MarginaliaHenry 2. the French King sore set agaynst the poore protestantes.aboue prefixed was come, the Kyng employed all the mornyng in examinyng as well the Presidentes, as Counsaylours of the sayd Parlament, agaynst the Prisoners and other their companions that were charged with the same doctrine, which being done, they went to dynner.

The Kyng after he had dyned, for that he was one of the defendauntes at the Tourney, whiche was solemnely made in Saint Antonies Streate, neare to the Prison where the foresayde Prisoners were committed, he entred into the Lystes, and there in iustyng, as the manner is, had broken many Staues right valiauntly as coulde be, runnyng as well agaynste Countye of Montgommery, as other moe.

MarginaliaHenry 2. the French king in his triumph iusteth against Montgommery.Whereupon he was highly commended of the lookers on. And because he had done so valiauntly, and was thought nowe to haue done enough, he was desired to cease with prayse. But he beyng the more inflamed with hearyng of his prayse, woulde needes runne an other course with Montgommery: who then refusing to runne against the Kyng, and kneelyng vppon his knees for pardon not to runne: the Kyng beyng egerly set, commaunded hym vppon his allegeaunce to runne, & (as some affirme) dyd also hym selfe put the staffe in his hand, vnto whose handes he had commytted the foresayd prisoners a litle before. MarginaliaMontgommery agaynst his will cōmaunded to iuste agaynst the King.Montgommery thus being enforced whether he would or no, to runne agaynst the kyng, addressed hym selfe after the best wise to obey the kyngs commaundement.

Whereuppon he and the Kyng met together so stoutly, that in breaking their Speares, the kyng was strickē with the counter blowe, so right in one of his eyes, by reason that the visour of his Helmet sodenly fell downe at the same instaunt, that the shyuers entred into his head: MarginaliaHenry 2. the French king stricken and killed in his owne iusting.so that the braynes was perished, and therupon so festered, that no remedie could be founde, although Phisitions and Surgeons were sent for from all places in the Realme, as also from Brabant by king Philip, but nothing auailed, so that the. xi. day after, that is, the. x. of Iuly. 1559. he ended his lyfe in great dolour, hauyng raigned. xij. yeares, three monethes, and ten dayes.

Some report, that among other wordes, he said, that he feared he was striken for casting þ^e poore Christians wrōgfully in prison: but the Cardinal of Loraine standing by (as he was alwayes at hand) MarginaliaThe deuelish perswasiō of the Cardinall of Loraine at the death of the French King.said vnto hym, that it was the enimie that tempted hym, & that he should be stedfast in the fayth. By this meanes the Hall which was prepared for a place of ioy and gladnes, dyd now serue for a Chappell to keepe þ^e corps, being dressed with blacke mournyng cloth, & nyght and day there was nothyng heard but mournyng and lamentyng for the space of. xl. dayes.

About two yeares after this, which was the yeare of our Lorde. 1561. there was certayne Gentlemen put to death at Amboise, for takyng armes agaynst the house of Guise. MarginaliaCertaine gentlemen executed at Amboyse for standing agaynst the house of Guyse.Touchyng which Gentlemen, this is to be noted, that as one of them should be brought to the place of execution, where the other laye dead before hym, he thrust his hands into the bloud of two of his companions which were there beheaded, and then lyftyng them vp to heauen, cryed with a lowde voyce: Lord beholde the bloud of thy chyldren: thou wylt in tyme and place reuenge it.

MarginaliaThe Lordes punishment vpon the Chaūcellour Oliuier for his sentence geuen agaynst certayne Gentlemen ProtestantesNot long after the same, the Chauncellor Oliuier, who was condemner of thē, at the instigation and pursuit of the Cardinall of Loraine, through great remorse of cōscience fel sicke, and in a frenesie casting out sighes vncessantly, and afflictyng hym selfe after a fearful and straunge fashion for his vnrighteous sentence, and more then barbarous crueltie, shriked vpon a sodayne with an horrible cry, and sayde: O Cardinal, thou wylt make vs all to be damned. And within a very few dayes after he dyed.

MarginaliaThe death of Frances 2. French King after he began to withstand the course of the Gospell.Fraunces the second of that name, Kyng of Fraunce, at the perswasion of the Cardinall of Loraine and of certaine others, caused an assembly of þ^e Estates of the realme in the towne of Orleans, among other thynges to maynteyne the Papall See, to the ouerthrowe of those whiche would lyue after the sinceritie of the Gospell: MarginaliaHow the Lord worketh for his Gospell.but being fallen sicke, shortly after in the foresayd place, of a Feuer, thorow an Impostume in his left eare, he dyed, the fourth of Decemb. 1561. hauyng raigned but one yeare and about fiue monethes.

MarginaliaThe wordes of king Fraunces at his death.It was sayd of this kyng Fraunces (as the authour aboue mentioned reporteth) that when he was drawyng towards his end, the Cardinal of Loraine made hym to say and pronounce these wordes which folow: Lord forgeue me my trespasses, and impute not vnto me the faults which my ministers haue done vnder my name and authoritie.

Neyther is it vnworthy of obseruation, that after the father happened in much like sort by Gods mighty iudgement vpon Carol. 9. his second sonne, & brother to Frances aboue mentioned, in these our latter dayes, who after

the horrible and bloudy murder of the Admyrall, and other true professours of Christes Gospel, both men, women, and chyldren, to the number of many thousands, of diuers cities, in so much that the prisons and streates are sayd to be colored with bloud, smoking after suche a cruell sort, as in our tyme or countrey the like hath not hitherto ben seene: MarginaliaThe terrible stroke of Gods reuenge vpon Carol. 9. the French King.by the terrible stroke of Gods iust reuenge, the same king, by credible report of story, is said to dye of bleeding, not only at his eares & nose, but in al other places of his body, where bloud might haue any issue.

MarginaliaThe death of Charles the Emperour.Vnto these afore recited historyes of kyng Henry and hys twoe Sonnes, might also be added the death of the Emperour Charles the fift. Who in like maner beyng an enemie, and a great terrour to the Gospell, was cut of likewise for doing any more hurt to the church, much about the same tyme, ann. 1558. which was but three monethes before the death of Queene Mary, & ten monethes before the death of the sayd Henry the second. Touchyng þ^e death of which Charles, and Henry, and Frances, this Epitaph folowing was written in Latine verses, and printed in the French story booke, aboue alledged.

MarginaliaAn Epitaphe vpon Charles Emperour, Henry 2. the French King, and Fraunces his sonne.Consilijs Christum oppugnans & fraudibus, ingens
Regum ille terror Carolus,
Ipsis ridiculus pueris, furiosus & excors,
Totus repentè corruit.
Tuq̀ue Henrice, malis dum consultoribus vtens,
Sitis piorum sanguinem,
Ipse tuo vecors inopina cæde peremptus,
Terram imbuisti sanguine.
Henrici deinceps sectans vestigia patris
Franciscus infœlix puer,
Clamantem Christum surda dum negligit aure,
Aure putrefacta corruit.
Versuti, fatui, surdi, hæc spectacula Reges,
Vos sapere vel mori iubent.

MarginaliaThe sodayne death of President Minard.Not long after Anne du Bourges death, the President Minard, who was a sore persecutour, and the condemner of the sayd Anne du Bourg, as he returned from the Pallace or Counsel chamber to his owne house, beyng vpon his Mule, euen hard by his house was slayne with a Dagge, but who was the dooer therof, or for what cause he was slayne, for all the inquisition and diligent search that could be made, it was neuer knowen.

MarginaliaThe punishment of God vpon the King of Nauarre after he had reuolted from the Gospell to Popery.Amongest many other examples worthy to be noted, let vs also consider the end of the king of Nauarre, brother to the worthy Prince of Condy, who after he had susteined a certayne tyme, the cause of the Gospel, at length being allured by þ^e flatteryng words of the Duke of Guise and the Cardinal of Loraine his brother, and vppon hope to haue his lands restored agayne, whiche the kyng of Spayne reteyned from hym, was contented to alter his Religion, and to ioyne side with the Papistes, and so being in campe with the Duke of Guise at the siege of Roane, was there shot in with a pellet. After which wound receyued, being brought to a towne three myles from the campe called Preaux, he did vehemently repent and lament his backsliding from the Gospell, promising to God most earnestly, that if he might escape that hurt, he would bryng to passe that the Gospell should be preached freely through all Fraunce: Notwithstandyng within fiue or sixe dayes after he dyed.

MarginaliaThe Duke of Guyse slayne before Orleance. The Constable before Paris. The Marshall of S. Andrew before Dreux.Neyther dyd the Duke of Guise hym selfe, the greate Archenemie of God and his Gospell, continue in lyfe long after that, but both he with þ^e whole triumuirat of France, that is, three the greatest captaynes of Popery, were cut of for doyng any more hurt, to wyt, the Duke of Guise before Orleance, the Constable before Paris, the Marshal of S. Andrew before Dreux.

¶ Of the Emperour Sigismundus.  

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This anecdote was added in the 1576 edition.

Amonges others, here is not to be past ouer nor forgotten the notable examples of Gods iust scourge vpon Sigismundus the Emperour, of whom mention is made before, in the condemnation of Iohn Husse, and Hierome of Prage, pag. 575. After the death and wrongful condemnation of which blessed Martyrs, nothing afterward went prosperously with the said Emperour, but all contrary: so that both he dyed without issue, & in his warres euer went to the worst. And not long after, Ladislaus his daughters sonne kyng of Hungary, fighting against the Turke, was slaine in the field. So that in the tyme of one generation, all the posteritie and ofspring of this Emperour perished. Besides this, Barbara his wife come to such ruine, by her wicked lewdnes, þ^t shee became a shame & sclaunder to þ^e name and state of al Queenes. Wherby all Christian princes and Emperours may sufficiently be admonished, if they