King Henry III of France 1551-1589

Mémoires-Journaux de Pierre de L'Estoile. The King [aged 26] Killed by a Monk. On Tuesday, the first day of August [1589], a young religious, a priest of the Order of Saint Dominic, called the Jacobins, otherwise the Friars Preachers, a native of the village of Sorbonne, about four leagues from the town of Sens in Burgundy, aged twenty-three or twenty-four, who had for some time been persuaded and resolved to carry out what he eventually accomplished, having left Paris on the preceding Monday for this purpose, and on whose account the Political hostages had that same day been seized by the Sixteen and confined in the Boîte-aux-Cailloux, caused himself to be conducted at Saint-Cloud to the king’s lodging in the house of Gondi. He gained admission through the intervention of Monsieur de La Guesle, Procurator-General in the Parlement of Paris.

It was about eight o’clock in the morning when the king was informed that there was a monk from Paris who wished to speak with him. The king was seated upon his close-stool, with a dressing-gown over his shoulders and not otherwise dressed, when he heard that his guards were reluctant to allow the monk to enter. He became angry and said that he wished him to be admitted, and that, should he be turned away, people in Paris would say that he drove monks away and was unwilling to see them.

Immediately the Jacobin entered, with his knife drawn and concealed in his sleeve, and presented himself before the king, who had just risen and had not yet fastened his breeches. Having made him a profound reverence, he presented letters on behalf of the Count of Brienne, who was then a prisoner in Paris, and told him that, besides the contents of the letter, he had been charged to communicate something of importance to His Majesty in secret. The king, suspecting that no harm could come to him from this small and wretched monk, ordered those who were near him to withdraw. Opening the letter which the monk had given him, he began to read it, intending afterwards to hear the secret which the monk had to tell him. Seeing him intent upon his reading, the monk drew a knife from his sleeve and thrust it straight into the lower part of his belly, beneath the navel, so deeply that he left the knife in the wound. The king immediately pulled it out with great force and struck the monk with its point above the left eyebrow. At once the king began to cry out, "Ah, the wicked monk! He has killed me! Kill him!" At this cry, his guards and others quickly rushed in, and those who were nearest massacred the little Jacobin assassin at the king’s feet. Because several people believed that he must have been some soldier in disguise, since the deed seemed too bold for a monk, his body was immediately removed and dragged out of the king’s chamber so that he might be better identified. He was stripped naked to the waist, covered with his habit and exposed to public view. Yet no one recognised him as anything other than what he was, namely a true monk, against whom one ought to have guarded on every side as against a dangerous beast.

Le Roy tué par un Moine. — Le mardi premier jour d'aoust, un jeune Religieux, prestre de l'Ordre Saint-Dominique, dits Jacobins, autrement Fréres Prescheurs, natif du village de Sorbonne, à quatre lieues prés de la ville de Sens, en Bourgongne, aagé de vingt-trois à vingt-qua: tre ans, déspieca persuadé et résolu de faire ce qu'il exécuta (estant parti de Paris, le lundi précédent, à cest effect, et pour lequel les ostages Politiques avoient esté serrés le mesme jour par Messieurs les Seize et enfermés en la bouette aux cailloux), se fist à Saint-Cloud conduire chez le Roy, au logis de Gondi, oü il eust entrée par le moien de M. de La Guesle, Procureur-général au Parlement de Paris.

Il estoit environ huict heures du matin, quand le Roy fust adverti qu'il y avoit un Moine de Paris qui desiroit de lui parler, et estoit sur sa chaire percée, aiant une robbe de chambre sur ses espaules, sans estre aucunement habillé, lorsqu'il entendist que ses gardes faisoient difficulté de le laisser entrer, dont il se courrouca et dit qu'il vouloit qu'on le fist entrer, et que si on le rebutoit, on diroit à Paris qu'il chassoit les Moines et ne les vouloit voir.

Inconunent le Jacobin entra et, aiant son cousteau tout nud en sa manche, se présenta au Roy lequel se venoit de lever et n'avoit encores ses chausses attachées, et, lui aiant fait une profonde révérence, lui présenta des lettres de la part du comte de Brienne (prisonnier pour lors à Paris) et lui dit qu'outre le contenu de la lettre, il estoit chargé de dire à Sa Majesté quelque chose d'importance en secret. Le Roy, ne doutant aucun meschef lui pouvoir advenir dela part de ce petit chetif moine, commanda que ceux qui estoient prés de lui se retirassent. Et, ouvrant la lettre qu'il lui avoit baillée, la commenga à lire pour puis aprés entendre du moine le secret qu'il avoit à lui dire. Lequel, le voiant ententif à lire, tira de sa manche un cousteau et lui en donna droit dans le petit ventre, au-dessous du nombril, si avant qu'il laissa le cousteau au trou, lequel aiant le Roy à l'instant retiré à grande force, en donna un coup de la pointe sur le sourcil gauche du moine, et tout aussitost commenca le Roy à s'escrier: « Ah! le meschant Moine! « Il m'a tué! Qu'onletue! » Auquelcri,estans vistement accourus ses gardes et autres, ceux qui se trouvérent les plus prés massacrérent ce petit assassin de Jacobin aux pieds du Roy. Et sur ce que plusieurs estimoient que ce fust quelque soldat desguisé, estant cest acte trop hardi pour un Moine, aiant esté incontinent osté et tiré mort de la chambre du Roy pour estre mieux recongneu, fust despouillé nud jusqu'à la ceinture, couvert de son habit et exposé en publiq; mais il ne fust recongneu par aucun pour autre qu'il estoit, à scavoir pour vrai Moine, duquel on se devoit garder de tous costés comme d'une mauvaise beste.

John Evelyn's Diary. 24th December 1643. I went with some company to see some remarkable places without the city: as the Isle, and how it is encompassed by the Rivers Seine and the Ouse. The city is divided into three parts, whereof the town is greatest. The city lies between it and the University in form of an island. Over the Seine is a stately bridge called Pont Neuf, begun by Henry III in 1578, finished by Henry IV his successor. It is all of hewn freestone found under the streets, but more plentifully at Montmartre, and consists of twelve arches, in the midst of which ends the point of an island, on which are built handsome artificers' houses. There is one large passage for coaches, and two for foot passengers three or four feet higher, and of convenient breadth for eight or ten to go abreast. On the middle of this stately bridge, on one side, stands the famous statue of Henry the Great on horseback, exceeding the natural proportion by much; and, on the four faces of a stately pedestal (which is composed of various sorts of polished marbles and rich moldings), inscriptions of his victories and most signal actions are engraven in brass. The statue and horse are of copper, the work of the great John di Bologna, and sent from Florence by Ferdinand the First, and Cosmo the Second, uncle and cousin to Mary de Medicis, the wife of King Henry, whose statue it represents. The place where it is erected is inclosed with a strong and beautiful grate of iron, about which there are always mountebanks showing their feats to the idle passengers. From hence is a rare prospect toward the Louvre and suburbs of St. Germains, the Isle du Palais, and Nôtre Dame. At the foot of this bridge is a water-house, on the front whereof, at a great height, is the story of Our Savior and the woman of Samaria pouring water out of a bucket. Above, is a very rare dial of several motions, with a chime, etc. The water is conveyed by huge wheels, pumps, and other engines, from the river beneath. The confluence of the people and multitude of coaches passing every moment over the bridge, to a new spectator is an agreeable diversion. Other bridges there are, as that of Nôtre Dame and the Pont-au-Change, etc., fairly built, with houses of stone, which are laid over this river; only the Pont St. Anne, landing the suburbs of St. Germains at the Tuileries, is built of wood, having likewise a water house in the midst of it, and a statue of Neptune casting water out of a whale's mouth, of lead, but much inferior to the Samaritan.