Theodosius's in that of Honorius and in Valentinian's the III. The last day of the year 406. the Alains and the Vandals bringing along with them the Burgundians the Sueves and divers other barbarous People passed the Rhine and made an irruption in Gaul the most terrible that had been ever known Some conjecture it was at this time that they Massacred St. Ursula and her Glorious Train which have been called the Eleven thousand Virgins though in the Tombs said to belong to those Martyrs were found the Bones of Men and Children there are three or four different opinions on this Matter but neither of them without such difficulties attending as are not to be solved Year of our Lord 407 Those Barbarians having ravaged all Germania Prima and Belgica Secunda fell upon Aquitain In the year 409. some numbers of the Vandals and Sueves marched from thence into Spain Two years after the rest being affrighted upon the coming of Ataulphus King of the Visigoths out of Italy took the same course and follow'd them However there were some Alains still remaining in Dauphine and about the River Loire who had Kings amongst them for above Threescore years but in the end they submitted to the Dominion of the Visigoths and the Burgundians Year of our Lord 408 The Vandals and the Sueeves possessed Galicia the Silingi and Betica and the Alani part of Lusitania of Provence and Carthagenia Sixteen years afterwards the Vandals passed over into Africa but in the mean while Vallia King of the Visigoths who fought for the Romans utterly rooted out the Silingi and weakened the Alani so much that being unable to subsist alone they put themselves under Gunderic King of the Vandals The Suevi maintained themselves almost two Ages in Spain In fine their Kingdom was likewise extinguished by Leuvilgildus King of the Visigoths in the year 588. All these Barbarians were divided in several Parties or Bands and had each their Chief running about and scowring the Countreys without intermission so that at the same instant there were several of the same People in Places far distant from one another and of contrary Interests Year of our Lord 409 Ann. 408. Stilicon who was accused for bringing them in is Massacred by order of Honorius Alaric King of the Visigoths his good friend to revenge his Death besieged the City of Rome three times and the last time he takes it by Treachery the 20th day of August in the year 410. About the end of the same year he dyes in Calabria near Cosentia while he was making himself ready to go into Africa Ataulphus his Cousin succeeded him and Married Placid ia Sister to the Emperor Honorius whom he had taken in Rome Year of our Lord 412 Ann. 412. Ataulphus goes into Gallia Narbonnensis and takes Narbonna he remained there but Three years The Count and Patrician Constantius who was since Emperour and Married his Widdow Placidia compelled him tâ— go into Spain where he Year of our Lord 415 was kill'd by his own People in Barcelonna about the Month of September Ann. 415. They elected Sigeric in his stead and served him after the same manner within Seven days Vallia his Successor was recalled into Gaul by Constantius who gave him Aquitania Secunda with some Cities of the neighbouring Provinces amongst others Thoulouse where Year of our Lord 419 he fixed his Royal Seat Ann. 419. But he dyed in a few Months afterwards and Theodoric succeeded him Vnder this King and under Evaric or Euric the Visigoths made themselves Masters of all the Three Aquitani and the Two Narbonnensis Hitherto very few of the French had received the Light of the Gospel they yet Year of our Lord From the year 300 to the year 400. Adored Trees Fountains Serpents and Birds but the Gauls were most of them Christians unless it were such as dwelt in places less accessible as the Mountainous Woody and Boggy Countreys or in the Germanick or Belgick Territories which were perpetually infested by the incursions of the Barbarians The Faith had been Preached to them by some Disciples of the Apostles and even from the Second Age or Century divers Churches established amongst the Gauls at least in the Narbonnensis and Lugdunnensis Prima Under the Emperour Decius about the year 250. there were divers Holy Preachers sent from Rome who planted other Churches in several parts as Saturninus at Thoulouse Gatian at Tours Denis at Paris Austremonius at Clermont and Martial at Limoges The persecutions of the Heathen Emperours had sorely shaken them Constantine re-assured them afterwards the incursions of the Barbarians again destroys them especially those in Germania and Belgica and the Arian Heresie much troubled those in Aquitania Clowis restores them and endowed them plentifully In the fourth Age the Gallican Church produced a great number of Holy Bishops above all Hilary Bishop of Poitiers an invincible Defender of the Holy Trinity Maximin and Paulin de Treves who maintained the same Cause and at the same time with him the Great St. Martin of Tours parallel to the Apostles Liboire du Mans Severinus of Colen Victricius of Rouen all four contemporaries Servais de Tongres elder by some years and Exuperius de Tholouse who lived yet in 405. About the middle of the same Age many of those that had Devoted themselves to God came from towards Italy to inhabit in the Islands of Provence and the Viennensian Mountains as likewise a while afterwards great numbers flocked out from Ireland and took up their stations in the Forrests of the Lyonnoises and the Belgicks Their example and a Zeal to that Holy Profession drew many People either to come into their Monasteries or dwell in Solitude but still under the Conduct of the Bishops and the Discipline of the Canons Of these there were principally Four sorts such as lived in Community those were called Cenobites such as having formerly lived so retired into Solitude aspiring to a greater perfection these were the Hermits or Anchorits such as associated in small companies of three or four in a knot without any Superior or any certain Rule and such as wandred all about the Countrey on pretence of visiting Holy Places and finding out such Persons as were most advanced in Piety There were some also that strictly confined themselves to a Cell either within some City or in the Desert they were called Incluses or Recluses all lived by the labour of their Hands and most of them gave what they got to the Poor though in the greatest strictness they were not obliged to renounce their Wealth nor were they excluded from enjoying it in case they returned again to the World but such a return was indeed looked upon as a kind of a desertion Councils being extream necessary to preserve the Purity of the Faith and Ecclesiastical Discipline there were several held in Gaul An. 314. The Emperour Constantine caused one to be Assembled at Arles where there were Deputies from all the Western Provinces to determine
was kindled betwixt the two Brothers Theodebert a Prince more stupid and cruel then valiant began it to his own misfortune having taken Alsatia and the Countreys of Suntgow from Tergow and Thierry alledging for a pretence that her reassumed them as pieces belonging to the Kingdom of Austrasia They had been so indeed but Childebert had cut them off by his Testament to joyn them to Burgundy The Lords of both Kingdoms prevailed with the two Brothers to meet with Ten thousand Men apiece at a Castle situate on the Rhine between Savern and Stratsbourgh to refer all the differences between them to the French Thierry came innocently Year of our Lord 610 thither with the numbers agreed to but Theodebert brought a great Army and beset his Brother insomuch as he was constrained that he might get himself out of this Net to yield up to him that Countrey which was in question After this Thierry inflamed with a desire of Revenge which was more blown up by Brunehaud easily perswaded himself that he was not his Brother and vowed to pursue him to the death Year of our Lord 610 The end of this detestable War was that Thierry having vanquished his Brother in two Battles the most bloody and furious that can be imagined the First hard by Toul the Second at Tolbiac he destroyed him with his whole Race Some say that the Ribarols when he had made his escape to Colen cut off his Head and stuck it on the top of a Pike to get the better Composition from the Conquerour others tell that he was taken beyond the Rhine and carried to Brunehaud who having first caused him to be shaved Murthered him some few days after as well as his two Sons Clovis and Meroveus which last she brained against a Wall He Reigned 16 years and Lived 25. When Thierry had resolved first upon this fatal War he made an agreement with Clotaire that he might have no Enemy behind his back and promised to restore the Dutchy of Dentelen to him upon condition he would not concern himself in this quarrel CLOTAIRE II. in one part of Neustria and THIERRY in Austrasia Burgundy and part of Neustria Year of our Lord 612 This War finished Clotaire according to the Treaty put himself in possession of the Dutchy of Dentelen but Thierry naturally violent and grown more insolent by his Success and Victories sent to him to withdraw his Garrisons otherwise he would ove-run his whole Countries with Armed Soldiers And indeed Clotaire having scoffed at his threatning words he made all his Forces march that way when a sudden death put a period to all his Designs and made his Armies retire again into their own Provinces Year of our Lord 612 His Brother had left a Daughter named Bertoaire who was about Twelve years old he took a fancy to Marry her Brunehaud strove to disswade him shewing him that it was not lawful to Marry with his Neece upon this he flies out into fury even to the reproaching her that she was then a wicked and unnatural Woman who had caused him to Murther his Brother and Nephews and had he not been with-held had at that time run her through with his Sword but she cunningly dissembling it took a fit opportunity to give him poison which brought a Disentery upon him whereof he dyed in violent Torments He is allowed 17 years Reign and to have lived 26 years He had Six Sons all Bastards Sigebert Childebert Corby Meroveus and two others whose Names are not known Sigebett was I leven years old and Childebert Ten. He left Austrasia to the First and to the Second he gave Burgundy CLOTAIRE II. in Neustria SIGEBERT in Austrsia aged Eleven years CHILDEBERT in Burgundy aged Ten years Brunehaud imagined that she should Reign still under the name of her Great Grandsons and to this end she would needs make one King of Austrasia and the other King of Burgundy But the Austrasian Lords amongst others Arnulph and Pepin who could no longer endure this abominable Conduct were more willing rather to submit to Clotaire who much unlike his wicked Mother had many Virtues of a good Prince Those of Burgundy were likewise drawn into the same Conspiracy by their Mayer Varnaquier Clotaire assured of their Suffrages pushed forwards with his Forces into Austrasia as far as Andernac which is betwixt Bonne and Coblents She sends to warn him out of the Territories of her Grand-Son and he answers that the Succession after Thierry 's death belonged to him to the exclusion of Bastards and protests to stand to the Judgment and Award of the Lords of those Kingdoms But she being rather willing to trust to the chance of War then their Judgment caused Sigebert to mount on Horseback who got together those People beyond the Rhine as Varnaquier who had not declared himself did those of Burgundy Sigebert was advanced to defend the Frontiers of Austrasia as far as the Plain of Chaalons near to the River d'Aisne there when the Armies were in a posture ready to come to blows Sigebert's Men upon a signal given instead of Sounding a Charge Sounded a Retreat Clotaire pursues gently without pressing upon them and when they were got to the Banks of the Soan they delivered up to him Sigebert and his Brothers Corby and Meroveus Childebert saved himself on a nimble Horse it is not known what became of him a brave subject for the Genealogists who would oblige some Family with his illustrious Pedigree Year of our Lord 613 When Clotaire had got these Children he went and encamped at Rionne upon the brink of the Vigenne which disgorges into the Soane Brunehaud was retired with Theudelain Sister to Thierry to the Castle d'Vrbe in the Countrey of the Transjurains she was immediately taken and brought to Clotaire the same moment he had her in his power Sigebert and Corby had their Throats cut Meroveus who was his God-Son had his Life spared but he must dye as to the world by taking Sacred Orders upon him That done the French were called together in a Military Assembly to judge the miserable Brunehaud Clotaire himself became her Accuser and represented all her Crimes my even more then ever she had committed for he reproached her even with the death of Ten Kings though he himself had killed two of them that very hour and his Mother at least four All cried out aloud that she deserved death and the most exquisite Torments and this voice of the French Nation formed her Sentence She was wrackt three days together afterwards they led her through the whole Camp upon a Camel then they fastned her to the Tail of an unback'd Mare who beat out her Brains and dragging her over Stones and Briars tore her in pieces Others say she was drawn in pieces by four wild Horses the Flames consumed Year of our Lord 613 her Carkassthat was left and the Wind sported with her Ashes A terrible Judgment which God the Sovereign of Kings caused these Men to
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
they would Elect another they made reply that they desired no other but him and since that they were a long time without any Year of our Lord 628 Those of Saxony were a potent People it comprehended divers of different Names and they had Dukes in each Countrey Those that owed Tribute to the French were this year revolted against them Dagobert making War upon them was wounded with a blow of a Sword which took off part of his Helmet and a little of the skin of his Head with some of his Hair It is said that having sent these Tokens to his Father all bloody who was Hunting nigh Ardennes the King moved by his good nature got what Forces he could together and having passed the Rhine attaqued the Saxons encamped on the other side of the Weser where he slew Bertold their Duke with his own hand and after scowring over all the Countrey he did not leave any one of them alive that was taller then his Sword In the Assembly of the Estates of Neustria and Burgundy which was holden at Clichy there arose a great quarrel Eginaire Intendant of Ariborts Palace the Second Son of Clâ—taire having been killed by Egina's People the Favourite of this King the young Prince and his Uncle Brunulph would revenge his death Egina encamps with his Friends upon the side of Montmercure or Montmars at this day Mont-Martre But the King having commanded the Burgundians to sall upon the first that began to stir it cooled the hottest amongst them Year of our Lord 628 After Adaloald King of the Lombards and Son to King Agilulf had been poisoned by his People Arioald was raised to the Throne upon the consideration of his Wife Gundeberge Sister to Adaloald who nevertheless being accused how she intended to Poison him that she might Marry Tasin Duke of Tuscany he had kept her Prisoner for three years King Clotaire to whom she was of Kin took compassion on her and commanded his Ambassadors to reproach that wicked Husband One of these having upon his own head proposed to the Lombard King that it would be well to put the decision of so important a matter to the Judgment of God by Combat two Relations of Gundeberges brought a Champion who vanquishing Adalulf so was the Accuser called asserted and recovered the Honour and Liberty of that Princess This year is remarkable for the Death of that famous Impostor and most false Prophâ—t Mahomet whose abominable Religion composed partly of Judaism and partly of the Whimseys of several Hereticks who were retired into those parts and accommodated to the Sensualities of Corrupt Nature was embraced by such Robbers and wicked Varlets as knew neither Justice nor the Deity The greatest part of our Hemisphere bath submitted to the Tyranny of that Law and had it not been for the Valour of the French they had divers times made themselves Masters of all Europe The Aera or manner of accounting and Calculating the time by this Sect commences at the year of the Egyra or the Retreat of Mahomet to the City of Medina which hapned the 26th of July in the Six hundred twenty second year of Jesus Christ But it must be noted that they are Lunary years consisting but of 354 days whereas those amongst Christians are solary of 365 days without reckoning the Bissextile Year of our Lord 628 The Death of Clotair hapned Anno 628. in some House of his near Paris He was buried at St. Vincents at this time St. Germain des Prez The time of his Reign in Neustria within four months of the time of his Age was about forty five years and his Reign over all France after the death of Thierry was fourteen We know the names of two of his Wives the one was Beretrude the other Sichilda perhaps he may have had some other before these He left two Sons Dagobert and Aribert of what Mothers we cannot tell certainly but only that they were not both of one and the same Bed He was an affable Prince very different from the cruel and brutish ferocity of his Predecessors Just Pious instructed in good Learning and Liberal especially towards the Church and such as professed a Monastick Life Their Kings were always chosen of the Blood of the Reigning Race three Conditions were required in them their Birth it mattered not whether they were Legitimate the Will of the Father and the Consent of the Grandees the last did ever almost follow the two first After the death of Clovis as I believe they added to the ancient Custom of lifting them upon the Target that of seating them on the Throne or Regal Chair which had neither Arms nor Back for a King must support and sustain himself by his own strength The Regal Ornaments were long Hair or Locks pleited the Purple Mantle and Tunick and the Diadem or Head-band enriched with Precious Stones When they left Children that were in Minority if they had not allotted their shares the Queen-Mother and the Grandces ordained as they thought convenient and had the Administration of Affairs and the Education or Bailifes of the Minor Kings From hence these Lords were called Nourricers Nursers but there was one amongst the rest that bore this Title When a King undertook any Expedition they held up their Hands in token of the Assistance which they promised him Peace might be made without them but War could not In Civil Discords they made themselves Arbitrators between the Princes and obliged them to agree The first day of March they held an Assembly in the open Field under Tents where the Militia was often sent for Because of the day on which they met it was called the Field of Mars The Kings presided and consulted with the Lords concerning the Affairs of that year either touching Peace or War These Assemblies gave them the Command of the Armies which was not necessarily tied to their Persons at least till the time of Clovis They ever had about them a certain number of Braves or Barous who guarded them and for their safety exposed themselves to all manner of dangers The most eminent Offices of the Kingdom were the Prefect or Mayre of the Palace who was elected by the great ones or Grandees and confirmed by the King The grand Referandary who had the Royal Seal and under him several lesser or petty Referandary's and also great numbers of Expeditioners whom they called Chancellors because they did their business Intra Cancellos or Lattices The grand Apocrisiary who was the chief of the Priests and Clerks of the Court in the second Race he was called Arch-Chaplain The Count of the Palace who was Judge the Chamberlain who gave all Orders in the Kings Chamber the Count of the Stable who took care of the Stables and perhaps of the Equipage I cannot tell whether they had in those times a Provost or grand Seneschal of the Table as there was since under Pepin the Bref The Children of Lords were bred
whereof 2 months in this Reign Year of our Lord 751 AFter the Estates of Soissons had Elected Pepin and as it is believed had lifted him on the Pavois and upon the Royal Throne he would needs add the Ceremonies of the Church to consecrate his Royalty and render it more august Boniface Archbishop of Ments Crowned him in the Cathedral of Soissons and anointed him with holy Oyl according to the Custome of the Kings of Israel that thereby the Word of God Touch not mine Anointed might become a Buckler to him and his Successors The Anointing and Crowning began from this time to be practised at the Inauguration of the Kings of France and hath been continued to this day Being of a very low stature the Lords had not all that respect for him which they should Having perceived it he would needs let them see by experience that he had more Courage and Vertue than those great bulks who very often have nothing but an outward appearance of bravery Those Kings took much delight in Combats of Wild Beasts and not only pleased themselves with the divertisement of such Spectacles in those Publique Entertainments they gave the People but many times in private in their own Palaces One day being at the Abbey of Ferrieres a furious Lion having grappled with a Bull whom he held fast by the Neck he said to some Lords that were about him That they must needs make him let go his hold Not one had the Courage to undertake it the very proposition affrighted them After he had observed them all and plainly perceived their astonishment he leaped down from the Scaffold his Back-Sword in his hand went directly to the Lion and at one stroak managed with as much skill as strength divided his head from his body his Sword entring even a good way into the Neck of the Bull. After this wonderful blow turning himself towards his Lords Do you not believe said he with a kind of Heroick Pride that I am worthy to Command you Year of our Lord 752 His first Warlike Expedition after his Coronation was in Saxony where he constrained the Saxons to pay every Year Three hundred Horses for a Tribute and to bring them to him into the Field of Mars or General Assembly of the French Year of our Lord 753 On his return from that Country he heard of the Death of Griffon his Younger Brother That unquiet Spirit being come out of Aquitain whither he had retired to Duke Gaifre was assassinated in the Valley of Morienne going into Italy either by some People of Pepins says our Author or by some of Gaifres who conceived some Jealousie for having been too familiar with his Wife To Childebrand Grandson of Luitprand King of the Lombards degraded by his Subjects Rachis Duke of Friul succeeded by Election who professing himself a Monk in the same Covent with Caroloman Brother of Pepin Astolphus his Brother had taken his place He finding the Emperour Constantine Copronimus full of Trouble had seized on the Exarchat of Ravenna and Pentapolis which till then had been held by the Exarchs or Vicars of the Emperour Besides he had got into his power even under the very Walls of Rome several Towns belonging to several private Lords who had made themselves as it were Soveraigns in the time of the distress and disorders of the Grecian Empire and finding all things submitted to him he had likewise a great desire to make himself Master of Rome pretending and maintaining That the Exarchat he had conquer'd gave him all the Right and Title the Emperours had enjoy'd in Italy and therefore Rome and the Popes being in subjection to the Empire were now under his Year of our Lord 753 By vertue of this pretence he marched with his Army towards Rome and sent to Summon the Romans to acknowledg him and to pay him a Crown in Gold for every head Pope Stephanus much amazed at this enterprize beseeches him to leave the Lands belonging to the Church in Peace hath recourse to the intercession of the Emperour Constantius and afterwards comes himself to Pavia to see the Lombard But finding his Intreaties nor the Emperour's Request had no influence upon him he implored the Assistance of Pepin and his Protection as Gregory III. had done that of Martel So that after he had prepared and disposed him by some Ambassadours sent before-hand he went from Lombardy into France to the great astonishment and vexation of Astolphus who however durst not detain him Year of our Lord 753 The King being unable to go so far as Morienne as he had made him hope sent to intreat him to come to Pontigon a Royal Castle near Langres Charles his Eldest Son went above fifty Leagues to meet him The Pope arrived at Pontigon the sixth day of January the King with his Wife and Children received him about a mile from the place and treated him with all manner of respect and honour But not to that degree as to walk on foot by his Horses side and hold the bridle as Anastasius hath written who in some places hath spoken of ancient times rather according to the Practice and Customs of the days he lived in then according to the naked truth After several Conferences both publique and private Pepin promised him all manner of assistance as soon as he had put his own affairs into some order and wished him in the mean time to go and repose himself in the Abbey of St. Denis in France Stephanus hath written That being fallen desperately ill and causing himself to be carried into the Church under the Bells to begg his recovery of God â—e beheld St. Denis in a Vision together with the Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul who miraculously restored him Which could not but be very pleasing to the French who had a singular Veneration for that Saint and to Pepin himself whose Father either out of devotion or to do like other Kings had acknowledged he was greatly beholding to the intercession of those Holy Martyrs A little while after his being recovered from his Sickness which was in the Month of July he Crowned and Anointed Pepin and his two Sons with his own hands exhorting the French to keep their Faith and from that time Excommunicating Year of our Lord 754 them if they ever chose a King of any other Race Some say that this Ceremony was performed in the Church of St. Denis before the Altar of St. Peter and St. Paul which the Pope did on that day dedicate in remembrance of the recovery of his health Others believe it was in the Abbey-Church of Ferrieres Wherever it were the Ceremony being ended Stephanus declared him Advocate or Defender of the Roman Church Astolphus well foreseeing that the Pope would bring the French upon him had by Threats obliged the Abbot of Mount-Cassin to send the Monk Carloman into France to bring Pepin his Brother upon pretence of demanding the Corps of St. Bennet which had been stolne 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
to St. Omers But as he was retreating towards Monstreuil Eustace Earl of Boulogne who had a great Body of Reserves took Robert and carried him to St Omers He that Commanded the place surrendred it to deliver Richilda for which the King was enraged that he sacked and burnt the City Year of our Lord 1071 The same year Richilda though still assisted by the French lost another Battle in which Eustace Earl of Boulogne being made prisoner his Brother Chancellor of France and Bishop of Paris to obtain his freedom obliged the King to intermedle no more in that dispute Nay which was more he made him Marry Bertha the Daughter of Florent I. Earl of Holland and Gertrude of Saxony who had taken Robert for her second Husband By this means he was engaged to maintain the Cause for his Father-in-law who by his assistance defeated Richilda's Army the Fourth time and so remained Master Year of our Lord 1071 of Flanders Roger Brother of Robert Guischard Duke of the Normans in Puglia was by his Brother sent into Sicilia which was possessed by the Saracens he conquerd d the City of Panormus and Messina which opened him a way to become Master of the whole Island Year of our Lord 1073. and 4. After the death of Baldwin the Regent King Philip being arrived to the age of Adolescency ran into many disorders and vexations with his Subjects Whereupon Pope Gregory VII who sought but the occasion to constitute himself the Judge and Reformer of Princes wrote to William Duke of Aquitain that together with the Lords he should make him some Remonstrances and Declare that if he did not amend he would Excommunicate both him and all the Subjects that obey'd him and would place the Excommunication upon St. Peters Altar to re-aggravate it every day Year of our Lord 1076 The death of Robert I. Duke of Burgundy his Son being deceased before him had left two Sons Hugh and Otho the first of these succeeded his Grandfather Year of our Lord 1077 After William the Conquerour had entirely subdued England suppressed the Rebellion of his Son Robert and quelled the Manceaux he went into Bretagne to reduce them to his Obedience and laid Siege to Dol. The Duke or Earl Hoel implored the Kings help who marching in person to his assistance made them raise their Siege A Peace immediately follow'd but was broken almost as soon again upon another Year of our Lord 1076 score which was for that the Conquerour in the Kings Presence having given the Dutchy of Normandy to his Son Robert before he went to invade England Robert would take possession of it the Father hindred him and the King justified the Son in his demands This was the subject of a new War The Father besieges his rebellious Son in the Castle of Gerbroy near Beauvais In a Sally the Son wounds him and turned him off from his Saddle with his Lance but Year of our Lord 1077. 78. and the following coming to know who it was by his voice he helped him up again with Tears in his eyes and the Father at length overcome by the sentiments of nature and the intreaty of his Wife and Barons gave him his pardon and quitted the Dutchy to him then returned into England Gozelon Duke of the Lower Lorrain who in favour of Baldwin Earl of Monts Year of our Lord 1077. and 78. the Son of Richilda had fought and defeated Robert the Frison being a while after this Victory assassinated in Antwerp the Emperour detained the Dutchy of the lower Lorrain and gave only the Marquisate of Antwerp to Godfrey Duke of Bouillon the Son of Adde Sister of Gozelon and Eustace Earl of Boulongne but Twelve years after for his great Services he gave him the said Lorrain Year of our Lord 1080 The Lords of Touraine and of Maine extreamly pressing Foulk Rechin by force of Arms to set Gefroy his Brother at liberty this barbarous Man rather then release him chose sooner to give the County of Gastinois to King Philp that he might maintain him in his unjustice Some time after his own Son named Gefroy likewise and surnamed Martel moved Year of our Lord 1080 with the miseries of his Uncle forced his Father to set him free but whether it were the Melancholy he had contracted or some Drink they had given him he could never relish the sweetness of his liberty The famous Robert Guischard Prince of the Normans in Puglia after he had gained Year of our Lord 1085 two Naval Victories one over the Venetians and the other over the Greeks died this year 1085. He had two Sons Boemond and Roger the eldest being then upon the coasts of Dalmatia with a Navy his younger Brother seized on the Dutchies of Pouille and Calabria for which the Brothers were contending till the time of the first Croisado or Holy War when the French Lords passing that way to the Holy Land brought them to an agreement Their Uncle Roger held Sicily with the Title only of Earl Year of our Lord 1085 Upon complaints about the vexations and ill Treatment Duke Robert shewed to his Norman Subjects his Father the Conquerour comes over out of England to chastise him but his paternal tenderness did easily admit of a reconciliation The death of Guy-Gefroy-William his Son William VIII aged but 25 years succeeded him Year of our Lord 1086 King Philip a very voluptuous Prince being disgusted with Berthe his Wise made use of the pretence of Parentage which was between them and having proved it according to the course then in use caused his Marriage to be dissolved by authority of the Church though he had a Son by her named Lewis about Five years old and a Daughter named Constance He banished his Divorced Wife to Monstreuil upon the Sea-side where she lived a long time poorly enough Year of our Lord 1087 This Divorce according to Rule and a judicial Sentence being made he demanded the Daughter of Roger Earl of Sicilia named Emma who was conducted as far as the coasts of Provence however he did not Marry her the reason is not given Year of our Lord 1088 William the Conquerour become crazy was under a strict regiment of Dyet at Rouen to pull down his over-grown fatness which did much incommode him The King rallied at him and asked when he would be up again after his Lying in the Duke sent him word that at his Uprising he would go and visit him with 10000 Lances instead of Candles and indeed as soon as he could he got on Horseback he destroy'd all the French Vexin and forced and burnt Mantes But he over-heated himself so much in the assaulting of that place that it set his own Blood and Body on fire and brought a fit of Sickness so that he returned to Rouen where he dyed in a few days By his Will he gave the Kingdom of England to William called Rufus who was bat his Second Son Normandy to Robert who was
others But the Popes durst not shock these Kings so rudely It was good Policy not to make so many Enemies at once to keep France in reserve as a Refuge against the Emperors and bring down the Germans first because they troubled them most The Peace between the two Kings Lewis and Henry was of no long duration The Friends of the late Duke Robert and William his Son declared for Lewis and the Earls of Anjou and of Flanders served him zealously as Thibald Earl of Champagne served Henry who was his Uncle Year of our Lord 1119 Baldwin Earl of Flanders being wounded upon an assault of the little Castle of Bures in Caux did so inflame his Wound with his Debauches that he died of it at Aumale Charles surnamed the Good Son of his Sister and Camut King of Denmark succeeded him in the Earldom of Flanders and maintain'd himself there courageously notwithstanding that Clemence of Burgundy Mother of Baldwin who was again Married to Godfrey Earl of Louvain endeavoured to make it fall into the hands of a Bastard of Flanders named William of Ypres who had Married her Neece After a world of Ravages Firings Sieges Surprizes and Plunderings of Places after two great Battles fought betwixt the two Kings one in the Plain of Bâ—eneville near Noyon on Andelle where the French had the worst the other near Breâ—euil where the success was doubtful Pope Calixtus as the common Father being come expressly Year of our Lord 1120 to Gisors brought them to agree by persuadin them to restore what places they had taken to each other Thus the Dutchy remained to Henry who gave it to his eldest Son William surnamed Adelin in wrong of William his Nephew This Peace did not put an end to his grief and troubles For a few weeks after he lost his three Sons and with them above Three hundred Gentlemen the flower of Year of our Lord 1120 his Nobility and his best Captains It was a strange misfortune They being Embarqued at Harfleur to go into England their Seamen who were drunk split the Ship as they were getting out of Harbor And at the same time his Nephew's Friends and Partisans stirred up new Disturbances in Normandy and re-engaged the King of France to uphold them Which renewed the Desolations of that Province In Anno 1119. died Alain surnamed Fergeant Duke of Bretagne Son of Hoel who departed this Life Anno 1084. His Son Conan surnamed the Gross or Ermengard succeeded him This Alain if we believe the Historian of Bretagne prescribed certain Forms and Rules for the doing Justice in his Country where before it was administred very confusedly For he Establisht a Seneschal at Renes to whom he would have all Persons to resort unless those of the County of Nantes who had one likewise and began to hold an Assembly or Parliament which judged of Appeals from the Seneschals of Rennes and Nantes for in Matters Criminal there lay no Appeal There were no certain and fixed Officers no more then any certain times for sitting They afterwards made a President in the absence of the Chancellor and a Master of Requests Year of our Lord 1123 The death of Hugh III. of that name Duke of Burgundy to whom succeeded Odon his eldest Son who Married Mary the Daughter of Thibauld Earl of Champagne Year of our Lord 1123 The War grew hotter in Normandy betwixt the French and King Henry and was ca ried on with various success But Henry found nothing more troublesome then his Domestick Officers and Servants who had framed a Conspiracy against his Life He could confide in no body he trembled at the approach of all that came near him he died a thousand times a day for fear they would Murther him and in the night shifted Beds five or six times and changed his Guards not thinking he was safe in any place believing there were none but Enemies about him Year of our Lord 1124 The Emperor reconciled himself with the Pope and laid down the Investitures But his Wrath still boiling in him would needs discharge it self upon France Year of our Lord 1124 He had Married Matilda Daughter of the English King for that reason as likewise for the Resentment he conceived because Lewis had protected Pope Calixtus he raised a very great Army to destroy and lay that City of Reims flat with the ground where Calixtus had held the Council against him Lewis on his side resolved to draw all the Forces of his whole Kingdom together even to the very Priests and Friers so that in a short time he had 200000 Men out of the Isle of France Champagne and Picardy only The Emperor having information of these prodigious Levics found it safer for him not to come into the Country of Messin but retire At his return Triumphant Lewis brings back the Martyrs Holy Standard called the Oriflamme and deposites it again in St. Denis whence he had taken it rendred Solemn Thanks to those Glorious Saints carried their Shrines upon his Shoulders which had been taken down and exposed on the high Altar during all the time of the War and made or confirmed several Grants to that Abby especially the Fair of Lendit out of the City for they had one already within Vpon this occasion we may observe the difference there was between the Forces of France and the Kings For when he made a War for himself he could have only the People of those Countries properly in his own possession and they served but unwillingly but when it was the Kingdoms Cause or Concern all the Forces of France were in action every Lord came in Person and brought all his Subjects along with him Year of our Lord 1125 The Emperor Henry being dead the Princes of Germany brought in Lotaire Duke of Saxony who likewise retaining the Kingdom of Burgundy as united to the Empire Renold Duke of Burgundy refused to acknowledge him For which he would have deprived him of his Earldom and have bestow'd it upon Bertold Duke of Zeringhen and this begot a bloody War between these two Houses who fought till the time of Frederick I. who Married Beatrix the Daughter of Renold This year 1126. the King received the Complaints made by the Bishop of Clermont Year of our Lord 1126 concerning the Usurpations and Tyrannies of Robert Earl d'Auvergne and going Year of our Lord 1126 thither in Person forced the Earl notwithstanding the Rocks and Castles of his High-Lands or Mountains to submit to Reason Five or six years after the repeated Violences of the same Earl engaged him to make a second Expedition and besiege Montferrand The Duke of Aquitain came to relieve his Vaslal but having from the height of a Mountain taken a view of the great Strength and Forces the King had with him he sent to offer him all Obedience and brought the Earl as far as Orleans to demand Pardon and submit to all that should be injoyned him Year of our Lord 1126 Death of
nomination of Benefices nor lay his hand upon their Revenues He turned some out of their Sees and seized their Lands Stephen Bishop of Paris and Henry Archbishop of Sens adventur'd to Excommunicate him but the Pope Honorius annulled their Censures Year of our Lord 1130 Pope Innocent II. Successor to Honorius was no sooner elected but makes himself General of an Army to compel Roger Duke of Puglia to resign that Country to him which he pretended I know not wherefore to belong to the Holy See In the beginning he overcomes Roger and blocks him up in the Castle of Galeozzo but his Son William hastning thither disingages his Father cuts the Popes Army in pieces and takes him Prisoner Now although he set him immediately at liberty again nevertheless the report of his Captivity being carried to Rome caused them to elect another Pope who took the name of Anacletus Innocent not daring therefore return to Rome held a Council at Pisa where he Excommunicated Anacletus From thence he came into France where he called another at Clermont in Auvergne His Cause had some difficulties the King assembled the Prelats of his Kingdom at Estampes to know which Party they must take St. Bernard Abbot de Cleruaux strongly maintained Innocents after his example every one embraced it Nevertheless Girard Bishop of Angoulesmes advice to whom Anacletus had restored the Legation of Aquitain that had been taken from him had so much influence upon William Duke of Aquitain that he declared himself for this Anti-Pope and persisted a year and an half in that Schism vexing those Church-men extreamly who would needs side with Innocent Year of our Lord 1131 One day being the Fifth of October as the young King Philip was riding thorough some Street of the Suburbs of Paris a Hog thrusts himself betwixt his Horses Legs who flownced and curveted in such a manner as threw him on the Ground and then ran over his Body wherewith being much bruised he died the same night To Comfort the King for this loss and the great and sensible grief it was to him and in some measure repair it he was Counsell'd to let his other Son named as himself Lewis be Crowned He carried him to Reims where the Twenty fifth of the same Month he was Anointed and Crowned by Pope Innocent who then held a Council there against the Anti-Pope Peter Laon. It seems it was at this Coronation that they reduced the Pairs or Peers who were hereafter to be assistant at those Ceremonies to the number of Twelve Six Ecclesiasticks and Six of the Laity who were chosen from amongst all the Lords and Prelats of that Quality They did not however take away from the other Pairs their Prerogative of not being Judged by any but their Pairs in matters Feodal as well Civil as Criminal Of these Twelve Pairries are remaining only the six Ecclesiasticks five of the Lay ones having been re-united to the Crown by Confiscation Marriage or otherwise and the sixth which is that of Flanders torn from them by the Emperor Charles V. LEWIS the Gross the Father LEWIS the Young his Son called the Pious or Debonnair Aged about 20 years Year of our Lord 1132 THierry of Alsatia remaining Master and Possessor of the Earldom of Flanders was admitted to render Hommage to the King who received him because it would not have been in his power to drive him out and besides he was his Kinsman Geofrey Plantagenet was come to be Earl of Anjou Fulk his Father being returned to the Holy Land to take possession of the Kingdom of Jerusalem to which he was called by King Baldwin his Father-in-Law He pressed King Henry his Wives Father very earnestly to give him Places and Money for advancement of Succession which begot such a divorce between them that Gefroy besieged and burnt Beaumont and Henry had carried his Daughter back into England had she not been in Child-bed When she was up again she fell into Dispute with her Father and parted very much discontented from him which gave him so much jealousie and anguish that being taken ill of a slow Fever and a Loosness he died the First day of December having Reigned Thirty five years Year of our Lord 1136 c. His Succession no more then his Life was without great Troubles That Stephen Earl of Boulogne of whom we have spoken his Sister Adela's Son being in England seized on that Kingdom and maintain'd himself in it as long as he lived Not content with that he likewise disputed for Normandy and almost totally dispossessed Matilda and Gefroy her Husband The unhappy Province dividing it self in favour of both Parties was ravaged by both and the King of France favouring sometimes the one sometimes the other kept it still in a Flame William IX Duke of Guyenne touched with Compunction resolved to go in Pilgrimage to St. James's in Galicia Before he went he made his Will and Testament wherein he ordained that his eldest Daughter named Alianor should Marry the young King Lewis and should bring him all his Lordships in Dowry For his only Son was dead but he had yet another Daughter called Alix-Pernelle In his Journey he fell sick and died having confirmed his Will His Corps was conveyed to St. James's in Galicia and interred in the Church and yet the Legend-makers do not stick to say That he feigned only that he was dead and stealing away so privately that his own Secretary knew not of it he went and turned Hermit in a Grotto or Cave near Florence where he macerated his Body by terrible Pennance and that it was he who instituted the Order of the Guillermins Of the same Fabrick is the Tale they make of the Emperor Henry V. saying That to do the greater Pennance for his Faults he caused it to be reported that he was dead and retired to Anger 's where he ended his days serving the Hospital but before he died discovered himself to his Confessor and was known by Matilda his Wife who was again Married to Gefroy Earl of Anjou King Lewis was likewise fallen Sick of a Diarrhea which took him upon his return from his last Warlike Expedition in which he had razed the Castle of St. Bricson on the Loire the Lord thereof using to rob the Merchants William's last Will and Testament being brought to him he accepted of the Match bestowed a gallant Equipage upon his Son and ordered a Train of many Lords and above Five hundred Gentlemen with whom he went to Bourdeaux where Elienor Resided and there Espoused her in presence of the Lords of Gascongny Saintonge and Poitou then brought her to Poitiers towards the middle of July Year of our Lord 1137 In that City he heard of the Death of the King his Father which hapned at Paris the First day of August the Thirtieth of his Reign and the Fifty eighth of his Age. His Body was carried to the Church of St. Denis Before this Prince Violence reigned Majesty and Justice were
Gibbelins of Tuscany especially those of Florence and restored all the Guelphes to their Lands and Dwellings In the mean time the young Conradin had sent a Manifesto to all the Princes of Europe declaring himself to be the rightful Successor to the Kingdom of Sicily and imploring their assistance to recover that Succession of his Fathers Insomuch that with the aid of the antient friends of the House of Souaube or Scwaben and some Year of our Lord 1267 adventurers that sought their fortunes he gathered a huge Army and came into Italy about the end of October observing and giving ear rather to the importunities of the Gibbelines who pressed him to march on then the wise Counsels of his Mother who feared the unexperimented Youth of her Son scarce Sixteen years of age would be Ship-wrack'd against the fortune and courage of Charles He had brought with him out of Germany the young Frederic Son of Herman Marquiss of Baden who said likewise he was Duke of Austria being Son of a Daughter of Henry Brother to Frederic last Duke of those Countreys and withal he held himself certain of the assistance of Henry and Frederic Brothers of Alphonso X. King of Castille who upon his arrival in Italy were to declare in his favour Those Brothers having been driven out of Spain by the King Alphonso had retired themselves into Africk to the King of Tunis where they had acquir'd a great deal of reputation Money and Friends Henry having information of the progress of Charles in Italy was come to proffer him his Service with Eight hundred Horse and had lent him a considerable sum of Money In requital Charles had gotten him to be chosen Senator of Rome hut because he afterwards thwarted him in his designs of obtaining by the Pope the Kingdom of Sardinia that Spaniard was alienated from him and secretly conspired with Conradin so that he disposed the City of Rome to receive him driving thence or imprisoning all those that contradicted and when he saw him approaching near he set up his Flags and Arms upon the Gates and joyned openly with him Conradin having spent the Winter at Verona despising the Popes Thunders embarqued at the coast of Genoa on some Vessels belonging to Pisa Being landed in Tuscany he surprized and cut in pieces those Forces that Charles had left there and Year of our Lord 2268 at the same time Conrad being come from Antioch caused all Sicily to Revolt except only Messina and Palermo These prosperous beginnings betraid young Conradin and flattered him to bring him to his death while he was entring into the Kingdom of Sicily Charles quitted the Siege of Nocera and came to meet him resolved to decide the quarrel by a Battle it was fought the Five and twentieth day of August near the lake Fucin now Year of our Lord 1268 called the lake Celano the French gained it but not without much hazard and much blood Conradin Frederic Duke of Austria and Henry of Castille saved themselves by flight but being discover'd they were taken and brought back to the Conquerour After this Victory he took upon him again the dignity of Senator of Rome which he had been obliged to lay down and by the Pope was constituted Vicar of the Empire in Tuscany His Fame would have been beyond a parallel had he been but as merciful as valiant and had not exercised such mortal feverities upon his prisoners of War and such people as revolted from him Year of our Lord 1269 They were so great that being resolved to pass into Africk with St. Lewis the King not knowing what to do with Conradin and Frederic whom it was very dangerous to keep and more to set them free in a Kingdom full of Factions and Rebellion he caused their Process to be made by the Syndics of the Cities of that Kingdom Those Judges having condemned them to death as disturbers of the Churches quiet their Heads were cut off upon a Scaffold in the midst of the City of Naples the Twenty seventh day of October an execution which makes posterity tremble yet with horror but which seemed a retribution of the Divine Justice for those yet more horrible barbarities which Frederic the Grand-father of Conradin had used to all the Family of the Norman Princes Henry de Castille had his Life given him but was confin'd to a prison from whence he got not out till Five and twenty years after to return into Spain Almost at the same time this Conrad Prince of Antioch Son of one Frederic a bastard of the Emperour Frederic II. who was come from the East to the assistance Year of our Lord 1269 of Conradin and had contributed to make the Island of Sicily revolt being taken by some belonging to Charles was hanged and thus ended by the Hangmans hands that famous and glorious Race of the Prince of Scwaben of whom there have been so many Kings and Emperours I should have told you before that Conradin being upon the Scaffold after he had made bitter complaints of his misfortunes and the cruelty of his Enemies threw down his Glove in the Market-place as a token of the investiture of his Kingdoms to such of his kindred as would prosecute his quarrel a Cavalier having taken it up carried it to James King of Arragon who had Married a Daughter of Mainfroy's The abuses and the designs of the Court of Rome were grown to such a height and come to that pass that the King St. Lewis though very devout to the Holy See made this year a Pragmatique to stop the current of them in France especially touching the dispensation of Benefices This same year the Marriage of his Daughter Blanch was made with Ferdinand eldest Son to Alphonso X. King of Castille the Pope having given his Dispensation for the near consanguinity between the parties The Nuptials were celebrated at Year of our Lord 1269 Burgos Philip Brother to the Bride Edward Prince of England James King of Arragon the Bride-grooms Grand-father Alhumar King of Granada and divers other Princes and great Lords honoured the Solemnity with their Presence and it was expresly said in the Contract that if Ferdinand died before his Father her Children should represent him and succeed to the Crown The affairs of the Christians in the Levant being reduced to the last extremity by Bendocabar Sultan of Egypt the exhortations of the Pope and the zeal of St. Lewis stirred up those of the West to make one more great attempt to support them The King of Arragon and Edward eldest Son to the King of England promised to Second St. Lewis and his Brother Charles to go thither with all the force of Italy The number of Adventurers of the Cross consisted of Fifteen thousand Horse and Two hundred thousand Foot which were divided in two Armies to attaque the Saracens in two several places at once Year of our Lord 1270 The Arragonian and the English undertook to go and make War in the Holy Land the Arragonian
on the highest part of the Gibbet with the other Thieves he was hanged His immense Riches sufficiently proved the Justice of this Sentence Afterwards those Receivers or Officers of the Treasury who were of his gang were laid hold on and several put to the Wrack they would confess nothing however so well those Caterpillars know how to wind up their bottoms desiring rather in the greatest extremity to lose their Lives then part with their Money They carried on this search even to his very friends and particularly Peter de Latilly Bishop of Chaalons and Chancellor of France He was accused of giving the Morsel that is to say of having poysonn'd the Bishop his Predecessor and also the late King He was put out of his Office and left a prisoner in tbe hands of the Arch-Bishop of Reims his Metropolitan The execrable Custom of Poysonning was grown very common in France and it grew so in my opinion because the Ministers of the deceased King had been so extream Violent and vindicative This Prelat accused of so Villanous a Crime was referr'd to the Judgment of the Bishops of his Province To that end there was a Council Assembled at Senlis in the Month of October of this year 1315. where the Archbishop of Reims was present with his Suffragans The Party accused upon his request and according to Law was first redintegrated to his Liberty and his Bishoprick and afterwards it having been proved that four Women had been Convicted and Punished for Poysonning his Predecessor he was absolved fully and wholly Year of our Lord 1315 The Gentry and Commonalty of the Country of Artois having divers causes of Complaint against their Countess Mahaut the King sent for her in presence of Ame the Great Earl of Savoy and obliged her to give him her Hand that he might take notice of it Year of our Lord 1315 This Ame the Great was one of the most considerable Princes of his time He acquir'd the Title of a Prince of the Empire which was granted him by the Emperor Henry VII in Anno 1310. He increased his Territory with the Lordships of Bresse and Baugey by his Marriage with Sibilla the only Daughter of Guy Lord de Baugey as likewise with a part of the little Country of Revermont by Purchase of the Duke of Burgundy who had it of Humbert Dauphin of Viennois and the Earldoms of Ast and Yvree the first whereof came to him by the Concession of the Emperor Henry VII the second by the voluntary subjection of the People His Wisdom made him reign in all the greatest Courts in Europe the Emperors King Philip's of France Edward King of England's and made him find the Art to be so much a Friend to all these Princes who were at great variance that he became the perpetual Mediator concerning those Differences which Interest and their Jealousie bred amongst them Year of our Lord 1316 The Truce with the Flemming being at an end about the very time of the Coronation the King assembled his Forces and whilst on the other side William Earl of Hayâ—ault ravaged the Country along the Scheld he besieged Courtray The unseasonable Weather did what the Flemming durst not undertake and forced him to raise the Siege but the infinite havock and spoil the Soldiers made caused a horrible Famine in Flanders About the end of the Month of May in the year 1316. King Lewis began to feel the effects of those Poysonnings grown so rife in France They had given him a Dose so violent by what hand was not known that it carried him off the Fifth day June An Accident which the Vulgar thought to be presag'd by a Comet which had Year of our Lord 1316 display'd its terrible Train in the Heavens the One and twentieth of the Month of December before He died at the Bois de Vincennes the Nineteenth Month of his Reign and the Eight and twentieth of his Age. He left Clemence his second Wife with Child being four Months gone By his first which was Margaret Daughter of Robert II. Duke of Burgundy he had had a Daughter named Jane to whom belonged the Kingdom of Navarre and the Counties of Brie and Champagne but the Kings Philip the Long and Charles the Fair found out pretences to detain them REGENCY without a KING for Five Months Year of our Lord 1316 WHen Lewis Hutin left this World Philip the Long Earl of Poitiers his Brother was at Lyons where in pursuance of his Orders he laboured to make them elect a Pope to supply the See that had been vacant for above three years He had employ'd himself with so much zeal that at length he got all the Cardinals to Lyons and had shut them up in Conclave in the Jacobins Convent They had been there together some days when the news was brought him of the death of Hutin this made him return to Paris with diligence after he had left the guard of the Conclave with the Earl de Fores. After the end of fourty days the Cardinals could come to no other agreement about the election of a Pope then to refer it to the single Vote of James Dossa a Cardinal Bishop of O Porto who without hesitation named himself to the great astonishment of the whole Conclave who notwithstanding let it pass so He took the name of John the Twenty second of that name He was of the Country of Quercy the Son of a poor Cobler but very Learned for those times The Succession of the Males to the Crown was established not by any Written Law but by the inviolable Custom of the French nevertheless because in all other Kingdoms and in great Fiefs the Daughters succeeded and that in France of a long time no occasion had been offer'd to exclude them The Friends and Parents of little Jane particularly Eudes Duke of Burgundy Brother of her deceased Mother were on the Watch pretending the Crown belonged to her in case the Fruit of Queen Clemences Womb should come to no Perfection In the mean time they named Philip the Kings Brother for Regent till the time of her delivery Philip V. King XLVII POPE JOHN XXII Elected the 7th day of August 1317. S. Eighteen years and Three Months whereof Five years under this Reign PHILIP V. Called the Long because he was Tall King of France XLVII and enjoying the Kingdom of Navarre Aged Twenty six years Year of our Lord 1316 THe Fifteenth of November the Queen brought a Son into the World whom they named John but he went out of it again eight days after He was buried in St. Denis and in the Funeral Pomp was declared King of France and Navarre Which hath given some occasion to some Modern Authors to increase the number of the Kings of France and to call him John I. Year of our Lord 1317 Then the Dispute touching the Crown was renewed with more heat then before Charles Earl of Valois seemed to favour little Jane and the Duke of Burgundy her Uncle claimed and
would have guessed the business had been at an end but his Wife Margaret Daughter of Robert Earl of Flanders a wise and couragious Princess who made good use of her Head in Council and of her Sword upon occasion as well as the deepest Politician or the bravest Soldier of her time could have done upheld that ruined party and not only so but even raised it again by her heroick Virtue She retired to Brest fortify'd her places put her Son who was but four years old in a place of safety having sent him into England and pressed King Edward so earnestly for the assistance he had promised to her Husband that he sends it by Sea to her It came inde ed somewhat too late to preserve Rennes but early enough to save Hennebond whit her he was retired It was however too weak to maintain the cause the Enemies were Masters of the Field and took the Towns but Charles de Blois I cannot tell by what motive gave her some respite by a years Truce during which this Princess goes over into England to represent the state of her Affairs there Year of our Lord 1342 In the Month of April of this year 1342. hapned the death of Benedict XII This good Pope moreconcerned and affectionate for the exaltation of the Holy See then of his own Family left a vast Treasure to the Church and nothing at all to his kindred but good instructions for the saving of their Souls Peter Roger Native of the Village de Rose in Limosin and Arch-Bishop of Rouen succeeded him by the name of Clement VI. This Man behaved himself quite contrary he scrupled not at all to make use of his Wealth to enrich his Relations and restored the Nipotisine very prejudicial to to the Church Year of our Lord 1342 The Countess Margaret acted so successfully at the Court of England that she brought back a powerful supply commanded by Robert d'Artois The Naval Forces of the Genoese and Spaniards which were under the Command of Lewis of Spain Brother of Alphonso who was Constable set upon them smartly and might well have hindred their Landing if a sierce Wind had not obliged him at night to put out to Sea fearing his great Vessels should run aground their Ships being smaller got to Port near Vannes Robert d'Artois being landed besieged that City and carried it by Assault which he made upon them in the night presently after another very hot one which he had given them in the day time But after that the Captains of the contrary party knowing he had sent the greatest part of his Army to besiege Rennes and that himself staid in Vannes they came and besieged him and press'd so hard upon him by repeated Assaults that they regained the place Himself was hurt in the last attaque and with much ado saved himself by a postern and got to Hennebond from thence he went into England where he thought to find best Chyrurgeons he died of his wounds in London detested of all good and loyal Frenchmen and passionately regretted by Edward who promis'd him to revenge his death And in effect he landed soon afterwards in Bretagne where all at one time he besieged Vannes Rennes and Guincamp protesting he did not intend to break the Truce made with the French but only he would defend and protect the Lands of a Pupil he meant Montfort's Son to whom he had promised his Daughter in Marriage On the other hand the Duke of Normandy thought he did not infringe it if he assisted Charles de Blois his Cousin German Year of our Lord 1342 After divers exploits of War on either part the Duke hemm'd in Edward before Vannes both by Sea and Land Now as the English were reduced to hunger and the French extreamly incommoded with the Autumn Rains they were glad on both sides to get out of these straights by a Truce for two years which was concluded betwixt them only for Bretagne The Legats of the new Pope brought this about and withal got the promise of both Kings that they should send to Avignon to the Holy Father there to determine all their Disputes by a firm and lasting Peace Year of our Lord 1343 The Twenty eighth of January hapned the death of Robert the Wife King of Naples who left his Kingdom to Jane Daughter of his Son Charles and the Sixteenth of September that of Philip King of Navarre Charles his Son who since ws surnamed the Bad came to the Crown under the Guardianship of Queen Jane of France his Mother Year of our Lord 1343 The Duke of Normandy and the English Deputies met at Aviguon to Treat about a Peace and although they could not come to an agreement in any one thing yet nevertheless it was believed they would conclude a Peace at last because the Popes Mediation was pleasing to both Princes But here an unhappy accident falls in their way and not only stopt their proceedings towards a Peace but set them at farther distance then ever they were and overwhelmed France with a deluge of woes Year of our Lord 1344 Oliver de Clisson and Ten or Twelve Lords Bretons of the French party having accompanied Charles de Blois to a Turnament that was held at Paris the King caused them to be all made prisoners upon some suspition of their holding intelligence with the English and soon after beheaded without any Trial or Hearing of their Case to the great astenishment of all the World and indignation of the Nobility whose Blood till then had never been shed but in Battle and indeed this too severe King who revenged even his own mistrusts did so alienate the affection of his Grandees that they served him but very ill when he had need of them upon great occasions Year of our Lord 1344. and 45. The death of these Lords of Bretagne enraged the King of England he was almost like to have done the same to Henry Lord of Leon of Charles de Blois his party whom he held a prisoner but upon the humble intreaties of the Earl of Derby he gave him his Life and Liberty upon condition he should go and declare to King Philip that the Truce was infringed by this Murther and that he was now going to begin the War anew as he quickly did as well in Guyenne by the Earl of Derby assisted by the Gascon Lords under his obedience as in Bretagne by Montforts party till he could go himself and carry a War into the very heart of the Kingdom Year of our Lord 1344 The people of France had liberally granted to King Philip very notable Subsidies of Money for his Wars he raised them by much and which was worse he setled a new one upon Salt for which cause Edward by way of railery called him the Author of the Salique Law This impost which makes the Sun and Water to be sold so dear was the invention of the Jews mortal enemies to the name of Christians as the word or term Gabel denotes
of the English where he had been detained ever since the time his Father Charles had left him there in hostage Year of our Lord 1387 The Duke not without cause imagined that this Alliance was making with design to disturb him in the possession of his Dutchy He sent for the Lords of the Countrey of Vennes under a pretence of holding a great Council Clisson goes thither with his Train after Dinner the Duke carrying him to see his Castle de l'Ermine which he was building by the Sea-side he caused him to be stopt in a Tower and Beaumanoir with him and commanded Bavalan who was Captain of the Castle to throw them by night into the Sea The faithful disobedience of this good Servant gave the Duke his Master time to repent his having given Command for the death of the Constable and the intercession of the Lord de Laval who at the peril of his Life would never forsake his Brother-in-law drew him out of prison upon condition of paying the sum of One hundred thousand Franks and the surrendring of three Castles But Clisson would not forgive as the Duke had forgiven and the King taking this affront done to his prime Officers much to heart sent for the Duke to give an account of his actions Year of our Lord 1388 The King went to Orleans expresly the Duke having made them wait for him a long time sent to be excused Clisson pleaded his own Cause accused him of Treason and threw down his gage of Battle which no body took up The Duke taking the advice of the Barons came at length to Paris and by the favour of the Dukes of Berry and Burgundy was kindly received by the King and in some measure made friends with the Constable by restoring him both his Money and his Castles Year of our Lord 1387. and 88. That question so much debated touching the conception of the Sacred Virgin Mother was begun in the last age amongst the Professors of Divinity The Jacobins according to the opinion of their St. Thomas and their Albertus the Great maintained that she had not been exempt of the original stain The Cordeliers their perpetual antagonists took occasion upon this point to fall foul upon them as if they did denigrate the Honour of the Mother of God The common People and such as were most zealous applauded these last and most part of the Prelates and the Universities adhered to them but the Jacobins standing up too stifly against the Torrent fell under the Peoples hatred and the reputation of being Heretiques One of their principal Doctors named John de Moncon for having Preached too freely on that point was condemned solemnly by the Bishop of Paris and then by the Pope himself before whom he had brought his Appeal Which was more the University forbid them the Pulpit and cut them off from their Body to which they were not rejoyned till the year 1403. And in the mean time they were to undergoe the indignation of the Court the shoutings of the common People and which was worst great necessity Year of our Lord 1388 William the Son of the Earl of Juliers and who was Duke of Guelders by his Mother Daughter of Duke Renauld the I. of that name had some contest or wrangle with the Duke of Burgundy who supported the Dutchess of Brabant whom he was to succeed in the detention of certain places of Guelders which Renauld had otherwise engaged Now because the Burgundian employed the Forces of France against him this petit Duke truly generous and magnanimous but rash in this point had the confidence to declare a War against the King who had twenty Lords in his Train more powerful and considerable then he His bold bragging did not last long the King fell on a suddain upon the Countrey of Juliers The Father much astonished disowns his Son to turn away the storm demands Peace by the Arch-Bishop of Colens means and offers his Homage The Army therefore quits his Territory and goes into that of Guelders the young Duke persists a month longer in his obstinacy In the end the Duke of Burgundy perswades him to crave pardon Being come to wait upon the King he disowned his Challenge though Sealed with his own Seal and submits and referrs the Disputes he had with the Dutchess of Brabant to him but did not renounce his Alliance with the English nevertheless he was presented with such noble Gifts as proved a temptation to the rest of the Germans to engage them to the service of France The King had attained to the age of Twenty years wherefore upon the Proposition which Peter Aisselin de Montaigu Bishop of Laon made in Council he declared that he would take the administration of the Government into his own hands and that he discharged his Uncles He kept the Duke of Orleans his Brother near him the Author of this Counsel and the Duke of Bourbon not suspected by this Duke and one whose sinceriry was likely to give a fair prospect of good success to the Government The other two withdrew in discontent The suddain death of the Cardinal de Laon which hapned soon after was held in the opinion of many for an effect of their resentment Year of our Lord 1388 When the King first began to apply himself to take cognizance of his Affairs the face of the whole Government looked with a better countenance for some little time The King made choice of a new Council wherein three Citizens Bureau de la Riviere John le Mercier Sieur de Novian and John de Montaign had the best part He afterwards took off all the new Imposts set aside the theeving Officers whom the Princes had put in gave the Provostship which he had newly restor'd to John Jouvenal the Advocate an honest Man Wise and Courageous that of First President to Ouchard des Moulins sent all the Prelats to reside on their Benefices and to have time to heal the Kingdom whose very Bowels were torn and mangled made a Truce for three years with the English Year of our Lord 1389 During this calme he diverted himself with actions of pomp and ceremony at St. Denis the Knighthood of Lewis II. King of Sicilia and Charles Earl of Mayne his Brother with Turnaments and Tiltings very stately after that the Funeral of Bertrand de Gueselin at Melun the Marriage of his Brother Lewis with Valentine Daughter of John Galeazo Duke of Milan and Earl de Vertus in Champagne and at Paris in the Holy Chappel the Coronation of the Queen his Wife The Marriage of Lewis his only Brother with Valentine was in Treaty Anno 1386. and consummate this year she brought him in Dower Four hundred thousand Florins of Gold the County of Ast to be enjoyed from that hour and that of Vertus in Champagne after the death of the Father with Rings and Jewels of an inestimable value These huge sums enabled the young Prince to make great Purchases These Acquisitions and the greediness of
to be carried in Bennets Artifice and his Money had gained some of the Grandees who contrived this for him Year of our Lord 1398 The Earl of Perigord Archambauld Taleyrand tormenting the Countrey with the help of the English to whom he had ally'd himself and especially the City of Perigueux which belonged to the King was forced in his Castle of Montagnac brought to the Parliament and condemned to death The King gave him pardon for his life but bestowed his forfeited Estate upon the Duke of Orleans Archambauld de Grailly Captal de Buch having a Right to the Earldom of Foix as having married the Sister of Earl Matthew dead without Children got into possession of it by the Sword The King would not endure this because he was a Vassal Year of our Lord 1399 to the English and from Father to Son very affectionate to that party He therefore sent the Mareschal de Sancerre who pursued him so close that he was compell'd to desire a Cessation during which he came to the King and submitted himself to the judgment of the Parliament giving up in the mean time his two Sons in Hostage The Parliament declared in his favour conditionally he would relinquish the English and the King put him in possession This was in the year 1400. Year of our Lord 1399 Constantinople was invested by the Turks and in the greatest danger Pera which is as the Suburbs to it and from whence they fetched all their Provisions was very likely to be taken It belonged to the Seignory of Genoa the Mareschal de Boucicaut going thither with only Twelve hundred Men secured it and by consequence the City After he had disengaged all the parts round about and made the Turks retire whom he worsted in several Rencounters his Pay and Soldiers failing him he came into France to sollicite for a greater reinforcement bringing the Emperour along with him leaving the Lord de Chasteaumoran in Constantinople to defend it The discords in the Court of England caused by the ill Government of Richard and the ambition of his Uncles ended in a most Tragical Catastrophe Henry Earl of Derby became Duke of Lancaster by the death of his Father puts King Richard prisoner in the Tower of London Deposed him by the Authority and Consent of Parliament who degraded and condemned him to a perpetual imprisonment Then he took the Crown the Eighteenth day of October and was anointed with a Holy Oyl which some English say was brought by the Virgin Mary to St. Thomas of Canterbury whilst he took refuge in France This Ampoulle or Bottle that contains the Oyl is of Lapis and on the top stands a Golden Eagle enriched with Pearls and Diamonds Notwithstanding this Unction some while afterwards he gives way to the out-cries of the People who demanded that the unfortunate King might be strangled The London Citizens held Richard in execration because he had deliver'd up Brest and Cherbourg to the French The Duke of Bretagne who enjoy'd some repose after the many traverses which Year of our Lord 1399 had disturbed him from his Infancy died the First day of November in the Castle of Nantes He left his Children to the custody not of his Wife Jean of Navarre but of the Duke of Burgundy and Oliver de Clisson who alone were able to trouble them He had three John Arthur and Giles In the Month of November of this year 1399. a Comet was seen of an extraordinary brightness and darting its train towards the West It appeared only for one weeks time and was by Prognosticators held as a sign of those great Revolutions Year of our Lord 1399 that hapned all Chistendom over especially in the Kingdom of Naples and the Empire Lewis of Anjou had peaceably enough enjoy'd the better part of the Kingdom of Year of our Lord 1399 Sicilia when Thomas de Sanseverin Duke de Venousia offended for that he did not conclude upon the Marriage of his Brother Charles Earl of Mayne with his Daughter made him odious to the Neopolitans and introduced Lancelot and his Mother into the City where he was Crowned King and invested by the Pope of Rome So that Lewis having only some Castles left returned into France to crave assistance The Electors could no longer endure the Vices and brutish drunkenness of Year of our Lord 1400 Wenceslaus they degraded him and in his stead elected Henry Duke of Brunswic a generous Prince and great Captain and this Henry being basely assassinated upon his return from the Diet by the Count of Waldeck they substituted Robert Duke of Bavaria and Count Palatine who was of the Electoral Colledge The Duke of Milan fearing left he might dispossess him shout up all the passages and hindred him from going to take the Imperial Crown at Rome and Sigismund King of Bohemia having procured himself to be chosen Guardian to Wenceslaus his Brother under this Title made many of the German Princes of his party who adhered to the House of Luxemburgh or rather made this a colourable pretence to avoid the owning any Sovereign Year of our Lord 1400 This year 1400. the Court of France received Emanuel II. Emperour of Greece who came to give the King thanks for his assistance and to crave more help of him He met with all manner of good Entertainment but nothing else unless it were an annual Pension for his subsistence He remained almost two years in France at the and whereof news being brought of the defeat and taking of Bajazeth by Themir-Lanc the King lent him the Lord of Chasteaumorand with two hundred Men at Arms and gave him a sum of Moneyto re-conduct him to Constantinople There was not any thing of advantage presented it self which the Duke of Orleans did not embrace with passion he undertook the quarrel of degraded Wenceslaus Year of our Lord 1401 and raised a good force to restore him but being informed of the ruine of his whole party he came back again The desire to Rule and ambition for Government grew hotter every day betwixt him and the Duke of Burgundy Twice had they displaced each other from that advantageous Post and besides the Burgundian resented it highly that the Duke of Orleans would have the Duke of Bretagne to be thrust out of all who was his Wives Cousin-german and his own surest friend The frequent punctillo's between their Wives exasperated them more than their own true interests the Duke of Burgundy's being the elder Heiress of a vast Estate and sprung from very Noble Blood despising the other who in truth had been much beneath her had she not been considered as Wife of the Kings only Brother Year of our Lord 1401. and 2. The Duke of Orleans had then the upper hand and was seized of the management of Affairs the Burgundian could not quit his part both the one and the other got their friends together and Paris was surrounded with Soldiers The Orleannois had called in the Duke of Guelders with Five hundred
relished that he should upon any occasion assume the Authority to bestow the Order of Knighthood upon a Gentleman He resolved to erect the Earldom of Savoy to a Dutchy for Ame VIII and divers Authors tell us he had made choice of the City of Lyons for that purpose Year of our Lord 1416 but the Kings Officers let him know it would not be suffered wherefore he performed the Ceremony at the Castle of Montluel in Bresse out of the Territories of the Kingdom However the Letters Patents for the said Erection are dated from Chamberry the Nineteenth of February It is fit we observe that ever since the time of the Carlian Race the Title of Count or Earl was as eminent as that of Duke and it seems the Grandees liked it better since we find some who having Dutchies yet took the names only of Counts Such in France was the Count of Toulouze who held the Dutchies of Septimania and Narbonne and the Earl of Savoy did the same though he had the Dutchies of Chablais and Aouste which he did not omit amongst his Titles But as Men who in length of time change their humours and fancies had an imagination that there was something greater in the Title of Duke Ame VIII Earl of Savoy was willing to have that Title given to the Earldom he bore the name of Year of our Lord 1416 France met with nothing but misfortune upon misfortune the defeat of the Constable before Harfleur which he besieged then of the Naval Forces upon that Coast the continual Incursions of the Burgundian Troops the death of the Duke of Berry who was the only Person that could have allayed these Disorders the King of Englands second landing this was at Tonques with the loss of divers places in Normandy taken by his Forces Besides all this the earnest endeavours of both Parties to make an Alliance with him but the Burgundian with most industry and forwardness enraged that they had thrust him out of the Government and the Earl of Hainault his Cousin to get a support for the Dauphin John his Son in Law whom the Orleans Faction would deprive of his Birthright to prefer and advance Charles Earl of Pontieu his younger Brother Year of our Lord 1416 The new Governor rendred himself daily more odious by Exactions without measure equality or justice laid upon the Clergy as well as the Laity for which reason the Parisians heartily desired the Burgundians return and indeed there was a Plot discovered to have let in his Forces The chief Conspirators paid down their Heads for it the rest were imprisoned all who were suspected banished even Members of the Parliament and University the Burghers Arms seized upon their Chains taken away and the Butchers Company abolished Year of our Lord 1417 The passion for Government did so far transport the Burgundian that he Conferr'd with the King of England at Calais and renewed the Truce for his Countries only which was in some manner an obligation not to assist the King at all From thence retiring to Valenciennes he had confidence with Duke William Earl of Hainault and the new Dauphin his Son in Law They sware mutual assistance against all their Enemies So the Dauphin declared himself against the Armagnacs and promised the Duke he would never return to Court till he carried him along with him It was therefore resolv'd that the Earl of Hainault should go thither to treat of those Affairs but should leave the Dauphin at Compeigne Not being able to obtain the recalling of the Burgundian he threatned to carry back the Dauphin home with him whereupon they intended to detain him till he had given up the Dauphin but having private notice he craftily made his escape But they secur'd themselves of the Dauphin another but a more wicked way by giving him Poyson of which he died the eighteenth of April Charles his Brother a sworn Enemy to the House of Burgundy succeeded to the Title of Dauphin and of Duke de Touraine and which is more to a right of inheriting the Crown to the great satisfaction and joy of the Duke of Anjou his Father in Law who was mightily suspected to have had some hand in the removal of the two eldest out of the World that his Son in Law might Reign Year of our Lord 1417 But his joy was not long lived dying in the following Month of August He left three Sons Lewis Rene and Charles the two first had successively the Titles of King of Sicilia Charles was Earl of Maine The Kings Person the Dauphin and the City of Paris were in the hands of the Constable d'Armagnac the Queen only was some kind of counterpoise to his Power They living with much freedom and licence in her Family it was easie for the Constable Year of our Lord 1417 to fill the Kings head with jealousies against this Princess so that he commanded one named Bouredon to be taken thence and thrown into the River as a Party concerned in those Intrigues and afterwards sent away the Queen his Wife as it were a Prisoner to Tours She could never be brought to forgive him this injury nor even the Dauphin her own Son it being by his consent although he were not then above the age of Sixteen years The Queens confinement the lamentable death of the two Dauphins the displacing of a great many Officers the plundering of all the open Country by the unpaid Soldiers the depredations of the Armagnac's who robbed the very Shrines in the Churches furnished the Burgundian with specious Pretences to publish his Manifesto's and to send to all the chief Cities to desire they would be assisting towards the restoring the King to his liberty The most part of those in Champagne and Picardy with the Isle of France received him with open Arms because he put down all Subsidies However all was nothing unless he could get into Paris he marched round about it approaching or going farther off for two Months together according to the Advice he had from his Friends that were in the place Whilst he was besieging Corbeil he goes away in haste to Tours with some Troops of Horse and having had a Conference with the Queen at Marmoustier whither she was come purposely under a pretence of taking the Air he brought her with him to Troyes From that time she claimed the Regency Year of our Lord 1417 In so favourable a juncture the King of England failed not to push on his Affairs Caen Bayeux Coutance Carenian Lisieux Falaise Argentan Alenson and in fine the greatest part of Normandy surrendred themselves up to him without scarce a blow given excepting Cherbourgh which defended it self three Months and yet the Constable chose rather to see the Kingdom lost then his Authority and the Burgundian consented rather to have it dismembred by the English then governed by his Enemy In Germany there were several Companies of Vagabonds began to strowle about having no Riligon no Law no Country or Habitation their Faces
who then had the Government and prevailed with him at last to put him to death without any form of Process Which excited the hatred of all the great ones against her and made them think of ruining her that they might preserve themselves Year of our Lord 1444 or 45. King Charles was then not much above the age of forty three and the Dauphin who was already two and twenty trod upon his Heels and would have plaid the Master in so much as one day at Chinon he gave a box on the Ear to the fair Agnes There hapned another incident worse yet then this He had bargained with Anthony de Chabanes Earl of Dammartin to assassinate some body that had displeased him James Brother of that Earl who was Grand Maistre of the Kings Houshold dissuaded him from it The King coming to the knowledge of this gave the Dauphin a sharp reprimand The young Prince to excuse himself charged the Earl as having suggested this base design first to him the Earl boldly denied it in the Kings presence and offer'd to justifie himself by Combat against any of the Dauphins Gentlemen that would undertake it The King then found the malignity of his Son abhorred it and commanded him not to see him in four Months time but to go into Dauphine He retir'd with menaces and being once gone thought no more of returning but to Cantonise and Reign alone without any dependance but on his malicious fancies The City of Genoa in a few years had changed their Lords and Governors four or five times The Fregoses and the Adornes who were of their principal Citizens disputed for the Siegnory amongst themselves Barnaby Adorne had usurped it Year of our Lord 1445 with the Title of Doge Janus Fregose pretending he would put it into the Kings hands having treated with him for that purpose made use of the Forces and Money of France to make himself Master then kept it in his own hands and Year of our Lord 1446 scoffed at the French Year of our Lord 1446 The King had for a while adhered to Pope Felix or at least stood Neuter but when informed that Nicholas was elected in the room of Eugenius he would let all Christendom understand he approved his Election He sent a famous Embassy to tender his obedience which perhaps brought in the custom of those stately and expensive Embassies of Obedience which Kings now send to every new Pope Year of our Lord 1447 The Government of the Viscounts at Milan after its having lasted One hundred and seventy years ended this year by the death of Duke Philip And that Estate was claimed by divers Pretenders as either having a right or thinking it would be of great convenience and necessary for them The Emperor Frederic the Duke of Savoy the Venetians Alphonso King of Naples and Charles Duke of Orleans Now as it truly appertained to this last according to the Conditions of the Contract of Valentine his Mother he went thither with some Forces but the Milanese intending their own liberty he could get no more then only his Earldom of Ast Afterwards those People having for many years undergone much trouble and affliction by the contending Parties that strugled for the Mastery fell as we use to say out of the Frying-pan into the Fire by accepting for their Duke Francis Sforza who had Married a Bastard of Duke Philips Year of our Lord 1448 There were but little Infantry in France The King that he might have some that were good and well maintain'd ordained that every Village throughout the Kingdom should furnish him with and pay one Foot-Archer who should be exempt from all Taxes and Subsidies For which they called them the Franc-Archers These made a Body of two or three and twenty thousand Men. Year of our Lord 1448 The Truce prolonged three or four several times was not to end till about a Twelvemonth after this time a Captain of the English Party this was Francis de Surienne extreamly greedy after Prey surprized the City of Fougers belonging to the Duke of Bretagne where he met with a Booty of above Sixteen hundred thousand Crowns and at the same time the English made irruption in Scotland which was also comprehended in the Truce as well as Bretagne but they were soundly beaten there England began likewise to be imbroil'd within its self by reason of some new Tax which King Henry would raise in London which hath most commonly been the occasion or at least the pretence for a Civil War Year of our Lord 1448 The Duke of Bretagne and the Scots likewise make their complaints to King Charles for this breach of the Truce The English are summon'd to repair the damage they disown'd Surienne indeed but for the rest gave no satisfaction but put off's and delays All this was suffer'd six Months they imagine the French are afraid At length the Duke of Bretagne flies out and with the Kings consent surprizes at the same time the Pont de Larche above Rouen Conches near Evreux Gerbroy not far from Beauvais and Cognac upon the River Charente Year of our Lord 1449 By force of many Intreaties Negotiations and Menaces the King overpersuaded Felix to set his hand to the re-union of the Church He renounced the Papacy more gloriously then he had accepted of it His Conventions with Nicholas V. were such that he seemed to quit it as a thing belonging to him which he conferr'd as a favour upon his Rival For he made his demission in the Council which he had purposely transferr'd from Basil to Lausanna and after he had deposited his Pontifical Ornaments the Fathers elected Nicholas who left him perpetual Legat in all the Countries of Savoy Montferrat Lyonnois Swisserland and Alsatia and received all those Cardinals he had created into the Sacred Colledge Year of our Lord 1449 The disturbances of England continuing King Charles found the opportunity so favourable that he resolved to chace the English out of his Kingdom He had made the Earl de Foix Lieutenant of his Armies from the Garonne to the Pyrenees and the Earl de Dunois in all the Kingdom in such sort nevertheless as he rendred respect and honour to the Constable when they both met in the same place The first had Order to take all places the English held at the foot of the Pereneans thereby to block up the passage against John of Arragon King of Navarre who had made a League with them and obliged himself for a certain Sum of Money to keep and guard Mauleon de Soule for them a place very strong in those times and situate upon a high Rock For this purpose he had taken it into his protection and had placed his Constable in it The Count de Foix was Son in Law to that Prince however he had more regard to the Kings Orders then his Father in Law and scruples not to besiege it The Navarrois knowing it wanted Provisions Arm'd himself to relieve it and came within two
Ferdinand and stept in before him prevented his getting into Romagnia These successful beginnings engaged Charles the more He parted from Ast the sixth day of October At Turin he borrowed the Dutchess of Savoyes Rings and at Casal the Marchioness of Montferrats and pawned them for twenty four thousand Ducats Ludovic with his Wife came to receive him at Vigeue and accompanied him as far as Piacenza He arrived at Pavia the thirteenth of October There he found Duke Galeazo very ill of some Morsel his good Uncle Ludovic had caused to be given him Being at Piacenza he heard of his Death and then Ludovic who had accompanied him thither took his leave of him to go and reap the Fruit of his Crime and make sure of the Dutchy without any regard to Galeazo's Son as yet but five years old The French trembled with rage that this wicked Wretch should bring the King to be witness of a Parricide upon the Person of his Cousin-German They thought it much more just and safe to revenge this Death upon that Tyrant and to conquer the Dutchy of Milan and the City of Genoa then to run to the farther end of Italy crossing above an hundred Leagues thorow the Enemies Country in the midst of Winter without Money and without Provisions to seek out a Kingdom which would be impossible to keep unless they could first be Masters of Genoa and the Milanois Such was the sentiment of Desquerdes a great Soldier and had he lived had so much Credit with the King as would no doubt have perswaded him to take that Course but he died at Lyons Ludovic's Intrigues who had gained Stephen de Vers overthrew all that good Counsel and the King went forward taking his march by Tuscany The taking a small Castle by storm on the Confines of the State of Florence and afterwards the Fort of Serezanella which capitulated and then the defeat of some Succors which Paul Vrsinus was bringing did so astonish Peter de Medecis that he consigned four Places into the King's Hands which were even the very Keys of that Country to hold them for some certain Time and consented that he should borrow Two hundred thousand gold Crowns of that City Ludovic had fancied to himself that the King would put those places into his hands pretending that two of them belonged to the City of Genoa And for this purpose lent him twenty Thousand Ducats The Council having fairly denied him he retired but left some of his Emissaries about the King to watch their opportunities and dispose things for his advantage His fingers itched to get Pisa One day while the King was in that City his men had persuaded the Pisans to fall on their Knees as he went along to Mass and cry out for Liberty The young King was moved with Pity and the Master of Requests who went along before assured him that what they craved was Just Thus without considering that City was none of his he granted them their desires The Florentines at all times French by inclination taking their opportunity of the Kings approach banished Peter de Medecis from their City by a Sentence of the Senate and recovered their Liberty He retired to Bologna and from thence to Venice with so little Credit that one of his own Factors refused to let him have a Piece of Cloth he sent for The 17 th of November the King entred into Florence his Army in Battallia and himself Armed at all points his Lance upon his Thigh The Florentines partly by force partly out of good will treated upon and agreed a Confederation with him which was proclaimed in all the Cities of Italy with a Manifesto declaring that the King was come thither only to chace away the Tyrants and from thence to carry his Arms against the Turks the capital Enemies to Christendom Picus Mirandolus that marvellous Prodigy of all sorts of Sciences Died in Florence the same Day the King made his entrance The very same hour he went forth the City of Pisa threw off the yoak of the Florentines the People pull'd down their Arms and erected the Kings Statue in the room of them This prodigious success of the French their great train of Artillery which was drawn by Horses and so well managed that in a few hours they could shatter and beat down the strongest Walls as likewise their Combats which was no Childrens play like the Italian fighting bred a Terror over all Young Ferdinand soon retreated from before Aubigny even to Rome and his Uncle Frederic getting out of the Port at Legorne retured to Naples All cried out Vive France the places about Rome strove which should first surrender and the Vrsini made their Peace with the King Then his Holyness to his great regret intreated Frederic to withdraw his Forces and himself was constrained to let the King make his entrance into Rome he being retired to the Castle St. Angelo Year of our Lord 1494 The King entred there Armed as into an Enemies Town upon the 28 th of December and disposed of his Soldiers and Artillery in all the publick places So that Alexander fearing to be taken by force and deposed as he well deserved capitulated with him and condescended to what ever he desired Amongst other things he let him have five or six of his best places for a certain time the investiture of the Kingdom of Naples Caesar Borgia his Bastard Son who was called the Cardinal of Valentia for Hostage and Zemes or Zizim the Brother of Bajazeth to make use of him against the Turks Year of our Lord 1495 The Treaty being finished the Pope came down from his Castle He and the King saw each other often with more appearance of Friendship then any real confidence And the King shewed great respect to his Dignity even to the kissing of his Feet giving him water to wash at Mass and taking his Seat in the Chappel below the Dean and Cardinals Which did not so well please such as expected he would have made use of his power in reforming the Roman Church and purging the Holy See of a Tyrant who defiled with all the abominations imaginable the House of God The eight and Twentieth of January the King went from Rome continuing his march towards the Kingdom of Naples Being at Velitri the Cardinal Bastard Son of the Pope who was an Hostage slunk away from him and returned back to Rome At the same place Antony de Fonseca Ambassador from Ferdinand King of Arragon seeking some pretence for a Rupture made sharp complaints for that the French invaded the Empire of all Italy and urged that when his Master treating with King Charles had promised not to oppose him in his Progress meant it only in relation to the Kingdom of Naples whereas the King had taken divers places from the Florentines and from the Holy See The French replied smartly And the dispute growing hot the Ambassador tore the Treaty in pieces in the Kings presence which so inceased
into their Hands and retired to Mantoua The Emperor continued the Truce for five Years with the Venetians for twenty thousand Crowns they were to pay him each Year and the King desiring to fasten and secure the Confederation with the Pope by some fresh Ties gave up into his Hands again the writing whereby he had obliged himself to surrender Reggio and Modena to the Duke of Ferrara Christendom enjoy'd a most Vniversal Calm when She was troubled with two of the most horrible Scourges or Plagues that did ever torment Her Selim the Turkish Sultan having conquer'd Syria laid Ismael Sophy's Power in the Dust extinguish'd the domination of the Mamalucs in Egypt by the utter defeat and death of Campson the last Egyptian Sultan vaunted that in quality of Successor to Constantine the Great he should soon bring all Europe under his Empire and at the same Time the Bowels of the Church began to be torn and rent by a Schisme that hitherto no Remedies have been able to take away The first Evil gave occasion for the birth of the second Pope Leo desiring to oppose all the Forces of Christendom against the furious Progress of the Turks had sent his Legates to all the Christian Princes and formed a great Project to attack the Insidels both by Sea and Land Now to excite the Peoples Devotion and get their Alms Year of our Lord 1517. 18 19. and the following and Benevolence for so good a Work he sent some according to the usual Custom in such Cases practic'd to preach Indulgences in every Province This Commission according to the allotments made of a long time amongst the four Orders Mendicants belonged to the Augustins in Germany Nevertheless Albert Archbishop of Mentz either of his own Head or by Order from Rome allots and gives it to the Jacobins The Augustins finding themselves wronged in their Interest which is the great Spring even of the most Religious Societies Camplain make a Noise and fly to Revenge Amongst Year of our Lord 1517 these there was a Monk named Martin Luther of Islebe in the County of Mansfield Doctor and Rcader in Theologie in the Vniversity of Witemberg a bold Spirit Impetuous and Eloquent John Stampis their General commanded him to preach against these Questors They furnished him but with too much Matter for they made Traffick and Merchandize of those sacred Treasures of the Church they kept their Courts or Shops rather in Taverns and consumed great part of what they gained or collected in Year of our Lord 1517 Debauches and it was certainly known besides that the Pope intended to apply considerable Summs to his own proper use Perhaps it would have been better done to prevent these Disorders only to have reremoved the occasion of his clamor but the thing seemed not worth while to trouble their Heads about it In the mean time the Quarrel grew high and was heated by Declamations Theses and Books on either side Frederic Duke of Saxony whose Wisdom and Vertue was exemplary in Germany maintained him and even animated him as well for the Honor of his new Vniversity of Witemberg which this Monk had brought in reputation as in hatred to the Archbishop of Ments with whom he had other disputes He at first began with proposing of Doubts then being hard beset and too roughly handled he engaged to maintain and make them good in the very Sence they condemned them in They had neither the Discretion to stop his Mouth or seize upon him but threatning him before he was in their Power he takes shelter and then keeping no more Decorum he throws off his Mask and not only declaimed against the Pope and against the Corruptions of the Court of Rome but likewise opposed the Church of Rome in many Points of Her Doctrine And truly the extream ignorance of the Clergy many of them scarce able to read the scandalous Lives of the Pastors most of them Concubinaries Drunkards and Vsurers and their extreme negligence gave him a fair advantage to persuade the People that the Religion they taught was corrupt since their Lives and Examples were so bad At the same Time or as others say a Year before to wit in Anno 1516. Ulric Zuinglius Curate at Zuric began to expose his Doctrine in that Swisse Canton and since almost every Year new Evangelists have arisen in such Swarms that it would be difficult to number them Year of our Lord 1518 Every Day brought forth some occasion of difference between the King and Charles of Austria the Lords de Chevres and de Boisy met at Montpellier to determine them but the Death of de Boisy made that great Work be left imperfect William his Brother Lord de Bonnivet much less wise then he held the same Rank in the Kings Favor who made him Admiral of France Year of our Lord 1518 About the same Time John Jacques Trivulcio lost it and died for Grief at the Burrough of Chastres under Montlehery Lautree his antagonist had given the King an ill impression of him upon his being made a Burgher amongst the Swisse and his Brother and others of his Kindred puting themselves into the Venetians Service There had been some Seeds of division sowed between the King of France and the King of England their Counsels before things grew to a greater height thought sit to unite them by a new Alliance The Admiral therefore going to London made a Treaty to this effect That the King of England should give his Daughter as then but four years of age to the Daufin not yet compleatly one year old That there should be a defensive League between the two Crowns and that Tournay should be restored to the King of France who should pay two hundred and sixty thousand Crowns for the Expences the English had been at there and three hundred thousand more in twelve years time besides that he should acknowledge to have received other three hundred thousand for the Dowry of the little Princess The King not having the Money ready gave six Lords in Hostage and by this means got Tournay It was likewise agreed that the two Kings should have an entre-view at their convenient time between Boulogn and Calais In Maximilian's Councel it was judged more proper for the Grandeur of the House of Austria to give the Empire to the Arch-Duke Charles his Grandson then to Ferdinand his younger Brother to whom for the same reason King Ferdinand his Grand-father would not leave his Kingdom of Arragon who bred him in his own Court. And therefore Maximilian treated with the Electors to get them to design him King of the Romans but before he had accomplished that affair he died at Lints in Austria aged sixty three years the two and twentieth day Year of our Lord 1519 of January in Anno 1519. After his Death King Francis and Charles declared themselves Aspirers or Competitors for the Imperial Crown without shewing however the lest picque against one another Of the Capetine Race none but Charles
necessity and many other things which the Prince buried in Oblivion before his Father was laid down in his Grave If he would have had these last things put in practice he should have made those that were to be his Sons Year of our Lord 1547 Ministers his Executors Magnificence and State Attended him to his very Tomb his Funeral was made with extraordinary Pomp Elven Cardinals were present which before had never hap'ned He was publickly by Proclamation in the Palace-Hall declared a Prince Clement in Peace Victorious in War the Father and Restorer of good Learning and the liberal Sciences He never had his Paralel in liberality in magnificence and in clemency very few to compare with him in Valour Eloquence and useful Learning He would have been a great Prince in all things had he not sometimes suffered himself to be prepossessed by the Evil Counsels of his Ministers and a passion towards women Those to render themselves all-powerful set up his Authority above the Ancient Laws of the Kingdom even to an Irregularity of Government the Women he loved being vain and prodigal changed his Noble desire of Fame to fastuosity and vanity and made him often consume in idle expences the Money he had designed for some great enterprize The Ten last Years of his Life the anxiety of his distemper made him so good a Husband that although he had made several stately Buildings in divers places had employed great Sums in purchasing rich Furniture many Jewels excellent Pictures and curious Books though he had bestowed Pensions upon all the brave Souldiers and truly learned men he could meet with and had maintained a War against all the powers of Europe for almost Thirty years yet at his death he left all his own Demeasnes clear of all Engagements Four Hundred Thousand Crowns of Gold in his Coffers and a quarter of a years Revenue ready to be paid in On the contrary his Son in the thirteen years he reigned though he sold a great many Offices newly created raised the Imposts a third part higher and gave nothing to his Favourites was yet indebted fifteen or sixteen Millions a great Sum in those days I had forgot to note that he had chosen for his Devise or Impress a Salamander in the fire with this Motto Nutrisco Extinguo I am nourished by it and I extinguish it and that he Erected into Dutchies and Pairries the County of Vendosm for Charles de Bourbon in 1514. that of Guise in favour of Claude de Lorrain in 1527. that of Montpensier for Lewis de Bourbon in 1538. The same year out of affection to Francis of Cleve he likewise gave the Title of Dutchy to that of Nevers which was before made a Pairrie by King Charles VIII Anno 1459. Till then no Erection of such great Dignities had been made but to supply the number of the Six ancient ones wherefore the Parliament made a grave and serious remonstrance to the King to hinder that of Guise but he desired to gratifie with that honour a Prince whose extraordinary vertues raised him almost equal to those of his Blood He Married two Wives Claude Daughter of Lewis XII and of Anne de Bretagne in the year 1514 and Eleonora of Austria Sister of Charles V. in the year 1530. By the first he had three Sons and three Daughters whereof none remained alive but Henry who Reigned and Margaret that was Married to Emanuel Philibert Duke of Savoy Queen Eleonora brought him no Children After his death she retired into the Low-Countries to the Emperor her Brother who in Anno 1555. carried her into Spain She died at Bajadox in the year 1558. Aged about Threescore Years HENRY II. King LVIII Aged about XIX Years POPES PAUL III. Two Years and above 7 Months under this Reign JULIUS III. Elected in February 1549. S. 5 Years 1 Month and a half MARCELLUS II. Elected in April 1555. S. 22 dayes PAUL IV. Elected in May 1555. S. 4 Years 2 Months and a half Year of our Lord 1547 HENRY came to the Crown upon the same day of the Year that he came into the World The Robes and other preparations for the Ceremony of his Coronation not being got ready before Mid July he received not the Sacred Unction till the Five and Twentieth of that Month by the hands of Charles de Lorraine who was Archbishop of Reims Claude Duke of Guise and Frances de Cleves Duke of Nevers preceded Lewis de Bourbon Duke of Montpensier though a Prince of the Blood because their Pairres being more Ancient by some years the first represented the Duke of Guyenne the second the Earl of Toulouze but Montpensier the Earl of Champagne only This King had been without defects as he was without disquiet had his Soul been framed as compleatly as his body His noble Stature his Serene and goodly Visage his pleasing aspect his dexterity in all brave exercises his agility and bodily strength were not attended with that firmness of Mind Application Prudence and the Sagacity requisite in one that is to command He was naturally good and had inclinations to do justice but he never possessed himself and because he would do nothing he was the cause of all those Evils they Committed who governed him The Constable de Montmorency whom he immediately called to Court Frances Earl of Aumale who was Duke of Guise after the death of his Father and James d'Albon Saint André whom he made Mareschal of France had the best share in his Favour He considered the first as his principal Minister the two others as Favorites but all even the Queen her self bowed before his Mistress This was Diana de Poitiers Widow of Lewis de Brezé and whom he had made Dutchess of Valentinois She meddled with all she could do all That it might be known she Reigned he would have it appear in all his Turnaments on his House-hold goods in his Devises or Impresses and even on the Frontispieces of his Royal Buildings by placing every where a Crescent with Bows and Arrows which were the Symbols of that unblushing Diana Year of our Lord 1547 One might think this love of a young King for a Woman of Forty Years and who had three or Four Children by her Husband must have been indeed an Inchantment without Charmes She was unjust violent and haughty towards such as displeased her but otherwise ready to do good and very liberal her wit mighty agreeable and pleasing but her hands more yet because she bestowed often and much and with a very bon-grace The King loved her because she was so sensible of Love and this temperament did sometimes lead her elsewhere to seek out the full measure of her delights as she found in him the fulness of Honour and Riches Under a new Government there is a new face of Court They left Frances Oliver in the Office of Chancellor whereof he was very worthy but they took away the Administration from the Cardinal de Tournon and Annebaut
engage them to that unhappy necessity of fortifying themselves against an Authority that was to be employ'd to ruine them Year of our Lord 1587. January c. Notwithstanding the embarras of Factions and an open War the Court of France forbore not to pass the Winter-time merrily in Feasts and Ballets Their greatest grief was they could not compleat one Ballet of a great invention which the Queen Mother brought from Guyenne because they wanted Money The little Court of Year of our Lord 1587 the King of Navarre which was then at Rochel did likewise make a great effort and swell'd if we may so express it like the Frog in Esops Fable that they might not fall short of the Kings in those sumptuous Divertisements During these jollities came news of the Tragical Death of Mary Steward Queen of Scotland whom Queen Elizabeth her Cousin German caused to be beheaded by the common Executioner the Eighteenth of February after she had kept her Prisoner eighteen years The indiscretion of her Friends were no less the cause of her misfortune then the horrible wickedness of her Enemies for as the first sought with violent passion after some plausible pretence to ruine her the other furnished them with divers by contriving every hour some odd design and even conspiracies against Queen Elizabeth so that they made her perish by their over much care and endeavours to save her Sentence had been pronounced against her three Months before Execution During which time the King omitted neither to persuade nor to intreat Queen Elizabeth to forbear that fatal stroke no less prejudicial to all Crowned Heads then shameful to France whereof Mary was Queen Dowager The Leagued however forgot not to caluminate the King for this very business and to accuse him of connivance with Elizabeth and at the same time made use of the horror of that Act to animate their People the more against all the Religionaries month May c. At the return of Spring Joyeuse who was now become one of the hottest Heads of the League went and made War in Poitou He there surprised two Regiments of the Prince of Conde's in the Burrough de la Mothe Saint Herais and after they had surrendred at discretion cut them all off He then took St. Maixan and Tonnay-Charente and that done returned to Court that he might not wholly lose the remainder of his favour But ill-fortune followed him close at Heels Being in the Kings Closet relating his brave feats of War one of his Men came and told him the King of Navarre had defeated one part of his Army and pursued the other as far as la Haye in Touraine Some few days after Catharine the Wife of Henry Earl of Bouchage his Brother who was Sister to the Duke of Espernon sinking into the Grave under the burthen of her pious Austerities the Husband renounced the World and thrust himself into a Convent of Capucins The Duke was very sensibly affected with it but that which vexed him most was that the King redoubled the marks of his affection towards his Rival by Marrying him to Margaret de Foix who having some Alliance with all the Princes of Christendom had been sought for by many She was Daughter of that Lewis de Foix Count of Candale slain at the Siege of Sous-Mieres and Mary Daughter of the Constable de Montmorenâ—y Year of our Lord 1587 Now the Protestants having held a great Assembly at Luneburgh upon the offensive Answer the King returned to their Ambassadors were agreed to send a powerful supply to the Huguenots whose general Rendezvous was in Alsatia Never had they taken Arms with so much heat Mothers carried their own Sons to the Officers to be enroll'd the Sisters sold their very Rings to fit them out and the Country Peasants fill'd them with good cheer wherever they met them month July Upon the general review made nigh Strasburgh the Army was found to be twenty nine Cornets of Reisters making six thousand Horse five thousand Lanskneckts all Pikemen and sixteen thousand Swiss Four thousand were already gone into Daufine to reinforce Lesdiguieres who were all cut in pieces near Vizilles by la Valeta d'Ornane and Mesplez There were besides this two thousand Foot and four thousand French Horse raised by the Duke of Bouillon without counting two thousand Men more of the same Nation who joyned them soon after and eighteen hundred brought by Chastillon To this huge Body there wanted only a Head sufficiently authorised to conduct it Casimir retained the general Command that he might appoint as he found fit but not able to go in Person placed in his stead Fabian Baron de Dona a Gentleman born in Prussia and trusted the Conduct of the Lasquenets with one Doctor Scrogel The Duke of Bouillon was Lieutenant General amongst them for the King of Navarre Anthony de Vienne Clervaut Colonel of the Swiss Chastillon of the French Infantry and John de Chaumont Guitry Mareschal de Camp Dona had a great many good qualities but little credit with the Soldiery Scrogel had yet less the Duke of Bouillon not much more as being yet so very young the other Captains had eternal quarrels with each other nor did the Court omit to foment those seeds of Division and to cast in new ones which caused the destruction of that Body made up of such different pieces month August and September One can hardly express those troubles the King suffer'd in his mind upon the approach of this inundation of strangers After he had strove in vain to satisfy the Duke of Guise who came to him at Meaux he was forced in despite of his unwillingness to resolve upon the War It was named The War of the three Henries because he the King of Navarre and the Duke of Guise were all of that Name To this end he sent for all his Commpanies d'Ordonnance who were to the number of near an hundred and threescore Bands made Levies within his own Kingdom and without and divided his Forces into Three Bodies One he gave to the Duke of Montpensier another Year of our Lord 1987 to the Duke of Guise to guard the Frontiers of Champagne and reserved the other to go in Person and defend the passage over the Loire against the Germans The King of Navarre after the first defeat of Joyeuses's Forces was come to Montsoreau in Touraine to receive the Count de Soissons whom he had drawn to his side upon the hopes of Marrying his only Sister He had designed to have gone from thence to meet the Germans but his Council thought it much better he should go back into Guyenne to give order for the security of his Places and then return by the favour of those Provinces who were friends and so march as far as Burgundy to receive those succors The Confederate Army so were the Germans called having cleared their passage thorough the straits of the Mountains Vosge which the Duke of Lorrain had encumbred eesily entred into the
April May and June Mean time the King of France who had received notice from the States that they had accepted of a Truce fearing the business should be managed to the disadvantage of his interest resolved that he might share in the Negociation and make himself as Arbitrator to send thither the President Janin one of the best heads in his Kingdom and Paul Choard Bazenval to labour jointly with Elias de la Planche Russi whom he had sent Ambassador to the States in the stead of Busenval by communicating with the said States and fortifying them with their conceils The King of England likewise would needs have his Ambassadors there and by his example the King of Denmark and the Protestant Princes but those of France arrived there the eight and twentieth of May those from England not till the Month of July and the others about the end of the year The Ratification of Spain carried to Madrid being brought agen to the Hague with some alterations but not all those the States had mentioned did not fully content them Those that desired not the Peace took occasion from thence and from some other incidencies to frame such Obstructions as made them spend four Months in contests only Notwithstanding in the beginning of November the States upon the instances of Father Ney went on to the Negociation month Novemb. and Decemb. but put this down for an immoveable and fixed point That they should not in the least touch upon the foundation of their Liberty and their right of Soveraignty which they had acquired at the Expence of all that was dear to them in the world Now because the Truce expired in January they left it to the discrâ—tion of the Arch-Dukes to prolong it for a Month or Six Weeks In these Messages too and fro was this whole year almost wasted It is held that one of the Considerations which hastned most the Council of Spain to accept of this Truce was their fear of losing the Indies and their Maritime Forces for the Hollanders had taken from them and Burnt within three years above Thirty great Galioons and now newly had defeated their Admiral Year of our Lord 1607 Don Juan Alvarezd'Avila in the very Port of Gibraltar the Five and twentieth month April day of April This Exploit may well be counted one of the most brave and resolute that ever was performed on the Seas Jacob de Heemskerk Commanding the States Fleet consisting of Twenty six Vessels attaqued that of Spain though above a third part stronger than his own and under shelter of the Cannon both of the Town and Castle He pursued the Admiral quite through the Enemies Fleet having given Command not to fire one Gun till they came Yard arm to Yard arm Upon this neer approach the Valiant Hollander had his Legg taken off by a Cannon Ball whereof he died about an hour after but in the interim harangued those with such force that were about him and gave such good Orders that his Men month April gained the Victory Burnt or Sunk the Spanish Admiral wherein d'Avila was and Twelve Ships more took Two hundred Prisoners amongst whom was the Son of d'Avila and kill'd above Two thousand Men whereof above Fifty were Persons of Quality This signal overthrow fill'd all Spain with mourning and carried a very hot Alarm even to Madrid It was believed that if the Victors had pursued their blow they might have forced Gilbraltar and Cadiz too but they retired to Tituan a place upon the Coast of Africa belonging to the King of Fez to refresh and to repair themselves Year of our Lord 1608 We are now in the year 1608. which is to this day called the Great Winter year for the Cold which began to be very bitter on Sainct Thomas's Day lasted above two Months without relenting in the least degree excepting one or two days and congealed or if we may so express it petrified all the Rivers froze most of the young Vine-Roots and other tender Plants starved above half the Wildfowl and Small Birds in the Fields great numbers of Travellers on the Roads and near a fourth part of the Cattle that were housed as well by its violent sharpness as for want of Forrage It was observed that the heats of the following Summer did almost equal the Severities of the Winter and yet the year might be reck'ned amongst the most plentiful The Thaw caused no less damage than the hard Frost had done the Cakes of Ice in the Rivers destroy'd a world of Boats Keys and Bridges The Waters raised by the sudden melting of the Snows drowned the Valleys and the Loire breaking down its Banks in many places made a second deluge in the Neighbouring Campagnes Year of our Lord 1608 That which hapned at Lyons is a wonder worthy to be described There was month February a mountain of Ice-Cakes accumulated on the Saone before the Church de l'Observance the whole City trembled for fear lest upon breaking loose it should carry away the Bridge and therefore made Publick Prayers to avert that Misfortune and Damage a simple Artisan undertook to make it break into little shivers and swim away by degrees without any disorder for a certain Sum of Money agreed upon by the Magistrates of the Town To this effect he on the Shoar right against it lighted two or three small Fires with half a dozen Faggots and a few Coals and falls a muttering certain words Immediately this prodigious glaciated Rock burst with a noise like the report of a Cannon into an infinity of pieces the greatest not exceeding four or five foot But this poor fellow instead of receiving his Reward was in danger of receiving severe Punishment for the Divines said That the thing could not possibly be so done without some operation of the Devil so that his Recipe or Charm was burnt publickly in the Town-Hall Ten or Twelve years after he brought his Action in Parliament for his Reward I could never learn the success of it Henry last Duke of Montpensier after he had languished two years with a Hectick Feaver reduced to suck a Nurses Breast expir'd about the end of February His only Daughter a little before his Death was Contracted to the King 's second Son who dying young she afterwards Married the third whom we have seen Duke of Orleans he came into the world the Five and twentieth of March following Henrietta Catherine de Joyeuse Widdow of Henry re-married some time after to Charles Duke of Guise In the Month of May Charles Duke of Lorraine a good Prince liberal and pacifick passed from this life to the other and had for Successor his eldest Son Henry Duke of Bar and Marquis du Pont. Some perhaps would take it amiss should I forget that the Duke of Neuers sent on an extraordinary Embassy to the Pope to tender him the filial Obedience made his entrance into Rome upon the Five and twentieth of November the most magnificently that ever had been known upon
the one lay the Body of a Man and in the other a Womans with a little Child The Inscription bearing the Name of Childeric and some Regal Ornaments which were therein discovered that they were the Tombs of this King and his Queen An Inter-regnum of some Months THis Tragical Death was followed with an Inter-regnum and universal Confusion Year of our Lord 673 and 74. in all three Kingdoms The Dukes that had haled St. Leger out oâ— Luxeu asked him pardon and conducted him to his City of Autun where the Burghers and the Lords of Burgundy made a League to defend him in case they should attempt upon his Life during this Inter-regnum It is credible that amidst these Divisions all the Austrasians or at least part of them by the perswasion of Queen Imnichilda Widow of King Sigebert II. and who had had credit in the Court of King Childeric desiring to have a King that they might not fall under the power of the Neustrians recalled her Son Dagobert whom Grimoald had shaven and banished into Ireland and acknowledged him for King of Austrasia where he Reigned many years Year of our Lord 674 The Lords of Neustria and Burgundy that they might not fall into an Anarchy went and drew forth Thierry from the Monastery of St. Denis where he had time to let his Royal Locks grow again and set him on the Throne giving him for Mayre of the Palace Leudesia or Liuteria the Son of that Erchinoald who had that Office under Clovis II. Thierry I. King XV. POPES ADEODAT S. three years and an half in this Reign DONUS Elected in No. 676. S. one year three months AGATHON Elected in 678. S. three years eight months and half LEO II. Elected in August 683. S. eleven months BENEDICTUS II. Elected in 684. S. eighteen months and half JOHN V. Elected in 685. S. one year CONON Elected in 685. S. one year SERGIUS Elected in Decemb. 687. S. thirteen years eight months and half whereof three years and an half under this Reign LEUDESIA then Ebroin Mayres THIERRY in Neustria and Burgundy Aged 22 or 23 years and DAGOBERT in Austrasia Aged about 15 years EBroin having quitted the Monastery of Luxeu after he had wandred a while with a small Band of Men grew so Confident as to throw off his Clerical Habit which was in those times esteemed a most horrid thing though a Man had even been compelled to put it on His design was to seize upon the Government again to this end he got together all such as were banished and such as were Enemies to Leger whose opposition he most feared and made a League with Wlfoad Mayer of Austrasia who mortally hated the Holy Bishop With this Crew of Rascally Villains and Austrasians he takes the Field and in Year of our Lord 674 an instant falls into Neustria to surprize Thierry and Leudesia his Mayre The first was passing his time at Nogent in the Country of Laonnois and the other was in a Palace on this side the Oise His Enterprize having failed him because they got away with all speed he applies himself to fraud and having under colour of an Accommodation engaged Leudesia to come to a Conference he laid an Ambuscade for him by the way where he was Assassinated All this notwithstanding did not restore him to the Office of Mayre King Thierry Year of our Lord 675 and 76. hating him the more it was not likely he would admit him He bethinks himself therefore when he was returned to Austrasia as he was advised by two evil Bishops who had been Deposed Didon-Desiree of Chaalons and Robon of Valence to spread the Report abroad that Thierry was dead and to impose a false or pretended Clovis whom he said was Son to Clotaire III. This Statue being set up he forces the People to take an Oath of Fidelity to him and ruines all those Countries that refused so to do But principally he Assaults Leger in Autun by Vaimer Duke of Champagne who Year of our Lord 676 was accompanied by the two wicked Bishops He believed with much reason that this was the most stout Opposer of his Tyranny and that having vanquish'd him he should easily overcome all the others The City being besieged and in danger to be forced this good Prelat could not be persuaded to betray that Faith he owed the King and on the other side would not expose his Flock for whom a good Shepherd ought to expose his Life He therefore went voluntarily out of Autun after he had broken all his Silver Plate to give to the Poor and delivers himself to Vaimer That wicked Man caused his Eyes to be plucked out and shut him up in a Monastery In Recompence for so good a piece of Service Ebroin instals him in the Bishoprick of Troyes by fraud and violence and Didon invaded that of Autun but both the one and the other perished soon after by the same Tyranny of which they were the Ministers Immediately after this the Grandees of Neustria and Burgundy as if they had left their hearts by the imprisonment of Leger who indeed was the greatest Genius of that Court accepted Ebroin for Mayre of Thierry 's Palace and then he having no more need of his false Clovis took off his Vizard and returned him to a private Condition Being in this high Power his Tyranny had no bounds he sacrificed all that had opposed him to his Revenge and to his Covetousness those that possessed fair Estates or great Employments but all under the pretence of some imputed Crime which deprived them of their Honour before he robb'd them of their Lives The most wary saved themselves in time some in Aquitain others in the utmost skirts of Austrasia Year of our Lord 678 That he might have a specious Pretence to extend his Cruelty as far as he pleased he set himself upon a discovery of all those that had any hand in the Death of Childeric for which it was well known he rejoyced more than the Actors themselves He failed not to bring in and involve Leger and the Count Guerin his Brother These two Lords being brought before him he caused the latter to be Stoned to death at a Stake and the other to have the Soles of his Feet torn out and his Lips cut off then put him into the Custody of one of his Sattelites who kept him near two years in the Monastery of Fescamp The most part of the Bishops flattered him in his Injustice because they either dreaded him or had some interest in it Dadon himself otherwise Ouin Bishop of Rouen and one that has a Place in the Kalender of Saints was his Friend and one of his principal Counsellors This Man clapt St. Filibert Abbot of Jemieges in Prison for having made some Remonstrances to the Tyrant And afterwards perceiving that such Violence was too odious in the Eyes of honest People he banished him to Aquitain under colour of building a Monastery in the Isle of Herio Indeed he
and Provence and to Griffon a Portion betwixt his two Brothers made up of some parcels of the three Kingdoms The Son of the Duke Eudes held Aquitania Prima Secunda and the Duke of the Year of our Lord 741 Gascons the other Shortly after on the 20th of October he ended his Life in the Castle of Carissy upon the Oyse within three Leagues of Noyon He had ruled about three years in Austrasia and 28 in this Kingdom and in Neustria The Martial Courage and Spirit which inclined him to have always his Sword in hand to smite his Enemies acquired him the name of Martel in History and an immortal Fame But the Ecclesiasticks whom he had rudely handled fullied his Memory and would not forgive him in the other World For they affirmed according to a Revelation of St. Eucher Bishop of Orleans that he burned both Body and Soul in Eternal Flames and that his Tomb having been opened there was nothing to be found in it but a huge Serpent and a stinking Blackness the marks of the ill condition of his State or Salvation CARLOMAN in Austrasia and PEPIN in Neustria Burgundy Dukes and Princes of the French HOw little soever the share was which Griffon had his two Brothers could not endure it they Besieged him in the City of Laon shut him up in Chasteauneuf in Ardenna and having seized on his Mother Soxichilde allotted him the Abby of Chelles for his Subsistence and his Prison At the same time Theodebald Son of Grimoald whom Martel had left in Peace after he had strip'd him was taken out of the World perhaps because he had some intrigues with Sonichilde All those People whom Martel had brought to their Duty by the power of the Sword imagined that after his death it would be easie for them to cast off the yoak Particularly Thibaud Son of Godefroy Duke of the Almans and Hunoud Duke of Aquitain This last being the most dangerous the two Brothers joyned their Force against him They handled him so roughly having driven him beyond Poitiers and forced the Castle of Loches that he desired a Peace the conditions are not specified Before the two Brothers left Aquitain they shared the Kingdom betwixt them or rather what they had taken from Hunoud which they did at the place called The Old Poitiers between the Clain and the Vienne near Chastellerand Besides these two Expeditions the year was remarkable for the Birth of Charles Year of our Lord 742 called the Great or Charlemain the Son of Pepin and Berte his Wife who was born into the World in the Palace of Ingelheim upon the Rhine this year 742. The same year Carloman passed the Rhine marched into the Almans Countrey Year of our Lord 742 as far as the River Lee which separates them from the Bavarians and brought them so low that their Duke Thibaud Son of Godefroy gave him up Hostages for pledge of his Faith and the tribute he was to have from him It seems to have been in this year or at least the next that the two Brothers bethought Year of our Lord 743 themselves of filling the Royal Throne in appearance which had been vacant five years and putting Childeric in it who was surnamed the Witless or Senseless as being either really such or so represented to the People Some make him to be the Brother of Thierry de Chelles others of Clotaire III. and if so he must have been at least â—7 or 18 years of age but many think him the Son of Thierry and then he could be but 10 or 12 at most Childeric III. called the WITLESS King XXI Aged Eighteen years POPE Zachary Elect in Dec. 741. S. Ten years Three Months whereof above Nine Months in this Reign CARLOMAN in Austrasia and PEPIN in Neustria Dukes and Princes of the French Year of our Lord 743 THose Princes that had Revolted in the time of Martel obeying his Children but unwillingly made a powerful League to break and throw off the Bonds of their subjection Odillon Duke of Bavaria was the Head instigated no doubt by his Wife Chiltrude Daughter of Martel and Sonichilde who two years before having stollen away from her Brothers went into that Countrey and was Married to him The Saxons and Almans assisted him with Men and at the same time while the two Brothers were on their way thither Hunoud Duke of Aquitain falls upon Neustria and descends as far as Chartres which he forced and buried almost under its own Ruines Odillon was encamped with his Army on the brink of the River Lecq which he had Palisadoed with strong Timbers The two Brothers having staid Fifteen days right over against him without attempting to pass one fair night a kind of impatient Spirit prompting the French they forced their way over with the loss of many of their Men who were drowned and brought a terror to his whole Camp All his Men betook themselves to flight and left their Baggage and the two Brothers their full and free liberty to range over the whole Countrey of Bavaria for two Months together Year of our Lord 741 From thence Carloman marched against the Saxons gained the Castle of Hochsburgh upon Composition and Theoderic Duke of that Countrey who solemnly gave his Faith to him and yet he nevertheless broke it again presently and obliged Carloman to return thither the very next year to the very great damage of his Countrey But it was not till after the two Brothers having ravaged Aquitain had constrained Hunoud to crave their pardon the third time and redeem his fault with the price of many great Presents made to them Year of our Lord 745 He had the courage of a Woman quarrelsome and weak and consequently suspicious and cruel His Brother Hatton being come to see him upon the security of his Word he put him to death and a short while afterwards either upon some Motions of Repentance or lightness and giddiness of Brain he made himself a Monk in a Monastery in the Isle of Rhe having left his Dutchy to his Son Gaifre about the age of 18 or 20 years Prince Carloman after he had struck his last blow against the Almans whose pride Year of our Lord 746 he had abated by the blood of a great many of the most mutinous which was in the year 746. resolved likewise to quit the World either by a powerful and efficacious inspiration of God or the terror of those most dismal Stories they spread of his Fathers Damnation The Fifth year of his Principality having given up his Estate and his Son Drogon or Dreux into the hands of Pepin he went to pay his Devotions at St. Peters in Rome from thence he went to take the Habit of St. Bennet at Mount Soraâ—ie or Mount St. Sil and some while after because he was too much importuned by Visiters he retired to Mount Cassin Pepin allowed no share of his Dominion to his Nephew Dreux nor his Brothers other Children but the same year
all Acts were passed in his name without any mention of the Kings the little Seal du Chastelet which they used in his absence was laid aside and they had a great Seal made purposely for the Regency He would be no longer at the mercy of the Parisians nor the general Estates he found it better to hold with particular ones those of Champagne at Vertus and those of Picardy at Compiegne consented to some Contributions The Parisians offended that they were despised endeavoured to seize upon the Posts about their City not being able to effect it they proceeded to enclose it with Walls from that part where the Bastille is even to the Wooden Tower near the Louvre filled up all their Gates towards the University excepting that called St. James's and from that Gate to that de Nesle caused Ditches to be made before the Walls for till this time they had not any Year of our Lord 1358 During this Anarchy the Nobility and other Men of the Sword exercised all manner of violence upon the poor Countrey people Those unfortunate wretches beaten plundred hunted like savage Beasts having for the most part no other places of retreat but Woods Caves and Boggs did like those hunted Beasts who being at the last gasp fly at the Greyhounds throats they muster'd together in great companies and were resolv'd to destroy all the Gentry This fury was begun in Beauvoisis and for their chief Leader they took one named Caillet a Peasant They called it La Jacquerie because the Gentlemen when they pillaged the Peasant called him in raillery Jacques bon homme Had the Citis joyned with these Rustiques there had been an end of the Nobility and Monarchique Government as well as in Swisserland but not one of them open'd their Gates for fear of being ransack'd they attempted divers to no purpose destroyed all the little Castles in the Countrey amongst the rest that of Beaumont upon Oyse and made themselves masters of Senlis but besides all this they committed so many more then brutish cruelties that the Nobility of all parties French English and Navarrois rallied themselves unanimously against them The King of Navarre defeated Caillets crew who being taken was beheaded The Dauphin cut off more then Twenty thousand and so this insurrection was quashed on a suddain In the time the Dauphin was gone towards Senlis having left the Earl of Foix in that part of the City of Meaux named le Marche the Parisians who were much concerned to secure that Key of the Marne sent out some Forces under the command of a Grocer to seize upon it The Mayor of Meaux open'd the Gates to them but as they were attacquing the Market the Earl sallied out with Horse and Foot and cut them all off The Grocer was slain the City sacaged and burnt the Mayor and some of the Citizens beheaded Year of our Lord 1358 Against his promise made to the Dauphin the Navarrois drew near to Paris and having conferr'd with Marcel at St. Ouin entred the City and harangued the People who declared him their General but the Nobility affronted to see him caresse them less then he did the Citizens forsook him and in an Assembly which was held at Compiegne promised the Dauphin all their assistance for the besieging of Paris The Factious party having notice of it engaged the University to go and beg their pardon of that Prince offering such satisfaction as he pleased saving their Lives and Honours to which not condescending unless they would deliver up to him Twelve of the principal Mutineers they united themselves together again as firmly as ever they possibly could and stuck close to the King of Navarre Year of our Lord 1358 The Dauphins friends having gotten some credit amongst the People of Paris insinuated a jealousie into their minds for that the King of Navarre had brought some English thither they massacred a great many of those strangers Marcel to save the remainder clapt them all in prison then let them make their escapes they retired to St. Denis from whence teey cruelly revenged the deaths of their compagnons upon all those of Paris that they could light upon The People whatever the Navarrois could urge in his florid Speeches against it forced both him and Marcel to lead them thither that they might make a final end of them but whether by the treachery of those two Commanders or otherwise the English drew them into an Ambuscade and slew above Six hundred of them in the night as they were returning home all in disorder Year of our Lord 1358 This bloody check redoubled their suspicions and the Peoples out-cries Marcel and his associates fearing to be at length deliver'd up to the Dauphin conspired to deliver up the City rather to the Navarrois by letting him one night into the Bastille But as the Dauphins friends had their Eyes and Ears in every corner one John Maillard and one Pepin des Essards who were the Chiefs contrived their business so well that having got their friends together just at the nick of time as Marcel was to put his plot in execution they kill'd both him and all those that accompany'd him before he could get the Gates open Year of our Lord 1358 His Corps were dragg'd thorough the Streets and his death attended with the Massacre the execution and the banishment of many of his friends amongst others Ronsac the Sheriff Josserand the King of Navarre's Treasurer and Caillard who had delived up the Castle of the Louvre all which lost their Heads in the place of Execution called the Greeve After this the face of Affairs was wholly changed the party-colour'd Hoods were thrown into the Fire and the Dauphin returned to Paris the Twenty fourth day of August Year of our Lord 1358 But the Navarrois fretted beyond all patience for the death of his Friends and his Officers protested he would never have peace with the Princes of the House of Valois nor did he any longer own them for Sovereigns In this heat he got his Forces together from every quarter sent to desie the Dauphin block'd up Paris both by Land and Water and called to his assistance the Captal de Buch and Robert Knolles an English Captain This Man notwithstanding the Truce made horrible depredations every where particularly in Auxerrois and in Champagne Now having been forced away from before Troyes by the Count de Vaudemont he came and joyned with the Navarrois in hopes to plunder Paris It was at this time they burnt the City of Montmorency which was none of the least as may be guess'd by its ruines while in the mean time Philip de Navarre ran about Picardy and made several attempts upon many Cities which all miscarried Year of our Lord 1359 The Dauphin durst not stir out of Paris for fear they should recall the Navarrois who had yet good store of friends remaining amongst them In the mean time as he could settle nothing in order in no part
which was the selling his Daughter to John Viscount of Milan for Six hundred thousand Gold Crowns in Marriage with his Son Galeas Although the Crown of France and its Sovereignty came to the Eldest wholly and was not to be divided amongst the younger Brothers yet they assigned a share of Lands to them which was entirely theirs which descended to the Daughters as well as to the Sons and which they might dispose of as properly their own Now the King to keep the Body of his Kingdom in more strength and not suffer his great Provinces hereafter to be as it were dismembred by such partage or by any Treaty united inseparably to the Crown the Dutchy's of Normandy and Burgundy Year of our Lord 1361 and the Earldoms of Toulouze and Champagne by Writings made at the Castle of the Louvre in the Month of November in the year 1361. Year of our Lord 1361 In the foregoing Easter Holy-days Death had snatched away the young Philip Duke of Burgundy and in him extinguished the first Branch of those Dukes which had produced Twelve and lasted 330 years He left no Children Margaret of Flanders his Wife being as yet but Eleven years of age and he but Fifteen He was Grandson of Duke Eudes IV. and Son of that Philip who was slain at the Siege of Aiguillon and of Jane of Boulogne who for Second Husband married King John and died the last year Year of our Lord 1361 The Lands belonging to this Prince which came by his Mother returned to the Heirs of that Line which were the County of Artois and the Franche Comte to Margaret Daughter of Philip the Long and the Countess Mahaut and Wife of Robert Earl of Flanders by consequence Grandfather of the Wife this young Duke Poilip had Married Boulongne and Auvergne went to the House of Boulongne as for the Duthcy of Burgundy the Navarrois challeng'd it as being the Son of Jane Daughter of Queen Margaret who was the Wife of King Lewis Hutin and eldest Daughter of Duke Robert Father of Eudes IV. Duke of Burgundy but the King laid his hand upon it as being said he nearer of kindred by one degree being Son of the Second Daughter of Duke Robert whereas the King of Navarre was but Grandson of the eldest Some will say that he did not understand his Rights well and that he should have reaped this Dutchy as he was Sovereign and have maintain'd that Burgundy was a Masculine Fief which reverted to him for want of Heirs-Males Year of our Lord 1361 The Soldiers of all the parties did not evacuate the places without a great deal of trouble and committed the same depredations and Robberies as during the War The Gascons and the Bretons rambled all over Anjou Poitou and Tourain for pillage and plunder and those Bands that were named the Tard-Venus or Late-Comers led by some Gascons having in the same manner treated Champagne Burgundy Masconnis and Lyonnois in a Battle at Brignais near Lyons defeated James de Bourbon Count de la Marche whom the King had given Orders to chastise them for their Thefts after that they divided themselves into two parties whereof one was hired for Money to go into Italy by the Marquis de Montferrat who was in War with the Viscounts of Milan the others fastned on Masconnois and never let go their hold till they were fully gorged like blood-sucking Leeches Year of our Lord 1361. and 62. Those that levy'd the Taxes and Gabelles tormented the People no whit less then the other Robbers The burthen and grievance was so great that infinite numbers of Families quitted France and sought elsewhere for a more easie livelyhood and subjection Such as did know how to secure themselves from all these miseries did not know where to find an Asylum against the Pestilence which for seven or eight years growing worse and worse upon divers returns seized indifferently upon all sorts of People both in City and Countreys There fell by it this year nine Cardinals and Seventy Prelats in the Popes Court and above Thirty thousand People in Paris The Jews were recalled into France for the fifth time another plague added to the Imposts the Pestilence and Famine Year of our Lord 1362 It was the Right or to â—speak properly a practise suffer'd time out of mind amongst the French that they might make War one upon another for their particular quarrels the King forbid it among all his Subjects till all the enemies were quite out of the Kingdom He afterwards added to this Order a prohibition of all Duels Challenges c. as well during the Peace as in time of War Notwithstanding his defence he durst not take notice of the cruel War that was renew'd between the Earls de Foix and d'Armagnac because he feared it might offend the King of England to whom they were Vassals for those Lands in contest between them We had omitted to take notice before how the difference for the Succession of Gaston de Bearn had given birth to this bloody War between these two Houses That Gaston who died Anno 1289. had by Mate Countess of Bigorre four Daughters Constance who married William the Son of Richard of England King of Germany from whom there came no Children Margaret who was the Wife of Roger Bernard Earl of Foix Mate of Gerauld Count d'Armagnac and of Fezenzac and Guillemette of Don Pedro Son of Don Pedro King of Arragon and Brother to James II. That the first and the last left no Children behind them that Gaston their Father by his Testament made them all sharers of the Lands he had in France as well as those in Catalonia and that in case the first dyed without Children he then gave Bearn to the Second who was Countess of Foix. Neither had we observed how Mate Countess of Armagnac finding her self wronged by this Testament had refused to approve thereof That in Anno 1294. Bernard her Son for her Husband Geraud was dead accused the Count de Foix of having falsified it and called him to try it in Combat or Duel in the Court of King Philip the Fair. That by Decree of Parliament in the year 1295. the two parties were admitted to Combat in the City of Gisors but when they were come into the Field the King caused them to be put out again and annull'd the Duel by taking upon him to let them know That this private feud should surcease according to the Law or Rights of the Kingdom during the publique War between the French and the English That the same King in the journey he made to Languedoc Anno 1303. finding he could not bring the parties to an amicable composition made a Decree to settle and regulate their pretensions to which Margaret Countess de Foix her Husband being deceased would not obey That the death of Guillemete the youngest of the four Sisters occasioned new debates and that Philip King of Navarre endeavour'd to determine them Anno 12â—9 by a Sentence of Arbitration
But nothing could quench the irreconcileable animosities of these two Houses nor prevent their seeking all opportunities to destroy each other as they did this year 1362. and the following Year of our Lord 1362 Whilst they were labouring but not effectually enough to have the Garrisons vacated King John took a fancy to go to Avignon and visit Pope Innocent with design as was believed to endeavour a Marriage with Jane Queen of Naples the second time a Widdow defamed indeed for her ill life but who would have brought him in Dower the Counties of Provence and Piedmont being on his way he heard of the death of Innocent but he went forwards and on the eighth day of October assisted at the Coronation of William Grimouard a Native of Montferrat who was chosen out of the Sacred Colledge being but a simple Abbot They named him Vrban V. Whilst he staid at Avignon the Holy Father Preaching for a new adventure to the Holy Land he accepted of the Command of Generalissimo in the Expedition The two Kings Peter of Cyprus and Woldemar III. of Denmark took the badge of the Cross for the same purpose in the same place But the affairs of France not suting very well with this Enterprize was so far from being put in execution that it was not so much as approved of or countenanc'd Year of our Lord 1363 At his return he took possession of the Dutchy of Burgundy but whilst he was yet in that Countrey the Burgundians did so positively make him understand that they could not live without a Prince that was Resident amongst them that he revoked and null'd the re-union he had made of this Dutchy to the Crown and yielded and bestowed it upon Philip his youngest Son who had deserved the Name of Hardy at the Battle of Poitiers To hold it for him and his Heirs begotten in lawful Marriage About the end of this year 1363. King John Embarqued at Boulogne and went again into England the occasion of his voyage was not his love towards a Lady with whom he had familiarity when he was formerly there but upon notice that the Duke of Anjou his second Son and one of his Hostages had escaped out of England this generous King would repair the Honour of that young Prince and demonstrate Year of our Lord 1364 that he had no hand in that juvenile act as likewise to dispose if it were possible King Edward to the expedition of the Holy War Charles the Dauphin Regent for the Second time Year of our Lord 1364 HIs eldest Son to whom he had left the Regency sound himself presently attaqued by his Cousin the King of Navarre upon the pretensions he had to the Dutchy of Burgundy This Prince having rashly sent him defiance before he had any Army ready to justify it lost the Cities of Mantes and Meulan which were taken by Bertrand du Gueselin whose valour was already raised much above the common standard Year of our Lord 1364 In England King John having had many Conferences with King Edward when he hoped to have dispatched all his Affairs was surprized about mid March with a distemper which ended his days the eighth of April He died in the Savoy without the Walls of London after he had lived Two and fifty years and held the Scepter Thirteen years and eight Months His Son the Duke of Berry the Dukes Philip of Orleance and Lewis II. of Bourbon and John of Artois Earl of Eu all Princes of the Blood heard his last Sighs and closed his Eyes The King of England made him a magnificent Funeral worthy the grandeur of that King and becoming his own generosity His Corps was brought back into France and interred at St. Denis upon the seventh day of May. He was esteemed to be the bravest and the most liberal Prince of his time but the same root which produced these virtues did likewise bring forth Pride and the scorn to follow any other Counsel but that of his own Brain attended with prodigality precipitation and that violence which exposed his own Kingdom to pillage and plunder and his own Person to the mercy of his enemies But we must not deny him two great advantages or perfections he had above other Princes that he was frank and sincere and did most inviolably keep his word nor forget that heroick saying attributed to him That if Faith and Truth should be banished from all the rest of the world yet they onght to be found in the mouths of Kings He married two Wives who were named Jane the First Daughter of John King of Bohemia in Anno 1332. and the Second of William Earl of Boulongne and Widow of Philip of Burgundy Earl of Artois in Anno 1349. By the First he had four Sons and four Daughters the four Sons were Charles who succeeded to the Crown Lewis Duke of Anjou and Earl of Mayne John Duke of Berry and Auvergne and Earl of Poitou Philip first Duke of Touraine then of Burgundy The Daughters were named Mary Jane Isabel Margaret the first married Robert eldest Son of Henry Duke of Bar the second Charles the Bad King of Navarre the third John Galeaz Viscount First Duke of Milan the fourth devoted her self to JESUS CHRIST in the Monastery of Poissy By his Second Wife he had two Daughters that attained not to the ripeness of Marriage Charles V. called the VVise and the Eloquent King of France LI. Aged about XXVI years POPES URBAN V. Seven years Four Months under this Reign GREGORY XI Elected the Thirtieth of December 1370. S. Seven years three Months Schisme URBAN VI. Elected the Eighth of April in the year 1378. S. at Rome II. years six Months six Days whereof two years and above five Months under this Reign And CLEMENT VII Elected the Twenty first of September S. in Avignon Twenty six years whereof Two years under this Reign THe prosperous Conduct of this King is the noblest proof we meet with thoroughout all the History of France that the weightiest Affairs are managed better by skill and judgment then by sorce and that success in Year of our Lord 1364 Battle is oftner the effect of the judicious Orders and Contrivances in the Closet then the valour of those that sight them Year of our Lord 1364 His Coronation was performed at Reims the Nineteenth of May. It is to be observed that Wenceslaus of Luxemburgh Duke of Brabant his maternal Uncle John Duke of Lorrain and Robert Duke of Bar though Strangers and Vassals of the Empire did the Office of Pairs there the First representing the Duke of Normandy the Second the Earl of Champagne the Third the Earl of Toulouze The Duke of Burgundy and the Earl of Flanders held their natural places and Lewis Duke of Anjou that of the Duke of Guyenne They had just reason to say that never King armed himself so little and yet did so many brave exploits in War as this same It seemed as is Wisdom had tyed Fortune to his
in peace telling him That he had not lâ—v'd four score years without learning to die a quarter of an hour At his Funeral Pomp Year of our Lord 1567 they carried his Effigies which is an honour done to none but to Kings and to the Sons of France The Queen very glad to be ridd of him who alone did in a manner limit her power within bounds of reason would not fill up that Office of Constable but that she might retain the general Command of the Armies in her own hands gave it to her Son the Duke of Anjou who was not yet fourteen years of age and placed trusty people about him to dispose both of his person and that great Command as she directed The fifth day after the Battel the Huguenots fearing they might be overwhelmed by those of Paris took their March towards Montereau to meet John Casimir Son of Lewis Elector and Count Palatine who brought them an Army from Germany The Royal Army did not pursue them but kept within Paris there being since the death of the Constable no General as yet appointed The Queen Mother had by Lansac and Bochetel Bishop of Rennes her Ambassadors declared to the Protestant Princes of that Country that in this War Religion was not at all concerned since the Huguenots were allowed all manner of liberty but the Regal Authority which they directly opposed so that the Electors William Duke of Saxony and Charles Marquiss of Brandenburg had denyed the Prince to make any Levies in their Territories but had allowed it to the King The Palatine being also prepossest had for a while kept back those Forces his Son was to command but being afterwards otherwise informed by an Envoyé who accompanied Lansac to the Court of France and who upon his return saw the Prince of Condé he exhorted his Son to go on with his March Year of our Lord 1567. September and October They sojourned at Montereau fifteen days to wait for the Troops which their Chiefs were raising in several Provinces as the King had likewise ordered his part to encrease his Army Those that were raised for them in Poitou Angoumois and Saintonge had for Commanders Francis de la Rochefoucant Claude de Vaudré-Mouy Giron de Luzignan Bessey and Francis de la Nouë whose wisdom and probity was held in admiration amongst the very Catholicks In their favour the City of Rochel by means of Truchard their new Maire and perhaps by the connivance of Guy Chabot Jarnac who was Governor for the King entred into their party whereof it hath been as it were the strongest Tower and Asylum for sixty years together In their March la Nouë being detached to get Orleans for them managed the Business so well that with the help of the Inhabitants who were of the Religion he made himself Master of it the eight and twentieth of September and forced out the Governor who had cantoned himself at the Porte-Baniere From Orleans they Marched towards Montereau and forced Ponts Sur-Yonne The Admiral having joyned them there with a gross of Cavalry would try the City of Sens but he there found the young Duke of Guise who having season'd his courage in the War of Hungary endeavour'd to let him see that he should find in him an Enemy as brave and more dangerous then his Father Those of Languedoc were employ'd by James Crussol d'Acier in taking the Castles of Nismes and Montpellier they having the Towns already by means of the Inhabitants Those of the Countries of Foix Albigeois and Lauraguais conducted by the Vicount those were seven Gentlemen bearing that Title having joyned him assisted him in the taking some places about Avignon and in Daufiné From thence they went to Orleans where by their Arrival they freed the Princess of Condé and the Wives of the other Chief Commanders from the great fear and trouble they were in who having but few Soldiers were every hour under some apprehension of being taken with the Town it self As for the Forces of Auvergne Forez and Beaujolois led by Poncenas and Verbelay they received a check in the Country of Forez from Terride la Valette and Monsalez who were bringing some Levies out of Guyenne to the King but however they made a shift to get clear Poncenas upon another occasion in the night was kill'd by his own Men. The Duke of Newers who had an Army of twelve or thirteen thousand Men six thousand being Swiss and the rest made up in Piedmont and Italy took as he was on his way the City of Mascon whereof la Loüe was Governor but as he was passing thorough his own Dutchy of Nivernois he met with some Huguenot Horse of the Garrison of the little Town of Antrain he charged them and pursuing them in their retreat was wounded in the knee with a Pistol-shot which made him lame all his life after and much exasperated against the Huguenots Year of our Lord 1568 The Huguenot Army at their departure from Montereau took their March thorough Champagne by Chaalons passed the Meuse and went into Lorrain They were five or six dayes in great pain that Prince Casimir appeared not and no less afterwards when upon his first Arrival he demand d an Hundred Thousand Crowns the Prince had promised to pay him when he could joyn him At this time hapned what had never till then been known the Princes Soldiers even to the very Snap-sack boys freely disbursed to make up part of the said Sum and thus one Army paid the other which consisted of six Thousand five Hundred Horse and about three Thousand Foot Year of our Lord 1580 With this considerable Re-inforcement the Confederates returned into France They took the Garrisons of Joinville and Chaumont passed the Marne and crossing the Bishoprick of Autun came to the head of the Seine the Forces under the month January Duke of Nevers not being able to hinder their passage over it From thence they steer'd their Course by Auxerre Chastillon and Montargis whence they extended into la Beausse The Prince having been at Orleans to receive those Troops were brought him from Guyenne marched Twenty Leagues in one day to lay Siege to Chartres He thought when he should have taken this Town he might promise to himself it being one of the Granaries of Paris that he might return to Block up that City its self so deep the Imagination was imprinted in him that he should never attain the ends he designed but by mating that great City by Famine and other inconveniences attending War The enterprize proved more difficult than he expected Antony de Lignieres was got into Chartres with a Strong Garrison and had put all things in good Order If nevertheless he had at first which he did not till the latter end turned the River another way which wrought their Mills the Besieged would soon have wanted bread During this Siege the Conferences for a Peace were again set on foot the Cardinal de Chastillon going to Longjumeau treated a
and the other Cities of that Dutchy where he passed as if he had been King of Spain himself He remained at Turin Eight or Nine dayes The Dutchess Margaret his Aunt one of the wisest and most accomplish'd Princesses of her Age gave him the same Counsel the Emperor had done and the Duke presented Damville his Kinsman to him whom he had sent for expresly upon his Parol that he might restore him to his Favour That Affection the King had otherwhile had for this Lord revived again He made him lye in his own Chamber and willingly gave ear to his Advice for granting a Peace to the Huguenots to ruine them afterwards by such Projects as he propounded and to take all the Government of State Affairs into his own hands But the Queen Mother having some hint of it sent Chiverny and Fifes who soon destroy'd all he had been Building in the King's Mind and represented him so odly that the King would have had him seized The Dutchess finding this gave notice of it to the said Lord and the Duke sent a strong Convoy along with him to Nice whence his Galleys carried him into Languedoc When he found he was got clear he Vow'd he would never see the King more but in a Picture nor did he break his Vow The becoming Civilities of the Duke and kind Caresses of the Dutchess whose graceful Presence Wit and Royal Qualities had yet preserved some Empire over the French and even over her Nephews were not useless to them The King was pleased and being picqued with Generosity and Justice promised to render up Pigâ—orol Savigliani and Perugia to the Duke who made it appear plainly to him that he could not detain them any longer unless he chose rather Year of our Lord 1574 to be guided by what they call Maxims of State than the common Rights of Men and the Faith of Treaties The Duke having obtained this Favour gave him Four thousand Soldiers and a Thousand Horse to attend him to Lyons lest the Huguenots of Daufiné should interrupt his Journey He accompanied him in Person and staid there some dayes but was call'd away again before he had obtained the accomplishment of his Promises having word brought him of the Death of the Dutchess his Wife whom God called into the other World the Fourteenth of September Henry III. King LXI Aged XXIII years almost compleat POPES GREGORY XIII Ten years and Seven Months under this Reign SIXTUS V. Elected the 24th of April 1585. S. Five years Four Months Three days whereof Four years Twenty five days under this Reign Year of our Lord 1574. September IT was the Fifth of September when King Henry arrived at Pont de Beauvoisin the place which parts the Territories of France from Savoy The Queen his Mother went thither to meet him and presented the Duke of Alenson and the King of Navarre to him to be disposed of as he pleased He received them with extraordinary coldness though they saluted him with the greatest Humility Some hours afterwards he granted them Pardon and Liberty but it was only in appearance for he appointed Guards who secretly observed them and there were certain Ladies who ever held them in their amorous fetters and denied them nothing that they might dive into the secrets of their very Souls In the same place he made Bellegarde a Mareschal of France he had promised him this Office whilst he was in favour but now he was not so he could not keep that post above Fifteen days Du Gua had set him besides the Cushion and got into his place One might to speak properly call the Reign of Henry III. the Reign of Favorites The softness of his Soul and his carelesness left him wholly in the hands of those People who went on to enervate all that little virtue that was left in him and to dissolve him in voluptuousness So that they obscured the luster of all those brave actions had been attributed to him and would have put the whole World in doubt whether he had ever any real share in them had not some rayes of truly Royal qualities darted sometimes through all those mists and foggs and kept up his Reputation Quelus Maugiron and St. Maigrin were his first Minions Afterwards St. Luc Arques and the young la Valete then Termes since named Bellegarde and some others The Queen-Mother was ravish'd to see him in those hands because at first they gave her an exact account of his most secret Thoughts and whilst they amused him either in the Anti-chamber amongst the Ladies or in his Closet where he spent whole days in consultation about the trimming of a Suit of Cloaths or the fitting of a Ruff the retained almost all the Authority not foreseeing that by little and little they would draw the greatest part even from her together with the affection of her Son Now that they might the more entirely posses him they did perswade him not to communicate himself so frequently to his Subjects as his Predecessors had wont but to keep himself behind the skreen like the Eastern Monarchs and not be seen by Year of our Lord 1574 them but in great splendour and magnificence nor made known but by absolute Commands and above all to dis-accustom and wean the French from making Remonstrances to him and to make them understand that there was no other Law but his Will Thereupon they wrought him to have a high opinion of himself deafned and confounded him with their flatteries and puft him up with an opinion that he was the greatest Prince in the World that he infinitely surpassed all the preceding Kings that he had shew'd himself an absolute Master in Politiques even in his first Essay and Apprentiship and that the prudence of the most knowing and experienc'd Statesmen was but meer ignorance in comparison of his Inebriated with these flattering perswasions he establish'd new forms of Grandeur set on foot again the Regiment of Guards of Ten Companies Charles IX a little before his death had reduced them to three caused Banisters to be set round his Table went rarely abroad in publique and always shut up in a Litter or a Boat adorned with Gold and Painting in his Promenade upon the smooth-fac'd River of Soane and allowed the Grandees no more that credit of recommending the little ones to him no not themselves but by the credit and access of those Minions There wâ—re no Favours but for them they set all Offices and Governments at a high price to wrest them out of the hands of such Noble Persons who by the eminent Services of their Fathers or their own Merits had justly acquired them A great many of the best qualified finding they were but little regarded retired from Court male-contented and then the Favorites being at large introduced that pernicious invention of Acquits Comptants with which they have so often and with impunity pillag'd and wasted the Kings Exchequer The Agents from the Duke of Savoy did mightily press for performance of the
The Duke of Alenson out-braved by the Favourites had plotted to get away the King having notice of it causes both him and all those that were suspected to have given him such advice to be seized but the next day upon the Queen-Mothers intercession pardon'd him and to compleat the favour did likewise set the other prisoners at large That done as if he had nothing more to fear he gave himself wholly up to idleness passed the Night-time in Feasting and Balls the Morning in adjusting his Cloaths or placing his Furniture to the best advantage and invent new modes the Afternoon in divertisements amongst the Ladies and the Evening in Gaming While he lived in this great security the Duke his Brother deceives those that were commanded to watch him and slipping away one evening the Fifteenth of September reached the City of Dreux where Bussy who had forsaken the Court brought him a great deal of company At his going away he declared himself an enemy to the House of Guise and openly protested to revenge the death month Septemb. of the Admiral and of Molle his Favourite Amongst the Cloaths in his Wardrobe he kept a Doublet belonging to the last and had sworn he would wear it on a day of Battle If the Duke of Montpensier would have joyned with the Duke of Nevers or have lent him his Forces he might have hindred from passing the Loire and getting into Berry For all Montpensiers refusal he had a great mind to charge them and marched with great speed to intercept him but the Queen-Mother sent a Courier with an express Order under her own hand which commanded him not to pursue them any further she fearing her Son might perish in the Fight Upon the noise of the Duke of Alensons evasion great numbers of the Nobility flocked to him from all parts amongst others Ventadour Turenne and the wise La Noüe In the mean while the Prince of Condé had finished his Treaty with Casimir who raised him Eight thousand Reisters and Six thousand Swiss upon this conditition Year of our Lord 1575 amongst other things that they should make no Peace without his consent nor until they had obtained of the King the Government in chief of Mets Toul and Verdun for him Toré having contributed Fifty thousand Crowns towards these Levies they could not refuse to let him have Two thousand Reisters and Five hundred Foot to carry the Duke of Alenson by way of advance but the Duke of Guise Governour of Champagne charged and defeated them near Chasteau-Thierry He was there wounded in the left Cheek with a Musquet-shot the scar remained all his life-time a very Glorious mark of Honour to the Catholiques and very becoming in a Ladies Eyes also who believe that such as are brave in the Field of Mars are ever so in the Camp of Venus too Toré made his escape to the Duke of Alenson in Berry by the swiftness ☜ of his Horse and thither his Infantry got safely by a brave retreat of above Thirty Leagues It was suspected that the Duke of Alensons evasion was contrived by the Queen-Mother thereby to keep up two parties in the Kingdom and render her self necessary between both The Huguenots growing every day more suspicious imagined she had sent him amongst them to divide and so to ruine them However it were most of the great ones were very well pleased with it and she had employment enough cut out for her self as she desired She therefore presently hies after him taking along the Mareschals of Montmorency and Cosse whom she had released from their imprisonment to make use of that credit they had with him Montmorency prevailed so far by his interest as to bring the Duke to the Castle of Champigny belonging to the Duke of Montpensier where she cajoled him so finely that he consented to a truce of Six Months beginning from the Two and twentieh of November That done she returns to Court leaving the said Mareschal there to dispose him to a final accommodation It was agreed by this Truce that the King should give to the Duke by way of security the Cities of Angoulesme Niort Saumur Bourges and la Charite and to the Prince of Conde Mezieres The Governours of Bourges and Angoulesme having refused to be diseised of their places the Queen-Mother returns again to her Son month Decemb. and managed him so well that she obliged him to accept of Cognac and St. Jean d'Angely in exchange after which the Truce was published the Two and twentieth of December There was however nothing as yet that tended to a Peace the King made great Levies both of Men and Money but the City of Paris instead of furnishing him with the sums he desired paid him with Remonstrances which relished of reproaches and did but too evidently let him know the little esteem they had of his Government Some Bourgeois however paid Taxes not so much out of good Will as the fear they had of the Reisters and to exempt their Countrey-houses from quartering of Soldiers wherewith they were menaced month January The Negotiations for Peace continued still this stopt the Prince of Conde and Casimir in Lorrain all the month of January at the end whereof being tired with the variety and uncertainty of such Propositions as were made them they descended into Bassigny crossed over Burgundy within sight of Langres Dijon and Beaulne passed the Loir at Marsigny les Nonains and extended themselves between that River and the River of Allier having gained the Bridge de Vichy Auvergne avoided that month February inundation which would have destroy'd it by a Present of Fifty thousand Crowns and by ordering Markets to serve them with Provisions where-ever they passed The Duke of Mayenne who commanded the Royal Army durst not approach the Princes any nearer then within two days march When the King perceived they were resolved to come directly to Paris he recalled his own and quarter'd them about it but this remedy which he thought sit to provide against their fears excited the Parisians complaints they fall a crying out that they ought not thus pursue the only Brother of the King and that it was a high piece of cruelty to drive a Son out of the House To these out-cries were added the Duke of Montpensiers refusal to take upon him the Command of the Royal Army the little zeal the Grandees express'd to serve the King in this occasion and a much more surprising accident then all these which was the evasion of the King of Navarre about the end of February This Prince having a long while suffer'd himself to be flatter'd with the hopes of the General-Lieutenancy and the deluding charms of some Court Syrens escaped at last from Senlis whither he was gone under pretence of a Hunting-match and retired to Poissy from thence to Alenson afterwards to Vendosme Two hundred Gentlemen month February coming there to meet him he travelled by long journeys into Guyenne where his quality of Governour and
some noble inclinations for great things he easily addicted himself to shew his State Year of our Lord 1577 and Grandeur in those pomps and vanities which carry some outward appearance of Greatness His Favourites had possess'd him with the opinion that all his Subjects wealth was his own and that France being an unexhaustible Fountain of Riches the greatest prodigality could never incommode him It is almost incredible what excessive Sums he lavishly squander'd away and in what magnificent wantonness he wasted them He plaid and lost one night Fourscore thousand Crowns he went often in Masquerade he was seen to run at the Ring in a Ladies Dress with all the trinkets and gew-gaws of a proud gossip he made one Feast amongst many others where the Women waited and served at Table in the habits of Men clad in Green all the Guests wearing the same Livery and the Queen his Mother requited him with another in the same kind where the fairest Ladies about the Court acted the like parts with their white Bosoms open and their Hair dishevel'd The poor People paid for all these follies and mourned many years for a divertisement that lasted perhaps but some few hours The Kings Coffers were empty and they must have recourse to the worst methods for the filling them again particularly the creation of new Offices which the Italian furnished with Titles and perswaded him that such a multiplication was an excellent means to get Money without violence to any man and to render the Kings power more absolute by filling every City with Creatures of his own and such as would be tied fast to his interests thorow fear of losing their employments and so aid him in suppressing his Subjects and force them to lie quiet and submissively under the feet of Power ☜ This luxurious humour which travelled into every Countrey for divertisements brought from the furthest parts of Italy a band of Comedians whose Plays consisting of amorous intrigues and agreeable inventions to stir up and soothe the softest passions proved most pernicious corrupters of Modesty and Virtue and Schools of impudence They obtained Letters Patents for their establishment as they had been some excellent Society The Parliament rejected them as vagabonds or such Cattle whom good Morality the Holy Canons the antient Fathers and even our own Kings had ever esteemed infamous and forbid them to act or endeavour any more hereafter the obtaining of such License or Patent and notwithstanding no sooner was the Court returned from Poitiers but the King would have their Theatre open'd again month October This year appeared the greatest Comet that had been ever seen it took up Thirty degrees in length embracing the Signs Sagitarius and Scorpio the Tail turned towards the West it was observed from the Eighteenth of October till about the end of November An Astronomer found it to be of the same height as the Planet Venus Year of our Lord 1577 In the preceding Month of March John de Morvilliers Bishop of Orleans a great Statesman died at Blois and in the Month of July the Mareschal de Montluc at his House of Estillac in Agenois Armand Gontaud had the Mareschals staff vacant by the death of Montlue and quitted his Office of Great Master of the Ordnance which was given to Philibert de la Guiche one of the Kings Favorites There was open enmity between the King the Duke of Anjou and the Duke of Guise The great courage of this last and weakness of the other two made him almost their equal Their hatred broke into quarrels between their Favorites Quelus who was one of the Kings Darlings challenged Entroguet who was the Duke of Guises and took for his Seconds Livarrot and Maugiron who was likewise in favour ✚ His adversary chose Rybeyrac and Schombert Till this time Seconds had only served for witnesses of a combat but an itch of fighting came upon these and this one bad example has lasted to this very day Maugiron was killed upon the spot Quelus was brought back wounded in Sixteen places whereof he died in a Months time The King loved both these so infinitely that he kissed them when dead caused their flax-Locks to be cut off and treasured them up carefully assisted Quelus to his very death serving him with his own hands and erected a stately Mausoleum for them both in St. Pauls Church Some time after he likewise caused the Body of St. Maigrin to be interred there and Statues of all the three to be set upon their Tombs the rabble broke them down and dragg'd them to the River on the day of the barricades This St. Maigrin was also one of his Minions whom the Duke of Mayenne caused to be pistoll'd at his coming out of the Louvre for having vaunted he was in favour with the Dutchess of Guise For this reason the other Minions who apprehended the like Treatment if they plaid with such rough Gamesters never ceased exasperating the King by their stories and reports concerning these Princes and seeking by all manner of ways to ruine them Being thus pusht at they consider'd how to defend themselves and when they had examin'd and found their own strength and the Kings softness they did not stop at the defensive but carried things to a far greater height then their most daring thoughts durst ever make them hope to attain Whilst the Queen-Mother was in Guyenne whither she went to confer with the King of Navarre under pretence of carrying his Wife to him whom he little valued and by whom he was not esteemed much more the Duke of Anjou Treated with Year of our Lord 1577 the States-General of the Vnited-Provinces this was on the Tenth day of August and was assured moreover that Charles de Ganre Inchi Governour of Cambresis would deliver up to him the Citadel of Cambray for the Queen of Navarre his Sister had gained that Lord the year before in a journey she made to the Spaa Year of our Lord From Anno 1568. to the year 1578. We must now relate what had been transacted in those Provinces for some years past The Duke of 〈…〉 them near Five years during which time he exercised most unexpressible cruelties insomuch that he bragg'd that the very Confiscations of the Estates of those he had butcher'd amounted to Eight Millions of Gold yearly and the number of People who had suffer'd by the hands of the Hangman was Eighteen thousand He was recalled in the year 1513. by King Philip and Lewis dé Requesens Grand Commander of Castille put in his place This last gained a Battle at Mouker-Heyde near Nimeghen wherein Ludovic de Nassau was slain this was in Anno 1574. He afterwards assembled the Estates-General to raise some Moneys but far from granting any they firmly united together to desend their liberty and they took so much hearty grace upon his death which hapned some Months afterwards as to seize upon the Government which was then left in the hands of the Council of State till the
chosen a Council of Forty Persons They afterwards obliged them to receive the Petition of Catharine de Cleves Widow of the Duke of Guise who desired leave to take information concerning the death of her Husband and Commissioners to make Process against such as should be Convicted The Parliaments the Chambers Assembled having heard the Sollicitor General 's motion admitted and granted her Petition and named two Counsellors to manage and carry on the said Process The King against all these attempts opposed nothing but a little Parchment and Wax multitudes of Letters which he sent every way and several Declarations at first very soft and gentle then somewhat more vigorous One amongst others which commanded the Duke of Aumale to go out of Paris interdicted the Parliament and all other the Kings Judges to exercise any Jurisdiction then another which declared the Dukes of Mayenne and Aumale and all the revolted Cities guilty of the Crime de Lesae Majestatis in the highest degree and deprived them of all Offices Honours and Priviledges In pursuance whereof he made an Edict which transferr'd the Parliament and the Chambre des Comptes to Tours as he afterwards did that of Rouen to Caen and the University and the Presidial of Orleans to Beaugency It was thought that if he had but mounted on Horseback and appeared at the Gates of Orleans or Paris who lead the dance to all other Tumults he had stifled them with ease but he was grown so effeminate thorough idleness that he could neither perform any thing with vigor nor keep himself any competent time steady to the same resolution He stirred not from Blois but continued the Estates there whom he persuaded himself would suddenly find out some remedy for all the grievances and troubles in the Kingdom In the mean while the Leaguers and Friends of the deceased Duke drew after them almost all the People of the whole Nation already too much prepossessed with ill-favour'd sentiments against him Even those very Persons who ever had abhorr'd Faction and Rebellion finding he had caused a Cardinal to be Massacred imagined he struck at the Catholick Religion it self the manner and circumstances of those Murthers gave a horror to all the World even the King of Navarre though Year of our Lord 1589 it were realy very advantageous to him could not find in his heart to rejoyce and month January le Plessis Mornay hindred the Rochellers from any publick Expressions of it for fear they might be reproached for approving that ambiguous act by any solemnity It could never be certainly known whether the Queen Mother had any hand in it there being only conjectures both for and against it but it is certain the King did never afterwards communicate any affairs to her So that thinking Life a burthen without any Authority or Power being overwhelmed with Age for she was Seventy and two years old but much more with trouble and sorrow to see that fate maugre all the obstructions she had contrived brought her greatest Enemy so near the Crown and withal being pierced to the heart that the Cardinal de Bourbon when she would needs visit him upon his Bed of Sickness and languishment cast that bloody reproach in her teeth Ah Madam is it thus you have brought us all to the Butchery she fell sick and died of it the Fifth of January Her death was esteemed a thing very indifferent causing neither joy nor sorrow and her memory would have vanisht with her breath after all the noise and stirs she had made for thirty years together had she not brought down too many curses upon France to be so soon forgotten A second time the King made the Estates swear to the Edict of Union to shew he was a Zealous Catholick After this they presented their Papers to him which he began to examine for some days The Fifteenth and Sixteenth of the Month he heard their Harangues which were full of fine words sound Reasons wise Expedients but their Tongues and Hearts were very far asunder so that it was nothing but a Scene where each one acted a part quite different from what he was indeed Now they sending him notice from all parts of new Commotions and finding most of the Deputies retired without taking leave he dismiss'd them all upon the Twentieth day of the Month and that they might carry with them into the Provinces some Marks of his Bounty to the Nobility he gave Brissac and Bois-Daufin their liberty and to the Third Estate that of three or four Deputies whom Richelieu had seized on But all of them made him an ill requital reserving only the injury in memory but not the favour and pardon Moreover he granted and caused several Articles of their Instructions or Memorials to be proclaimed amongst others an abatement of the fourth part of their Tailles of which in truth there was above a third part of non-value and never could be raised From Blois he caused all his Prisoners to be transfer'd to the Castle of Amboise but the Duke of Nemours of a bold and active Spirit found the invention to escape disguised like a Kitchin Scullion and got to Paris without stop or stay The last day of the Month he had news that the Citadel of Orleans had surrendred to the Bourgeois He had hoped that the Duke of Nevers whom he recalled from Poitou would have relieved it but after the taking of la Ganache his Forces being all Year of our Lord 1589 Leaguers either dispersed or went over to his Enemies month Januaay He heard almost at the same time that Paris had drawn in all the Towns and Passages round about them excepting Melun That Dreux Crespy in Valois Senlis Clermont in Beauvoisis Pont Saincte Maixence Amiens Abbeville Rouen and all those of Normandy excepting the Pont de L'Arche Diepe and Caen had set up the Colours of the League That Bois-Daufin had stirred up all the Country of Mans That the Duke of Mayenne was Master of all Burgundy excepting Semur and Flavigny That Lyons had cast their Rider and chose for Governor the Duke of Genevois so they called the Duke of Nemours As to Bretagne the Duke of Mercoeur did not make them move as yet because the King his Brother in Law amused him with the hopes of giving him that Dutchy after his death Stephen Duranti First President of Toulouze and James Dafis Attorney General contained that City near a Month but at last Vrban de Sainct Gelais Lansac Bishop of Cominges a Man equally ambitious and violent made it revolt and put the Populace into such a fury that they inhumanely massacred those two Magistrates dragg'd their dead Bodies thorough the Streets with the Kings Effigies and hanged them on the Gallows The Parisians and the Dutchess of Montpensier who could not well agree with the Duke of Aumale invited the Duke of Mayenne to Paris as soon as he had setled Burgundy in good order he begins his Journey thither to satisfie them All Champagne was of his
upon the Besiegers the first charge was but with little success but at the second when they had gotten some Cannon and a Reinforcement of a thousand Men sent them by Rochepot Governor of Anger 's they broke thorough their Barricado's pierced even into the Bass-court of the Castle and followed them so close as they betook themselves to their Heels but not breaking down the Bridge the greatest part were kill'd or taken Prisoners In Languedoc Montmorency armed slowly thinking by such coldness to make them send him the Constables Sword which other considerations with-held Albigny and Lesdiguieres made War in Daufine by taking and re-taking several Forts from each other The latter being the stronger marched sometimes towards Lyons to assist Maugiron who held one of the Castles of Vienne for the King and had St. Chaumont for Antagonist He likewise went frequently towards Provence to help la Valete Montmorency also passed the Rhosne divers times but that was to endeavour to lay hands on some places to enlarge his Dominion Provence was miserably rent and distracted by three or four Factions not reckoning the Royalists The Duke of Savoy had his the Countess de Sault and the Count de Carees each theirs That of the Duke seem'd to be the most predominant and to draw the two others to his Interests but the the Countess it was Christierne d'Aguâ—rre Widow of Lewis d'Agout Count de Sault a Woman of great courage and of a high spirit would not introduce him into the Province but to make her Year of our Lord 1590 self the stronger and the Count de Carces likewise not being able to stand upon his own Legs gave that Duke footing only that he might be enabled to make head against la Valete For he imagined that being prime Lord of the Country and Lieutenant of the Forces by Authority of Parliament all the Authority there ought to devolve on him The Parliament was also mightily divided between these three Factions and moreover some of the Officers belonging to them had left them to follow the Kings Party and that of la Valete his Governor These had withdrawn themselves to Manosque where they affirm'd they were the true Parliament During the first heat of these Commotions the Dukes Money and Practises gave month January c. him the advantage the Magistrates of the chief Cities amongst others Marseilles and Aix being all for him A great Assembly of the Clergy and Nobility which was held at Aix in the Month of January resolved to put the Province under his Protection and deputed a Bishop and the eldest Consul of the City to him and after that the Parliament Ordained likewise that he should be called in to defend it To which they added that the Estates of the Bigarrats so they named the Royalists should be confiscate As to the rest it were folly to engage in a Relation of all the several Intrigues and Exploits of so many Parties who changing every moment both their Designs and the management of them did not well know themselves what they would have or do I shall therefore not mention them no more then those of several other Provinces Only of Bretagne let me say that the Prince de Dombes rudely repulsed the Duke de Mercoeur took Hennebon Montcontour and Lambale but could not engage him to a Battle I shall likewise take notice of the great change at St. Malo's because it was a place of great importance Honorat de Bueil des Fontaines Governor of the Town lodged in the Castle which month March lies upon the Harbour and had there stowed all the Riches he had scraped together in the time of his being in favour with King Charles IX The Malouins being persuaded that he had plotted to introduce a strong Garison into their City and set the wealthiest Merchants at Ransom conspired to rid their hands of him Having therefore corrupted a Valet de Chambre of his they scaled the Castle on the Fourteenth of March in the night and it so hapned that he was kill'd with a Carbine Shot at a Window whether by chance or designedly I know not After which they plundred his Goods then got the Duke of Mercoeur to justifie them and fell in with the League yet they warily refused to admit of any Soldiers but kept the Castle themselves The Affections of considering Men as well as fortune and success began to dispose their minds by little and little to favour the King Pope Sixtus better informed Year of our Lord 1590. July of the condition of both Parties and comparing the qualities and the manner of that Princes acting with the Duke of Mayennes did well foresee that he would have the better and indeed he received into Rome then to his Audience the Duke de Piney deputed from the Catholick Nobility notwithstanding the threats and protestarions of the Spanish Ambassador and had sent Order to his Legat in France that he should make no use of Excommunication but try all ways of prudence and gentleness to bring back the King The People began likewise to be made sensible of the real goodness of this Prince as he had already taught them to dread his courage And the Duke of Nevers who had hitherto remained as it were Neuter in his own Town after his having consider'd of all the methods likely to convert him judged none could be either more certain or more Conscious then wisely to thrust himself between the Huguenots and him to divide him from them and so draw him mildly towards the Catholick Church With this design he came about the beginning of July and brought in great numbers of the Gentry by his Interest and Example It was about the same time the King recalled the Chancellor de Chiverny and restored the Seals to him Montholon had discharg'd himself of them after the death of Henry III. fearing he might be engaged to Seal some thing in favour of the Huguenots though he still remained of the Kings Party in which he this year died honoured by good Men with the Surname of the French Aristides After his demission the Seals had been managed by the Cardinal de Vendosme then put into the custody of Ruse Secretary of State but without any power of using them save by Order of the Mareschal Biron who had a hand in every thing About the time of his return the City of St. Denis surrendred and a design the Leaguers had contrived upon Senlis miscarried St. Denis having consumed all their Stores wherewith it was as little provided for as Paris made their Composition which was advantageous enough because the King desired to lodge there As to Senlis Bouteville who was Lieutenant to his Cousin Tore there walking one night upon the Rampart overheard some People beneath in the Fosse who spake very low and perceived they planted a Ladder against the Wall he rouls down a huge Stone from the Parapet which beat the Ladder in pieces and broke the Thigh-bone of one of them this
appear more plain to him then any thing else had done Now when they perceived his recovery they repented of having too openly discover'd themselves and endeavour'd to sooth him by new caresses and fairer profers then before And he on his part knew how to dissemble as well as themselves but intended for the future to order his Affairs by other measures then theirs In this mind he essay'd to make a new Party with the Cardinal de Bourbon upon whose Head he promised to set the Crown I cannot tell how far this intrigue was carried on but there is great likelihood the Dukes irresolution hindred the prosecution of it During this universal disorder the Royal Authority was very languishing for the great Cities had their designs for liberty the Lords and Governors for Soveraignties ☜ and private Gentlemen and Captains thought of nothing but Plunder and Robberies for which reason they were all of a mind to prolong the War whence they alone reaped the profit These Purloiners had the fifths of all Prizes Ransoms and Seizures disposed of the Tailles and Publick Money at their own pleasure laid new Imposts upon Passages and Rivers devoured all the labours and substance of poor People Then when they were to march served not above three weeks or a month and so returned again to their own homes But never without grumbling The King might give them new Salaries great Pensions Benefices Confiscations Year of our Lord 1592 grant them all Boons they demanded and engage the clearest of his Demeasns to them yet they were never satisfied month May. It was justly to be feared by him that if the Estates should at last elect a King all the Princes of Italy and the rest of the Catholicks might own him they being concerned only to have a King in France not whether it were he in particular before any other and lest the Pope who had some obligation to the Spaniards for his promotion should continue to assist the League This was Clement VIII for Gregory XIV died and Innocent IX his Successor Reigned but a short time Besides he wanted Money and was vexed to be no more but the Companion of his Subjects These Considerations inclined him to find out some way for an Accommodation with the Duke of Mayenne They entred upon it without much difficulty and without taking in the King of Spain or communicating it to the Lords of either Party as knowing too well those People did not at all desire an end of the Troubles Villeroy and Duplessis were made choice of for this Negociation They came to this Agreement That the King should take six Months time to be instructed by such ways and means as should be no prejudice either to his Dignity or his Conscience That the Nobility of his Party should send a Deputation to the Pope to desire his Authority for it That in the mean time they should endeavour to make a Peace and that he should be owned by those Princes that were united They afterwards further agreed That the Huguenots should enjoy those Edicts had been granted to them before the year 1585. That the Exercise of the Catholick Religion should be restored every where That the Gentdarmerie and Infantry should be regulated That the Tailles and Imposts should ☜ be moderated and that the Priviledges of Officers and of Cities should be preserved But when it came to treat of the interests of the Duke of Mayenne the Propositions seemed so excessive to Duplessis-Mornay that he dissuaded the King from giving ear to them Villeroy forbore not to enter again into Conference with the Mareschal d'Aumont and the Mareschal de Bouillon and to attend the King who was very well satisfied with his franc and loyal proceeding The fruit of these Conferences which lasted two Months proved more then a little for the benefit of the Catholick Religion for the King promised that he would forthwith send the Cardinal de Gondy and Pisany to Rome which did not overmuch please the Huguenots This Treaty being grown publick because too many People would concern themselves in it strangely alarmed the Spaniards and all the other Chiefs of the League The King and the Duke of Mayenne had both like to be abandoned the latter by all his Partisans the other by his Huguenots There were some amongst these who thinking to bind the King yet faster lest he should forsake them fortified themselves with the Queen of England and the Hollander and would needs have given them Year of our Lord 1592 May footing in France A proof hereof was evident by the Enterprise of du Fay his Chancellor in Navarre who having gotten a Commission for the fortifying of Quilleboeuf had scarce raised his Works Breast-high when he would needs Cantonize himself there and denied entrance to Bellegarde to whom the King had given the Government thereof Two or three Envoys from the King did in vain employ both their Persuasions and Menaces to make him lay aside so desperate a design his ambition had taken too high a stand to be brought down so easily he expected a supply of Eight hundred English but two days before the arrival of them he fell sick either of melancholy or otherwise and perished in the midst of his attempt He was so mightily possessed with the humour that death it self could not wean him from it for he gave order they should bury him in one of the Bastions there as if intending still to keep possession So soon as he expir'd Bellegard entred into it Villars thought he might carry the place upon this change and before it were defensible The Duke of Mayenne and he besieged it with four thousand Men but it was either so well defended or so ill attaqu'd that at the end of fifteen days they were constrained to decamp for fear of being beaten by the Count de Saint Pol and Fervaques who were coming to relieve it with Twelve hundred Horse and fifteen hundred Foot Villars going to this Siege had surprized the little Town du Pont-Audemer Whilst he was busie in fortifying it Bose-Rose one of his bravest Captains offended at his arrogance and some scurvy language he had given him seized on the Fort of Fescamp and Cantonized there This Fort was upon a Rock near thirty fathom high towards the Sea which washes the foot of it twice a day but never rises to the top but twice in the year and it was at one of those Spring-Tides that Bose-Rose surprized it by Escalado Villars flew thither immediately to recover it and not able to draw him thence he block'd it up by two Forts wherewith at last he reduced him to extremity but Bose-Rose thought it much safer to cast himself into the Arms of the King then to compound with one he had so much offended After the raising of the Siege of Rouen the greater part of the Kings Army was gone into Champagne he besieged Espernay and out of the apprehension of a relief to come would needs cover himself with a
Mareschals Staff to him The Duke who would needs get this prey to make his own Composition the better quarrel'd with him one day in the Streets of Rheims and ran his Sword into his Belly By his death he became Master of Rheims and having withall the Cities of Rocry St. Dizier and Ginville he procured a very advantageous Treaty For they gave him four hundred thousand Crowns in Silver the Government of those Places besides that of Provence The last not so much to gratisie him as to dispossess Espernon and perhaps that they might ruine one another thereby Burgundy which hitherto had remained almost entirely for the Duke of Mayenne began to give him the slip Auxerre Mascon and Avalon broke his Bonds Dijon and Beaulne were upon the point to do the same when he flew thither with his Light-Horse Now perceiving he could contain them no longer by fair he used foul means and severity caused in Dijon the Heads of James Vernes who was the Mayor to be â—ut off and Captain Gau's razed the Suburbs of Beaulnâ— doubled the Garison Year of our Lord 1594 and fill'd up all the Gates excepting one Moreover to preserve the rest of the month November Province he persuaded the Spaniards to make a sudden War on that side Meer necessity kept him yet in Confederacy with those dangerous Friends He knew the Duke of Feria and Diego d'Ibarra imputed all this decadency of Affairs to his treachery which could indeed be justly imputed to nothing but his slowness and irresolution He knew they hated him so mortally that when he went to the Arch-Duke Ernestus after the Siege of Laon they had deliberated to take off his Head as a Traytor and seeing the Arch-Dukes Council would not concur in that point they had essay'd to rid their hands of him by Poyson or by Poniard And indeed some imagin'd it was he who first to revenge himself for their unhandsom Treatments possess'd the Kings Council by such Friends as he had amongst them with the design of declaring War against them and that he had privately made his Treaty with the King However it were the Party was strong enough in Council to persuade him to a Rupture The Huguenots desired it out of that perfect hatred they still bear to the Spaniards The Catholicks to divert the Huguenots from their Contrivances by giving them this satisfaction and such Employments as would have been improper to entrust them withall upon any other Service The honest Frenchmen to unite all hearts together revive their affections for their Country and consound all the remainders of Factions and Cavils about Religion in the more zealous prosecution of this common Quarrel The Politicks in fine to make a strong Revulsion without of that Venom which caused so much mischief within and to employ the Enemies of the Kingdom in quenching a Fire at their own homes in stead of suffering them to blow the Coals continually in France It was therefore resolved in the Kings Council to carry the War into their Country and because Hainault and Artois were known to lie the most exposed to that ruine which must follow upon a Rupture between the two Crowns it was judg'd fit to write to the principal Cities of those Provinces that if they could not prevail with the King of Spain to withdraw his Forces out of the Territories of France and if they did not forbear to make War upon his Subjects and the Cambresians whom he had taken into his protection he was resolved quickly to make them feel the weight of his Arms. It is held that three Persons did more especially inspire the King with this design Gabrielle d'Estree his Mistress Balagny and the Mareschal de Bouillon Gabrielle that Year of our Lord 1594 he might Conquer the Franche-Compte for her Son Caesar Balagny that he might month November plunder Hainault and Artois the Mareschal for two ends the one to maintain himself in the Seigneury of Sedan the other to give an opportunity to Prince Maurice of Nassaw his Brother in Law to fix his Grandeur by securing the liberty of the United-Provinces For we must know that Charlote de le Mark the Mareschals Wife hapning to die some Months before without Children he retained that Principality by vertue said he of a Testamentary Donation she had made to him and the acquisition of the right of the Duke of Montpensier and had very lately betroathed Elizabeth the Sister of Prince Maurice He vaunted of having Correspondents ready to spring their Mines in the Country of Luxembourg Balagny promised to make a great breach in Artois and Sancy was positively confident of prevailing with the Swiss to Conquer the Franche-Compte The Duke of Lorrain too offer'd towards this Expedition four thousand Men commanded by Tremblecour and Aussonville In effect they did enter the Comte at the very beginning of the following year but it was against his interest and contrary to his intention Neither did they do any thing but make some incursions very ruinous to the poor People except it were their taking the little Towns of Vezou Luxeu and Jonville month December The King made his approaches to the Frontiers of Artois imagining to have had some good success there the severity of the Winter brought him back to Paris and almost to a tragical death For the same day he arrived which was the Seven and twentieth of December at six in the Evening while he was in his Mistresses Chamber at the Hostel du Bouchage and stepped forward to embrace Montigny he received a stroke with a Knife on the lower Lip which broke one of his Teeth Immediately they seized upon a young Fellow who was thrusting into the Crowd and by his scared Countenance they knew it must be he had made the attempt His name was John Chastel Son of a Woolen-Draper dwelling before the great Gate of the Palais aged about Nineteen years a melancholy Spirit who said in his Interrogatories That he was prompted to commit this Crime because finding himself laden with hainous and unpardonable Sins and imagining he could not avoid the Torments of Hell he had thought at least to diminish them by this attempt which he believed to be a Meritorious Act for that said he the King not being reconciled to the Church could be nought but a Tyrant He confessed likewise that he had made his Exercises in the Colledge of Clermont under the Jesuits and that Year of our Lord 1594 they had often led him into a Chamber of Meditations where Hell was represented month December with several most frightful Figures This disposition added to the injurious Libels against Henry III. and against the King now Reigning found in the Chamber of John Guignard one of the Fathers of the Society and whereof he was the Author and likewise the remembrance of the zeal which some amongst them had manifested for the interests of Spain and some Maxims their Preachers had published against Kings and against the ancient Laws of the
point and was as sorry and displeased with those that took Pay under the Spaniard On his part there was much more cause to accuse them of infidelity He complain'd that they had sent Forces to the Duke of Savoy that the Count de Fuentes had endeavour'd to form an Enterprize upon Marseilles that they had debauched the Mareschal de Biron and that they yet held intelligence with the Grandees of the Kingdom to stir up the flame of a new Civil War It wanted but little being thus already exasperated at each others underhand dealings of breaking into an open defiance for an Affront the Spaniard put upon the Ambassador he had at Madrid this was Anthony de Silly Rochepot Some month June young Gentleman belonging to his Train amongst whom was his Nephew quarrelling one Evening as they were washing in the River with some Spaniards whom they protested were the Aggressors kill'd two of them The Dead being of the best Families of the Town their Parents and their Friends so stirred up the Rabble that they ran in multitudes to the Ambassador's House to do themselves justice by force The Alcade so they call the Town-Judge could find no other way to appease this fury but by going himself to the Ambassador's and with strong hand break open the doors and carry those Gentlemen away Prisoners This was an attempt justly deserving Punishment to force a place which ought to be held Sacred the King of Spain however did not do justice but even detain'd the Prisoners when the Commotion was over as if they had been liable to his Laws The King therefore made loud complaint to all Christian Princes that they had violated the Rights of Nations and the Majesty of France recalled his Ambassador who departed without taking leave of the King of Spain and Year of our Lord 1601 forbid all Commerce between his Subjects and Spain The People on those Frontiers did already apprehend the miseries of a Bloody War and were the more alarmed upon a Report that the Bell at Arragon which they hold miraculous had rung out divers times of its own accord which never happens said they without presaging some great Accident And that upon Holy Thursday in the Village de Cudos near Basas in Gascongne a Woman uncov'ring her Paste which she had wrapped in a Napkin perceived a Bloody Cross both upon the one and the other This was seen by great Numbers of People and the Vicar of the Parish carried some of it to the Bishop Which may perhaps not seem so miraculous to those that consider how amongst good Wheat there grows sometimes another worser Grain which after its Flower is kneaded will ☜ seem as it had been mingled with Blood Now the Duke of Lerma Minister of King Philip apprehending a War as the bane of his Fortune intreated the Pope in behalf of his Master to become the Mediator for an accommodation and caused the Prisoners to be put into his month August c. hands The Pope deliver'd them into the French Ambassador's at Rome and desired the King to send another Ambassador into Spain assuring him that he should be received with as much honour as he could desire The King thereupon sent Emery Joubert de Barraut in the stead of Rochepot the Principal Officers went forth to meet him at his approach near any of their Cities when he came to Court the Grandees made him their Visits and within three days after he had a favorable Audience During the heat of these Contentions the King being gone to Calais the Arch-Duke who besieged Ostend greatly feared he drew near to disturb him in his great Enterprize and sent to Compliment him in terms as one that is afraid and intreats The King assured him he had not the least thought of molesting him and that he did desire to observe the Peace provided that on the Spanish side they would do him reason And in truth it was not any such thing that led him down to Calais but the desire of Negociating at the nearest distance with the Queen of England That Princess having some Projects to impart for the ruining of the House of Austria longed to confer with him personally and flatter'd her self with the hopes of an month August enterview at Sea between Dover Calais Biron was ordered on the King's behalf to go and make his excuses to her for that he could not participate of that joy Whil'st he was preparing for this Embassy Rosny passed into England to endeavour the discovery of Queen Elizabeth's thoughts He pretended to have no order to see her but only a Curiosity to make a Voyage to London he was soon taken notice of as he desired by some English Gentlemen who carried him to the Queen gather'd as much of her Mind as she would let him know Now when she found the King deprived her of the satisfaction of an enterview which she so ardently desired she went about Forty Miles from London there it was she received Mareschal de Biron treated him with all the Magnificence imaginable From thence she brought him to London where she shewed him perhaps designedly the Head of the Earl of Essex otherwhile her Favorite planted upon the Tower amongst those of many more English whom she had put to Death for conspiring against her All France but principally the King was in great impatience to know if what the Queen bare in her Womb would prove the accomplishment of their earnest wishes Knowing therefore her time drew near he went in haste from Calais to beat her Labour She was deliver'd at Fontainebleau and brought forth a Son who entred upon the Stage of this World on Thursday the Seven and twentieth month Septemb. of September about Eleven at Night he was named Lewis The Father transported with joy did the same day put his Sword into the Royal Infant 's hand according to the Custom of the Kings his Predecessors craving the favour of Almighty God that he might one day make use of it for his Glory and the good of his Subjects The Birth of this little Prince was preceded by an Earth-quake a presage of those terrible Wars wherewith all Europe was to be shaken during his Reign Five days before viz. The two and twentieth of the Month being the Feast of Saint Maurice the King of Spain had a Daughter Born to whom they gave the Names of Anna-Maria-Mauritia Such as pretended to have Skill in judging of future times observing that Heaven had given Birth to these two first Children of different Sexes so near one another did then foretel it was decreed they should Year of our Lord 1601 be one day joyn'd together to produce a Prince that should in his single Person unite the Grandeur of those two most August Houses The Daufin made his first Entrance into Paris the Thirtieth day after his entrance month October into the World his Cradle was carried in a Littiere accompanied by the Dame de Montglas his Governess and the Nurse The
by Letter The Third was The Novell Opinion of Molina the Spanish Jesuit touching Grace of which we shall perhaps make mention elsewhere I call it Novell because that Author vaunted himself the Inventor of it as a thing wholly unknown to the Ancient Fathers who by this said he might have avoided a great deal of Embaras had they lighted on the Notion The Jesuits for Self-Preservation were forc'd to renounce the two First which notwithstanding were rather stifled than Condemned but they maintain'd the Third with all their force against the Dominicans These attaqu'd it as an Opinion which destroy'd that of their Saint Thomas and even that of Saint Augustin which hath been received and allowed by all the Latine Church By too eager an endeavour to encrease the King's Revenue the Super-Intendant brought such disorder into the State as can never be made worse but by the continuation of it Formerly the Offices of Judicature and of the Treasury might be resigned but the Resignee was to live Forty days after otherwise the King was to provide one Now Rhosny considering that the King made no benefit upon such Vacancies by Death but was obliged to bestow them at the importunity of Courtiers he bethought him of a way to bring great Emoluments to the Exchequer Which was to secure the Office to the Wife and Heirs of those that were in Possession provided they would yearly pay the Sixtieth Denier of that Finance or Revenue those Offices had been valued at in Default whereof they should upon their Death revert to the Profit of the King This was called in Exchequerterms the Droict Annuel The Vulgar named it La Paulete from the Name of Paulet the first Contractor In some Provinces they gave it that of La Palote because the Officers there had to do with one named Palot who undertook it after Paulet This favour was first granted but for Nine years but it has been renewed for the said term from time to time to this very day Unless stark Blind they might with half an Eye foresee that this Edict would consequently and necessarily perpetuate the Sale of Offices besides the impossibility of reducing them as they ought to their ancient Number That it would raise the prizes of them to that monstrous excess as we have by Experience known That it would make those that held them less dependant on the King month Decemb. as tied only by their Purse-Strings That it would make their Children become Careless Ignorant Unjust and Proud as being certain to enjoy the Offices of their Fathers That it would bar the way to Honor against People of Quality or Merit and open it to People of no Birth Capacity or Honor to Solicitors Pedling-Merchants and Excise-men That it would excite a violent appetite after Riches the only means now to attain Imployments and by the same consequence a contempt of Virtue as only fit to be the compagnon of Poverty And which indeed is the greatest of all these Mischiefs it would at once take away all future hope of recovering satisfaction for any Injustice or Oppression done since they must certainly have the Successors of those very Men to be their Judges who had oppressed them And indeed no one Court throughout the Kingdom while they had nothing in their Prospect but the good of the Nation did much incline to accept of it So that they only read and published a Declaration in form of an Edict at the Court of Chancery in the year 1605. But when particular Men making reflexions considered their Families would receive vast advantages they consented to the publick loss for their own private Gain which perhaps in time may not prove altogether so much as they had flatter'd themselves withall The Chancellor Believre kept the said Declaration in his hands for some Months and did not then pass it till he was in danger of losing the Seals for it which he could not hold much longer however for Sillery's interest forced them out of his Possession Men of upright Honesty could have wished that instead of this odd kind of Establishment they would rather have taken away not only the Sale of Offices but likewise all Salaries Wages Spices and Presents without leaving any other Emoluments but the Honor of the Magistracy and hopes of future Rewards for their long or their eminent Services in the due Administration of Justice This Method said they besides that it would have produced the advantages contrary Year of our Lord 1604 to those inconveniences which are pointed at above in the Establishment of the Paulete would have been of vast Profit to the King by casing or discharging his Coffers of the Wages to so many Officers It would have reduced the Charges to a very small Sum and have discharged the publick of huge Burthens besides the Plague of tedious Sutes in Law For there could have been hone but Men of Integrity and Probity that would have undertaken those Offices thus denuded of Profit and such Magistrates being totally disinteressed and not in a possibility of getting by delays would most certainly have endeavour'd to do speedy and impartial Justice and retrench those Formalities and little quirks and shifts by the severe Punishment of litigious Pettifoggers And there was no month Decemb. need to fear but that amongst such huge numbers of Learned Men wherewith France then flourished and abounded even amongst the Gentry and the richer sort there would have been enough willing to undertake those Offices gratis and who till their Prince should have thought fit to reward their Vertue and Diligence otherwise would have satisfied themselves with the pleasure of well doing and the real delight of being commended respected honoured and by all ingenious Persons highly applauded a Motive which alone does daily prompt the more brave and generous to venture their Estates and Lives and wherewith the best governed States have ever rewarded the Noblest Actions rather than with Money which renders Judges covetous and mercenaries proud and voluptuous unjust and oppressors We must not step out of this year 1604. without briefly mentioning the Siege of Ostend which never shall be forgotten It lasted Three years and Seventy eight dayes during which time it was the School and Cock-Pit of all that were the bravest Warriours in Christendom the exercise of the best Ingeniers and most dextrous Inventors of Machines and the Spectacle of the curious and inquisitive who flocked thither from all Parts and gazed at the sight as on a Miracle The Arch-Duke began it the Fifth of July in the year 1601. The renowned Ambrose Spinola put an end to it the Twentieth day of September in this year 1604. having had the honor to reduce the place to a Capitulation It had the advantage of receiving daily Supplies by Sea so that when ever the Garrison was tyred they could send them out and take a Recruit of all fresh Soldiers in their stead By this means the Besieged disputed their ground foot by foot and did not
of these Picaroons at one blow conceived the boldest design that could be imagined He resolved to attempt to burn their Ships even in the Port of Tunis under the very Castle of Goletta The Spaniards having joyned him with eight great Galioons would needs second him in this generous enterprize When the Wind stood fair he put himself bravely in the Van entred the Haven at noon day passed under the Cannon of the Fort against which he fired a hundred and fifty Broad-sides then observing his Vessels could get no nearer he leaped into a Barque with forty Men only and piercing thorow a continual Tempest of five and forty great Guns which thundred upon him from the Fort went and put fire to the greatest Vessel first whence it was convey'd to all the rest and consumed three and thirty whereof sixteen were fitted for Men of War and one Galley Year of our Lord 1609 The news of the death of Ferdinand de Medicis Duke of Tuscany Uncle to month February the Queen interrupted those divertisements which were the chiefest occupations of the Court during the melancholy Winter Season and made them lay aside the merry Carousels and the Balets His Son Cosmo II. of that name succeeded him in his Estates month June This year two memorable Edicts were published one of the Month of June to stop the fury of Duels the other of the Month of May to remedy or prevent the too frequent Bankrupts The first encreased the penalties ordained by the Precedent Laws against such as fought and against their Seconds made several rules for the reparation of affronts and allowed such as had received any great injury to bring their complaints to the King or else to the Connestable ☞ and Mareschals of France and to demand leave to fight which should be granted them if it were judged expedient for their honour The second punished the Bankrupts with death as Robbers and publick Cheats declared null all Conveyances Sales Grants or Donations by them fraudulently made ordained that even those that had received them or had been assisting towards the receiving of their effects or had induced or perswaded the Creditors to compound with them should be chastised as Complices forbid all their Creditors to give them any Letter of Licence or time of delay upon pain of forfeiting their respective debts and more if they transgressed Upon this there were great numbers that fled out of the Kingdom but one of the most notorious who sheltred himself in Flanders being taken at Valenciennes by permission of the Arch-Dukes was brought to Paris and by Arrest or judgment of the Masters of Requests made amende honorable with a Torch in hand was put in the Pillory three several days and then sent to the Galleys A most necessary example to suppress the Roguy-shirkings of that sort of Cattle For having hid their heads a while to oblige their Creditors to give away good part of what is their just due they soon after appear again proud with the spoil ☞ of those they have thus defrauded and think to cover their Guilt and Shame under the impudence of a brazen fore-head Year of our Lord 1609 and 1610. Whilst the King was acquiring the Title of the Arbitrator of Christendom by composing all the differences between the Neighbouring States unhappy discord sliding into his own Family rufled the tranquility of his mind fill'd his heart with a thousand discontents and sowred all the joy of his good success The disdain of the Marchioness de Verneuil had a new encreased his passion as on the other hand the pursuit he made to have her again within his power and the Offensive Language she used redoubled the Queens jealousie and their Domestique quarrels Sully and some other of the Kings Confidents laboured in vain to reduce both the one and the other to the Kings will and pleasure they threatned the Marchioness that he would make choice of some other and if once she lost his favour together with his heart both she and her Children must inevitably be confined to some Monastery In effect he endeavour'd to wean himself from her by making publick love to the Countess de Moret and a while after to the Damoiselle des Essars They at the same time represented to the Queen that her passion did but alienate the Kings affection more and more that Complaisance tenderness and caresses were the only Charms to retain him and that till she could prevail with him to forsake the illegitimate Objects she ought in common prudence to make use of all her moderation if she desired to obtain any favours for her or hers But Conchine and Leonora Galigay very remote from putting her into this disposition having usurped so much power over her will that they governed her desires her affection and her passions as they pleased Year of our Lord 1609 encouraged and soothed her more and more in her perverse humour The King had often been advised not to suffer those fatal brands so near her who every day put fire to the House and would some time or other set the whole Kingdom in a flame Don Juan de Medicis having essay'd by his Order to perswade the Queen to discard them she fell into passion with injurious words and reproaches and was so bent to do him some injury whatever the King could do to appease her that he was constrained to retire out of France The impudence of those little rascally people grew to so great a height that they used Menaces even against the Kings person if he durst attempt theirs as many had often counsell'd him to do The zealous Catholicks of his Council joyning with and pursuing the Queens intentions maintained dangerous correspondencies with the Council of Spain by means of the Ambassador of Florence and made much ado for the Marrying the Daufin and the eldest Daughter of France with the Son and Daughter of King Philip insomuch as that Prince whether of his own Motion or by their suggestion gave command to Don Pedro de Toledo related to the Queen whom he was sending into Germany to sojourn some time in the Court of France and sound the Kings intentions We know not what Propositions he made to him in private but it was suspected he had talked about making a League between the two Crowns to force all the Protestants to return to the Catholick Faith and that he had offer'd to yield up all the Right his Master had to the Vnited Provinces and to give them in Dower to the Daufin with his eldest Daughter But the King answered very coldly as to these Marriages for he would have no Alliance with the Spaniard he desired to Marry his Daufin with the eldest Daughter of Lorrain to joyn that Dutchy to France and had resolved to bestow the eldest of his Daughters on the Duke of Savoy's eldest Son It was said that to indemnifie the Lorrain Princes who pretended their Dutchy was a Fief Masculine he proposed to give them the Rank and
's new flame increasing by the Presence of the Princess of Condé appeared so plain and shone so bright and hot as offended the Eyes of her Husband and gave him a shrewd Fit of the Head-Ach Then the scrupulous the discontented the King 's concealed Enemies those People whose Malignity is never pleased but in Troubles without any other aim but to make mischief and even the Queen her self peeked him with Honour Year of our Lord 1609 and Jealousie He flies out and held Discourses very dis-respectful the King chastizes him by taking away his subsistence which was in Pensions and the Money he had promised upon his Marriage This rough treatment had an effect quite contrary to what he desired the Prince being the more enraged and withal apprehending some violence from so head-strong a passion though he had seen no such example in this good King resolved to retire himself from Court. Having therefore disposed every thing for his design he did as we may say steal away his wife the nine and twentieth of August set her behind him on Horse-back and when he had rode some month August Leagues put her into a Coach with six Horses He passed by Landrecy without entring there and from thence travell'd with all speed to Bruxels where the Popes Nuncio and the Arch-Dukes received him with a great deal of joy and render'd him all the honour that was due to his quality Upon the news of this unexpected Evasion the King full of anger and love could not dissemble his emotions not even before the Queen but yet endeavour'd to colour them with reason of State His Council was of Opinion he should resolve on nothing in so important a business till they were certain of the place of his retreat A Month afterwards they had certain notice he was at Bruxels then the King order'd Praslin Captain of his Guards to go to the Arch-Dukes and demand they should surrender to him the first Prince of his month October Blood To which they answered That the consideration and esteem they had for that Noble Blood having obliged them to allow him a retreat the Laws of Hospitality and honour would not suffer them to deliver him up and that there was no ground to fear he would attempt any thing either in word or deed contrary to that respect and service which he owed him This Answer did not satisfie the King he counted as dishonour all the honour they could shew to him who had incurr'd his disfavour and had carried Reports into stranger Countries which wounded his reputation Besides the too great familiarity that Prince had contracted with the Duke d'Aumale a mortal enemy to his person gave him a plausible pretence to evaporate his cholerick transports which were known to be produced by another and a fairer cause He therefore sent Ambassadors to the Arch-Dukes who spake yet lowder to them then Praslin yet gained no more then he Some of his Confidents thinking to do him good service would needs employ themselves without Commission and made attempts month Novemb. to steal away the Princess and others agen more imprudent then the first contrived some against the Prince himself the rumour of it being spread in Bruxels this was in February Anno 1610. the whole City put themselves in Arms to defend so Noble a Guest but he fearing some dangerous Event retired from thence and passed into Milan The Count de Fuentes a furious Enemy to the King set malitiously a report Year of our Lord 1610 on Wing that he had put the price of two hundred thousand Crowns month February upon his head and under that pretence ordered a Guard both of Horse and Foot to attend him which he did not so much for the safety of his person as to vilifie the reputation of the King and hinder any Envoy from reclaiming that Prince either by making him some offers very advantageous or by bringing him to abhor and repent what he had done He had in effect some reason to apprehend such a change since notwithstanding all this Precaution the Prince as it was said began to listen to the propositions were made him by France and was going to submit and comply when the death of the King hapned Whatever some may have said the greatest passion the King had was for Fame in the pursuit of his brave and noble design The death of John William Duke of Cleve Juliers and Bergh Count de la Mark and Lord of Ravestein hapning the five and twentieth of March afforded him a specious overture This Prince Year of our Lord 1609 was Son of Duke William who was so of John Duke of Cleves Count de la month March c. Mark and Lord of Ravestein which John had espoused Mary Daughter and Heiress of William Duke of Juliers and Bergh and Lord of Ravensburgh Observe it was expresly said in their Contract That those Lands should ever remain united in one hand thereby to be enabled the better to defend themselves against their Neighbours who became too powerful The Succession of Duke John William was extremely litigious amongst his Heirs as well because of the divers dispositions of the Dukes his Predecessors Year of our Lord 1610 as the Constitutions of the several Emperors directly contrary to one another For some had treated these Dutchies as Fiefs Masculine others would have it that they might fall to the distaff or females The Emperor Frederic III. had conceded them to Albert Duke of Saxony for services rendred to the Empire in case those who then were in possession should come to dye without Heirs Males and Maximilian I. had ratified this concession two several times Afterwards quite contrary when William Son of Duke John and Brother of Sibylla married to John Frederic soon after Elector of Saxony espoused Mary of Austria Queen of Hungary and Sister of Charles V. this was in Anno 1545. that Emperor granted to him and his Successors confirm'd it That if they left no Sons of this Marriage the Daughters should be capable of succeeding in all his Estates the Eldest first then the younger consecutively one after another and if there were none living at the time of the decease of the Father the said principalities should appertain to their Male-Children The same condition had been apposed in the Contract of Sibylla Sister of this William in the year 1526. when Duke John their Father Marry'd her to the said Frederic Elector of Saxony who was afterwards defeated and destituted of his Dutchy by the Emperor Charles V. Now this William Son of Duke John had had a Son to wit the John William whose death we now mention'd and four Daughters who were Mary-Eleonora Anne Magdalen and Sybilla These Daughters had Married the first Albert Frederick Duke of Prussia Anno 1572. of whom there were none but Daughters remaining The second Philip Ludovic Duke of Newburg of whom were born Wolfang and some other Males The third John Duke of Deux-Ponts Brother of that Ludovic
the French and the Venetians joyned together 262 Returns from the hands of the Latins into that of the Greeks 309 Constantius Count and Patrician in Gall. 3 Crimes how punished amongst the ancient French Divers means to purge themselves thereof 49 Crimes they justified themselves by Combat Croisades and beyond-Sea Expeditions advantageous to Popes and Kings but disadvantageous to the great Lords and the People 224 First Croisade and their happy Exploits 224 25 Croisade preached over all Christendom 223 Croisade for the recovery of the Holy Land 260 Croisade against the Albigeois 264 Croisades affirming the Popes Authority 262 Croisade new of French Lords for the Holy Land 301 Croisade new by St. Lewis for succouring the Christians in the Levant 312 Croisades during the Thirteenth Age. 336 Cunibert Bishop of Colen 56 D. Dagobert Son of Clotaire the miraculous protection of his Person 45 Builds the Abby of St. Denis ib. His Father gives him the Kingdom of Austrasia 46 His Marriage quarrel between the Father and the Son ib. Dagobert I. of that name King of Neustria Austrasia and Burgundy 54 He gives part of Aquitain to his Brother Aribert 54 Too much licence in his Marriage ib. Remains sole King after the death of his Brother Aribert 55 Establishes his Son Sigebert King of Austrasia 56 Disposes of Neustria and Burgundy in favour of his Son Clovis ib. Subdues the Gascons and brings them to reason 57 His death ib. Dagobert Son of Sigebert King of Austrasia shaved and banish'd 60 Is recalled and acknowledged King of Austrasia 66 His death 68 Dagobert II. King of France 77 The Danes and Normands infest the Coasts of France 106 Continue their Piracies 211 St. Denis Areopagite his Corps found intire in the Monastery of St. Denis in France 233 Devotion and Piety admirable in our ancient Kings of France 73 St. Didier Bishop of Lyons suffers Martyrdom 43 Didier King of the Lombards conceives the design of abating the power of the Popes and making himself Master of Italy excites Troubles and Schisms in the Church of Rome 98 Causes of particular enmity between him and Charlemain 98 Is dispossest of his Estate 99 His death ib. Didier is elected King of the Romans after the death of Astolphus Anno 755. Differences between Hugh de Vermandois and Artold for the Archbishoprick of Reims 180 Difference between King Lotair and the Children of Hugh the Great 184 Dispensations their beginning 182 Dissentry horrible in France 34 Divorce of a Marriage the cause of great Troubles 243 Dol in Bretagne made a Metropolitan 134 Brought again under that of Tours 274 Dominion Example of an enraged passion for Dominion 296 Dominicans their Institution and Establishment 339 Dreux Bishop of Mets. 127 Drogo or Dreux Son of Pepin 72 Drogon Duke of Bretagne his death 184 Dutchy of Lorrain given to Godfrey Earl of Verdin Bouillon and Verdun 209 Dutchies of two sorts in France 183 Duel proposed to the King by his Subjects 235 E. Ebles Count of Auvergne and Poitou and Duke of Aquitaine 170 Ebles Baron de Roucy a famous Warrier humbled and brought to reason 227 Ebon Bishop of Reims deposed and degraded 128 Ebroin Maire of the Palace perfidious and wicked 62 69 Is shaved and confined to the Monastery of Luxieu 64 Quits the Monastery to take up Arms. 67 His retreat into Austrasia he there supposes a false Clovis in the place of King Thierry whom he feigns to be dead 67 Causes St. Leger to attaqu'd in his City of Autun puts his Eyes out and shuts him up in a Monastery ib. Is received Maire of Thierries Palace 68 Great Tyranny his death 69 Eclipse of the Sun 213 Ecclesiasticks go to Rome to visit the Holy Places 269 Edmund Brother of Edward King of England his death 326 Edward eldest Son of the King of England goes to make War in the Holy Land 312 Edward Son and Successor of Henry King of England 315 At his return from the Holy Land passes thorough France ib. Passes by Sea and comes to the City of Amiens 319 His Voyage to Burdeaux by France 322 Employs himself to accommodate the differences betwixt the Kingdoms of Arragon and Sicilia 323 A Riot between some particular People makes him break the Peace with France 324 325 Makes a powerful League against France 326 Attaques the Scots and brings them under his Laws 327 Marries with Margaret of France 330 Makes Peace with the King of France 331 His death 334 Edward Son of King Edward Marries Isabella of France 327 Edward II. King of England 332 His Contest with Charles the Fair King of France 351 Odious to his People by reason of his Favourites his unfortunate end 352 Ega Maire of the Palace of Neustria his death 58 Election and the Investiture of the Popes in the power of the Emperor Otho 186 Election of Popes 3â—6 Elections to Benefices 285 Emma Queen of France 168 Emma or Emina Wife of King Lothaire 198 Empire Rome when it ended 13 Empire troubled about the Election of an Emperor after the death of Henry VI. 259 Empire of Greece difference between Michael and Baldwin determined 318 Empire ruined by its dis-union Engelberge Wife of the Emperor Lew's of Italy 156 Enguerrand de Marigny his unhappy end 336 Enterprise of the Pope upon the Bishops of France 203 Enterview of the three Kings of France of Germany and of Burgundy 170 Enterview between Lewis Transmarine and Otho of Lorraine 180 Enterview of the Emperor Henry and King Robert 211 Enterview and Enterparlance of the Emperor Henry III. and Henry King of France 217 Enterview of the King of France Lewis the Young and the Emperor Federic 247 Enterview of the Kings of France and Arragon 308 Enterview of the two Kings of France and England in the City of Amiens 319 Enterview of the Kings of France and Castille at Bayonne 323 Enterview of the King of France and the Emperor at Vaucouleurs 328 Eon de L'Estoille His ignorance passes for a great Prophet is apprehended his death 291 Erchinoald Maire of the Palace 61 Era or manner of accompting of the times by the Mahometans 47 Estate of the Gallican Church after the Conversion of Lewis or Clovis the Great 50 The Fourth Age. 4 During the Fifth and Sixth Ages 17 The Seventh 73 The Eighth 112 The Ninth 170 The Tenth 205 The Eleventh Age or Century 228 Eudes Duke of Aquitaine 80 Makes a League with the Sarecens of Spain and draws them into France 81 c. His death 82 Eudes Count of Paris and Duke of France succeeds in the Estates of Hugh the Great his Brother 155 Is raised to his Dignity and declared King of West France 156 Defeats and cuts the Normans in pieces 157 Quarrel betwixt him and Charles the Simple 159 His death 160 Eudes first Earl of Champagne 203 Eudes Count de Pontieure 211 Eudes Son of King Robert Earl of Champagne disputes the Crown with Henry his Brother 214 Reduced to reason 215 Undertakes
out the French declaring himself the Soveraign 135 Is Crowned King of Bretagne 136 Over-runs and ransacks Anjou 137 Nera Foulges 204 Neustria and its extent 17 Nicephorous Emperor of the East 107 His death 110 Nicholas Moine or Monk of Soissons contradicted by a Modern Author Church of the Twelfth Age. Nicholas I. Pope Excommunicates a Council of Bishops in France who declare him Excommunicate 141 Annul the second Marriage of Lotaire King of Lorraine with Valdrade and confirm the first with Thietberge ib. Nicholas III. Pope conspires against Charles King of Sicilia 318 His death 319 Nogaret William seizes on the Person of Pope Boniface 332 c. St. Norbert Founder of the Order of Premonstre afterwards Archbishop of Magdeburg Church in the Twelfth Age. Normandy first erected to a Dutchy 163 Ravaged by a Civil War between the Heirs of Henry King of England after his death 170 c. All in Blood and Fire by the quarrels of the particular Lords of the Country 215 Normans course along the Coasts of France 123 Their descents and pillaging of Gascogne and Aquitania Secunda 134 Course along the Coasts of Spain and take Sevill 125 Course along the Coasts of Flanders 129 Land in Neustria and Bretagne 135 Enter upon Neustria again ib. Called Truands 146 Scowre pillage and ravage France 151 c. Besieges the City of Paris 155 Defeated and cut in pieces 157 Whence so great numbers of such barbarous People could come into France 158 Re-enter France by the Mouth of the River Seine 160 Become Masters of that Province called since Normandy and on Bretagne 163 Revolt against their Duke 178 Their name began to grow glorious and powerful in Italy 215 Nantes County Difference between Henry King of England and Conan Count of Renes or of the Lesser Bretagne 247 O. Odo Duke of Burgundy 237 Odo third Duke of Burgundy 248 Reduced to reason 254 Odo I. Abbot of St. Genevieve 278 Office of Constable 295 Officers Princes are responsable for the faults of their Officers 304 Ogine Queen of France 175 Onfroy Chief of the Normans in Italy and of his Conquests 216 Orders Sacred and of such as were admitted during the Eighth Century 115 Orders famous which took beginning during the Eleventh Age. 233 Orders Religious established during the Third Age. 339 Orders Sacred have each their Function 286 Order of Fontevraud and its confirmation 290 Organs when first brought and used in France 93 Oriflame born as a Standar in time of War 244 Ostrogoths over-run and ravage all Italy 217 Otho William chief of the Earls of Burgundy that is to say of the Franche-Comte 209 His death 212 Othelin Earl of Burgundy puts himself under protection of the King of France and gives him his Earldom 324 Othomans or Ottomans and the beginning of their dreadful Family or House 329 Otho King of Germany and Lorrain assists Lewis the Transmarine against his Subjects 179 Otho Duke of Burgundy 184 Otho King of Germany makes himself Master of Italy Is Crowned King of Lombardy afterwards Crowned Emperor 185 Remedies several Commotions in Italy by severe punishments ib. Causes his Son Otho to be Crowned and Associated in the Empire 186 His death 187 Otho II. Emperor and King of Germany 186 Gives Lorraine to his Brother Charles 188 Makes an irruption in France to his confusion ib. His death 189 Otho III. Emperor and King of Germany his death 209 Otho Emperor 263 Is Excommunicated by Pope Innocent 264 P. Paganis Hugh Institutor of the Order of the Templers 275 Pairs of France who were to assist at the Coronation of the Kings reduced to the number of Twelve 240 Paleologus Michael becomes Master of the City of Constantinople 309 Pamiez made a Bishoprick 326 Paris very much consider'd by the Kings of the first Race 31 Paving of its Streets 254 Surrounded with Walls 255 Parliament of Wormes 142 Of Attigny 265 Parliament of Poissy 142 Parliament of Compeigne 184 Parliament of Wormes 152 Parliament of Estampes 217 Parliament of Soissons 266 Parliament of Amiens 309 Pascal Pope Murther committed in his House in hatred of the French His death 124 Paschal II. Pope comes into France and holds a Council at Troyes in Champagne 227 Ill treated by the Emperor 236 Paschal III. Antipope 272 Pastorels Crossed 306 Patarins Hereticks 278 Peasants and Pastorels take up Arms for the recovery of the Holy Land 348 Peace with the Danes 110 With the Saracens of Spain ib. With the Greecks ib. Peace between King Lewis the Transmarine and his Rebellious Subjects 178 Peace between King Lewis the Transmarine and Hugh le Blanc 180 Peace between the two Empires Between the French and the Danes 123 With the Saracens of Spain 123 Peace between King Lothaire and the Emperor Otho II. 188 Peace with the English 236 Penitence publick 274 Penitents publick excluded from Functions Civil Military and from Marriage ib. Pepin Maire of the Palace of Austrasia his death 58 Pepin the Gross or d'Herstal Prince of Austrasia 69 Makes War upon Thierry King of Neustria seizes his Person and the Government of all France ib. Reduceth the Revolted Frisians ib. Assembles a Council 70 Expedition against the Almans 72 Makes an Alliance with Bathod Duke or King of the Frisons ib. His death his Children 78 Pepin the Brief Son of Charles Martel Duke and Prince of the French in Neustria 84 He with his Brother ranges the Dukes of Aquitain who were revolted to reason 86 Pepin called the Brief Elected Annointed and Crowned King of France 90 A generous action that made him more considerable amongst the French Lords of his Court ib. Makes the Saxons Tributaries to France 92 Becomes Protector of the Roman Church against the Lombards Marches into Italy with his Army and compels Astolphus to give up the Exarchat of Ravenna and the Justices of St. Peter 92 93 Receives the Oath of Fidelity of the Duke of Bavaria 94 Forces the Saxons to do the same and to pay him Tribute ib. Subdues all Aquitain in divers and several Expeditions 95 His death his Wives and Children ib. Pepin King of Italy his feats of Arms. 109 Unfortunate Enterprize against the Venetians 110 His death ib. Pepin Son of Lewis the Debonaire is made King of Aquitain 122 Espouses Engheltrude 123 Pepin Son of Bernard King of Italy chief of the first Branch of Vermandois 123 Pepin King of Aquitain 122 He embraces the Cause of the Emperor his Father against his Brother Lothaire then turns against him 126 His death his Wife and his Children 129 Pepin King of Aquitain shaved and confined in a Monastery and afterwards in the Castle of Senlis 137 Perfidiousness of the Emperor against the Christians of the second Croisade to the Holy Land 225 Phenomenas very extraordinary 109 Philip King of France 220 Concerns himself in the Quarrel of the Flemings unsuccessfully 222 Runs into disorders and vexations with his Subjects ib. Is threatned with Excommunication by the Pope ib. Repudiates Berthe his
Wife and Marries Bertrade 223 Is Excommunicated because of this new Marriage by the Bishops by the Pope and by a Council at Poitiers ib. Braved by the Lord de Montlehery ib. In fine obtains a dispensation in the Court of Rome is absolved and his Marriage is confirmed 226 His death his Wives and Children 227 Philip Brother of King Lewis the Gross sides with the discontented Party 2â—5 Philip Augustus King of France his Birth 249 His Coronation 250 His Marriage with Isabella Alix 251 He begins his Reign and Government with Piety and Justice 252 He withdraws Vermandois from the hands of the Earl of Flanders 252 He sends succours to the Holy Land and causes the Croisade to be preached 253 Difference between him and the King of England 254 Takes the Cross on him with the King of England for the recovery of the Holy Land 255 Gives chace to the King of England who was entred upon France ib. His Voyage to the Holy Land Order for the Regency of his Son and Kingdom during his absence ib. Difference intervened between him and Richard King of England 256 Takes the City of Acre or Ptolemais ib. Falls sick and returns into France 257 Withdraws the County of Artois from the hands of the Earl of Flanders ib. Declares War against the King of England 258 Repudiates Isemberge his Wife then takes her again ib. Reconciles himself with John King of England 259 Endeavours to accustom the Ecclesiasticks to furnish him with Subsidies 261 Conquers all the Territories of King John which held of the Crown 261 c. Philip the Fair King of France Marries the Queen of Navarre 320 Is Crowned at Reims 322 Accommodates and makes Peace with the Castillian 323 Causes search to be made amongst the Banquers 324 Opposes the designs of the King of England for the subjecting of Scotland and recovering the Cities in Guyenne 325 Is offended with Pope Boniface 326 A great Conspiracy against him 326 Makes War in Flanders his progress 327 c. Confers with the Emperor Albertus 328 Enters into a quarrel with the Pope and hinders the French Prelats from going to Rome whither the Pope sent for them 329 Is Excommunicated by the Pope ib. Takes up Arms to chastize the Rebellion of the Flemings 330 Treats a Peace with the English ib. Makes a Voyage into Guyenne and Languedoc 331 Fore-arms himself against the Bâ—lls of Bâ—niface ib. Assists at the Coronation of Pope Clement at Lyons 332 Appears at the General Council of Vienne in Daufine ib. Undertakes War against the Flemings His three Sons Wives accused of Adultery His death his Wives and Children 336 Philip of Alsace Earl of Flanders his death 257 Philip of Dreux Bishop of Beauvais is held Prisoner 258 Philip Earl of Boulogne 299 Philip Emperor assassinated 264 Philip the Hardy King of France 314 Returns from Afric into France ib. He Arms against the King of Castille in favour of the Princes of Navarre his Nephews 316 Takes up Arms and passes the Pyrenean Mountains against the King of Arragon 320 His death his Wives and his Children 321 Philip the Long espouses Jane of Burgundy 324 Philip d'Euvreux 348 Philip the Long King of France 347 His Wife accused of Adultery 336 Brouilleries in the State 348 His death his Children 349 Philip de Valois passes into Italy against the Gibbelins 348 Philippa Daughter of the Earl of Hainault 352 Peter Son of King Lewis the Gross chief of the House of Courtenay 241 Peter Duke of Bretagne takes Arms against the King 296 Surnamed Mauclerc or Illiterate or Witless 300 His death 301 Peter Earl of Alencon 312 Peter Earl of Arragon Crowned King of Sicilia 317 A villanous and shameful slight 320 Is Excommunicated and degraded by the Pope ib. His death 321 Peter Abbot of Cane refuses the Miter 270 Planet Mars not visible in a whole year 105 Plectrude Widow of Pepin intrudes into the whole Government of France 78 She is constrained to quit the Government to Charles Martel 79 Poissy Gerard Financier 254 Politicks Hereticks 276 Poland honour'd with the Title of a Kingdom 209 Ponce Abbot of Clugny by his Debauches loses the Reputation of his Order 279 Papeliâ—ans Hereticks their Forces and Erâ—ors 276 Popes of the Fourth Age. 5 Popes when they began to change names at their creation 136 Memorable example of their Soveraign power and of an extream severity 209 Of their Elections 247 Have a right to exhort not to command the Kings of France 326 Acts of Temporal Soveraignty they assumed on all occasions during the Thirteenth Age. 337 They would raise themselves above all Soveraigns 293 Gilbert Porct Bishop of Poitiers condemned 289 Port-Royal its foundation 83 Portugal of a Dutchy made a Kingdom 243 Pragmatick of St. Lewis 312 Pretextat Archbishop of Rouen 32 Restored to his See and assassinated 38 Prior of the Monastery of Gristan his History 288 Primacy of the Church of Lyons over the four Lyonnoises 232 Prince that oppresses his Subjects is easily abandonned by them 45 Prince dispoiled of his Estate because of his ill Conduct 161 Priviledges of Monks 282 Bring a Scandal to the Church Buy it off dearly at Rome ib. Prodigy unheard of of Snakes and other Serpents who fought most obstinately 2â—8 Protade Maire of the Palace 43 Provenceaux rise against their Earl and Lord. 301 Provisions of the Pope 236 Petro Brusians Hereticks 276 Puisset Hugh 235 Q. Quarrel between Thierry and Boson 146 Quarrel for the Archbishoprick of Reims 177 c. Quarrel and hatred of the â—arls of Charâ—res and Flanders against the Normans 186 Quarrel famous between the Pope and the Emperors 223 Quarrel between Robert Duke of Normandy and Henry his younger Brother for the Kingdom of England 226 Quarrel of the Popes with the Emperor Henry IV. 227 c. Quarrel between the Bishops and the Monks for the Tenths 228 Quarrel between the Emperor and the Pope for the investiture of Bishopricks 236 Quarrel between the Secular Doctors of Theology and the Orders of Religious Mendicants 307 Quarrel of the Count d'Armagnac and the Lord de Casaubon 315 Quarrel bloody and long for the Succession of the Crown of Scotland 323 Quarrels Little particular Riots do often produce very great Quarrels 325 Qâ—iâ—alet Bishoprick transfer'd to St. Malo's Church of the Twelfth Century R. Rabanus Maurus Archbishop of Ments 173 Race Carolovinian and the end of it Causes of its ruine 198 199 Rachis King of the Lombards turns Monk 91 Leaves his Monastery whither he is forced to return again Radbod King of the Frisians 72 Radegonda Sainct 22 Raillery that cost very dear 222 Raimond Earl of Tolose principal Favourer of the Hereticks in Languedoc is Excommunicated 264 Reconciles himself to the Church 295 Is brought to reason 299 Raimond Earl of Toloze pretends to be Lord of the Marsellois c. 300 Raimond Prince of Antioch Rainfroy Maire of the Neustrians 79 His death 81 Rambold of Orange 224 Ranulf Duke of Aquitaine
at the end of his dayes 730 His death 729 Description of his Person ib. His inclinations ib. Was a great Swearer 730 His Children ib. Vices Predominant during his Reign ib. Caused his Daughter to be named by Elizabeth Queen of England Chastel John wounds the King in the Mouth or the nether Lip 842 Is Condemned 843 Chastelleraud place of the Assembly of the Huguenots 871 Cemitery or Burial Place allowed the Huguenots at Paris 743 Clement VIII gives some Convents to the Recolts Church 16 th Age. Coligny the Admiral charged with the Death of the Duke of Guise 687 Joyns with the Germans 699 Is Condemned to Death and his Head proscrib'd 707 Takes several places going to Bearn 702 Comes to Court and is highly favoured 715 Is Massacred 719 Company or Society of Jesuites restored in France 907 Condé Princess loved by Henry III. 739 The King would vacate her Marriage and have her for his own Wife ib. Her death 739 Princess of Condé makes the King in Love with her 936 Is carried away by her Husband into Flanders 937 Confederation between Queen Elizabeth of England and the Huguenots of France 683 Conference between Henry King of Navarre and the Duke of Espernon 760 Confusion or amazement of those that were present at the Murther of Henry IV. 942 Councel of France betray'd 911 Courtiers Italians ruine the Kingdom of France 774 Courtiers adore not the Prince but during his Grandeur Cracovia in Uproar upon the departure of Henry III. 732 Croquants a Faction in the time of Henry IV. 840 Curates of Paris assembled to acknowledge Henry IV. 838 Curton dis-engages Florat Seneschal of Auvergne 705 D DAcier Commands a Body of an Army 703 Is made Prisoner 712 Dacier Attorney General preserves the City of Touloze for Henry III. 788 Dandelot Brother to the Admiral de Coligny imbued with the Opinions of Calvin 666 His resolution 696 Is with the Prince at Rosoy 697 Passes the River after the Battle of Paris 697 Makes up a small Army 704 Falls into Poitou 705 Declaration of the Duke of Guise against King Henry III. 769 Declarations of Henry III. against the leagued 788 Decree of the Clergy assembled at Mante declaring the Pope's Bulls against Henry IV. to be Null 850 Deputies of the pretended Reformed Churches have Permission to hold an Assembly at Mante 835 Dispair often-times more advantageous than good Fortune it self 794. 835 Desportes Abbot of Tyron a greater Courtier than a Poet though an excellent Poet for those times 818 Diego d'Ibarra Ambassadour of Spain 821 Demands the Crown for the Infanta ib. Diepe remains faithful to Henry III. 788 Acknowledges Henry IV. 801 The Difference between the Pope and the Venetians 925 Dijon sees Casimir pass by with his Germans 742 Given to the Chiefs of the League 771 Is seized by the Duke of Mayenne 787 Would return to their Obedience under the King and is hindred by the Duke of Mayenne 841 Its Reduction 844 Declaration denouncing a War against King Philip. 843 Directors and Confessors animate the People 775 Disciples of Luther Church 16th Age. Dixmude taken by the Duke of Alenson 762 Rendred to the States of the Low-Countries 763 Doctors of Paris enter into a Conference with Henry IV. 832 Dominique de Gourgues a Gascon revenges the French Massacred in Florida by the Spaniards 701 Doria General of the Spanish Galleys 713 Brings back his Vessels to Naples and forsakes the Christians 714 Doway its Seminary filled with Catholiques too Zealous 758 Dourlens taken by Orleans cause of the death of the Guises 782 Is granted to the League ib. Dourlens will needs be comprized in the Edict of the Reduction of Amiens Under King Henry IV. 839 Drougne a River where was fought the Battle of Coutras 778 Dunkirk in the hands of the Spaniards 758 Taken by the Duke of Alenson 762 Duel famous between Philipin Bastard of Savoy and the Lord de Crequy 876 Duplessis Mornay agrees Henry III. and Henry of Navarre afterwards King of France 791 D'uumvirs of Marseilles 851 E EBion his Errors renewed in the Sixteenth Age. Vide Ch. 16 th Age. Eclipses Three in one year 919 Edict to put Persons that were irreproachable into Offices of Judicature 665 Edict in favour of the Huguenots at the instance of the Queen Regent under Charles IX 675 It was the first that they ever obtained ibid. Edict against Duels 705 Edict Prohibiting foreign Manufactures 905 Edict which gives to Calvinisme the Name of Pretended Reformed Religion Edict against Duels and Bankrupts 934 Edward Prince of Portugal 752 Egmont Count his death 699 d'Elboeuf Duke Prisoner at Loches 790 Elector Frederic of Saxony vanquished and destituted of his Dutchy 937 Eleonor de Roye Wife of the Prince of Condé 658 Eleonor Daughter of William Duke of Cleves 937 Wife of Albert Federic Duke of Prussia ibid. Elgade a City of the Azores taken by Don Antonio Prior of Crato pretending himself to be King of Portugal 760 Taken by the Spaniards ib. Elizabeth de la Paix Wife of the King of Spain and Daughter of France is Poisoned 700 Elizabeth Queen of England assists the Huguenots 662 France declares War against her 689 Takes the Low-Countries under her Protection 762 Courted by the Duke of Alenson 754 Will take no Husband and the reason wherefore ib. Sends the Order of the Garter to the King 768 Puts Mary Stuart to Death 776 Sends assistance to Henry IV. 818 Sends Succours to the Siege of Amiens 860 Receives the Mareschal Biron very well 883 Her Death and her Praise 902 903 Elizabeth Daughter of Henry IV. 943 Is married to Philip IV. King of Spain ib. Emmanuel King of Portugal from whom by Daughters are issued the Dukes of Braganza 752 d'Entragues Espouses Mary Toucher Mistriss to Charles IX 876 Her Daughter beloved by Henry IV. ib. Is Condemned to be Beheaded but receives her Pardon 914 Ernest Archduke proposed to the Estates assembled at Paris to be King of France marrying the Infanta of Spain 831 Ernest of the House of Brandenburg pursues the right of his Nephew upon Cleves 939 Eseovedo Secretary of Don Juan of Austria is Poignarded 752 Espernon Duke Favorite of Henry III. designs against the Duke of Anjou 764 Makes a Party to seize upon the Duke of Guise 770 Being in the highest degree of favour advises the ruin of the Guises 775 Hinders the League from making any great Progress in Normandy 781 Was in the Coach with Henry IV. when he was Murthered 942 The Queen confides much in him 943 Causes her to be declared Queen Regent ibid. d'Espinay the Princess in the absence of her Husband defends Tournay during two Months 758 Essars d'Amoiselle beloved by Henry IV. 934 Estampes taken by Henry IV. 800 Estates assembled at Blois under Henry III. 804 Estates General of the Vnited Provinces treat with the Duke of Anjou 751 Are in Combustion The Duke of Anjou having endeavour'd to make himself Master of Antwerp they notwithstanding sends him Provisions
Protests to Francis her Brother she will forsake her Errors ib. She repents it again and writes to Calvin ibid. Mary Stuart Wife of Francis II. 671 Is beheaded Mary of Cleves espouses the Prince of Condé 717 Mary de Medicis Married to Henry IV. 885 Is Crowned and declared Regent 941 Massacre of Vassy the first Signal of the War for Religion 679 Matthias Arch-Duke Brother to the Emperour in the Low-Country 751 Matilda Wife of Alphonso III. King of Portugal the Subject of the Pretensions of Catherine de Medicis to that Kingdom 753 Prince Maurice besieges Newport is beaten at first by the Arch-Duke Albert and at length gains the Victory 880 Maximilian II. succeeds to Ferdinand I. 692 Maximilian Emperour Elected King of Poland 740 Duke of Mayenne leads an Army Royal against the Prince 742 The Spaniards in deliberation for cutting off his head 842 Agrees with the King 851 Puts the King upon the Siege of Amiens 858 Serves well in that Siege 859 Horace de Monte a Neapolitan Archbishop of Arles Named for the dissolving of the Marriage of Henry IV. 871 Montmorency Connestable of France comes to the Assembly of the Grandees Convocated by Catherine de Medicis at Fontainbleau 668 Harrasses the Army of the Huguenots 697 Gives them Battle is wounded to death his great courage in that last moment ibid. The Prince of Montpensier at the Estates of Orleans 670 Seeks the Heyress of Sedan for his Son 818 His Death 824 Morisco's exterminated in Spain 933 Mouker the place where Requesens gained a Battle 751 Moulins place of the Assembly where they made the Famous Edict of that Name 694 Mustapha Bassa enters the Island of Cyprus 713 N. NAmur Surprized by Don Juan of Austria Governor of the Low-Countries 751 Nani Ordinary Ambassadour of Venice to the Pope retires with Duodi the Extraordinary Ambassador 926 Nantes the Parliament of Renes is transfer'd thither 665 The place of the Famous Edict of that name 866 Adolphus of Nassaw vanquish'd by Albert 880 Philip of Nassaw restored to Liberty marries Eleonor of Condé and is restored to his Principality 924 Nemurs Duke put in Prison after the death of the Duke of Guise 787 Escapes 789 Is made Governor of Paris 806 Aspires to the Crown 831 His strange Kind of Death 844 Nerac Jane d'Albret banishes thence the Roman Religion which Charles IX re-establishes 693 Nerestan Philibert Captain of the Guard du Corps is made Grand-Maistre of the Order of Nostre-Dame of Mount Carmel Church 16 th Age. Neyen John or Ney a Cordelier deputed by the Arch-Dukes to mediate a Peace between them and the United Provinces 929 Nevers Duke pursues the Huguenots receives a blow which he feels all his life after 698 Nicholas III. Pope Chu 16th Age. Nicosia taken by the Turks 713 Fra. Noialles Bishop of Dags Ambassadour in Turky 716 Notables assembled at Saint Germains en Laye 765 La Noue Francis a Huguenot Captain his Wisdom in admiration amongst the Catholiques 698 The Nouueaux a Cabal under Charles IX 724 Noyers a Castle of the Prince of Condés a Soldier measures the Fosse or Graft and they would have surprized that Prince 702 Noyon taken by the Duke of Mayenne 829 Besieged by Henry IV. 839 Is taken ib. O d'O Surintendant of the Finances under Henry III. 752 Upon the refusal of the Duke of Longueville declares to Henry IV. the Sentiments of those Catholiques who follow'd him 798 His death 840 His Vices ib. d'Ognagne a Spanish Captain Conducts the Soldiers who surprized Amiens 857 Ochinus Bernardinus Apostatises question whether he were the Institutor of the Capucins Chur. 16 th Age. Orange Prince Founder of the States of the United Provinces 699 Orange Prince is thwarted by the Flemmish Lords 752 Provinces that obey'd him 751. 757 Is elected Lieutenant by the Arch-duke Matthias 751 Puts the Ducal Vesture upon the Duke of Anjou 759 Is assassinated ib. Recovers of his Wounds ib. Discovers the Treachery of Salsede ib. Thwarts the Duke of Anjou 762 Treats the French courteously after their Attempt upon Antwerp Retires to Antwerp 763 Is Kill'd 767 Order of Saint Michael greatly vilified 753 Its Institutor and reasons for its Establishment 753 754 Orders new of Religious are the Promoters of the League Ch. 16 th Age. Order of the Annunciation ib. Order of the Knights of Saint John of Jerusalem Ch. 16 th Age. Order of Saint Lazarus ib. Order of the Celestial Annunciado's ib. Order of the Templers ib. Orleans the Prince of Condé goes thither and the Huguenots make it their place of Arms. 686 d'Ossun Surnamed the Brave flies at the Battle of Dreux and for madness starves himself to Death 687 Ostend attempted by the Duke of Anjou but misses his aim 762 Besieged by Duke Albertus 889 How long the Siege lasted 913 c. Oysans a Fort built by Lesdiguieres 785 P PAceco Duke of Ascalone Ambassadour from Spain foments the Division between the Pope and the Venetians 926 Pacification of Ghent 695 Papaux a Name given to the Catholiques by the Huguenots 673 Pareus Ambros accused of having Poisoned Francis II. 671 Paris besieged by Henry III. reduced to extremity and saved by a detestable Monk 794 795 Parliament of Paris gives the Name of Conservator of the Country to the Duke of Guise 667 Parma Duke brings Relief to Don Juan of Austria 751 Commands the Army after the Death of that Prince 752 Takes Maestrickt 757 Takes Breda 758 Takes Tournay after it had been bravely defended by a Lady ib. Invests Antwerp Hath much ado to resolve to come into France 811 Enters Paris and hath Compassion of them 812 Takes Corbeil ib. Retires from Ivetot with great industry 822 Dies at Arras 827 Paul IV. his Death 662 Endeavours to set up the Inquisition every where ib. The Romans beat down his Statuas ib. Paul III. suspends the Council of Trent 668 Approves of the Jesuites Ch. 16 th Age. Paul V. declares the Cardinal de Joyeuse Legate in France for three Months that he may represent him as Godfather to the Daufin the Son of Henry IV. 923 The Paulette its Author and its Establishment 912 Perigueux sacked 740 Perthau Bassa escapes at the Battle of Lepanto 714 Philibert Emanuel Duke of Savoy yields his Right in Portugal to the King of Spain 752 His Death 757 Philip of Spain intermeddles with the Affairs of France under pretence of Religion 678 Sends Ambassadors to Charles IX to sollicite him to depute to Nancy where the Assembly of Christian Princes was assigned 691 Causes the Council of Trent to be Published and sets up the Inquisition in the Low-Countries 695 His merciless Councils ib. Puts his Son to Death and causes his Wife to be Poisoned 700 Seizes upon Portugal 753 Equipps a mighty Fleet against England 783 Gives the Low-Countries to his Daughter Isabella the Conditions of the Donative 869 His Malady his Death his Age and his Successor ib. Philip III. King of Spain is married to Margaret of France
Lorrain Forces 842 Triumvirate under Charles IX 681 Feared by the Queen ib. Troyes Abbot of Gastine hath his Head cut off by the Order of the Prince of Condé 683 Gebard Truchses Archbishop of Colen Marries Success of the said Mariage 766 c. Tunis Kingdom demanded by Catherine de Medicis for her Son 722 Turin rendred to the Duke of Savoy 675 V Du Vair a Councellor labours for the reduction of Paris 837 du Val Peter Bishop of Sees preaches some Sentiments very like to Calvinism 675 Valence assaulted in vain by the Huguenots 668 Valery Lands belonging to the Widow of the Mareschal de Saint André given to the Prince of Condé to continue his Love 689 La Valette a Favorite to Henry III. 737 Varade the Jesuit a great Enemy to Henry IV. is brought by the Cardinal de Piacenza 838 The Cardinal de Vendosme presides in the Council held at Tours 815 Venice receives Henry III. in a most gallant manner 733 Acknowledges Henry IV. for King of France 800 Venetians exclude the Ecclesiasticks from the Management of Affairs 661 James Vennes Maire of Dijon is beheaded 841 Vesins takes Montluc's great Cornet 722 Villars Governor of Rouen gives himself to the Guises 782 Makes a furious Salley upon the King's Army 821 Restores Rouen to the King and is made Admiral 839 Villa-franca taken by the Duke of Lorrain 812 Villegagnon sent to Florida by the Admiral Treats the Huguenots ill there 700 Villeroy Secretary of State retires from Court 780 Is made choice of for a Conference for the Conversion of the King 823 Sees the King who is very well satisfied with his Conduct ib. Viniosa the Count follows Don Antonio Prior of Crato King of Portugal 760 Vinon Besieged by the Duke of Savoy 817 Is bravely defended ib. W. Virtemberg Duke quits the Huguenots 679 Vitry refuses to Sign an accommodation for Religion with Henry IV. 798 Enters with some Forces into Paris 806 Hinders some that intended to open the Gates to the King 810 Makes his agreement with the King 835 Wolfang Duke of Deux-Ponts brings an Army into France 704 His March 705 Takes la Charité ib. His Death ib. The University Condemns Henry III. 788 Makes a Decree against Henry IV. 807 Declares Henry IV. unfit to come to the Crown ib. Assemble at Navarre to own Henry IV. 838 Warwick Ambrose Earl Governor of Havre de Grace Surrenders the Place 689 West-frizeland the Government is given to Prince Maurice 767 Vzez erected to a Dutchy and Pairie 730 Y YEure a River 836 Yonne a River 777 Yvetot place where the Dukes of Mayenne of Parma and Montemarcian were hemm'd in by Henry IV. 822 Yvry the Campagne or Field where was fought the famous Battle of that Name 705 Z ZAmet the famous Partisan under Henry IV. 871 Zelande League themselves against the Spaniards 757 Ziget a Fortress in Hungary attaqued by Solyman 693 Is gained ib. Zuinglius his Sect as much in Vogue as that of Luther Church 16 th Age. Zuniga Requesens Ambassador of Spain disputes for Precedency with the French and loses it 685 Zutphen Leagues against the Spaniards 757 FINIS * Pisatello * Countrey of Liege a Kempen in Brabant a East Frisia a North Holland b Zealand c Bishoprick of Munster d Bish of Osnabrug e Dutchy of Westphalia f Hesse Emp. Arcadius and Honorius in their 5th year 406. Emp. Honorius and Theodosius II. Son of Arcadius 408. in May. Church Emperour Honorius in his 18th and Theodosizs 11. in his 5th Emp. Theodosius 11. and Valentinian Son of Constantius and Placidia Sister to Honorius 423. in August Reigned 29 years 6 Months Emp. Valentinian III and Marcian who Marries Pulcheria Sister to Theodosia in August 450. R. Six years six Months Emp. Marcian and Maximus Murtherer of Valentinian 455. in March Then Majorian R. six years and half Emp. Stiff Majorian and Leon I. R. 17 years and half Emp. Zenon 474. Clovis or Louis so to be u d rstood th rough the whole History * Clodowic Ludwin or Louis all the same Name Emp. Anastasius raised to the Empire by Ariadne the Murtherer of Zeno her Husband * It lies between the Bridges of Amboise First Wars for Religion * Or Amaulry Manners and Customs Church Emp. Justin is Electin July R. 8 years * Or Gontier Emp. Justinâ—an Son of a Sister to Justin Created by his Uncle in April R. 38 years 7 Months * Languedoc * Barons T is the Town of St. Clou. * They were named Bajobares or Bajoarians * Part of the high and middle Austria * Good Friday * Great Master of his Horse * It is not well known what Forrest this was It is now St. Germain des Prez * Dutchies of Parma Plaisance Modena and Boulognia * States of Venice Trent and Mantcua * Vulgarly St. Mard. Cherebert Aribert Caribert is the same Name Emp. Justin Son of a Sister of Justinians in Novemb R. 13 years 9 Months * Thence comâ—s the Name of Halbards * Pavois Emp. Tiberius II. Chosen by Justin in August R. four years * The 7th or 8th part of a Muid and the Muid is a third part of a Tun. Emp. Mauritius Son in Law to Tiberius in Aug. Reigned nigh twenty years * They set up their new made King on a Shield or Target and so carry'd him before the People Emp. Phocas chosen by the Army kils Mauritius in Novemb. R. 18 years * At Chaalons Emp. Heraclius elected by the Army put Phocas to death R. 3â— years * This a 〈◊〉 upon 〈◊〉 confines 〈◊〉 Bâ—abant â—nd of Has 〈◊〉 The â—th of 〈◊〉 Manners and Customs * Le Pavois * Fosâ—erers Campus Martiâ— * Cubicularius * Regiae * Vir inluster Queens were fined most Pious and most Clement * Domicelli * Majores personae Minores personae The Church * In Latin Videâ—â—â— * Agricola * Carilesaâ— * Eparchâ—us * Stephen * Aribert Caribert and Cheribert are the same Name * Ansegisile Ansgise Anchisus Emp. Conâ—tantinâ— Son of Heraclius R. four Months Then Heraclâ—â—n Son of his Stâ—p mother R. Six Months Emp Constance Son of Constantine R. 26 years * Vulgarly Baucdour Emp. Constant Pogo or the Bearded Son of Constans R. 17 years * Arenes A Theater or Gravelly place to Fight or a kind of Amphitheater * Owen * Not now known * Regulus * Guillimer Gislimer Emp. Justinian II. Son of Progonatus Reigned nine years and an half * They yet call such in French Dodüe as are fat Emperor Leontius I. having chasâ—d and mutilated Justin Reigned two years and some months Emp. Tiber. Absim elected by the Soldiers degrades Leont Reigned seven years 700 c. 706 and 7. Emp. Justinian II. restores himself and puts Tiberius to Death Reigned seven years Church * St. Mauries in Chablais * St. Honorat * St. Vandrille * Deicola * Remiremont * Trudon * Baldomer * Vowed or Marry'd themselves to Chastity and Devotion *
Baldwin the Bald Earl of Flanders His Eldest Son Arnold the Fatt Inherited his Earldom Adolph the Second Son the Cities of Teroüenne Boulogne and Saint Omers but some few years after he died without Children Fulk le Roux Earl of Anjou Son of Ingelger quickly followed Baldwin Fulk the Good his Son Succeeded him Year of our Lord 918 Conrad King of Germany went off likewise the same year by a Wound he received in the Bavarian War Dying he commanded with a more then Royal generosity Everard his Brother to carry the Regal Ornaments to Henry Duke of Saxony though he had always made war against him Thus he returned the kindness that Otho his Father had shewed in giving him the Crown and laid down all thoughts of revenge to promote the happiness and safety of his Country which stood in need of a Prince able to defend it against the Incursions of the Hungarians This Henry was called the Bird-Catcher because he was found catching of Birds when they brought him the news of his Election Charles the Simple in France Henry the Bird Catcher in Germany Rodolph II. in Burgundy Transjurane LOUIS in Provence Berenger in Italy Before Henry was well settled Charles falls into Lorrain conquer'd it all as far as Wormes and compel's him to become his Subject for the remainder of that Kingdom Year of our Lord 919 But the French Lords who apprehended that if Charles grew too potent and too peaceable he might take away their Estates which they intended to make Hereditary stirred up new troubles Amongst others in Lorraine Gisalbert and Otho Son of Duke Regnier the first of these had wedded a Daughter of King Henry's and in France Robert Brother of King Eudes who held Intelligence with the Son of Regnier Year of our Lord 920. 21. These Male-contents being joyned with divers others during the time the two Kings Henry and Charles were thrusting each other out of Lorraine did in the end make their Cabal so strong that all Charles's Subjects abandoned him as had done otherwhile those of Charles the Fatt The pretence for this general revolt was that he had a Favorite by name Aganon who disposed of every thing wasted the Royal Treasure and treated the Grandees of the Kingdom insolently Year of our Lord 921 However Herve Arch-Bishop of Rheims getting him into his house found a means to make up the Breach between him and his Subjects so that they restored his Crown to him but not his Authority Year of our Lord 922 For a new broil being started up because Charles refused the Abbey of Chesles to Hugh called the Blanc Son of Robert who pretended to it for that his Aunt and Mother in Law had enjoy'd it to bestow it upon Aganon his Favourite the troubles not only began again but which was worse Robert at the Instigation of Gisalbert having gained a great Party amongst the French Lords got to be Elected and Crowned King at Rheims by the Arch-Bishop Herve the 20 th of June in the year 922. Charles the Simple in France Robert his rival Henry the Bird-Catcher in Germany Rodolph II. in Burgundy Transjurane LOVIS in Provence Berenger Emperor in Italy Year of our Lord 922 Upon this news Charles raises his Siege from before the Castle of Capremont where he held Gisalbert one of his greatest Enemies cooped up This Gisalbert had once before been stripp'd of all his Estate by this King and being restored again by Henry his Father in Law had revolted this second time Then Charles who had had the advantage over Henry changed condition and became a supplicant to him Both he and his rival strove to get him first and by that means confirmed him in the possession of the Kingdom of Lorraine However these two competitors had each of them still some share Charles having raised considerable Forces in that part which he held came resolutely to find out Robert encamped with his men near Soissons on this side of the River Aisne and having passed over unawares charged him furiously whilst his men were feeding and refreshing themselves Robert fighting at the head of his Army was slain with the stroke of a Lance which honourable deed some Authors bestow upon Charles Nevertheless Hugh his Son Earl Hebert of Vermandois and the others Chief Officers of his Party not only made head against Charles but gained so upon him that they had utterly defeated him had they but followed their pursuit This combat hapned the 15 th of June so that Robert Reigned not one whole year He had married Beatrix daughter of Hebert II. Earl of Vermandois by whom he had a Son Hugh whom they surnamed the Blanc the Grand and the Abbot and one Daughter Emma wedded to Rodolph Duke of Burgundy Son of Duke Richard who died the year preceding Year of our Lord 923 The string or knot of Roberts Party was not broken thorough the loss of their Head but held the firmer united because their danger appeared the greater Therefore the Lords by the persuasions of Hugh his Son who found himself not potent enough to be a King but to make one Elected Rodolph Duke of Burgundy his Brother in Law a Noble-man of a brave presence and a much better judgment and Crowned him at Saint Medard in Soissons the 13 th Day of July The French Historians place this Rodolph and Eudes before mentioned in the rank of their Kings and yet they do not put in Robert Brother of Eudes for which there can be no reason assigned but the shortness of his Reign RODOLPH King XXXI Charles Rodolph the Simple his rival in West-France Henry the Bird-catcher in Germany Rodolph II. in Burgundy Trans-jurane LOVIS in Provence Berenger Emperor AFter the Election of Rodolph all the world forsook Charles the Norman assistance which should have come to him not being able to pass because his enemies lay betwixt them rendred him more odious Having therefore no other refuge he wrote in a doleful manner to Henry King of Germany and gave him up Lorrain upon condition he would help him against these Rebels The reward was great and the Act of restoring a King very glorious Henry did therefore promise he would undertake it with all the power of Germany Robert's Party was greatly astonished at this News they did not know how to ward so dangerous a blow Hebert Earl of Vermandois draws them out of this difficulty King Charles believed he had quite taken him off from their interest But this Traytor whose Sister Robert had married having decoyed his King into the Castle of Peronne whither he was so simple as to let them lead him detained him Prisoner and confined him to Chasteau-Thierry where he was strongly guarded Queen Ogina having heard of this detention of her Husband fled to England her own Country and carried with her the only Son she had by him named Louis to wait a better opportunity out of the reach of those who could no way secure their Royalty but by
William VIII Duke of Aquitain Aged Fifty six years He left his Possessions to William IX his Son who was the last Duke of those Countries The Father had Married Emma only Daughter of William Earl of Arles and Toulouze and Brother of Raimond de Saint Gilles By her he pretended to the Earldom of Toulouze but Raimond de Saint Gilles said his Brother had sold it to him before he went to the Holy Land It caused a War between William Duke of Aquitain and Alphonsus Son of Raimond and afterwards again between Queen Elionor and the same Alphonso Year of our Lord 1127 Whilst Charles most justly surnamed the Good prudently governing Flanders relieving the Poor protecting the Clergy and doing Justice to all a Family in Bruges abounding in Riches and in numbers of Men but of Servile Race taking offence for that he had commanded them to open their Granaries in the time of Famine and withall being instigated by the Bastard William of Ypres plotted the Death of this Prince So that one Morning before day-light whilst he was at Prayers in St. Donats Church at Bruges these Villains Murther'd him at the foot of the Altar The horror of the Fact and intreaties of the Nobility of the Country made the King take Horse immediately to revenge this Parricide He besieged the wretched Authors in the Church and having taken them punished the two principal very severely For one after they had put out his Eyes and cut off his Nose was bound to a Wheel planted very high where they pierced him with an infinite number of Arrows and Darts thorough every part of his Body The other was hanged on a Gallows with a Dog tied on his Head whom they beat continually that he might tear his Head in pieces All the rest who fled into the Steeple were cast down from the top to the bottom and dasht against the Ground This done he adjudged the Earldom to William of Normandy Son to Duke Robert as being the nearest or next Heir without any regard to Baldwin Earl of Hainault and to William of Ypre who pretended a Right The last obstinately strugling to carry it by force the King handled him so roughly that he took from him the City of Ypre and all the Lands he held in Flanders Year of our Lord 1128 As little gained Stephen Brother to the Earl of Champagne who was Earl of Boulogne by his Wife though the King of England his Uncle supported him in this design not so much to advance him as out of hatred to the King of France and a fear of the growing greatness of his Nephew William The King finding that with the Assistance of the Earl of Hainaults and Godfrey of Namurs Forces he had besieged Ypres led his Army into that Country again gave them Chace and secured the Country to William However the Covetousness of this Prince vexing his new Subjects with Imposts he wanted not and selling of Offices the principal Cities revolted and invited in Thierry Earl of Alsatia whom they owned for their Prince and in truth he was of the Blood of their Counts by the Female side The King therefore made a third March towards those Quarters and advanced as sar as Artois to serve William but not finding things disposed so as he expected he came his ways back again William did not lose Courage for all this He gave Battle near Alost to Thierry and put him to the rout but pursuing his Victory he received a Wound in his Arm which being ill-dress'd caused his Death and after that all the Disturbances raised in Normandy by his Partisans wholly ceased In this Kings Reign there were four Brothers private Gentlemen of the Family of the Garlands Anseau William Stephen and Giselbert who had the greatest share in the favour of the King in his Council and Offices Anseau had that of Grand Seneschal or Dapifer which he held in Fief of the Earl of Anjou who was the Lord Suzerain for in those times Offices and Dignities were granted in Fief and even the Contributions or Offerings and other Revenues proceeding from the Charity and Devotion of the Faithful Stephen who was Archdeacon of Paris was provided with that of Chancellor and Giselbert with that of Butler Now Anseau being slain at the Siege of Puiset Anno 1118. the King bestowed his Office upon William and he being dead about the year 1120. Stephen desired it rather for himself then for his younger Brother Giselbert This was a Monster that never any Reason nor any Example could justisie a Soldering-Priest making profession to spill Human Blood And indeed all good People had him in horror but his Ambition and the flattery of Courtiers who lay the fairest Colours upon the fowlest Facts stopp'd his Ears that he might not hear the just Reproaches of his Brethren nor the checks of his Conscience His Pride ascended to that height to shock Queen Alix who had Spirit enough not to endure it and it was perhaps for that reason that he would surrender his Office to Amaulry de Montfort who was Married to his Neece the Daughter and Heiress of Anseau Year of our Lord 1128 c. The King not thinking that convenient he dared to take up Arms against him and made a League with the King of England Thibauld Earl of Champagne and other of his Masters Enemies plainly demonstrating thereby that in his former Services his ✚ aim was not the good of the Kingdom but his own Grandeur The King vigorously assaulted the Castle of Livry which they had fortified they shot at him and he was wounded in the Thigh with an Arrow The smart of his Wound redoubling his Anger he forced the Castle and razed it In fine he continued to make so hot a War upon them that Stephen was constrained to renounce the Office of Seneschal But the Party being strong he thought fit to leave him that of Chancellor Year of our Lord 1129 Great toil and labour more then number of years making Lewis old he found it fitting the better to secure the Kingdom to his Family to have his eldest Son Philip Crowned Which was performed in the City of Reims the 14th of April being Easter-day in presence of Henry King of England his Vassal LEWIS the Gross and PHILIP his Son HEnry likewise having no Children by his second Wife caused his Daughter Matilda Widow of the Emperor Henry to be acknowledged and accepted of as Heiress to his Crown and Dominions and Re-Married her to Gefroy surnamed Plantagenet Son and future Successor to Fulk Earl of Anjou The Party was good and besides he made it his choice thereby to divide this House of Anjou which had given him so much trouble from the King of France's Party and joyn it to his Interest King Lewis who had defended the Churches and protected the Clergy changed his Language towards the end of his Reign because they carried themselves too haughtily towards him and would not suffer he should meddle with the