the Lattine Tongue was banished out of the Schooles and they were filled with vnknowne Sophistries which were strange and barbarous The Schooles were no more the Fountaine of the Muses but Moates full of Frogges There were good wits as all ages doth produce as all Seas may breed Pearles But as there is a necessity to howle with Wolues they were forced to fit themselues to the common vse being impossible to wipe away the contumely which was done to the reading of good bookes It was a good Verse if it fell not twice or thrice vpon the Cadence of the same Sillable All Lyricke Poets medled with time as carelesse of elegancy as of reason The Latine tongue was harboured in some Cloisters and thence the Prouerbe came Not to speake Latine before Friers as if they should not handle any tooles before good worke-men nor dance before good dancers But they that haue written of those times shew that all the eloquence was nothing but a confused babling which brought forth new words as monsters bred of pride and ignorance So the greatest most famous actions were all made vpon the modell of Sermons and they alwaies tooke some Text of Scripture which they called the Theame of the Discourse r In those daie they busied mens wâ—ts with vnprofitable impertinent Etimologies They said in Schooles that the Scipio's and the Censorins were names of dignity That the Ethnickes came from MouÌ„t Ethna and that the Law Falcidia was so called a falâ—e for that like a Sithe it did cut off Legacies They did often adde ridiculous and foolish Etymologies and their inuentions were about Letters and Syllables The proofe heereof may grow of that which hath beene obserued in diuers places of this History as of the discourse which the first President of Grenoble made to Lewis the 11. Of the pleading which was in the Court of Parliament before the King of Portugall Of the Oration made at the opening of the Estates of Tours That which was made vnto the Millannois vnder the raigne of Lewis the 12. is an other marke of this great simplicity s The Millannois for a rebellioÌ„ made against King Lewis the 12. came in Procession to demaÌ„d pardon of the Cardinal of Amboise his Maiesties Lientenant M r. Michael Ris a Doctor of the Laws Councellour in the great Councell and Parliament of Dijon and in the Senate of Milan made a great discourse vpon this occasion the which he began in these termes Misertus est Dominus super Niniuem ciuitateÌ„ quod poenitentiam egit in cinere cilicio In like manner the Oration made by the Rector of the Vniuersity of Paris to Queene Mary second wife to Lewis the 12. When they haue searcht into the causes of this great desolation they haue found that auarice hath contributed most for when as they found that great wealth was not gotten by the profession of learning that they which had consumed most in good bookes had wasted their estates vnprofitably and contemned their fortunes that onely pleading got the graine and left but the straw for other professions Men studied no more to be learned but contented themselues to be Doctors The Law it selfe which makes a great part of polliticke knowledge was in a manner abandoned and her excellencies dishonoured with an infinite number of ridiculous glosses and vaine questions Wherefore Pope Innocent the 3. who laboured more seriously then happely to restore that Profession to honour did often complaine that auarice had made the Liberall Sciences Mechanicke and that many past impudently from the first precepts of Grammer to the study of the Lawes not staying neither at Phylosophy nor any other good Art Wherefore throughout all the East good bookes were not knowne but to some rare and eloquent spirit and in the West the Latine tongue was growne barbarous the Syriac vnknowne and the Greeke so odious as it was no ignorance in the most learned to skip a Greek word and not to reade it t Ignorance is so shamelesse as shee glories of that shee vnderstands not In those times when they met with a Greeke word they were dispenced with if they made no stay at it and the Reader said Graecum est non legitur The taking of Constantinople did wholly ruine learning in the East and was the cause to make it reuiue in the West by the care of Pope Nicholas the fifth and of great Cosmo de Medicis who gathered together the sad Relickes of this Shipwracke They caused the good bookes of all the Greeke Authours to be sought out and preserued and did lodge and entertaine them that were capable to make them speake Lattine This misfortune made them to arriue in Italy as into a Port of safety against the tempest of Greece or rather as some precious moueable rescued out of a great fire they found a sweete retreate and an honourable resting place in the house of Medicis Some time before Emanuel Chrisolara had beene sent by Iohn Paleologue to demand succours of Christian Princes against Bajazeth the first who threatned Greece with the seruitude which it hath endured vnder the Empire of his descendants Hauing done his charge he staid at Venice then at Florence and at Rome he read some lessons at Padua past into Germany and dyed during the Councell of Constance George Trapezonde by extraction from Trapizonde but borne in Candy and Theodore Gaza of Thessalonica continued these first beginnings Cosmo de Medicis made choice of Iohn Argyropile u Iohn Capnio was one of his Aâ—ditours the first time he entred Argyropyle asked him of whence hee was and what he would hee answered that hee was a Germain and would remaine at Rome to learne something of him in the Greek toÌ„gue whereof hee had already some knowledge Argyropile commanded him to reade and to interpret a passage of Thucidides Capnio did it after so elegant a manner and with so cleane a pronounciation as Argyâ—opile sighing said Graecia nostro exilio transuolauit Alpes Greece by our exile hath flown ouer the Alpes their companion to be schoolemaister to Peter de Medicis his soone then he went to Rome where he did publickely interpret the Greeke Histories and did so inspire the loue of learning into the hearts of good spirits as the Cardinals and Noblemen of Rome did not dsidaine to go and heare his Lessons Out of the Schoole of Emanuel Chrisolara came Gregory Typhernas who came to Paris and presenting himselfe to the Rector he said vnto him That he was come to teach the Greeke and demanded to haue the recompence allowed by the Holy Decrees The Rector was somewhat amazed at the boldnesse of this stranger and yet commended his desire and with the aduice of the Vniuersity staid him and gaue him the entertainement he desired Ierome of Sparta succeeded him The Shipwracke of Greece brought many other great personages to the roade of Italy Demetrius Chalcondyle x Demetrius Chalcondyle an Anthenian taught publickly at
good in Court it is greater happinesse for a Man when as the Prince whom hee serues doth him a great fauour for a small merite wherefore he remaines bound vnto him which should not bee if hee had done so great seruices as the Prince had beene much bound vnto him Wherfore hee doth by nature loue them more that are bound vnto him then those to whom hee is beholding When as pride goes before shame and confusion followes at the heeles c Pride is alwayes followed by Ruine and Shame Dominare tumidus spiritus altos gere Sequitur superbos vltor à tergo Deus SEN. When hee changed his seruants he excused this change saying That Nature was pleased with variety Hee said That if hee had entred his Reigne otherwise then with Feare and Seuerity hee had serued for an example in the last Chapter of BOCACE his Booke of vnfortunate Noblemen And considering that secresie was the soule and spirit of all designes he said sometimes I would burne my Hat if it knew what were in my head d Metellus said the like that if hee knewe his shirt vnderstood his secerets hee would burne it Hee remembred to haue heard King Charles his father say that Truth was sicke and hee added I beleeue that since shee is dead and hath not found any Confessor Mocking at one that had many bookes and little learning hee said that he was like vnto a crooke-backt man who carries a great bunch at his backe and neuer sees it Seeing a Gentleman which carried a goodly Chaine of Gold hee said vnto him that did accompany him You must not touch it for it is holy shewing that it came from the spoyle of Churches It is long since that this sacrilegious liberty hath beene in custome and that Princes that would please GOD and Men haue detested it but custome to euill hath more power ouer the willes of men to entertaine them in it then it giues horror and shame to flye from it e Caesar did bite Pompey to the quicke for that hee had taken away the ornaments of Hercules Temple Pecuniam omnem ex fano Herculis in opidum Gades intulit and giuing himselfe the honour to haue caused it to bee restored Referri in Templum iubet He took delight in quick answers which were made without study for if there be premeditation they loose their grace On a time seing the Bishop of Chartres mounted on a Mule with a golden bridle hee said vnto him that in times past Bishops were contented with an Asse and a plaine Halter The Bishop of Charters answered him That it was at such times when as Kings were Sheepheards and kept Sheepe The Annals of Aquitane which report this adde that that the King began to laugh for hee loued a speech which proceeded from a sudden wit Hee loued Astrologians and this loue proceeded as it were from a naturall and hereditary curiosity hauing much troubled the mindes of his fore-fathers Charles the fifth was gouerned by them Credite of Astrologians and gaue them meanes to teach Astrologie publickely in the Vniuersity of Paris Hee had for his Physition one called Monsieur Garuis Cretin a great Astrologian f CHARLES thâ— fifth caused many Bookes of Astrology to bee Translated into French he built a Colledge for Astrologie and Physicke and gaue them the Tithes of the Village of Caugie and caused the foundation to bee confirmed by Pope VRBAN the fifth He caused the Natiuity of King Charles the sixtth to bâ—e cast by Monsieur Andrew of Suilly The like curiosity made Charles the 5 th to loue and cherish familiarly Michael Tourne-Roue a Carthusian who was very skilfull in the practise of Elections Hee made that of the day when as the King went a hunting where as hee found the great Stagge which had a Coller of Copper about the necke wherein these words were written Hoc Caesar me donauit Caesar gaue me this The figure of it was set vp in the palace of Paris Hee was also much bound to the aduice which Iames of Angiers gaue him of the bad Intention which two Augustine Monks had to open his skull who were beheaded at Paris g In the booke of SIMON of Phares which is in the Kings Library wee reade this IAMES of Angiers was in that time who discouered the false intent which the two Augustines had which did open King CHARLES his head saying They would cure him beeing ignorant both in Physicke and Chyrurgery They were suborned by PHILIP Duke of Bourgondy as was said to worke this effect The matter beeing discouered the said Augustines were degraded and lost their heads as was reason Hee also made great account of Charles of Orgemont who foretold him that the Duke of Aniou his brother should bring nothing backe from his voyage at Naples but shame want and misery the which happened for all the Knights which had followed him returned with white stickes in their hands h Vpon this Prediction SIMON of Phares speakes thus The French were forced to flye and the Duke of Millan forgetting his Faith and Oath did kill them that were taken and suffered the Dogges to eate them and therefore let this be an aduertisment to the Kings of France and to the French neuer to trust in a Lombards tongue or dyed in Hospitals He was also aduertised of the issue of the voyage which Boucicant made to Genoa and of the treason of the Marques of Montferrat and of Count Francisque CHARLES the seuenth had Astrologians all his life Hee entertained in his Court IOHN of Bregy a Knight who cast the Natiuity of AME Duke of Sauoy and of the Lady YOLAND of France his wife and Germaine of Tibonuille who fore-told the death of King Henry the fifth and of Charles the sixth He receiued into Pension and into his house IOHN of Buillion whom the English had kept prisoner at Chartres for that hee had fore-told that which hahpened vnto them at the siege of Orleans Hee gaue entertainement also to SIMON of Phares borne borne at Orleance whose booke of excellent Astrologians is to be seene in the Kings Library i This Symon of Phareswrites of himselfe that hee did foretell The great famine at Paris and the great plague which followed vnder the raigne of Charles the â— that the Lands were vntilled and the woods so â—full of wolues as they deuoured women and children and that it was proclaimed that for euery Woolfe they could take they should haue two shillings besides that which the Commons might giue Maister Lewis of Langre a Spaniard a Physition and Astrologian at Lyon told King Charles of the victory he should get at Fromigny in the yeare 1450. of the great plague which was at Lyon a yeare after for the which hee gaue him forty pounds a yeare pension In all the chiefe actions of the life of Lewis the eleuenth wee finde that Iohn Merende of Bourg in Bresse did cast his Natiuity and speaking of his
the twelue peeres were set on either side the King At the end the Duke of Bourgundy kneeled downe intreating the King to forget the iniuries of such as had offended him during his Fathers raigne f This request is reported by Monstrelet in these termes When the tables were taken away the noble duke of Burgundy vsing his accustomed gentlenes in the nobillity of his courage kneeled downe before the King and intreated him for the honor passion and death of our Sauior that he would pardon all those which he held suspect to haue set discord betwixt his father and him which request he granted reseruing seauen persons He answered there are seauen which I cannot pardon Reuenge had mounted with him to the Royall throne he had not trod it vnder foote he carryed it in his head it was in his mind like vnto those starres that were fixed about the pole Hee findes it not so sweet to recompence the good as to reuenge the bad The King cannot forget the iniuries which they had done vnto the Dauphin g A royalty should make meÌ„ forget forepassed iniuries The Emperour Adrian being come to the Empire said vnto his enemy which was before him Euasisti thou hast escaped Quos in vita priuata â—nâ—micos habuit Imperator neglexit AE Spart And Lewis the twelfth said generously it is not fit that a King of France shold reuenge the iniuries done to a duke of Orleans Two daies after the ceremony of the Coronation the Duke did him homage for his countries which held of the crowne of France and offered him others which he held in Souerainty h The Duke of Burgundy was receiued to fealty and homage by King Lewis the eleuenth and to be Peere and Deane of the Peeres of France by reason of the Dâ—â—â—ie of Burgundy the 17. of August 1461. From Rheims the King went to Meaux then to Saint Dennys and made his entry into Paris where they did number twelue thousand horse which followed him All the pompe and magnifficence which was made at this entry did represent aswell the simplicity and ignorance of those times as the greatnesse and State of Paris Good witts in such occasions do not represent all things so plainely to the eye as there doth not remaine some thing where-with to content curiosity by the paine it hath to seeke and the pleasure to finde and to deuine at the intelligence of their inuentions Brokers were then more necessary then paynters for they did only set persons of diuers ages and sexes for all kinds of histories A Virgin was sufficient to represent the Citty of Paris as we finde not any more in bookes nor in auncient medalls for Rome nor Athens and there were fiue to signifie Paris euery one carrying a letter of it name They were conducted on horsebacke by a Herald towards Saint Ladros Church and there presented vnto the King The Cronicle saith that they had all personages fitted to the signification of fiue letters making Paris and that all spake vnto the King as they were appointed The Frontispice of S. Denis gate was beautified with a great ship in the which were the three Estates in three Persons which made the Prosopopeia Ridiculous representations and Iustce sate in the prow who spake vnto the King On the toppe of the Mast there was a Lilly out of the which came a King conducted by two Angells At the fountaine du Ponceau they gaue wine and Ippocras to them that past i The Chronicle vseth thee wordes in this place A little within the Towne at Foâ—taine du Ponceau were wild men and women which did fight made many countenances and there were also three fairâ— maidens representing mermaides naked where they might see the faire white pap seperated round and hard which was a pleasant sight and they had pretty speechâ—â— and neer vnto them were certaine fâ—ll Instruments which made great melody And to refresh such as entred into the said Towne there were diuers pipes in the said Fountain casting mike wine and lippocras wherof euery man dranke that would And beneath the said Fountain right against the Trinity there was a passion by men without speech Christ being hanged on the Crosse and the two theeues on the right and left hand There were also three Virgins like Mermaides all naked and at the Trinity was the passion of Iesus Christ represented by a liuing man being tyed vnto a Crosse betwixt two theeues At S. Innocents Fountaine there was a Hinde put forth beeing followed by a great cry of Hounds and Huntsmen At the Burchery was the Bastille of Diepe as the most glorious trophee of this Princes youth Passing ouer the Changers Bridge which was couered ouer head they let flye two hundred dozen of small Birdes The King went to pray in our Ladies Church he supt and lodged in the Pallace and the next day he went to the Tournelles in St. Anthonies street where hee made a new world changing his chiefe Officers The Duke of Bourgondy and the Earle of Charolois made a great part of the pompe they and their traines being so ritchly appointed as there were not any more stately The King made shew of great loue both to the father and sonne but there was so great a diuersity of manners and humors betwixt Lewis and Charles as this harmony lasted not long k Enâ—y and Iealousie which trouble great men will not suffer the one to reioyce at anothers good Themiâ—tocles not able to indure Cymons prosperity dyed through Impatiencie Into their most sincerest affections Iealousie which is the poison of friendship did alwaies creepe There was nothing pure nor perfect the prosperity of the one was a troublesome crosse vnto the other The King came vnto the Crowne like a new heire to his fathers possessions Lewis seeks for the rights of the Crown who doth not so much affect his kinsmen and tutors as he desires to see his Registers examine his accompts and know if he doth enioy all the rights of his successions from these first wordes they iudge what his designes and actions would be l Not onely by the first actions but by the first wordes of a Pâ—ince comming to the Câ—owne they iudge of the future so the word which Seuerâ—s spaâ—e Lâ—boremas and that of Pertinax militemâ—s were taken for signes of warre or peace in the Empire AElms Spart The Pompe and magnificence of this publike ioy being ended the Duke of Bourgondy and the Earle of Charolois tooke their leaues of the king to returne The Duke went into Flanders and the Earle of Charolois to Diion Death of Mary of Aniou Queene of France and then to St. Claude the King to Ambois to see the Queene his mother whose dowry he assigned vppon the County to Xaintonge and the Towne of Rochell shee did not long inioy this assignation passing from this life vnto a better Her death aflicted them who knowing that this King did all of his
many in their obedience and dutie who suffering themselues to be carried away with this torrent of the league Sedition must be bee smothered in the beginning had become fooles for company and by infection For the people is a sea which moues with the winde yet neuer followes if some one goes not before b This beast the people have so many beads that although it hath great terrible forces yet it is base cowardly if it bee not stirred vp and led vultus sine rectore praeceps pauidum socors Tacit. but the number seemed but too great and it had multiplied speedily if the Kings wisedome had not foreseene it Conspiracie in the beginning is like vnto raine which enters into a small cranny on the top of the house and beeing neglected in the end expels the master thereof The King did consider hereof for being aduertised of his brothers retreat he knew well that the partie was made against him if hee did not oppose himselfe That what appeared not might be greater then what was in show and that besides the Princes of his bloud many Catylines had drunke in the same cup the wine and bloud of this conspiracie c Euery conspiracie hath crueltie and bloud hath been taken for the seale oath that bind the conspirators Salust saith that Catylâ—n mingled wine with bloud in a cup and presented it to his associates Iâ—de 〈◊〉 post execrationem omnes degustauissent sieuti in solemnibus sacris fieri consueuit aperuit consiliuâ—â—â—â— His first resolution was to diuide that which hee could not breake Hee sent to the Duke of Bourbon to come vnto him Who for that hee would vse no dissembling a great and powerfull vertue in these corrupted ages would not disguise his intentions nor represent them otherwise in words then they were in his heart He was the first mouer of all these spheares he had first giuen his voice and vowes to this generall reuolt of France he had offered to hang a bell at the Cats necke d In great resolutions there is danger to giue the first voice and hazard to execute that wâ—ich is resolued It is more safe to follow then to leade Insiita mortalibus natura propere sequi quae piget inchoare Tacit. And if they bee reduced to the conduct of an other it must be wâ—th the restraint of his owne wisdome Ne consilâ—is alterius regi recuses Est illius atque esto tuus tuumque serua In poste tuo velle modum in velle alieno when as euery man expected who should dare to doe it and had more desire to end then to begin If hee had made any show of repentance or feare in this beginning the rest which had martcht in his steps would soone haue turned their backes He answered that he had the same designe with the other Princes for the good and profit of the publike weale intreating the King to excuse him if hee came not to Court and for a greater declaration of his will he ceazed vppon the reuenues of Bourbonois and stayed Iuuenall des Vrsines Lord of Traynill Peter of Oriola and the Lord of Crussoll prisoners making it knowne that Ambition hath no other Law then the fancie of the Ambitious and takes away the maske from all respect When the King saw that there was no meanes to reclaime these Princes and that the Duke of Bourgundy was in armes he aduertised all the chiefe noble men of his Realme and wrote vnto the Clergie to the gouernours of Prouinces Letters froÌ„ the K. to the gouernors of the Prouinces and townes to the Magistrates and townes who faint and lose their courage for a little e As a little feare makes the people to faint so a weake hope makes them returne by nature they are fearefull and do not think what they shall doe to indure but to flye the danger that they should not suffer themselues to bee carried away with the false showes of the enemies of the estate who had suborned his brother to ingage France in those desolations from the which it was but newly freed That if they which had suffered themselues to bee abused in this reuolt did not bethinke themselues there wilfulnes would make them vnworthy the clemencie which he offered them That with the grace of God and the fidelitie of his good subiects hee assured himselfe to abate and disperse these bad designes Then considering that this league did consist of those who had sometimes called the English into France f He that hath two enemies must agree with the one the better to preuaile ouer the other The RomaÌ„ns did neuer fight against two Hercules could not do it After the Parthian warre they began that of the Marcomanians They would not breake with Antlochus who had wronged them before they had ended â—ith Philip. to haue a share of the shipwracke The King seeks to the King of England that the old enemies fauouring the new he might fall betwixt the Anuile and the hammer hee sent to the King of England dissembling cunningly the wrong which hee had done him when as in demanding Bonnâ— of Sauoy k Richard Earle of Warwick was sent into France in the yeere 1464. to demand Bonna of Sauoy in mariage of King Lewis the eleuenth for K. Edward The King granted it but during this negotiatiâ—n the King of England fell in loue with a meane gentlewoman widdow to one Grey a Knight Daughter to Richard Riuers and â—aqueline eldest Daughter to Peter of Luxemburgh Earle of S t. Paul the Queenes sister for his wife he had married an other He intreates and coniures him not to assist this new rebellion the which like to a puffe of smoke would vanish as soone as it should begin to rise Edward beeing already engaged to the Duke of Bourgundy let the King vnderstand that he was a sharer with him Edward the fourth declares himselfe for the Burgundian Hee sent the same letters which the King had written vnto him to the Duke of Bourgundy promising to assist him as constantly as his forefathers l Edward the third King of England wâ—nne the battell of Cressy the 26. of August 1346. France lost 1500. Gentlemen all were not slaine but all were defeated The Prince of Wales his Sonne wonne the battell at Pâ—icters ten yeeres after the 9. of September 1356. had done This young Prince felt a boyling desire in his heart to performe that in France which other Kings of his name had done He was glad to finde without the Iland an exercise for turbulent spirits to entertaine and quench that furious heate of fighting m He that commands a warlike Nation must finde exeâ—cise for his soldiers abroad if hee will not suffer them to take it at home There is not saith Tit. Liu. in â—is thirteenth booke anâ— great and mighty Potentate that caâ— leâ—g continue in peace for if â—ee hath not sâ—me enemie abroad hee shall finde
march on for the way was such as they must either aduance forward or retire back they charged the Dukes troupes beat them back and force many to seeke their safeties in the Lake into which they waded vp to the chins but they were noe more assured in the water then on the land the fury of the victorious souldiour slue them like Duckes It was presently made red with the bloud of this slaughter many fled to the next Forrest and were slaine there The Duke returned from Suisserland as r He that will see in what equipage Xerxes returned out of Greece wâ—ether he had led a huÌ„dred thousand men let him read the tenth Satire of Iuuenall * Xerxes did out of Greece * Sed qualis redijt nempe vna naue cruentis Fluctibus ac tarda per densa cadauera prora Has toties optata exigit gloria paenas The Suisses hauing continued three dayes vpon the place of Battell they dismist halfe their troupes and with the rest recouered the places which the Duke had taken Petterlingen Romon and Milden they enter at Losanna without resistance and find that all were fled Suisses enter the contrie of Vaux They become masters of all the countrey of Vaux and think to doe as much vnto Sauoy to make it knowne that they that would not be their friends were their enemies s Aristenus saith in the 9. Book of Titus Liu. speaking of the Eâ—oliens Romanos aut socios habere oportet aut hostes media via nulla est The Romans must either haue fellowes and friends or enemies there is no middle way that there was no meane betwixt both The Lady Yoland Mother and Gouernesse to the Duke had broken the Treaties of Alliance hauing fauoured the Earle of Romonts quarrell against them and giuen passage to the Duke of Milans troupes and to the Bourgonians to make warre in Suisserland Geneua compounds with the Suisses The Towne of Geneua paying foure and twenty thousand Florins was presented from the storme which their Bishop of of the house of Sauoy had drawne vpon them The Duke retired into the Franch Contie Affliction of the Du after the Battell opprest with so many griefes and discontents as no man durst come neere him If this great Battell did not draw water from the ayre as they say that after great and bloudy Battels there shall fall great showers t After great Battels follow great showers for that there is som God which doth wash and puâ—ifie the earth polluted with humane bloud or for that the dead bodies and the bloud which is spilt cast vp grosse vapors which thicken in the ayre Plut. it did from the eyes of many widdow women and Orphanes for the number of the dead was eighteene thousand of both sides the Historie of Germany speakes of two and twenty thousand The Duke vexed at this vnfortunate successe the which hee had attempted more to reuenge the iniuries of the house of Sauoy then for his owne and fearing least the Duchesse of Sauoy should reconcile her selfe vnto the King her Brother The Duchesse of Sauoy seazed on by the Bourgundians and that the Sauoyards should follow the fortune of the victory he commanded Oliuer of la March to seaze vpon the Duchesse and her two sonnes He stayed her neere vnto the ports of Geneua set her on horsebacke behinde him and gaue order to them of his troupe to doe the like vnto her two sonnes and two Daughters The Duke of Sauoy was saued and carried to Geneua Oliuer de la March hee went on his way all night past the mountaine came vnto a place called Myiou and from thence to S. Claud and from thence to Rochfort and in the end to Rouure neere vnto Dijon The King drew her from thence by the Lord of Chaumont and caused her come to Tours u The Duchesse of Sauoy being prisoner at Rouure sent vnto the King to beseech him to set her at libertie If she had not bin in these extremities she would not haue done it the hatred had been so great betwixt the King and her whether he went after his departure from Lyon Being arriued there he saluted her with these words Madame of Bourgundy you are very welcome To whom she answered that she was a good French woman and ready to obay his commandements He took her at her word and this first answere was the best x The first answeres of women are commonly the best It is that which Vlisses coÌ„sidered in Homer pressing the soule of a woman to answere speedily Their humors and their passions were very contrarie to extract the essence of true and perfect loue She leaues the D. of Burgundies partie Many things had past in their liues which had as it were losened the Cyment of this brotherly affection Philip de Commines saith that he conducted her to her chamber and caused her to be well intreated True it is that he had 〈◊〉 great desire to be rid of her and she as great to be farre from him The King would willingly that shee had married the Princes her children to his humor but she excused her selfe and wrought so as by his meanes and the mediation of the Duke of Lorraine and the Arch-duke of Austria she retired from the Suisses some of those lands which they had seazed on paying fifty thousand Florins for the charges of warre but it was not possible for the Earle of Romont to recouer his Eight daies after the King caused her to be conducted into her Contrie with her children but before they parted one from an other they would be assured of the promises of loue which they had made and not trusting to bare words they added writings and others They depriued themselues of that content which their wils might haue receiued in producing freely the effects of a reciprocall affection and confidence But they had rather be bound to religion then to Nature From this Flower-de-Luce are issued two Princes which haue gouerned in Sauoy y Aâ—e the 3. Duke of Sauoy husband to Yoland of France succeeded Lewis the second his father in the yeare 1468. Philip the seuenth D. married to Mary of Bourbon Philibert the eight to Margaret of Austria the ninth Charles to Beatrix of Portugall the tenth Emanuel Philibert to Margaret of Valoâ—s the eleuenth Charles Emanuell to Catherine of Austria She was mother to Philibert and to Charles Philibert raigned ten yeares vnder her charge euery one desired to haue this Prince in his power King Lewis as his Vnkle by the Mothers side Charles Duke of Bourgundy as his kinsman and neighbour The Earles of Bresse Romont and Geneua his Vnkles by the fathers side who would exclude Galeas Duke of Milan who had giuen him his Daughter tooke also the gouernment He dyed and left noâ— children Charles his brother succeeded him and married Blanch of Montferrat of them was borne Charles the sixt whose barren raigne was but nine monethes shorter then
France Parricides and cruelties with his wife Daughter to the Earle of Bullen being forced to make that his contrie where he found his fortune thinking to see the same sunne euery where which he saw in Scotland He besought K. Lewis the eleuenth to assist him with sufficient forces to make war in Scotland t Euery soile is the Countrie of a great courage Quo modo lucem noctem que omnibus hominibus ita omnes terras fortibus viris natura aperuit As nature hath opened the day and night for all men so hath she al contries for men of courage Tac. lib. 4. The bad vsage he had receiued froÌ„ his brother caried him to these motions to ouerthrow all that hee could not remoue The K. thought it not fit to ground a war against his allies vpon an other mans passions so as the Duke of Albany seeing that he could not obtain that he expected froÌ„ the king he past ouer into England and perswaded K. Edward to make war against the K. of Scotland u It is alwaies dangerous to make warre vpon the Councels of men that are banished from their countries and reduced to those extremities to ruine it for reuenge Passion doth easily transport them they promise that which they cannot hold and their wils are subiect to change The Noblemen of the Realme apprehending this storme assembled together by night in a Church where they resolued to cast all that into the Sea which was the cause of this tempest and which made the King to play at tenis with his subiects heads x Nothing is of so little respect to a cruell Prince as the bloud of his subiects Stratocles seeing them buy the heads and nâ—ckes of beasts for his supper said it was that wherwith they that gouerned the commonweale played at tosse-ball Plut. in Demet. being necessary to rid himselfe of domesticke enemies before he did incounter strangers The King who had spies in all places was aduertised of this assembly and sent Cocheran one of his fauorites to discouer it he was met by Archembald Douglas Earle of Anguse Conspiracie of the Nobilitie executed who took him by the neck and made him fast with the same chaine of gold which he himselfe ware and then he gaue him in gard to certaine soldiors vntill it was day at the breake of which hee was carried vnto a gibbet lamenting his hard fortune which had raised him vp to ruine him Some cried out to haue him dispacht others were moued to pittie y In these changes of fortune some sing others weâ—p wâ—â—n Radamystus caused Mithridates to bee taken vnchained the people remembering the rigour of his coÌ„mandemenâ—s added blows to his misfortune others lamâ—nted the change of his fortune Vulgus duto Imperio habitum probra ac verbera intentabat Et erant contra qui tantuÌ„ fortunae commutationem miseretentur The common people required his hard command with reproches and blows And there were others which Pittied the change of his fortune Tac. lib. 4. To be wise we must fly the conuersation of fooles Magna pars sanitatis est hortatores Insaniae reliquisse Sen. Epist. 94. It is a great part of health to haue left the perswades to madnes All reioiced to see the Court purged from this contagious plague He goes directly to the Kings Chamber and seazeth vpon all these Empericks of state vnder whose gouernment impietie had so raigned and iniustice been in such credit in Scotland and causeth them all to be hanged The King of England made his profit of these broiles King of England sends an armie into Scotland for hauing sent Richard Duke of Glocester his brother into Scotland with a mighty Armie he forced the King to restore him Barwick which the Scottishmen had kept one and twenty yeares by meanes wherof a Peace was treated and sworne The Nobilitie of Scotland thought that the King would grow wise hauing no more these instruments of folly about him z but hee made them to change their opinions for hauing setled his affaires abroad he began to call them to an account at home and to be reuenged of them which had prescribed him a law This caused anew reuolt to pacifie the which the King fled to the Pope who sent a Legate to draw the Rebels to their duties and hee intreated the King of France and England by his Embassadors to assist him to quench a mischiefe the contagion whereof might creep in among their subiects Not holding himselfe safe in Edinbourg hee would haue retired to Sterling but the Gouernour would not giue him entry He was then forced to keep the field hauing no retreat his enemies incounter him he accepts the Battel which they presented King of Scotland â—â—airne and fought valiantly but finding his horse wounded he retires vnto a Mill whether hee was pursued and slaine in the yeare 1488. the 31. of his age and the eight and twentith of his raigne FINIS THE CONTENTS OF of the eighth BOOKE 1 THe King is aduised to make his profit of the diuisions of Italy but he will not heare of it 2 Troubles at Florence and conspiracies against the house of Medicis 3 The Pope excommunicates the Florentines and for their sakes the Venetians arming the King of Naples against them 4 The King declares himselfe for the Florentines and forbids to send money to Rome The Venetians ioine in league with the Florentines 5 He sends his Embassadors to Rome and is arbitrator of the controuersie Ouerture for a Peace The lets of the Venetians side 6 The Popes complaint against them 7 Intelligences of the Duke of Brittany discouered and Letters surprized by the King 8 Punishment of Peter Landais 9 Townes of the Riuer of Somme recouered by the King 10 Negotiation of Oliuer le Dain at Gand. Taking of the Towne of Tournay 11 Princesse of Bourgundy sends Embassadors vnto the King to haue his Peace and protection 12 The King wins the Embassadors Restoring of the Townes of Hesdin Therouenne and Monstreuil Siege of Bullen two and twenty Deputies of Arras hanged 13 Arras yeelds vpon a composition which is not obserued 14 The Gantois rise against their Princesse and will haue part in the gouernment of affaires Their Embassadors sent vnto the King bring back a letter which the Princesse had written contrarie to their Embassage 15 The Princesse Chancellor and the Lord of Himbercourt Gouernor of Liege put to death 16 Ingratitude and impietie of Adolpe of Gueldres against his father 17 The King entertaines friendship with the King of England and keepes him from inclining to the Princesse of Bourgundy 18 Marriage of Maximilian Archduke of Austria with the Princesse of Bourgundy 19 The Kings armie in the Franch Countie 20 The fiâ—st alliance of France with the Suisses 21 Estate of the affaires of Castille vnder the new raigne of Ferdinand and Isabella 22 Death of Iohn the second King of Nauarre and Arragon 23 Peace and alliances renued
Polyb. lib. 11. Mathias held it not fit for his reputation nor courage to attend them hee goes to meete them with eight thousand horse and hauing furnished the Towne of Vratislauia with victuals and munition he lodged himselfe in the sub-vrbs and there attendeth them with a resolution not to hazard any thing c A Prince shold not stay vntil his enemy come vnto him and force him to feed him at his charge Euery day they made Sallies and Skirmishes to the Polonians losse who neuer returned but with griefe for some prisoners taken but many more slaine And to shew that hee did little esteeme their Attempts and that hee could loose little and get much he caused scaffolds of Wood to bee built vpon the Walles for the chiefe Ladies and Gentlewomen of the Towne It is a great aduantage for a Generall of an Army when hee is assured that victory brings him great profit great effects and that the losse cannot equal the gaine and for those chiefly who were not made but to bee beloued They beheld the Knights who made Sallies vpon their Enemies and cast themselues couragiously into dangers for their sakes At their returne they commended their valours and encouraged them to continue If they were hurt they were the first that drest them if they returnd victors they presented them the prisoners Armes and colours which they had taken The Princes of Germany desiring to diuert this storme and fearing that this fire kindled vpon the Frontier would flye further laboured to quench it Ernestus Duke and Elector of Saxony and Iohn Marques of Brandebourg e The courages of these 3 Princes were vanquished by the eloquence of the Marques of Brādeburg who in the Assembly of three Kings of Casimir King of Polonia Ladislaus King of Bohemia and Mathias King of Hungry discoursed with such grauity and vehemency vt prae admiratione adstantes obstupuerint Ita tune virtute Ernesti Saxonis eloquenti◠Ioannis Marchionis haec or a Germaniae magno discrimine liberata redijt ad tranquilitatem That the assistants were amazed with admiration So then by the vertue of Ernest of Saxony and the eloquence of the Marques Iohn that coast of Germany was freed from great danger and recouered peace made an Army of six thousand horse and presented themselues before Vratislauia protesting that they came thither to no other end but to set vpon him that would not liue in peace So by their meanes a peace was concluded the 12. of February in the yeare 1475. and Silesia was diuided betwixt Ladislaus and Mathias Mathias makes war against the Emperour This war being ended he began an other against the Emperour he besieged Bohemia and forst the Emperour to demand a peace Pope Sixtus and the Senate of Venice for that they would not incense the Emperour tooke from him the pensions which they had giuen him to the end that the Emperour should not think that they fauoured his designes Death of Mathias Huniades yet for all this Mathias did not forbeare to presse the Emperour to effect that which he had promised him seeing that hee thought to entertaine him with the vanity of his words hee began the warre againe and besieged and tooke Hambourg vpon the confines of Austria and Hungary Mahomet thinking to make his profit of this diuision ouer-ran the Countries of Dalmatia Carinthia and Friuly and carried away a great number of slaues but they were set at liberty and they that led them cut in peeces being incountred by Mathias Captaines f The portrait of of 〈◊〉 Prince makes him of a higher sature then the ordinary of men open and quicke eyes his eye-browes eleuated a bigge head a faire face and of a good complexion a large forehead flaxen haire The Emperour Fredericke sought a peace of him the which taking no effect there was a truce concluded Soone after Mathias g Hee that hath written the History of the kings of Hungary ends the discourse of Mathias life in these tearmes In somma non si può diro altro di vantagio se non ch'e vanita il persuadersi che altre personnagio si trouasse alhora in tutte lc parti pareggiante l'inuitto glorioso Matthia Coruino se l'ambitione d'vna principessa Aragonesse non lo hauesse tyrannegiato To conclude there can bee no more said but that it is a vanity to think that there can bee any one sound comparable to the inuincible and glorious Mathias Coruinus if the ambition of a Princesse of Arragon had not tyrannized ouer him died at Vienna in Austria of an Apoplexie in the yeare 1490. being 47. yeares old He had taken to his second wife Beatrix daughter to Ferdinand King of Naples by whom he had not any children suffering himselfe to be transported with her ambitious humors enemies to all rest The commendation which is giuen him of a great Prince and a great Captaine doth not blemish that to haue made the Sciences and learning to flourish againe and to haue fauoured them that made profession thereof and among others Iohn of Monroyall the Ornament of the Mathematickes He replenished his library with the rarest bookes hee could finde out of the which are come some fragments of Polybius and Diodorus Siculus h A Prince which affects glory esteemes them that are the Trumpets The most valiant haue done things worthy to be written and haue written things worthy to be read Corn. Sulla Caesar Augustus Claudius Traian Adrian If after the death of Mahomet they had put Zizimi into his hands as he desired and besought the Pope he had ouer-throwne the tyranny of the Ottomans for Bajazeth vpon these apprehensions sought to be at peace with him but the Pope would haue him make warre against the Hussites of Bohemia Let vs returne and see what Lewis doth in his sad melancholike thoughts of that day which must bee the Iudge of all the rest he hath giuen an end to all his designes and the law of Nature will haue him end he◠doth not liue but by intreaty and the dayes which remaine serue onely but to the end he should husband them that they might profite those which hee hath past and lost His Seruants comfort him and his Physitians haue no meanes to cure him they entertaine him with vaine hopes and diuert his thoughts from any thing that might augment his waywardnesse And for that they told him that a Northerly winde which did then reigne made mens bodies sickly and did hurt the fruits he commanded the Parisians to goe in Procession to S. Denis to cause it to cease i The Chronicle saithn that to appea this Northerly winde all the Estates of Paris went diuers dayes in procession to S. Denis in the moneth of February that the same prayers were made in May following for the kings health But he was more troubled with distrust Distrust of Lewis 11. It is a torment vnto him in comparison whereof
honors and deserued great aduancements in the house of Bourgondy he receiued the Coller of the golden Fleece when as D. Charles did first solemnize the order at Bruges after his fathers death f Charles 〈…〉 should haue stood with these words which are read in a Chronicle M. S. of the Kings library The Earle of Neuers being adiourned by the letters patents of the most high and most excellent Prince my redoubted Lord the Duke sealed with the seale of his order of the Fleece to appeare in person at this present Chapter there to answere vpoÌ„ his honor touching witchcraft and abusing the holy Sacraments of the Church hath not appeared but hath made default And to auoid the sute and depriuation of the order to bee made against him he hath sent back the Coller and therefore hath been and is declared out of the order and not called in the offring when as the Earle of Neuers was degraded more vnworthily then the respect of his house made him to hope from a Prince his neere kinsman The Duke gaue him the gouernment of the County of Boullein afterwards of Artois He came vnto the Kings seruice and deliuered into his hands the Towne of Arras after the Dukes death It seemes that Philip de Comines would not speake all he knew nor call a Fig a Fig. He knits it vp shortly in these words He could not mistake in submitting himselfe vnto the Kings seruice vnlesse he had taken a new oath to the yong Lady of Bourgondy and in yelding vp that vnto her which he held of hers They haue and will speake diuersly hereof wherfore I referre my selfe to the truth Tristan the Hermit whom the rigor of this reigne hath made so famous for the suddennesse of his executions was high Prouost Tristan the Hermit King Charles the 7 th made him knight after the siege of Fronsac g After the siege of Fronsac there were made knights Iohn of Bourbon Earle of Vendosâ—ne Iohn of â—ourbon his base brother the Vicount of Turaine the Lords of Rochefautaut Commery Rochechouart Grignaux de Barres Mommorin Bordeilles Fontenelles and Estauge The name of Tristan was giuen to Princes borne in some great affliction Iohn of France was surnamed Tristan for that he was borne at Damiete during the Imprisonment of S. Lewis his father In like manner the sonne to the King of Sicile was called Tristan for that he was borne in Catelonia when his father was a prisoner Philip de Commines Lords of Argenton Philip de Commines Some haue thought that he freed the king from the danger of Peronne and that it was the cause of the great fauour which he had purchased with the king I haue wondred why the king did not adde the honour of the Order of S. Michael and how it was possible that it should faile a man who wanted not any thing and who was so much fauoured and so familiar with the king as he did often lye in his Bed eate at his Table sit at his Councell and carried his most secret designes to Princes treated q Wee doe often finde the 〈…〉 of the secrets in Lawyers books Procopius sayth that the wâ—ters of 〈◊〉 were called a Secretis Honor qui tunc dabaâ—ur egregijs dum ad Imperiale Secretum tales constet eligi in quibus reprehonsionis vitium nequeat inveniâ—i An honour which was then giuen to worthy men whilst such are chosen to the secrets of the Empire in whoÌ„ no vice of reprehension can bee found happily but by them that know them by the beginning Secretarie of state a necessary Office progresse and effects by whose eyes and hands they see them and then dispatch them Sufficiency Experience and Fidelity serue as a lampe in obscurest deliberations and giues them Ariadâ—es threed which keepes them from meeting the Minotaure of repentance r The Venetians whose state is Aristocraticall change all their Officers yearely and some euery two moneths but the Duke the 〈◊〉 of S t. Marke the Chancellor and the Secretaries of State are for life the which the Florentines ordained in their state whâ—â— as Lewis the twelfth freed them from the tyranny of Count Valentine in the intricate Labyrinth of Enterprises For this reason in some well-gouerned Common-weales where as Offices are annuall that of Secretary is perpetual to the end that one alone may be Register of that which is concluded by many and an inviolable Guardian of Secrecie which is the soule of affaires and returnes neuer when it is once let slip s Secrecie is the soule of affaires and as Valerius calles it Optimum ac 〈…〉 agendâ—rum vinculum The best and safest hand for the managing of Affaires France cannot passe without the Counsell and experience of him who for that hee hath serued foure Kings in that great and painfull charge is held by all Europe for the Oracle of all resolutions and reuolutions There is not any thing vnpenetrable to his Iudgement who entring into the most confused and obscure affaires doth presently draw light But it is time to go to land This name so famous and renowned throughout all the world is the rocke of Adamant which drawes my ship Hee is the Port of this Nauigation which I finish he shall be the North-starre of another which I continue The profit of them shall redound to all in generall the thankes vnto the King and the glory vnto God The end of the History of Lewis the eleuenth MAXIMES IVDGEMENTS AND POLITIKE OBSERVATIONS OF PHILIP DE COMMINES Lord of Argenton VPON THE LIFE REIGNE AND ACTIONS OF LEWIS the eleuenth and of diuers other occurrents PLACES AND TITLES of these Maximes Prouidence of God Princes Realme Salique Law Enter-view of Princes Gouernments Councels and Councellors Court of Parliament Embassadors Treasure of the Prince Assemblies and Treaties People and Subiects Townes and Nations House of Bourgondy Enemies Enterprises Battels Warre Souldiars Sieges Victories Changes Prosperity and Aduersity Diuision Tumults and Sedition Liberalitie Iustice and Iniustice Punishment Iniury and Offence Wisedome Secresie Experience Knowledge Historie Nourishment Nature Hope Age. Fore-sight Carelesnesse and Vigilance Pride and Presumption Treacherie Dutie A good Man POLLITICKE MAXIMES PROVIDENCE OF GOD. ALL well considered our onely hope should be in God In the end of the first booke for in him consists all our assurance and all goodnesse which cannot bee found in any other thing in the world But wee do euery man acknowledge it too late and after that wee haue neede yet it is better late then neuer Grace and good fortune comes from God Lib. 1. chap. 4. In all enterprises wee must haue God of our side Lib. 2. chap. 1. God hath alwaies loued the Realme of France Lib. 4. chap. 1. To see things which God hath done in our time Lib. 4. chap. 13. and doth daily shewes that he will leaue nothing vnpunished And we may see plainely that these strange workes come
vpon Earth which is the Realme of FRANCE whereof many Princes and Kings our Predecessors haue beene so Great Vertuous and Valiant as they haue purchased the name of The Most Christian King c The Kings of France cary the Title of Most Christian since Clovis Charles the Bald is called Most Christian in his Coronation Pope Innocent Honorius the 3 d. in their Bulles to King Philip Augustus and to Lewis the eighth called them Most Christian. The Apostolike Legate and three Bishops named in their Letters write that the Realme of France is Most Christian. Du. Tillet as well for reducing many great Countries and diuers Nations inhabited by infidels to the good Catholicke Faith rooting Heresies and Vices out of our said Realme and maintaining the Holy Apostolicke sea and the holy Church of GOD in their Rights Liberties and Freedomes as for doing many other goodly deedes worthy of eternall memory so as some are held for Saints liuing in the glorious company of GOD in his Paradise which our Realme and other our Countreyes and Signiories we haue thankes bee to GOD so well entertained defended and gouerned as wee haue augmented and enlarged it of all sides by our great care and diligence and by the aid also of our good faithfull and Loyall Officers Seruants and Subiects notwithstanding that soone after our comming to the Crowne the Princes and Noble-men of our Bloud and Linage and other great Noble-men d The Princes and Noble-men of the League were Charles of France the Kings Brother Iohn of Anjou Duke of Lorraine and Calabria Iohn Duke of Alencon Charles of Bourgondy Earle of Charolois Iohn Duke of Bourbon Francis Duke of Brittanie Iames of Armaignac Earle of Marche and of Castres Duke of Nemours Iohn Earle of Armaignac his vncle Iohn Earle of Dunois and of Longueville Bastard of Orleans Lewis of Luxembourg Earle of S. Pol. Charles Lord of Albert father to great Alain and Anthony of Chabannes Earle of Dammartin of our said Realme or the greatest part of them had conspired plotted and attempted against vs and the Common-weale of our said Realme many great practises treasons and conspiracies so as by meanes thereof there hath followed so great warres and diuisions as it hath caused a wonderfull effusion of humane bloud ruine of Countries and the desolation of multitudes of people the which hath continued since our said comming vnto this present day and is not yet fully quenched but may after the end of our dayes reviue and continue long if some good order and course be not taken Wherefore hauing regard hereunto and to the age wherein wee are and to the certaine infirmity wherein wee are fallen for the which wee haue beene in great deuotion to visite the glorious body of Saint Claude so as with the helpe of our Creator wee are much amended and haue recouered health Wee therefore resolued concluded and determined after the returne of our said voyage to see our most deere and well-beloued sonne Charles Dauphin of Vienna and to instruct him in many notable things e Happy are those Princes which learn the formes of Gouerning well by the examples and instructions of their fathers Leon receiued them from the Emperour Basillius and Philip Augustus from Saint Lewis For if the highest knowledge of a Prince bee to know his Estate the knowledge cannot bee more faithfull nor certaine then from those which haue the experience The Booke of the Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenete for the Instruction of his sonne associated to the Empire the which is now remaining in the Kings Library is onely vpon this subiect and as Monsteur Casaubon who hath it in keeping writes in an eloquent Epistle vpon Polybius Sciebat vetus regnandi Princeps ad negotia gerenda in quibus Repub. salus continetur illud adprimè defiderari vtingenia hominum probè nota sint quibus cum agitur siue illi sint subditi siue amici siue socij siue hostes The Prince who was old in Gouernement knewe well that in matters which concerned the safety of the Common-weale it was chiefly to bee desired that the Dispositions of men with whom they are to deale bee well knowne bee they Subiects Friends Allies or Enemies for the direction of his life in good manners gouernement entertainement and conduct of the Crowne of France if it please God hee come vnto it after vs. For the accomplishing whereof after our returne from our said voyage into our Towne of Ambois wee went into the Castle of the said place where our said sonne the Dauphin was whom we haue alwayes caused to bee kept and bred vp there where in the presence of a certaine number of Nobleblemen and Ladies of our Bloud and Linage and other great Personages men of our Councell Captaines and Officers both to vs and said sonne wee haue called our said sonne before vs and haue caused those words and Remonstrances which followed to be deliuered vnto him First after a recitall made by vs of the aforesaid things or of the greatest part of them to our said sonne wee haue let him vnderstand how much wee desire that after vs he might with the aid of God come vnto the Cromne of France his true Inheritance and that he might so gouerne and maintaine it as it might bee to his honour and praise and to the profite and vtility of the Subiects of his Realme Dauphiné and other Countries and Signiories and of the Common-weale f This Instruction regards onely the setling of the Princes affaires and doth not extend vnto the duties of Conscience nor to those vertues which edifie Kings Piety and Iustice. But to what end so many Instructions To make a Princes conduct happy wee must wipe these wordes out of his minde If it please it is lawfull If it may bee it shall bee A good Prince should not will any thing but what hee ought Caesar◠cum omnia licent propter hoc minus licet vt foelicitatis est posse quantum velis sic magnitudinis velle quantum possis vel potius quantum debeas For that all things are lawfull to Caesar therefore they are the lesse lawfull As it is a happinesse to doe what thou wilt so it is a greatnesse not to will any thing but what thou mayest or rather what thou oughtest Plin. Paneg. Traja Item That if it pleased God to work his will on vs and that our son should come vnto the Crowne of France wee haue commanded and enioyned him as a father may doe his sonne that he shall gouerne himselfe and the said Realme Dauphiné and Countries by the Councell and aduice of our kinsmen Lords of our Bloud and Linage and other Noblemen Barons Knights Captaines and wise men of our Councell and especially of those whom he shall know and finde to haue beene good and faithfull to the deceased our most honored Lord and Father whom God absolue to vs and to the Crowne of France that haue been vnto vs good and
loyall Officers Seruants and Subiects g Bodâ—n writes in the fourth booke of his Common-weale Chap. 4. that K. Lewis the 〈◊〉 made another Edict declaring all offices perpetuall if resignation death or Fortune did not cause some change and hee ordained that a Destitution by forfeite should not take place if the forfeiture were not adiudged Item Wee haue also expressely commanded and enioyned him that when it shall please God he come vnto the said Crowne of France that he shall maintaine all the Noble-men of our Bloud and Linage and all other Noble-men Barons Gouernours Knights Esquires Captaines and Commanders at warre in their Offices and charges and all other hauing the command of men and guard of Townes places and Forts and all other Officers either of Iustice or other of what condition soeuer not changing or disappointing any of them vnlesse they bee duely found faulty and disloyall h An Officer which feares to be disappointed holds all his actions pure and keepes himselfe from failing Yet a Prince should neuer displace without cause and one of the greatest commendations which they giue to king Robert is that he neuer disappâ—â—â—ed any Officer if he had not offended and that there may be a due declaration made by Iustice as is requisite in that case Item Vnto the end our sonne may and will consider of entertaine and accomplish our said Ordinance Iniunction and commandement wee haue laid before him the great miseries inconueniences and ir-repairable losses which befell vs soone after our comming vnto the Crowne for that we had not maintained them in their estates charges Offices i King Lewis the eleuenth coming to the Crowne did suddenly disappoint all his fathers ancient seruants who handled him in such sort as he was ready as hee confest after-ward to quit his Crowne and his estate the which hath continued long to the great oppression and ruine of many of our Countries and Subiects and doth yet continue although that God be thanked we haue not lost any thing of the Crowne but haue augmented it with great Lands and possessions hoping shortly with the pleasure and good will of our Creator to settle peace and tranquility And that if our said sonne should doe the like and should not continue the said Noble-men and Officers the like or worse might happen vnto him and that as hee loues the good honour and increase of himselfe the said Realme and others our Countries and Signiories hee should haue a speciall care not to doe any thing to the Contrary for what cause soeuer Which Remonstrances made by vs to our sonne the Dauphin for the good of the Crowne of France and to the end the said Ordonances Commandements and Iniunctions made vnto him should take effect and bee in perpetuall memory wee haue demanded of our said sonne k A marke of great mildnesse in a seuere Prince and of great bounty in a difficult Father hee doth not vse his authority ouer his sonne for so iust a command Hee first sounds his will then hee suffers him to consult with his obedience the bond whereof is sealed with the Seale of Nature the which hath not giuen to men any Commission to command others and to make them subiect except the Father whom Procles calleth The Image of the Soueraigne GOD. what hee thought and whether he were content willing and resolued to entertaine the same things and other deliuered by vs and especially touching the said Charges and Offices Whereunto he hath humbly made answere and said That he would willingly obey acomplish and performe with all his power the Commandements Instructions Ordonances and Iniunctions which we gaue him for the which he did most humbly thanke vs. Moreouer wee commanded him to retire himselfe with some of his Officers which were there present and conferre with him vpon those matters which hee had propounded vnto him and resolue whether hee would entertaine all that wee had enioyned him The which hee hath done and then he spake these or such like words vnto vs Sir with the helpe of God and when it shall bee his pleasure that these things happen I will obey your commandement and pleasure and will performe and accomplish all that you haue enioyned me Wherevpon we said vnto him That seeing he would doe it for the loue of vs he should hold vp his hand and promise so to do and hold The which he hath done Item After many other things declared by vs concerning the same matter and also of many Noble-men our aduersaries within our realme l A Prince cannot leaue a more profitable and fruitful precept vnto his sonne then to make him knowe the friends of his Estate to cherish them and the enemies to beware of them the one and the other are known by the effects but men regard but the face and God seeth the heart who haue alwayes beene contrary to vs and our said Crowne from whom part of the miseries and inconueniences aboue mentioned haue sprung to the end he might haue a watchfull eye ouer them we haue recommended vnto him some of our good and loyall Seruants and Officers which were there present and some absent letting him vnderstand how well and faithfully they had serued vs as well against our enemies and about our person as also in many and diuers sorts Of which things and of euery their circumstances and dependances we haue ordained and commanded our louing and faithfull Notary and Secretary M r. Peter Parrent to make all Letters Provisions Patents and declaratory clauses of our said will and commandement that shall bee needfull as well during our said Reigne as that of our Sonne and in the beginning of his said Reigne by manner of confirmation to the said Officers and confirming theÌ„ in their said Charges and Offices and we haue so coÌ„manded enioyned our said sonne to cause it to be done by the said Parrent as our Secretary and his Wee also command by these Presents our louing and faithfull Councellours of our Courts of Parliament m Presently after the death of Lewis the Parliament of Paris decreed that the Officers should continue in their charges as they had done before attending the answere of the new King the which shewes that charges are suspended vntil that his pleasure hee knowne according to an ancient Decree made in October 1382. of the said Realme and Dauphine Exchequer of Normandy Maisters of our Accounts Generals and Councellors of our Treasurie of Iustice and of our Aids Maisters of requests of our houshold Prouâ—st of Paris and all Bailiffes Seneshals Provosts and other our Iustices and officers or their Lieuetenants and euery of them to whom it shall belong which are at this present or shall be hereafter in our time or our sonnes that they obserue entertaine and accomplish and cause to be obserued entertained and accomplished from point to point inviolably our present Ordonances and Declarations and all and euery thing contained in these Presents with their
Treasurer of France at Grenoble instructed mee herewith After his death King Charles the eighth by his letters dated the three and twentieth day of March in the yeare 1483. restored them to their Honours Fame and Reputation and would that all their goods should bee restored vnto them notwithstanding any opposition which was made by them that held them as confiscate The examples of this seuerity shewes the reason of the feare and distrust which troubled his minde and kept him shut vp like the vestall fire and set Care and Silence in guard about him being reasonable that hee should feare those which hee had hurt for neither great nor small can loue them that haue wronged them Herewith accords that which Claudius of Seyssell hath written g The feare which growes from rigour and seuerity doth neuer purchase the peoples loue Oderunt quem me tuunt And it is hard long to resist the publicke hatred Plebi multae manus principi vna ceruix A multitude hath many hands and a Prince but one necke He openly discouers the feare which he had of his subiects when as hee heard say Galeas D. of Millan brother in law to the King that Duke Galeas Sforce had been slaine by certaine Millanois in the Citty of Millan vpon a festiuall day and in the Church for he augmented his guards about his person and forbad them to suffer any man to approach neere him and if any one did striue hee commanded them to kill him And moreouer hee caused a page to carry a Pertuisan after him to defend himselfe if any should offer to outrage him the which beeing come into his Chamber was set at his beddes head And truly it appeared plainly at his death whether he were beloued or hated for then all sorts of people reioyced few were sorry for it no not his very seruants and they to whom hee had done most good But if nothing but the dislike of the people had blemished the memory of this great Prince it had not beene lesse glorious the Iudgements of the multitude are Iudgements of folly and the affections of the people are alwayes indiscreet they reiect that which is good and approue that which is bad what they say is false what they commend is infamous what they vndertake is fury and they make things greater then they are h They that haue wel known the people haue compared their iudgements to a tempest In Imperita multitudine est varietas inconstantia crebra tanquam procella sic sententiarum commutatio In the vnskilful multitude there is variety inconstancy and often like vnto a tempest so often they change their mindes Cic. pro domo sua His Iustice. Iustice. They cannot depriue him of the honour of the erection of two parliaments to doe iustice to them of Guienne and of Bourgondy He instituted that of Bourdeaux in the beginning of his Reigne and that of Dijon presently after the death of Charles the Terrible We haue shewed before how much he was grieued for that hee had not reformed many things that were deformed vnder his reigne and especially the administration of Iustice He had beene bred vp in an Age so full of liberty that as he had beene forced to see and suffer many iniustices i A Prince shold neuer dispence with the lawes of reason Those words are flatteringly tyrannicall Licet si libet in summa fortuna id equius quod validius nihil iniusta quod fructuo sunt sanctiras pietas fides priuata hona sunt qua iuvat Reges eant That is lawfull that they list in a great fortune that is iustest that is of most force there is nothing vniust that brings profile sanctity Piety and Faith are priuate vertues Kings may go which way they please The Law is the Prince which wee must obey the head which wee must follow and the rule whervnto we must apply all our actions Arist. 3. Polit. It is the inuention and the gift of the Gods Demost. in Aristog so hee did not care but to doe iustice himselfe according to the lawes of his will thinking that his duty was contained within the limits of his pleasure and reason within those of his will But admit his life were so pure and sincere Hatred of Lewis 11. against the parliamēt as the most seuere Cato could finde no cause of reprehension yet would it bee hard to excuse that which Philip de Commines saith That hee hated the Parliament of Paris and that hee had resolued to bridle it This is not like a little flye vpon the face of his reputation to beautifie it but a malitious vlcer to disfigure it It is the duty of a good Prince to giue authority to the administration of his soueraigne Iustice to maintaine those venerable heads which conceiue the Oracles and preserue the rules of state who are alwaies laden with mortar to repaire the ruines and are the Ministers and Interpreters of the law k which is the rarest inuention and the most excellent gift that Heauen hath giuen to men The rootes of this hatred were very deepe and the first effects did appeare in the yeare 1442. when as K. Charles the 7. his father left him at Paris to command there in his absence The Earle of Maine sought to make vse of this occasion and of his fauour to haue certaine priuiledges verified The Court of Parliament being prest and in a manner forst put this clause in the verification By the expresse commandement to shew that if their suffrages had been free it had not been done l We finde often in the Registers of Soueraigne Courts these words De expresso mandato and De expresissimo mādato and sometimes Multis vicibus reiterato he sent for the Presidents of the Court and commanded them to put out that clause else hee would leaue all and would not go out of Paris vntill it was done The wisdome of the Court contented him the clause was put out of the Decree and retained vpon the Register The change which he made in the Parliament presently after his Coronation was a branch of this root m Iohn of la Vacquety was Recorder of the Town of Arr as when as after the death of Duke Charles the King did send to summon it to yeeld La Vacquerie said that it might not be for it was of the ancient patrimony of the Earles of Flanders descended to the ◠daughters for want of heires male and I thinke that it serues for a reason for that vpon the execution of the Treaty of Conflans the letters were directed to the Chancellour and Priuy-Councell before the Parliament It is also true that hee would often haue had the willes of the Court liable to his and that hauing threatned it vpon the refusall it made to verifie some Edicts which it had found vniust n Whether a Magistrate bee allowed to quit his Office rather then to verifie an Edict is a
question treated by Bodin in the second booke fourth chapter of his Common-weale but very superfluous for there is not any one but knowes therein what he should doe the President la Vacquery whom hee had drawne from the seruice of the Princesse of Flanders came vnto him with a good number of other Presidents and Councellors in their scarlet roabes The King being amazed to see this red procession demanded wherefore they came Sir answered la Vacquerie we come to resigne vp our places into your hands and to endure whatsoeuer it shall please you rather then to wrong our consciences in verifying the Edicts which you haue sent vs. Hee was very sensible of these words of Conscience and did not willingly like of any thing that was spoken to charge it he presently called them backe and promised neuer to doe any thing but what should bee iust and reasonable yet this course was not commended by them who compare a Magistrate leauing his charge for that he cannot allow of the Princes will to a Marriner which abandons the Helme during a Tempest A Magistratâ— should not quit his charge for any respect or to a Physitian who iudging the Disease incurable doth not vovchsafe to apply Remedies to asswage the paine when as hee sees those that may cure it are in vaine In these occasions the examples of good men whom wee must imitate and the aduice of wise men whom wee must honour should carry a light before iudgement Hee who first in France had the keeping of the sacred Seales of two Crownes seeing himselfe sometimes forced to haue the constancy of his duety striue with the absolute commandements of the King shewes how others ouer whom the dignity of his Office his vertues experience and merits giue preheminence should compose and gouerne their Actions When as the King to free himselfe from the Importunity of some Spirites which are hard to content and who abusing discretion in demanding grow discontented when they vse liberty in refusing commandes him to passe the Seale for things which exceede the ordinary formes of Iustice and are both without President and Reason o Example is a cleere light in doubtful things for those which are not grounded vpon example cannot bee maintained by reason Quod exemplo fit id etiam iure fieri putant That which is done ly example that they thinke lawfully done Cic. ad Sulpitium Hee hath beene heard to say that hee should hold himselfe inexcusable vnworthy of his charge and to carry the Title of the first Minister of the Kings Soueraigne Iustice if hee did represent vnto him the wrongs which it receiued in commaunding him things forbidden by the lawes and which should bee odious to his owne iudgement if importunity had not rather wrested then obtained them from his bounty Iustice is the felicity of Empires they haue seene how discreetly to his Admonitions hee added most humble prayers not to wrong the most sacred thing which the wisedome of God hath left to Princes for the felicity of their estates And when these Admonitions haue not preuailed that his Maiestie hath had other motions and that the effects which seemed contrary to Iustice haue made him see causes which Time the Men and the Affaires haue made lawfull and necessary hee hath alwayes conuerted his Reason into Obedience contenting himselfe to haue shewed the integrity of his minde without opposition against the will of his Prince which is aboue the Lawes and doth declare all that iust which doth accomodate his Affaires for there is no Lawe which commaundes a Magistrate to ruine himselfe in maintaining Iustice against the power of his Prince and Wisedome which carries a light before all other vertues will that a man faile in any thing rather then himselfe p Among the Precepts which Polybius sent to Demetrius to draw him out of the danger into which youth and indiscretion had ingaged him this is remarkable Quit all rather then thy selfe When as the Princes will strayes from reason it must bee reclaimed mildly by discretion wee must thinke that hee can doe nothing without the aduice of his Parliaments q Kings haue alwayes had a Councell a part to consult resolue vpon the great affaires of their estate The peeres of France did not enter into the Kings Councel their quality did not priuiledge them if they did not please the King It is also obserued in the Ordonances for the gouernment of the realme and for the Regency in the absence and minority of Kings they doe not in any sort speake of the Peeres of France The King should bee no King if there were in his Realme an Authority aboue his Great resolutions which concerne the safety of the State are not treated of in great Assemblies where as the secret which is as the soule cannot bee long kept in but doth euaporate r Matters are neuer kept secret in great Assemblies whatsoeuer was done in the Senat of Rome was blowne abroad the Senators Children told newes to their Mothers and Titus Liuius wonders that the Embassadors of Greece and Asia had discouered nothing of the speech which King Eumenes had vsed in open Senat against King Perseus Monarkes haue alwayes had a Councell separated from the Senate which is otherwise busied enough with the flowing and ebbing of Sutes and they haue not onely reserued great affaires to their Councell but they would haue chosen persons confifidently to impart vnto them their most important affaires This is not without President for the greatest and most happy Founders of the Roman Empire had besides the Senate a Priuie Councell of few persons s Iulius Caesar had for his priuy Councellors Q. Paedius and Corn. Balbus Augustus had Maecenas and Agrippa with whom hee treated his greatest and most important Affaires The Parliaments haue the care of the execution of the Kings Edicts they publish them and cause them to bee obserued they keepe the Registers that at neede they may haue recourse to them It is true that Princes haue sometimes shewed themselues so absolute in their willes as the wise men of their Councell not beeing able to restraine or moderate them haue often allowed the oppositions which the Parliaments haue made to their Edicts and fauoured them for that they were conformable to reason and agreeing with the publicke good For although the Soueraigne bee aboue the Lawes and that hee may derogate from Right and Law wherein Soueraignty doth properly consist yet it is necessary that the absolute power bee restrained by the Ciuill and that he consider that in destroying the Law and offending Iustice he is like vnto the Iuy which puls downe the wall that beares it vp I leaue it vnto the wise to consider if they did well to put into the mouth of King Charles the ninth Words of K. Charles to the parliament the thirteenth yeare of his Age and the second of his Reigne these wordes t These wordes are