CHARLES IX (1550–1574) King of France.

On Picardy.

‘I have never doubted that you have done everything in your power to maintain peace and tranquillity in my province of Picardy, as a good and devoted servant and minister ought to do. However, you have seen that the treachery of Avennes has meant that those who have taken up arms against me have the means to seize some of my towns and castles, in which they hold garrisons of men who inflict as much harm upon my poor subjects as those who placed them there, being disobedient to my edicts and ordinances and unconcerned with the public peace. So much so that it seems to me that what must be done now, since the evil is already so great in my country, is to do everything possible to ensure that those in the said garrisons cannot, as they do now, emerge from their lairs to go about so freely plundering and pillaging my poor people. There is no longer any question of preventing the evil from entering, for it is already well established there’... It is for this reason that he had sent Monsieur de PIENNES to take command there; it would be too difficult for Monsieur de Senarpont, who is ill, to do all that is necessary. The King is, however, fully convinced of his loyalty and devotion... He approves of the publication by Piennes of letters against the thieves who come to plunder the Picardy region...

Enclosed is a contemporary copy of the King’s instructions to M. de PIENNES, particularly regarding thieves and those who disturb the public peace, 26 December 1567 (2 folio pages).