THE SPEECH WHICH THE FRENCH KING made to the Lords of the Parliament on the fifth of january. 1599  
Faithfully translated out of French, by H.W.  
Imprinted at London by john Wolf, and are to be sold at his shop in Pope's head Alley, near unto the Exchange. 1599   

The speech which the King made to the Lords of the Parliament, on the 5. of januarie 1599  
BEfore I speak of that, for which I caused you to be here assembled, I will tell you a history, which even now I put the Marshal De la Chastre in mind of.  
Presently after S. Bartholmeus, four of us playing at Dice, saw some drops of blood appearing on the Table, the which being wiped twice out, they still returned again. And for the third time, I said I would play no longer, and that it was an Augur against them which had spilled it: The Lord Guise being one of the company.  
This talk ended, his Majesty said as followeth.  
YOu see me in my closet, where I come to speak with you, not in Royal habitements, with my Rapier and Helmet, as my predecessors, norlike a Prince who intendeth to speak to foreign. Ambassadors: but appareled like a father of a family, in a doublet, to speak familiarly to his children. That which I have to say, is to pray you, to verify the Edict which I have granted unto those of the Religion. That which I have done, is for the good of the peace, which I have concluded without, and I will now have it within my Realm. You ought to obey me, although there were no other consideration, but my quality, and the obligation of all my subjects, and especially you of my Parliament. Some I have replaced in their houses, from which they were banished: and other some in the faith which otherwise they would not have had. If the obedience was done to my predecessors: as much or more is dew to me, because that I have re-established the estate: God having chosen me, to set me in the kingdom which is dew to me by inheritance and purchase. The Lords of my Parliament should not be in their seats without me. I will not vaunt nor boast, but thus much I will say, that I have no other example to imitate, but myself: I know full well, that there hath been great bribery: and that seditious preachings have been raised up. But I will set good order for those men, and will not refer the same to you: It is even the way which was taken, to make the Barricadoes, and to come by degrees to the murder of the late King. Nay I will look to all that, I will cut the root of all those factions, and of all factious Sermons, and will shorten all those which shall raise them. I have leapt upon the walls of Cities, I shall also be able to leap upon your Barricadoes, which are not so high. Allege not unto me, the Catholic religion: I love it better than you: I am more Catholic than you: I am the eldest son to the church, which none of you is, nor cannot be: you deceive yourselves greatly, in supposing yourselves in the Pope's favour: I am in it better than you. (If in case that I will undertake it, I will cause all you to be declared heretics for not obeying me. I have more intelligence at Rome then you: you may do enough, I shall know what every one of you say: I know all what is in your houses: I know all what you do and say: I have a little Demon, who revealeth it all unto me. Those which will not have my Edict to pass, seek wars. I will declare them to morrow to those of the Religion: but I will not make the wars. You yourselves shall go thither, with your gowns, and gather again the procession of the Cappuchins, which shall carry their Muskets upon their garments: It will be a goodly sight to see you. If you will not pass my Edict, you will make me go to the Parliament: You shall be unkind, when you shall have engendered me this envy: Witness those of my counsel which have found the Edict good and needful, for the estate of my affairs: my Lord the Constable, my Lord Chancellor, my Lords of Belliure, of Sancy, de Sillery and Villeron, I have done it by their advice, and of the Dukes and Peers. There was not one of them, that durst name himself Protector of the Catholic Religion, or that durst deny to have given me his advice therein. I am the only conseruator of the Religion. I will, well enough dissipate the commotions which will be ●owed. They have complained at Paris, that I would make some levying of Swissers, or other gathering of troops. Well, I have done it: It ought to be well thought of, and it should be to a good end, by reason of all my forepast demeanours. Witness what I have done for the reconquest of Amiens: where I have employed the moneys of the Edicts, which you would not have passed, had I not gone to the Parliament. Necessity constrained me to make this Edict: through the same necessity I have at other times played the Soldier. It is spoken of, and yet I have not made any semblance thereof. I am King now, and speak like a King. I will be obeyed.  
In deed I confess, that the justice is my right arm. But if now the right arm be infected, the left aught to cut it off. When my regiments do not serve me, I cashier them. What shall you gain by not verifying the Edict? for aswell will I pass it. The Preachers may preach their fill, and brawl: as the brother to my Lord of Silery hath done, to whom I will speak in this company. And having called the said Lord of Sillery, he said.  
I have before advertised you of some complaints done against your brother, as also I had commanded you to admonish him to restrain himself, and to be wise. At the first, I believed that there was no such matter, that he had preached against the Edict: because there were no proofs, yet was it true: And at last, he got to S. Andrew, where my General Attorney hath heard him preach seditiously, against the Edict, but it was not taken up as it ought, they will accuse him to be moved by an inconsiderate zeal. But be it of purpose or otherwise, it is always evil, and this inconsiderate zeal deserves a punishment. This complaint done, his Majesty returning to the Lords of his Parliament, said: There is not one of you but finds me good, when he needeth me, there being not one amongst you but need me once a year: And yet notwithstanding to me which am so good, you are bad. If the other Parlements, for having resisted my will, have been causes that those of the Religion, have demanded new things: I will not that you also be causes of other novilties, by your refusal. Anno. 94. and 95. when I sent you a declaration upon the Edict of Anno 77. for the provision of the Officers. I had promised not to provide any of the religion, with the Estates of the court of Parliament: Since that, the time hath changed the affairs: yet nevertheless I will have good assurance of those unto whom I commit charges, that they shall behave themselves as they ought. Speak not so much of the Catholic Religion. All those great Catholic and Ecclesiastical criers, if I give but to the one, a benefice of 2000 crowns, and to another 4000 pounds of rent, they will play mum, they will not speak a word more. I judge of this sort of all the rest which speak against the Edict. There are fomelewde, which seem to hate sin, but it is, for fear of the pains: and the good hate it for the love of virtue. I remember once I learned two Latin verses.  
Oderunt peccare male formidine pene,  
Oderunt peccare boni virturis Amore.  
I have not repeated these verses these twenty years, but at this present, because I know that some of you which hate sin, do bear the hate for love of the virtue: and I wish punishment to those which shall hate it for fear of the pain. And afterwards (as doth a son to his Father) they will thank me for the punishment. I had not thought to have sent for you but yester night late. Seeing the Edict whereof I tell you, is the Edict of the late King: Also it is mine: for it hath this day been done by me, and I do yet confirm it. I find not good to have one thing in my mind and to write another. And although some others have done so, yet will I not do it. The last words which you shall have of me is. That you follow the example of Monsieur du main: who, when some desiring him to make some enterprises against my will: answered that he was too much bound unto me, as also all my subjects, amongst the which he would always be one, who should expose his life to pleasure me: Because that I have re-established France, in despite of those which sought the ruin thereof: Although that in times past, he would have assayed all ways and means to overthrow the Estate. If then the head of the league, hath spoken so: how much more ought you which I have re-established? Those which always have been faithful unto me: Those which I have replaced in their houses: In fine what ought they to do? Finally, grant unto my requests: what you will not grant to threats, yet shall you not have any of me: do what I command you, and what I pray you. Ye shall not only do it for me, but also for yourselves, and to the good of the peace.  
FINIS.