AN ADMIRABLE DISCOVERY OF AN HORRIBLE Attempt; slanderously Fathered upon those of ROCHEL.  
Lively described in a Letter, sent by the Signior of Montmartin; one of the General Deputies of the Reformed Churches of FRANCE, unto a Friend of his. M.DC.XXIIII.  
LONDON Printed by john Dawson for Nathaniel Newberry: and are to be sold at his Shop, at the Sign of the Star under S. Peter's Church in Cornhill, and in Popes-head Alley. 1624.   

AN ADMIRABLE DISCOVERY of an horrible Attempt, slanderously fathered upon those of Rochel.  
SIR,  
The long experience which by your age and worth, you have gotten in this World, having often invited me to take your advice in the discharge of my place, doth bind me likewise to give you notice of any notable Accident happening therein.  
Of late we have been busied about the discovery of a strange Imposture and Supposition, drawn from false witnesses, who by the suggestion of one Guillot of Lions, had caused one du Bois, of the Country of Pourin (a man of the Reformed Religion, and deputed to exhibit our grievances, which we have often cause to complain of) to be imprisoned, accusing him of high treason; the information, hearing, and confrontment whereof, being orderly performed, during the time of his long imprisonment, there remained but one only witness, and he not very constant neither, who averred to have heard from the mouth of the said Du Bois: That the King might perhaps repent the so little keeping of his Word in the last Treaty of Peace; Whereupon although it were but doubtful, the judges (being according to their duties very nice in that which concerns the sacred person of our King) condemned the said du Bois, in an hundred and fifty Franckes fine, banishing him from out of the jurisdiction of Paris for three years, and forced him to pass over an office which he held. After all this he was yet detained a month longer in Prison, to give the more way to any new accusation, nor was there any instance made in favour of him, considering the weight of his accusation, although there appeared some manifest wrong therein: In the end his liberty being obtained he comes forth: But it happens that within two hours after, That the same first Appeacher delivers into the hands of Father Sigueran, a letter found (as he affirmed) in the straw-bed of the aforesaid du Bois, directed unto him, and written and signed by the supposed name of de la Roche a feigned inhabitant of the Town of Rochel; and in the name as it were of the whole body thereof: the fearful tenure whereof, tended unto horrible and damnable Designs against the life of our King. Father Sigueran, without consideration of the astonishment it might have bred, carrieth it forthwith to the King, and his Majesty referreth it to an appointed judge.  
Now as it was not only his end who set this Informer on work, to aim simply at the ruin of the said Du Bois, but also to involve in this Devilish crime the Townsmen of Rochel, yea even endeavouring to bring into a general hatred (which ought to be common to all good Frenchmen against all such sacrilegious and detestable parricides) all those of our profession, hoping to stir up by just executions, or massacres, amongst the people, or by the indignation of our Prince in a general war, new troubles, and some mighty breach for the common enemy of our Estate: So the said Inventor suggested such matter in this Letter, as was able to ensnare us all in the net of an inevitable ruin, as we should have very well deserved, if these suppositions had been true, and recommends in express terms in his said discourse unto the said du Bois, the resolution to aim his stroke at the sacred bosom of our King, and from thence to pass unto the person of Monsieur the King's brother, by the direction and enchantment of a most notorious Magician, whom he feigns to have been sent unto him, to metamorphoze him into a straw after the execution. And to spur him on the better to this resolution, he remonstrates unto him that Mansfield is weary of his long stay: That Monsieur de Soubife looseth the fruit of his surprisals: That he shall find a safe retreat under the Constable: and that the sum of six thousand Crowns, promised unto him by those of Rochel, is ready. Thus you may see how this Project doth wholly tend to muster up all matter which may seem to further the inventors hatred, and our ruin.  
But the more this business seemed monstrous, the more it stirred up the judge's affection to use all due circumspection and consideration; which presently invite him happily to a second seazure of du Bois, and upon exact examination of the said Letter, comes by a number of notable circumstances, to suspect and discover the perfidiousness of this plot; so as every several success of this his travail, doth worthily deserve an entire Description: for presently he runs over all the Scriveners, Coppiers, and Clerks, discovers by an Advocats Clerk of Lions, the very same Character, the foresaid letter was written withal; then he visiteth all the Gravers shops, and found who made the Seal▪ goes to the Stationers, compares there his paper, and finds where the said Clerk had bought the very same leaf so written: seizeth on him, the Graver, and the Accuser, who condemns himself and craves pardon, and discloseth and avoucheth a certain Deputy of the Clergy of Bay upon Bay, to have hired him thereunto for 600. Crowns. Thus the means and progress of these discoveries do much recommend this good. judge unto all posterity, and to have well deserved of the Commonwealth, which is every day in expectation: through this his good justice and by the authority and express commandment of his Majesty, to see exemplary punishment performed upon these cursed machavillians. And now you may plainly see Sir how many just occasions we have, to lift up with thankes giving pure hands unto God, for his holy protection, and defending of us, and more particular preservation of his Royal Majesty: For what more plausible subject can we have, to exercise our sincerity and good intentions, then upon this occasion to procure by our renewed fidelities and obedience, that true protection of his Majesty's Sceptre, which we crave. And from hence he may justly hereafter be invited, unto such a particular examination as shall distinctly aver that which they publicly and so lightly impose upon us: so as observing with what spirit our Enemies are possessed, he shall plainly see (if it please him) that by bending and leaning to their desires against his good subjects, he shall destroy by his Arms, that which he may more profitably win by his protection, and withstand as courageously our common enemy, as we naturally hate him: It may please God that his Majesty perceiving us to be glued to his Sceptre alone, may conclude it as a thing just in his justice, to grant us the entire accomplishment, and execution of those things which it pleased him to grant us in the treaty of peace, and which we dare say by our behaviour, and His clemency, we have deserved: lest the inexecutions so notoriously observed towards us, become so many stains, not able to be washed out, but with the ground and all; and dim the lustre of that firm fidelity, which is the ground and preservation of Kingdoms, as well as of ordinary commerce amongst men. Nor do these direful and strong garrisons serve to any other end, then as baits unto such as make sinister conclusions of his Majesty's intentions.  
But returning to our History, you shall understand, that this good judge, endevoureth to find out the source of this instigation as aspiring unto the public peace: Yet I doubt me we shall not attain thereunto, yet although we discover not the arm which did shoot them, we have seized on the arrows of their pernicious designs, and by the blessing of our good God, this slander hath not yet been able to set her viperous teeth on our reputation, since the murdering of the Lords Anointed once hath been in use; for we know what is due even to the very skirt of Saules garment: all those of our profession being always well instructed, to yield obedience to our Kings by nature and for conscience sake; And we alone are they throughout all their Dominions, which take the oath of fidelity unto them exclusively against all others. Certainly you which know by reading all our chronicles and your own experience, what those Friars be, of which there are yet a thousand brands smoking, have often represented unto me, that in the heat of so many slaughters and executions wrongfully exercised against us, there was never found any spark of attempt amongst us, nor any thing which hath had power, to stir us up to affect a foreign Rule, and withdraw us from the Sceptre of our Birth. This is it which makes us so jealous of our reputation, and so passionately and openly to cry out for justice, as well for the common good as our particular preservation. The which being often assured unto us by the principal Ministers of State here, with the observation of our Edicts: I dare as often upon their credits confirm the apparencies, and the good words which his Majesty is pleased to give us concerning the continuance of the peace, the only supporter of our state and procurement of our felicity; And which beside makes us hope to be found fit to transport the generous Designs of our Noble King, beyond the ordinary limits, which the Spaniard hath too strictly measured out. In the mean time attending to hear from you, I will pray to God for the prosperity of you and your brave Children, and ever remain  
Your humble and most affectionate servant and Ally, Montmartin General Deputy. Paris 15. February, 1624.   

HOwsoever, if we consider the purity of God's Word and Gospel, the integrity of Christian Religion, and the meek simplicity of the Professors thereof, it may well be wondered at, that crimes of Treachery, Conspiracy, and fury, should be imputed unto them who have (following our Saviour's counsel and example) suffered patiently, intolerable and most horrible persecutions, injuries, and reproaches, without rendering the like to their Adversaries, as justly they have been incited unto; and might have done by the law of Retribution; yet if we call to mind the inveterate malice of Satan, and his children, against God, his Word, and his Church, with their accustomed dealings in this kind from time to time ever since the beginning of the world, it may be esteemed no wonder at all; No, although these of later and present times, out strip their forefathers, and Satan now go beyond himself, in inventing new and prodigious persecutions and slanders against God's people; for the Devil is grown old and cunning, and hath distilled the quintessence of fury and villainy into his Imps, especially into the jesuits heads & hearts; who having set all Christendom together by the ears, by their subtle plots and devises, to the utter ruin thereof, (if God in mercy do not miraculously prevent it) while themselves sit aloft and laugh to see how they make fools of all the world, thus to dance after their Pipe, and yet can so finely carry the matter, as (good souls) not once to be suspected; but rather it appears to vulgar eyes, that they bestow much care and labour, to discover the authors of these combustions, and to that purpose do they (like unholy Fathers as they are) cry out in their Books of the Insurrections and Rebellions of Protestants in all Countries; and here they lay on load, raking all kennels for filthy lies and foul imputations, to bedaub us withal, and so to make us ugly and odious in all men's sight; but let not this temptation trouble us, for it's no news, for God's servants to be slain and slandered both at once: all Histories both sacred and profane, make it manifest by multitudes of Examples, which it would be too long to rehearse in this short discourse; only we may well wonder, that these fellows who have such long memories to relate what they suppose Protestants have done; yet are so short in their own rebellions and treacherous actions; insomuch, as one would think they had learned in Father Aubiguyes School, the Art to forget any thing that may impeach their Catholic cause. And therefore it were to be wished that some man of good sufficiency would call to their remembrance, their transcendent treacheries and cruelties against Protestants, almost in all Countries of Christendom; such as the massacring of many thousands in one Kingdom, within three days space: Blowing up with Gunpowder the whole State of another; besides their familiar burning of poor Christians, of all degrees, sexes, and ages; esteeming it no more (as one of them said) then the burning of an Earwig: or as another of them makes it but a matter of sport, to burn a man for some foolish opinions (as he calls them): Surely these were hugely Catholic, but it was in monstrous cruelty and villainy.  
Now that it may appear they have not changed their qualities, behold here one knack of their Knavery, presently set on foot; whereby thou mayst perceive, that as their father the Devil was a liar and a murderer from the beginning, so they as his natural Children, will continue murderers and liars to the end: God Almighty send an end unto their malice and mischief at length for Christ's sake. Amen.  
FINIS.