Newes from Rome .

IT is credibly reported by Letters from Chiauenna that there was one of the Famelie of Lucemburge , a Papist by profession , and yet a seruaunt to the French King , passed through Chiauenna , with thrée score horse , and staied there one day . And the next day following , hee departed from thence to Zappei de Briga towards Venice . He goeth in the behalfe of the house of Burbon : from sundry the chéefe of the Nobilitie of Fraunce , to deliuer a message to the Pope , and to haue conference with him and the Princes of Italy , for the firme establishing of Henry de Borbon King of Nauarre , now the lawfull French King : vnder whose obedience they are willing to liue . Which thing hee very boldly auouched vnto the Popes face , and told him that they sought to haue it confirmed with quietnesse . Adding further that if the Pope and those Princes of Italy would not allowe therof , that they would defend the same with fire and sword . And hazarde their landes and liuings in maintenance of his right . Wherevpon the Pope after due consideration taken , gaue aunswere to the Messenger , viz. That fore much as hee saith he is lawfully descended thereunto . And that the chiefe States and Potentates of Germany are determined to defend him for the recouerie of his saide right . That he would not any more sende ayde to trouble and vexe him , as heretofore hee hath done : so as the King would acknowledge himselfe established therein by the Popes meanes . And in so doing and yéelding vnto some such Popishe conditions as the Pope would deliuer him in writing : he would therein further him to the vttermost ( whereto this Messenger made aunswere that he knew certainly , that the King would neuer condescended thereunto . ) Whereat the Pope replied saying : That were it not that the King is a Hugonite by profession : hee worthely deserueth to beare thys title . Viz. The great Caesar of the World . With which glorious Title he offered to grace and honour the King , so as he would chaunge his Religion .

IN the Citty of Rome , there is an olde auncient Monument long since erected of stone , and it is called Pasquill : whereon many notable thinges are from time to time set vppe in the disgrace of the Pope of Rome . Vppon which saide Piller , there was sette vppe soone after the departure of this Champian : thrée seuerall pictures , either of them being contrarie to the other .

The first picture was as it is here liuely pourtraghed forth Viz. First the Pope set out gorgiouslie in his Robes and triple Crowne : and a straunger holding him by the beard , with a dagge set close to his brest pronouncing this sentence vnto him : viz.

Redde Rationem villicationis tuae .

Which being seene to the Common people made them greatlye to murmur and bée of sundry imaginations . Some were of this opinion , that it pretended the murdering of the Pope , or some treason to his holinesse : others imagined , that it prophesied the fall of the Popes kingdome , and alteration of the Antichristian Religion and state of Rome , and others supposed it to bee done onely in the derision therof . Whereuppon some fauourer of Christian Religion in the Cittie of Rome , that durst not openly bee knowen , wrotte certaine verses vppon eyther of those seuerall Pictures : and after scattered them in the streetes of Rome , where soone after spéedy searche was made for the Author of them , but he coulde not by any meanes be found out .

pope in his regalia being threatened by a commoner

〈…〉

Thou Pope that doest for gold , deceaue full many soules . And séekest nought at all , but spoile of Christians blood , Fall downe before thy God , whom thou doest still offend , And let Repentance be , the staffe of all thy stay . Els shalt thou soone perceiue , Gods wrath is on thy head . Vnto thy charge preache truth , cast of thy paltry trash , Thy Masses and thy Markes of plaine Idolatry , Séeke not to blinde those men , that doe thy folly sée , But of thy wicked life , sée iust account thou make , Gainst God doe not rebell , nor those whom he annoints , But shed forth brinish teares , for all thy déedes amis . Els shalt thou bée cut off , and kingdome troden downe , By him that now in France , of right doth were the crown . FINIS

THe second Picture before recited was in this manner . There was Pictured forth the King of Spaine lying in his bedde sore sicke : and a Phisitian standing before him , who taking the King by the hand and féeling of his powlees : saith vnto him . Viz.

Durabit tempore Curto .

the ailing king of Spain attended by a physician

The vearses made vpon that Picture were these . Blind King what dost thou mean to bath thy hands in blood Of Innocents , and such as guiltlesse be , Thou couetst to obtaine the glorie of this world , Which is like sléeting Snow that melteth in the Sunne : Thy golde doth thée besot , and God thou doest forget , Thou thirstest after that which thou shalt neuer winne : Thy kingdome is too large , and that doth thée bewitch , Thou aimest ful at France , yet doest thou misse the marke , Because thou woldst therby procure swéet Englands harm . Well maist thou send to seas , thy shipping tall and huge , To doe thy neighbour hurt , and gaine thy selfe no good : But when thou so hast done , thy selfe if so thou liue , Shalt sée and saie with me , that God is sore displeasd , And bids thée be content , thou hast not long to liue : Séeke therefore for thy end , and set thy soule at rest : So shalt thou liue for aie , else die with great vnrest .

FINIS .

The third and last picture was in this manner , viz. The Citie of Geneua defended by the hande of almightie God , ( though assaulted by the Duke of Sauoy ) was deliuered from daunger of the Dukes forces : and hee forced to flie awaie naked , looking backe vpon the sayde Citie of Geneua , and crieth out saying ,

Nessio amplius quo vadam .

the Duke of Savoy fleeing the city of Geneva

The verses written on the third Picture were these . Thou Sauoy Duke that headlong séemst to runne To spoile a Citie of no smal account , Whose wals and gates are kept by God himselfe , Who bids thée backe or he will daunt thée so As greatly shall returne to thy vnrest , Retire thou thence , and say as other did , When seuen stout Kings by force did it bessiege , God doth and will defend it still from harme . It is not force of Canon can do good To winne thy will of that faire maiden towne , Shoote thou strong bullets , it for to disgrace , They will rebound euen backe vnto thy selfe Retire for shame , and if thou manage armes , Bestow thy force gaynst them that wil thée feare , Euen such I meane as fight against the Lord , And dayly séeke his Gospell to deface , But if thou be of that disloyall minde , And wilt not pray to God to pardon thée , And so repent thée of thy former misse , Then flie from God . Geneua sure is his .

FINIS .

These Pictures and Vearses did so farre incense the Pope with all the fraternitie of Friers , Monkes and Abbey lubbers in Rome , that they fell in a rage , cursing and condemning with bell , booke , and candle , the Deuiser , Painter and Author of those pictures and vearses , and did oppose themselues agaynst the authors thereof , swearing to pursue them to death if euer they were knowen .

The Newes from Spaine is .

THat the King is sickly , verie weake and wonderouslie gréeued with his great losses of men & munition which he hath sustained within these two yéeres , as wel within his owne dominions , as also on the coasts of England and Ireland , France and Flanders . He was lately complotting of a new intended mischiefe , and with some conuenient spéede pretended a new Inuasion for England , whereto hee made great preparation : and to that purpose sent sundrie traiterous persons secretly into England , being seminary priests , to perswade the people from their obedience , and to hearten on leude and wicked members , to become fauourers and associates of that Inuasion . But I thinke no subiects in England hauing séene the fruites of the Spanish and Popish dissembling , will now become fauourers of such treasons , nor be harborers of such traitors . But all things therin doth fall out contrarie to the King of Spaines expectation . For now his owne subiects do resist him , and haue made plaine deniall for comming at anie time héereafter in warlike sort agaynst the Realme of England : For which cause the King of Spain hath put to death sundrie of his chiefe Captaines and men of good birth and calling , and hath sworn the death of the Duke of Medina for that cause onely . Who in the defence & safetie of himselfe , hath taken an Iland : and sundrie men of calling and souldiers doe take parts with him , and are become verie mutinous against the King of Spaine . This Duke de Medina was chiefe Generall of the huge armie of Spaniardes that came by sea to inuade England , when it pleased God that the most part of them were slayne with the sword and drowned in the sea : the successe of whose voyage danted the heartes of all Spaniardes for euer , for inuading this lande . Which as the Almightie hath sundrie times defended from danger , so no doubt but he will still defend and supporte the same from Turke , Pope , and all other enimes whatsoeuer : which thing is likely by the praiers of good Christians to be the more easily compassed , for that God is the anchor-holde of Englands hope and safetie .

The Newes from Palermo in Cicilie .

THe certaine newes is , that the Nobilitie of Palermo in Cicilie ( being within the dominions of the king of Spain ) haue of late vtterly banished from thence the Spanish Inquisition , which hath of long time continued there amongest them in verie sharpe sort , and was vnto them of Palermo wonderfull grieuous : for such was the seuere procéedings of those Inquisitours , that they would spare no man , woman , or childe from the fierie and extreame tortures of death , that did once repine , mislike , or speake against the superstition of their Friers and idolatrous religion there vsed . Wherevpon the Pope , the King of Spaine , and chiefe of the Inquisition , are determined to send power thether , and to make warre against them , onely to constraine them againe to receiue the sayd Inquisition , which they vtterly refuse to doe , and are all sworne to the contrarie .

The Newes from Geneua .

THat whereas the Citie of Geneua was lately besieged with a mightie power , brought thether by the Duke of Sauoy , who intended to haue rased the walls thereof , made a conquest of the Citie , and to haue put the Citizens with their wiues and children to the sworde , yet God be thanked the Citizens haue of late greatly discomforted the Dukes power , and caused him to remoue his forces further , which is greatly weakned both by sword and sicknes , so that there is great likelyhood you shall heare of the Dukes departure thence verie shortly , to the better quietnesse of the Citizens thereof .

The Newes from France , and miserie of Paris .

SInce the most wonderfull and miraculous worke of God ( now bruted in the cars of the world ) concerning the great victorie , which he gaue vnto the Christian King Henrie of Bourbon ( a man for his valor , worthie euerlasting honor ) it is not vnknowen , how after he had pursued the enemie in chase full fiue houres and more , and hauing put many thousands of them to the sword , though they were more than thrée to one . And after that he had put the Duke de Main to flight , who since hath withdrawen his wife and children from Paris vnto Perone , that sundrie towns hath since yéelded them selues to the mercie of the Kings Maiestie , as Vernon , Mentz , and sundrie other townes of strength are nowe presently like to be deliuered into his Maiesties handes . Great and likely was the signe that God fought for this gracious King , when the night before the battaile hee shewed a miraculous token of victorie to the Kings side , namely , by a pitched battaile séene in the skie , where in fight of many thousand persons , the lesser number did ouercome the greater : as it fell out afterward by the Kings side , who being but a smal number , did put many thousands of the greater number to the sword . Since which his good successe the King hath gotten the townes of Corbeyle and Melum .

Corbeyle was yéelded vp vnto his Maiestie , but the town of Melum hee won by the sword , where was great effusion of bloud vpon the enemie . These townes stand vpon the riuer of Seine and Laigney vppon the riuer of Marnes , by meanes whereof his Maiestie hath stopt vp all the passages of the riuers , so as no aide can come vnto them of Paris .

The King is at Clow , and hauing cut off them at Paris from receiuing in anie succour of victuall or otherwise : hee hath besieged Meos , and sendeth some of his forces agaynst Saint Dennis .

The Pope hath lately sent his Legate into France , to disch●rge the King of the excommunication which was before pronounced against him , saying he did it before by false information , and hopeth that hee will become a most Christian King , and that the Crowne of France doth of right appertaine vnto him : and to that purpose the Pope hath written to the Cleargie , commanding them to obey and praie for the King vpon paine of his excommunication .

It is wonderfull to sée the present and gréeuous estate of the inhabitants of Paris , which City is stil with hold from the Kings Maiestie : yet they haue sought to the King since the departure of the Duke de Maine , to receiue the said Citie vpon conditions , whereto the King will not grant . Hée willeth them to yéeld it vp vnto him as his right , & to stand to his mercie , which they haue refused to doe , but in the end it wil be the worse for themselues .

They of Paris doe continue séeking to haue spéech at Noyse , and doe verily thinke that the Duke de Maine will forthwith send them some great and mightie armie to succor them , beeing now hardly pressed vp for want of victualles : which thing is vnpossible for him to doe , by reason of the passage which is stopt vp , as is before specified . The greater parte of the inhabitants in the Citie of Paris , are ouerruled by their gouernours , that they begin to grewe mutinous amongst themselues . And the Friers doe dailie preach vnto them , & perswade them still to resist the King , though it be with the losse of their owne liues . Which thing the poorer sort are constrained to consent vnto , though contrarie to theyr willes , and by reason of their want , they are readie to kill one another for victuals .

Death stands there in euerie mans doore , and threatneth their vtter ruine for their wilfull stubburnnesse : and though the poorest doe liue in greate penurie , yet the richest among them doe make many a hungrie meale . So that nowe it is the common report of euerie French , man in France , They of Paris cannot hold out aboue ten or twelue-daies at the most Those of Quillebeufe haue taken a gally which came from Roane , laden with goods of the Duke de Aumal and oth●r chiefe men : who had taken those goods from out the houses of the Kings seruants .

Thus haue you heard how wonderfully God hath defended the Kings Maiestie euen in the daunger of death , where at such time as the enemie made full account to haue slayne the King in his flight , he was by Gods prouidence constrained to the himselfe , and in the flight compelled to warme himselfe , and to escape in a souldiers iacket . This was the will of God , to confound him that sought the confusion of his King , and as the same God that so defended him , hath sent him since towns of great strength , to resist and tame the fury of so mightie a so , so doubtles the same God wil stil deliuer him from danger , and spéedily send him his chiefe and strongest Cities and walled townes yet detained from him : and as well deliuer his chiefest enemies into his hande , as also to drawe the hearts of all his subiects vnto him , maugre the mallice of such miscreant hel-hounds and detestable traitors , or the hellish crew of the vnholy League , nowe vp in armes agaynst his Maiestie , for whose spéedie confusion and ouerthrow , all the true and faithfull fauourers of the King , will continually praie . And for the prosperitie and defence of their most gracious King and Countrie .

FINIS .