The Online Library of Liberty

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• List of Illustrations
• Essays of Montaigne
• Of Experience
• Sketch of the Life of Montaigne
• Letters of Montaigne
• I: To Messire Antoine Du Prat, Provost of Paris.
• II: To Monseigneur, Monseigneur De Montaigne (his Father). (1563.)
• III: To the Same.
• IV: To Monsieur, Monsieur De Lansac, Knight of the King’s Order, Privy Councillor, Subcontroller of His Finance, and Captain of the Cent Gardes of His Household.
• V: To Monsieur, Monsieur De Mesmes, Seigneur De Roissy and Malassize, Privy Councillor to the King.
• VI: To Monsieur, Monsieur De L’hospital, Chancellor of France.
• VII: To Monsieur, Monsieur De Foix, Privy Councillor, and Ambassador of His Majesty to the Signory of Venice.
• VIII: To Mademoiselle, Mademoiselle De Montaigne, My Wife.
• IX: To Madame De Grammont, Comtesse De Guissen.
• X: To the Jurats of Bordeaux.
• XI: To Monseigneur, Monseigneur De Nantouillet, Councillor to the King.
• XII: To Henry III.
• XIII: Memorial of Montaigne, Mayor of Bordeaux, and of His Jurats, Addressed to the King of Navarre, On Different Subjects Interesting That Same Town.
• XIV: To the Marechal De Matignon.
• XV: To the Same.
• XVI: To Monsieur, Monsieur Dupuy, the King’s Councillor In His Court and Parliament of Paris, At Xaintes.
• XVII: To Mm, the Jurats of the Town of Bordeaux.
• XVIII: To the Marechal De Matignon.
• XIX: To the Same.
• XX: To the Same.
• XXI: To the Jurats of Bordeaux.
• XXII: To the Marechal De Matignon.
• XXIII: To the Same.
• XXIV: To the Same.
• XXV: To the Same.
• XXVI: To the Same.
• XXVII: To the Same.
• XXVIII: To the Jurats of Bordeaux.
• XXIX: To the Same.
• XXX: To the Marechal De Matignon.
• XXXI: To the Same.
• XXXII: To Mademoiselle Paulmier.
• XXXIII: To Henry IV.
• XXXIV: To — —
• XXXV: To Henry IV.
• Notes
• Volume I
• Volume Ii
• Volume Iii
• Volume Iv
• Volume V
• Volume Vi
• Volume Vii
• Volume Viii
• Volume Ix
• Volume X

I

To Messire Antoine du Prat, Provost of Paris.

I put you in possession, Monsieur, by my last letter of the troubles which desolated the Agenois and Perigord, where our common friend Mesney, taken prisoner, was brought to Bordeaux, and had his head cut off. I wish to tell you now that those of Nerac, having by the indiscretion of the young captain of this town, lost from a hundred to a hundred and twenty men in a skirmish against a troop of Monluc, withdrew into Bearn with their ministers, not without great danger of their lives, about the fifteenth day of July, at which time those of Castel Jalous surrendered, of which place the minister was executed. Those of Marmande, Saint Macaire, and Bazas fled likewise, but not without a cruel loss, for immediately the chateau of Duras was pillaged, and that of Monseigneur Villette was forced, where there were two citizens and a large number of churchmen. There every cruelty and violence were exercised, the first day of August, without regard to quality, sex, or age. Monluc violated the daughter of the minister, who was slain with the others. I am extremely sorry to tell you that in this massacre were involved our kinswoman, the wife of Gaspard du Prat, and two of her children; it was a noble woman, whom I have had opportunities of often seeing when I went into those parts, and at whose house I was always assured of enjoying good hospitality. In short, I say no more to you at present, for the recital causes me severe pain, and therefore I pray God to have you in His holy keeping.—Your servant and good friend,

MONTAIGNE.

This 24 August 1562.