A LETTER written by a French Gentleman to a friend of his at Rome: Containing A true report of the late treaty between the Queen Mother of France and the King of Navarre.  
Faithfully translated out of French.  
Imprinted: 1587.   

❧ A Letter written by a French Gentleman unto a friend of his at Rome, containing a true discourse of the late voyage made by the Queen the King's Mother into Poictow.  
YOU have sundry times requested me to impart unto you that hope which I had conceived of the Queen Mother our Misterisses' late journey. All your letters do object unto me too much brevity in this argument: Now therefore must I satisfy you, which I would sooner have done if I could have satisfied myself: But to tell you the truth, I always had small hope of this treaty. I doubted to send you my advice lest you should have disliked it, neither could I allow of yours in respect of sundry great reasons which I gathered therein, considering they have holden out against your authority. Believe me my Lord, in a place of quiet you cannot judge of our disquiet: At Rome it is not possible for you well to consider of such controversies as are in France: you would be of another opinion, if in lieu of triumphant Porches you should make your walks through a wasted Country: In stead of polished Marble you should under your feet see the bodies of your friends and fellow Citizens: and in place of fair Fountains the streams of blood should run round about you. If with your own eyes you should behold our mischiefs they would seem greater unto you then either the paper can contain or your ears admit, which finding to be so, you would perceive the remedy to be the more difficult.  
I remember when the Queen began her voyadge you thought nothing unpossible that she took in hand, and did account the peace fully concluded if she were but willing to speak of it: and for my own part, myself did believe that if she failed, it was not for any other to take it in hand. I was ever of that opinion, that her person was cunningly chosen, nevertheless in that commodity I found divers discommodities, & in that which seemed most perfect sundry defaults: I was not ignorant that the Guyzes she had made greatly beholding unto her, and so consequently might do much with them: but withal she had highly provoked the house of Bourbon, who might justly burden her with their last war, aswell as the others held the last peace of her. I perceived that she chose such Counsellors as were meet to suppress whatsoever jealousy the League might conceive in her actions: but withal fit to cause those of the Religion to repose no confidence in her: Neither was this all: for as I thought some of them very unfit for this treaty, so likewise was the time in my opinion well worse chosen. At one instant I saw the Queen's provision made ready, and at the same time three or four Armies levied: I thought it a hard matter to bring those whom they made resolute to the war, of themselves to be well disposed to peace: and in deed the Queen somewhat deceived my expectation, for she departed sooner than I could see any reason for her so to do. Now shall you have the whole discourse of our voyage, the particularities whereof I have diligently noted, as well to satisfy your curiosity, as also to answer your opinion conceived of my diligence: and I would to God we could as easily reform such oversights as our great Counsellors have committed, as yourself can readily espy them out.  
You know that at one and the same time she gave notice to the King of Navarre of her setting forward, and to the Lords of Montpensier and Montmorency of her purpose, requesting them both to work the King of Navarre to the peace. This first action did divers men diversly construe: some said that too evidently she confessed to the King of Navarre that she had offended him, in that she (being his Mother) did procure solicitors to move him. Those of the League feared this beginning, and those of the Religion had it in suspect. Some doubted the Duke of montpensier's authority, others his facility. Those of the League said that the Queen set him at one with the chief of his family: Those of the Religion, that the Queen's counsel tended to make him a solliciter of peace to the King of Navarre, thereby to turn him from being his companion in the war. Thus you see both parts grow into mistrust, and resolve the one to defend, & the other the more fiercely to offend: and in deed so fast as the Queen hasted forward, the Duke of Maine hasted to come to Paris, and so soon as the treaty of peace began, the purposes of the League proceeded. The Abbot of Gadaigne being the first time sent to the King of Navarre was very well entertained, whereupon every one assured himself of the wished benefit: but this hope vanished like a flash of lightning: for even at his second voyage which he made while the Queen was at Chenō●eau we smelled out that bitterness which the courtesies & first offers of service had before cloaked and sweetened. Gadaignes' passage by Brovage the Rochellers did suspect, and the revictualing of Brovage did they account to be a storehouse against their Town. Nevertheless, the Queen Mother came forward to hasten the interview: The King of Navarre would come with safety & credit. The Queen willed him wholly to repose himself upon her: The King would that she should trust him. She alleged her goodwill: and he made account of his fidelity and innocency. She objected to him that he was the only hinderer of the interview: he replied that she was the only let, that France was not at quiet: also that he was ready to see her, so that it might be in a safe place and the way free. And for the place, he offered to come to Champigny, in case the Marshal of biron's troops might departed and go over the River of Loire: this he seemed to request as well for his own safety, as also to put in hope his partakers, of whom some persuaded him to succour Castillon: others not to trust to words, but rather hereafter to look for like entertainment as he had had before tyme. I must not lie. The King of Navarre for his part, showed himself greatly affected to the weal & benefit of this Realm, and in case the Queen deceived me in going to him, he did farther fail my expectation in tarrying for her. But see: even as they were determining upon the place and manner of the interview there appeared an Army upon the Sea before Rochelb. Consider I pray you whether those that misliked and withstood this meeting, had a large argument to declaim upon: All was at the point to break of. The King of Navarre could not persuade himself that they which so pursued him both by Sea & by land, had any desire or meaning to do him good. The Queen was counseled to weary him with wars thereby to obtain the better peace, and yet perceived not that these counsellors did use her favour to the end to drive the King of Navarre into despair; who thereupon complained to the King by the Lord of Reaux, and besought their Majesties to call back the said Army, declaring that he could not leave a Town of so great importance as Rochel in that estate: and judging without partiality, I find that he had reason: howbeit the Navy stirred not away so long as it had victuals, notwithstanding whatsoever the king of Navarre's petitions, but famine hoist the sails thereof, and not the King's commandment: For to the contrary, even the same day that it weighed ancre, Captain Harman was taken with the Queen Mother's letters to the Commander of Chat, enjoining him not to departed, or at the least not to go far away. These letters fell into the King of Navarre's hands, yet he, neglecting whatsoever imaginations he might justly conceive, did nevertheless offer to see the Queen upon the conditions aforesaid, requiring that in the mean time all hostility might cease: The Queen desired the publication of a truce, whereto he said he could not agree, because he had before been driven to promise his partakers that he would not agree upon any peace or truce without their advice and consent. This answer she found very strange and had a better taste thereof then when it was foretold her by the Lords of Lenoncourt & Poigny. Which putteth me in mind of the Carthagenians, who wept and howled when they should pay their tribute to the Romans, but were nothing moved when they became their tributaries. When the King of Navarre told these our Masters that he would yet six months attend the King's succour before he would employ his friends, and that he would be denied of peace before he would resolve upon war, they did but laugh at his patience: but now that we see he hath given his word, we weep, and truly for no other cause but for that we wept not when we infringed the Edicts, when we accounted the innocent guilty, the obedient subjects Rebels, and just men offenders. Well, after many difficulties and divers journeys too and fro the Queen sent sundry Passports which the King of Navarre had demanded to the end to advertise his friends, and presently therewith published a Truce, which was like to have marred all again: for the King of Navarre suspected that they would take advantage of the publication thereof against a levy of Reisters that he then made in Germany, and therefore declared to her Majesty that in as much as this act had relation to a common assurance, it ought also to have been concluded by a common consent: whereupon this publication was made void. Afterward treating upon the solemn reiterating of the same, certain troops of the regiment of Neufuy were assaulted, which wonderfully displeased the King of Navarre. The want of discretion in our captains made men to ween that we had great stomachs. In the end little Roche so trotted to and fro, that the interview was concluded and the truce published. The King of Navarre came the eleventh day of December to jarnac, and the thirteenth of the same month, being very well accompanied, saluted her Majesty at S. Bris. Here do I leave to your imagination the manifold complaints on either part.  
The Queen charged him with disobedience, and overslipping all former actions stayed chief upon the present calamities▪ she gave him to understand that the king, for saving his own estate, was forced to make peace with the League: that without that shift all had been lost: that for the ceasing of the wars in the Realm, he must of necessity abandon all pretence of Religion.  
On the other side the King of Navarre complained that all the damages that he had sustained, had grown to him only for his obedience to their Majesties: That the League was waxen strong, only because he had remained weak: That he had put his life in hazard by keeping his faith: Further, reducing the present mischiefs to their first original, he referred the misery of this Realm to the peace concluded with the League: he affirmed that the King had been evil counseled rather then compelled: That the preservation of the estate depended upon the maintaining of his Edicts: That such were in deed his edicts as he had of his own accord sworn unto: That the edicts of peace were those which banished wars, but not those which for the contenting of a few seditious persons, start up in one Province, replenished the whole Realm with uproars. Madame, said he, you cannot accuse me but of over much fidelity: I blame not your faith, but your age, which doing injury to your memory, causeth you soon to forget your promise unto me. This was the end of that meeting, and almost the very last words. Men began to hope for much courtesy at the next, because the bitter taunts seemed to be washed away in the former.  
The Viscount of Touraine came to Cognac to conclude upon some particularities concerning the truce, where the Queen gave him to understand that for the perfect obtaining of a peace the king of Navarre must needs become a Catholic, and put down all exercise of any other Religion throughout all those Towns which were in his possession: she farther gave him particular charge to certify the said King that such was the King's pleasure and hers. As I heard, whiles the king of Navarre was on his way to come and see the Queen, the Viscount of Touraine aforesaid, met with him, and at large delivered him his charge: whereupon he was about to have returned back again. Nevertheless, imagining with himself that the Queen, for the feeding of her Counsels humours, had propounded those speeches, he determined to go forward, aswell for the satisfying of his own mind, as also to the end to give her Majesty an answer: howbeit even as soon as he with a sad and heavy countenance had kissed her majesties hands, she asked him whether the Viscount of Touraine had yet spoken with him, assuring him that that message was the King's resolute determination: whereto he answered her, that he greatly marveled her Majesty would take upon her so great a travail, only to tell him of a matter, with the hearing whereof his ears were already even benumbed: That he wondered that she being a woman of so great judgement would thus linger in seeking to dissolve a difficulty by the very difficulty itself: That she now propounded unto him a matter which he could by no means perform without offence to both his Conscience & honour, yea such a one as she could not request without doing great injury to the King's service. Concerning the offence against his own Conscience only GOD and his Conscience were the judges thereof▪ and for his honour he besought her to consider what injury he should offer thereto, if he should in any respect yield more to his enemy's weapons, then unto his King's commandments: That in case he should so far overshoot and forget himself, yet lay it not in him thereby to repoke all the rest that professed the same Religion: That thereby the pretence of the house of Guyze should augment so much the more, by how much their hope should fail them of being any way able to debar him of all such right as unto him may appertain: That in the augmentation of their pretence consisted the force of their weapons, & in the force of their weapons the destruction of this estate: This only Madam, said he, should I do to my own contentation. viz. Being a Catholic and winning to myself the favour & goodwill of my Lord the King, I might, in approaching nearer about him. enjoy the honour and benefit to yield unto him my bounden service: but withal I should do more for my enemies, in this, that remaining alone I might minister unto them sit opportunity to take from you the most faithfullest servant that ever you shall have: neither will they suffer any such about you, fearing least themselves might so grow miserable and wretched, you better served, and all your good subjects more happy. Hereto the Queen made no answer, (for in deed it had been a hard matter to make any good) but stood upon the laying before him all such discommodities as by continuance of war he did sustain: I do, said he, most patiently bear them, because that you, to the end to disburden yourself, have wholly laid them upon me. In this discourse she proceeded so far that at length she objected unto him that in Rochel he could not do whatsoever he listed: Pardon me Madam, said he, for I will or list to do nothing but what I ought. Then the Lord of Nevers interrupting her, told him that it lay not in him there to levy an impost: True, said he, neither have we any Italians among us. Soon after the Queen motioned for a general truce to be taken for one whole year, upon condition that during the same all exercise of the Religion might cease throughout the whole Realm, & in the mean time the general estates to be holden: To this he answered that in case those of the Religion should so easily habandon and give over their holds and places of retreat, the league would thereby grow the stronger, and so consequently, the estates the weaker: That he supposed it unpossible to surcease & extinguish the exercise of the Religion in France by any other means then by a good Council: also that the King remaining as yet the weaker, he accounted the assembly of the estates to be in vain & to no purpose: That the examples of the estates holden at Bloys did verify the one, and the vain endeavours of the King's predecessors the other. Then as he was taking his leave of her, the Queen did many times repeat unto him the same discourse which as is aforesaid she had before held with the Viscount of Touraine, charging him to impart the same to the rest of the Nobility that followed him, which even the next morning he did, and that, as since I have been certified, with very great grief, fearing lest it might work some alteration in every man's general desire of peace: beside that he chose the most peaceable minded persons in his troop, namely, the Lords of Monguion and Force, as well to testify to her Majesty that great grief which every man had conceived in seeing themselves reduced to so extreme a necessity through this her extreme resolution, as also to inquire whether there were no more to be expected of that authority which the King had unto her given. The Queen hereupon seeing herself at the point either wholly to break, or at the least wise to mortgage her promise, told them that she would send the Lord of Rambovillet to desire the king's Majesty of his final determination, which (I wots not to what purpose) she thought good to make uncertain, as it appeared aswell by this, as also by her speeches to the Duke of Montpenfier, whom she told that all that which she had said to the Viscount of Touraine was by way of discourse only, but she showed him not that in express terms she had delivered it to the King of Navarre, whom as she said she was very desirous again to see, and therefore expressly charged him to motion the prolonging of the truce, which he did, being on his way to bid him farewell.  
Among so many contrarieties no man witted what to say, or myself to write unto you. Some supposed that to the end to content and satisfy the League she would not open any means to peace, except in showing herself to be thereto forced by necessity. Others were of opinion that her Council still fed her with some new hope conceived and grounded upon the weak estate of the affairs of those of the Religion, and so promising her to procure the obtaining of some such peace as should be greatly to the kings liking, they did under hand lead her into such a war as might redound to the benefit of the League. After that the Lord of Rambovillet was returned & had made his report, viz. That the King had sworn by all the solennities of the order of the holy Ghost, that he would never in any wise consent to permit any exercise of the Religion: the Queen procured the King of Navarre to be earnestly moved to an other interview, cunningly causing him to be persuaded that he would very well like of the Lord of Rambovillets return, whereto nevertheless it was very hard to make him to condescend, in that his hope which before he had reposed in the seeing of the Queen, was now, if not quite quailed & lost, yet at the least very far strayed away. His partakers earnestly dissuaded him therefrom, as mistrusting that her only purpose tended to continue the parley that she had before entered: himself doubted the often renewing of the truce, and the rather for that he was given to understand that the publication of the first was undoubtedly put in print and transported both into Suitzerland and Germany. Some said that she still lingered him on with a treaty of peace, to the end to attend fit opportunity & convenient time to make war upon him: Others, that she propounded unto him most grievous and intolerable conditions, thereby to force him first to refuse, and so to become most odious in the sight of all the French nation. Yea, some gave him warning that she laboured the towns round about to put in practise the execution of the last Edict, also that feigning to seek the general benefit of the whole estate, she wrought particularly much mischief against the Town of Rochel. This persuasion bore some show of reason, especially after that the Catholics had surprised and seized upon Vovans and Fay-moniau: for notwithstanding they were things of small or no importance, yet happening during the time of the treaty, it bred a further suspicion of other practises: and withal the King of Navarre himself began to think that he could not hope to obtain any great matters at their hands, who took so much pains to take such small trifles from him: How beit the Queen so hotly followed this matter and lay so sore upon him, that finally he agreed to yield to a second interview, either to the end to give to all men to understand that he was not in fault that they treated not upon any means for peace, either else persuading himself that the Queen would never take so much pains to the end twice to impart unto him one bad tale. Upon her coming therefore to Fontenaye he came to Marans: and as their desires to see each other, increased, so did mistrust also spring up among their counsels. The Queen, or rather some of hers, doubted to come to any place where the Rochellers were the stronger, and by reason there was a speech given out that the Colonel Ensign of Rochel kept the passage of Veluire they made a difficulty to come over: The King of Navarre feared the crooks and bywayes of these Fens, and in deed the nature of the place is such, that even one man alone may work a great feat there without any danger. In the mean time the Queen was warned that the League grew into mistrust of her actions: also that she encroached too much upon the King's authority, and that her presence were requisite at Paris. Upon this she sent to the King of Navarre, willing him to send unto her the Viscount of Touraine, with whom she offered to speak in all liberty, whereto he easily consented. This was the very knot of all the last treaty. The Queen gave out that being informed of his discretion and wisdom she would treat with him: The King of Navarre being assured of his fidelity did consent thereto: every man generally, knowing him to be a lover of his Country, and such a one as sought the wealth and peace of this Estate, did wish for him. And myself was certified by such others as did more particularly know him, that he was a most fit instrument, in case at the hands of the Queen's Council he had been so entreated as he ought. Well, he came to Fontenaye, where he gave the Queen to understand of his coming, and that he there stayed to attend her majesties commandments: She propounded unto him that it was expedient to agree upon a general truce, for that the affairs were such, as it was no time as yet to speak of a final peace: hereto he answered, that the King of Navarre would soon condescend to the same, and could be content still to allow of the name of a truce, in case it might bring the fruits of a peace: but that as yet they had so stopped their ears against his requests, that, to the end to procure audience, he was forced to employ his friends, without whose advice and consent it now lay not in him to treat or conclude upon either peace or a general truce: That he was chosen protector of the one part, which the King had forsaken, consisting of sundry particular persons, who all had particularly been injuried, and therefore could not be satisfied unless their complaints might be heard: That if it might please her Majesty to grant such Passports as were requisite, with time convenient to call them together, they would use all diligence: Further, that for the speedier prosecuting of this matter, it were not amiss, in his opinion, to conclude upon a particular truce throughout that Province for two months, during the which the King of Navarre might come to see her, & with her to consult upon some means for peace, for the concluding whereof the Deputies of the Provinces might make their repair thither: This truce the Queen misliking, she commanded her Council to declare her reasons: whereupon one of them showed it to be prejudicial to the King: for that, said he, during the same, the King of Navarre might have fit opportunity to bring in strangers: The Catholics waxing idle should give themselves to rest: Those of the League would take this truce to be a shadow of peace, for fear of the body whereof they might raise a second Commotion. To all this the Viscount answered, that the place whereby the strangers might enter had no correspondence with either the high or low Poictow: also that the treaty of either peace or truce did rather hinder, than advance the levy of them: That the second reason was common to both parts, & that those of the Religion did more abuse their rest then the Catholics, as having been less accustomed thereunto: As for the risings of the League he knew no remedy for them, as not having as yet tasted the inconveniences of the same: That the Duke of Guyze was but meanly accompanied: That the Duke of Maine had undone his own band, and that of small ruins men never used to raise any great buildings. But because hitherto the said Viscount had spoken without commission, as one that came only to hear, the Queen was of opinion that he should return to the King of Navarre, to the end by himself to be more particularly instructed of his mind, which he did: and finding the king fully certified of the levy of his Reisters, by a messenger that came to him the same day, he speedily returned to the Queen, whom he found at Nyort resolved upon her return to Paris. There had he audience, and did at large before her Majesty discourse upon the happy estate of the King of Navarre's affairs: viz. That he had borne the burden of five Armies, which had served to no other purpose but to show what he was in respect of his enemy's power: That contrariwise they were wasted as well in power as credit: That they had recourse to the conspiraties and seditions of a town, as not able to prosecute the wars in the field: That they were to expect no further secure from the Spaniard, who now was so busied in his own defence, that he had not so much leisure as to dream of aiding them with means to assail: That notwithstanding the King of Navarre hath lost some few sconces or rather Dovecotes, yet hath he fortified fifty Holds, & that albeit hitherto he stood upon his own defence, yet was it at his discretion to make his enemies take his part: That he hath in readiness a great and strong foreign aid which no necessity of his affairs did ever force him to call in, which also he was not purposed to have used for war, but to the end to conclude the better peace: That although he had been diversly and highly injuried, yet it never sank into his mind to seek any revenge against those whom he knew to be servants to this Crown. The Lord of Nevers asked him whether he had not bound himself to any to the prejudice of the estate: But he, prosecuting his discourse, most humbly besought the Queen to judge of himself that he was neither rash, neither a liar, also that he would not once set forth a foot to report any thing that he were not well assured of, & that knowing the truth, he would not cloak it: which was, That the King of Navarre had made no other contract with strangers then tended to the wealth and peace of the estate, and to the restoring of the King and his faithful servants unto their due authority. And to the end Madame, said he, that you may the better judge of his intent, I do here protest unto you that whensoever it may please your Majesties to use his power and forces, he will evermore most readily turn his face to what part soever that the benefit of this Realm, together with your commandments shall call him. The King of Navarre hath always been of that opinion, that in as much as the king entered into this war because he was the weaker, it was not possible for him to make any peace unless he could grow the stronger, which in truth he shall do when the Princes of his blood shall have in their hands sufficient power wherewith to procure the yielding of that obedience which unto him is due. This Madam is the last remedy, and I would to God we could eschew it, and particularly I do declare it unto you as your majesties servant, not as a professor of the Religion: That peradventure it will be more safety for us to attend an Army than a Parley, and a battle then an edict. Think not Madam, that the estate shall feel the discommodity of her friends. It is unto you both profit and honour willingly to consent to a peace, and in time rather in your own good affection to choose the means, them when necessity shall compel you, to accept at all adventures of such as force shall prescribe. Then the Queen said that it were meet to stay the foreign power, and a while stood upon the form of the Passports, whereupon the Viscount said: If Madam you do stand in doubt to give us good words, we are not belike yet near the point to look for any good effects, which we should longer delay if we should stay that power that may move you thereto. It is no time for us Madam, any longer to assure ourselves upon a bare promise, sith even the most solemn edicts do fail us.  
The Queen gave so good ear to these reasons, that her heart seemed to be by them the more bend to consider of such advertisements as were daily on every side brought unto her. They set before her the appearance of a mighty sedition: The King but badly accompanied: The Duke of Main in Paris: The Duke of Guyze also ready to enter in. They showed her what occasions the captains of the League now had to shoot of the last shot of their despair, as that their hope to enjoy England was now dead with the Scottish Queen: That our Cleargymens' devotion diminished as fast as their ambition increased: That four Armies had been spoiled for default of means: That those of the Religion waxed stronger and stronger, and therefore that there was no further appearance that these our masters can build any more upon their ruins. All these things which we most feared so sunk into her imagination that she returneth in haste, to stop, as it is likely, these seditious people, who have no more left to enterprise or execute but finally upon the King's person. Thus may you see the effect of our treaty, and so the end of my letter which would have wearied me to write, had I not forgot the labour of my hand through that pleasure which I conceive in entertaining of you.  
I do most humbly kiss your hands, and remain your most faithful servant. S. C. P.