Pope

hard Talk to bring him to forgive fome faults, Henry II. when once done. He would have been praife- 1559. worthy for his love of Learning, if the Licen- Paul IV, tioufnefs of his Court, to which he did fet himfelf an Example, had not inticed the learned to write fo many Romances, full of the most extravagant Vifions, and lafcivious Poems fit to flatter all manner of lewdnefs. Almost all the Vices which are the ruin of the greateft Empires, and draw upon them the Wrath of Heaven, ruled fovereignly in his Court; Games of Chance, Luxury, Immodefty, Lafciviqufnefs, Lewdnefs, Debauchery, Libertinifm, Blafphemies, and that Curiofity, as foolish as impious, to dive into the Secrets of the time to come by magick Arts.

That Prince was of a martial Temper; commonly he commanded his Armies, and the experience he had acquired in the military Art, from the time he was Dauphin, and fince he had fucceeded to the Crown, had made him very expert in the command.

We have already obferved, that he followed too much the Advices of his Minifters; and particularly thofe of the Dutchefs of Valentinois, who kept her ground with him as long as he lived.

He left four Sons and three Daughters by Catherine of Medicis his Queen; his four Sons were, Francis II. Charles IX. Alexander, and Hercules; the Names of the two laft were changed at their Confirmation, the first was named Henry, and the next Francis; the three firft reigned fucceffively.

His three Daughters were Ifabella married to Philip II. King of Spain; Claudia married to Charles III. Duke of Lorrain; and Margaret married to Henry of Bourbon, while he was only King of Navarr, but put away by him. He left VOL. I.

L

alfo

Henry II. alfo two illegitimate Children, Diana, which he 1559 married to Horatio Farnese, and afterwards to Pope Paul IV. Francis eldeft Son of the Conftable; and Henry who was great Prior of France and Governor of

CIV.

Provence.

Though the Perfecutions against the ReformA general ed were exceedingly fierce, nevertheless, it is alView of the most incredible what a vaft number of Churches Reformed were fettled in the Kingdom under this Reign.

der this

Churches fettled in I have already mentioned the Settlement of France un- the Reformed Church at Paris, now I fhall take a general View of the Progrefs of the Reformation throughout the feveral Provinces of the Kingdom.

Reign.

Meaux.

Angers.

Poitiers.

Alevert.

The Reformed in the City of Meaux, had not been dishearten'd by the cruel Executions of fourteen Martyrs burnt in 1546; but though groaning under a fevere Captivity, yet hearing of the Settlement of the Church of Paris, they defired them to fend them a Minifter, and M. Chaffagnon being fent to them, fettled a Church amongst them in the year 1555; he was fucceeded by M. Du Foffe, and he by M. Meon.

At Angers Mr. John le Maçon born at that place, and Minifter of Paris, went thither and fettled the Church, and Mr. John de Pleurs was fent to them from Geneva in 1555.

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At Poitiers in 1555, the greatest Enemies of the Reformation having been forced by the Plague to leave the City, the fmall number of the Reformed there took heart, and one Mr. Chretien, a Minifter, fettled a Church there to the great advantage of the Country round about, whose Churches were provided with Ministers by that of Poitiers.

At Alevert, an Island upon the Coast of Xaintonge, a vaft number of the Inhabitants received the Reformation, by the means of fome private

Perfons, helped afterwards by fome Monks; at Henry II. laft by Mr. Philibert Hamelin, who fettled the Church there in October 1555.

At Agen in Guienne, the Church was fettled in the fame year by one Peter David a Monk, who was afterwards Chaplain to the King of Navarr.

Pope Paul IV.

Agen.

At Bourges in Berry, Mr. Simon Broffier fet- Bourges. tled a Church in the year 1556, but being forced by the Perfecution to leave that place, he was fucceeded by Mr. Martin Rochehut.

From Bourges Mr. Broffier went to Iffoudun, foudun. where he fettled a Church in November 1556.

At the fame time a Church was fettled alfo at Aubigny. Aubigny, near Bourges, by one Mr. Hanet.

The Church of Blois was fettled alfo in this year 1556; one Mr. de Beaupas was their first Minifter, but for want of fome Formalities in his Reception, Mr. du Gué was put in his stead.

The Church of Tours in Touraine was fettled at the fame time by the Care of the above-named Mr. Broffier, and Meffieurs Lancelot and Rouviere were their two firft Paftors; but fome Divifion happening in the Church, occafioned by fome of the Members, who fided with Mr. Beaupas, who was come thither from Blois, Mr. Lancelot asked and obtained his difcharge, and Mr. d'Albiac alias du Pleffis fucceeded him.

Blais.

Tours.

From Tours Mr. Lancelot went to Montoire Montoire. where he fettled a Church, of which he was the firft Minister in the fame year.

The Church of Pau in Bearn was fettled at the Pau. fame time by Mr. John Henry, whom the King of Navarr countenanced; it was by his means, that Jane d'Albret Queen of Navarr was perfuaded to make an open profeffion of the Reformed Religion.

Henry II.

It appears by feveral Executions made at 1559. Bourdeaux of many Reformed Inhabitants, parPope Paul IV. ticularly that of Mr. Cafebonne, that there was a Church fettled in that City about the year 1556, Bourdeaux but I can't find the time precifely of its Settlement, Mr. Mazieres was one of their Minifters in 1556.

Orleans.

Rou en.

Sens.

Rochelle.

The Church of Orleans was fettled in 1557; Mr. Ambroise le Balleur was their firft Minifter, who was a little time after fucceeded by Mr. Robert la Fontaine : Mr. le Balleur being forced by the Perfecution to leave the place, Mr. Faget was adjoined to Mr. la Fontaine; and these two being not fufficient, Mr. Peter Gilbert alias la Bergerie was fent to them from Geneva.

The Church of Rouen in Normandy was féttled alfo this year 1557, by Meffieurs La Jonchée and James des Roches, whofe Labours fucceeded extraordinarily well in a very little time.

The Church of Sens was fettled in the fame year, but without a Minifter; and they elected at that time two fit Perfons, to read Prayers and the Holy Scripture in their Meeting (b).

It appears by feveral authentick Memoirs, that the Reformation had reached la Rochelle before the year 1534; for the Book of the Martyrs fays, that a Woman, namely Mary Becaudelle, who was burnt at a Place called des Effars in Poitou, for Religion's fake, had been inftructed in that Religion in the City of la Rochelle. It is true, that from the year 1534 to the year 1552, we have no Example of any follower of that Doctrine in that City; but in 1552, there were three Men condemned and executed at la Rochelle, for the pretended Crime of Herefy,

(b) Beze Hift. des Egl. Ref. vol. 1. liv. 2

viz.

viz. Matthias Couraut alias Gafton des Champs, Henry II. Peter Conftantin alias Caftin, and Lucas Mon- 1559. jaut.

They were fentenced firft to make Amende Honorable, in their Shirts, their Head uncovered, bare-footed, a Rope about their Necks, holding each of them a Link burning of a pound weight, and the faid Monjaut having a Faggot upon his back. The faid Couraut and Conftantine were to be brought and drawn upon a Sledge, from the Goal to a Scaffold erected for the purpofe before the Church of Notre Dame, there to remain during the Celebration of a great Mafs; which done, they were to afk pardon of God, of the bleffed Virgin, of the Saints, of the King and Juftice, for the heretical, fchifmatical, and fcandalous Propofitions and Blafphemies they had uttered against the honour of God, the Sacraments, the bleffed Virgin, and the Conftitutions of the Church; acknowledging that by these means they had disturbed the publick Peace and Tranquillity of the Faithful. After the Amende Honorable, the faid Mr. Couraut was to have his Tongue cut off to the root, because he was the Teacher, and had dogmatized and read before the People; then they were to be brought back to the Prifons of the Caftle, there to remain for two hours, after which they were to be brought to the place before the Caftle, where Mr. Couraut was to be burnt alive, Mr. Conftantine to be strangled first, and then burnt; and Mr. Monjaut to be prefent at these Executions, in his Shirt, his Head uncovered, bare-footed, a Rope to his Neck, the Faggot on his back upon another Scaffold, and then to be whipt by the common Hangman round about the two Fires, till the Blood should gufh out of his Flesh; which done, to be banished for ever out of the 1. 3

City

Pope

Paul IV.

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