THE Copie of a Letter sent to Monsieur de Beauuoir Lord Embassador for the French king. ⟨Henry IV⟩
vvherin is shewed the late attempt of a Iesuite who would haue killed the kings Maiestie with a knife.
Printed by Peter Short and are to be sold at the great north dore of Poules by Iohn Flasket. 1594
The Copie of a letter sent to Monsieur Beauvoir Lord Embassador for the French King.
these are to giue you knowledge, of a sudden and vnhappie accident, which had like to haue falne vpon the king, had it not pleased God of his great mercie, miraculously to preserue his Maiesty from it. Your honour shall then vnderstand, that his Maiesty within litle more then an houre after his returne into the cittie of Paris, from out of Picardie, being as yet booted, and hauing about him the Lords and Princes of Conty, the Earles of Soissons, and Saint Paule, and aboue thirty or forty of the chiefe Noblemen, and gentlemen of his court, as his Maiesty was busie in receauing the Lords of Ragny, and Montigny, whith had not before that time done their dutie, and allegeance to him, it happened a yoong fellowe, of verie smal stature, and not aboue eightéene, or ninetéene yeares of age, called Peter Chastel, the sonne of a Merchant draper in this cittie, followed in amongst the prease, into the chamber, where the king himselfe was, and thrusting forwarde as néere to the person of the kinge as hee coulde, (without being noted or suspected of any there present) he strake at the king with a knife, whith he had brought to that purpose, thinking to haue thrust him into the belly. But so it fell out through the mightie prouidence of God, that the king in that verie instant, bowing himselfe forwarde, to take vp the saide lordes of Ragny, and Montagny, (which kneled before him) the stroke lighted vpon his face on the vpper lip toward the right side, and brake one of his téeth, without dooing any further harme. The wretched caytife was presently layed hold on, and denying the fact a while [Page] at the first, afterwards he voluntarily confessed it. Wee can as yet get nothing out of him, but that hee hath bene brought vp for the space of this thrée years in the Colledge of the Iesuites, in which place we suppose hee receaued instructions, to practise this treason. The first thing his Maiesty thought vpon was to giue god thanks for his special grace, & fauour at this time, in perseruing him from this traiterous attempt, and caused a publike thanksgiuing to be song generally throughout the whole cittie, and the citizens besides made bonfiers in euerie stréete, for ioy of the kings deliuerance out of so great a danger. Thankes be to God, the hurte is so small, that the kinge shall not néede to kéepe his bed for it: and we hope he shall be able to hold on with his determination, for the which hee hastened his returne to Paris, which is to solemnize the feaste and ceremonie of the order of the Holyghost. I thoght it best to aduertise your honor hereof without any further delaie, for feare least being preuented by others, not knowing the truth and certaintie of the matter, you and other the kings friendes and welwillers, should thereby haue cause to be inwardly gréeued. His maiesties chiefe desire is, that you cause a publicke thankesgiuing to be offred vp to God for it, with earnest praiers that it would please his diuine maiestie, al waies to kéepe him vnder his mercifull protection, against such bloudie and butcherlie practises, to which his enimies hauing so often recourse, make manifest proofe to the world of their malicious intents, and finding that God hath giuen them ouer to themselues, they giue themselues ouer to these most damnable and accursed conspiracies, which God I hope will bringe to confusion, both them and those that are the authors and deuisers of them.
From Paris the 27. of December, 1594. after their accompt.
The Copy of the same Letter in French.
VOus aurez icy la nouelle d'un malheureux accident qui a pensé arriuer au Roy, et comme il a pleu a Dieu par sa misericorde miraculeusement l'en preseruer Il ny auoit pas plus d'une heure que sa Maiesté estoit arriuée en ceste ville de retour de son voyage de Picardie, et estoit encore toute bottée, Qu ayant autour d'elle Messieurs les Princes de Conty, Comte de Soissons et Comte de S. Paul, et plus de 30. ou 40. des principaux Seigneurs et Gentilzhommes de ceste court, comme elle receuoit les seigneurs de Ragny & de Montigny qui ne l'auoyent point encore saluéz vn Ieune garson nommé Pierre Chastel fort petit et qui ne peut auoir que dixhuict ou dix neuf ans, fils d un marchant Drapier de ceste ville lequel s'estoit glissé auec la trouppe dans la chambre s'aduance sans estre quasi aperceu de personne, et pensant luy donner d'un cousteau qu'il auoit dans le corps, le coup (par ce que sa Maiesté s'estoit baissée pour releuer les susdits sieurs de Montigny et de Ragny qui la saluoyent) ne porta que dans la face sur la leure haute du costé droict, & l'a entamée, et couppée vne dent. A l'instant ce miserable a esté prins, & apres auoir vouleu vn peu defaduouer le fait incontinent apres il l‘a confessé sans aucune force il ne s‘est encore rien peu tirer de luy sinon qu‘il á esté nourry trois ans aux Colleges des Iesuites, ou l‘on presume qu‘il a receu ceste instruction Ce dont sa Maiesté s‘est vou leu: premierement souuenir a esté de rendre graces a dieu de ceste particulieire grace, qu‘illuy a faite de [Page] le garentir de cest assassinat, & en à esté à l‘instant chanté vn Te Deum en toutes les eglises de ceste vil le; à quoy les habitans ont adiousté des feux de ioye par toutes les rues. Il y à (dieu mercy) si peu de mal, que pour cela sa Maiesté, ne s'en mettra pas au lict de meilleuré heure, et esperons, qu'elle ne perdra point la bonne occasion, pour laquelle elle à auancé son retour, qui est, pour faire la feste, & ceremonie de l'ordre du sainct Esprit. Ie n'ay voluu tarder d'auantage a vous donner cest aduis, affin que vous, & les autres seruiteurs de sa Maiesté estans preuenus de quelque autre, n'en soiez en peine. Mais sa Maiesté desire principalement que vous en faciez rendre graces publiques a dieu, & bonnes prieres, qu'il luy plaise la conseruer tousiours en sa saincte protection contre tels assassinats, ausquels puis que les ennemis recourent si souuent c'est bien vne preuue manifeste de leur malheureuse intention, & comme se sentans abandonnez de Dieu, ils s'abandonnent aux resolutions les plus execrables, que i'espere, qu'il confondra tousiours a leur ruine, & confusion.
A Paris 27. Decemb. 1594.