of Manasses decking her selfe in rich garmentes secretly issued foorth of the Towne into Holofernes Tent who allured with her beautie for she was exceeding faire gaue himselfe to mirth and much drinking so that through drunkennesse falling into a deadly sleepe Iudith being left with him in the Tent alone strengthned therein by the hand of God cut of his head with his owne Fawchion returning the same to Bethulia which thereby she deliuered from seruitude Sisera was Captaine general to Iabin the great king of Canaan and twentie yeeres together had vexed the children of Israell verie sore for he had with him 900. Charets of Iron at length being ouerthrowen by Barak the sonne of Abinoam he fledde into the house of Heber the Kenite whose wife Iaell taking a Naile of the Tent and a Hammer in her hand did smite the same into his temples and slue him After the death of Saule Dauid was annoynted King in Hebron but Abner that was Captaine of Saules hoste tooke Isbosheth the sonne of Saule and made him king ouer Israell Soone after Abner was ouer-throwen by Ioab the seruantes of Dauid who being in his flight pursued by Asahell the brother of Ioab turned backe and slew him For which occasion when Abner came afterwardes to reconcile himself with Dauid Ioab tooke him aside to the gate to speake with him peaceably and smote him vnto the hart with his dagger so that he died Goliath was a Giant in the Philistian armie of meruailous hugenesse and his weapons with which he was armed of vnspeakable terror in so much that there was no one in the armie of the Israelits that dared answere the prowd defiances and chalenges that he dayly made till at length young Dauid comming from the keeping of his Sheepe strengthned thereunto by the mightie hande of God encountred him with his Sling only into which putting a Stone which he pulled out of his bagge he smote the Giant therewith full in the forehead and ouerthrowing him with the blow stepped to him and with the Giants owne sword cut of his head Haman the Agagite standing highly in the fauour of great King Ahashuerus because Mardocheus the Iew did not reuerence vnto him when he passed by the Kings gate obteined of the King that all the Iewes through the Kings Prouinces might be put to death Which Ester the Queene vnderstanding made a banquet to the King inuiting Haman thereunto in which she pleased so the King with her behauiour and speeches that the King sent letters throughout all his Prouinces to reuoke the sentence which he had passed against the Iewes and caused Haman to be hanged vpon a paire of gallowes which he had made for Mardocheus the Iewe. A short discourse of the Princes of Burgundie and some other in honour of whom this Treatise was first written by the Author who bewayleth their Deaths but speaketh litle of their liues IOHN first of that name K. of France who was taken prisoner at the battaile of Poictiers by the Prince of Wales in the yeere 1356. had by his wife Bona daughter to the K. of Boheme foure sonnes and three daughters Charles which was King after him and fifth of that name Lewes Duke of Aniow Iohn Duke of Berrie and Philippe who being caried prisoner with him into England vpon his deliuerie returne thence he created Duke of Burgundie This Philippe maried Margaret daughter and heire to Malanus Earle of Flaunders and Arthois by whom he had three sonnes Iohn that succeeded him Anthony afterwardes Duke of Brabant and Philippe Earle of Neuers and Estamies which two younger were both slaine at the battaile of Agincourt by the Englishmen Duke Philippe died in the yeere 1404. Iohn succeded his father and maried Margaret daughter to Albert Duke of Bauiere and Earle of Hollande and Zeland by whom he had a sonne called Philippe which was he whom this Author serued This Iohn Duke of Burgundy caused Lewes Duke of Orleance to be murthered in Paris who was brother to Charles the sixth then K. of France In reuenge of which he was afterwarde slaine disloylly by the Dolphin of France at a solemne meeting appointed betwene them after othes and assurances taken of both sides at Montereau in the yeere 1419. Philippe surnamed the good Duke of Burgundy had three wiues the first was Michelet daughter to Charles the sixt king of France the second Bona daughter to Philippe of Arthois the thirde Isabelle daughter to Iohn first king of Portingale whom he maried at Bruges in the yeere 1429. and had by her Charles surnamed the Hardie The verie selfe same yeere of his mariage he instituted the noble order of knighthood of the golden Fleese which the king of Spaine his successor maynteineth yet in great reputation honour At this frst comming to the Dukedome which was about the latter end of the raigne of K. Henry the fifth he was a great fauourer and maynteiner of the English partie in France and did many notable seruices to the Crowne of England When the Duke of Bedford Vncle to king Henry the sixt was sent ouer to be Regent of France he met him in great loue at Amiens and hauing with him his two sisters he gaue the one of them in marriage to the Duke of Bedford But afterwards at the siege of Orleance they of the citie desired him to be a meane for them vnto the Duke of Bedford that the siege might be raised in regarde of the long emprisonment of their Lord the Duke of Orleance to whom the counsaile of England had promised in the meane time to leaue all and euerie part of his landes and townes vndisquieted whether it were so or no once Duke Philip dealt earnestly with the D. of Bedforde his brother in law in that behalfe but being therein absolutely refused he commaunded by a Heralde all the Gentlemen of his Countrey that were with the English men at that siege to depart thence from that time forwarde declined by litle and litle in affection and at length declared him selfe absolutely French He was a vertuous Prince and gouerned his Subiectes in great peace and quietnesse and finally in the extremitie of his age dyed in the yeere 1466. and was with great magnificence buried at Bruges in Flaunders Charles surnamed the Hardy sonne to Philip the good was borne at Dyion in the yeere 1433. he had likewise three wiues Katherine daughter to Charles the seuenth king of France Isabell daughter to Charles Duke of Burbon by whom he had the Lady Marie that inherited his dominions and lastly Margaret sister to Edward the fourth king of England He was a Prince that hated rest and was altogether enclined to vnquietnesse and warres His father yet liuing he ouerthrew in a bloody cruel fought feelde Lewes the. 11. king of France at the battaile of Montelhery in the yeere 1465. with whom making afterwards peace he warred vpon those of Lyege that had chased out
Histories but obscurely touched by the Author in this Treatise which I thought fitte to annex for the greater delight of those that shall reade it especially Gentlewomen and those that are vnacquainted with such historicall discourses There are some sacred Histories which I do but brieflie touch referring the Reader for the better vnderstanding them to the holy Bible whence they are taken imagining that they are or at least ought to be familiarly knowen to all CAIN through enuie that the offering of his brother Abel was more pleasing and acceptable vnto God then his murdered him and was the first that embrewed his handes with humane blood Sampson being by Delilah entreated to tell him wherein the greatnes of his strength consisted discouered it vnto her and was by her betrayed vnto the Philistians who tooke him and put out his eyes brought him downe to Azzah bound him with fetters and made him to grinde in the prison house and when they were merrie in a banket they called him one day foorth in derision and set him betweene two Pillars which grasping in his armes he pulled downe and together with the same the Pallace burying vnder the ruines thereof himselfe and an innumerable number of the Philistians Hercules the famous Grecian begotten by Iupiter vpon Alcumena wife of Amphitrion extreamely louing the beautifull virgin Deianira daughter to Oeneus King of Calidonia comming to her fathers Court to demaunde her in mariage with the terrour of his presence caused sundrie youthful Princes that pursued her loue to desist their suite Onely K. Achelaus preferring his loue to the delicious Princesse before all death and danger whatsoeuer refused to yeelde his clayme and interest to youthfull Hercules but after scornefull wordes vpbrayding him of bastardie came to ioyne with him in Armes but being wounded ouerthrowen was constreined to yeelde and to leaue the young Ladie as a rewarde to the victorie of Hercules who rauished with extreamnesse of ioy returning with his beloued pray to his fathers Kingdome was retarded by the ouerflowing of the Riuer Euenus about the shoares of which as he walked to see if he coulde finde any Foorde or passage he met with Nessus a Centaure who bearing from the girdle vpwarde the shape of a Man and thence downwarde of an Horse was exceedingly enflamed with the loue of Deianira and with an humble dissembled looke offered so Hercules coulde make shift to swimme or passe the riuer himselfe that he would vppon his backe safely transport his Lady Hercules thankfully accepted his offer committing vnto him his fearfully trembling Lady and throwing off his quiuer and bowe to the farther side of the riuer betooke himselfe vnto the streame which hauing past and taken vp againe his bow and arrowes he heard his Lady in lamentable accent cry for helpe with whom the trayterous Centaure ran away with all possible speede but Hercules taking heedfully his leuell pursued him in such sort with an Arrow that he strake him in the chine of the backe a mortall wound which Nessus feeling in the instant of death meditating reuēge gaue vnto Deianeira the shirt which he ware bestained and infected with his owne blood which issued out of his body mingled with poyson because the arrow with which he was wounded had bin by Hercules dipped in the contagious blood of the serpent Hydra which shirte he tould her that if she should at any time send vnto her husband when he should be in loue with any other Lady would reclame his loue from the other to her alone The Lady receiued it and with secrecie many yeeres did keepe it as a iewell of rare and singular price It happened after that Hercules amid his great victories with fame of which he filled the world chaunced to beholde the admirable Iole the fairest and most goodly virgin that the world in that age affoorded Her he honored and loued and at length obteined The greefe of which so deeply wounded the gentle hart of Deianeira that neuer poore Lady liued more abandoned ouer to sorow One day it chaunced that her husbande being to doe sacrifice to Iupiter vpon the mountaine Ceneus sent vnto her his faithfull and trusty seruant Licas for certaine rich and sacred garments that of purpose he kept to were at such times as he did sacrifice vnto the gods The innocent Lady sent him those superstitious ornaments which he required and withall bethinking herselfe of the dying Centaurs gift sent him by Licas the enuenomed shirt beseeching him for her sake to weare it which he had no sooner put on but the venom so ragingly pearsed euen to his very intrals that thinking to teare it of he pulled therewith away great gobbets of his owne flesh and so furiously laying handes vpon guiltlesse Licas and tearing him to peeces bequeathing to his deare freend Philoctetes his bowe and fatall arrowes he threw himselfe into a fire which he had made vpon the mountaine Oeta and there sacrificed him selfe which Deianeira hearing after many detestations and maledictions of her selfe concluded with a violent and desperat death her miserable and hated life Iulius Caesar hauing victoriously brought vnder the yoke of the Romane empire Germanie Fraunce England Scotland and Spaine and filled the whole circuit of the world with the greatnes of his renowne demaunded by letters the Consulship suborning and brybing with money in that behalfe sundry great personages in Rome but so formidable grew the report of his ambitious greatnes to the Romaine senate that they sent him worde that if he would leaue his forces behinde and come vnarmed and peaceable to the citie they would graunt that or any other his lawful request but perticularly they commaunded him not to passe the riuer of Rubicon with his armie threatning him if he should otherwise do to holde him as an enemie to his countrie but he scornefully disdaining this commaundement of theirs and exceedingly enuying the greatnesse of Pompeis glory who bare the greatest sway and gouernment at Rome passed the Riuer with his armie and came still conquering vp into Italy the terror of whose approche wrought such astonishment in Rome that Pompie with the greatest part of the Senatours and nobilitie fledde whom Caesar after hauing taken possession of Rome pursued and finally ouerthrew at the battaile of Pharsalia and thence passed conquering into Fgipt where he subdued young Potolome the K. that rose in armes against him he placed faire Cleopatra in the royall seate with whom he liued a while in amorous delights and had by her a sonne called Casario who was afterwardes murdered by Octauian thence hauing taken order with matters of the Orient he returned in triumph to Rome where he vsed incredible liberalities to the people pardoning his greatest enemies and those that had been sharpest in warre against him yea and some of them he honored with great dignities as among others Cassius and Brutus who were both made Pretors But so vnsure is the seat of honor especially being
of the towne their Prince and Bishoppe being his kinseman spoyling their countrie and taking their townes and bringing them to such extremitie that they were constreined to receiue their Bishoppe againe withal to appease the Duke with great summes of Money Comming thence there fell out new occasion of warres betweene him and the French king for pacification of which differentes it was agreed that the king and he should meete at Peronne there to expostulat their greefes in freendly sort one with another And that he should geue vnto the king a letter of assurance vnder his hand and seale which he did But the conclusion hereof was that the Duke being aduertised how the King had by his Embassadours secretly practised with those of Lyege to rebell tooke him prisoner and led him with him to the Citie of Lyege which being by streight confederation allyed to the King he caused after all maner of rigorous crueltie executed vpon the inhabitantes to be saccaged and burnt and then vpon new agreementes to his owne aduantage he dismissed the King In the yeere 1474. the olde Duke of Guilders being vilanously and vnnaturally taken by his Sonne Adolph and imprisoned in a dungion mooued sundry Christian Princes to compassion among the rest D. Charles who earnestly laboured to make an attonmēt betweene them but his sonne arrogantly refusing to heare of pacification was by the D. of Burgundie retayned in prison whose father shortly after dying gaue his Dukedome by Testament to Duke Charles who tooke thereof vnder this title forcible possession and those which are discended of him do yet enioy it Sweetned with this Dutchie and aspiring to greater matters in Germanie he went besieged the citie of Nuz which was succoured by the Germans and Swissers vnder the conduct of Frederike the Emperour so that he was constrained to raise his siege In despite of which assistance geuen by the Swissers he entred their Countrey with his Armie but was by them ouerthrowen and vanquished at a place called Granson This day was the first of the Dukes misfortunes with which euen vntill his dying day he was perpetually pursued Encouraged with which victorie on euerie side new forces came out of Germanie to the Armie of the Swissers the D. of Lorayne him selfe in person Yet all this dismayed not the D. of Burgundie who hauing refreshed his Armie set vpon them the seconde time at a place called Morat but was as before vanquished againe and was constreyned to flie with the losse of 8000. of his men slayne in the Feelde Presently the Duke of Lorayne marched in all expedition to Nansie that helde for the Duke of Burgundie which rendred vnto him vpon composition Within two dayes after the D. Charles arriued with an vndismayed courage and full resolution to attempt Fortune agayne Among the rest that had credite about him was one Campobache an Italian Counte at home in his countrey poore and of no reuenew but by the D. aduaunced to great commaundement in his Armie and made Captaine of 400. men at armes who seeing the cruel misfortunes befallen to his Maister began presently to enter into practise with the D. of Lorayne about the merchandize of his Maisters lyfe the price of which he made 20000. Crownes and an Earldome this he promised and the same being accepted he did as villanously performe it For this battayle of Nansie was no sooner began but he with his 400. Italian Horsemen fled to the other side the amazement of which did so terrifie the Duke of Burgundies Armie being twise alredie beaten and discouraged that they presently fledde and the Duke him selfe was found in the feeld slaine mangled with many woundes for the villaine Campobache had hired 14. or 15. of his cutthrote traytors to watch the Duke at an inch to the ende that he would be sure he should not escape Mary his onely daughter and heire succeding her father in the Dukedomes of Burgundie and Brabant and the Earledomes of Flaunders Henault Artois Holland Zeland Frizland c. was by the consent of her Subiectes especially those of Gaunt in whose hands since her fathers death she had remained maried to young Maximilian Archduke of Austria and sonne to Frederike the Emperour of that name the third to whom hauing borne three children Philippe Margaret Francis who in his infancie deceassed she died in the fairest springing blossom of her youth being not aboue .xxiij. yeeres of age lies buried at Bruges Some do attribute her death to the fal of an Horse true it is she fell but the Author who was of great authoritie about her doth rather attribute it to some greeuous impression of sorow Philippe de Comines likewise seemeth to doubt whether she died of that fall or no. Don Iohn second of that name king of Castile had in first mariage Mary daughter to Ferdinand K. of Arragon by her he had a sonne called Henrie that succeded him and a daughter that died young His wife dying he tooke in second marriage Isabell daughter to Don Iohn infant of Portingale by whom he had a sonne called Alonso that died young and a daughter called Isabell and then dying in the yeere 1454. was by his sonne Henrie the. 4. succeeded in the royaltie who maried Iane daughter to Edward King of Portingale who bare vnto him a daughter likewise called Iane who though she proued a Princesse of much wisedome great beautie and many other excellent partes yet through a rumour of the Kinges impotencie in matter of generation Isabel sister to the king was by her faction proclaimed Heire apparant to the Crowne the young Princesse declared to be a bastard begotten vpon the Queene by Don Beltran D. of Abuquerque and by and by a mariage motioned betweene young Ferdinand Prince of Arragon and the Lady Isabell which was effected priuately in Duenas These matters were greeuous vnto the king but remedie it he could not In the ende he died and Ferdinand and Isabell were without contradiction obeyed in Castile which reprochfull iniurie the poore Princesse bearing with exceeding patience though many great mariages were offered her refused them all and betooke herselfe to a Monastery wherin she ended peaceably her dayes They began their reigne in the yeere 1474. and continued the same many yeeres in great glorie both of warre and peace They expelled the Moores out of Spaine and subdued the kingdome of Naples deliuering thereof a quiet possession to their successors which yet do enioy it They had betweene them a sonne whose name was Iohn a Prince of exceeding towardnes or rather singular perfection They maried him to Margaret daughter to Maximilian of Austria by the Lady Mary the before remembred Dutchesse of Burgundy but soone after the marriage he dyed for whom there was made such exceeding lamentation as by report of sundry Authors the like in the worlde was neuer heard of for besids the dolefull mourning of the Nobilitie Gentlemen so generall a greefe was