Marginalia1558.Dukes, and rich Barons. Amongest whom most especiall were the Earles of Montforte, who had bestowed vpon that Monastery many new liberties and great priuileges, vpon this condition, that they should receaue with free hospitalitie any straūger both horseman or footeman, for one nightes lodgyng, who soeuer came. MarginaliaA subtill deuise of þ^e Monkes to fray away their gestes.But this hospitalitie dyd not long so continue, through a subtile and deuilishe deuise of one of the Monkes, who tooke vppon hym to counterfeite to play the part of the deuill, ratlyng and raging in his chaines whre the straungers should lye, after a terrible maner in the night tyme, to fray away the gestes: by reason wherof no straunger nor trauailer durst there abyde: and so continued this a long space. At length (as God would) it so happened that one of the Earles of the sayd house of Montforte, benefactours to that Abbay, cōmyng to the Monastery, was there lodged, whether of set purpose or by chaunce, it is not knowen.

When the night came, and the Earle was at his rest, the Monke after his wonted maner begynneth hys pageant, to play the tame, yea rather the wyld deuill. There was stampyng, rappyng, spitting of fire, roryng, thunderyng, bounsing of boardes, and ratlyng of chaynes, enough to make some man starke made. MarginaliaThe punishment of God vpon a Mōke that would counterfeite the deuill.The Earle hearyng the sodaine noyse, and beyng some what peraduenture afrayde at the first, although he had not then the feate of coniuryng: yet takyng a good hart vnto hym, and rūnyng to his sword he layd about hym well fauouredly, and folowyng still the noyse of the deuill, so cōiured him at last, that the Monke which counterfeited the deuill in ieste, was slayne in his own likenes in earest. MarginaliaEx Gaspare Bruschio in Chronologia Monasteriorū Germ.Ex Gaspare Bruschio, in Chronologia Monasteriorum Germaniæ.

¶ After the imprsonment of the congregatiō, which were taken hearing Gods word in S. Iames streete in Paris an. 1558. (as is aboue storyedMarginaliaRead afore pag. 1049.) was a letter written to the kyng, which was diuulgate abroad, prouyng and declaryng by diuers historyes, what afflictions and calamities, frō tyme to time, by Gods rightuous iudgement haue fallen vpon such as haue bene enemyes to his people, and haue resisted the free passage of hys holy word. In which letter for somuch as besides the sayd examples, much other good fruitfull matter is conteyned, worthy of all men to be read, and especially of Princes to be considered, I though here good to copy out the whole as the French booke doth giue it. The translation of the which letter into English, is after this tenour as foloweth.

¶ A Letter translated out of French into English, written to K. Henry. 2. French King.  

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This letter is reprinted from Pierre de la Place, Commentaires de l'estatde la Religion et Republique sous Rois Henry et François seconds et Charles neusieme [Paris: 1565], fos. 6r-10r.

MarginaliaThe doinges of Henry. 2. French King, agaynst the Lutherās, neuer prospered with him.COnsider, I pray you, Syr, and you shal finde that all your afflictions haue come vpon you, since you haue set your selfe agaynst those which are called Lutherans.

When you made the Edict of Chasteaubriant: God sent you warres: but when ye ceased the execution of your said Edict, & as long as you were enemy vnto the Pope and goyng into Almanie for the defence of the libertie of the Germaines afflicted for Religion, your affaires prospered as ye would wishe or desire.

On the contrary, what hath become vppon you since you were ioyned with the Pope agayne, hauyng receiued a sword from hym for his owne safegarde? and who was it that caused you to brake the truce?MarginaliaThis truce was betwene the Frēch king & the Emperour, which the Pope caused to be broken. God hath turned in a moment your prosperities into such afflictions, that they touch not onely the state of your own person, but of your kyngdome also.

MarginaliaThe cruell purpose of the Duke of Guise disappoynted.To what end became the enterprise of the Duke of Guise in Italy, goyng about the seruice of the enemy of God, and purposing after his returne to destroy þ^e Valleyes of Piemont, to offer or sacrifice them to God for his victoryes? The euent hath well declared, that God can turne vpside downe our counsels and enterprises: As he ouerturned of late þ^e enterprise of the Cōstable of Fraunce at S. Quentins, hauyng vowed to God,MarginaliaThe wicked vowe of the Constable of Fraunce defeated. that at hys returne he would go and destroy Geneua whē he had gotten the victory.

MarginaliaL. Poncher Archb. of Tours.Haue you not heard of L. Poncher Archbyshop of Tours, who made sute for the erection of a court called Chamber Ardente, wherein to condemne the Protestātes to the fyre? MarginaliaThe maruelous iudgement of God vpon a burning persecutor.who afterwardes was strickē with a disease called the fyre of God: which began and so ascended vpward, that he caused one member after an other to be cut of, and so dyed miserably without any remedy?

MarginaliaGods fearfull hand vpon Castellanus persecutor.Also of one Castellanus, who hauing enriched him selfe by the Gospell, and forsakyng the pure doctrine therof to returne to his vomyt agayne, went about to persecute the Christians at Orleance, and by the hand of God was stricken in hys body, with a sickenes vnknowen to the Phisicians, þ^e one halfe of his body burning as hoate as fire, and the other as cold as Ice: and so most miserably crying and lamentyng, ended his life.

MarginaliaLegate Du Prat the first beginner of persecution agaynst the faythfull, horribly plagued.There be other infinite examples of Gods iudgementes worthy to bee remembred: as the death of the Chauncellour and Legate Du Prat, which was the first that opened to the Parlament the knowledge of heresies, and gaue out the first Commissions to put the faithfull to death, who afterward dyed in his house at Nantoillet, swearyng & horribly blasphemyng God, and his stomacke was found pearsed and gnawen asunder with wormes.

MarginaliaIohn Rusé comming from accusing of the faythfull, was terribly stricken by Gods hand.Also Iohn Rusé Counseller in the Parlamēt, comming from the Court after he had made report of the processe agaynst the poore innocētes, was taken with a burnyng in the lower part of his belly, and before hee could be brought home to his house, the fyre inuaded all his secret partes, and so hee dyed miserably, burnyng all hys belly ouer, without any signe or token of the acknowledgyng of God.

MarginaliaThe wicked end of Claude des Aßes, a wicked persecutor.Also of one named Claude des Asses, a Counseller in the sayd Court, the same day that he gaue his opinion and consent to burne a faythfull Christian (albeit it was not done in deede as he would haue it) after he had dyned, committed whoredome with a seruaunt in the house, and euen in doyng the acte, was stricken with a disease called Apoplexia, wherof he dyed out of hand.

MarginaliaPeter Lyset author of the burning chamber, plagued.Peter Liset, chiefe President of the sayd Court, and one of the authors of the foresayd burnyng chamber, was deposed frō his office, for beyng knowen to be out of his right witte and beriued of his vnderstandyng.

MarginaliaThe mightie hand of God vpon Iohn Morin, a greuous persecutor.Also Iohn Morin, Lieutenant Criminall of the Prouost of Paris, after he had bene the cause of the death of many Christiās, was finally stricken with a disease in his legs, called the Wolues: wherby he lost the vse of them, & dyed also out of his wits, many dayes before denying and blasphemyng God.

MarginaliaIohn Andreu Booke binder plagued.Likewise Iohn Andrew, booke Bynder of the Pallace, a spye for þ^e President Liset, & of Bruslard the kynges sollicitor, dyed in a fury and madnes.

MarginaliaThe terrible vengeance of God vppon Ioh. de Roma, a terrible persecutor.The Inquisitour Iohn de Roma in Prouence, his flesh fell from hym by peace meale, so stinkyng that no man might come nere him.

MarginaliaIoh. Minerius a cruell persecutor, plagued of God.Also Iohn Minerius of Prouence, which was the cause of the death of a great nūber of mē, women, & children at Cabriers and at Merindoll, dyed with bleeding in þ^e lower partes, þ^e fyre hauing takē his belly, blaspheming & despiting of god: besides many others wherof we might make recital which were punished with the like kynd of death.

MarginaliaThe French King by sundry sortes of troubles, warned of God.It may please you Maiestie to remember your selfe that ye had no sooner determined to set vpō vs, but new troubles were by and by moued by your enemyes: with whom ye could come to no agreemēt: which God would not suffer, for as much as your peace was gounded vpō the persecution which ye pretended agaynst Gods seruauntes: As also your Cardinals can not let through their crueltie, the course of the Gospell, which hath taken such roote in your Realme, that if God should geue you leaue to destroy the professors thereof, you should be almost a king without subiectes.

MarginaliaRichesse and pride of the Clergie, the fountaine of all euills.Tertulian hath well sayd that the bloud of Martyrs is the seede of the Gospell. Wherfore to take away all these euils commyng of the richesse of the Papistes, which cause somuch whoredome, sodometry, and incest, wherin they wallow, lyke hogges, feedyng theyr idle bellyes: the best way were to put them from their landes and possessiōs, as the old sacrificing Leuites were, accordyng to the expresse commaūdement which was geuen to Iosua. For as long as the ordinaunce of God tooke place, and that they were voyde of ambition, the puritie of Religion remayned whole and perfect: but when they began to aspire to principalitie, riches, and wordly honors, then began the abomination of desolation that Christ found out.