say, I fear lest they of the court of parliament will put him to execution, and all for to leave this calumny and false accusation in my neck: or else lest they should proceed against me for this deed, which thing they cannot do being my parties and refused as they be. And in the mean time think not that which I say, is because I am sorry for the duke of Guise: for I think it is the greatest good turn that ever could happen to this realm, and to the church of god, and particularly to me and to all my house, and also if it please your majesty it shallbe the mean to set this realm at rest and peace, which thing all we of this army desire, according to the which we have required of you, as soon as we were advertised of the death of the said duke of Guise. Madam I pray god give you most perfect health with happy and long life. From Caen the. 12. of March. 1562. FINIS.