had beene prisoners about fower or fiue and thirtie yeeres Further the said Moore immediately after the execution done departed into Barbarie to the end no man should know what was become of them To be short neuer was man more cruell than this King Alphonse more wicked more vicious more filthie nor a greater glutton Notwithstanding his father had been the more dangerous for no man could be acquainted with his humor nor know when he was pleased or displeased so that at feasts and bankets he tooke and betraied men as for example the Earle Iames sonne to Nicholas Picinio whom after that sort he tooke and murthered villanously being ambassador to him from Duke Francis of Milan whose base daughter he had married True it is that the said Francis was consenting to the murther notwithstanding he were his father in law for they both feared the said Earle Iames bicause the Braciques 4 in Italie were wholy at his deuotion After the like maner also tooke this Ferrande the Princes of his realme aboue mentioned and as touching pardon or mercie neuer was any to be obtained at his hands as diuers of his neerest kinsmen and friends haue often told me neither had he at any time pitie or compassion vpon his poore people to ease them of paiments and subsidies Moreouer he vsed within his realme all trade of merchandise himselfe so far foorth that he deliuered swine to his people to feede which they were constrained to fat to further their sale and if any of them happened to die they were forced to make them good In those places where the oile oliue groweth namely in Pouille he and his sonne bought it all vp at their owne price and in like maner the corne yet greene vpon the ground which they sold againe as deere as was possible and if the price thereof happened to fall they constrained their subiects to buie it besides that during the time of their sale all other were forbidden to sell If any of their noblemen were a good husband and thought to spare some good thing for himselfe they would foorthwith desire to borrow it and if he made refusall he was constrained to deliuer it perforce so that they vsed to take from them the races of their horses wherewith that countrie aboundeth and to cause them to be broken kept to their own vse yea and that such numbers as well of horses as of mares and colts that they were esteemed many thousands which also they sent to feede in diuers places in the pastures of their noble men and other their subiects to their great losse and dammage Both of them had forced many women and as touching the Church they had it in no reuerence neither would obey the lawes thereof so far foorth that they sold Bishoprikes for monie as for example the Bishoprike of Tarente sold to a Iew by King Ferrande for thirteene thousand ducats to bestow vpon his sonne who he said was a Christian Abbeies they gaue to faulconers and others to bestow vpon their children with this condition that some of them should enter them a certaine number of hauks and keepe them flying to their vse and other some entertaine a number of soldiers at their owne proper costs and charges The sonne neuer obserued Lent neither seemed to thinke there was any and many yeeres togither neuer confessed himselfe neither receiued the holy sacrament To conclude it was impossible for any man to commit more hainous crimes than both they had done yet some reported the yoong Ferrande to be woorse than them both notwithstanding that he were humble and curteous at his death and no maruell for he was then in great distresse The readers may happily thinke that I vtter all this of some priuate hatred against them which in good sooth I do not but rehearse it onely to continue my historie in the verie beginning whereof I haue declared that this enterprise could neuer haue been atchieued by those that were the chiefe managers thereof had not God alone gouerned it and giuen it good successe to the end he might make this good yoong King being so slenderly prouided both of good counsell and all other things necessarie his deputie to chastise these Princes so wise so rich of so great experience so well accompanied with wise and noble personages whom the defence of the realme touched as neere as themselues so allied and friended yea and the which saw the storme a far off and yet neuer could prouide for it nor make resistance in any place For out of the castle of Naples there was not one man that staied the King a daie and a night whereupon Pope Alexander now liuing saide that the French men came thither with wooden spurs and chalke in their harbingers hands to make their lodgings without further trouble which similitude of wooden spurs he vsed bicause yet at this daie when the yoong gentlemen of this realme rid about the streets on horsebacke their Pages thrust little sticks into their showes or pantofles wherewith they prick forward their mules And to confesse the truth this was so easie a conquest that our men very seldom armed themselues in all this voiage Besides that from the Kings departure out of Ast till his entrie into Naples it was but fower moneths and ninteene daies An ambassador would almost haue been as long in iourneying thither I conclude therfore agreeably to the opinion of diuers holie religious men and others and to the voice of the people which is Gods voice that God ment to punish these Princes so visibly that euery man might behold it to warne thereby all other Princes to liue well and according to his commandements For these Princes of Arragon lost both honor and realme with great riches goodly furniture of diuers and sundry sorts the which is so dispersed heere and there that a man can hardly tell what is become thereof besides that they ended their liues three in a yeeres space or little more but I trust their soules be in Paradise For you shall vnderstand that this old Ferrande bastard to King Alphonse a wise vertuous and honorable Prince was maruellously disquieted when he saw this French war first mooued against him which he could finde no meanes to pacifie For he was wise and knew that he and his sonne had liued ill and were maruellously hated in their realme diuers also of those that were neerest about him haue informed me that as he raced a certain chappell he found a booke whereon these words were written Truth vvith hir secret counsell 5 the which contained all the euils that afterward fell vpon him There were but three that sawe the booke for immediately after he had read it he threw it into the fire Another thing that greatly troubled him was this his sonne Alphonse and Ferrand his sonnes sonne could neuer be perswaded that the King would come into Italy Wherefore they vsed proude and threatning words against him and spake very contemptuously of him saying
great authoritie at that time in Fraunce that for feare of them no Counsellor durst plead his cause wherefore necessitie enforcing him to defend him selfe he pleaded there by the space of two howers being very attentiuely heard by the whole audience and in the end so acquite himselfe that by the Iudges sentence he was discharged Among other things he rehearsed at the bar how sundrie troublesome and daungerous voiages he had sustained for the King and the common wealth How highly King Lewis both had fauoured him and for his faithfull seruice rewarded him for his owne part he said that he neuer had done any thing couetouslie ambitiouslie nor cruelly and further that if he had sought onely to aduance and inrich himselfe he might haue had as goodly possessions as any man in France He was prisoner in almost three yeeres The next yeere after his deliuerie he had a daughter borne named Iane which married with Rene Earle of Pantabria descended of the Dukes of Britaine by whom among diuers other children she had issue Iohn late Duke of Estampes Lieutenant of Britain Knight of the French Kings order and Lord of diuers goodly Seniories But to returne to Commines in prosperity he gaue for his posie this sentence He that will not labour let him not eate but in aduersitie this I sailed into the deepe of the sea and a sudden tempest ouerwhelmed me He died the threescore and fourth yeere of his age the yeere of our Lord 1509. the 17. day of October in his owne house of Argenton in the countrey of Poictu from whence his body was conueighed to Paris and there lieth buried in the Augustine Friers I was heere purposed to haue staied my pen and further not to haue spoken either of Commines historie or his life had I not called to minde diuers accusations of Iacobus Meyerus who in sundrie places of his Annales of Flanders inueigheth verie bitterly as well against Commines life as his historie whose accusations I am forced to laie open to the iudgement of the world to the end it may appeere whether they be grounded vpon iust proofe Notwithstanding before I enter into the examination of them thus much in the commendation of Commines historie I cannot passe ouer in silence that two of the greatest and woorthiest Princes that raigned in Europe these hundred yeeres namely the Emperour Charles the fift and Francis the first King of Fraunce made so great account of this historie that the Emperor caried it continually about with him as Alexander did the workes of Homer no lesse esteeming it than he did them and the King was as much displeased with the printing and publishing thereof as was the same Alexander in times past for the setting foorth of Aristotles workes called Acroamatica as rehearseth Gellius so desirous was he to haue reserued to himselfe and a few of his owne subiects the great treasures of wisedome hidden in this small volume But let vs now heare what Meyer obiecteth against this historie In the 17. booke of his Annales of Flaunders writing of the battell fought at Saintron betweene Charles Duke of Burgundie and the Liegeois he hath these words Pugna commissa caeduntur magno numero profligantur ad nouem millia cecidisse tradit qui interfuit Philippus Cominius Sed Brabantiae scriptor quidam scriptor Flandriae quibus plus habeo fidei tria tantum millia occubuisse memorant For answere heereunto if this place be indifferently weighed it shall appeere to be wholie grounded vpon malice and no colour of reason much lesse iust proofe First bicause Meyer preferreth the credit of these obscure Annalistes that write but vpon report before the credit of him that was an eie witnesse and that no way could aduantage himselfe by reporting a lye Secondarily sir Oliuer de la Marche who liued also in that time and was Steward of the Duke of Burgundies house writeth that a great number of these Liegeois were slaine at this battell and also at the siege of Saintron but that their friends and kinsfolkes trussed vp their dead bodies in vessels full of lime partly to the end the discomfiture might appeere the lesse and partlie that they might be buried among their auncestors in the which feate saith he the Liegeois shewed a woonderfull audacitie and courage whereby it shoulde seeme a great number to haue been thus trussed vp by meanes whereof the dead appeered the fewer and were reported accordingly which deceiued diuers and happilie these Annalists of Brabant and Flaunders The like practise we reade of in diuers authors of the like writeth Meyer also himselfe Lastly the Annales of Burgundy agree with Commines and report the number as he doth so that this answer I hope shall suffice for this point Againe in the same booke fol. 364. Meyer writeth thus Loquitur Cominius de nobili quadam foemina attrebatensis ditionis proditrice patriae cuius aedere non vult nomen falsus in hoc vt in caeteris historicus Sure if it were an vndoubted truth that a Ladie of Artois could not send the King such aduertisement as Commines reporteth that she did or if Meyer were Pythagoras that ipse dixit might passe for proofe the credit of Commines should happilie hang in ballance but if you reade the place in his historie the very circumstances will induce any indifferent man to thinke that which is there written of this Ladie to be no lie Againe fol. 366. Meyer hath these words Hic est Cominius ille transfuga gente Flandrus qui multa de Carolo Lodouico prouinciali lingua bene scripsit sed quaedam etiam scripsit plane mendaciter multaque dicenda infideliter reticuit This is so generall and vncertaine a charge that answer in truth it deserueth none notwithstanding I refer to the iudgement of those that shall reade this historie whether Commines conceale his Masters faults therein or not for that is Meyers meaning in this place True it is that he vttereth them not in such railing barbarous termes as Meyer very vnseemely vseth of so great a Prince as King Lewis was and is offended with Commines for not dooing the like a thing which becommeth Meyer himselfe very ill and would haue become Commines much woorse But our author as he concealeth not his masters faults but laieth them open enough to the vnderstanding of the wise and attentiue Reader so deliuereth he them so sparingly and vnder such termes as truth being vttered the Kings honor be no further impeached than verie necessitie doth enforce a matter verie commendable in a gentleman writing of a Prince a seruant of his Master and a subiect of his Soueraigne Lastly Meyer fol. 365. hath these words refert Cominius exercitum Caroliadeo fuisse extenuatum vt exhibere illum Anglis non auderet sed hoc falsum est But you must beleeue Meyer vpon his word other disproofe of Commines report he can bring none neither grounded vpon any circumstance nor produced out of any good
to his heires males till they were redeemed for fower hundred thousand crownes 11 How these matters passed I know not perfectly but true it is that in the D. old age he was so gouerned by the Lords of Croy and Chimay being brethren and others of their house that he agreed to take againe his money restore the said territories to the King greatly to the Earle his sons discontentation for besides that they were the frontier townes of their dominions they lost in them a number of able men for the wars The Earle of Charolois charged the house of Croy with this fact so far foorth that after extreeme age was growne vpon his father whereunto he euen then approched he banished all the said house out of his dominions and confiscated all their lands estates and offices The Notes 1 Commines vvhen he came to the Earle of Charolois seruice vvas 19. yeers of age 2 Charles Earle of Eu Peter of Moruillier and Iohn de Harcour bishop of Narbonne vvere the ambassadors heere mentioned they arriued at Liste the 5. of Nouember Annales Burgundiae 3 VVhether the king ment to haue taken the Earle of Charolois prisoner by this Rubempre reade Annal. Burgund lib. 3. pag. 880. and Meyer lib. 16. fol. 334. vvho flatly charge him vvith it 4 Sir Oliuer de la Marche heere named vvrote a Cronicle of these times 5 The cause vvhy the King sent Rubempre into Holland vvas not as he said to take the Earle of Charolois but the Vicechauncellor of Britaine named in Meyer Iohannes Rociuilla and by our author in the 3. Chapter of this first booke Rouuille vvhom the Duke of Britaine had sent into England to make a league betvveene the realme of England and him and bicause the King supposed this Vicechauncellor vvould visit the Earle of Charolois in his returne he sent this Rubempre into Holland to take him and bring him into Fraunce Annal. Burgund Meyer 6 For the better vnderstanding of the Dukes ansvvere I am forced to passe the bounds of a note VVherefore it is to be vnderstood that in the declination of the Romaine Empire the Burgundians anno 408. being chased out of Almaine vvhere they inhabited the countries novv subiect to the Palsgraue of the Rhyne inuaded Fraunce and conquered the countries novv knovvne by the names of the Countie and Duchie of Burgundy togither vvith Sauoy Daulphine Prouince and the greatest part of Svvitzerland and anno 414. chose them a king named Gondiachus vvith vvhom after diuers battels fought vvith changeable fortune Aetius the Emperour Honorius his lieutenant in Fraunce at the length made peace And Gondiachus remained King of Burgundy and ayded the Romaines against Attila Soone after failed the male line of Gondiachus and by the mariage of Clotilde daughter to Chilperic Gondiachus his sonne vvith Clodoneus King of Fraunce Burgundie fell to Clotarius sonne to the saide Clotilde and Clodoneus and so continued in the house of Fraunce till the yeere 843. vvhen the sonnes of the Emperor Lodouicus Pius vvarring togither Burgundy vvas deuided into Burgundiam Transiuranam and Cisiuranam Transiurana containing Sauoy Daulphine Prouince and Lyonnois remained to Lotharius the Emperor vvith the title of King of Burgundie Cisiurana conteining the Countie and Duchie of Burgundie vvas also dismembred for that part novv knovvne by the name of the Countie of Burgundie fell also to Lotharius share but that part novv knovvne by the name of the Dutchie of Burgundie vvas togither vvith the Realme of Fraunce yeelded to Carolus Caluus But after the death of the Emperor Lotharius his tvvo sonnes Lodouicus and Lotharius made another partition of their part of Burgundie for the realme of Austrasia vvith the Countie of Burgundie fell to Lotharius after vvhose death his vncle Carolus Caluus King of Fraunce ambitiously through violence conquered also that part of Burgundie and ioined it to the crovvne of Fraunce so that the said Carolus Caluus possessed all Burgundie Cisiurana that is both the Countie and Dutchie of Burgundie Loduicus the other sonne of the Emperor Lotharius possessed vvith the Empire all Burgundie Transiurana togither vvith the title of King of Burgundie and left behinde him one onely daughter named Hermingarde maried to Boson brother to Richilde Carolus Caluus his vvife in respect of vvhich mariage the said Caluus gaue to Boson all Burgundie Cisiurana vvhich he the said Caluus then held And thus had Boson all the realme of Burgundie viz. Transiurana in the right of his wife and Cisiurana by his brother in lawes gift Farther the said Caluus being both Emperor and King of France created the aboue named Boson King of Burgundie anno 879. to whom succeeded Lodouicus his sonne from whom Ralph King of Fraunce sonne to Richard that first intituled himselfe Duke of Burgundie wan the greatest part of Burgundy Cisiurana To this Lewis succeeded his sonne Ralph King of Burgundie who not being able to defend his realme gaue it to the Emperor Conradus 2. who notwithstanding obteined the least part thereof for as touching Transiurana Beralde Duke of Saxe had before this gift woon from King Ralph Sauoy and a great peece of Switzerland Daulphine Lyonnois Poruince Guigue le gras the first Daulphine had likewise conquered And as touching Cisiurana by treatie made betweene the Emperour Conradus 2. and Henry King of Fraunce onely the County remained to the Empire and the Dutchie to the crowne of Fraunce This I haue written bicause some hold opinion that the County of Burgundy ought also to be held of the crowne of Fraunce whereas in deede rather the Dutchy with all Transiurana the greatest part whereof the French King at this day possesseth ought to be held of the Empire from whom the said French Kings haue pulled so many prouinces that now as one properly speaketh the Eagle hath lost so many feathers that hardly he can flie 7 Lahaie in our author and in Annal. Burgund where Rubempre should haue taken the Earle of Charolois is named in Meyer Gorkem 8 The pension the Earle of Charalois had of the King with the gouernment of Normandy was 36000. franks Annal. Burgund La Marche Meyer 9 A franke is two shillings and six pence sterling after eight souse to an English shilling so that the carles pension after that rate amounted to fower thousand fiue hundred pound sterling 10 The townes and territories vpon the riuer of Somme engaged to Duke Philip by the treatie of Arras which was in the yeere 1435. are named in the articles of the said treatie rehearsed in Annal. Burgund pag. 760. and 761. and in the first booke of La Marche and in the 16. booke of Meyer and others 11 They were engaged as our author and Annal. Burgund write for 400000. crowns but Meyer saith 450000. but they were redeemed for 400000. anno 1463. La Marche Meyer Annal. Burgund How the Earle of Charolois and diuers noble men of Fraunce leuied an army against king Lewis vnder colour of the weale publique Chap. 2. SOone
should do no good vnlesse he wan those that were in credit with his brother fell in communication of this matter with Oudet of Rie Lord of Lescut afterwards Earle of Comminges who was borne and maried in the countrey of Guienne desiring him to perswade his master to accept this partage being much better than that he demanded that they mought be friends and liue togither like brethren adding also that this partage should be much more beneficiall both for his brother and his seruants especially for the saide Oudet than the other and farther assuring him that without faile he would deliuer his brother quiet possession of the said countrey By this means was the Lord Charles won to accept this partage of Guienne to the Duke of Burgundies great discontentation and his ambassadors there present And the cause why cardinall Balue bishop of Angiers 1 and the bishop of Verdun were imprisoned was for that the said Cardinal writ to the Lord Charles aduising him to accept none other partage than that the Duke of Burgundy had procured him by the treaty of Peronne which also the King had sworne and promised laying his hand within the said Cardinals to deliuer him alledging withall such reasons to perswade him thereunto as he thought necessary wherein he did cleane contrary to the Kings purpose Thus the Lord Charles was made Duke of Guienne the yeere 1469. and the possession of the countrey togither with the gouernment of Rochell deliuered him and than the King and he sawe one another and were togither a long time The Notes 1 The Cardinals imprisonment was bicause he perswaded the King to go to Peronne and aduised the Duke of Guienne to beware of poison and not to take the partage of Guienne Meyer and for disclosing the Kings secrets by letters to the Duke of Burgundie Gaguin But if the Duke of Guienne had been wise he would of himselfe without perswasion haue refused this partage For when a mans enimie offereth him that that hath an apparance of good let him euer refuse it nam latet anguis in herba as the sequele of this matter well declared for the accepting of this partage which the King alleaged and that truly to be better than the other the Duke demanded cost the Duke of Guienne his life as heer after shall appeere THE THIRD BOOKE How the King tooke occasion to make war anew vpon the Duke of Burgundy and how he sent a purseuant of the parlament of Gaunt to sommon him to appeere at Paris Chap. 1. THe yeere 1470. the King determined to be reuenged of the Duke of Burgundie supposing he had now found a time conuenient so to do for he priuily sollicited and caused also others to sollicite the towns situate vpon the riuer of Somme namely Amiens Saint Quintine and Abbeuille to rebell against the Duke and to send for succours into France and to receiue them into their towns 1 For all great Princes if they be wise will seeke euer some collour for their doings And to the ende you may perceiue what cunnig is vsed in Fraunce I will shew you how this matter was managed for the King and the Duke were both abused whereof arose whot and sharpe war which endured thirteen or foureteen yeeres The King desired greatly to mooue these townes aboue named to rebellion pretending to the end he might haue the better means to practise with them that the Duke aduanced his limits farther then the treatie would beare whereupon ambassadors ran to and fro who vnder colour of their ambassage practised continually as they passed through these townes to the end aboue mentioned In the said townes were no garrisons but all was quiet both in the realme in Burgundie and in Britaine And the Duke of Guien liued to all mens iudgments in great amitie with the King his brother Notwithstanding when the King first mooued this war his meaning was not to take one or two of these towns onely but sought to stir all the Duke of Burgundies subiects to rebellion trusting to atchieue his enterprise by this means Diuers to obtaine his fauor entertained these practises and reported their intelligence to be far greater then it was for one promised to take this towne an other that and yet indeed all was nothing Wherefore notwithstanding that the King had iust cause to be displeased for his euill vsage at Peronne yet if he had thought this enterprise would haue fallen none otherwise out then it did he would not haue broken the treatie nor mooued war for he had made the peace to be proclaimed at Paris three months after his returne into his realme and began this war with some feare but the great hope he had conceiued of it pricked him forward and marke I pray you what cunning was vsed to further it The Earle of Saint Paule Constable of Fraunce a very wise man and certaine of the Duke of Guien his seruants with diuers others desired rather war then peace betweene these two great Princes for two respects The one they feared least their great offices and pensions should be diminished if peace continued For you shal vnderstand that the Constable had vnder his charge 4. hundred men of armes or launces paied by his owne hands euery muster without controuler farther besides the fee and profits of his office he had a yeerely pension of thirty thousand frankes and better and receiued also the reuenews of many goodly places that he kept The other respect was this they sought to perswade the King and talked also to the like purpose among themselues that his disposition was such that his head could neuer be idle wherefore vnlesse he were busied with great Princes abroad he would be in hand with his seruants and officers at home For these two reasons therefore they sought to intangle him with wars whereunto the better to perswade him the Constable promised to take Saint Quintine at all times when him listed bicause his lands lay round about it vaunting further that he had great intelligence in Flanders and Brabant so far foorth that he would make a number of townes to reuolt from the Duke The Duke of Guienne also being there present and all their principall seruants offered very earnestly and promised very faithfully to serue the King in this quarrell and to leade with them fower or fiue hundred men of armes that the said Duke held in ordinary pay but their drift was other than the King supposed as heerafter you shall heare The King bicause he would seeme to proceede with due aduise and deepe consideration called a Parlament of the three estates of his realme at Tours in the moneths of March and Aprill in the yeere 1470. which was the first and last Parlament that euer he assembled But to this Parlament came onely such as were purposely named and such as the King knew would not gainsay him in any point There he caused diuers enterprises to be discouered that the Duke of Burgundie had attempted against the crowne
put from the crowne vnder colour of adulterie committed by hir mother But the matter ended not without great contention and war for the King of Portugale tooke part with his neece and diuers great Lords of Castile ioined with him yet notwithstanding the said Dom Henries sister wife to the son of Dom Iohn King of Arragon obtained the crowne and possesseth it yet at this day and thus this partage was made in heauen as diuers others are Further you haue seene of late daies the King of Scotland and his sonne being thirteene yeeres of age in battell the one against the other the sonne and his faction preuailed and the King was slaine vpon the place 13 This King murthered his owne brother and was charged with diuers other crimes namely the death of his sister and such like You see also the Duchy of Gueldres out of the right line and haue heard what impietie the Duke last deceased vsed against his father Diuers other examples I could rehearse which should manifestly appeere to be punishments and scourges of God which scourges are the principall cause of wars whereof insue mortality and famine all the which euils proceede of lacke of faith Wherefore I conclude considering the wickednes of men especially of great men who know not themselues neither beleeue that there is a God that it is necessarie for euery Prince and gouernor to haue an aduersary to keepe him in feare and humilitie otherwise no man should be able to liue vnder them or neere them The Notes 1 He meaneth that this towne of Gaunt is situate where it is for a plague to the whole countrey of Flaunders which otherwise bicause of the great abundance thereof would soone forget God 2 Fregosi and Fregosini in other histories 3 This diuision began anno 1309. betweene the Abbot of Einsidlen and the village of Suitz and the said Abbot demanded aide of Leopolde Duke of Austrich 4 As for example Leopolde Duke of Austrich brothers sonne to the former that began this diuision whom they slue at the battell of Sempache 9. Iulij ann 1386. 5 The reason heerof reade in Aristot Politic. lib. 1. cap. 2. Problem Anthonii Zimarae 12. 6 Shame commeth of knowledge so that if a man do a fault and for lacke of learning know not that it is a fault he can neuer be ashamed of it nor seeke to amend it 7 1800000. franks are 225000. pound starling after eight souse to the English shilling and the French liuer at two shillings sixe pence starling 8 4700000. franks are 587500. pound starling 9 That is 2500000. franks which amounteth to 312500. pound starling 10 For it was due by the conditions of the treatie 11 How King Henry the seuenth was next heire of the house of Lancaster the pedegree in the end of the worke will declare where also Philip de Commines error is controlled 12 Our Chronicles say but 3000. and some 5000. 13 This King that slue his father in battell was Iames the 4. who married Margaret sister to King Henry the 8. THE SIXT BOOKE How the Duchie of Burgundie was yeelded to the King Chap. 1. NOw to returne to the principal matter and to proceede in this historie written at your request my Lorde of Vienna while the King brought vnder his subiection the places and townes aboue named in the marches of Picardie his armie lay in Burgundie the generall wherof in apparance was the Prince of Orenge 1 that now is who was borne in the countie of Burgundie and a subiect thereof but lately reuolted the second time from Duke Charles wherefore the King vsed his helpe for he was a great Lord well friended and well beloued both in the said countie and also in the Duchie of Burgundie But the Lord of Cran was the Kings lieutenant and he it was in truth that had the charge of the whole armie and in whom the King reposed his principall trust and sure he was a wise man and faithfull to his Master but somwhat too greedie of his owne gaine The said Lord of Cran when he drew neere the countrie of Burgundie sent the Prince of Orenge before him with certaine others to Digeon to perswade with the citizens to become the Kings subiects which enterprise so well they atchieued by the said Princes meanes that the towne of Digeon and all the other places of the Duchie of Burgundie yeelded to the King Aussonne and certaine castels excepted which held yet for the Ladie of Burgundie The King had promised the Prince of Orenge many goodly estates and to restore him to all his grandfathers inheritance in the countie of Burgundie for the which he was in sute with the Lords of Chauuerguion his vncles 2 whom as he said Duke Charles had fauored to his preiudice For this cause had been often pleaded before him with great solemnitie and once the Duke being accompanied with a number of lawyers gaue iudgement against the Prince at the least thus he reported wherefore he forsooke the Dukes seruice and went to the King But Monseur de Cran after he was entred into all these townes aboue mentioned and had gotten into his hands all the best places that should descend to the said Prince by right of inheritance refused to yeeld them to him notwithstanding both the Kings promise and the said Princes request The King also wrote often to him about this matter without all collusion knowing that he much misused the Prince notwithstanding he feared to displease the said de Cran bicause he had the charge of the whole countrie neither thought he that the Prince either would or could haue caused the countrie of Burgundie to rebel as afterward he did at the lest the greatest part therof But I will heere leaue these Burgundies affaires till another conuenient place shall serue to speake further thereof The Notes 1 This Prince of Orenge was Iohn de Chaslons the Prince of Orenge that now is is of the house of Nassaw 2 The olde copie hath Chasteauguion Annal. Burgund Chaumergnon Annal. Franc. Chauuerguion and so vndoubtedly it is to be read for Chasteauguion was brother to this Prince of Orenge Gaguin How the King entertained the English men after the death of Charles Duke of Burgundie to the end they should not hinder his conquest of the said Dukes dominions Chap. 2. THose that heerafter shall reade this historie and happily vnderstand the affaires both of this realme and the countries bordering vpon it better than my selfe will maruell that since the death of Duke Charles I haue hitherto by the space almost of one whole yeere made no mention of the English men and will woonder that they suffered the King to take the townes bordering so neere vpon them namely Arras Bolloin Ardres and Hedin with diuers other castels and to lie so long with his campe before Saint Omer 1 But you shall vnderstand that the reason thereof was for that our King in wisedome and sense surmounted far Edward King of England then
this mariage was accomplished in August 1477. Introduct de la Marche so that he was eighteen yeeres old and sixe moneths when he was married 3 This is Philip father to the Emperors Charles the fift and Ferdinande he was borne the 23. of Iune 1478. and died the 25. of September 1506. 4 This Margaret is she whom they of Gaunt against hir fathers will betrothed to King Charles the 8. as Commines writeth in this booke cap. 9. The said King Charles neuer accomplished the mariage with hir but being growen to mans estate sent hir home to hir father as Commines writeth lib. 7. cap. 3. Afterward she married the Prince of Castile as is mentioned lib. 8. cap. 17. and lastly Philibert Duke of Sauoy She was borne anno 1480. de la Marche 5 This Frauncis was borne anno 1481. Introduct de la Marche he died a childe and another sonne also as other historiographers report named George 6 Or rather the fift for she was married anno 1477. and died 1482. as our author in the 7. chapter of this booke reporteth She was borne anno 1457. and King Lewis christened hir Meyer Annal. Burgund 7 She died 2. of March an 1482. by reason that through womanly bashfulnes she would not suffer hir thigh vvhich vvas broken vvith the fall from hir horse to be cured but chose rather to die How King Lewis by the conduct of Charles of Amboise his lieutenant recouered diuers townes in Burgundie which the Prince of Orenge had caused to reuolt from him Chap. 4. THe war endured still in Burgundy where the King could not atchieue his enterprise bicause the Prince of Orenge being reuolted from him was made lieutenant of the Burgundians and had some aide of the Almaines for his money but not in fauor of Duke Maximilian for as touching him there neuer came man into the countrey for his seruice at the least during the time I now write of But these Almains were certaine bands of Swissers that serued the Prince of Orenge as aduenturers but not as Maximilians waged soldiers for the Swissers are not friends nor well willers of the house of Austrich other aide this countrey of Burgundy had little notwithstanding inough it might haue had if their paiment had been good And as touching aide no man might better haue giuen it than Duke Sigismunde of Austriche Duke Maximilians vncle 1 whose dominions bordered vpon these countries of Burgundy especially the County of Ferrette which a fewe yeeres before 2 he sould for 100000. gildons to Charles Duke of Burgundy and tooke it afterwards againe without paying backe the money 3 by the which title he yet possesseth it He was a man of small wisdome and little regarding his honor and in such friends men finde small helpe Further he was one of those Princes aboue mentioned that vnderstand nothing of their owne affaires further then it pleaseth their seruants to acquaint them with who are euer plagued for their beastlines in their age as this Duke Sigismunde was For his seruants during these wars made him take part with whom them listed so that for the most part he ioined with the King our Master against his nephew and would haue giuen his inheritance being very large from his owne kindred to a strange house for he neuer had childe notwithstanding that he were twise married But now within these three moneths by the perswasion of another faction of his seruants he hath conueied a present estate of his whole patrimony to the said Maximiliam his nephew King of Romaines reseruing to himself a pension onely amounting to the third part of his reuenues without any further power or authority in the countrey But as I haue heard he hath often repented him thereof and if I haue heard a lie yet it is like inough to be true Such is the end of all Princes that liue like beasts against whom I inueigh thus vehemently bicause of the great office and charge that God hath giuen them in this world Notwithstanding those that are bereft of their wits ought to be free from all reproch but sure those that haue good wits and healthfull bodies and yet employ their time in nothing but folly and idlenes are not to be moaned when any misfortune falleth vpon them as on the other side those that spend their time according to their age somtime in wisdome and councell and somtime in honest ' recreation are greatly to be commended and happie be the subiects that liue vnder such a Prince This war in Burgundie endured long bicause of the Swissers small aide aboue mentioned notwithstanding the Kings force was much too strong for them besides that the Burgundians lacked monie for the which cause the garrisons that were in the strong places turned by intelligence Monseur de Cran the Kings lieutenant there laide the siege before Dolle the chiefe citie of the countie of Burgundie the force within it being so small that he despised it which turned to his losse for they salied foorth and assaulted him on a sudden and tooke part of his artillerie and slue certaine of his men which was a great dishonor to him and put him also into the Kings disgrace who being troubled with this accident determined to send a new gouernor into Burgundie partly bicause of this misfortune and partly bicause of the great pillings and pollings the said de Cran had vsed in the countrie which were in deede too excessiue Notwithstanding before his departure he ouerthrew a band of Almains and Burgundians and tooke prisoner Monseur de Chasteauguion 4 the greatest Lord in Burgundie Other exploit none was done that I haue heard of notwithstanding the report went that the said de Cran behaued himselfe there very valiantly as touching his owne person The King as before I said determined for the reasons aboue alleaged to place a new gouernor in Burgundie not diminishing any whit of the said de Crans profits offices or estates saue onely that he tooke from him all his men of armes except halfe a dosen or a dosen archers left to accompanie him home This Monseur de Cran was a very grosse man and willingly departed to his owne house where he liued at ease The King placed in his roome Master Charles of Amboise Lord of Chaumont a valiant wise and diligent gentleman Moreouer he practised to win all the Almaines that made war against him in Burgundie to his seruice not so much to vse their helpe as thereby to conquer the easilier the rest of the countrie The King sent also to the Swissers whom he called the Lords of these Almaine leagues making them many goodly offers for he promised a yeerely pension of 20000. franks 5 to their townes which be fower Berne Lucerne Zurich and I think Fribourg was the fourth Their Cantons also as I suppose receiued part of this pension which be three villages situate in the mountains namely Swisse whereof the whole countrie is named Soleurre and Ondreual other 20000. franks he
noble houses came out of Persia vvith their captaines and armies the Otthomans Assembecs Scandelors or Candelors and the Caramans All these fovver houses subdued euery one of them some region the Otthomans vvan Bithynia Phrygia Galatia The Assembecs Syria Armenia Cappadocia Paphlagonia The Scandelors held the greatest part of Pontus and the Caramans Cilicia Lycia Lycaonia Pamphylia But the house of Otthoman in the end deuoured all the other three The Assembecs vvere vanquished by this Mahomet ann 1459. For you shall vnderstand that Vsumcassanes King of the Assembecs fought three great battels vvith this Mahomet In the tvvo first he ouerthrevv him but in the third he vvas vtterly ouerthrovven by reason that Mahomet had great artillerie in his campe vvhich noueltie vnknovven before to the easterly nations discomfited Vsumcassanes armie vvho in this battell lost also his sonne Zeinalde After this battell Mahomet vvan all Cappadocia Paphlagonia and tooke Trapezonde the seate of the Assembecs empire vvith the greatest part of Armenia and Syria as mention is heere made Further after this battell Mahomet tooke from Pyramitus Prince of the Caramans the greatest part of Cilicia and after this Mahomets death Baiazet his sonne slue in battell Abraham the last Prince of the Caramans and vtterly destroied that house As touching the Scandelors after the Assembecs and Caramans vvere destroied the Prince of the Scandelors yeelded his countrie to Baiazet and in exchange thereof had certaine reuenues giuen him in Natolia And thus vvere all the three houses subdued by the house of Otthoman vvhich discourse for the better vnderstanding of this place I haue been forced to vvrite somvvhat at large 26 Others vvrite 58. and others 56. but sure our author reporteth his age truliâ—â—â— for he vvas borne ann 1430. the 24. of March and died of the collicke 1481. the thirde of May so that he vvas entred into his tvvo and fiftith yeere A SVPPLY OF THE HISTORIE OF PHILIP DE COMMINES FROM THE death of King LEWIS the II. till the beginning of the wars of Naples to wit from 1483. till 1493. of all the vvhich time Commines vvriteth nothing Of King Charles his comming to the crowne of the death of Oliuer King Lewis his Barber and others and of the reuoking of King Lewis his superfluous gifts Chap. 1. AFter the death of Lewis the eleuenth Charles the 8. his onely sonne being 13. yeeres of age and two moneths succeeded to the crowne notwithstanding his coronation was deferred till the moneth of Iune in the next yeere to the end he might be full fowerteen when he should be crowned The King his father had brought him vp at Amboise in such solitarines that none besides his ordinarie seruants could haue accesse vnto him neither permitted he him to learne any more Latine than this one sentence He that cannot dissemble cannot raigne which he did not for that he hated learning but bicause he feared that studie would hurt the tender and delicate complexion of the childe Notwithstanding King Charles after he was come to the crowne grew verie studious of learning aod gaue himseife to the reading of stories and bookes of humanitie written in the French toong and attempted to vnderstand Latine Before the Kings coronation the Princes of the blood and the nobles of the realme who so often had beene iniuried in the late King Levvis his time by Oliuer le Dain his barber by Daniell a Flemming the said Oliuers seruant and by Iohn D'oyac which three had wholie gouerned the said King Levvis caused informations secretly to be exhibited against them for diuers murthers rapines and other heinous crimes that they had committed in King Levvis his time yea and some of them by his commandement the which informations being seene by the court Parlament they were foorthwith apprehended their processe made and in the end all three condemned and the next yeere being 1484. the said Oliuer and Daniell his man were hanged at Paris and D'oyac had his eares cut off and his toong bored through with a hot iron One of the crimes committed by Oliuer and Daniell for the which they were executed was this A gentleman was committed to prison by King Levvis his commandement whose wife being yoong and beutifull was contented to abandon hir selfe to the lust of this Oliuer vpon promise that he should deliuer hir husband out of prison to hir but the next day he caused Daniell his man to put him into a sacke and to throwe him into the riuer where he was miserably drowned This Oliuer was a Flemming borne and had been barber to King Levvis and of greater credit with him than any man in all Fraunce which his credit grew by vile and slauish offices that he did about the King so far foorth that he ordinarily sucked the Kings hemorrhoides wherewith he was often troubled which base seruice he did not for good will that he bare the King but onely for couetousnes and to maintaine his credit which ended soone after the King his Masters death as you haue heard notwithstanding the great charge that the King vpon his death-bed had giuen his sonne to loue the said Oliuer and not to suffer him to be spoiled of that which he had bestowed vpon him bicause his seruice had long preserued his life But howsoeuer Princes maintaine such lewd ministers in their liues and how ready soeuer such seruants be to execute their Masters vnlawfull and wilfull commandements supposing that they shall neuer be called to account therefore yet in the end they finde that credit in Court is no inheritance and that God who leaueth nothing vnpunished findeth a time to reward them according to their deserts Further soone after King Lewis his death consultation was had of the superfluous superstitious gifts made by him in his life all the which were reuoked and all that was giuen reunited to the crowne Of the assemblie of the States held at Touars of the Duke of Orleance pursute for the regencie of the mad war raised by him and of his departure into Britaine Chap. 2. THe King in the moneth of Iuly after his coronation being the yeere 1484. held a generall and free assembly of the States of 1484 his realme at Touars far otherwise than had beene vsed in his fathers daies for none came to these generall assemblies in his time but such as were of his owne denomination neither durst any man speake his minde freely but was forced in all matters to yeeld to the Kings will which was for the most part vnreasonable and violent But at this assemblie the presence was great the voices free the complaints lamentable the Nobilitie Commons and Clergie euery one of them presented their griefes complaining of the burdens that the late King contrary to the lawes of the realme and customes of their ancestors had laid vpon them In this assembly it was enacted that there should be no Regent in Fraunce but that Anne Lady of Beauieu the Kings eldest sister should haue the
in writing to the posteritie of all those yeeres THE SEVENTH BOOKE OF THE HISTORIE OF PHILIP DE COMMINES TREATING OF THE PRINCIPALL ACTES OF KING CHARLES THE EIGHT SONNE TO LEWIS THE ELEVENTH THE PROLOGVE OF THE AVTHOR containing that which he mindeth to treate of in this historie following TO continue the Historie written by me Philip de Commines of the reigne of King Lewis the eleuenth whom God assoile I wil now declare the occasion that mooued King Charles the eight his sonne to make his voiage into Italie wherat my selfe was present The said King departed from Vienna in Daulphine the 23. of August the yeere 1494. and returned into his realme about October the yeere 1495. Before the enterprise was fully resolued on the matter was often debated whether he should go or not for the voiage seemed very dangerous to all men of wisdome and experience neither did any allow therof but the King himselfe and one Stephen de Vers borne in Languedoc a man of meane parentage and vtterly vnacquainted with the wars and all things thereunto appertaining One other also being of the receit was a furtherer thereof till his hart failed him namely the generall Brissonnet who afterward by occasion of this voiage was preferred to many goodly dignities and spirituall promotions and created a Cardinall The former had already gotten goodly possessions for he was Seneschall of Beaucaire and president of the Comptes at Paris he had serued the King in his youth very faithfully being a groome of his chamber and by his meanes the generall was woon to fauor this voiage so that they two were the onely authors thereof for the which fewe commended but many blamed them for all things necessarie for so great an enterprise were wanting The King was yoong a weake body wedded to his owne will slenderly accompanied with wise men or good captaines and so vtterly vnfurnished of money that before his departure he borrowed of the banke of Soly at Genua a hundred thousand franks vpon great enterest from Mart to Marte 1 In diuers other places also he borrowed money as heereafter you shall heare His army was vnprouided of tents and pauillions and winter was begun when he entred into Lombardy One onely good thing he had to wit a couragious company of yoong gentlemen yet not in such obedience as was requisite Wherefore we must of necessitie conclude that this voiage was gouerned by God alone both at our going foorth and our returne home for the wisdome of the authors thereof aboue mentioned serued to no great purpose notwithstanding they might iustly vaunt themselues to be the occasion of the great honor and renowme their Master wan thereby The Notes 1 The interest of this money as he saith in the end of the fourth Chapter amounted in fovver moneths to fovverteene thousand franks Further there are at Genua certaine Marts in the yeere from the one of the vvhich to the other they let out their money it is betvveene euery Marte fovver moneths How René Duke of Lorrain came into Fraunce to demaund the Duchie of Bar and the Earledome of Prouence which King Charles held and how he failed to enter into the realme of Naples whereunto he pretended title as the King did and what right both of them had thereunto Chap. 1. THe yeere of the Kings coronation 1 being the 14. or 15. of his age the Duke of Lorraine came into Fraunce to demaund the Duchy of Bar which King Levvis the eleuenth had withholden from him and likewise the Earledome of Prouence left to the said King Levvis by the last will and Testament of King Charles of Aniou his cosen germaine 2 who died without issue The Duke of Lorraine pretended title to it as sonne and heire to the daughter of Rene King of Sicilie Duke of Aniou and Earle of Prouence alleaging that the said King Rene had done him wrong 3 in preferring King Charles of Aniou being but his brother the Earle of Maines sonne before him being his daughters sonne 4 The other answered that by their ancestors testaments Prouence could not descend to the female In the end Bar was yeelded to him for the which the King demanded onely a summe of money Further bicause the said Duke of Lorrain was highly fauored and friended by diuers of great authoritie in Fraunce especially by Iohn Duke of Bourbon who was old and desirous to marrie his sister it was agreed that during the space of fower yeeres in the which his title to the Earledome of Prouence should be examined his estate should be wholy defraied by the King and that he should haue charge of an hundred launces togither with a yeerely pension of sixe and thirtie thousand franks during the said fower yeeres I my selfe was present at the debating and ending of all these controuersies being one of the commissioners purposely chosen for the determination thereof both by the Kings neerest kinsmen and by the three estates of his realme so was also Stephen de Vers aboue mentioned who bicause he had gotten certaine possessions in Prouence caused the King as yoong as he was in the presence of his sister the Duchesse of Bourbon to say to Monseur de Comminges and to Monseur de Lau who were both also in the commission and to my selfe that we should do our endeuor that he might not lose the Earledome of Prouence which words he vttered before the agreement aboue mentioned was made Before the fower yeeres expired certaine Lawyeres of Prouence brought foorth the testaments of King Charles the first brother to Saint Levvis and of other Kings of Sicilie 5 of the house of Fraunce These Lawyeres among other proofes alleaged that not onely the Earledome of Prouence but also the realme of Sicilie with all the house of Anious other possessions appertained of right to the King and that the Duke of Lorrain had no right thereto notwithstanding others maintained the contrary All these Lawyers depended wholy vpon Stephen de Vers who nourished his Master in this language that King Charles Earle of Prouence last deceased sonne to Charles of Aniou Earle of Maine and nephew 6 to King Rene left Prouence to King Lewis by his last will and Testament and that King Rene before his death made the said Charles his heire preferring him before the Duke of Lorraine his daughters sonne bicause of the testaments of King Charles the first and his wife Countesse of Prouence wherein they had willed that the realme 7 and the countie of Prouence should not be seuered nor descend to the heire female so long as there was issue male remaining The like Testaments they alleaged also to haue beene made by their next successors in the said realme namely by Charles the second During these fower yeeres space those that gouerned the King that is to saie the Duke and Dutchesse of Bourbon and certaine of the Kings chamber namely Monseur de Grauille 8 and others who at that time bare great sway in Fraunce called to the
they would go as far as the mountaines to meete him But one that stood by wished that neuer King of Fraunce might come into Italy for he had seene a poore man of the house of Aniou scourge it shrewdly meaning Duke Iohn sonne to King René King Ferrand had trauelled very earnestly the yeere before by his ambassador called Camillo Pendolfo to stay the King in Fraunce offering to pay him yeerely a tribute of fiftie thousand ducats and to holde the realme of him by homage and fealty But when he saw that he could by no meanes obtaine peace nor pacifie the estate of Milan he fell into the disease whereof he died notwithstanding in the midst of his pangues he confessed himselfe and as I trust repented him of his sinnes His sonne Alphonse who had been so terrible a Prince so cruell and so long trained vp in the wars before the King departed from Rome resigned his crowne and was stroken with such feare that in the night he neuer ceased to crie That he heard the French men comming and that the trees and stones sounded Fraunce He neuer was so hardie as once to issue foorth of Naples but vpon his sonnes returne from Rome put him in possession of the realme and caused him to be crowned and to ride about the streets of the citie accompanied with the nobliest personages that were there namely with Dom Frederick his brother and the Cardinall of Genua between whom the new K. rode and with the ambassadors there resident He caused also all other solemnities belonging to the coronation to be accomplished then fled himselfe sailed into Sicily with his mother in law sister to K. Ferrand of castile now raigning to whom the said realm of Sicily was in subiection to a house that she had there which was strang news through the whole world especially at Venice where I then was Some said he went to the Turke others thought his departure to be to the end his son who was not hated in the realme might the better win the harts of the people But mine opiniō was euer that he fled for very cowardise for a cruel man was neuer hardy as appeereth in histories by Nero others who before their death fel into great feare and desperation To be short this Alphonse made such haste to be gone that he said to his mother in law the selfe same daie that they departed as diuers of his seruants haue told me that vnlesse she would depart with speede he would leaue hir behinde him And when she desired him to staie but three daies onely to the end she 6 might be a whole yeere in his realme he answered that rather than he would tarie any longer he would throw himselfe headlong out at the windowes asking hir if she heard not how euery man cried Fraunce Thus he embarked in his Gallies with his said mother in law and departed carieng with him all sorts of wines whereunto he was maruellously giuen and of all kinds of seeds for gardens But as touching his mooueables and goods he left no order for them but the greatest part remained in the castle of Naples notwithstanding certaine iewels he carried also with him and a little money And in this estate sailed he and his mother in lawe to hir said house in Sicilie whence he departed and went to Messine whither he called and led with him diuers religious men vowing himselfe to be no more of this world Aboue all other orders of religion he loued especially those of the Mount Oliuet who are clad in white as they themselues told me at Venice where the body of Saint Heleine lieth in their cloister Moreouer he began to lead a maruellous holie life to serue God howerly both daie night with the said religious men as they do in their couents He vsed also great feasting abstinence and almes and soone after fell into a sharpe sicknes of excoriation and the stone in such sort that the said religious men reported that they neuer saw man so tormented Notwithstanding he endured patiently all these pangues being fully resolued to haue spent the rest of his life in an Abbey at Valence the great in Spaine there to haue registred himselfe a religious man But he was so tormented with this disease that he died soone after and it is to be hoped bicause of his great repentance that his soule is ioifull in Paradise his sonne also died soone after him of an ague ioyned with a fluxe and I trust they are both in better case then they were in this world But marke heere by the waie that in lesse than two yeeres space fiue wore the crowne of Naples to with the three aboue named Charles the 8. King of Fraunce and Dom Frederick brother to the said Alphonse now raigning The Notes 1 That is since the time that they rebelled vvhen they sent for the Duke of Lorraine vvhereof mention is made in the first chapter of this seuenth booke 2 Iouian Pontan in the vvars betvvene Duke Iohn of Aniou and this old Ferrand maketh the Duke of Sesse and prince of Rosane but one 3 The Italians haue Ischia vvhereof Plinie vvriteth thus lib. 3. cap. 7. Ischia insula est è Regione Veliae alio nomine aenotris dicta others vvrite that it vvas first named Aenaria Iouius vvriteth that the I le is named Aenacia and that Ischle is the name of the castle in the I le it is thirty miles from Naples Guicciar Sabellicus saith Procyta alias Ischla but Plinie maketh Procyta and Ischia tvvaine 4 These were soldiers so named of Bracio de Fortibraci a great captaine in his time 5 Hovv this booke vvas strangely reuealed by a vision of one Cataldus who had been bishop of Tarente more than a thousand yeeres before to a yoong childe vvho thereof enformed the King read Alexander in diebus genialibus lib. 3. cap. 15. 5 This she Guicciar vnderstandeth he meaning that she desired Alphonse to tary three or fovver daies to the end he might haue been King a vvhole yeere How the yoong Ferrand after he was crowned King of Naples went and encamped at Saint Germain to resist the Kings comming and of the treatie that King Charles made with the Pope at Rome Chap. 12. NOw to the end all these things may be plaine and euident you shall vnderstand that K. Ferrand being crowned became as it were a newe man supposing all old iniuries and offences to be forgotten by his fathers flight wherefore he leuied all the force he could aswell horsemen as footemen and came to Saint Germain which is the very entry into his realme and a strong place and of great defence through the which the Frenchmen had passed twise before 1 There he encamped and manned the towne and then his friends began somwhat to recouer their spirits The towne is strong both bicause of a little riuer 2 which somtime is passable on foote somtime not and also bicause of the hill hanging ouer it The