Marginalia1558.that they should receiue with free hospitalitie any stranger both horseman or footman, for one nightes lodging, who soeuer came. MarginaliaA subtill deuise of the Monkes to fray away their gestes.But this hospitalitie dyd not long so continue, through a subtile and deuilish deuise of one of the Monkes, who tooke vpon hym to counterfeyt to playe the part of þ^e Deuyll, ratlyng and ragyng in his chaynes, where the straungers should lye, after a terrible manner in the nyght tyme, to fray away the gestes: by reason wherof no stranger nor trauayler durst there abide: 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 Montford, benefactours to that Abbey, cōmyng to the Monastery, was there lodged, whether of set purpose, or by chance, it is not knowen.

When the night came, and the Earle was at his rest, the Monke after his wonted maner begynneth his pageant, to play the tame, yea rather the wylde Deuyll. There was stampyng, rappyng, spittyng of fire, roryng, thunderyng, bounsing of boordes, and ratling of chaynes, enough to make some man starke mad. MarginaliaThe punishment of God vpon a Monke that woulde counterfeite the deuill.The Earle hearing the soden noyse, and being somwhat peraduenture afrayd at the first, although he had not then the feat of coniuryng: yet taking a good hart vnto hym, and runnyng to his sword, he layd about hym well fauoredly, and folowing styl the noyse of the deuyl, so coniured hym at last, that the Monke which counterfeited the deuyl in iest, was slaine in his own likenes in earnest. MarginaliaEx Gaspare Bruscio in Chronologia Monasteriorum Germ.Ex Gaspare Bruschio, in Chronologia Monasteriorū Germaniæ.

¶ After the imprisonment of the congregation, which were taken hearyng Gods worde in S. Iames streate in Paris, an. 1558. (as is aboue storyedMarginaliaRead afore pag. 890.) was a letter written to the kyng, which was diuulgate abroad, prouing and declaryng by diuers historyes, what afflictions and calamities, from tyme to tyme, by Gods righteous iudgment haue fallen vpon such as haue bene enemies to his people, & haue resisted the free passage of his holy word. In which letter, for so much as beside the sayde examples, muche 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 copie out the whole, as the French booke doth geue it. The trāslation of the which letter into English, is after this tenor, as foloweth.

¶ A Letter translated out of French into English, written to K. Henr. 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 Lutherans, neuer prospered with him.COnsider, I pray you sir, and you shall finde, that all your afflictions haue come vpon you, since you haue set your selfe against 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, and as long as ye were enemie vnto the Pope, and going into Almanie for the defence of the libertie of the Germanes afflicted for Religion, your affayres prospered as ye would wish or desire.

On the contrary, what hath become vppon you since you were ioyned with the Pope againe, hauyng receiued a sword from him for his owne safegard? And who was it that caused you to breake the truce?MarginaliaThis truce was betwene the French king, and the Emperour, which the Pope caused to be broken. God hath turned in a moment your prosperities into suche afflictions, that they touch not onely the state of your owne person, but of your kingdome also.

MarginaliaThe cruell purpose of the Duke of Guise disappoynted.To what end became the enterprise of the Duke of Guise in Italy, going about the seruice of the enemie of God, and purposing after his returne to destroy the Valleys of Piemont, to offer or sacrifice them to God for his victories? The euent hath wel declared, that God can turne vpsiddown our counsels and enterprices: as he ouerturned of late the enterprise of the Constable of France at S. Quintins, hauing vowed to God,MarginaliaThe wicked vowe of the Constable of Fraunce defeated. that at his returne, he would go and destroy Geneua, when he had gotten the victory.

MarginaliaL. Poncher Archb. of Tours.Haue you not heard of L. Ponchet Archbish. of Tours, who made sute for the erection of a Court called Chamber Ardente, wherin to condemne the Protestantes to the fire? MarginaliaThe maruelous iudgment of God vpon a burning persecutor.who afterwards was striken with a disease called the fire of God: which began at his feete, and so ascended vpwarde, 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 hym selfe by the Gospell, and forsakyng the pure doctrine thereof, to returne vnto his vomit agayne, went about to persecute the Christians at Orleance, and by the hande of God was striken in his body, with a sicknes vnknowen to the Phisitions, the one halfe of his body burnyng as hot as fire, and the other as cold as Ise: and so most miserably crying and lamenting, ended his lyfe.

There be other infinite examples of Gods iudgementes

worthy to be remembred: MarginaliaLegate Du Prat the first beginner of persecution agaynst the faythfull horribly plagued.as the death of the Chancellor and Legate Du Prat, which was the first that opened to the Parlamēt the knowledge of heresies, and gaue out the first Commissions to put the faithful to death, who afterwarde dyed in his house at Nantoillet, swearing and horribly blasphemyng God, and his stomacke was founde pierced and gnawen a sunder with wormes.

MarginaliaIohn Rusecomming from accusing of the faythfull, was terribly stricken by Gods hand.Also Iohn Ruse, Counseller in the Parlament, cōmyng from the Court after he had made report of the processe against the poore innocents, was takē with a burning in the lower part of his belly, & before he could be brought home to his house, the fire inuaded all his secret partes, and so he died miserably, burning al his belly ouer, without any signe or token of the acknowledging of God.

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

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

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

MarginaliaIohn Andrew Booke bynder plagued.Likewise Iohn Andrewe, Bookebynder of the Pallace, a spye for the President Liset, and of Bruseard the kings sollicitor, dyed in a furie and madnes.

MarginaliaThe terrible vengeance of God vpon Ioh. de Roma a terrible persecutor.The Inquisitor Iohn de Roma in Prouence, his flesh fel from hym by peece meale, so stinkyng that no man might come neare hym.

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 men, women, and chyldren at Cabriers & at Merindol, dyed with bleedyng in the lower parts, the fire hauing takē his belly, blasphemyng and despising of God: besides many others whereof 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 your maiestie to remember your selfe that ye had no sooner determined to set vpon vs, but new troubles were by and by moued by your enemies: with whō ye could come to no agreement: which God would not suffer, for as much as your peace was gounded vpon the persecutiō which ye pretended against Gods seruants: 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 therof, you should be almost a kyng without subiectes.

MarginaliaRiches and Pride of the Clergye, the fountayne of all euils.Tertullian hath well saide, that the bloud of Martyrs is the seede of the gospel. Wherfore to take away all these euyls commyng of the riches of the papistes, which cause so much whoredome, sodomitrie, and incest, wherin they wallow, like hogges, feedyng their idle bellyes: the best waye were to put them from their landes and possessions, as the old sacrificyng Leuites were, accordyng to the expresse commaundement 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 perfecte: but when they began to aspire to principalitie, riches, and worldly honors, then began the abomination of desolation that Christ found out.

It was euen so in the Primatiue Churche: MarginaliaThe purenes of the Primatiue church how long it continued, and Whereby.For it floorished and continued in all purenesse, as long as the Ministers were of small wealth, and sought not their particular profite, but the glory of God onely. For since the Popes beganne to bee princelike, and to vsurpe the dominion of the Empire, vnder the colour of a false Donation of Constantine,MarginaliaThe false Donation of Constantine.they haue turned the Scriptures from their true sense, and haue attributed the seruice to them selues, which we owe to God. MarginaliaExhortation to the King to seise vpon the temporalityes of the Clergye.Wherefore your Maiestie may seise with good right vppon all the temporalties of the benefices, and that with a safe conscience, for to employ them to their true and right vse.

MarginaliaThe riches of the popes Clergie how they ought to be employed.First for the findyng and mainteynyng of the faithfull Ministers of the worde of God, for such liuyngs as shall be requisite for them, accordyng as the case shall require. Secondly, for the entertaynement of your Iustices that geue iudgement. Thirdly for the relieuyng of the poore, and maintenance of Colledges to instruct the poore youth in that whiche they shall be moste apt vnto. And the rest, whiche is infinite, may remayne for the enterteynment of your own estate and affayres, to the great easement of your