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The Nature of a Preface doth not allow me to enlarge myself any further upon that Subject, it would be an easy matter to prove that these our Enemies Charges proceed rather from their hatred against us, than from any fettled principle of Duty and Allegiance to Kings and Magiftrates, or from any Conviction of their Confcience; but that would be needlefs, THEY SHOW THEIR FAITH BY THEIR WORKS.

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Now to come to this part of our History: I have been obliged to divide this Volume into two Parts. This firft hath been fwelled up with fome Relations which may appear, at the first fight, to be fomething foreign to our main defign. The fhort Account I give of the Council of Trent; of the Rife, Progrefs and Settlement of the Jefuits in France; of the Reformation in the Low Countries, and the cruel Government of the Duke of Alva, could have been omitted, it is true, but not eafily, without leaving the Reader at a lofs, when he will fee in this Hiftory, that how favourable foever to the Popes the Kings of France have been, the Parliaments, efpecially that of Paris, could never be prevailed upon to receive the Council of Trent, and to publish it in the Kingdom; That the Jefuits, whereof no mention is made before this time, have done fuch and fuch things; That the Reformed of France and thofe of the Low Countries, did mutually affift one another in feveral Occafions. Therefore I hope he will excafe thefe neceffary Digreffions, intended

only

only for faving him the trouble of perufing
other Books, for getting an Information of
these things.

If I have been fome thing out of humour
in fpeaking of the Duke of Alva's cruel Go-
vernment, and in relating the Maffacre of
Bartholomew's-Day, and other Particulars bear-
ing fome Refemblance with thefe; I hope a-
gain, that the Reader will excufe me, confider-
ing that fuch Villanies as these cannot be
thought of without Horrour, and that it is
next to impoffible for a feeling Man to relate
them without the utmost Deteftation: What
the Heart feels, the Mouth Speaks, and the
Hand writes.

An Author must not be deemed Partial,

unless when he magnifies the Objects on each

fide, when he conceals the right and good

Actions of the contrary Party, and good Qua-

lities and Virtues of an Enemy; and the

Wrongs and Injuftices of his own, the Vices,

bad Qualities and Faults of Friends, and it is

what I have not done, as far as I remember;

and if I am guilty in that refpect, and shewn

of my Faults, I am ready to fubmit. But for

venting one's Indignation by fome fcornful or

odious Epithet, that I don't take to be Partia-

lity, provided it fhould be defervedly bestowed

upon the Actor.

And now it remains only to warn the Rea-

der, that the next Contents are the most correct,

exactly the fame Articles as contained in the

Margents of the Book.

Containing the Hiftory of eleven Years, two Months,
and eleven days, from the 19th of March 1563
to the Death of Charles IX. on the 30th of May
1574.

INTRODUCTION. Means made ufe
of by the Queen-Mother to extricate herself out of
her fears. She fent Deputies into the feveral
Provinces of the Kingdom. The Parliament of
Thouloufe refractory. Edict for raising a vast
Sum upon the Clergy. The Queen endeavours
to corrupt the Prince. War proclaimed against
England. Havre de Grace taken from the Eng-
lifb. The English Embajadors arrefted. Peace
made between the two Crowns. Charles IX,
declared of Age at Rouen. The Parliament of
Paris oppofes in vain. The Dowager of Guife
VOL.
petitions

B.

petitions for Justice: The fourth National Sy-

nod. The Conclufion of the Council of Trent.

A bort Account of that Council. The King

takes under bis Protection the Queen of Navarr,

fome Arfhbishops and Bishops. A General In-

terview of the Catbolick Powers propofed. The

King is intreated by feveral Powers to re-

ceive the Council of Trent. Why he did not

comply. The King's Edit for beginning the

Year by the first of January. He begins the

Vifit of his Kingdom. Injustices of Damville in

Languedoc. The King comes to Rouillon. The

Edict of Rouffillon. A Plot against the Queen

of Navarr difcovered. Cardinal of Lorrain

affronted at Paris: Why. The King's Inter-

view with the Queen of Spain at Bayonne.

A Law-Suit between the University of Peris

and the Jefuits. Afport Account of the Rife, Pro-

grefs, and Settlement of the Jefuits in France.

The Cardinal's War. The fifth National Synod.

Affembly of the Notables at Moulins. Execution

of Simon May at Paris. Afhort Account of the

Reformation in the Low-Countries. Trial and

Sufferings of Merula. Continuation of the State

of Religion in the Low-Countries. Of the Car-

dinal of Granvelle. Continuation of the Affairs

in the Low-Countries. The Queen-Mother makes

great Preparations for oppreffing the Reformed.

Several Occurrences of the Year 1567. The

fixth National Synod. Every thing difpofed

to a Rupture between the two Parties in

France. The Prince of Condé and his Coun-

cil refolve upon a War.
Father Daniel cen-

Jured. Attempts to feize the King at Meaux.

The fecond Civil War. Several Parleys between

the Court and the Prince. Battle of St. Denis.

The Conftable's Death. The King's Forces in-

creafe every day. The Prince marches out of

St.

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