slew many
great and honourable persons who were protestants; as count
Rochfoucault, Telinius, the admiral's son-in-law, Antonius, Clarimontus,
marquis of Ravely, Lewes Bussius, Bandineus, Pluvialius, Burneius, &c.
&c. and falling upon the common people, they continued the slaughter for
many days; in the three first, they slew of all ranks and conditions to
the number of 10,000. The bodies were thrown into the rivers, and blood
ran through the streets with a strong current, and the river appeared
presently like a stream of blood. So furious was their hellish rage,
that they slew all papists whom they suspected to be not very staunch to
their diabolical religion. From Paris the destruction spread to all
quarters of the realm.

At Orleans, a thousand were slain of men, women, and children, and 6000
at Rouen.

At Meldith, two hundred were put into prison, and brought out by units,
and cruelly murdered.

At Lyons, eight hundred were massacred. Here children hanging about
their parents, and parents affectionately embracing their children, were
pleasant food for the swords and blood-thirsty minds of those who call
themselves the catholic church. Here 300 were slain only in the bishop's
house; and the impious monks would suffer none to be buried.

At Augustobona, on the people hearing of the massacre at Paris, they
shut their gates that no protestants might escape, and searching
diligently for every individual of the reformed church, imprisoned and
then barbarously murdered them. The same cruelty they practised at
Avaricum, at Troys, at Thoulouse, Rouen and many other places, running
from city to city, towns, and villages, through the kingdom.

As a corroboration of this horrid carnage, the following interesting
narrative, written by a sensible and learned Roman catholic, appears in
this place, with peculiar propriety.

"The nuptials (says he) of the young king of Navarre with the French
king's sister, was solemnized with pomp; and all the endearments, all
the assurances of friendship, all the oaths sacred among men, were
profusely lavished by Catharine, the queen-mother, and by the king;
during which, the rest of the court thought of nothing but festivities,
plays, and masquerades. At last, at twelve o'clock at night, on the eve
of St. Bartholomew, the signal was given. Immediately all the houses of
the protestants were forced open at once. Admiral Coligni, alarmed by
the uproar jumped out of bed; when a company of assa