is acquitted. XIII. The Reformed fend fome

Deputies to the Prince of Conde, &c. XIV. Their

Petition to the Queen Mother. XV. Her Ma-

jesty's Anfwer. XVI. Letter of Mr. Villemadon

to her Majesty. XVII. She complains of the

Government. XVIII. The King of Navarr

coming to Court. XIX. Another Petition of the

Reformed to the Queen. XX. Her Answer.

XXI. A very fevere Edict against the Reformed.

XXII. Unjuft Proceedings against them. XXIII.

Of de Ruffanges an Informer. XXIV. Ways

devifed to furprize the Reformed at Paris.

XXV. Vicomte's Houfe affaulted. XXVI. The

Reformed Houfes plunder'd at Paris, and in o-

ther Cities. XXVII. Catharine's Behaviour

on this occafion. XXVIII. Horrid Calumnies.

against the Reformed. XXIX. Mr. de, Sou-

celles arrested, XXX. Perfecutions more fierce

than ever in France. XXXI. Attorney Boulart

bis Wife and Daughters profecuted. XXXII.

Falfe Rumour about the King's Journey to Blois.

XXXIII. New Edict against the Reformed.

XXXIV. Prefident Minart affaffinated. XXXV.

Images fet up in the Streets to diftinguish the Re-

formed. XXXVI. Effects of the tyrannical

Government of the Guifes. XXXVII. A Scheme

for a Reformation of the Government. XXXVIII.

The Reformed Religion was not the occa-

fion of the Plot of Amboife. XXXIX. Proved

against Daniel by his own Quotations, as by

Some others, out of Catholick Authors. XL. A

full Account of that Plct, out of M. de Thou's

Hiftory. XLI. La Renaudie's Character.

XLII. The Plot is difcovered by d'Avenelles.

XLIII. Meafures of the Guifes io prevent the

Effects of it. XLIV. Caficinau's and Maze-

res's fruitless attempt and flance. XLV.

The Original of the word lingonot. XLVI.

La

La Renaudie's Foot routed, be bimfelf is killed.

XLVII. Great Cruelties of the Guises. XLVIII.

The Prince of Conde arrefted upon fufpicion.

XLIX. He vindicates his Innocence and is ac-

quitted. L. The King of Navarr fufpected, but

plainly juftified. LI. D'Avenelles recompenfed,

bis Character. LII. Chancellor Oliver's Death,

and Character. LIII. M. De l'Hofpital fuc-

ceeds bim, bis Character. LIV. Bafe Flattery

of the Parliament of Paris to the Guifes. LV.

The King writes to the King of Navarr, and to

the Princes of Germany. LVI. Admiral de Co-

ligny and his Brothers leave the Court. LVII.

The Prisoners of Blois's, &c. Efcape. LVIII.

Bantring Letter of Stuart to the Guifes. LIX.

The Edict of Romorantin. LX. The King's

publick Entry at Tours. LXI. Wicked De-

Signs of Capt. Richelieu against the Inhabitants.

LXII. Queen Mother's Endeavours to win the

Reformed to ber Intereft. LXIII. A Pamphlet

against the Guifes. LXIV. Some innocent fuf-

fer for it. LXV. The Prince of Conde goes to

Nerac. LXVI. His Retreat creates great

Jealoufies at Court. LXVII. The Queen Mo-

ther's Conference with la Planche, that Gentle-

man's generous Anfwer to the Queen. LXVIII.

The Prince of Conde arrives at Nerac, and fol-

licits his Brother. LXIX. Assembly of Fon-

tainebleau. LXX. The Chancellor's Speech.

LXXI. Admiral de Coligny prefents two Peti-

tions to the King. LXXII. The Bishop of Va-

lence's Speech. LXXIII. The Archbishop of

Vienne's Speech. LXXIV. The Admiral's

Vote. LXXV. The Cardinal of Lorrain's Vote.

LXXVI. Conclufion of that Assembly. LXXVII.

The States General appointed at Meaux for the

10th of December 1560. LXXVIII. La Sague

arrested, bis Papers and Letters feized and

VOL. I.

opened.

M

opened. LXXIX. Enterprize upon Lyons.

LXXX. The King's Proclamation. LXXXI.

Cardinal of Bourbon goes to Nerac. LXXXII.

La Sague makes new Difcoveries. LXXXIII.

The Reformed perform Divine Service publick-

ly at Valence and other Places of Dauphine;

the Magiftrate connives at it. LXXXIV. The

Duke of Guife orders Maugiron to fuppress them.

LXXXV. He takes Valence and plunders it.

LXXXVI. Several Executions at Valence, Ro-

mans, &c. LXXXVII. Extraordinary Death

of fome Perfecutors. LXXXVIII. De Mont-

brun's Expedition in the County of Venaiffin.

LXXXIX. He leaves the Kingdom, and retires

into Switzerland. XC. Anthony and Paul de

Mouvans take Arms in Provence in their own De-

fence. XCI. Anthony barbarously murdered at

Draguignan by the Mob. XCII. Paul endeavours

to revenge his Brother's Death. XCIII. His Expe-

dition in Provence, and his Treaty with the Count

of Tendes. XCIV. He retires to Geneva. XCV.

The Duke of Guife's Offers to him, and bis Anfwer.

XCVI. Commotions in Normandy, caufed fpe-

cially by a Fanatick. XCVII. Several Judg-

ments about the Princes of Bourbon. XCVIII.

The King fets out for Orleans. XCIX. Advices

of Marillac to the Duchefs of Montpenfier.

C. That Prelate's Death and Character. CI. The

King's publick Entry in Orleans. CII. Confeffion

of Faith drawn by the Guifes. CIII. They in-

fringe upon the Liberty of the Deputies to the

States. CIV. Dandelot retires fecretly from

Court. CV. The King of Navarr and the Prince

of Condé fet out for Orleans. CVI. Their Re-

ception. CVII. The Prince of Condé arrested.

CVIII. As likewife the Dowager of Roye, and

Groflot Bailiff of Orleans. CIX. Commiffaries

appointed for examining the Prince. CX. Great

Violences of the Guifes. CXI. They refolve upon the murder of the King of Navarr. CXII. Admiral de Coligny in danger. CXIII. The Conftable's Prudence. CXIV. The Prince's Tryal and Condemnation. CXV. Great Policy of the Queen Mother. CXVI. The King's laft Fit of Sickness. CXVII. The Guifes provide for their own Security. CXVIII. New danger of the King of Navarr. CXIX. Inftances of the Guifes to have the two Princes of Bourbon put to death, but in vain. CXX. King Francis's Death and Obfequies. CXXI. A General View of the Reformed Churches in France during this Reign.

W

E are to enter into a new Scene of the Francis[[. most tragick Events, which scarce can 1559 Pope be parallelled in any Hiftory ancient Paul IV. or modern, whether confidered in their Nature, in their Caufe, or in the Springs and the Means Introduc put in ufe to bring them forth, or in their long tion to this duration. We fhall fee one of the most flourish- fecond ing Kingdoms made a prey to the Avarice Book. and Ambition of a foreign Family; which, for compaffing their Ends, gratifying their criminal Paffions, and paving their way to the Throne, by depriving the lawful Heirs of their just Rights, fpared none of thofe Methods which the moft unjuft Ufurpers are wont to put in practice to attain their ends, Knavery, Perfidioufnefs, Perjury, Lyes, Calumnies, Murders, Affaffinations, Poifoning, Maffacres, &c. And all that under the fpecious pretence of the publick Good, and the honour of Religion, to dazzle the People's Eyes, and intrap them the more eafily in their Snares.

These Events are fo ftrictly united, though by accident, with the Hiftory I have undertook to write,

M 2

Pope

FrancisII. write, that it is impoffible to separate them; and 1559. to the end that the Reader may form a right Paul IV. Judgment, and know whether the Reformed Religion was fo much concerned in them, as to be the cause of them; as Maimbourg, Daniel, and other Writers of that kind have boldly afferted, he must be first thoroughly acquainted with the true Character of the Ringleaders and chief Actors, in thofe bloody Tragedies, and then we shall confider in their proper place the true Causes and Motives of their Conduct, the Ends they proposed to themselves. But I fhall give here only the Character of those who have begun under this Reign; and the two or three first years of the following, referring to speak of the others, as they fhall come upon the Stage: I fhall begin with the Queen-Mother.

I.

CATHARINE, Daughter to Laurent de MeCharacter dicis, and Niece to Pope Clement VIII. was born of Cathaat Florence in the year 1520, and was married rine de Medicis. to Henry Duke of Orleans fecond Son of Francis I. The Ceremony was performed at Marseilles, where the King of France and Clement met together in October 1533.

All the Hiftorians of thofe times agree in giving to that Princess all the Accomplishments of Body and Mind.

She had a noble and majeftick Mien, ingaging, Manners, a great Wit, quick in finding out a fhift, in the greatest Emergencies; and not defponding in the greatest Misfortunes.

She had little or no occafion to make use of thefe Qualities, during the Life of the King her Hufband, who being entirely poffeffed by the Duchefs of Valentinois, gave no fhare at all to his Queen in the management of Affairs.

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