The French Historie That is; A lamentable Discourse of three of the chiefe, and most famous bloodie broiles that haue happened in France for the Gospell of Iesus Christ. Namelie; 1 The outrage called The winning of S. Iames his Streete, 1557. 2 The constant Martirdome of Annas Burgeus one of the K. Councell, 1559. 3 The bloodie Marriage of Margaret Sister to Charles the 9. Anno 1572. Published by A. D. [i.e. Anne Dowrich] |
The French Historie | ||
The Iudgement of the Lorde against this bloodie and periured King of France, Charles the 9. Dilated by the sentence of God in the lawe against murder; by examples both out of the Scriptures, & other Authors, concerning the horrible end that hath fallen vpon wilfull murderers; and lastlie, the bloodie death of this blood-sucking King himselfe.
And let vs weigh in future time what fearfull fruite did spring
From falsed faith. And first I brieflie will repeate
The sentence of the mightie God gainst murder and deceate.
Then shall we plainlie see how that in euerie land
The Lord according to his law with just reuenging hand
The bloodie tyrants strikes, with all their faithlesse crue;
As by examples we maie see of such as shall ensue.
Vvho so saith God shall shed the blood of man in vaine,
Shall with the shedding of his blood requite the same againe.
And he that by deceite his neighbour shall betraie,
Or shall with guile presumptuouslie his brother seeke to slaie:
He shall not scape, although he to the altare flie.
But drawen foorth he iustlie shall without all pitie die.
Such cursed bloodie men Gods plague doth follow still;
For wicked King Abimelech who was content to kill
His seuentie brothers all the kingdome for to haue:
From just reuenge he could not long his cursed carkasse saue.
For from a womans hand a milstone downe was sent
Frō off a wall: which with the weight his brain pan al to rent.
With sword, lest that a womās stroke his glory shuld subuert.
As
Tripbon beeing Tutor and chief counsellor vnto yong king Antiochus, and bauing deuised with himself a plot of conspiracie to kill his master, thoght that Ionathan being hie priest of the Iewes, would be a hinderance vnto this attempt, being a frend vnto Antiochus. Therfore Triphon feining great frēdship vnto Ionathan, with flattering words so trained him by trust, that hee perswaded him of 40 thousand men which Ionathan broght with him, that be should sende awaie all sauing one thousand: with which small companie when he was entered into the Citie Ptolemais vnder trust of assured promise to haue to Citie deliuered vnto him by Triphon: and being come within the gates, hee was by Triphon taken prisoner, and all his men slaine 1. Maccab. 12.41 Iosephus Antiquit, lud lib. 13.cap.10.
Good Ionathan, to whom he did a faithfull frend appeare:
So did he quicklie feele the weight of falsed word,
Who shortlie was by Simon slaine, and iustlie put to sword.
I read also of one Aristobolus by name,
Who hath for murder left behinde a blacke & bloodie fame.
For first he did consent with famine for to pine
His mother, for because she would the kingdome not resigne.
And also was content by death to make away
Antigonus his brother deere, which was his owne decaie.
For when the deed was done, he felt a present griefe
In conscience for so cruell act; which then without reliefe
Did dailie so torment his sore afflicted hart,
That fresh remorse did often giue new cause of greater smart.
At length from grislie corse his blood by peacemeale came;
For brothers blood frō earth did call his blood to quit the same
And thus in fearfull wise he yeelded vp his breath:
So was his fierce & wicked life repaide with worthie death.
Our Charles like vnto this from Gods reuenging hand
By bloodic death, repaies the blood he shed within his land.
From eares, from nose, frō mouth, from hart that was so stout,
Frō euery part his blood was seen, wher blood might issue out.
The man that would not yeeld when men did mercie craue,
For mercie cries vnto the Lord but mercie none can haue.
Shall call himselfe when he hath need, & not be heard at all.
The heart that was so proud, now feeles the bitter paine
Whereat he iested when he saw his faithfull subjects slaine.
The eares that would not heare the poore afflicted crie;
But greedelie to sucke their blood would credit euerie lie,
With blood are stopped vp that they shall heare no more:
Such heauy plagues for wicked men the Lord hath stil in store.
The mouth that would not speake to doo his brother good,
In steed of words doth vomit out the clotts of filthie blood.
The nose that did detest of Truth the pleasant smell,
From filthie heart doth willinglie the stinking blood expell.
So that we plainlie see, that blood for blood doth craue,
And he shall not escape that seekes his brothers blood to haue.
Then cursed be the mouth and man that did perswade
This wretched King that he was in a good and godlie trade,
In that he did by guile the godlie so allure:
And afterwards by treason did their wished death procure.
Much like said he you be to Lewes which heretofore
Said in the Latine that he knew one sentence & no more.
Which was; That he which Truth in words will alwaies bring,
And not dissemble; knoweth not the skill to be a King.
Naie this was rather like the red and cruell raigne
Of Mithridates, who did cause of Romanes to be slain
A hundred fiftie thousand once by message that was sent,
Whē outwardlie there did appear nothing but frendship mēt.
The King of Arragon like mate of cursed crue,
By like deceit in Sicill once eight thousand Frenchmen slew.
To Philip once it was his ruine and his death:
In that he often brake his oath, and vow of plighted faith.
Then happie is the man, that timelie can beware
Of Popish treason, which doth seeme great fauor for to beare.
“That lately for the Truth hath bin in France my natiue soil.
“The Lord grant England peace and mercie from aboue,
“That from the Truth no trouble may their fixed heart remoue
“With wished life and health Lord long preserue and keepe
“That Noble Queene Elizabeth chiefe Pastor of thy sheepe:
“And that she maie finde out, and hunt with perfect hate
“The Popish hearts of fained frends before it be too late:
“And that in wofull France the troubles that we see,
“To England for to shun the like, may now a warning be.
“And where our wound is seene as yet so fresh to bleede,
“Lord grant to England that they maie in time take better heede.
“Good sir I pray you giue me leaue to seeke some other place.
“I feare that I haue staid and charged you too long,
“In warping forth these bloodie broiles in rude & rustick song.
“I shall not think it anie charge, nor count it anie paine
“To heare and keepe thee still: but if thou wilt depart,
“For thy discourse take this reward, & thanks frō frendlie hart.
“And so (my frend) farewell, Lord shield thee from annoy,
“And grant vs al that we may meete with Christ in perfect ioy
The French Historie | ||