and with all poffible earneftnefs of our mind entreating you to persevere conftantly in this your fo exceeding good will and laudable purpose, being affured that the omnipotent God, whose works are perfect, and who hath excited you to deferve well of the Catholic faith in that kingdom, will be affifting to you. But if, in afferting the Catholic faith and the authority of this Holy See, you should suffer death, and your blood be spilt, it would be much better, for the confeffion of God, to fly, by the compendium of a glorious death, to life eternal, than, living bafely and ignominioufly, to ferve the luft of an impotent woman, with the lofs of your fouls: for think not, beloved fons in Chrift, that those Catholic bishops, or prince's of that kingdom whom you name, are ill dealt with, who, because they would not forfake the profeffion of the Catholic faith, are either imprifoned, or undefervedly affected with other punishments; for the conftancy of these men, which is even now confirmed by a new example (as we conceive) of the bleffed Thomas, archbishop of Canterbury, no man can fufficiently commend as it deferves. This fame conftancy you also imitating, be of a couragious and constant mind, and defift not from the enterprise by any threats or denunciation of danger: for God, in whom you ought to repofe your trust, who did caft the chariot and army of Pharaoh into the fea, is able to break the ftrength and power of his adverfaries; fo that by you the primitive religion and ancient dignity of that realm may be restored: which that it may be compaffed, we fhall not only help you in performing, with thofe Christian princes whom you would, thefe offices which you desire, bus alfo in contributing at present that fum of money, which according to our ability, in anfwer to your request, we can fupply you with; as you shall more clearly and fully underftand by our beloved fon, Robert Rudolphus: we being also ready to endeavour hereafter to contribute a greater fum than the imbecility of our power will bear, and, with a ready and cheerful mind, to help your pious endeavour with all our eftate and power, with which we can in the Lord.

Given at Rome, at St. Peter's, under the Fifher's Ring, the 20th day of February, 1570, in the fifth year of our pontificate.

No. VIII.

The Refolution and Plan concerted by the Council of Trent for the extirpation of the Proteftants; as contained in a paper published by one of the Secretaries of Cardinal Bouromeo.

FI

Tranflated from the French*. (See p. 159, 160.)

'IRST, in order that the business may be conducted with the greater authority, they advife to commit the fuperintendence of the whole affair to Philip the Catholic king, who ought to be appointed with common confent the head and conductor of the whole enterprize. They think it good to proceed in this manner;-that king Philip addrefs the king of Navarre, with complaints and quarrellings, because that, contrary to the inftitution of his predeceffors, and to the great danger of the young king, a pupil under his charge, he entertains and nourishes a new religion. And if in this he appear uncomplying and obftinate, the Catholic king fhall effay by fair promifes to draw him off from his wicked and unhappy defign, giving him fome hope of recovering his kingdom of Navarre, or else of fome other great advantage or emolument as a recompenfe for the faid kingdom t. He fhall endeavour to foften and soothe him, if poffible to retain him on his fide, and engage him to join with him againft the other authors and heads of that pernicious fect. If he succeed herein according to with, the operations of the future war will then be rendered more eafy, fhort and expediticus. If he continue ftill obftinate notwithstanding king Philip, who is moft-nearly interested in the matter, both on account of the authority beftowed on him by the holy council, and alfo in regard of his neighbourhood and proximity, fhall admonish him of his duty by kind and gracious letters, intermixing fome threatenings with his promifes and flatteries. In the mean time fome chofen men of the kingdom of Spain shall be levied and collected together during the winter, as fecretly and privily as poffible: and when his forces are ready, he shall then publicly declare that which he has in view. And thus

*This article is immediately taken from a publication entitled, Difcours des Conjurations de ceux de la Maifon de Guife, contre le Roy, fon royaume, les Princes de fon fang, et fes etats; printed in 1565, and republished at Ratisbone in 1712, among the Proofs of Satyre Menipée, tome iii. Memoir, de Ca

It was propofed to give him the kingdom of Sardinia. Aelnau, to. i. p. 81.

the

the king of Navarre, without an army, and taken unawares will be eafily overwhelmed, although he fhould, perhaps, with fome tumultuary troops haftily gathered together, attempt to fight, or hinder his enemy from entering the country.

But if he yield, he will eafily be driven out of his kingdom and with him his wife and children. But if he make head, or if a confiderable number of foldiers, volunteers and without pay, fupport him, (for many of the fworn partizans of that fect may poffibly advance to retard the victory), then the duke of Guife fhall declare himfelf the head of the Catholic confeffion, and fhall raise some valiant foldiers, and collect all his followers. He fhall also press the king of Navarre in another quarter; fo that being attacked on both fides at once, he fhall fall a prey. For certainly fuch a king cannot poffibly ftand against two mighty chiefs, or against two fuch puiffant

armies.

The emperor and the other German princes, who are still Catholics fhall take care to ftop the paffes into France, while the war is carried on there; for fear left the Proteftant princes fhould convey any forces, or fend fuccours to the faid king of Navarre. And for fear alfo that the cantons of Swifferland should lend aids, it is neceffary that the cantons which continue ftill obedient to the Roman church, declare war against the reft, and that the Pope affift these cantons which are of his religion to the utmoft of his power, and contribute money underhand, and other things neceflary for defraying the expences of the war

The duke of Savoy, while the war thus embroils France and the Swifs, fhall rufh fuddenly and unexpectedly with all his forces, upon the city of Geneva, on the lake of Lusanne, affault it by force, and shall not abandon it nor withdraw his men until he become mafter and obtain full poffeffion of the faid city, putting to the point of the fword, or cafting into the lake every living foul who shall be found therein, without any diftinction of sex or age: that all may be taught that the divine power in the end hath compenfated for the delay of the punishment by the greatness and severity of it, and that it often makes the children thus to fuffer, and bear, by a memorable example to all future ages, the punishment of the wicked, nefs of their fathers; and efpecially of that which they have committed against religion. By which means, there is no ground to doubt, their neighbours, affected and ftruck with dread at that cruelty, muft needs be reclaimed; and particularly those who by reafon of their age or ignorance are more rude and fimple, and confequently more eafy to be recovered, all which ought to be pardoned.

But

1

But in France for good and fufficient reafons it will be expedient to follow a different course, and not to pardon on any account whatever, or fpare the life of any one who hath formerly made profeffion of the religion of that fect; and this commiffion, to extirpate all thofe of the new religion, shall be given to the duke of Guife; who fhall have it in charge to efface entirely the name, the family, and race of the Bourbons, for fear left any one fhould at laft fpring from them who might take vengeance for these things, or reftore and set up the new religion..

Matters being thus ordered in France, and the kingdom put again in its entire ancient, and priftine ftate, it will be neceffary, with men collected from all quarters, to invade. Germany, and with the aid of the emperor and the bishops, to render and restore it again to the holy Apoftolic See. And if that war fhould prove more obftinate and long than may be apprehended or wifhed, in order that it may not, through the want of money, be conducted more remissly, or with greater difadvantage, the duke of Guife, to obviate that inconvenience, fhall lend to the emperor and the other princes of Germany, and the ecclefiaftical lords, all the money which fhall be gathered from the spoils and confifcation of fo many noble powerful and wealthy citizens as fhall be killed in France on account of the new religion; which will amount to a very great fum; the faid Lord of Guife taking fufficient caution and fecurity, that fo he may, after the conclufion of the war, be reimbursed of all the money employed for that purpose, from the fpoils of the Lutherans and others who ihall, on account of religion, be flain in Germany.

On the part of the holy fathers, that they may not appear deficient or negligent, in affording their aid in fuch a holy war, or appear fparing of their own revenue and money, they have agreed that the cardinals fhould content themselves with the annual revenue of 5 or 6,ceo crowns, and the more opulent bishops with 2 or 3,000 at most, and the rest of the faid revenues is to be bestowed by way of free gift for the support of a war which is carried on for extirpating the fect of the Lutherans and Calvinifts, and for re-establishing the Romish church, until the affair fhall be brought to a happy conclusion.

And if any ecclefiaftic or clergyman has an inclination to take up arms in a war fo holy, the fathers have all unanimously concluded and determined that he may do so, and enrol himself in this war only, and that without any fcruple of confcience.

By thefe means, France, and Germany being chastised, humbled, and reduced to the obedience of the holy Roman

church,

church, the fathers make no doubt but that time will furnish both counsel and opportunity proper for bringing back again the other neighbouring kingdoms to one flock, and under one governor and apoftolical paftor. But in the mean time, may it please God to aid and favour their prefent defigns, fo holy and fo full of piety.

No. IX..

The Oath or Declaration fworn by thofe of the Catholic League, at Paris, Jan. 1589.

Tranflated from the French. (See. p. 148.)

Extract from the Records of Parliament.

"This day all the chambers affembled in prefence of the princes, peers of France, prelates, mafters of requests, "counfellors, advocates and procurators general, regifters and notaries of the court of parliament, to the number "of 320, was read the prefent declaration in form of an' "oath for confirming the union which was yefterday con"cluded on, which all the faid lords have fworn and fign"ed every one of them with their blood."

DECLARATION.

E underwritten prefidents, princes, peers of France, prelates, &c.-fwear and promife by God, his glorious mother, the angels, and faints of Paradife male and female, to live and die in the Catholic, Apoftolic and Roman religion, to employ our lives and goods for the preservation of the fame, without fparing any thing, even to the laft drop of our blood; hoping that God the alone fearcher of our hearts and wills will affitt us in fuch a holy enterprife and refolution, in which we proteft we have no other aim than the honour and exaltation of his holy name, the defence and protection of his church in oppofition to those who openly or by fecret means endeavour to deftroy it, and to maintain herefy in this king

dom.

We likewife fwear, that we will endeavour to the utmost of our power, the fafety and prefervation of this city of Paris, the establishment of a fure peace in it, as alfo in the other cities and communities of the union, to the relief and comfort of the poor people.

We in like manner promife and fwear to defend against all, without