THe Queene-mother is much grieued , and complaineth , that shee being borne a Princesse of one of the most Illustrious houses in Europe , & hauing had the honor to be the wife of one of the greatest Kings that euer raigned in France , and mother to the King at this present raigning ; that after shee hath with many perills , dangers & cares , during the minority of the King her Sonne , preserued and gouerned the Realme : In recompence of her so great paines , and motherly affection , shee hath bin shamefully driuen from the Court , and from the presence and company of the King her Sonne , and the rest of her children , and restrained as a prisoner in Blois , with all sorts of indignities , without any respect of her birth , or of so many great Princes , to whom she hath the honour to be allyed ; and against the honour due to the memorie of the late King her husband , and of the King her sonne : and that wholy by the aduise and counsells of Luynes his brethren , & adherents , thereby the more easily , during the minority of the King , to vsurpe the authoritie Royall , and the management of the State .

The Queene likewise complaineth , that the parties aforesaid , abusing the youth and fauour of the King , haue in such manner continued and proceeded in their mischieuous disseigns , that not contented with the most barbarous crueltie that may or can be vsed against the most vnworthy and abiect person in the world , they haue caused her best and most faithfull houshold-Seruants to be separated from her , and diuers others for her sake to be committed to Prison , without reason or iustice ; contrarie to the ordinary proceedings of the Realme .

Prohibiting all persons of what estate soeuer to visite , and frequent or repaire vnto her , as if She had beene guilty of high-treason , with commaundement not to goe or walke aboue a Myle out of the Towne of Blois .

And appointed Monsieur de Roissy to watch and haue regard to her actions ; suborned her Seruants to betray her , sending a number of messengers one after the other within the space of two and twenty weekes , with a thousand false promises of procuring her accesse againe vnto his Maiesty , the rather to mocke her , and to increase the number of her afflictions .

Marrying her Daughter to a strange Prince , without her knowledge or presence , that her disgrace might be the manifester to all Kings and Princes of Christendome , and to all the Realme of France . And for the full accomplishment of all their wickednesse and tyrannie , caused the King to resolue vpon the confining of the rest of her dayes in the Castle of Amboise , or some other place , in their custodies .

Whereof hauing faithfull intelligence , by one of those whom they confidently trust in their most secret affaires , shee was constrayned by night to make her escape , and to retire to the Duke D'Espernon , to make her retrait sure in the Towne of Angoulesme : That being there in safety out of her enemies hands , shee might with more libertie let his Maiestie vnderstand the cruell and inhumane dealings which she receiued from the persons aboue-named , and to giue him aduise of the disorders which such people cause and procure within the Realme ; together with the remedies fit and conuenient to stay them .

And to beginne with their bad behauiours . It is to be considered what sinister and arteficiall subtilties they vsed , to constraine the Court of Parliament to giue sentence against the Marshall D'Ancre , by false accusations , to make a pray of him ; whereof perceiuing themselues to be assured , to get more absolute commaund , counselled the King to keepe the Prince of Conde prisoner , with the Princesse his wife , by whose meanes and her captiuitie together , shee hath lost three children , for whose imprisonment , the Queene-mother truly confesseth , and protesteth before God , that she neuer was more grieued then that by euill counsell , and false intelligence , shee had beene induced thereunto , hauing since knowne the truth of his innocencie , whereof she will assure the King , and most humbly beseech him , to set him at libertie , both for the good of this Realme , and of the said Prince .

The perfidious treasons , practises , and imprisonments of Innocent persons , is also to be noted , wherewith they serued their turnes ; to get the Prince of Conde into the custody of Monsieur de Vitry , & Monsieur de Peisan his brother in law , thereby to haue him in their hands . And what boldnesse is in them , to make & appoint a new regiment , to keepe him more assuredly , and to haue the force and power of armes in their hands ? whereunto must be added , the presumption and boldnesse by them vsed , to induce the Princesse of Orange to such an extremity ( that to deliuer the said Prince her brother ) she should marry Cadenet , to the end , that by the meanes of so strict a fauour and alliance , they might vnder the protection thereof ( to the great preiudice of the King ) preserue their power and authoritie ?

And further to make their pernicious designes manifest and euident , euery man seeth , how they haue put from attending on the Kings person , Monsieur de Breues , a man chosen and appoynted by the late King , for his deserts , and one that worthily discharged his dutie in that respect , to put him into the hands of one of their confident friends , whereof they were formerly glad , and thought themselues happy to be domesticall seruants . The Earle of Soissons , for his part , hath not beene exempted from being obserued , and they haue not fayled to haue regard to his gouernement , by persons that prie into his actions .

Touching the Princes , Dukes , Peeres , and Officers of the Crowne , and other Lords of this Realme , they haue beene wholly depriued of the intelligence and gouernement of the affayres of estate , to giue the entire management thereof to Modene , Du Hagent , Coronell D'Othano , and Marsillai , persons altogether vnworthy and incapable of their charges .

The entertainement they haue giuen to the Duke D'Espernon , after his long and faithfull seruice done to this Crowne , sufficiently witnesse , their insolence , hauing proceeded so farre , as to make him the Kings prisoner , and after , caused him to be sent to Metz , vnder pretence of imaginarie affaires of Bohemia ; to procure some credite to be giuen to their Designes , and to execute the functions of his charge of Colonell of the Infanterie : Wherevnto must be added the persecutions , which for his sake haue beene layde vpon Marshall de Roquelance , Monsieur de Tilladet , and la Dimoisselles du Tillet .

Touching the Marshall de Bouillon , the great contempt that hath beene made of his qualitie and power , vsing him with all sorts of indifferencie , sufficiently sheweth how they would cause the King to loose the affection of the greatest personages of the Realme , and those that are able to serue him worthily .

The Duke de Montmorencie , hath also experimented and well tryed their impudencie , by the effectes which they haue giuen to Madame the Constable , his Mother in lawe , hauing taken her from the person of the Queene , to place Madame Luyne , and their Sister , in her stead , to the end , that no body may haue accesse to their Maiesties , but by their means . The sayd Duke de Montmorencie , in that which concerneth his charge and gouernement , hauing receiued all sorts of discontentments , by the bad offices which they haue done him about the King .

It is well knowne , what great perfidiousnesse they haue vsed towardes Monsieur le Grand , for the affaires of the Duke d' Espernon , and of Monsieur de Vitry : And how that in the great sickenesse which hee had in Paris the last yeare , thinking he would haue dyed , they had obtained the reuersion of his Offices , by that meanes frustrating the merits and deserts of the seruice of the Baron de Termes his brother .

Of all the Offices that haue beene voyde since the time of their fauour with the King , from the greatest to the least , none haue escaped , which they haue not retayned for themselues , to be eyther sould or giuen to those that are of their fraternitie ; and euery day doe nothing but gape for the death of those that haue good and great Offices , to make their profite of them , to the ruine and dammage of such as for their vertues and seruices , are iustly to be rewarded and recompenced .

Touching the Kings treasure , they haue and boldely doe dispose thereof at their pleasures , without any contradiction , and haue drawne it so drie , that the King and his estate , are thereby greatly indamaged .

Touching the forme and dignitie royall , to order all things , and to appoynt and ordaine all affayres , and times of audience , they onely doe it , playing the Kings ; proposing , and resoluing vpon the great affaires of this Realme , without calling any other thereunto , but those whom they thinke good ; themselues giuing audience in open Counsell vnto the greatest persons of the State , after that , resoluing vpon them in their Chambers , where euery man must attend the definitions of their willes , vpon all sorts of occurrences : Which to attaine , the difficulty to approch and speake vnto them , puts many worthy and honest men that are about the King , cleane out of heart .

And that which is most lamentable , while they in this manner effect their willes , to the great impouerishment of France , they busie the King , by the meanes of idle and vaine-fellowes , with Playes and Child-like exercises ; things vnworthy the age of so great a King , whose actions ought to serue for an example to all his subiects .

The assembly of the Nobles made in Roan , vnder a false pretence , to giue contentment to France , touching the so necessarie demands propounded to the generall States , was made onely to breake the policie , to the ruine of all the affaires of the Realme : cleane contrary to the intents and means that had been propounded at the assembly of the sayd State and Nobles , to the end , that they alone might dispose of the Offices that should be voyde , not only to draw vnto themselues great summes of mony , but also by that meanes to get creatures of their owne making in all the Townes of this Realme , is a manifest proofe , that they preferre their owne particular profite before that of the State , and the publique benefit : Since which time , such a number of Imposts raised by extraordinarie meanes , haue beene imposed vpon the people , that they are wholely oppressed .

Wherein the Queene-mother beseecheth his Maiestie to take order , as also to stay the course of the tirannies and vexations of Officers , Captaines , and Archers of the gabelles , which they daily exercise vpon all his Subiects , and particularly vpon those of the Cleargie , and of the Nobilitie ; a thing that neuer was vsed in the time of the King deceased , nor in the regencie of the said Queene , but only since the time that these men , participating with them therin , haue giuen liberty and impunitie to all sorts of pillages , confusions , murthers and cruelties .

The sale of Clark-ships so improperly made against the deceased Kings proiect , whereby his Maiestie hath beene robbed of more then sixe millions of Franckes , to inrich the parties afore-sayd , with the treasure of the Crowne , with the Pensions and mony which they haue vpon all the parts , and Farmes of this Realme , make a great masse of Treasure , which they assemble , to make themselues redoubted of the State , and by the means of this power , to withstand those that would oppose themselues against this tyrannie .

By all these meanes afore-sayde , they haue made themselues Maisters , with license of the Duke de Mombason , of the Citadell of Amiens , La Faire , Coussy , Chauny , and of the gouernment of the Isle of France , & Veruveil in Perche , with the Lieutenancie of Normandie , the more easily to ioyne Quillebeuf , thereby to holde Paris and Roan in subiection .

And not content to haue the Castelles of Amboise and Nantes , vpon the Riuer of Loire , haue since sought to draw into their power the gouernement of Britaine , Lieutenancie of the King , Blavet , Coucarraw , with Fougers , which Iosan Modere holdes ; to the end to ioyne them all together , and by their authoritie make themselues so puissant , that when the King himselfe would pull them downe , perceiuing their too great power , so daungerous to his estate , he should not be able : And when he should chance to die , ( which God forbid ) they might diuide the Realme with his successors .

Euery man likewise knowes , what meanes they haue vsed , to haue that litle which resteth , which is the authoritie of Monsieur de Longeuille in Picardie , hauing no obstacle but that , to hinder them from hauing the rest of the places in that Prouince .

Their follie and ignorance , hath shewed it selfe in the highest , degree , by shaking the bodie of the reformed Religion , by the innouation of the affaires of Beam , and the failing in the obseruations of Treaties of Peace made with them , by the precedent Kings , without considering the consequences , and fore-seeing of the perill that such breaches may procure to this Realme .

Touching forraine businesses , it is a most great shame , that all the Ambassadors of Kings and Princes throughout Christendome , are to make their Propositions , & to take their Resolutions from men so impertinent , and of so base condition ; & that the knowledge thereof is taken from the principall officers of the Crowne , and the state of the Land .

From thence it proceedeth , that the good intelligence , and strict amitie which hath so long time bin contracted betweene the Crowns of England and France , hath beene so badly continued , with so many differences , as if we had no need of so good and faithfull friends . They haue in like sort , proceeded with the States of Holland , causing the King to take Barnavelts part , in his Treasons against his Countrey , which are not to bee approoued by any good Christians , nor true French men .

The meanes by them wrought to withdraw the Gouernour of Orange , from the obedience which he oweth to his Maister and Lord , haue no lesse stirred the courage of that great Captaine , whose vertues and affection which hee hath alwayes borne to Fraunce , deserues not to be dealt withall in such manner , touching that which concerneth his patrimony , contrarie to humane right .

To conclude , euery man may iudge , what miserie , desolation , ruine and calamitie , men of so base condition , voyde of all experience , capacitie , and honestie , may produce and cause in the management of so great a Realme . And what shame it is to France to indure and suffer such infamie .

In which disorders and abuses the Queene-Mother hauing most great & notable interests , to haue speedy remedy therein , not onely in regard of the extreame affection that she beareth to the King , as his Mother , and the conseruation of his estate , but also because of the great inconueniences that thereby may grow and insue ; She most humbly beseecheth his Maiestie , to driue from his presence , such vnworthie and vncapable persons , against whose insolencie , rapine , and treasons , all France ought to crie vengeance ; and to re-establish all the Princes , Dukes , Peeres , and Officers of the Crowne , Lords and Gentlemen , in the free liberties of their functions , offices and dignities . And to entertaine and retaine about his Person , and in his Counsell , men that are vertuous , and capable to serue the State well and sufficiently ; that shee may be in suretie , neare to his Maiestie and her other Children , that shee may not haue cause of dislike , that men that haue beene the causes of her so vnworthy entertainment , should so vniustly be maintayned and vpholden , against so many good affections which they beare vnto him , and to his Realme . Which shee expecteth and hopeth for at his good inclination , being perswaded that hee will not compare the amity of so dangerous seruants to hers , that hath had the honor to bring him into the world .

If not , she protesteth to imploy all those to whom she hath the honour to appertaine , with her life , and those that honour the memorie of the King deceased , against the persons aforesaid , to haue reason and iustice ; with protestation , which shee maketh before God , and men , not to haue any pretence against his Maiestie , whom shee holdeth to be innocent of all the sensible displeasures which haue beene done vnto her , but onely against those that are the cause of all the mischiefes which shee is forced to endure : In this proceeding hauing no other end nor intent , but only the encrease and aduancement of the greatnes and prosperitie of his Maiestie , and his Realme .