greatest indignity even to the reducing him to much indigence of all things fit for him I find in the Life of this most Wife King an act of Clemency more then Royal. There having been discovery made of a grand Conspiracy against his Life and State and the Authors taken when the Lords were assembled together to Sentence them to Death he caused those Wretches to be splendidly entertained and the next day admitted to the Sacred Communion then would needs have them be set free saying They could not put those to Death whom Jesus Christ had newly received at his Table This year William IV. Duke of Aquitain and Earl of Poitiers died and his eldest Son William V. surnamed the Gross took the Goverment of his Country The Widow Dutchess second Wife of William IV. having Children to gain assistance against those of the first Bed Married Geofrey Martel a most valiant Prince the Son of Fulk Earl of Anjou Year of our Lord 1025 The year after Richard the Good Duke of Normandy ended his days and for Successor Year of our Lord 1026 had Richard III. his eldest Son Year of our Lord 1027 Othe-William Earl of Burgundy left this World likewise and his Son Renauld possessed his Estates An enraged Passion to govern Armed Baldwin then surnamed the Frison and afterwards the Debonnaire against Bearded Baldwin his own Father Earl of Flanders so that he drove him out of his Country This unnatural Son valuing himself highly on the Alliance of King Robert whose Daughter he had Married but who nevertheless did not countenance his impiety Richard III. Duke of Normandy others affirm it was Robert received the old banished Man and restored him to his Earldom but he could not totally supress the Partialities in those Countries where some still sided with the Son as others stood up for the Father Year of our Lord 1028 The 17th of September the young King Hugh died in the Flower of his Age bemoaned of all Europe for his rare and lovely Qualities which had acquired him so great Reputation that he could hardly have made it good if he had longer survived King Robert had three more Sons remaining Henry Robert and Eudes Some Year of our Lord 1028 29. say that Eudes was the eldest of them all However it were the King after the Death of Hugh would have Henry Crowned but Queen Constance by a depraved appetite had undertaken to put Robert in the Throne The Fathers Authority and Reason carried it for Henry amongst the French Lords and yet this Womans Obstinacy could not acquiesce but caused many Tumults her Husband not being able to prevent her even in his Life time from contriving a great Conspiracy to dethrone the eldest and place the younger in his stead ROBERT and HENRY his Son Aged some Eighteen years Year of our Lord 1029 RIchard III. Duke of Normandy having Reigned but two years died of Poyson by by his Brother named Robert who after his death enjoyed the Dukedom obtained Year of our Lord 1028 by Fratricide Year of our Lord 1029 30. In the year 1029. and 30. there began a great War between Eudes Earl of Champagne Chartres and Tours and Fulk Earl of Anjou because Fulk fortified the Castle of Montrichard which Eudes said did belong to the Country of Touraine After some Rencounters they came to a pitched Battle each being at the head of his Army the loss was great on either side but the Angevin obtained the Victory Year of our Lord 1030 31 and the following Though King Robert commonly permitted the liberty of Elections yet the Bishop of Langres being dead he by his absolute Authority substituted another as having need of one wholly at his Devotion in that place to help him in the bridling and containing of Burgundy The Canons having Poysoned this he put in a second there which excited so great trouble amongst the Clergy of that Diocess that he was forced to send his Son to install the last promoted and to secure him from their Attempts Year of our Lord 1033 Whilst Henry was in that Country hapned a great Eclipse of the Sun and Robert his Father was seized with a Distemper whereof he died the 20th of July in the year 1033. having lived Sixty one years of which he Reigned Forty five and an half that was Nine and an half with his Father and Thirty six since his death He had four Children living three Sons Henry who had the Crown Eudes who contended with him for it and Robert who was Duke of Burgundy and one Daughter named Adeleida who Married Baldwin Earl of Flanders It was no fault of his Government that France was not compleatly happy he gave his Subjects what depended upon him Justice and Peace but had the unhappiness to see a Famine three times and after that a Plague make great destruction in his Dominions the first in Anno 1007. the second Anno 1010. and the third from the year 1030 to 1033. The first was general over all Europe and the last so severe in France that many People were seen to dig up dead Carkasses for Food to go a hunting after little Children and lie in wait at the corners of Woods like Beasts of Prey to devour Passengers Nay there was a Man so possessed with the covetous desire of gain more cruel then the Famine it self that he exposed Human Flesh to sale in the City of Tournus but that detestable Prodigy was by them expiated in the Flames Henry I. King XXXVII POPES BENEDICT IX A young Boy intruded in December 1033. S. near Ten years Three Anti-Popes the same BENEDICT SYLVESTER and GREGORY VI. Elected after the Abdication of BENEDICT Anno 1044. S. Two years CLEMENT VII Named by the Emperor Anno 1046. S. Nine Months DAMASUS II. Elected in 1048. S. Twenty three days LEO IX After Five Months vacancy Elected in Feb. 1049. S. Five years two Months VICTOR II. Named by the Emperor Anno 1054. S. Three years STEPHANUS X. Elected in August 1057. S. Eight Months NICHOLAS II. Elected in 1058. S. Two years six Months Year of our Lord 1033 THe first and most capital Enemy against this King was his own Mother who continuing to the prejudice of his Fathers Declaration and the right of Nature to endeavour to set the Crown upon the Head of Robert her beloved Son raised a good Party of the Grandees against him particularly Baldwin Earl of Flanders and Eudes Earl of Champagne bestowing the City of Sens upon this last to engage him to her Party But Henry whose Resolution was above his Age went himself being the Twelfth to Robert Duke of Normandy to implore his Assistance The Duke by Motives of Fidelity or hatred against the Champenois aided him with all his Forces With which having in a short time defeated the Queen's in several Rencounters and taken the Rebels Holds he unlinked the whole Party and reduced her in despite of all her Projects to live quietly with him The War ended
he even left them there two Months without joyning them as he had promised They were fain to go and find him out at Vennes He was mightily perplexed for the Breton Lords even those who were the most affectionate being tired with suffering under strangers and the miseries of War and withal revolted from him by the intrigues of Clisson and the credit of Beaumanoir would peremptorily have him agree with France in effect they compell'd him to make a Peace with the King to dismiss the English and renounce their Alliance and also gave such cautions as obliged him to make good this Treaty They did not breed up the young King conformable to the good instructions of his Father but according to the inclinations of his age and airy Nature to Hunting Dancing and running about here and there One day when he was Hunting in the Forest of Senlis a large Stag was rowzed which he would not pursue with his Dogs but took him a Toil They found about his Neck a Copper Coller Gilt with an Inscription in Latine which imported * that Casar had given him it The young King because of this or for that in a Dream he had been carried up into the ✚ Air by a Stagg that had wings took two Staggs Volant for Supporters to the Arms of France Before him our Kings had Flowers-de-Luce Sans number in their Scutcheon he reduced them to three we do not know wherefore Year of our Lord 1381 The Children of the Navarrois to wit his Eldest and his Second Son and one Daughter who had been taken in one of his places of Normandy being yet prisoner the wicked King hired an Englishman to poison the Dukes of Berry and Burgundy in revenge for that they hindred their being set at liberty This wretched fellow was discover'd and quarter'd alive Nevertheless John King of Castille the Son of Henry importun'd by the continual sollicitations of his Sister who Married the Infant of Navarre interceded so effectually with the Kings Uncles that they released those innocent Children of a very wicked Father Year of our Lord 1381 The meanness and condescentions of the two Popes towards those Princes of their parties to attain their ends was a most lamentable thing nor can it without indignation be express'd what exaction and violence they committed on the Clergy and those Churches of their dependance The six and thirty Cardinals of Avignon were so many Tyrants to whom Clement gave all sorts of Licence They had Proctors every where with Grants of Reversions who snapp'd up all the Benesices the Claustral Offices the Commandery's retained the best of them and sold the rest or gave them upon pension or rather Farmed them out Clement himself besides his seizing upon all that any Bishop or Abbot left after his death besides his taking a years Revenue of each Benesice upon every change whether it hapned by vacancy or by resignation or by permutation ravaged the Gallican Church by infinite Concussions and extraordinary Taxes Good People bewailed these disorders there were none but Purloiners that wished they might be continued and nothing but the particular Interests of Princes kept this Schisme still on foot Clement allowed the Duke of Anjou the Levying of the Tenths and the Duke allowed of all his pilserings and violently reproved all those that durst complain This unjust proceeding rather then the Justice of Vrbans party was the cause why many of the principal Doctors of the Faculty put themselves under the Obedience of that Pope and also made the University begin to desire and demand a Council as the Sovereign remedy for all these mischiefs Year of our Lord 1381 The Duke of Berry angry that he had no part in the Affairs his Father-in-law the Earl of Armagnac perswades him to demand the Government of Languedoc as then in the hands of his Enemy the Count de Foix. The Council consents to his demand but the Count armed to maintain himself and the Province where he was as much beloved for his Justice and his Generosity as the Duke of Berry was hated for his Thievery stuck close to him The Duke with an Army to take possession by force the Count beat him foundly near the City of Rabasteins but after he had let him know he was able to keep his Government he yielded it up to him that he might not be the ruine of those that defended him Year of our Lord 1381 John Lyon chief of the White Hats had so blown up the troubles in Flanders that his death could not extinguish the Flame Most part of good Towns in that Countrey had joyned themselves to the Ghentois the Peace the Duke of Burgundy had made betwixt them and the Earl his Father-in-law lasted but a very short time the Earl goes secretly out of Ghent and the Gentry combine against the Cities Ghent had all manner of ill success but neither their being thrice let Blood which cost above Fifteen thousand Lives nor Waste nor Famine nor being fortaken by the other Cities nor yet the miseries of two Sieges could quell those stubborn obstinate lovers of their liberty After the loss of most of their stoutest Leaders they chose one named Peter du Bois and upon his perswasions another also to wit Philip d'Artevelle Son of that James formerly mentioned much richer then his Father but less crafty and much prouder This last took the upper-hand and pretended to all the Functions of a Sovereign Year of our Lord 1384 Although they had promised the People to take off the Imposts the Regent nor the Treasurers who Governed him could not resolve upon 't The great Cities took up Arms to oppose it Peter de Villiers and John de Marais Persons venerable with the People and also very much regarded by the Regent somewhat appeased the commotion at Paris but could by no means perswade them to suffer those new Levies The Burghers took Arms set Guards at the Gates created Diseniers Cinquanteniers Centeniers and made some Companies to keep the Avenues and Passages to the City free Year of our Lord 1381 The Duke of Anjou was therefore forced to dissemble for the present but he had not resolved to let go the thing thus and intended only to wait till their heats were grown colder to go on as before It hapned the following year that having published the Farming of those at the Chastellet one of the Officers belonging to the Farmers demanding a Denier of an Herb-Woman for a bundle of Cresles the Rabble gathered together upon the noise this Woman made grew into fury went and broke open the Town-Hall to get Arms and took out three or four thousand iron Maillets or Hammers for which cause this seditious crew were named the Malletiers After this they massacred all that were concerned to gather it plundred their Houses and razed them open'd the Prisons and took out all the Criminals amongst others Hugh Aubriot Prevost of Paris whom they made their Captain but
such as lay aside a great many Wares but can never find Money to pay or fetch them away The following Month he sent to Summon the King to perform what he had promised by the Treaty which was to restore the banished Milanese the fifty thousand Florins for the Investiture the five hundred Lances to attend him into Italy whither he desired to go to take the Imperial Crown The King satisfied him in all things excepting the Payment which was not yet due but underhand he supported the Duke of Guelders against the Arch-Duke and put some jealousy into the Heads of the Pope and the Venetians insomuch as they prayed the Emperor not to enter into Italy with an Army The Pope having discover'd the Genius and the Conduct of these Princes being Proud and Presumptuous believed himself to be above them all in Understanding as well as in Dignity that therefore he could awe them with a Nod lead them as he pleased and in the end destroying them by one another drive them both out of Italy and govern alone himself And they on their Parts were weak enough to believe they could do nothing without him and so by their fears encreased his Power He made the King set a great Value upon the Power he gave him to dispose of the Benefices in Milanois and the two Cardinals Caps the one for the Nephew of the Cardinal d'Amboise the other for la Trimovilles and therefore for this he in return obtained that the King should employ his Forces to recover Bologna for him out of the Hands of John Bentivoglio This Lord finding himself assaulted by him who had ever been his Protector intreated him at least to interceed with his Holyness that he might have the liberty to go out of the Town Year of our Lord 1506 and carry his Goods along with him Julius did not seem to be a jot the better pleased with the French but on the contrary he despised the King and the Nation though he had very great obligations to them besides For in the time of Pope Alexander his Capital Enemy he found his Refuge in France and a great deal of kindness from Lewis six years together but far from bearing in mind so many Favors this good Prelate when his Brain was pretty well warmed with Wine it evaporated in Discourses injurious both to the King and Kingdom of France The King and Courtiers were not wanting in their returns by reparties so much the more picquant as they were Ingenious and which left their tormenting Stings in his haughty and implacable Soul Year of our Lord 1507 The first important Occasion wherein they perceived his hatred was about the Affairs of Genoa where his Emissaries by their contrivance turned a Commotion which hapned betwixt the Nobility and the People into a down-right revolt against the King The mutinous Rabble being at perpetual Discord with the very insolent Nobless chose eight Tribunes under whose Authority they took those Places which Lewis de Fiesque held along the River and far from restoring them as the King commanded besieged Monaco so that Ravestein not thinking himself secure at Genoa went thence and then they Elected a Duke who was only a simple Dyer named Paul de Nova The Pope had omitted no under-hand Devices to excite this Rebellion The Emperor on his Part had blown up this Flame as much as it was possible and yet both the one and the other left these Wretches in the Perils they had drawn them to They had raised a Fort to defend the Passage into the Mountains which surrounds their City and had posted themselves near it with all their Militia The King presenting himself with twenty thousand fighting Men Master'd it at the first Assault and put their Army to a Rout which astonished them so much that they brought him the Keys of their Town without any Composition Year of our Lord 1507 Two days after which was the twenty ninth of April he made his Entrance in Arms having his Back and Breast-piece on his Sword drawn in his Hand all the People crying out for Pardon and Mercy and the Women and Children cloathed in White casting themselves down at his Feet Their Crime was expiated only by the Blood of Demetrius Justinian of Paul de Nova and a fine of three hundred thousand Ducats which was laid out in building of Castles to bridle them The King's Clemency pardoned all the rest and made them experiment the truth of that Devise which he had on his Coat of Armour the Day he made his Entrance It was a King of the Bees surrounded with his Swarm with these apt Words Non utitur aculeo Rex cui paremus Year of our Lord 1507 It would have been facile for him with a Victorious Army and in the astonishment it gave to all Italy to have made a mighty Progress which way soever he would have turned his Sword but he was so fearful of displeasing the Pope and of drawing the Innundation of all Germany upon Milanois very much exasperated against him by some Speeches of Maximilians in their Diet that to avoid all jealousy both in the one and other that he designed any Enterprize he disbanded his Forces He had likewise returned immediately into France had he not waited for King Ferdinand who desired to confer with him The Arch-Duke Philip died in the five and twentieth of September in the foregoing Year being eight and twenty years old By his Testament he left Charles his eldest Son under the Protection of King Lewis and desired him to take the Guardianship which he generously did and had so great and particular a care of his Education assigning him Philip de Crovi-Chevres a most ingenious Lord for his Governor that he made him much more able and knowing then consisted with the benefit of France Jane de Castille his Wife who before had her Mind a little discomposed was so concerned at his Death that she lost all her Wits and Reason she being therefore uncapable to Govern Ferdinand parted from Naples where he had been to take Possession to come and administer the Kingdoms of his Grand-Son In his Passage he conferr'd with the King at Savonna each of them treated the other with all imaginable Honour and Token of reciprocal Affection King Lewis went first to visit Ferdinand in his Galley Ferdinand came to see him in his House putting themselves thus into one anothers Power without any precaution They Swear upon the most Holy Sacrament to keep the Peace but the Event made it apparent that on Ferdinand's Side it was but feigned he stood no longer in need of the Friendship of Lewis the jealousy of the Arch-Duke which had before troubled him was now vanisht with his Life The German Princes were much heated in the Diet of Constance against the King they were made to believe that he dispised them and that the Army he had Marched over the Mountains to Chastize the Genoese were to invade all Italy In this beliefe they
and desired that his Edict might be verified without any modification The Officers belonging to the King did notwithstanding delay the dispatch of it and essay'd to put some stop to the verification but the King having sent for them treated them with rough Language and enjoyned them to set about it that very day they were therefore forced to obey Year of our Lord 1604 Thus the ignominy of the Jesuits banishment served to heighten the glory of their return and to procure them a more noble establishment For in lieu of month January ten or twelve Colledges which they had before in a short time they got eight or nine additional ones in the best Cities of the Kingdom as invited with great civility by divers and admitted into others by force of Orders and Interest of Friends they now saw themselves installed in a Royal Palace which they made their most sumptuous Colledge And that condition in the Edict which obliged them to have always attending upon the King one of their Society a Frenchman and sufficiently authorized amongst them to serve him as a Preacher or Chaplain and to be responsible for the actions of the Company instead of blemishing as those imagin'd who had thrust it in proved to them the greatest honour they possibly could desire for it impowred them to give Confessors to the King Father Cotton was the first of theirs that held that place all honest people did mightily rejoyce imagining he could shew no connivence for the Year of our Lord 1604 Kings amours but that he would make use together with his mildness and prudence of the power of his Ministery which certainly was most necessary to cure him of an infirmity that was become habitual He did not want for qualities proper to make him successful either within the sphear of the Court or of the wider World his circumspection his complaisance and dexterity to lay hold of time and opportunities did soon insinuate into the Kings favour and oft-times into his very bosom and most retired thoughts Year of our Lord 1605 I shall say once for all the Credit of these Jesuits was so great at Court that the following year they prevailed to have that Pyramid demolished upon one face whereof was engraved the Sentence of Chastels Condemnation and their Banishment and on the other three divers Inscriptions in Verse and Prose very byting and very injurious to them To take away the Brand-mark from the forehead of the Society they must pull down that Monument which taught men to curse that hellish Parricide It was desired it might have been done by a Decree of Parliament but when they found the Sentiments of that great Company were quite contrary they did it without further application to them tho not without giving the World a just occasion to speak variously concerning it In the place of that Pyramid they made a Conduit or Fountain all whose streams of Water though cleer and plentiful shall never be able to wash away the memory of so horrid a Crime Year of our Lord 1604 At the beginning of the year the death of Madam Catherine Dutchess of month February Bar interrupted the divertisements of the Court and cloathed it in Mourning A tumor in her Womb which her Physicians Flatterers and Ignorants affirmed to be a true conception and treated her accordingly made her lose her life the thirteenth day of February in the City of Nancy To be reconciled with her Husband she had divers times suffer'd disputes of Religion between some of the Catholick Doctors and her Ministers but with no other success then what the like Conferences are wont to produce viz. to make the truth more obscure She had also given some hopes that she should be instructed not withstanding she obstinately persisted in her first belief to her very death month March and April The secret consultations and resolutions of the Council of France were known to the Council of Spain almost as soon as they were taken the King was mightily troubled at it and knew not at whose door to lay the blame the discovery of the Treachery of Nicholas l'Hoste brought it to light This was a young Clerk of Villeroy's whom his Master employ'd in deciphering Letters and dispatches He was Son of one his Domesticks and his own Godson he bred him up in his own house and for his first employment placed him with Rochepot whilst he was Ambassador in Spain In that Country a Frenchman named Rasis a Native of Bourdeaux who for his having been too hot a Leaguer could not attain the Kings permission to remain in France and therefore was retired to Madrid corrupted and prevail'd with him to accept a Pension of twelve hundred Crowns to betray the secrets of his Master and after his return into France he continued to earn it by the same infidelity Now Rasis at length finding they neglected to pay him his own allowance discover'd this intrigue to Barraut the French Ambassador Barraut assured him of a good reward and to get a pardon for him In effect they sent him one immediately but when he found it was Signed by Villeroy he judged it would not be safe for him to stay any longer in Spain and desired to be gone at soonest The Ambassador therefore lent him Money and his Secretary to conduct him into France His fears were just for so soon as the Council of Spain knew of their departure they gave notice of it to their Ambassador in France by an express Courrier who got thither two dayes before them They did not find Villeroy at Paris but at a house of his own name on his way to Fontainbleau where the Court was He did not think fit to send presently to apprehend l'Hoste who was yet at Paris till he had first spoken to the King the next day l'Hoste came to Fontainebleau but as soon as he spied Rasis he immediately slunk away the Spanish Ambassador having appointed a Flemming to conduct him to the Low-Countries by Champagne The Provost des Mareschaux hastens to overtake them and pursues him so month May. Close that the unfortunate fellow had not time to get into the Ferry-boat hard by la Ferté but hearing the noise of Horses it was in the night ventures to wade cross the Marne and was drowned It is not known whether by chance or dispair or whether his Guide played him that fly trick to prevent the discovery of his Accomplices His Body was brought to Paris the Parliament made Year of our Lord 1604 his Process and Condemned him to be drawn by four Horses in Gréve which was Executed the nineteenth of May. Such as were Enemies to Villeroy rejoyced at this misfortune they would willingly have charged his Servants fault on him but not daring to Accuse him of infidelity they taxed him with negligence The King was for some days a little reserved towards him however considering his great and real grief and the necessity of his Services instead of adding to his affliction he
execute upon her CLOTAIRE II. called the GREAT remains sole King Aged 32 or 33 years Year of our Lord 614 Thus for the Second time were all the parts of France restored to one hand but Clotaire himself Governed only Neustria for Austrasia and Burgundy would needs retain the Title of a Kingdom and their distinct Officers Varnaquier was Mayer of Burgundy Radom of Austrasia and they Ruled as Vice-Roys He had given the Office of Patrician or Governour in the Dutchy Transjurane to Duke Herpin a very good Man to settle things with Order and Justice The Grandees of the Countrey fearing the Reformation might extend to them caused him to be slain by the People Clotaire going expresly into Alsatia punished that crime by the death of many that were guilty The Patrician Aletea had tampered in it with Count Herpin and Lendemond Bishop of Sion beside he grew so impudent as to send to tempt the Queen by that wicked Bishop to throw her self into his Arms with all the Kings Treasure endeavouring to make her believe the King would dye that year infallibly and that he being of the Royal Blood of the Burgundians would recover the Kingdom of Burgundy The Queen sad and allarmed having related this feigned Prophesie to her Husband the Bishop made his escape into the Monastery of Luxeu He had the good fortune to obtain his Pardon by the intercession of the Abbot Eustaise but Aletea being Commanded to Court to give an account of his actions could not justify himself and paid down his Head for it Year of our Lord 614 15 and the following Clotaire heving no more Enemies made it all his business to regulate his Kingdom and establish Law and Justice All those that had unjustly been thrust out of their Estates he restored again he abolished all Imposts that had been made without the consent of the French People by Brunehaud and Thierry revok'd all excessive Grants and resumed all that had been Usurped or Alienated from the Demesnes of the Crown enlarging the Fountain of his Revenues at the same time when he eased his Subjects â—or he had learned by Brunehaud's example that those people can easily forsake that Prince who oppresses them Year of our Lord 619 And likewise that he might keep Peace abroad he released the Lombards of the 12000 Crowns of Gold which they owed him for Tribute provided they paid him down in hand what was due for three years only Year of our Lord 620 Queen Bertrude a very good and most amiable Princess being dead Anno 620. he espoused Sichilda of whom he became so jealous that he caused a Lord named Boson to be killed who he imagined held too great a correspondence with her His eldest Son whether by Bertrude or by some other was then about Twelve years old He placed him under the Tuition of Arnulphus or Arnold Bishop of Mets to instruct him in good Literature and Virtue Year of our Lord 622 and 623. The Book of the Gests of Dagobert relates how one day this young Prince Hunting a Buck and that Beast taking Covert in the place where as then were the Reliques of St. Denis and his Companions a Divine power with-held the Dogs so that they could never break into the place That Dagobert some while afterwards having incurred the indignation of his Father because he had chastised the insolencies committed against him by Sadragisile Duke of Aquitain who was made his Governour or Tutor and remembring this Miracle put himself for security into the same place and that he found the same effect against those Men the King his Father sent to take him thence In acknowledgment of which miraculous protection he took the Holy Bodies out of that little Chappel which was then but ill adorned and much neglected and built them a magnificent Church and a fair Abby This Narrative to say no more is much suspected of falsity Year of our Lord 623 Austrasia more exposed to the Barbarian Nations then the other parts of France needed to have a King upon the place Clotaire gave this Kingdom to Dagobert under the Regiment of Pepin the Old who was Mayre of the Palace the Moderns call him Pepin de Landen and Arnold Bishop of Mets but reserved to himself all the Ardennes and the Vosge with the Cities of Aquitain which the Kings of Austrasia had possessed CLOTAIRE II. in Neustria and Burgundy DAGOBERT his Son in part of Austrasia aged 15 years Dagobert was 15 or 16 years of age when he began to Reign whilst he followed the wise Counsels of Pâ—pin and Arnold and afterwards of Cunibert Bishop of Colen his Life was an exemplar of Wisdom of Continency and of Justice Year of our Lord 624 The Nation of the Vencdes and Sclavonians inhabited originally that part of the European Sarmatia which is at this day called Prussia from whence in process of time they spread from the Scythian Sea even as far as the Elbe and from the Elbe as far as Bavaria and Hungary nay even into Greece and occupied Dalmatia and Liburnia which from their Name have to this day the appellation of Sclavonia There were above Thirty people Sclavonians those who possessed Carinthia Carniola and the other Countreys along the Danube were under the Dominion of the Avarois who were gotten into the Lands which the Lombards had forsaken when they passed over the Alpes The places near Italy obey'd the Lombards there were some of them free those that were under the subjection of the Avarois finding it heavy and tyrannical cast off the yoak and chose for their King one named Samon a French Merchant Native of the Bishoprick of Sens who Traded into their Countrey and appeared to them to be a Man of a good Head-piece It is believed be resided in Carinthia and that from thence he extended his Kingdom to the Elbe and at length to the confines of Turingia Year of our Lord 626 The fourth year of his Reign Dagobert is sent for by his Father who Marries him with Gomatrude Sister of Sicbilda his Wife The Nuptials were kept at the Palace de Clichy where his Festival ended in a quarrel between the Father and Son The last would have what his Father reserved to himself of that which belonged to the Kings of Austrasia The business put to a reference of Twelve French Lords the Son gained what he demanded except the Cities of Aquitain St. Arnold quits the Court and his Bishoprick to retire into Solitude where he passed the remainder of his most happy Life Cunibert Bishop of Colen a Prelate of great Merit took his place in the Councils of Dagobert and the friendship of Pepin Varnaquier was Deceased and his Son Godin killed by the Kings Command upon an accusation of the crime de Lâ—sae Majestatis brought against him by his Fathers Wife whom he had Married but was forced to part withal because such Incest was punishable with death Clâ—taire assembles the Estates of Burgundy at Troyes and asked whether
needs then have been very aged but it appears rather that she was Sister to Odillon Duke of Bavaria and Widow of some Lord of that Countrey as yet very beautiful since Martel would take the trouble of bringing her unless it were some affection he had for the Neece whom indeed he was Married unto some while after After divers Wars against the People beyond the Rhine of which we have no particulars Year of our Lord 730 hapned that against Aquitain Duke Eudes had broken the Treaty made with Charles and made a League with the Sarrazin Munuza giving him for pledge of this Union his Daughter Lampagia one of the most beautiful Princesses of those times This Munuza was Governour of the Spanish Countreys on this side the Hebrus but was revolted from Iscam who was Caliph Charles who was ever on Horseback having had intelligence that Eudes moved falls immediately into Aquitain and having sacked it all as far as the Garonne severely chastised him for his breach But he was not quit for all this for at the same time as Charles went out Abdiracman or Abderame Lieutenant-General of the Caliph Iscam in Spain being entred Year of our Lord 731 in another way after he had vanquished and taken Munuza prisoner in Cerdagne with his new Spouse traversed Aquitania Tertia perhaps not without fighting the Gascons who held it and forced and sacked the City of Burdeaux In this manner it was that Eudes drew the Sarracens into France which hath given occasion to some to write that they were called in Now he durst not wait for them beyond the Rivers but was retreated on this side the Dordogne and there being reconciled with Martel he assembled his Forces staying for him to come and joyn him with his French Men. Abderame would not allow him the time but pressing still forwards passed the River to attaque him in his Camp Year of our Lord 732 The Duke stood his ground and fought him as bravely as could be but in the end was overcome with inestimable loss of People However some small portions of this great wrack were left him with which he made his Retreat and came and joyned Martel's Army which had passed the Loire and were Encamped some say near Tours upon the River of Cher others a little on this side of Poitiers Abderame following his blow after he had sacked the City of Poitiers marched Year of our Lord 732 directly to Tours to plunder the Sepulchre of St. Martin in his way he meets with Martel who puts him to a full stop The two Armys having looked with threatning countenance upon each other seven days beginning first with several skirmishes at length came to a general Battle which was given upon a Saturday in the month of October The Saracens being light and nimble charged with much briskness but being ill Armed broke themselves against the great Battallions of the French who were sheltred under their Bucklers There were great numbers slain but not 375000 as hath been said for in their whole Army there were but 80 or 100000 Men. Abderame himself the General perished there The night parted the fray and favoured the Infidels who not daring to abide another days Engagement Retreated by long Marches into Septimania the French perceived very late that their Camp was forsaken but fearing some stratagem and withal being busie in getting together and sharing the Plunder which was very rich they did not endeavour to pursue them Year of our Lord 733 This great Victory secured Christendom which would have become a prey to the Barbarians if they had gained France which was its only Bulwark but it seems Charles did not make good use of this great advantage no more then of all those others that Heaven bestowed upon him when he gained his ends he set himself upon persecuting every thing that cast but the least shaddow upon his Grandeur even the very Prelats whom he banished and imprisoned taking away not only the Treasures and Revenues of the Churches to pay his Captains but likewise bestowing on them Abby's and Bishopricks for their reward so that there were many without Pastors and Monasteries were filled more with Soldiers then with Monks The Churches of Lyons of Vienne of Auxerre were destitute of their Bishops and dispoiled of their Goods which he had given to his Martial Officers as if they had been a Prize taken from the Enemy Upon his return from Aquitain he banished Eucher bishop of Orleans with some of his Kindred First to Colen then into the Countrey of Hesbain because he defended the Rights and Possessions of the Church with too much courage Five years before he had also banished Rigobert Bishoy of Reims who had refused him his Gates when he marched against Rainfroy Year of our Lord 733 The Kingdom of Burgundy did not as yet own his Commands perhaps Arnold the Son of Grimoald whom some believe was their Duke thought to hold the Sovereignty When he had conquered the Saracens he marches directly to them and brings all the Countrey into subjection Year of our Lord 734 With the like expedition he vanquished the Frisons killed their Duke Popon who succeeded Ratbod in a great Battle subjugated afterwards the Ostergow and the Westergow these are two Countreys in West Frisia pulled down all their Temples their Sacred Groves and their Idols and covered all the Land with slaughter and destruction and the rubbish of their Ruines Year of our Lord 735 The year following a new War was kindled betwixt him and the Duke of Aquitain this Duke having been compelled to make a very disadvantageons Treaty with Charles to procure assistance against the Saracens as soon as the danger was over scorned to keep his word Therefore Martel marches a third time into his Countrey and having followed him at the very heels with his drawn Sword from place to place without being able to catch him returned home loaden with spoil The same year Death ended the misfortunes of that Duke but not those of Aquitain He had two Sons Hunoud and Hatton some add Remistang who to others appears rather to be his Wives Brother He bestowed upon Hatton the County of Poitiers for his Portion Hunoud had all the rest of the First and Second Aquitain of which he took possession as if it had been an Hereditary and Independant Estate Charles who would have no other partaker soon returned again with his Army and marching quite thorough to the Garonne seized upon Blaye and some other places so that Hunoud was constrained to submit to his Will and receive the Dutchy from him as he had before from his Father giving his Oath both to him and to his Son Pepin Year of our Lord 737 His Celerity and his Valour did let nothing escape the same year he beat the Aquitain Forces and went and setled the Governours that had disturbed the City of Lyons and a part of Burgundy and proceeding forward made sure of Provence and put Governours into Arles and
it sacked all Picardy Artois Champagne and the Country of Messin often frighted Paris covered the Seine the Marne and the Loire with the Ashes of those Cities they consumed by Fire near those Streams and beat the French every where excepting at Chartres from whence they were repulsed by the protection of the Holy Virgin and the courage of Bishop Gosseaume and at Tonnere where one of their Parties was defeated by Richard Duke of Burgundy The foregoing year Lambert was killed by treachery as he was taking his pleasure in hunting by Hugo Earl of Milan The Western Empire remained vacant till the year 915. When Berenger was again Crowned by Pope John X. We may here place the Birth of the Kingdom of Arragon because about this time Sancho Abacca I. having extended his Kingdom of Navarre or Territory of Pampeluna towards Huesca and conquered all the rest of the Province of Arragon besides the Earldom of the same name which held already of him took the Title of King of Pampelune and Arragon Year of our Lord 911 In An. 911. hapned the Death of two Kings Rodolph of Burgundy beyond the Jour and Louis King of Germany The first left Rodolph II. his Son for Successor The second being only 19 or 20 years of age had only two Daughters Placidia or Plesance and Matilda who for Husbands had Conrard Duke of Franconia and Henry the Bird-Catcher Duke of Saxony and Son of Duke Otho The Lords of Lewis's Kingdom intending to bestow the Crown upon this Otho he excused himself upon the Score of his great Age and generously advised them to Elect Conrad Duke of Franconia though he had been his Enemy Charles the Simple in France Conrad in Germany Louis in Provence Rodolph II. in Trans-jurane Berenger in Italy Year of our Lord 911 Rollo the great Captain did by little and little make himself familiar and friendly with Franco Arch-Bishop of Rouen Upon his intreaties he had twice or thrice granted a Truce The design of that vertuous Prelat was to convert him Rollo's was to attain the Soveraignty and of the head of those Pirats become a Legal Prince The French Lords had much ado to suffer such a Stranger to be setled thus in the best Country of the Kingdom But the People so long and often tormented by their plundrings and continued disturbance cried out to them to put a period to their miseries Besides Robert Earl of Paris who aspired to the Monarchy desired he might remain in that Station to have his assistance in time of need For these reasons Charles made a Truce with him during which he propounded to him to give him in propriety and with the Title of a Dutchy that part of Neustria between the Sea the River of Seine and the Epte which falls into the Seine with his Daughter Gisele in marriage if he would be converted and embrace Christianity Upon these conditions Rollo was Catechised and received holy Baptism upon Easter-Eve An. 912. Earl Robert was his God-Father and named him After this Year of our Lord 912 he went and did homage to the King for the Lands he gave him and then wedded the Princess his Daughter but she lived only a short time with him and brought him no Children Thus this Province which the Romans called Lugdunensis Secunda was dismembred from the propriety of the Kings of France But not from their Soveraignty and according to the name of it's new Inhabitants took that of Normandy As this was granted to them because they knew not how to drive them out so for the same reason they were released of the Homage and dependance of Bretagne because they were indeed Masters of it and pillag'd it when ever they pleased And withal by this means it was reduced to the Soveraignty of the Crown by subjecting it under a Duke that held it of the King Year of our Lord 913 The year following Rollo failed not to demand Homage of the Bretons with his Sword in hand Duke Alain Rebre ' or the Great had been dead six years and left his Children very young Those that govern'd them rather then let them derogate from their Soveraignty carried them out of the Country with some of the greatest Nobility And since that we find no meution of them in History Count Porhouet named Mathued who had married a Daughter of Alain's the Grand went into England with his Wife Berenger Earl of Rennes and Alain de Dol having defended themselves the best they could were at last constrained to bow the Knee before the Normans and shake hands with them There were besides in divers other parts of France especially in Bretagne Anjou and the Country of Maine and the Islands in the River Loire numbers of these people but in time following the example of Rollo they took Habitations and Naturalized themselves French but not without first doing a vast deal of mischief and for a long while after the settlement of these drew in fresh swarms from Denmark and Sweden who were no less ravenous and cruel though not so formidable as the first Year of our Lord 913. and 14. All the Grandees of Germany were not satisfied with the Election of Conrard Arnold Duke of Bavaria Proud for having vanquished the Hungarians in his Dutchy rose up against him with design to make himself King and not being able to compass it pretended to stickle that Charles might have it Year of our Lord 915 That King had it ever in his thoughts to Sieze again upon the Kingdom of Lorrian Now meeting this fit juncture and the assistance of Reiner Count of Ardennâ— who was very potent in those Countries he enters into Lorrain and makes himself Master of part of that Kingdom whereof he made him Governor with the Quality of a Duke Year of our Lord 916 Duke Rollo had repudiated Pope Daughter of the Earl of Bayeux to marry the Daughter of Charles the Bald that Princess being dead he takes his former wife again by whom he had two Children William and Gerlote or Gerloc Henry Duke of Saxony rebels against Conrad gains a Battel over Everard his Year of our Lord 916 Lieutenant and gives chase to Conrad himself whilst on the other side the Hungarians over-run even to Alsace burning the City of Basle and can have no stop put to them but by Sums of Money which Conrad is forced to give them Year of our Lord 917 An. 917. Died Rollo first Duke of Normandy for ever renowned for that severe justice and exact policy he establisht within his Dominions Where the very mention of his name is able to this day to stop the Progress of Villians and bring those that are such before the judgment Seat Some put off his death to the year 924. his Son William afterwards surnamed Long-Sword Succeeded him And because he was but yet a Minor Robert Earl of Paris God-Father to his Father undertook his Tuition Year of our Lord 918 The following year hapned the Death of
but he drew Vitry thither with an hundred and fifty Masters and Berdnrdine de Mendoza Ambassador from Spain sent for a hundred Horse In the City were the Princesses of Nemours Montpensier d'Aumale de Guise with her Daughter and some other Ladies of Quality the Spanish Ambassador the Archbishop of Lyons Keeper of the Seals for the League the Legat with all his Train and divers French Prelats besides the Cardinal de Gondy who though more Royalist then a Leaguer would not however forsake his Flock in their necessity but very charitably relieved them It would be very difficult to say which was greater either the vigilance and cares of the Governor or the zeal of the Parisians In a short time they had made great quantities of Powder repaired the breaches in their Walls cast up Breast-works and Mounts cover'd the Suburbs with great Intrenchments fixed Chains in every Street filled great numbers of Barrils with Earth to make Barricado's planted Posts Year of our Lord 1590. May. and Bars at all the Avenues cast seventy five pieces of Cannon wherewith he furnished the Rampiers and secur'd the River both above and below with Massive Chains which were held up by strong Estacado's and defended by Forts built on either hand The Parisians on their part gave the very Furniture of their Kitchins to found their Cannon each House provided a Labourer to work upon their Fortifications paid all the poor that put their helping hand exercised their Soldiery three times a week and which is more considerable admitted a Garison amongst them and saw their Country Houses ransack'd and destroy'd without murmurring Most of the Handicrafts-men and all Forreigners were gone out of the City the great Hostels were empty the substantial Citizens had sent their Families away yet there remained two hundred thousand Souls and but Provisions for one Month only at the rate of a pound of Bread a day for each Person besides fifteen hundred Muids of Oats and an hundred Muids of Pulse The King in the first place master'd the Bridges of Charenton and Sainct Cloud six young Parisians defended themselves three whole days in the Bridge-Tower of Charenton took Vincennes besieged St. Denis and placed Garisons of Light-Horsemen in all the strong Houses for seven or eight Leagues round about whence they beat the Roads night and day that nothing passing by the City might in short time be reduced to Famine This method after seven or eight days trial seeming too tedious he endeavour'd to draw the Besieged to a Battle and for that purpose order'd an attaque upon the Fauxbourg Sainct Laurence but there experimenting their brave defence and by some other great Skirmishes observing they had yet too much vigour to be forced within their Barricado's and their Commanders too much prudence to hazard themselves in the Field he returned to his former design of famishing them The Duke of Mayenne was gone to beg some assistance in Flanders where he had enough to do to endure the pride and affected slow pace of the Spanish Council In the condition he left Paris he did not believe it could hold out one Month and not being able to relieve it but by the aid of the Spaniards he feared he should lose it in saving it and that they would deliver it only to get it for themselves At the same time also happens the death of the old Cardinal de Bourbon who ended his days the Ninth of May at the Castle of Fontenay in Poitou under the guard of the Year of our Lord 1590. May. Lord de la Boulaye The King had put him into this Lords custody after the taking him out of the hands of the Lord de Chavigny who was both old and blind at the very time when the Lords of the League were bargaining with that good Man to set him at liberty This fresh accident put him to great trouble he was in need of a King to fix the Eyes and Veneration of the People he foresaw the Spaniard would press him to chuse one and he knew the difficulties that would arise on that side as also from the Chiefs of his own Party who hindred him from attaining it all his study was therefore to find out plausible delays to put off this Election and he did succeed therein as he desired but such proceeding ruin'd his Party The Heads of the League had wisely before-hand disposed the People so as that this death should cause no alteration The Faculty of Divinity consulted by the Prevost des Merchands and by some noted Bourgeois had made Answer That Henry of Bourbon could not because of the scandal and danger of his relapsing be admitted to the Crown if King Charles X. or any other lawful Successor should happen to die or yield him up his right or if even the said Prince should obtain Absolution and that those who died for so holy a Cause should gain the Palm of Martyrdom and be Crowned in Heaven as brave Defenders of the Faith At five weeks end the Duke of Mayenne could get of the Duke of Parma but four thousand Foot and two hundred Lances with which having joyned some two thousand month June French whom he pickt up or who were sent him by Balagny he advanced as far as Laon. Immediately the King goes from his Camp with five and twenty hundred Horse thinking to meet him in the Field and charge him the Duke had a hint of it and making use this time of great celerity got under shelter of the Walls of Laon. Whilst the King was harrassing him St. Pol being detached privately with eight hundred Horse and some Foot and having gotten together a pretty good Convoy of Provisions conducted it along the Banks of the Marne and put it into Paris before the King could get back to his Camp to prevent him During the Siege the War went on variously in the Provinces I shall mention only the most remarkable passages Francis de Roussel May-David surprized the Castle of Year of our Lord 1590. April May c. month April May c. Verneuil and likewise made himself Master of the City after a very bloody sight in which John de Dreux Morainville was slain who was said to be the last Male of the House of Dreux Issue of Lewis the Gross by Robert fifth Son of that King Lansac had a design upon Mans which was discover'd and his Troops defeated at Memers where they waited to see the event by Hertre Governor of Alencon He was more unfortunate yet in another Enterprize upon the Town of Mayenne having taken it and holding the Castle besieged the same Hertre and Montataire put him to the rout and cut off or took above twelve hundred Men of two thousand he commanded The Leagued Gentlemen of Bretagne surprized the City of Sable and attaqued the Castle Rambouillet whose Wife had been taken Prisoner in that place intreated the Nobless of the Country to assist him His two Brothers with as many as they could get together fell
Surrender till they had no more Earth left to cover themselves When the Spaniards were come in and found the Walls beaten quite down by the Cannon the Earth all torn up with their Mines and nothing remaining but Rubbish and Ruine they were but little satisfied for having bought so dear a little heap of Dust and Sand or rather a place of Burial which cost them above Ten Millions of Money Seventy thousand Men and Three hundred thousand Cannon-Shot not reck'ning the Cities of Rhimbergue Grave Sluce Ardembourg with the Forts of Issendre and Cadsant taken by Count Maurice whil'st they were pelting at this Siege In these times there hapned a not able Change in the Kingdom of Sweden The King Gustavus Eric-son had set up the Confession of Ausburg in the place of the Catholick Religion and bred his two Sons in that Profession namely John who succeeded him and Charles Duke of Sudermania John maintained the same yet notwithstanding whether he were not fully satisfied or were over-persuaded by his Wife Year of our Lord From the year 1602. until the year 1604. who was a Catholick he cansed Sigismond his Eldest Son to be bred up in that Religion Besides this Sigismond he had also another Son named John Sigismond was Elected King of Poland in the year 1587. during the Life of his Father and went into that Country the Second remained in Sweden Now when King John died in Anno 1592. he by Will either real or supposed left the Government of the Kingdom of Sweden to his Brother Charles this Prince making good use of the Assistance of the Lutherans to Exclude his Nephew and get into the Throne himself managed his Design so Prudently that he had the Government of the said Kingdom settled upon him by the Estates Anno 1595. and afterwards obliged them to take the Crown from the Sigismonds Anno 1599. And in fine after a War of some years to place it upon his Head Which was done this year 1604. Sigismond not being ever able to wrest it from him again so that after his Death it descended to the Great Gustavus his Son and to his Heirs Year of our Lord 1605 During the Balls and Mascarades which since the Peace ever began the year month January and February they went on with the Process against the Count d'Auvergne and his Complices with the more diligence because the Queen seemed to be a Party the King not to exasperate her shewed no less heat then she and the Parliament made all the dispatch they possibly could But the intentions of all three were very different for the Queens were to chastize a Mistress of the Kings that hereafter such as succeeded might dread her anger as for the Parliament such as minded Courtship more then to unriddle the hearts of Kings thought they did great service by proceeding with all severity and as for the King he had no mind to disgrace his Mistress for fear of distasting those by whom he expected to be obliged he only desired a thundring Arrest or Decree might pull down that haughty spirit and make her readily submit who of late treated him like a meer stranger and to his enjoyment opposed the fear of God and the prohibitions of her Confessor The Count d'Auvergne was Examined three times the King having given notice to the Parliament by his Attorney-General that they ought to have no regard to his pardon nor that Brevet he had granted him Entragues the Marchioness his Daughter and Morgan were likewise interrogated the Count laid all upon the Marchioness his Sister believing the King could never find in his heart to ruine her he cast all the reproaches on her he possibly could express and she upon him Entragues on the contrary did wholly acquit her and took all upon himself chusing rather to hazard three or four years of a languishing remainder of life for he was above seventy three years of age then to put his dear Daughter in danger of losing her head with ignominy The business was carried on with such heat that the first day of February there was an Arrest or Act which condemned the Count Entragues and month February Morgan to be beheaded in Greve and the Marchioness to be reclused in a Nunnery at Beaumont near Tours till more ample Information concerning her The Queen received much joy yet reaped not all the advantage she expected from this grand Arrest for the King acquainted the Court by his procurer or Sollicitor General that he desired the Sentence might be suspended till he had made a more narrow inspection When therefore he had humbled the haughty Marchioness by so terrible a Decree he began to show favour that he might obtain some from her and caused an instrument to be passed under the Great Seal which was verified in Parliament the three and twentieth of March giving her liberty to month March retire to her house of Vernueil After all this there were some people in Parliament so unacquainted with intrigues of this nature that they importun'd him for leave to pronounce Judgment but he eluded their pursuits by divers delays and at length by other instruments commuted the punishment of the Count and of Entragues to a perpetual imprisonment and then restored them to all their honours and estates though not to their month Septemb. Offices and Commands Soon after he allotted Entragues his house of Malesherbes for his Prison and as for Morgan he only banished him the Kingdom for ever Seven Months being pass'd and no new proofs coming in against the Marchioness for indeed who could have taken the pains to produce any the King gave her a Writing of the sixteenth of December which declared her perfectly innocent and imposed perpetual silence on his Sollicitor General touching that Fact The Count d'Auvergne being the most dangerous was therefore handled the worst they left him in the Bastille where he remained twelve years without any other consolation then what he received from good and ingenious Books the faithful compagnons for all Ages fortunes and places During these amorous intrigues which were managed as grand Affairs of State the King began to engage in affection with Jaquelina de Bueil whom he made Countess of Moret yet nevertheless he soon after recalled the Marchioness whose charming humour and conversation ever seasoned with pleasant railleries and picquant reflexions upon the other Court Ladies did most agreeably divert his mind from the too intense thoughts of his Affairs and vexations caused by the ill humors of his Wife but on the other hand it begot new Brouilleries every hour with her as also frequent punctillio's between the other Lords and Ladies of this Court a Subject much more worthy and fit for a Romance then such a Chronicle but which have occasion'd the most considerable Events in the Court of France since the Reign of Francis I. Year of our Lord 1605 As to the business of Ladies I must note that Queen Margaret having often earnestly desired permission to come
was drawn up and signed by the Witnesses then present The Ceremony being over and the Gates open'd the Count de Castro Ambassador of Spain came to congratulate the Senate upon their reconciliation with the Holy Father and the Cardinal went to celebrate Mass pontifically in the Patriarchal Church where were present the Senate and the Count de Castro the people flocking thither from all parts with incredible joy Those Bishops that had not submitted to the Censures received absolution likewise but whilst they were in dispute about the Conditions with those whom the Pope had preposed for this Affair they wholly abstained from Celebrating and thus in effect submitted to the interdict after all The Senate honoured such as had written in their defence with good Pensions and took them into their protection but their whole power and care was not enough to secure Fra Paolo from the malice of some Assassines who having watched him a long time surprized him one day as he was returning to his Monastery and wounded him in several places with a Stiletto but such care was taken in the cure that he recovered Afterwards he hung up the Stiletto before an Altar in the Church belonging to his Convent with this inscription Dei Filio liberatori not so much perhaps to Consecrate his acknowledgment to God as to immortalize the horror of that Assassinate and stir up the publick hatred against those who were believed to be the Authors I come now to the Truce between the Vnited Provinces and the King of Spain The two parties were extremely fatigated with a War of above forty years continuance they had both of them diversly resented the inconveniencies and did dread the Event the Spaniards had expended infinite Sums of Money and lost more Men then those Countries were worth They saw no probability of reducing them by force and apprehended withal that if they should chance to get too much advantage over them they might cast themselves into the Arms of the French for protection which would have drawn after them the other Provinces that were yet left them But the greatest of their fears was lest they should utterly ruine their Trade to the Indies and hinder the Arrival of their Flota's Year of our Lord 1606 which are their main subsistence Besides their Council imagined that as the War had served only to exasperate and harden those People the more and taught them better how to defend themselves a Peace would soften them by little and little recover their wonted communication and perhaps incline them to respect their ancient Soveraign at least the Catholick party who made up near a fourth part of those revolted Provinces Withal the Arch-Duke Albert most ardently desired the Peace thereby to enjoy Flanders quietly and be able to employ his Money and Friends to gain the Imperial Throne which he expected would soon be vacant by the death of Rodolphus On the other hand the Provinces finding themselves overwhelmed with debts almost forsaken by the English and under the apprehension of being so too by the French who grew weary of contributing so much towards the expences of a War without reaping any apparent profit Many of their Merchants imagined that a Peace would bring them Mines of Gold and some being greatly allarm'd at the progress of Marquiss Spinola who amongst other places had taken Grol and Rhimbergue took the freedom to say That since they could not subsist of themselves in a separate body of State it were better they should rejoyn themselves to their natural Lord then to put themselves under another who would lie more heavy upon them as being so near a Neighbour A certain Flemming named Caminga one of the first of those who were otherwhile called Gueux having one night held such like discourse was the next day found dead in his Bed at Embden Their dispositions being such on either part the Arch-Dukes first sounded the Foord by Valrave de Wittenhorst and John Jevart who in the Month of May month Decemb. of the year 1606 first conferred with some particular Members of the States then towards the end of the same year were heard in the Assembly of the States themselves This first time having represented the long and cruel miseries of War and praised the mild and good intentions of the Arch-Dukes they propounded the re-union of those Provinces with the rest under the obedience of Year of our Lord 1607 their ancient Prince The States were not over-much pleased with the discourse and sent them back with an Answer directly contrary to their demand viz. That by the Decree made at Utrecht Anno 1579. the King of Spain had lost his right of Soveraignty over those Provinces and that they had been Vnited in one Body and declared a free State and Republick the which had been confirmed by a prescription of more then five and twenty years and by several Princes and States with whom they had made Year of our Lord 1607 divers Treaties and Confederations The Arch-Dukes as is believed made this Essay only in point of honour for their Deputies sent immediately to let the States know That the intention of their Princes was not to gain or take advantage of the United-Provinces but to leave them in the condition they then were in and to Treat upon that foot This proposition did not displease the States and on their side the Arch-Dukes month February and March to shew they acted sincerely employ'd in this Negociation Father John Neyen or Ney General of the Cordeliers but who was a natural Flemming and had been bred up in the Protestant Religion till the age of two and twenty years His Father was one Martin Ney otherwhile very well known too and employed by the Father of Prince Maurice As to the rest his behaviour appeared to have so much of integrity that notwithstanding his change of Religion and Habit the Hollanders had a great deal of confidence in him He brought them very obliging Letters from the Arch-Dukes who offer'd amongst other things to take away all suspicion of any surprize to depute none for this Treaty but Originaries of the Low-Countries to hold the Conferences in such place as it should please the States to chuse to agree to a Truce of eight Months and to get the conditions ratified by the King of Spain The States accepted of the Truce to begin on the fourth of May the Letters of the ratification were deliver'd on either part and publication thereof made The difficulty was for the ratification from Spain Lewis Verreiken Secretary of State to the Arch-Dukes brought it the fourteenth of July to the Hague but as it was only in paper subscribed Io el Rey and sealed only with the little Seal moreover as it gave the Arch-Dukes the Title of Lords of the Low-Countreys and they had omitted this Clause That they should treat with those Provinces as holding them for a free Country The States found it imperfect as well in form as in substance month