1560.

Pope

out in Arms to meet him, whereupon he thought Francis II. it was better for him to play his old Tricks than to engage with them. He talked to them after Pius IV. the fame manner, and ufed the fame deceitful words and promises, as he had done at Valence, and with as much fuccefs; for having engaged them to difarm, he was admitted into the Town, whofe People he treated as those of Valence.

While the Prefident Truchon fat upon the Trial of the Valencian Prifoners, Monluc Bifhop of the place, pitying the Fate of his Citizens, and knowing that they had no hand in the Enterprize of Amboife, obtained Letters of Pardon from the King for the Prifoners. But before they had been recorded in Parliament, the Judges had caused two Minifters to be beheaded, and Margiat Lord of the Mannor of Blanchiere, and three others of the chief Citizens to be hanged. The two Minifters, by the Advice of D'Aubepin, were gagged, when they were led to the place of Execution, to hinder them from speaking to the People; and they had each this Title hanging about their Necks, THE CHIEF OF THE REBELS. Of the rest of the Prifoners, fome were condemned to be whipt, others to banishment, feveral abjured; but none went out of Prifon, without paying great Fines (c).

When thefe Judges had done at Valence, they came to Romans, where they condemned two Men to be hanged, namely Roberté, for having lodged the Minifter, and Matthew Rebours, for having guarded the Temple-Door with a Sword and a Crofs-Bow. They were charged in their Trial with having made a Confeffion of Faith, whereby, they detefted the Mafs, and denied that God would truft himfelf into the hands of fuch wretched Men as the

(c) Thuan. ibid. Beze liv. iii.

Priests,

Pius IV.

Francis II. Priests, who were known to be commonly 1560. Leacherous, Murderers and Thieves. A Porter Pope was condemned to be whipt, and to be fent afterwards to the Galleys. These Executions reflected a great fhame upon the King's Attorney, not only because having formerly followed the Reformed Doctrine, he perfecuted then the Profeffors of it; but also, because having bought his Place for a Sum of Money, he fold Juftice, Confcience, and every thing elfe to retrieve his Purfe.

LXXXVII. Extraordinary death of Jome Perfecutors.

D'Aubefpin is faid to have died in a terrible manner, having fallen paffionately in love with a Woman, he left all other Bufinefs to follow her whitherfoever fhe went; but being defpifed by her, he fell into fuch a melancholy, that he took no care of himself, whereby he became fuch a Sloven that Lice fwarmed from the Pores of his Body in fuch an abundance that he could not get rid of them. So that defpairing of God's mercy, and Life being loathsome to him, he resolved to ftarve himself; fome of his Acquaintance, pitying his fad Condition, undertook to force him to take fome Nourishment, and to that end, they tied his Arms behind his Back, and kept his Mouth open with a Stick, while they fed him, but he died with the Gag in his Mouth, which was looked upon by the very Papists as a heavy Judgment of God upon him, who had been the Author and Adviser of treating in such a manner the two Minifters at Valence.

As for Ponfenas the King's Attorney, having mortgaged part of his own and his Wife's Estate to buy his Office, he wafted the remainder, inkeeping open Table, in hopes to retrieve himself by his Extortions; but being fallen fick, he died like a mad Dog, defpairing of God's mercy, and in fuch poverty, that he left not wherewith to be

bu

buried. Five other Counsellors, who had af- FrancisII. fifted in the Trials of the Prifoners at Valence, 1560. Pope and at Romans, died alfo in a ftrange manner, Pius IV. in less than three Years after, viz. Rinard of Madnefs, Fabri of Defpair, De Vache of an Inflammation in his Leg, which communicated itself to his Heart; Ponce of a Diftemper unknown to the Phyficians, and Roftain died blind and deaf (d).

brun mo

Now the Gentlemen, who had made their LXXXVIIE Agreement with Maugiron, had at his perfua- M. de Monfion retired to their own Houses, in hopes of lefted for living peaceably, without being molefted for bis Relitheir Religion. Many other Gentlemen, encou- gion. raged by the King's Proclamation, forfook the Roman Religion, among whom M. De Monbrun diftinguished himself. He was a Gentleman of a very ancient Family, and his Lady was Niece to the Cardinal De Tournon. The Parliament of Grenoble hearing that he had not only renounced the Roman Church with all his Family, but that he endeavoured to engage others to follow his Example, refolved to profecute him. As foon as he was informed of it, he wrote to Mr. D'Avanfon, an old Acquaintance of his, who had been fent by the Duke of Guife to Grenoble, defiring him to take his Cause in hand, and to fet forth before the Parliament, that he had never attempted any thing against the King or Government; that if he was armed, it was only for his own Safety, being threatned on every fide, even by the Court of Parliament; which he thought the more ftrange, fince he had done nothing, that could deferve fuch a Treatment. He, therefore, defired him, to interpofe his Credit to put a ftop to fuch proceedings, and that he might live quietly in his Family, under the Benefit of

(d) Beze ibid. Thuan. ibid.

the

1560.

Pope Pius IV.

Francis II. the King's Edicts. He wrote likewife to fome of his Friends to the fame purpofe; but the Parliament, without any regard for thefe Letters, gave Orders to Marin De Bouver Provoft Marfhal of Dauphiné, to go and feize Monbrun dead or alive, and to bring him Prisoner to Grenoble.

The Provoft went to execute his Commiffion the beginning of July, with his Lieutenants and Archers, and being come to La Raillanette, á fmall Town, about a Mile distant from the Caftle of Monbrun, he was fo inconfiderate as to arrest one of that Lord's Servants. As foon as it was reported to Monbrun, he called his Friends together, and fent a Meffenger to Bouver, to know the reason why he had exceeded his Commiffion, fince he was ordered to feize his Perfon and not his Servants; and defired him to release the Prifoner without delay. After feveral Meffages to and fro, they agreed to meet together halfway, between the Caftle and the Town, in which place the Provoft denied his having any Commiffion to arrest him, which if he had, he would put it in execution in fpite of him. Monbrun, provoked at feeing himself braved by fuch a Man, took his time, knocked him off his Horfe, and took him Prifoner, then he fent a dozen or fifteen of his Attendants to the Town, who feized the Lieutenant and the Archers, not one of the Townfmen daring to ftir to their affiftance; they brought them to Monbrun's Caftle. The Warrant for taking that Nobleman was found about them; but a few days after he releafed the Lieutenant and Archers, and only kept the Provost (e).

About the fame time, as M. De Clermont Tallart, Deputy-Governor of Dauphiné, was too remifs in the difcharge of his Office, to the Duke

(e) Thuan. ibid.

of

of Guife's liking, and becaufe being related to Francis II. the Conftable by Diana of Poitiers, he miftrufted 1560. Pope him. The Guifes took this opportunity of a- Pius IV. lienating him from the Queen-Mother, and got her Agreement to deprive him of his Charge, and to fend in his room Mr. La Mothe Gondrin, one of their Creatures. The Nobility opposed at first this nomination, as being against the Rights and Privileges of the Province, by which no Foreigner could be admitted to hold that Office; but the Duke of Guife's Authority prevailed, and the Parliament of Grehoble, knowing that Man to be the Duke's Favourite, and very fit to execute their Orders, received him by Provifion only, a thing never done before (ƒ).

He was no fooner admitted into his Office, but he wrote to Monbrun, commanding him to release the Provoft, and come to Grenoble to plead his Caufe before the Parliament; that if he did not obey, he would force him to it, and make him repent of his rashness.

Monbrun was ready to fubmit, when one Alexander Guiotin, born at Voreas in the County of Venaiffin came to him, he was a Man of fome Learning, and a Lawyer; he informed him, that the Reformed of his Country, groaning under the Pope's Dominion, humbly implored his affiftance, and befought him to join his Forces with theirs, for their common defence. He faid befides, that it had been difputed among the learned Reformed in his Country, whether it was lawful to take Arms against the Pope their Lord Paramount, and that it had been decided in the affirmative; fince the Pope ought not to be confidered as the lawful Lord of the Venaiffin, because he had ufurped it from RayVOL. I. mond

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(f) Id. ibid. & Boze liv. ii.