"Non long temps apres furent divulguez quelques vers Latins faicts sur la mort dudict Roy Francois, du Roy Henry son pere, et de l'Empereur Charles cinquieme, qui m'ont semblé estre dignes de memoire, et d'estre conservez a la posterité: lesquels pourtant i'ay voulu icy adiouster, la superscription estant telle qu'il s'ensuit ey apres.
"AD HVIVS TEMPORIS [Greek: protreptikom] Monarchas [Greek: protreptikom] Carmen.
There is a similar work entitled, "Commentariorum de Statu Religionis et Reipublicæ in Regno Franciæ, Pars I-V." by Joannes Serranus, a learned divine. The author of the "Commentaires," was Peter de la Place, an eminent lawyer, whom Henry the Second had appointed King's Advocate and President of the Court of Aids, in Paris. In 1560, he openly avowed himself a Protestant, which obliged him to leave Paris, and in the troubles that followed, his library and effects were pillaged or destroyed; and he himself eventually became one of the victims in the atrocious massacre of the Protestants on the eve of St. Bartholomew, 25th August 1572.
KYNGE CHARLES that tyrane terrible, Withstanding Christ with witt and craft, As mocking stock most miserable, Endit at ones ragine and daft.[294] Then Henrie through evill cumpany, Thristing the blood of godlie men, With his awin blood, schedd suddantlie, Was maid to wait the end ye ken.[295] Last, Francis, that unhappie child, His Father's footsteps following plane, To Christ crying, deafe eares did yeild, Ane rotten eare then was his baine. O craftie, deif, and foolische Kyngs, These fearfull judgments gone befoir you, Biddeth you be wyser in your reignes, Or schamefull death will sone devoir you.
[294] The Emperor Charles the Fifth, and King of Spain. After having abdicated his throne to his son Philip the Second, in October 1555, he took up his retreat in the convent of St. Just, in the Province of Estramadura, in Spain. The change from an active life, and his mortified ambition, led to acts of fantastic devotion, which betrayed a weakness of understanding. He died 21st September 1558.
[295] Henry the Second, King of France. His death, on the 10th July 1559, is previously mentioned by Knox: see vol. i. p. 371.
The death of this King maid great alteratioun in Fraunce, England, and Scotland. France was erected in some esperance, that the tyranny of the Gwysianis should no longar ring above thame, becaus that God at unwares had brokin the staff whairupoun thei leaned. But, allace, thei war deceaved: for the simplicitie of some was so abused, that, against the lawes of the Realme, to the Quene Mother was committed regiment: which lifted up asweill the Duck of Gwyse, as the cruell Cardinall for a seassone.