Book X, Chapter 58

IT by a Polititian a Germaine (to whose lore,
Haue Machiuilian French-Euents since sorted euer-more)
Before Queene-Mother, Charles the King, and others priuate, was
Aduisde a Monarch absolute in France to bring to pas.
Aristocratick Gouernment, nor Democratick pleasde
But where to one Mans Emperie is Monarchia seasde.
He told his Ttauels, and in States his Obseruations: how,
Besides the only Turke, he none a Monarch did allow:
Who suffreth none by Might, by Wealth, or Blood, to ouer-top:
Himselfe giues all Preferments, and whom listeth him doth lop.
His Bands of Ianizaries, who are form'd and nourisht still
From Childhood his owne Creatures, hold all at his owne will.
He out of these his Captaines, and his Bassies doth elect:
They, to deserue their Founders trust, his only Weale affect:
The rather, for their Dignities, and all that All possesse
Determine at his will, behooues therefore not to transgresse.
Saue his Religion, none is vsde, vnlesse in Conquests late,
And that of Policie, thereby to adde vnto his State:
Nor euen there permits he of Religion to debate.
Nor walled Townes, nor Forttesses, his Empier doth digest:
Except vpon the Fro[…]ires, for securing of the rest.
His Subiects thus, Theirs, and the whole, at his Deuotion, needs
No Imposts, Taxes, or the like, whence Tumult often breeds.

Discourst of his Experience thus, he then descends to it,
Whereby of Monarchia might himselfe the French King fit.
Whereas (quoth he) French Policie consists of Three Estates,
The Princes, Nobles, Commons, and each one of th'other wates
For hearts and helpes, and oft the King is bridled of those Three,
Himselfe therefore, such Lets remou'd, sole Monarch thus might bee.
Of ancient Peeres, of valiant Men, great Lords, and Wisemen all,
By forced Warre, or fraudfull peace, to temporize the fall:
Whereto Religions quarrell then presented meane not small.
Meane while, vntill of them by turnes weare Riddance, did behoue
To worke them Mal-contents, the King to labor vulgar Loue.
Immediatly, euen from himselfe, No whit at their Request,
To passe Preferments, not to them, but els as likes him best:
And but of Peeces ruinous the Great-Ones to possesse:
And when his Creatures shall grow to more, those Great to lesse,
To quarrell then those Nobles, when in them great hearts would lurk
That for the Souldier, or the sword of Iustice, should make work.
So to prouide that of the States be no Conuention nam'd:
Religion not disputed of: Strong Townes, which oft haue tam'd
The French Kings, be dismantled: And when things as thus be fram'd,
His Maiestie (quoth he) shall hit the Marke whereat is aim'd.

WHen this, & worse than thus, this worse than Machiuel had said,
With that Conuenticles Applause, so working was not staid:
For hence, if Accidents we shall obserue, may be collected
The ciuill Warres and Butcheries in France to haue effected.
Religion gaue the colour, whear though infinite were slaine,
The Church reform'd did not resist, yeat still by losse did gaine:
For blood of Martyrs well is sayd to be the Churches Seede,
Where Massacres haue plashed there is spread a triple Breede:
In Sense it seem'd a sillie Spring, should Europe ouer-floe,
Whence Luther his occasion tooke against the Gospels Foe:
As Scotlands foresaid Guizian Broyles, euen France her Tumults so,
From other then Religions cause did at beginning groe:
So […]ph sold, and Christ betrayd, was meeter than was ment
Of Ben-Iamests, or by the false Iscarots foule Intent:
But howsoeuer ill haps well, Woe stayes whence ill is sent.
French second Henries Fauorites, the Constable, and Guize,
The one of them ambitiously the others Hight enuies:
Each growing crosse, and crossing, it to Factions grew at length,
Poore Huge[…]tz vndoubted then, nor dreamed they of strength:
Alone in Henries, Francis, and ninth Charles their Raignes, of them
French Papists, as our Maries, did to Martyrdome condemne.
But by such Law as Wolues doe Lambes, those Innocents for most
Were slaughtered, whole Townes sometimes with these in thē they rost:
And like now threatned Guize against the Saints in euery Cost.
The Guizians (so that Faction shall in this Report be sayd)
Through Nonage of the Pope-taught King, grew Mighty & obayd:
Queene-Mother (Mischief-Mistres) in their Pageant featly playd.
Meane while the Royals and the Peeres they Practise to betray:
Some in the bloodie Massacre at Paris made away.
But what offend I Christian Eares with horror of that deede?
From Sarazens, nor Sauages, did euer like proceede.
Let that black Marrage-Feast, when were so many Thousands slaine
O[…] Saints, at peace with God and men, be neuer nam'd againe:
Let be a Law in euery Land, to punish such as speake
That Christiās should, like Hel-hoūds so, with God & Nature breake:
Farre be it that Posterities should heare, that Charles the King
For such […]oule Murthers, bon-fiers bod, and caused Bels to ring.
Yeat tell the Popes Procession, and his Iubilee for this:
For Popes be impudent, and bads their blessings neuer mis,
To haue them Fathers of those Acts, no Newes at all it is.
But more than twise sixe yeares ere this the ciuill Warres begun,
When on the Lambes of Vassie did the Guizian Butchers run:
[…] when the Edict had giuen Peace vnto the Church reform'd,
And odious to the Papists seem'd that Peace, who therefore storm'd:
And then the Duke of Guize, who earst had figur'd for the Crowne,
Hence calculating hopes, did set his bad Designements downe:
Alonly quarrelling, till then, the Princes of the blood,
Who, partly quail'd, were yet vnkild, and to their tackling stood.
So with the Papists band's the Duke himselfe, not for Deuotion,
But aduantagious seem'd that Meane for blood-Drifts & Promotion

This Faction thus had Heart and Head, the Other yet vnborne,
Till to the Prince of Condie flockt the Hugenotz, forlorne,
And tolde the sauage Butcheries at Vassie newly made,
By ruthles and seditious Guize, on Thousands, whilst they prayde.
Like skathed Sheepe, escaped from blood-sucking Dogs, they quake,
Imploring his Protection: which he then did vndertake.
Thus, through Necessitie, this Part had also Heart and Head:
Euen after hundreds thousands such good Christians so were dead.
This knowne, to him from euery Part the Persecuted flie,
So was the Prince of vertuous Troopes possessed by and by.