and finally containing but one half of the work which is here presen 〈…〉 Faults and infirmities I have too many of mine own Nam vitiis nemo sine nascitur as we know who said and therefore would not charge my self with those imperfections those frequent errors and mistakes which the audaciousnesse of other men may obtrude upon me which having signified to the Reader for the detecting of this imposture and mine own discharge I recommend the following work to his favourable censure and both of us to the mercies of the Supreme Judge Lacies Court in Abingdon April 17. 1656. Books lately printed and reprinted for Henry Seile DOctor Heylyn's Cosmography in fol. Twenty Sermons of Dr. Sanderson's ad Aulam c. never till now published Dr Heylyn's Comment on the Apostles Creed in fol. Bishop Andrewes holy Devotions the 4 Edition in 12. Martiall in 12. for the use of West minster School John Willis his Art of Stenography or Short writing by spelling Characters in 8. the 14 Edition together with the School master to the said Art SYLLABUS CAPITUM OR The Contents of the Chapters NORMANDIE OR THE FIRST BOOK The Entrance THe beginning of our Journey The nature of the Sea A farewell to England CHAP. I. NORMANDY in generall the Name and bounds of it The condition of the Antient Normans and of the present Ortelius character of them examined In what they resemble the Inhabitants of Norfolk The commodities of it and the Government pag. 4. CHAP. II. Dieppe the Town strength and importance of it The policy of Henry IV. not seconded by his Son The custome of the English Kings in placing Governours in their Forts The breaden God there and strength of the Religion Our passage from Dieppe to Roven The Norman Innes Women and Manners The importunity of servants in hosteries The sawcie familiarity of the attendants Ad pileum vocare what it was amongst the Romans Jus pileorum in the Universities of England c. p. 9. CHAP. III. ROVEN a neat City how seated and built the strength of is St. Katharines mount The Church of Nostre dame c. The indecorum of the Papists in the severall and unsutable pictures of the Virgin The little Chappell of the Capuchins in Boulogne The House of Parliament The precedency of the President and the Governor The Legend of St. Romain and the priviledge thence arising The language and religion of the Rhothomagenses or people of Roven p. 19. CHAP. IV. Our journey between Roven and Pontoyse The holy man of St. Clare and the Pilgrims thither My sore eyes Mante Pontoyse Normandy justly taken from King John The end of this Booke p. 26. FRANCE specially so called OR THE SECOND BOOK CHAP. I. France in what sense so called The bouuds of it All old Gallia not possessed by the French Countries follow the name of the most predominant Nation The condition of the present French not different from that of the old Gaules That the heavens have a constant power upon the same Climate though the Inhabitants are changed The quality of the French in private at the Church and at the table Their language complements discourse c. p. 33. CHAP. II. The French Women their persons prating and conditions The immodesty of the French Ladies Kissing not in use among them and the sinister opinion conceived of the free use of it in England The innocence and harmelesnesse of it amongst us The impostures of French Pandars in London with the scandall thence arising The peccancy of an old English Doctor More of the French Women Their Marriages and lives after wedlock c. An Elogie to the English Ladies p. 41. CHAP. III. France described The valley of Montmorancie and the Dukes of it Mont-martre Burials in former times not permitted within the wals The pros cuting of this discourse by manner of a journall intermitted for a time The Iown and Church of St. Denis The Legend of him and his head Of Dagobert and the Leper The reliques to be seen there Martyrs how esteemed in St. Augustine ' s time The Sepulchres of the French Kings and the treasury there The Kings house of Madrit The Qeen Mothers house at Ruall and fine devices in it St. Germains en lay another of the Kings houses The curious painting in it Gorramburie Window the Garden belonging to it and the excellency of the Water-works Boys St. Vincent de Vicennes and the Castle called Bisester p. 50. CHAP. IV. Paris the names and antiquity of it The situation and greatnesse The chief strength and Fortifications about it The streets and buildings King James his laudable care in beautyfying London King Henry the fourths intent to fortifie the Town Why not actuated The Artifices and wealth of the Parisians The bravery of the Citizens described under the person of a Barber p. 64. CHAP. V. Paris divided into four parts Of the Fauxburgs in generall Of the Pest-house The Fauxburg and Abbey of St. Germain The Queen Mothers house there Her purpose never to reside in it The Provost of Merchants and his authority The Armes of the Town The Town-house The Grand Chastellet The Arcenall The place Royall c. The Vicounty of Paris And the Provosts seven daughters p. 73. CHAP. VI. The University of Paris and Founders of it Of the Colledges in general Marriage when permitted to the Rectors of them The small maintenance allowed the Scholars in the Universities of France The great Colledge at Tholoza Of the Colledge of the Sorbonne in particular that and the House of Parliament the chief Bulwarks of the French liberty Of the Polity and Government of the University The Rector and his precedency the disordered life of the Scholars there being An Apologie for Oxford and Cambridge The priviledges of the Scholars their degrees c. p. 80. CHAP. VII The City of Paris seated in the place of old Lutetia The Bridges which joyn it to the Town and University King Henry's Statua Alexander ' s injurious policy The Church and revenues of Nostre Dame The Holy water there The original making and virtue of it The Lamp before the Altar The heathenishnesse of both customes Paris best seen from the top of this Church the great Bell there never rung but in time of Thunder the baptizing of Bels the grand Hospital and decency of it The place Daulphin The holy Chappel and Reliques there What the Antients thought of Reliques The Exchange The little Chastelet A transition to the Parlament p. 90. CHAP. VIII The Parliament of France when begun of whom it consisteth The digniiy and esteem of it abroad made sedentarie at Paris appropriated to the long robe The Palais by whom built and converted to seats of Justice The seven Chambers of Parliament The great Chamber The number and dignity of the Presidents The Duke of Biron afraid of them The Kings seat in it The sitting of the Grand Signeur in the Divano The authority of this Court in causes of all kinds and ever
by their blind and infatuated people what would they have said or rather what would they not have said Questionlesse the least they could do were to take up the complaint of Vigilantins the Papists reckon him for an Heretick saying Quid necesse est tanto honore non solum honorare sed etiam adorare illud nescio quid quod in vasculo transferendo colis Presently without the Chappell is the Burse La Gallerie des Merchands a rank of shops in shew but not in substance like to those in the Exchange in London It reacheth from the Chappell unto the great hall of Parliament and is the common through-fare between them On the bottome of the staires and round about the severall houses consecrated to the execution of Justice are sundry shops of the same nature meanly furnished if compared with ours yet I perswade my self the richest of this kind in Paris I should now go and take a view of the Parliament house but I will step a little out of the way to see the Place Daulphin and the little Chastelet this last serveth now only as the Gaole or Common-prison belonging to the Court of the Provost of Merchants and it deserveth no other imployment It is seated at the end of the Bridge called Petit Pont and was built by Hugh Aubriot once Provost of this Town to represse the fury and insolencies of the Scholars whose rudenesse and misdemeanors can no wayes be better bridled Omnes eos qui nomen ipsum Academiae vel serio vel joco nominossent haeereticos pronunciavit saith Platina of Pope Paul the II. I dare say it of this wildernesse that whosoever will account it as an Academy is an Heretick to Learning and Civility The Place Daulphin is a beautifull heap of building situate nigh unto the new Bridge It was built at the encouragement of Henry IV. and entituled according to the title of his Son The houses are all of brick high built uniforme and indeed such as deserve and would exact a longer description were not the Parliament now ready to sit and my self sommoned to make my appearance CHAP. VIII The Parliament of France when begun of whom it consisted The dignity and esteem of it abroad made sedentarie at Paris appropriated to the long robe The Palais by whom built and converted to seats of Justice The seven Chambers of Parliament The great Chamber The number and dignity of the Presidents The Duke of Biron afraid of them The Kings seat in it The sitting of the Grand Signeur in the Divano The authority of this Court in causes of all kinds and over the affaires of the King This Court the main pillar of the Liberty of France La Tournelle and the Judges of it The five Chambers of Enquestes severally instituted and by whom In what cause it is decisive The forme of admitting Advocates into the Courts of Parliament The Chancellour of France and his Authority The two Courts of Requests and Masters of them The vain envy of the English Clergy against the Lawyers THe Court of Parliament was at the first instituted by Charles Martell Grandfather to Charlemaine at such time as he was Maire of the Palace unto the lasse and rechlesse Kings of France In the beginnings of the French Empire their Kings did justice to their people in person afterwards banishing themselves from all the affaires of State that burden was cast upon the shoulders of their Maiors an office much of a nature with the Pâ—aefecti praetorio in the Roman Empire When this office was bestowed upon the said Charles Martell he partly weary of the trouble partly intent about a businesse of an higher nature which was the estating the Crown in his own posterity but principally to endeer himself to the common people ordained this Court of Parliament anno 720. It consisted in the beginning of 12 Peers the Prelates and noble men of the best fashion together with some of the principallest of the Kings houshold Other Courts have been called the Parliaments with an addition of place as of Paris at Roven c. this only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Parliament It handled as well causes of estate as those of private persons For hither did the Ambassadors of neighbour Princes repaire to have their audience and dispatch and hither were the Articles agreed on in the nationall Synods of France sent to be confirmed and verified here did the subjects tender in their homages and Oaths of fidelity to the King and here were the appeals heard of all such as had complained against the Comites at that time the Governours and Judges in their severall Counties Being furnished thus with the prime and choycest Nobles of the Land it grew into great estimation abroad in the world insomuch that the Kings of Sicilie Cyprus Scotland Bohemia Portugall and Navarre have thought it no disparagement unto them to sit in it and which is more when Frederick II. had spent so much time in quarrels with Pope Innocent IV. he submitted himself and the rightnesse of his cause to be examined by this Noble Court of Parliament At the first institution of this Court it had no setled place of residence being sometimes kept at Tholoza sometimes at Aix la Chappelle sometimes in other places according as the Kings pleasure and ease of the people did require During its time of peregrination it was called Ambulatoire following for the most part the Kings Court as the lower sphaeres do the motion of the primum mobile but Philip le bel he began his reign anno 1286 being to take a journey into Flanders and to stay there a long space of time for the setling of his affaires in that Countrey took order that this Court of Parliament should stay behind at Paris where ever since it hath continued Now began it to be called Sedentaire or setled and also peua peu by little and little to lose much of its lustre For the chief Princes and Nobles of the Kings retinue not able to live out of the aire of the Court withdrew themselves from the troubles of it by which means at last it came to be appropriated to them of the Long robe as they term them both Bishops and Lawyers In the year 1463. the Prelates also were removed by the command of Lewis XI an utter enemy to the great ones of his Kingdome only the Bishop of Paris and Abbot of St. Denis being permitted their place in it since which time the Professors of the civill law have had all the sway in it Et cedunt arma togae as Tully The place in which this Sedentarie Court of Parliament is now kept is called the Palace being built by Philip le bel and intended to be his mansion or dwelling house He began it in the first year of his reign anno 1286. and afterwards assigned a part of it to his Judges of the Parliament it being not totally and absolutely quitted unto them till the dayes of King Lewis XII In this
the publick hangman The year before they inflicted the same punishment upon a vain and blasphemous discourse penned by Gasper Scioppius a fellow of a most desperate brain and a very incendiary Neither hath Bellarmine himself that great Atlas of the Roman Church escaped much better for writing a book concerning the temporall power of his Holinesse it had the ill luck to come into Paris where the Parliament finding it to thwart the liberty and royalty of the King and Countrey gave it over to the Hangman and he to the fire Thus it is evident that the titles which the French writers give it as the true Temple of French Justice the buâ—tresse of equity and the gardian of the rights of France and the like are abundantly deserved of it The next Chamber in esteem is the Tournelle which handleth all matters criminall It is so called from tourner which signifieth to change or alter because the Judges of the other severall chambers give sentence in this according to their severall turns the reason of which institution is said to be lest a continuall custome of condemning should make the Judges lesse mercifull and more prodigall of bloud an order full of health and providence It was instituted by the above named Philip de bel at the same time when he made the Parliament sedentarie at Paris and besides its peculiar and originall imployments it receiveth appeals from and redresseth the errors of the Provost of Paris The other five Chambers are called Des Enquestes or Camerae inquisitionum the first and antientest of them was erected also by Philip le bel and afterwards divided into two by Charles VII Afterwards the multitude of Processes being greater then could be dispatched in these Courts there was added a third Francis the first established the fourth for the better raising of a sum of money which then he wanted every one of the new Counsellors paying right deerly for his place The fifth and last was founded in the year 1568. In each of these severall Chambers there are two Presidents and 20 Counsellors besides Advocates and Proctours ad placitum In the Tournelle which is an aggregation of all the other Courts there are supposed to be no sewer then 200 officers of all sorts which is no great number considering the many causes there handled In the Tournelle the Judges fit on life and death in the Chamber of Enquests they examine only civill affaires of estate title debts or the like The pleaders in these Courts are called Advocates and must be at the least Licentiates in the study of the Law At the Parliaments of Theloza and Bourdeaux they admit of none but Doctors Now the forme of admitting them is this In an open and frequent Court one of the aged'st of the Long roab presenteth the party which defireth admission to the Kings Attorney generall saying with a loud voice Paise a cour recevoir N. N. licencie or Docteur en droict civil a la office d' Advocate This said the Kings Attorney biddeth him hold up his hand and saith to him in Latine Tu jurabis observare omnes regias consuetudines he answereth Juro and departeth At the Chamber door of the Court whereof he is now sworn an Advocate he payeth two crowns which is forth with put into the common treasury appointed for the relief of the distressed widows of ruined Advocates and Proctoms Hanc veniam perimusque damusque it may be their own cases and therefore it is paid willingly The highest preferment of which these Advocates are capable is that of Chancellor an office of great power and profit the present Chancellor is named Mr. d' Allegre by birth of Chartres He hath no settled Court wherein to exercise his authority but hath in all the Courts of France the Supream place whensoever he will vouchsafe to visite them He is also President of the Councell of Estate by his place and on him dependeth the making of good and sacred laws the administration of Justice the reformation of superstuous and abrogation of unprofitable Edicts c. He hath the keeping of the Kings great seal and by virtue of that either passeth or putteth back such Letters patents and Writs as are exhibited to him He hath under him immediately for the better dispatch of his affaires four Masters of the Requests and their Courts Their office and manner of proceeding is the same which they also use in England in the persons there is thus much difference for that in France two of them must be perpetually of the Clergy One of their Courts is very antient and hath in it two Presidents which are two of the Masters and 14 Counsellors The other is of a later erection as being founded anno 1580. and in that the two other of the Masters and eight Counsellors give sentence Thus have I taken a view of the severall Chambers of the Parliament of Paris and of their particular jurisdictions as far as my information could conduct me One thing I noted further and in my mind the fairest ornament of the Palace which is the neatnesse and decency of the Lawyers in their apparell for besides the fashion of their habit which is I allure you exceeding pleasing and comely themselves by their own care and love to handsomenesse add great lustre to their garments and more to their persons Richly drest they are and well may be so as being the ablest and most powerfull men under the Princes and la Noblesse in all the Countrey an happinesse as I conjecture rather of the calling then the men It hath been the fate and destinie of the Law to strengthen and inable its professors beyond any other Art or Science the pleaders in all Common-wealths both for sway amongst the people and vogue amongst the military men having alwayes had the preheminence Of this rank were Pericles Phocion Alcibiades and Demosthenes amongst the Athenians Antonius Cato Caesar and Tully at Rome men equally famous for Oratory and the Sword yet this I can confidently say that the severall states above mentioned were more indebted to Tully and Demosthenes being both meer gown-men then to the best of their Captains the one freeing Athens from the armies of Macedon tâ—h other delivering Rome from the conspiracy of Catiline O fortunatam natam te Consule Romam It is not then the fate of France only nor of England to see so much power in the hands of the Lawyers and the case being generall me thinks the envie should be the lesse and lesse it is indeed with them then with us The English Clergy though otherwise the most accomplisht in the world in this folly deserveth no Apologie being so strongly ill affected to the pleaders of their Nation that I fear it may be said of some of them Quod invidiam non ad causam sed personam ad voluntatem dirigunt a weaknesse not more unworthy of them then prejudiciall to them For by fostering between both gowns such an unnecessary emulation they
the affaires of the King This Court the main pillar of the Liberty of France La Tournelle and the Judges of it The five Chambers of Enquestes severally instituted and by whom In what cause it is decisive The forme of admitting Advocates into the Courts of Parliament The Chancellour of France and his Authority The two Courts of Requests and Masters of them The vain envy of the English Clergy against the Lawyers p. 104. CHAP. IX The Kings Palace of the Louure by whom built The unsutablenesse of it The fine Gallery of the Queen Mother The long Gallery of Henry IV. His magnanimous intent to have built it into a quadrangle Henry IV. a great builder His infinite project upon the Mediterranean and the Ocean La Salle des Antiques The French not studious of Antiquities Burbon house The Tuilleries c. p. 113. La BEAUSE OR THE THIRD BOOK CHAP. I. Our Journey towards Orleans the Town Castle and Battail of Mont l'hierrie Many things imputed to the English which they never did Lewis the 11. brought not the French Kings out of wardship The town of Chartroy and the mourning Church there The Countrey of La Beause and people of it Estampes The dancing there The new art of begging in the Innes of this Countrey Angerville Tury The sawciness of the French Fidlers Three kindes of Musick amongst the Antient. The French Musick p. 121. CHAP. II. The Country and site of Orleans like that of Worcester The Wine of Orleans Praesidial Towns in France what they are The sale of Offices in France The fine walk and pastime of the Palle Malle The Church of St. Croix founded by Superstition and a miracle Defaced by the Hugonots Some things hated only for their name The Bishop of Orleans and his priviledge The Chappell and Pilgrims of St. Jacques The form of Masse in St Croix Câ—nâ—ing an Heathenish custome The great siege of Orleans raised by Joan the Virgin The valour of that woman that she was no witch An Elogie on her p. 131. CHAP. III. The study of the Civill Law revived in Europe The dead time of learning The Schools of Law in Orleans The oeconomie of them The Chancellour of Oxford antiently appointed by the Diocesan Their methode here and prodigality in bestowing degrees Orleans a great conflux of strangers The language there The Corporation of Germans there Their house and priviledges Dutch and Latine The difference between an Academie and an University p. 145. CHAP. IV. Orleans not an University till the comming of the Jesuites Their Colledge there by whom built The Jesuites no singers Their laudable and exact method of teaching Their policies in it Received not without great difficulty into Paris Their houses in that university Their strictnesse unto the rules of their order Much maliced by the other Priests and Fryers Why not sent into England with the Queen and of what order they were that came with her Our return to Paris p. 152. PICARDIE OR THE FOURTH BOOK CHAP. I. Our return towards England More of the Hugonots hate unto Crosses The town of Luzarch and St. Loupae The Country of Picardie and people Tho Picts of Britain not of this Countrey Mr. Lee Dignicoes Governour of Picardie The office of Constable what it is in France By whom the place supplyed in England The marble table in France and causes there handled Clermount and the Castle there The war raised up by the Princes against D' Ancre What his designes might tend to c. p. 162. CHAP. II. The fair City of Amiens and greatnesse of it The English feasted within it and the error of that action the Town how built-seated and fortified The Citadell of it thought to be impregnable Not permitted to be viewed The overmuch opennesse of the English in discovering their strength The watch and form of Government in the Town Amiens a Visdamate to whom it pertaineth What that honour is in France And how many there enjoy it c. p. 169. CHAP. III. The Church of Nostre Dame in Amiens The principall Churches in most Cities called by her name More honour performed to her then to her Saviour The surpassing beauty of this Church on the outside The front of it King Henry the sevenths Chappel at Westminster The curiousnesse of this Church within By what means it became to be so The sumptuous masking closets in it The excellency of perspective works Indulgences by whom first founded The estate of the Bishoprick p. 175. CHAP. IV. Our Journey down the Some and Company The Town and Castle of Piquigni for what famous Comines censure of the English in matter of Prophecies A farewell to the Church of Amiens The Town and Castle of Pont D' Armie Abbeville how seated and the Garrison there No Governour in it but the Major or Provost The Authors imprudent curiosity and the curtesie of the Provost to him The French Post-horses how base and tyred My preferment to the Trunk-horse The horse of Philip de Comines The Town and strength of Monstreuille The importance of these three Towns to the French border c. p. 183. CHAP. V. The County of Boulonnois and Town of Boulogne by whom Enfranchized The present of Salt butter Boulogne divided into two Towns Procession in the lower Town to divert the Plague The forme of it Procession and the Letany by whom brought into the Church The high Town Garrisoned The old man of Boulogne and the desperate visit which the Author bestowed upon him The neglect of the English in leaving open the Havens The fraternity De la Charite and inconveniency of it The costly Journey of Henry VIII to Boulogne Sir Walt. Raleghs censure of that Prince condemned The discourtesie of Charles V. towards our Edward VI. The defence of the house of Burgundy how chargeable to the Kings of England Boulogne yeilded back to the French and on what conditions The curtesie and cunning of my Host of Bovillow p. 192. FRANCE GENERAL OR THE FIFTH BOOK Describing the Government of the Kingdom generally in reference to the Court the Church and the Civill State CHAP. I. A transition to the Government of France in generall The person age and marriage of King Lewis XIII Conjecturall reasons of his being issuelesse Iaqueline Countesse of Holland kept from issue by the house of Burgundy The Kings Sisters all marryed and his alliances by them His naturall Brethren and their preferments His lawfull Brother The title of Monsieur in France Monsieur as yet unmarried not like to marry Montpensiers daughter That Lady a fit wife for the Earl of Soissons The difference between him and the Prince of Conde for the Crown in case the line of Navarre fail How the Lords stand affected in the cause Whether a child may be born in the 11 month King Henry IV. a great lover of fair Ladies Monsieur Barradas the Kings favorite his birth and offices The omniregency of the Queen Mother and the Cardinall of Richileiu The Queen Mother a wise
do but exasperate that power which they cannot controul and betray themselves to much envie and discontentednesse a disease whose cure is more in my wishes then my hopes CHAP. IX The Kings Palace of the Louure by whom built The unsutablenesse of it The fine Gallery of the Queen Mother The long Gallery of Henry IV. His magnanimous intent to have built it into a quadrangle Henry IV. a great builder His infinite project upon the Mediterranean and the Ocean La Salle des Antiques The French not studious of Antiquities Burbon house The Tuilleries c. WE have discharged the King of one Palace and must follow him to the other where we shall finde his residence It is seated at the West side of the Town or Ville of Paris hard by Portenufue and also by the new bridge A house of great fame and which the Kings of France have long kept their Court in It was first built by Philip Augustus anno 1214. and by him intended for a Castle it first serving to imprison the more potent of the Nobles and to lay up the Kings treasury For that cause it was well moated strengthned with wals and drawbridges very serviceable in those times It had the name of Louure quasi L'oeuure or the work the building by way of excellency An etymologie which draweth nigher to the ear then the understanding or the eye and yet the French writers would make it a miracle Du Chesne calleth it Superbe bastiment qui n'a son esgal en toute la Christientè and you shall hear it called in an other place Bestiment qui passe aujourd hui en excellence et en grandeur tous les autres Brave elogies if all were gold that glistered It hath now given up its charge of money and great prisoners to the Bastile and at this time serveth only to imprison the Court. In my life I never saw any thing more abused by a good report or that more belyeth the rumors that go of it The ordinary talk of vulgar travellers and the big words of the French had made me expect at the least some prodigie of architecture some such Majesticall house as the Sunne Don Phoebus is said to have dwelt in in Ovid. Regia Solis erat sublimibus alta columnis Claramicante auro flamasquè imitante pyropo Cujus ebur nitidum c. Indeed I thought no fiction in Poetry had been able to have paralleld it and made no doubt but it would have put me into such a passion as to have cryed out with the young Gallant in the Comedy when he had seen his sweet-heart Hei mihi qualis erat talis erat qualem nunquam vidi But I was much deceived in that hope and could finde nothing in it to admire much lesse to envie The Fable of the Mountaine which was with childe and brought forth a mouse is questionlesse a fable this house and the large fame it hath in the world is the morall of it Never was there an house more unsutable to it self in the particular examination of parts nor more unsutable to the character and esteem of it in the generall Survey of the whole You enter into it over two draw bridges and through three gates ruinous enough and abundantly unsightly In the Quadrangle you meet with three severall fashions of building of three severall ages and they so unhappily joyned one to the other that one would half believe they had been clapped together by an earthquake The South and West parts of it are new and indeed Princelike being the work of Francis the first and his son Henry Had it been all cast into the same mould I perswade my self that it would be very gracious and lovely The other two are of an ancient work and so contemprible that they disgrace the rest and of these I suppose the one fide to be at the least 100 years older then his partner such is it without As for the inside it is far more gracefull and would be pleasing at the entrance were the Guard-chamber reformed Some Hugonot architect which were not in love with the errours of Antiquity might make a pretty room of it a catholick Carpenter would never get credit by it for whereas the provident thrift of our forefathers intended it for the house would else be too narrow for the Kings retinue both for a room of safety and of pleasure both for bill-men and dancers and for that cause made up some six ranks of seats on each side that sparingnesse in the more curious eyes of this time is little Kinglike Countrey wenches might with indifferent stomach abuse a good Galliard in it or it might perhaps serve with a stage at one end to entertain the Parisians at a play or with a partition in the middle it might be divided into two prety plausible Cockpits but to be employed in the nature it now is either to solace the King and Lords in a dance or to give any forain Ambassador his welcome in a Maske is little sutable with the Majesty of a King of France The Chambers of it are well built but ill furnished the hangings of them being somewhat below a meannesse and yet of these there is no small scarcity For as it is said of the Gymnosophists of India that Una Domus mansioni sufficit sepulturae so may we of this Prince the same Chamber serveth for to lodge him to feed him and also to confer and discourse with his Nobility But like enough it is that this want may proceed from the severall Courts of the King the Monsieur the Queen Mother and the Qeen Regoant being all kept within it Proceed we now to the two Galleries whereof the first is that of the Queen Mother as being beautified and adorned exceedingly by Katbarine de Medices mother to Henry III. and Charles IX It containeth the pictures of all the Kings of France and the most loved of their Queens since the time of St. Lewis They stand each King opposite to his Queen she being that of his wives which either brought him most estate or his fuccessors The tables are all of a just length very fair and according to my little acquaintance with the Painter of a most excellent workmanship and which addeth much grace to it they are in a manner a perfect History of the State and Court of France in their severall times For under each of the Kings pictures they have drawn the portraitures of most of those Lords whom valor and courage in the field enobled beyond their births Under each of the Queens the lively shapes of the most principall Ladies whose beautie and virtue had honored the Court. A dainty invention and happily expressed At the further end of it standeth the last King and the present Queen Mother who fill up the whole room The succeeding Princes if they mean to live in their pictures must either build new places for them or else make use of the long Gallery built by Henry IV.
we have found an head and a body this body again divided into two parts the Catholick and the Protestant the head is in his own opinion and the minds of many others of a power unlimited yet the Catholick party hath strongly curbed it And of the two parts of the body we see the Papists flourishing and in triumph whilest that of the Protestant is in misery and affliction Thus is it also in the body Politick The King in his own conceit boundlesse and omnipotent is yet affronted by his Nobles which Nobles enjoy all the freedome of riches and happinesse the poor Paisants in the mean time living in drudgery and bondage For the government of the King is meerly indeed regal or to give it the true name despoticall though the Countrey be his wife and all the people are his children yet doth he neither govern as an husband or a father he accounteth of them all as of his servants and therefore commandeth them as a Master In his Edicts which he over frequenly sendeth about he never mentioneth the good will of his Subjects nor the approbation of his Councell but concludeth all of them in this forme Car tell est nostre plaisir Sic volo sic jubeo A forme of government very prone to degenerate into a tyranny if the Princes had not oftentimes strength and will to make resistance But this is not the vice of the entire and Soveraign Monarchy alone which the Greek call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other two good formes of regiment being subject also to the same frailty Thus in the reading of Histories have we observed an Aristocracie to have been frequently corrupted into an Oligarchie and a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Common-wealth properly so called into a Democratie For as in the body naturall the purest complexions are lesse lasting but easily broken and subject to alteration so is it in the body Civill the pure and unmixt formes of Government though perfect and absolute in their kinds are yet of little continuance and very subject to change into its opposite They therefore which have written of Republicks do most applaud and commend the mixt manner of rule which is equally compounded of the Kingdome and the Politeia because in these the Kings have all the power belonging to their title without prejudice to the populacie In these there is referred to the King absolute Majesty to the Nobles convenient authority to the People an incorrupted liberty all in a just and equall proportion Every one of these is like the Empire of Rome as it was moderated by Nerva Qui res olâ—m dissociabiles miscuerat principatum libertatem wherein the Soveraignty of one endamaged not the freedome of all A rare mixture of Government and such at this time is the Kingdome of England a Kingdome of a perfect and happy composition wherein the King hath his full Prerogative the Nobles all due respects and the People amongst other blessings perfect in this that they are masters of their own purposes and have a strong hand in the making of their own Laws On the otherside in the Regall government of France the Subject frameth his life meerly as the Kings variable Edicts shall please to enjoyn him is ravished of his money as the Kings taske-masters think fit and suffereth many other oppressions which in their proper place shall be specified This Aristole in the third book of his Politicks calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the command of a Master and defineth it to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such an Empire by which a Prince may command and do whatsoever shall seem good in his own eyes One of the Prerogatives Royall of the French Kings For though the Court of Parliament doth seem to challenge a perusall of his Edicts before they passe for Laws yet is that but a meer formality It is the cartelâ—â—est nostre plaifir which maketh them currant which it seemeth these Princes learned of the Roman Emperors Justinian in the book of Institutions maketh five grounds of the Civill Laws viz. Lex he meaneth the law of the 12 Tables Plebiscita Senatusconsulta Predentum Responsa Principum placita to this last he addeth this generall strength Quod principi plaeuerit legis â—abet valorem the very foundation of the French Kings powerfulnesse True it is that the Courts of Parliament do use to demur sometimes upon his Patents and Decrees and to petition him for a reversall of them but their answer commonly is Stat pro ratione voluntas He knoweth his own power and granteth his Letters patents for new Offices and Monopolies abundantly If a monied man can make a friend in Court he may have an office found for him of six pence upon every Sword made in France a Livre upon the selling of every head of Cattell a brace of Sols for every paire of boots and the like It is the only study of some men to finde out such devices of enriching themselves and undoing the people The Patent for Innes granted to St. Giles Moâ—â—pesson was just one of the French offices As for Monopolies they are here so common that the Subject taketh no notice of it not a scurvey petty book being Printed but it hath its priviledge affixed Ad imprimendum solum These being granted by the King are carryed to the Parliament by them formally perused and finally verified after which they are in force and virtue against all opposition It is said in France that Mr. Luynes had obtained a Patent of the King for a quart d' escu to be paid unto him upon the Christning of every child thoughout all the Kingdome A very unjust and unconscionable extortion Had he lived to have presented it to the Court I much doubt of their deniall though the only cause of bringing before them such Patents is onely intended that they should discusse the justice and convenience of them As the Parliament hath a formality of power left in them of verifying the Kings Edicts his grants of Offices and Monopolics So hath the Chamber of Accounts a superficiall survey also of his gifts and expences For his expences they are thought to be as great now as ever by reason of the severall retinues of himself his Mother his Queen and the Monseiur neither are his gifts lessened The late Wars which he managed against the Protestants cost him deer he being fain to bind unto him most of his Princes by money and pensions As the expenses of the King are brought unto this Court to be examined so are also the Gifts and Pensions by him granted to be ratified The titulary power given unto this Chamber is to cut off all those of the Kings grants which have no good ground and foundation the officers being solemnly at the least formally sworn not to suffer any thing to passe them to the detriment of the Kingdome whatsoever Letters of command thay have to the contrary But this Oath they oftentimes dispense with To this Court also belongeth
the Enfranchisement or Naturalization of Aliens anciently certain Lords officers of the Crown and of the prime counsell were appointed to look unto the accounts Now it is made an ordinary and soveraigne Court consisting of two Presidents and divers Auditors and other under Officers The Chamber wherein it is kept called La Chambre des comptes is the beautifullest peece of the whole Palais the great Chamber it self not being worthy to be named in the same day with it It was built by Charles VIII anno 1485. afterwards adorned and beautified by Lewis XII whose Statua is there standing in his royall robes and the Scepter in his hand He is accompâ—aned by the four Cardinall vertues expressed by way of Hieroglyphicks very properly and cunningly each of them having its particular Motto to declare its being The Kings portraiture also as if he were the fifth virtue had its word under written and contained in a couple of Verses which let all that love the Muses skip them in the reading and are these Quatuor has comites foveo Coelestia dona Innccuae pacis prospera scepâ—â—a gerenâ— From the King descend we to the Subjects ab equis quod aiunt ad asinos and the phrase is not much improper the French commonalty being called the Kings asses These are divided into three ranks or Classes the Clergy the Nobles the Paisants out of which certain delegates or Committees chosen upon occasion and sent to the King did antiently concur to the making of the Supreme Court for Justice in France It was called the Assembly of the three Estates or the Conventus ordinum and was just like the Parliament of England But these meetings are now forgotten or out of use neither indeed as this time goeth can they any way advantage the State for whereas there are three principall if not sole causes of these conventions which are the desposing of the Regency during the nonage or sicknesse of a King the granting Aides and Subsidies and the redressing of Grievances there is now another course taken in them The Parliament of Paris which speaketh as it is prompted by power and greatnesse appointeth the Regent the Kings themselves with their officers determine of the Taxes and as concerning their Grievances the Kings care is open to private Petitions Thus is that little of a Common-wealth which went to the making up of this Monarchie escheated or rather devoured by the King that name alone containing in it both Clergy Princes and People So that some of the French Counsellors may say with Tully in his Oration for Marcellus unto Caesar Doleoque cum respub immortalis esse debeat eam unius mortalis anima consistere Yet I cannot withall but affirme that the Princes and Nobles of France do for as much as concerneth themselves upon all advantages flie off from the Kings obedience but all this while the poor Paisant is ruined let the poor Tenant starve or eat the bread of carefulnesse it matters not so they may have their pleasure and be counted firme zelots of the common liberty And certainly this is the issue of it the former liveth the life of a slave to maintain his Lord in pride and lazinesse the Lord liveth the life of a King to oppresse his Tenant by fines and exactions An equality little answering to the old plat-formes of Republicks Aristotle Genius ille naturae as a learned man calleth him in his fourth book of Politicks hath an excellent discourse concerning this disproportion In that Chapter his project is to have a correspondency so far between Subjects under the King or people of the same City that neither the one might be over rich nor the other too miserably poor They saith he which are too happy strong or rich or greatly favoured and the like can not nor will not obey with which evill they are infected from their infancy The other through want of these things are too abjectly minded and base so that the one cannot but command nor the other but serve And this he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a City inhabited onely by Slaves and Tyrants That questionlesse is the most perfect and compleat forme of Government Ubi veneratur protentem humilis non timet antecedit non contemnit humiliorem potens as Velleius But this is an unhappinesse of which France is not capable their Lords being Kings and their Commons Villains And not to say lesse of them then indeed they are the Princes of this Countrey are but little inferiour in matter of Royalty to any King abroad and by consequence little respective in matter of obedience to their own King at home Upon the least discontent they withdraw themselves from the Court or put themselves into armes and of all other comforts are ever sure of this that they shall never want partizans Neither do they use to stand off from him fearfully and at distance but justifie their revolt by publick Declaration and think the King much indebted to them if upon fair terms and an honourable reconcilement they will please to put themselves again into his obedience Henry IV. was a Prince of as undaunted and uncontroulable a spirit as ever any of his predecessors and one that loved to be obeyed yet was he also very frequently baffled by these Roytelets and at the last dyed in an affront The Prince of Conde perceiving the Kings affection to his new Lady began to grow jealous of him for which reason he retired unto Bruxells the King offended at his retreat sent after him and commanded him home The Prince returned answer that he was the Kings most humble Subject and servant but into France he would not come unlesse he might have a Town for his assurance withall he protested in publick writing a nullity of any thing that should be done to his prejudice in his absence A stomachfull resolution and misbecoming a Subject yet in this opposition he persisted his humor of disobedience out-living the King whom he had thus affronted But these tricks are ordinary here otherwise a man might have construed this action by the term of Rebellion The chief means whereby these Princes become so head strong are an immunity given them by their Kings and a liberty which they have taken to themselves By their Kings they have been absolutely exempted from all Tributes Tolles Taxes Customes Impositions and Subsidies By them also they have been estated in whole entire Provinces with a power of haute and main Justice as the Lawyers term it passed over to them the Kings having scarce an homage or acknowledgment of them To this they have added much for their strength and security by the insconcing and fortifying of their houses which both often moveth and afterwards inableth them to contemn his Majesty An example we have of this in the Castle of Rochfort belonging to the Duke of Tremoville which in the long Civill wars endured a siege of 5000 shot and yet was not taken A very impolitick course in my conceit
a handsome ruffe about her neck a vail of fine lawne hanging down her back and to shew that she was the Queen of heaven a crown upon her head in her left arme she holds her son in his side-coat a black hat and a golden hatband A jolly plump Ladie she seemeth to be of a flaxen hair a ruddy lip and a chearefull complexion T were well the Painters would agree about limming of her otherwise we are likely to have almost as many Ladies as Churches At Nostre dame in Paris she is taught us to be browne and seemeth somewhat inclining to melancholie I speak not of her different habit for I envie not her changes of apparell Only I could not but observe how those of St. Sepulchres Church en la Fue St. Dennis have placed her on the top of their Skreen in a Coape as if she had taken upon her the zeal of Abraham and were going to make a bloudy sacrifice of her Son They of Nostre dame in Amiens have erected her Statua all in gold with her Son also of the same mettle in her armes casting beams of gold round about her as the Sun is painted in its full glory strange Idolatries On the contrary in the Parish Church of Tury in La Beausse she is to be seen in a plain petticoat of red and her other garments correspondent In my minde this holdeth most proportion to her estate and will best serve to free their irreligion from absurdity If they will worship her as a nurse with her childe in her arme or at her brest let them array her in such apparell as might beseem a Carpenters wife such as she may be supposed to have worn before the world had taken notice that she was the mother of her Saviour If they needs must have her in her estate of glory as at Amiens or of honour being now publickly acknowledged to be the blessedest among women as at Paris let them disburden her of her child To clap them thus together is a folly equally worthy of scorne and laughter Certainly had she but so much liberty as to make choice of her own clothes I doubt not but she would observe a greater decorum And therefore I commend the Capuchins of Boulogne who in a little side-chappell consecrated unto her have placed only a handsome fair looking-glasse upon her Altar the best ornament of a female closet why they placed it there I cannot say only I conceive it was that she might there see how to dresse her self This Church is said to have been built I should rather think repaired by Raoul or Rollo the first Duke of Normandy since it hath been much beautifyed by the English when they were Lords of this Province It is the seat of an Archbishop a Dean and fifty Canons The Archbishop was instituted by the authority of Constantine the Great during the sitting of the Councell of Arles Anidian who was there present being consecrated the first Archbishop The Bishops of Sees Aurenches Constance Bayeux Lysieux and Eureux were appointed for his Diocesans The now Archbishop is said to be an able Scholar and a sound Statesman his name I enquired not The revenues of his Chair are said to be 10000 crowns more they would amount to were the Countrey any way fruitfull of Vines out of which the other Prelates of France draw no small part of their intrada The Parliament of this Countrey was established here by Lewis XII who also built that fair Palace wherein Justice is administred anno 1501. At that time he divided Normandy into seven Lathes Rapes or Bailiwicks viz. Roven Caux Constentin Caen Eureux Gisors and Alençon This Court hath Supreme power to enquire into and give sentence of all causes within the limits of Normandy It receiveth appeals from the inferior Courts of the Dutchie unto it but admitteth none from it Here is also Cour des Eslâ—ux a Court of the generall Commissioners also for Taxes and La Chambre des Aides instituted by Charles VII for the receiving of his Subsidies Gabels Imposts c. The house of Parliament is in form quadrangular a very greatefull and delectable building that of Paris is but a Chaos or a Babell to it In the great hall into which you ascend by some 30 steppes or upwards are the seats and desks of the Procurators every ones name written in Capital letters over his head These Procurators are like our Atturnies to prepare causes and make them ready for the Advocates In this Hall do suitors use either to attend on or to walke up and down and confer with their pleaders Within this hall is the great Chamber the tribunall and seat of justice both in causes Criminall and Civill At domus interior regali splendida luxu Instruitur As Virgill of Queen Didoes dining roome A Camber so gallantly and richly built that I must needs confesse it far surpasseth all the rooms that ever I saw in my life The Palace of the Louure hath nothing in it comparable The seeling all inlaid with gold and yet did the workmanship exceed the matter This Court consisteth of two Presidents twenty Counsellors or Assistants and as many Advocates as the Court will admit of The prime President is termed Ner de Riz by birth a Norman upon the Bench and in all places of his Court he taketh the prcedencie of the Duke of Longueville when there is a convention of the three Estates summoned the Duke hath the priority We said even now that from the sentence of this Court there lay no appeal but this must be recanted and it is no shame to do it St. Austin hath written his Retractations so also hath Bellarmine Once in the year there is an appeal admitted but that for one man only and on this occasion There was a poysonous Dragon not far from Roven which had done much harme to the Countrey and City Many wayes had been tryed to destroy him but none prospered at last Romain afterwards made a Saint then Archbishop of the Town accompanied with a theef and a murderer whose lives had been forfeited to a sentence undertaketh the enterprise upon sight of the Dragon the theef stole away the murderer goeth on and seeth that holy man vanquish the Serpent armed only with a Stole it is a neck habit sanctifyed by his Holinesse of Rome and made much after the manner of a tippet with this Stole tied about the neck of the Dragon doth the murderer lead him prisoner to Roven To make short work the name of God is praised the Bishop magnifyed the murderer pardoned and the Dragon burned This accident if the story be not Apocrypha is said to have hapned on holy Thursday Audoin or Owen successor unto St. Romain in memory of this marvellous act obtained of King Dagobert the first he began his reign anno 632 that from that time forwards the Chapitre of the Cathedrall Church should every Ascension day have the faculty of delivering any malefactor whom the
more unpardonable then the greatest sin of the Universities But I wrong a good cause with an unnecessary patronage Yet such is the peccant humour of some that they know not how to expiate the follies of one but with the calumnie and dispraise of all An unmanly weaknesse and yet many possessed with it I know it unpossible that in a place of youth and liberty some should not give occasion of offence The Ark wherein there were eight persons only was not without one Cham and of the twelve which Christ had chosen one was a Devill It were then above a miracle if amongst so full a cohort of young souldiers none should forsake the Ensign of his Generall he notwithstanding that should give the imputation of cowardize to the whole army cannot but be accounted malitious or peevish But let all such as have evill will at Sion live unregarded and die unremembred for want of some Scholar to write their Epitaph Certainly a man not wedded to envie and a spitefull vexation of spirit upon a due examination of the civility of our Lycaea and a comparison of them with those abroad cannot but say and that justly Non habent Academiae Anglicanae pares nisi seipsas The principal cause of the rudeness and disorders in Paris have been chiefly occasioned by the great priviledges wherewith the Kings of France intended the furtherance and security of learning Having thus let them get the bridle in their own hands no marvel if they grow sick with an uncontrolled licenciousnesse Of these priviledges some are that no Scholars goods can be seized upon for the payment of his debts that none of them should be liable to any taxes or impositions a royall immunity to such as are acquainted with France that they might carry and recarry their utensils without the least molestation that they should have the Provost of Paris to be the keeper and defender of their liberties who is therefore stiled Le conservateur des privileges royaux de l' Universite de Paris c. One greater priviledge they have yet then all these which is their soon taking of degrees Two years seeth them Novices in the Arts and Masters of them So that enjoying by their degrees an absolute freedome before the follies and violences of youth are broke in them they become so unruly and insolent as I have told you These degrees are conferred on them by the Chancellor who seldome examineth further of them then his sees Those payed he presenteth them to the Rector and giveth them their Letters Patents sealed with the University Seal which is the main part of the creation He also setteth the Seal to the Authenticall Letters for so they term them of such whom the Sorbonnists have passed for Doctors The present Chancellor is named Petrus de Pierre vive Doctor of Divinity and Canon of the Church of Nostre Dame as also are all they which enjoy that office He is chosen by the Bishop of Paris and taketh place of any under that dignity But of this ill-managed University enough if not too much CHAP. VII The City of Paris seated in the place of old Lutetia The Bridges which joyn it to the Town and University King Henry's Statua Alexander's injurious policy The Church and revenues of Nostre dame The Holy-water there The original making and vertue of it The Lamp before the Altar The heathenishnesse of both customes Paris best seen from the top of this Church the great Bell there never rung but in time of Thunder the baptizing of Bels the grand Hospital and decency of it The place Daulphin The holy Chappel and Reliques there What the Ancients thought of Reliques The Exchange The little Chastelet A transition to the Parliament THE Isle of Paris commonly called L'Isle du Palais seated between the University and the Town is that part of the whole which is called La Cite the City the epitome and abstract of all France It is the sweetest and best ordered part of all Paris and certainly if Paris may be thought to be the eye of the Realm this Island may be equally judged to be the apple of that eye It is by much the lesser part and by as much the richer by as much the decenter and affordeth more variety of objects then both the other It containeth an equall number of Parish Churches with the Town and double the number of the University For it hath in it 13 Churches parochial viz. la Magdalene 2 St. Geniveue des ardents 3 St. Christopher 4 St. Pierre aux Boeufs 5 St. Marine 6 St. Lander 7 St. Symphorian 8 St. Denis de la charite 9 St. Bartellemie 10 St. Pierâ—â— des Assis 11 St. Croix 12 St. Marciall 13 St. German de vieux Seated it is in the middle of the Seine and in that place where stood the old Lutetia Labienus cum quatuor legionibus saith Jul. Caesar 70 Comment Lutetiam proficiscitur id est opidum Parisiorum positum in medio fluminis Sequanae It is joyned to the main land and the other parts of this French Metropolis by six Bridges two of wood and four of stone the stone Bridges are 1 Le petit pont a Bridge which certainly deserveth that name 2 Le pont de Nostre dame which is all covered with two goodly ranks of houses and those adorned with portly and antick imagery 3 Le pont St. Michell so called because it leadeth towards the Gate of St. Michell hath also on each side a beautifull row of houses all of the same fashion so exactly that but by their severall doors you would scarce think them to be several houses they are all new as being built in the reign of this present King whose armes is engraven over every door of them The fourth and largest Bridge is that which standeth at the end of the Isle next the Louure and covereth the waters now united again into one stream It was begun to be built by Katharine of Medices the Queen-Mother anno 1578. her Son King Henry the 3. laying the first stone of it The finishing of it was reserved unto Henry 4. who as soon as he had setled his affairs in this Town presently set the workmen about it In the end of it where it joyneth to the Town there is a water-house which by artificiall engines forceth up waters from a fresh spring rising from under the river done at the charge of this King also In the midst of it is the Statua of the said Henry 4. all in brasse mounted on his barbed Steed of the same mettle They are both of them very unproportionable unto those which they represent and would shew them big enough were they placed on the top of Nostre dame Church What minded King Lewis to make his father of so gigantive a stature I cannot tell Alexander at his return from his Indian expedition scattered Armours Swords and Horsebits far bigger then were serviceable to make future ages admire his greatnesse Yet some have hence collected that
Aristotle and Plato and not countenanced by any of them but on the common theatres to satisfie the rude manners and desires of the vulgar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to give them also content in their recreations yet is this musick altogether in use in this Countrey no lesson amongst their protest Musitians that I could hear which had any gravity or solid art shewed in the composition They are pretty fellowes I confess for the setting of a Maske or a Caranto but beyong this nothing which maketh the mufick in their Churches so base and unpleasing So that the glory of perfect musick at this time lyeth between the English and Italian that of France being as trivial as their behaviour of which indeed it is concomitant Mutata musica mutantur mores saith Tully and therefore he giveth us this lesson Curandum itaque est ut musica quam gravissima sedatissima retineatur a good Item for the French CHAP. II. The Country and site of Orleans like that of Worcester The Wine of Orleans Praesidial Towns in France what they are The sale of Offices in France The fine walk and pastime of the Palle Malle The Church of St. Croix founded by Superstition and a miracle Defaced by the Hugonots Some things hated only for their name The Bishop of Orleans and his priviledge The Chappel and Pilgrims of St. Jacques The form of Masse in St. Croix Censing an Heathenish custome The great siege of Orleans raised by Joane the Virgin The valour of that woman that she was no witch An Elogie on her WEE are now come into the Countrey of Orleans which though within the limits of La Beause will not yet be an entire County of it self It is a dainty and pleasing Region very even and large in the fields of it insomuch that we could not see an hill or swelling of the ground within eye-sight It consisteth in an indifferent measure of Corn but most plentifully of Vines and hath of all other fruits a very liberall portion neither is it meanly beholding to the Loyre for the benefits it receiveth by that river on which the City of Orleans it self is sweetly seated Of all places in England Worcestershire in mine opinion cometh most nigh it as well in respect of the Countrey as the situation of the Town For certainly that Countrey may be called the Epitome of England as this of France To the richest of the corn-fields of Orleanoys we may compare the Vale of Evesham neither will it yeeld for the choile and variety of fruits the Vine only excepted The hedges in that Countrey are prodigall and lavish of those trees which would become the fairest Orchards of the rest and in a manner recompenseth the want of Wine by its plâ—nty of Perry and Sider In a word what a good writer hath said of one we may say of both Coelum solum adeo propitium habent ut salubritate ubertate vicinis non concedant But the resemblance betwixt the Towns is more happy Both seated on the second river of note in their several Countreys and which are not much unlike in their several courses Severne washing the wals of Glocester and passing nigh unto Bristol seated on a little riveret and its homager divideth the Antients Britains from the rest of the English The Loyre gliding by the City of Tours and passing nigh to Augeire seated also up the land on a little river and one of its tributories separateth the modern Bretagnes from the rest of the French Posita est in loco modico acclivi ad flumen quod turrigero ponte conjungitur muro satis firmo munita saith Mr. Camden of Worcester Orleans is seated on the like declivity of an hill hath its bridge well fortified with turrets and its wals of an equall ability of resistance Sed docuâ—est ab incolis qui sunt numerosi humani ab aedificiorum nitore a templorum numero maxime a sede episcopali saith he of ours in general we shall see it fitly applyed to this in each particular The people of this town are not of the fewest no Town in France the capacity of it considered being more populous for standing in so delicate an air and on so commodious a river it inviteth the Gentry or Nobles of the Countrey about it to inhabit there and they accept it Concerning their behaviour and humanity certainly they much exceed the Parisians I was about to say all the French men and indeed I need not grudge them that Elogie which Caesar giveth unto those of Kent and verifie that they are omnium incolarum longe bumanissimi my self here observing more courtefie and affability in one day then I could meet withall in Paris during all my abode The buildings of it are very suitable to themselves and the rest of France the streets large and well kept not yeelding the least offence to the most curious nosethrill Parish Churches it hath in it 26 of different and unequall being as it useth to be in other places Besides these it contains the Episcopal Church of St. Croix and divers other houses of religious persons amongst which Sr. Jacques of both which I shall speak in their due order Thus much for the resemblance of the Towns the difference betwixt them is this That Orleans is the bigger and Worcester the richer Orleans consisteth much of the Nobles and of sojourners Worcester of Citizens only and home dwellers And for the manner of life in them so it is that Worcester hath the handsomer women in it Orleans the finer and in mine opinion the loveliest of all France Worcester thriveth much on Clothing Orleans on their Vine-presses And questionless the Vine of Orleans is the greatest riches not of the Town only but of the Countrey also about it For this cause Andre du Chesne calleth it the prime cellar of Paris Fst une pais saith he si heureuse si secunde sur tout en vine qui on la dire l' un de premiers celiers de Paris These Vines wherein he maketh it to be so happy deserve no less a commendation then he hath given them as yeelding the best wines in all the Kingdome Such as it much griev'd me to mingle with water they being so delicious to the palat and the epicurism of the taste I have heard of a Dutch Gentleman who being in Italy was brought acquainted with a kinde of Wine which they there call Lachrymae Christi No sooner had he tasted it but he fell into a deep melancholy and after some seven sighs besides the addition of two grones he brake out into this pathetical ejaculation Dii boni quare non Christus lachrymatus esset in nostris regionibus This Dutch man and I were for a time of one minde insomuch that I could almost have picked a quarrell with nature for giving us none of this liquor in England at last we grew friends again when I had perceived how offensive it was to the
brain if not well qualified for which cause it is said that King Lewis hath banished it his Cellar no doubt to the great grief of his drinking Courtiers who may therefore say with Martiall Quid tantum fecere boni tibi pessima vina Aut quid fecerunt optima vina mali This Town called Genabum by Caesar was reedified by Aurelian the Emperour anno 276. and called by his name Aurelianum which it still retaineth amongst the Latines It hath been famous heretofore for four Councels here celebrated and for being the siege royal of the Kings of Orleans though as now I could not hear any thing of the ruines of the Palace The fame of it at this time consisteth in the University and its seat of justice this Town being one of them which they call Seiges presidiaux Now these Seiges Presidiaux Seats or Courts of Justice were established in diverse Cities of the Realm for the ease of the people anno 1551 or thereabouts In them all civil causes not exceeding 250 livres in money or 10 livres in rents are heard and determined soveraignly and without appeal If the sum exceed those proportions the appeal holdeth good and shall be examined in that Court of Parliament under whose jurisdiction they are This Court here consisteth of a Bailly whose name is Mr. Digion of 12 Counsellors two Lieutenants one civil and the other criminal and a publick notary When Mr. Le Comte de St. Paul who is Governor or Lieutenant Generall of the Province cometh into their Court he giveth precedency to the Bailly in other places he receiveth it This institution of these Presidentiall Courts was at first a very profitable ordinance and much eased the people but now it is grown burthensome the reason is that the offices are made salable and purchased by them with a great deal of money which afterwards they wrest again out of the purses of the pesants the sale of offices drawing necessarily after it the sale of justice a mischief which is spread so far that there is not the poorest under-officer in all the Realm who may not safely say with the Captain in the 22. of the Acts and the 28. vers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a great sum of money obtained I this freedome Twenty years purchase is said to be no extraordinary rate and I have read that only by the sale of offices one of the Kings had raised in 20 years 139 millions which amounteth to the proportion of seven millions yearly or thereabouts of all waies to thrift and treasure the most unkingly In the year 1614 the King motioned the abolising of the sales of this market but it was upon a condition more prejudicial to the people then the mischief for he desired in lieu of it to have a greater imposition laid upon Salt and on the Aides which those who were Commissioners for the Commonalty would not admit of because then a common misery had been bought out of the State to make their particular misery the greater and so the corruption remaineth unaltered This Town as it is sweetly seated in respect of the air so is it finely convenienced with walks of which the chief are that next unto Paris Gate having the wall on one hand and a rank of palm-trees on the other the second that near unto the Bridge having the water pleasingly running on both sides and a third which is indeed the principal on the east side of the City It is called the Palle Malle from an exercise of that name much used in this Kingdome a very Gentleman-like sport not over violent and such as affordeth good opportunity of discourse as they walk from one mark to the other Into this walk which is of a wonderful length and beauty you shall have a clear evening empty all the Town the aged people borrowing legs to carry them and the younger armes to guide them If any young Dame or Monsieur walk thither single they will quickly finde some or other to link with them though perhaps such with whom they have no familiarity Thus do they measure and re-measure the length of the Palle Malle not minding the shutting in of the day till darkness hath taken away the sense of blushing At all hours of the night be it warm and dry you shall be sure to finde them there thus coupled and if at the years end there be found more children then fathers in the Town this walk and the night are suspected shrewdly to be accessaries A greater inconvenience in my opinion then an English kisse There is yet a fourth walk in this Town called L' Estapp a walk principally frequented by Merchants who here meet to conserre of their occasions It lyeth before the house of Mr. Le Comte de St. Paul the Governour and reacheth up to the Cloyster of St. Croix of the building of which Church I could never yet hear or read of any thing but that which is meerly fabulous for the Citizens report that long since time out of minde there appeared a vision to an holy Monk which lived thereabouts and bad him dig deep in such a place where he should finde a piece of the holy Crosse charging him to preserve that blessed relique in great honour and to cause a Church to be built in that place where it had been buried upon this warning the Church was founded but at whose charges they could not enform me so that all which I could learn concerning the foundation of this Church is that it was erected only by Superstition and a lie The Superstition is apparent in their worshipping of such rotten sticks as they imagine to be remnants of the Crosse their calling of it holy and dedicating of this Church unto it Nay they have consecrated unto it two holy daies one in May and the other in September and are bound to salute it as often as they see it in the streets or the high-waies with these words Ave salus totius saeculi arbor salutifera Horrible blasphemy and never heard but under Antichrist Cruces subeundas esse non adorandas being the lesson of the Ancients As for the miracle I account it as others of the same stamp equally false and ridiculous This Church in the year 1562. was defaced and ruined by the Hugonots who had entred the Town under the conduct of the Prince of Conde An action little savouring of humanity and lesse of Religion the very Heathens themselves never demolishing any of the Churches of those Towns which they had taken But in this action the Hugonots consulted only with rashnesse and a zealous fury thinking no title so glorious as to be called the Scourge of Papists and the overthrowers of Popish Churches Quid facerent hostes capla crudelius urbe The most barbarous enemy in the world could not more have exercised their malice on the vanquished and this I perswade my self had been the fate of most of our Churches if that faction had got the upper hand of us But
is layed upon them of obedience be the imployment never so dangerous And certainly this Nation doth most strictly obey the rules of their order of any whatsoever not excepting the Capouchins nor the Carthusians This I am witnesse to that whereas the Divinity Lecture is to end at the tilling of a Bell one of the Society in the Colledge of Clermont reading about the fall of the Angels ended his Lecture with these words Denique in quibuseunque for then was the warning given and he durst not so far trespasse upon his rule as to speak out his sentence But it is not the fate of these Jesuits to have great persons only and Universities only to oppose their fortunes they have also the most accomplisht malice that either the secular Priests or Fryers amongst whom they live can fasten upon them Some envie them for the greatnesse of their possessions some because of the excellency of their learning some hate them for their power some for the shrewdnesse of their brains all together making good that saying of Paterculus that Semper eminentis fortune comes est invidia True indeed it is that the Jesuits have in a manner deserved all this clamor and stomach by their own insolencies for they have not only drawn into their own hands all the principall affairs of Court and state but upon occasions cast all the scorn and contempt they can upon those of the other Orders The Janizaries of the Turke never more neglectfully speak of the Asapi then those doe of the rest of the Clergy A great crime in those men who desire to be accounted such excellent Masters of their own affections Neither is the affection born to them abroad greater then that at home amongst those I mean of the opposite party who being so often troubled and crumped by them have little cause to afford them a liking and much lesse a welcome Upon this reason they were not sent into England with the Queen although at first they were destinate to that service It was well known how odious that name was amongst us and what little countenance the Court or Countrey would have afforded them They therefore who had the Governance of that businesse sent hither in their places the Oratorians or the Fratres congregationis Oratorii a race of men never as yet offensive to the English further then the generall defence of the Romish cause and so lesse subject to envie and exception They were first instituted by Philip Nerius not long after the Jesuits and advanced and dignified by Pope Sixtus V. principally to this end that by their incessant Sermons to the people of the lives of Saints and other Ecclesiasticall Antiquities they might get a new reputation and so divert a little the torrent of the peoples affections from the Jesuites Baronius that great and excellent Historian and Bozius that deadly enemie to the Soveraignity of Princes were of the first foundation of this Order I have now done with Orleans and the Jesuits and must prepare for my return to Paris Which journey I begun the 23 of July and ended the day following We went back the same way that we came though we were not so fortunate as to enjoy the same company we came in for in stead of the good and acceptable society of one of the French Nobles some Gentlemen of Germany and two Fryers of the Order of St. Austin we had the perpetuall vexation of four tradesmen of Paris two filles de joye and an old woman the Artizans so slovenly attired and greasie in their apparell that a most modest apprehension could have conceived no better of them then that they had been newly raked out of the scullery One of them by an Inkehorne that hung at his girdle would have made us believe that he had been a Notarie but by the thread of his discourse we found out that he was a Sumner so full of ribaldrie was it and so rankly did it favour of the French bawdie-courts The rest of them talked according to their skill concerning the price of commodities and who was the most likely man of all the City to be made one of the next years Eschevins Of the two wenches one so extreamly impudent that even any immodest ear would have abhorred her language and of such a shamelesse deportment that her very behaviour would have frighted lust out of the most incontinent man living Since I first knew mankinde and the world I never observed so much impudence in the generall as I did then in her particular and I hope shall never be so miserable as to suffer two dayes more the torment and hell of her conversation In a word she was a wench born to shame all the Fryers with whom she had traficked for she would not be casta and could not be cauta and so I leave her a creature extreamly bold because extreamly faulty And yet having no good property to redeem both these and other unlovely qualities but as Sir Philip Sydney said of the Strumpet Baccha in the Arcadia a little counterfeit beauty disgraced with wandring eyes and unwayed speeches The other of the younger females for as yet I am doubtfull whether I may call any of them women was of the same profession also but not half so rampant as her companion Haec habitu casto cum non sit casta videtur as Ausonius giveth it one of the two wanton sisters By her carriage a charitable stranger would have thought her honest and to that favourable opinion had my self been inclinable if a French Monsieur had not given me her character at Orleans besides there was an odd twinkling of her eye which spoyled the composednesse of her countenance otherwise she might have passed for currant So that I may safely say of her in respect of her fellow Harlot what Tacitus doth of Pompey in reference to Caesar viz. Secretior Pompeius Caesare non melior They were both equally guilty of the sin though this last had the more cunning to dissemble it and avoid the infamie and censure due unto it And so I come to the old woman which was the last of our goodly companions A woman so old that I am not at this day fully resolved whether she were ever young or no. 'T was well I had read the Scriptures otherwise I might have been very prone to have thought her one of the first pieces of the creation and that by some mischance or other she had escaped the flood her face was for all the world like unto that of Sibylla Erythraea in an old print or that of Solomons two harlots in the painted cloth you could not at the least but have imagined her one of the Relicks of the first age after the building of Babel for her very complexion was a confusion more dreadfull then that of languages As yet I am uncertain whether the Poem of our arch-poet Spencer entituled The Ruines of time was not purposely intended on her sure I am it is
eight Sols daily The Governor of them is the Duke of Chaune who is also the Lieutenant or Deputy Governour of the whole Province under the Constable their Captain Mr. Le Noyre said to be a man of good experience and worthy his place This Citadel was built by Henry 4. as soon as he had recovered the Town from the Spaniards anno 1597. It is seated on the lower part of the City though somewhat on the advantage of an hill and seemeth in mine opinion better situate to command the Town then to defend it or rather to recover the Town being taken then to save it from taking They who have seen it and know the arts of fortification report it to be impregnable Quod nec Joâ—is ira nec ignâ—s Nec poterit ferrum nec edax abolere vetustas Nor am I able to contradict it For besides that it is a skill beyond my profession we were not permitted to come within it or to take a survey of it but at a distance As soon as we approached high unto it one of the Garrison proffes'd us the Musket a sufficient warning not to be too venturous So that all which I could observe was this that they had within themselves good plenty of earth to make their Gabions and repair their breaches With the same jealousie also are the rest of the Forts and Towns of importance guarded in this and other Countreys no people that ever I heard being so open in shewing their places of strength and safety unto strangers as the English For a dozen of Ale a foreiner may pace over the curtain of Portsmouth and measure every stone and bulwark of it For a shilling more he shall see their provision of powder and other munition And when that is done if he will he shall walk the round too A French crown sathometh the wals of Dover Castle and for a pinte of wine one may see the nakednesse of the blockhouses at Gravesend A negligence which may one day cost us dearly though we now think it not For what else do we in it but commit that prodigall folly for which Pltarch condemned Pericles that is to break open all the palâ—s and inclosures of our land to the end that every man might come in freely and take away our fruit at his pleasure Jealousie though a vice in a man towards his wife is yet one of the safest vertues in a Governor towards his fortresse and therefore I could wish that an English man would in this particular borrow a little of the Italian Besides these souldiers which are continually in garrison for the defence of the Citadell there are also 300 which keep watch every night for the defence of the City The watchmen receive no pay of the King but discharge that duty amongst themselves and in turns every house finding one for that service twelve nights in the year The weapons which they use are pikes only and muskets there being not one piece of Ordinance all about the Town or on the wals of it The Governor of this Town as it hath reference to the King is a Bailly who hath belonging to him all the authority which belongeth to a siege Presâ—dial Under him he hath a Lieutenant generall and particular seven Counsellors a publick Notary and other inferior Officers and Magistrates As it is a Corporation the chief Governor of it is a Maior and next to him the Eâ—sohevins or Sheriffs as protectors of the inhabitants and their liberties besides those of the Common-councell Another circumstance there is which 〈◊〉 this Town of Amiens which is that it is a Visdamate or that it giveth honour to one of the Nobility who is called the Visdame of Amiens This title at this time belongeth to the Duke of Chaune Governor of the Ciâ—adell together with the Lordship of Piquigni both which he obtained by marrying the daughter and heir of the last Visdame of Amiens and Lord of Piquigni anno 1619. A marriage which much advanced his fortunes and which was compassed for him by the Constable Luynes his brother who also obtained for him of the King the title of Duke his highest attribute before being that of Mr. de Cadinet by which name he was known here in England at such time when he was sent extraordinary Embassador to King James This honour of Visdame is for ought I could ever see used only in France True it is that in some old English Charters we meet with this title of Vice-dominus As in the Charter of King Edred to the Abbey of Crowland in Lincolnshire dated in the year 948. there is there subscribed Ego Ingulph Vice-dominus but with us and at those times this title was only used to denote a subordination to some superior Lord and not as an honorary attribute in which sense it is now used in France Besides that with us it was frequently though falsly used for Vice comes Between which two offices of a Vicount and a Visdame there are found no small resemblances For as they which did gerere vicem Comitis were called Vicecomites or Vicounts so were they also called Vidames or Vicedomini qui domini episcopi vicem gerebant in temporalibus And as Vicounts from officers of the Earls became honorary so did the Vidames disclaim their relation to the Bishop and became Signieural or honorary also The Vidames then according to their first institution were the substitutes of the greater Bishops in matter of secular administration for which cause though they have altered their tenure they take all of them their denomination from the chieftown of some Bishoprick Neither is there any of them who holdeth not of some Bishoprick or other Concerning the number of them that are thus dignified I cannot determine Mr. Glover otherwise alled Somerset Herald in his Discourse of Nobility published by Mr. Milles of Canterbury putteth it down for absolute that here are four only viz. of Amiens of Chartres of Chalons and of Gerberey in Beauvais but in this he hath deceived both himself and his readers there being besides those divers others as of Rheimes Mans and the like But the particular and exact number of them together with the place denominating I leave to the French Heralds unto whose profession it principally belongeth CHAP. III. The Church of Nostre Dame in Amiens The principal Churches in most Cities called by her name More honour performed to her then to her Saviour The surpassing beauty of this Church on the cut-side The front of it King Henry the sevenths Chappel at Westminster The curiousnesse of this Church within By what means it became to be so The sumptuous masking closets in it The excellency of perspective works Indulgences by whom first founded The estate of the Bishoprick THere is yet one thing which addeth more lustre to the City of Amiens then either the Vidamate or the Citadel which is the Church of Nostre Dame A name by which most of the principal Churches are known in France There have
my self then to have recourse to the King of heaven and though the Poet meant not Exeat aula qui vult esse pius in that sense yet will it be no treason for me to apply it so And even in this the Church which should be like the Coat of its Redeemer without seam do I finde rents and factions and of the two these in the Church more dangerous then those in the Louure I know the story of Rebecca and of the children strugling in her is generally applyed to the births and contentions of the Law and the Gospel in particular we may make use of it in expressing the State of the Church and Religions of France for certain it is that here were divers pangs in the womb of the French Church before it was delivered And first she was delivered of Esau the Popish faith being first after the strugling countenanced by authority And he came out red all over like an hairy garment saith the text which very appositely expresseth the bloudy and rough condition of the French Papists at the birth of the Reformation before experience and long acquaintance had bred a liking between them And after came his Brother out which laid hold on Esaus heel and his name was called Jacob wherein is described the quality of the Protestant party which though confirmed by publick Edict after the other yet hath it divers times endevoured and will perhaps one day effect the tripping up of the others heels And Esau saith Moses was a cunning hunter a man of the field and Jacob a plain man dwelling in tents in which words the comparison is made exact A cunning hunter in the Scripture signifieth a man of art and power mingled as when Nâ—mrâ—d in Genesis 10. is termed a mighty hunter Such is the Papist a side of greater strength and subtility a side of war and of the field on the other side the Protestants are a plain race of men simple in their actions without craft and fraudulent behaviours and dwelling in tents that is having no certain abiding place no Province which they can call theirs but living dispersed and scattered over the Countrey which in the phrase of the Scripture is dwelling in tents As for the other words differencing the two brethren and the elder shall serve the younger they are rather to be accounted a Prophesie then a Character we must therefore leave the analogie it holds with this Rebecca of France and her two children to the event and to prayer For a more particular insight into the strength and subtilty of this Esau we must consider it in the three main particular strengths of it its Polity Priviledges and Revenue For the first so it is that the Popish Church in France is governed like those of the first and purest times by Archbishops and Bishops Archbishops it comprehendeth 12 and of Bishops 104 of these the Metropolitan is he of Rheimes who useth to anoint the Kings which office and preheminence hath been annexed unto this seat ever since the times of St. Remigius Bishop hereof who converted Clovis King of the Franks unto the Gospell The present Primate is son unto the Duke of Guise by name Henry de Lorrain of the age of 14 years or thereabouts a burden too unweildie for his shoulders Et quae non viribus istis Munera conveniunt nâ—c tam puerilibus annis For the better government therefore of a charge so weighty they have appointed him a Coadjutor to discharge that great function till he come to age to take orders His name is Gifford an English fugitive said to be a man worthy of a great fortune and able to bear it The revenues of this Archbishoprick are somewhat of the meanest not amounting yearly to above 10000 Crowns whereof Dr. Gifford receiveth only 2000 the remainder going to the Caidet of Lorreine This trick the French learn of the Protestants in Germany where the Princes after the Reformation began by Luther took in the power and Lordships of the Bishops which together with their functions they divided into two parts The lands they bestowed upon some of their younger sons or kinsmen with the title of Administrator the office and pains of it they conferred with some annuall pension on one of their Chaplaines whom they styled the Superintendent of the Bishoprick This Archbishop together with the rest of the Bishops have under them their severall Chancellours Commissaries Archdeacons and other officers attending in their Courts in which their power is not so generall as with us in England Matters of testament never trouble them as belonging to the Court of Parliament who also have wrested to their own hands almost all the businesse of importance sure I am all the causes of profit originally belonging to the Church the affairs meerly Episcopall and spirituall are left unto them as granting Licence for Marriages punishing whoredome by way of penance and the like to go beyond this were ultra crepidam and they should be sure to have a prohibition from the Parliaments Of their priviledges the chiefest of the Clergy men is the little or no dependence upon the Pope and the little profits they pay unto their King of the Pope anon to the King they pay only their Dismes or Tithes according to the old rate a small sum if compared unto the payments of their neighbours it being thought that the King of Spain receiveth yearly one half of the living of the Churches but this I mean of their livings only for otherwise they pay the usuall gabels and customes that are paid by the rest of the Kings liege people In the generall assembly of the three Estates the Clergy hath authority to elect a set number of Commissioners to undertake for them and the Church which Commissioners do make up the first of the three Estates and do first exhibit their grievances and Petitions to the King In a word the French Church is the freest of any in Christendome that have not yet quitted their subjection to the Pope as alwayes protesting against the Inquisitions not submitting themselves to the Councell of Trent and paying very little to his Holinesse of the plentifull revenue wherewith God and good men have blessed it The number of those which the Church Land maintaineth in France is tantum non infinite therefore the Intrado and Revenue of it must needs be uncountable There are numbred in it as we said before 12 Archbishops 104 Bishopricks to these add 540 Archpriories 1450 Abbies 12320 Priories 567 Nunneries 700 Convents of Fryers 259 Commendames of the order of Malta and 130000 Parish Priests Yet this is not all this reckoning was made in the year 1598. Since which time the Jesuits have divers Colledges founded for them and they are known to be none of the poorest To maintain this large wildernesse of men the Statistes of France who have proportioned the Countrey do allow unto the Clergy almost a fourth part of the whole For supposing France to contain 200
The first and greatest controversie between the Pope and Princes of Christendome was about the bestowing the livings of the Church and giving the investure unto Bishops the Popes had long thirsted after that authority as being a great means to advance their followers and establish their own greatnesse for which cause in divers petty Councels the receiving of any Ecclesiasticall preferment of a Lay man was enacted to be Simony But this did little edifie with such patrons as had good livings As soon as ever Hildebrande in the Catalogue of the Popes called Gregory VII came to the Throne of Rome he set himself entirely to effect this businesse as well in Germany now he was Pope as he had done in France whilest he was Legat he commandeth therefore Henry III. Emperour Ne deinceps Episcâ—patus beneficia they are Platinas own words per cupiditatem Simonaâ—cam committat aliter seusurum in-ipsum censuris Ecclesiasticis To this injustice when the Emperour would not yeeld he called a solemn Councell at the Lateran wherein the Emperour was pronounced to be Simoniacall and afterwards Excommunicated neither would this Tyrant ever leave persecuting of him till he had laid him in his grave After this there followed great strugling for this matter between the Popes and the Emperours but in the end the Popes got the victory In England here he that first beckoned about it was William Ruâ—us the controversie being whether he or Pope Urban should invest Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury Anselme would receive his investure from none but the Pope whereupon the King banished him the Realm into which he was not admitted till the Reign of Henry II. He to endeer himself with his Clergy relinquished his right to the Pope but afterwards repenting himselfe of it he revoked his grant neither did the English Kings wholly lose it till the reign of that unfortunate prince King John Edward the first again recovered it and his successors kept it The Popes having with much violence and opposition wrested into their hands this priviledge of nominating Priests and investing Bishops they spared not to lay on what taxes they pleased as on the Benefices first fruits pensions subsidies fifteenths tenths and on the Bishopricks for palles miters crosiers rings and I know not what bables By these means the Churches were so impoverished that upon complaint made to the Councell of Basil all these cheating tricks these aucupia expilandi rationes were abolished This decree was called Pragmatica functio and was confirmed in France by Charles VII anno 1438. An act of singular improvement to the Church and Kingdome of France which yearly before as the Court of Parliament manifested to Lewis XI had drained the State of a million of Crowns since which time the Kings of France have sometimes omitted the rigor of this sanction and sometimes also exacted it according as their affairs with the Pope stood for which cause it was called Froenum pontificum At last King Francis I. having conquered Millaine fell into this composition with his Holinesse namely that upon the falling of any Abbacy or Bishoprick the King should have 6 months time allowed him to present a fit man unto him whom the Pope should legally invest If the King neglected his time limited the Pope might take the benefit of the relapse and institute whom he pleased So is it also with the inferior Benefices between the Pope and the Patrons insomuch that any or every Lay-patron and Bishop together in England hath for ought I see at the least in this particular as great a spirituall Supremacy as the Pope in France Nay to proceed further and shew how meerly titular both his supremacies are as well the spirituall as the temporall you may plainly see in the case of the Jesuites which was thus In the year 1609 the Jesuites had obtained of King Henry IV. licence to read again in their Colledges of Paris but when their Letters patents came to be verified in the Court of Parliament the Rector and University opposed them on the 17 of December 1611. both parties came to have an hearing and the University got the day unlesse the Jesuites would subscribe unto these four points viz. 1. That a Councell was above the Pope 2. That the Pope had no temporall power over Kings and could not by Excommunication deprive them of their Realm and Estates 3. That Clergy men having heard of any attempt or conspiracy against the King or his Realm or any matter of treason in confession he was bound to reveal it And 4. That Clergy men were subject to the secular Prince or politick Magistrate It appeared by our former discourse what little or no power they had left the Pope over the Estates and preferments of the French By these Propositions to which the Jesuites in the end subscribed I know not with what mentall reservation it is more then evident that they have left him no command neither over their consciences nor their persons so that all things considered we may justly say of the Papall power in France what the Papists said falsly of Erasmus namely that it is Nomen sine rebus In one thing only his authority here is intire which is his immediate protection of all the orders of Fryers and also a superintendency or supreme eye over the Monks who acknowledge very small obedience if any at all to the French Bishops for though at the beginning every part and member of the Diocesse was directly under the care and command of the Bishop yet it so happened that at the building of Monasteries in the Western Church the Abbots being men of good parts and a sincere life grew much into the envie of their Diocesan For this cause as also to be more at their own command they made suit to the Pope that they might be free from that subjection Utque in tutelam divi Petri admitterentur a proposition very plausible to his Holinesse ambition which by this means might the sooner be raised to its height and therefore without difficulty granted This gap opened first the severall orders of Fryers and after even the Deans and Chapters purchased to themselves the like exemptions In this the Popes power was wonderfully strengthned as having such able and so main props to uphold his authority it being a true Maxime in State Quod qui privilegia obtinent ad eadem conservanda tenentur authoritatem concedentis tueri This continued till the Councell of Trent unquestioned Where the Bishops much complained of their want of authority and imputed all the Schismes and Vices in the Church unto this that their hands were tyed hereupon the Popes Legats thought it fit to restore their jurisdiction their Deans and Chapters At that of the Monks and Monasteries there was more sticking till at the last Sebastian Pigâ—inus one of the Popes officers found out for them this satisfaction that they should have an eye and inspection into the lives of the Monks not by any authority of their
also those of other places Moreover when â—idings came to Paris of the Duke of Mayens death slain before Montauban the rascall French according to their hot headed dispositions breathed out nothing but ruine to the Hugonots The Duke of Monbazon governour of the City commanded their houses and the streets to be safely guarded After when this rabble had burne down their Temple at Charenton the Court of Parliament on the day following ordained that it should be built up again in a more beautifull manner and that at the Kings charge Add to this that since the ending of the wars and the reduction of almost all their Towns we have not seen the least alteration of Religion Besides that they have been permitted to hold a Nationall Synod at Charenton for establishing the truth of their Doctrine against the errours of Arminius professour of Leidâ—n in Holland All things thus considered in their true being I connot see for what cause our late Soveraign should suffer so much censure as he then did for not giving them assistance I cannot but say that my self have too often condemned his remissenesse in that cause which upon better consideration I cannot tell how he should have dealt in Had he been a medler in it further then he was he had not so much preserved Religion as supported Rebellion besides the consequence of the example He had Subjects of his own more then enough which were subject to discontent and prone to an apostasie from their alleagiance To have assisted the disobedient French under the colour of the liberty of conscience had been only to have taught that King a way into England upon the same pretence and to have trod the path of his own hazard He had not long before denied succour to his own children when he might have given them on a better ground and for a fairer purpose and could not now in honour countenance the like action in another For that other deniall of his helping hand I much doubt how far posterity will acquit him though certainly he was a good Prince and had been an happy instrument of the peace of Christendome had not the latter part of his reign hapned in a time so full of troubles So that betwixt the quietnesse of his nature and the turbulency of his latter dayes he sell into that miserable exigent mentioned in the Historian Miserrimum est eum alicui aut natura sua excedenda est aut minuenda dignitas Add to this that the French had been first abandoned at home by their own friends of seven Generals which they had appointed for the seven circles into which they divided all France four of them never giving them incouragement The three which accepted of those unordinate Governments were the Duke of Rohan his brother M. Soubise and the Marquesse of Lafforce the four others being the Duke of Tremoville the Earl of Chastillon the Duke of Lesdisguier and the Duke of Bovillon who should have commanded in chief So that the French Protestants cannot say that he was first wanting for them but they to themselves If we demand what should move the French Protestants to this Rebellious contradiction of his Majesties commandements We must answer that it was too much happinesse Gausa hujus belli eadem quae omnium nimia foelicitas as Florus of the Civill wars between Caesar and Pompey Before the year 1620 when they fell first into the Kings disfavour they were possessed of almost 100 good Towns well fortified for their safety besides beautifull houses and ample possessions in the Villages they slept every man under his own Vine and his own Fig-tree neither fearing nor needing to fear the least disturbance with those of the Catholick party they were grown so intimate and entire by reason of their inter-marriages that a very few years would have them incorporated if not into one faith yet into one family For their better satisfaction in matters of Justice it pleased King Henry the fourth to erect a Chamber in the Court of the Parliament of Paris purposely for them It consisteth of one President and 16 Counsellours their office to take knowledge of all the Causes and Suits of them of the reformed Religion as well within the jurisdiction of the Parliament of Paris as also in Normandy and Britain till there should be a Chamber erected in either of them There were appointed also two Chambers in the Parliaments of Burdeaux and Grenoble and one at the Chastres for the Parliament of Tholoza These Chambers were called Les Chambre de l' Edict because they were established by especiall Edict at the Towns of Nantes in Britain Aprill the 8. anno 1598. In a word they lived so secure and happy that one would have thought their felicities had been immortall O faciles dare summa deos eademque tueri Difficiles And yet they are not brought so low but that they may live happily if they can be content to live obediently that which is taken from them being matter of strength only and not priviledge Let us now look upon them in their Churches which we shall finde as empty of magnificence as ceremony To talke amongst them of Common-prayers were to fright them with the second coming of the Masse and to mention Prayers at the buriall of the dead were to perswade them of a Purgatory Painted glasse in a Church window is accounted for the flag and ensigne of Antichrist and for Organs no question but they are deemed to be the Devils bagpipes Shew them a Surplice and they cry out a rag of the Whore of Babylon yet a sheet on a woman when she is in child-bed is a greater abomination then the other A strange people that could never think the Masse-book sufficiently reformed till they had taken away Prayers nor that their Churches could ever be handsome untill they were ragged This foolish opposition of their first Reformers hath drawn the Protestants of these parts into a world of dislike and envie and been no small disadvantage to the fide Whereas the Church of England though it dissent as much from the Papists in point of Doctrine is yet not uncharitably thought on by the Modern Catholicks by reason it retained such an excellency of Discipline When the Liâ—urgie of our Church was translated into Latine by Dr. Morket once Warden of All-Souls Colledge in Oxford it was with great approofe and applause received here in France by those whom they call the Catholicks royall as marvelling to see such order and regular devotion in them whom they were taught to condemn for Hereticall An allowance which with some little help might have been raised higher from the practice of our Church to some points of our judgement and it is very worthy of our observation that which the Marquesse of Rhosny spake of Canterbury when he came as extraordinary Ambassadour from King Henry IV. to welcome King James into England For upon the view of our solemn Service and ceremonies he openly said unto
the execution of it in their first Synod No sooner had they this incouragement but they presently mustered up their forces betook themselves unto the quarrell and the whole Realme was on the suddain in an uproar The Parliaaments continually troubled with their Supplications Admonitions and the like and when they found not there that favour which they looked for they denounce this dreadfull curse against them That there shall not be a man of their seed that shall prosper to be a Parliament man or bear rule in England any more The Queen exclaimed upon in many of their Pamphlets her honourable Counsell scandalously censured as opposers of the Gospell The Prelates every were cryed down as Antichristian Petty-popes Bishops of the Devill cogging and cousening knaves dumb dogs enemies of God c. and their Courts and Chanceries the Synagogues of Satan After this they erected privately their Presbyteries in divers places of the Land and contoned the whole Kingdome into their severall Classes and divisions and in a time when the Spaniards were expected they threaten to petition the Queens Majesty with 100000 hands In conclusion what dangerous counsels were concluded on by Hacket and his Apostles with the assent and approbation of the Brethren is extant in the Chronicles A strange and peevish generation of men that having publick enemies unto the faith abroad would rather turn the edge of their Swords upon their Mother and her children But such it seemeth was the holy pleasure of Geneva and such their stomach not to brook a private opposition Cumque superba foret Babylon spolianda trophaeis Bella geri placuit nullos habitura triumphos Yet was it questionlesse some comfort to their souls that their devices however it succeeded ill in England had spred it self abroad in Guernzey and in Jarsey where it had now possession of the whole Islands For not content with that allowance her Majesty had given unto it in the Towns of St. Peters and St. Hillaries the Governours having first got these Isles to be dissevered from the Diocese of Constance permit it unto all the other Parishes The better to establish it the great supporters of the cause in England Snape and Cartwright are sent for to the Islands the one of them being made the tributary Pastor of the Castle of Cornet the other of that of Mont-orguel Thus qualified forsooth they conveene the Churches of each Island and in a Synod held in Guernzey anno 1576. the whole body of the Discipline is drawn into a forme Which forme of Discipline I here present unto your Lordship faithfully translated according to an authentick copy given unto me by Mr. Painsee Curate of our Ladies Church of Chastell in the Isle of Guernzey CHAP. IV. The Discipline Ecclesiasticall according as it hath been in practise of the Church after the Reformation of the same by the Ministers Elders and Deacons of the Isles of Guernzey Jarsey Serke and Alderney confirmed by the authority and in the presence of the Governours of the same Isles in a Synod holden in Guernzey the 28 of June 1576. And afterwards revived by the said Ministers and Elders and confirmed by the said Governors in a Syâ—od holden also in Guernzey the 11 12 13 14 15 and 17 dayes of October 1597. CHAP. I. Of the Church in Generall Article I. 1. THe Church is the whole company of the faithfull comprehending as well those that bear publick office in the same as the rest of the people II. 2. No one Church shall pretend any superiority or dominion over another all of them being equall in power and having one only head CHRIST JESUS III. 3. The Governours of the Christian Church where the Magistrates professe the Gospell are the Magistrates which professe it as bearing chief stroke in the Civill Government and the Pastors and Overseers or Superintendents as principall in the Government Ecclesiasticall IV. 4. Both these jurisdictions are established by the law of God as necessary to the Government and welfare of his Church the one having principally the care and charge of mens bodies and of their goods to govern them according to the Laws and with the temporall Sword the other having cure of souls and consciences to discharge their duties according to the Canons of the Church and with the sword of Gods word Which jurisdiction ought so to be united that there be no confusion and so to be divided that there be no contrariety but joyntly to sustain and defend each other as the armes of the same body CHAP. II. Of the Magistrate THe Magistrate ought so to watch over mens persons and their goods as above all things to provide that the honour and true worship of God may be preserved And as it is his duty to punish such as offend in Murder Theft and other sins against the second Table so ought he also to correct Blasphemers Atheists and Idolaters which offend against the first as also all those which contrary to good order and the common peace addict themselves to riot and unlawfull games and on the other side he ought to cherish those which are well affected and to advance them both to wealth and honours CHAP. III. Of Ecclesiasticall functions in generall Article I. 1. OF Officers Ecclesiasticall some have the charge to teach or instruct which are the Pastors and Doctors others are as it were the eye to oversee the life and manners of Christs flock which are the Elders and to others there is committed the disposing of the treasures of the Church and of the poor mans Box which are the Deacons II. 2. The Church officers shall be elected by the Ministers and Elders without depriving the people of their right and by the same authority shall be discharged suspended and deposed according as it is set down in the Chapter of Censures III. 3. None ought to take upon him any function in the Church without being lawfully called unto it IV. 4. No Church-officer shall or ought to pretend any superiority or dominion over his companions viz. neither a Minister over a Minister nor an Elder over an Elder nor a Deacon over a Deacon yet so that they give reverence and respect unto each other either according to their age or according to those gifts and graces which God hath vouchsafed to one more then another V. 5. No man shall be admitted to any office in the Church unlesse he be endowed with gifts fit for the discharge of that office unto which he is called nor unlesse there be good testimony of his life and conversation of which diligent enquiry shall be made before his being called VI. 6. All these which shall enter upon any publick charge in the Church shall first subscribe to the confession of the faith used in the reformed Churches and to the Discipline Ecclesiasticall VII 7. All those which are designed for the administration of any publick office in the Church shall be first nominated by the Governours or their Lieutenants after whose approbation they
neighbours of the Church of Scotland men very indifferent both for the time and for the place For the time Nuâ—â—um tempus tam sacrum quod ejus celebratione polluatur and â—or the place immo in praetorâ—o vel quovis loco publico c. extra sacra publicum conventum totius ecclesiae So they that made the Altare Damascenum p. 872. 865. 866. Chap. 14. 1. The Corps shall not be carried â—r interred within the Church Which prohibition whether it hath more in it of the Jew or of the Gentile is not easie to determine Amongst the Jewes it was not lawful for the Priest to be present at a Funeral or for the dead corps to be interred within the camp and on the other side it was by law in Athens and in Rome forbidden either to burn their dead or to bury them within their Cities In urbe nesipelito neve uâ—ito saith the Law of the 12 Tables nor do I see for what cause this generation should prohibit the dead bodies entrance into the Church and to permit it in the Church-yards If for the avoiding of superstition it is well known that not the Church only but the Church-yards are also consecrated The reason why they will not bury in the Church is only their desire and love of parity the Church will hardly be capacious enough to bury all and since by death and nature all are equall why should that honour be vouchsafed unto the rich and not unto the poor Out of this love of parity it is that in the next article they have forbidden Funeral Sermons wherein the Dutch Synods and those men most perfectly concur as appeareth in that collection cap. 11. 5. For if such Sermons be permitted the common people will be forsooth aggrieved and think themselves neglected Ditiores enim hoc officio cobonestabuntur neglect is pauperibus Chap. 14. 2. Nor any prayers nor sound of bell The last for love of parity but this for fear of superstition For prayers at the burial of the dead may possibly be mistook for prayers for the dead and so the world may dream perhaps of Purgatory Thesilencing of bels is somewhat juster because that musick hath been superstitiously and foolishly imployed in former times and in this very case at Funerals It is well known with what variety of ceremonies they were baptized and consecrated as in the Church of Rome they still are by the Bishops Whereby the people did conceive a power inherent in them not only for the scattering of tempests in which cases they are also rung amongst them but for the repulsing of the Devil and his Ministers Blessings which are intreared of the Lord for them as appeareth by one of those many prayers prescribed in that form of consecration by the Roman Pontifical viz. ut per factum illorum procul pellantur omnes insidiae inimici fragor grandinum procella turbinum c. Whilest therefore the people was superstitious in the use of bels the restraint of them was allowable but being now a matter only of solemnity it argueth no little superstition to restrain them Chap. 16. 6. Without encroaching on the civil jurisdiction And well indeed it were if this clause were intended to be observed for in the 17. chap. and 8. art it is decreed that the correction of crimes and scandals appertaineth unto the Consistory What store of grist the word Crime will bring unto their mils I leave unto your Lordship to interpret sure I am that by this of seandal they draw almost all causes within their cognizance A matter testified by his late most excellent Majesty in a Remonstrance to the Parliament viz. that the Puritan Ministers in Scotland had brought all causes within their jurisdiction saying that it was the Churches office to judge of scandal and there could be no kinde of fault or crime committed but there was a scandal in it either against God the King or their neighbour Two instances of this that counterfeit Eusebius Philadelphus in his late Pamphlet against my Lord of St. Andrewes doth freely give us Earl Huntley upon a private quarrel had inhumanely killed the Earl of Murray For this offence his Majesty upon a great suit was content to grant his-pardon Ecclesiae tamen Huntileum jussit sub dirorum poenis ecclesiae satisfacere but yet the Church in relation to the scandall commanded him under the pain of Excommunication to do penance Not long after the said Earl Huntly and others of the Romish faction had enterprised against the peace and safety of the Kingdome The King resolved to pardon them for this also Ecclesia autem excommunication is censura pronuntiavit but the Church pronounced against them the dreadful sentence of Anathema so little use is there of the civil Magistrate when once the Church pretends a scandal Chap. 17. 9. And shall adjure the parties in the Name of God And shall adjure i. e. They shall provoke them or induce them to confession by using or interposing of the Name of God for thus adjuration is defined to us by Aquinas Secunda secundae qu. 9. in Axiom Adjurare nihil aliud est saith he nisi creaturam aliquam divini nominis out alterius cujuspiam sacrae rei interpositione ad agendum aliquid impellere the parties and those not such as give in the informations for that is done in private by the Elders but such of whose ill same intelligence is given unto the Consistory If so then would I fain demand of the contrivers with what reason they so much exclaim against the oath ex officio judicis used by our Prelates in their Chancellaries since they themselves allow it in their Consistories But thus of old as it is in Horace de Arte. Cacilio Plautoq dedit Romanus ademptum Virgiâ—o Varioque Conclus They are adjudged to be immutable And no marvail if as the brethren and their Beza think it be so essential to the Church that no Church can possibly subsist without it if so essential that we may as warrantably deny the written Word as these inventions But certainly what ever these think of it the founder of this plat-form thought not so when thus he was perswaded that the ordering of the Church of God for as much as concernes the form of it was leâ—t to the discretion of the Ministers For thus himself in his Epistle ad Neocomenâ—es dated 1544. viz. Substantiam disciplinae ecclesiae exprimit disertis verbis Scriptura forma autem ejus exercendae quoniam a Domino praescripta non est a ministris constitui debet pro aedificatione Thus he and how dâ—re they controll him Will they also dare to teach their Master Thus have I brought to end those Annotations which I counted most convenient for to expresse their meaning in some few passages of this new plat-form and to exemplifie their proceedings A larger Commentary on this Text had been unnecessary considering both of what I write and unto whom Only I